Archive for September, 2011
How To Choose And Install Your Perfect Conservatory
Adding a conservatory or sunroom to your home is a great way to increase space and they are usually much quicker to construct than an extension. A well built and furnished sun room can also add extra value to a property which you should always bear in mind whenever you carry out any work to your home. If you are thinking of adding one to your house then make sure that you check out the top tips below so that you get the best one for your requirements and budget.
- It’s always advisable to double check with your local planning authority before you start any work to see whether you need planning permission for the new addition to your home. Don’t automatically assume that you won’t need consent and start building anyway as you could waste thousands of pounds if you’re forced to take the structure down.
- Make sure that you calculate the internal floor area that you want and manually mark out the area before discussing quotations with builders and suppliers. The majority of suppliers will quote sizes based on the external frame of the extension which is fine but you also need to be sure that the internal space is big enough for you as well as this is the area you will use.
- Shop around and try to make the new addition to your property sympathetic to the style and tone of the rest of your house as otherwise the structure could look awkward and out of place. There are so many different styles and materials available on the market all with varying brickwork and rendering that you are sure to be able to find something that fits perfectly with your home.
- Try to obtain quotes from a number of firms and don’t be tempted to just go for the cheapest. It’s always advisable to short list about three or four conservatories companies so that you have a good idea of what you can get for your money. It can sometimes be beneficial to try and negotiate on price but don’t try to negotiate too far as you may well end up with a substandard job from a less than professional company.
- When you are deciding your budget for the sun room make sure that you have a small contingency fund for the project you might want to put aside 10 15 for unforeseen circumstances. This can come in handy if your builders or fitters discover any extra building work or landscaping that needs to be carried out. It’s unlikely that you will need to use this but it’s always good to have something in reserve should the worst happen.
- Invest in some extras to make your sun room a comfortable and attractive living space. A well made set of conservatory blinds can really help to set the tone for the room. You might want to consider investing in a set of black out blinds as these are perfect for maintaining a cooler temperature in the room during summer months.
Your new sun room should be an attractive and practical space for the whole family to enjoy so take the time to consider the points above before you make an investment.
About the writer: Steven Holmes
How Is Tap Water Tested For Contamination In Your Locality?
How is tap water tested for contamination? Have you asked this question yet? Of course there have been plenty of reports from several research institutes stating that tap water is badly contaminated highly dangerous to drink it or use it for other purposes on a regular basis. But as you know the quality of drinking water is not the same across the whole country. It differs from state to state. So you need to test the tap water in the area you live in to get an idea of the pollution level and what you need to do about it.
If you ask your municipal authorities the question how is tap water tested for contamination’ they will probably say that it has been tested as per rules and that the contaminants found in water are within the standard limits set by the EPA. However time and again it has been proven that the amount of contaminants in tap water is far higher than what is actually allowed by the EPA.
This is not just the case with one or two states but nearly 30 states across the country. Tap water samples from these states have been tested and it has been found that the level of microbial contaminants and chemical contaminants were far higher than what is prescribed by the EPA.
How can this happen? The answer is simple. Chlorination is the only method used by the municipal authorities across the country to disinfect water. Unfortunately chlorine is just a disinfectant. It cannot get rid of the toxic chemicals present in tap water. So unless you test the tap water you get you cannot be sure how badly it is contaminated.
If you are a home owner you can test your own tap water by using a home water testing kit. Using such a kit you can test your tap water for microbes chlorine level heavy metals and so on. After seeing the results you can look for a good water filter that will get rid of this pollution.
Since the water you get can have a variety of contaminants like cysts microbes chemicals and drugs you need to go for a water filter based on a good technology that can get rid of all these contaminants. Multi level filtration is a good option. Multiple active carbon filters seem to work well in removing such contaminants a fact which has been proven by several tests done by water testing institutes. So try to get an active carbon water filter to get the best results.
Now that you know the answer to the question how is tap water tested for contamination’ you need to act immediately. You should make sure that neither you nor your family Have to drink contaminated water ever again. So get a good water purifier today and keep diseases at bay.
About the writer: Derek Reeve runs an informational website that provides details of the best water purifiers. If you’re serious about improving the quality of water you use visit water purification systems for home to find the most effective efficient and affordable products available.
Home Values And New Stone Countertops – Is It Worth It?
The good news is that pricing of stone countertops have fallen because of their popularity. You can now purchase these countertops for the same price as Corian or solid surface countertops. Higher end customized countertops are entering the market allowing the prices to get even better for stone or engineered countertops. The more customized countertop would be cement or stainless steel.
Youll need to do some shopping around first to find what would work best for you and your familys needs. For example a marble countertop would not work well in most bathrooms or kitchens with a lot of traffic because of it getting scratched and stained easily. But it would work very well for an area without much usage.
But there is a variety of countertops available that would look beautiful are durable and at the same time may boost the value or resell of your home. You most likely will recover up to 74 of the cost of the countertops after the sale of your home. It would be better if the return was higher on the cost of the stone countertops but on the other hand it might make for a quicker sale. Another good reason would be that the buyer doesnt have to spend money on updating the countertops and they may fall in love with the look of them.
If you decide to install new stone countertops youll need to plan on buying a new sink first because undermount sinks look the best with the stone countertops and must be installed beforehand. When choosing colors for your countertops staying with the more neutral colors would be best for resell. Many prospective buyers may not like the dark green colored stone that you thought would be ideal.
Outdated scratched damaged or stained countertops might turn off a potential buyer especially when most new homes already have beautiful countertops. Ceramic tile countertops used to be the most popular choice but it had problems with chipping cracking and stains in the grout. Plus it is difficult to find a matching ceramic stone to replace the damaged tiles. Most home buyers automatically think that this style is outdated now even if the tile is in good condition.
But the decision ultimately is yours but remember that the countertops are not the only improvement needed for a faster sale new paint landscaping and flooring are just some of the important things that also play a major part in the value and sale of your home.
About the writer: Verona Raymond knows custom countertops including engineered or natural surfaces. Learn more about the latest trends with various countertops available on the market today at: http://www.countertopviews.com