Factors to Consider for Your Home Extension Project

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Expanding your home’s footprint can be an excellent investment, but that type of project is more complicated than most people realize. There are a few important factors that you will need to consider well before you break ground or use a company like Ajay Demolitions on your home extension project.

Permits

While it might be tempting to save a little bit of money by forgoing building permits, that is going to be a big mistake in the long run. If you ever try to sell your home and you don’t have the proper permits for your extension project, then you could face huge fines and fees. As a general rule, you should assume that you are going to need new permits whenever any work is done to your electrical system, sewage lines, roof, or walls.

HOA Regulations

Those who live in a home that is regulated by an HOA should check their local bylaws as well. Some homeowners don’t know that an HOA can take legal action if a resident of the community doesn’t follow all of their bylaws. When you add anything to the outside of your home, it will most likely need to adhere to very strict rules. The HOA might even need to inspect and approve your construction plans before any work is done, and failing to have those papers inspected could result in a fine or lien against your home.

Additional Utility Lines

A minor home addition might not have a big impact on your utilities, but larger extensions could require new lines, pipes, or breakers. When most homes are built, the construction and utility companies rarely take future additions into consideration when they are developing the sewage system, breaker box, and electrical wires. If you need to run additional utility lines to your new home extension, then you should plan for additional expenses.

Potential Contaminants

Whenever work is done to older walls or roofs, homeowners should consider the fact that airborne contaminants might be released. Those who live in a home that is more than a decade old need to contact a company that will be able to detect those contaminants and remove them if necessary. Asbestos is particularly common, and the safest way to get rid of that toxin is to contact a reputable asbestos removal company.

Adding new rooms to your home is an exciting process that could improve your quality of life and boost your home’s value. That is why it is so important to ensure that you take your time and work with experienced contractors.

Tips and Tools That Can Make Your Routine Home Maintenance Tasks Easier

The work never seems to be done around the house. As soon as you finish taking care of one part of the house, there is always something else that needs to be fixed or cleaned. Fortunately, there are a few tools and tricks that you can use to free up more time to do what you like.

Get a Riding Lawnmower

Mowing the lawn is not only time-consuming, but it's also tiresome. Make the job a lot more fun with a riding lawnmower. It's like having your very own mini tractor. It will help you mow and mulch your lawn, and you can also get a trailer or dump cart to pull behind it. This can help you mow your lawn in record time while also relieving you of having to haul bags of grass clippings and leaves around your property.

Install a Sprinkler System

Rather than spending the day moving a sprinkler around your yard, you can install an automatic sprinkler system to do it for you. Simply set the timer, and your yard and garden will be watered without you needing to lift a finger. You can even set it for late at night or early in the morning while you're sleeping. Your lawn will never turn brown again because you didn't have the time to water it. Before you know it, your yard will be the envy of the neighborhood.

Put in Gutter Guards

Cleaning out the gutters is a necessary task most often done in spring and fall. This helps protect your roof and your home’s foundation from water damage and associated problems. However, installing a gutter guard, such as a Gator Gutter Guard, on your rain gutters can help prevent leaves from falling into your gutters and clogging them, which means you can save time cleaning the gutters. You'll no longer need to get your hands dirty digging rotting leaves out of your gutters. Rather, you can simply sweep them off of the top of the gutter guards and call it a day.

Set Up Shoe Trays

Adopting the Asian custom of removing your shoes before you enter the house is quite practical. Doing so can prevent friends and family from tracking dirt onto the carpet when they visit. Place a shoe tray by your front door as a signal that guests should remove their shoes. Also make sure that you have a stout and sturdy doormat to get the grime off the bottom of shoes. Keeping dirt off the floors in the first place will save time and energy in vacuuming, sweeping, mopping, and carpet cleaning.

Lay Down Drip Pans

Likewise, placing drip pans under where you park your car in the garage will keep the floor clean. Rather than scrubbing grease-stained cement, the grease in the pan can be drained back into a bottle for proper disposal. Most auto parts stores can accept used oil for recycling. This way, you're keeping the environment cleaner as well as your garage. This can also help you spot car problems early on.

These are just a few ideas to lighten the load and make life easier around your home. With a few simple preventative steps, you can reduce the amount of time you spend cleaning and maintaining your home.

How to Improve the Lifetime and Longevity of Your Home

Many homeowners are faced with the daunting prospect of having to replace their home in a few years because it is showing signs of wear and tear. The good news is that there are many ways you can improve the lifetime and longevity of your home, which will save you money in the long run. In this blog post we'll go over 10 tips that will help make your home last as long as possible.

Install an Insulation Blanket Over Your Attic Floor

Most homes have attic floors, which are designed to keep cold air from seeping into the house through the insulation in your ceiling. Unfortunately, traditional attic flooring is prone to moisture and rot, especially if you live in a humid climate. A simple fix to this problem is to install a moisture barrier over your attic floor. You can purchase these types of products for less than $50 and they are super easy to install.

Replace Your Windows When They Start Leaking Air or Water

Over time, the seals on windows will start to fail, which makes them more susceptible to air and water leaks. If you notice that your windows are leaking, it's time to replace them. Replacing a window is fairly inexpensive, and will save you money on your energy bill in the long run. We recommend getting your windows replaced every 20 years or whenever you notice any signs of leaking.

Paint Your Exterior Once Every Two Years

Just like your car, your home will need to be stripped and repainted every few years. Make sure you set aside a day or two every year to strip down your house exterior, and buy a new can of primer and paint for the following year. The cost of this project is minimal, and it will ensure your home exterior stays looking nice.

Use Seamless Gutters

If you want seamless gutters on your home, consider using the seamless aluminum gutters or seamless copper guttering. Some companies, like New England’s Best Home Services, know that they can last 50 years without needing replacement.

Use Mold Kits to Test for Poisonous Mold in Your Home

Mold can cause illnesses when it is introduced into the bloodstream, so it's important to make sure you don't have any mold growing away from your eyesight.

These are some of the best ways to extend the lifetime of your home. Some extra measures you can take to increase your home's life span include: finishing basement walls, installing a sump pump, and creating an emergency supply kit for natural disasters.

Moving Into a 100-Year-Old Home? Improvements You Might Need to Make

When moving into a 100-year-old home, you should expect to have a few things to repair. You need to make sure the house is holding up well and is safe for you to be there. You can make it safer and more comfortable with these tips.

Take a Look at the Electricity

When moving into an old house, you might worry about safety. Fires can happen when the electrical system has become outdated, and you need to check it out. If there are any messed up or faulty wires in the house, then the electricians will take care of that and redo things as they need to so that the house will be safe. Before you move into your new home, make sure you know what type of wiring is in the home. You will need to account for updated electrical wiring in your home before closing. 

Make Sure the Foundation Is Holding Up Well

The foundation is another cause of concern in many older homes. If you want to do any remodeling in the house, then you need to be especially cautious of the foundation. You can get house underpinning done to make the foundation sturdier so that you don't have to worry. Check for any cracks in the foundation or bricks on the outside of your home. Fill in cracks to help reduce your energy bill and keep your home sturdy for years to come. 

Check Out the Bathrooms and Plumbing

The bathrooms in an older house may cause you some issues, and you need to check them out. Make sure the plumbing isn't leaking and that there aren't any issues with the toilet or tub. Replace older faucets and things as needed to make the house more modern and comfortable. The appearance of the bathrooms might be outdated as well. While making plumbing improvements, you might also want to do a visual renovation. Remove any old tiles and replace them with modern ones. Old faucets might also need to be replaced. 

Get New Doors or Fix the Squeaks

A problem in many older homes is squeaky doors. If you are having any issues with that, then either replace the doors or oil the hinges. You might want to paint or stain the doors throughout the house, as well, to give them an updated and clean look.

Change Out Light Fixtures and Light Bulbs

If the lighting in the older house is a bit dimmer than you are used to, then you can change that. Replace all the light fixtures with those that look modern and pretty. Put new light bulbs in and increase the wattage and number of bulbs throughout the house to brighten it up. If you are redoing the electrical system, anyway, then have a few more lights put in where you need them.

Take care of the older home well so that it will be safe for you to be there. Make sure things are going well with the plumbing, electricity, and other important components of the home. Make updates where needed and enjoy the special 100-year-old home.