For some homeowners, renovations are an exciting opportunity to achieve the dream space at last. Such individuals can’t wait to get stuck in with planning, booking all the right professionals, and trying their hands at DIY where possible.

For some of us, however, major work in the home can feel like a stress best avoided. In these instances, the idea of even thinking about where to start can feel too much like hard work. Not to mention the financial burdens of doing so!

In reality, though, while there is sure a thing as non-essential renovations, tasks like rewiring, bathroom remodels and kitchen refits can sometimes become essentials rather than preferences. In this instance, inaction really isn’t an option. At least, not unless you want to come face-to-face with these issues. 

Drastic value decreases

We all know that renovations can increase property value, but what’s less spoken about is the fact that a lack of action on the renovation front can actually do the same, sometimes more quickly than we think. This is especially the case in terms of leaks, damp patches, or broken appliances, but it’s also true in a perfectly functional, but dated, space. This is terrible news if you have a mortgage, as it could soon see your loan repayments costing more than your property is worth, leaving you in negative equity that, ultimately, keeps you stuck.

Make sure it doesn’t happen by taking steps towards renovation at least once every ten years or so. Even if you have to seek a refinance home loan comparison to make this possible, you can bet it’ll still be more lucrative than letting things slide. At the very least, this step will ensure that you can afford to sell your property and move on at some stage in the future. 

Escalating costs

Given that cost is a common reason for renovation avoidance, it’s also vital to note that expenses here don’t just disappear because you look the other way. In fact, in the vast majority of cases, costs in neglected areas will only escalate. Failure to refit that bathroom, for instance, could lead to leaking pipes that cause rot in your floorboards, dampness in your walls, and so on, and so on. When you consider the expense of all those repairs, the refit definitely seems preferable! The same can be said in the vast majority of renovation cases, so while there’s nothing with avoiding something like an attic conversion if that doesn’t suit, it’s fair to say that you can’t afford to neglect the rooms that you already have. 

Creeping dissatisfaction

Even if you think you’re helping yourself by keeping renovations on the backburner, there will soon come a time when you can’t ignore the impact of your inaction any longer. In this instance, you may start to notice that you avoid coming home, or that you feel undeniably uncomfortable in your space. This is terrible news, and the only way to overcome that feeling is to update, redesign and, you guessed it, renovate.

When you cultivate a manageable home, it’s easier to keep your property tidy and well-maintained. From protecting your décor to minimizing the number of chores you need to do; a manageable home means less maintenance and less work for you. To find out how you can create a low maintenance living environment, take a look at these top tips now:

1. Get Rid of Excess Clutter

If you’re holding on to belongings that you don’t truly want or need, you’re making extra work for yourself. When you donate, discard or sell excess clutter, you create more space at home for the things you genuinely enjoy. What’s more – you’ll find it far easier to manage your home.

When worktops are clear and clutter-free and the floor isn’t strewn with items, it only takes a few minutes to clean and keep things neat and tidy. Due to this, decluttering your home should be a top priority if you want to make your living environment more manageable. 

2. Increase Storage Space

When you haven’t got enough storage space at home, it’s easy for things to pile up in unintended places, such as on work surfaces, coffee tables, and even the stairs. Of course, trying to do chores when you have to work your way around these items increases your workload. 

By increasing the amount of storage space you have available, however, you can ensure that everything is returned to its rightful place as soon as you’ve finished using it. Then, you can make light work of housework.

3. Switch to Hardwood Flooring

Keeping carpets clean and well-maintained can be challenging, particularly if you have kids or pets. However, flooring stores are filled with low maintenance alternatives. Replacing carpets with hardwood or laminate flooring makes it far easier to keep your home spick and span. Instead of trying in vain to mop up spills and get stains out of carpets, for example, you can simply whizz round with a mop and keep your floor looking immaculate at all times. 

4. Embrace Minimalist Décor

Minimalist is a fantastic style of interior design if you want to make your home more manageable. The idea of only featuring pieces that have a functional use may seem at odds with the idea of cultivating a warm, welcoming home, but minimalism can work in all types of environments. Of course, you don’t have to go to extremes, if you don’t want to. Simply incorporating a minimalist ethos into your current décor and interior design can be an effective way to reduce the time it takes to keep your home looking great. 

Why a Manageable Home Matters

Whether you’re working full-time, looking after your kids, or busy with hobbies and pastimes, you probably don’t have a lot of time to spare on chores. When you ensure your home is easy to manage, you won’t have to waste any of your free time on time-consuming household tasks. Instead, you can spend your time doing the things you love and enjoy a neat and tidy home too. 

There are many important parts of a home that are designed to provide you with a safe, secure and comfortable place to live. One of the most important of all is the roof of your home as it helps to protect everything beneath it. While a quality roof can last for several decades, it will eventually need to be replaced and along the way, some repairs will be needed. If you are having roof issues, there are several factors to take into consideration to determine if you should replace the roof or you just need a roof repair.  

Type of Roof and Local Climate 

One factor to consider when determining to repair or replace your roof is the type of roof that you have. There are many types of roofing to choose from and the life expectancy of these roofs can range from 15 to over 30 years. The wear and tear on a roof will also be affected by the weather in your area as those with variable weather and a lot of storms will see roofs wear down more quickly. If you are getting past the expected useful life of your individual roofing system, it may be time for a full roof repair.  

Location and Quantity of Roof Issues 

If you notice that there is a leak in your roof, it likely is a sign that there is some form of wear and tear that is likely not isolated to one spot. A full roof inspection should be able to identify whether there are multiple roof leaks or if it is a smaller problem in one section. Depending on the amount of repairs that are needed, you will be able to determine whether it would be cost-prohibitive to make the individual repairs and delay the replacement for a few years or simply replace the roof now.  

Consider Energy Bills 

In the past couple of decades, the trend in roofing has been to use materials that are designed to improve energy efficiency. If you have an older roof, there is a good chance that it does not have the more efficient shingles or insulation that could keep your energy usage and utility bills lower. If you have noticed an increase in energy bills over the years, replacing your roof instead of making a few repairs could help to bring them down. 

The decision to replace or repair your roof is a big one. By taking these factors into consideration, it will be easier for you to determine which option is best for your situation. 

If you own a HVAC, then you should think carefully about how well you are maintaining it. This can impact in lots of ways, from your HVAC’s performance to how much it is likely to end up costing you should you neglect to regularly have it serviced and have any faults repaired. Companies such as this HVAC service in Dallas, TX exist to take care of such things. They can maintain your HVAC unit to a professional standard and ensure that you are getting the best out of it in the short and long term.

Improving Air Quality

It is important to keep your HVAC well maintained so that you benefit from good air quality in your home. An efficiently working HVAC system will filter out the allergens and pollutants that can lead to health issues. Good air quality is important as it reduces the risk of respiratory problems, allergies, asthma attacks and fatigue. If you want to improve your air quality, you can find local repair companies by searching online for ‘expert AC maintenance near me‘ and reading through the most highly rated reviews. Their website should contain a list of services that the company offers as well as a portfolio of past projects. By conducting online research, you can be sure to hire a reputable company.

Safety

Maintaining your HVAC by having it regularly inspected and serviced by a professional will ensure that your family are protected from carbon monoxide poisoning. This is an invisible but potentially deadly gas that has been known to leak when HVACs are faulty. Any leaks can build up to levels that become a health risk and require hospitalization or worse still happens.

Reduction in Energy Consumption

By having your HVAC regularly maintained by a professional, you will save on electricity consumption. This is because you will be improving the efficiency of your system. A preventative maintenance will thoroughtly clean and test your system’s components and so make it work more efficiently for you. The whole system will, after this is done, not have to work so hard in keeping the air comfortable for you to breathe. Improved energy consumption will cost you less in fuel bills and be greener for the environment.

Prevention of Costly Repairs

Regularly servicing and maintaining your HVAC system will catch potential problems early and so avoid more cost repair bills in the future. It may mean the difference between having it repaired next time or needing to having your whole unit replaced. Skilled heating engineers will be able to easily spot any likely problems arising. Wear and tear and future malfunctions can be better managed by early detection before a complete failure results. Regular maintenance and timely repairs will also extend the life of your HVAC system.

Warranties

Where a HVAC system is under warranty, manufacturers will mostly require evidence from you that you have been maintaining your HVAC on an annual basis. So, by investing in maintenance on a regular basis you are providing yourself with the equivalent of an insurance policy. You will have a claim then when it comes to malfunctions that have occurred under warranty that were not preventable by yourself. A claim can be made under warranty with much more confidence.

In conclusion, we should have our HVAC regularly maintained for reasons of improved air quality and safety. Also, to reduce our energy bills and result in reduced fuel costs to us and the environment when it comes to non-renewable energies not being used as efficiently as possible. We can prevent future costly repairs by making sure that a professional company is regularly maintaining our HVAC to an efficient level and not allowing for it to become tired and worn out to such an extent that we need a new unit sooner. Finally, we should think of our warranty and how little use that will be to us if we have not maintained our HVAC to the standards required by our manufacturer’s warranty. So, there are many reasons as to why we should take good care of our HVAC by having it regularly maintained.

Many homeowners have found themselves feeling cramped and cluttered in their properties over the last 12 months, with household members home more due to the global pandemic.

If you’re looking to find private space for yourself or others, whether to set up an office, media room, guest bedroom, yoga studio, or meditation zone, etc., it’s worth considering if your home has an attic to use.

It might feel like it’s a big job to turn an attic into an entirely liveable space, but the effort and cost are likely to be worth it in the long run, especially when you consider that it can help boost the resale value of your property, too. However, make sure you look into some essential factors before you start work.

Clear Out All the Cutter First

It’s necessary to remove any clutter that’s taking up valuable space in your attic. If you’re like most people, you’ve likely been using this part of your home as a storage zone for bits and pieces you don’t use often or are not sure what to do with. If so, to make the area available for living, working, exercise, or other activities, spend time clearing up. Remove everything you can out of the attic, so it’s ready to be refreshed and better utilized in the future.

Get a Professional to Check for Safety Allowances and Other Clearance

Before going too far, though, make sure you can safely and legally use the attic as a liveable space. Consider legal requirements such as if there’s enough height for head clearance and if the room passes local council regulations or other legal conditions.

Rather than guessing at these things and never being sure what’s allowed, it’s best to hire someone who specializes in this kind of consultancy. For example, go online and search for “quality general contractors near me”or related terms to find people for the job. Have the person you select let you know if there’s going to be enough clearance in your attic once it has been finished off, if not already. If the height isn’t right, they should be able to raise the roofline for you.

You may also need the attic floor shored up to make it strong enough to hold both furniture and people up there. You’ll likely require a structural analysis of the space to see if any safety regulations are involved. Also, consider if you want to expand the attic or obtain better access to it. Council permits may be necessary along the way for various factors.

Install Heating and Cooling Systems

Attics typically aren’t the most temperate of places in a home, lying at the top of a property and all. As such, you’ll probably need to have some heating and cooling systems installed to ensure the space is habitable throughout the year.

In particular, consider getting air conditioning or, at the very least, a fan put in to help cool the attic down in summer when all the hot air in the house rises to it and makes it potentially a sweatbox. Many people find that a reverse-cycle HVAC system works well in these contained zones, and these machines are quite affordable these days, too.

Finish Off the Space

No matter what you want to use your updated attic for, you’re going to want it to be a welcoming, comfortable place that you enjoy spending time in. To make it this way, finish off the space carefully. For example, depending on the room’s current state, it could require drywall added to the walls and ceiling. It may need proper flooring laid down, especially carpet or some other product that will help to dampen noise. You don’t want to have too much sound traveling from the top of the house to lower areas.

It pays to paint the surfaces to make your attic more attractive, and you may be keen to add features to dress it up
further, such as a vaulted ceiling, beadboard panels, or tongue and groove paneling. If there isn’t enough light currently, consider getting a builder or other tradesperson to add one or more skylights for you. Also, you’ll probably need an electrician to come in and put in proper wiring, power points, and light fittings, too. Plus,

Follow the tips above to turn your under-utilized attic area into a well-designed, inviting space that you and your family like to be in. As a bonus, the results should add value to your property as well.