For many people it’s the charm and character of an older property that makes them fall in love with it at first sight. Things such as gabled roofs, ornate fireplaces, wooden floors and tall, elegant sash windows paint a pretty picture. However, on the downside, along with those period sash windows inevitably comes irritating rattles, draughts which chill, and single glazing which brings outside noise in. Fortunately, window manufacturers now extend their ranges to include sash windows which are inspired by the classic design of bygone years which also provide the functional benefits of double glazing which are warmth, quietness, and security. There are two choices when it comes to double glazed sash windows and those are replacing the windows completely with purpose built sash windows made to suit your home and budget or fitting sealed double glazed units into the existing sashes.

Image via: Gary J Ahern, AIA – Focal Point Design

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Replacing Old for New

When it comes to replacing your sash windows with new ones, most companies offer a choice of timber frames for a traditional period look or UPVC frames which again offer a traditional look but with very little maintenance being needed. Whichever type you choose, you can rest assured that the windows will be energy efficient, secure, rattle free and open and close with consummate ease.

Traditional Timber

When you choose timber frames, you will also be offered a choice of traditional cords and weight mechanisms or be able to choose a more modern twist of hidden springs which ensure that the windows open smoothly. In addition, most companies offer a choice of finishes and colour of locks.

Image via: Smith & Vansant Architects PC

UPVC

Many people choose UPVC double glazed sash windows for the reason that they require minimum maintenance. They look fresh and bright and only require a wipe down with a damp cloth to remove dust and dirt. Generally these styles of windows rely on a hidden spring mechanism for effortless opening and closing, and some feature a tip and tilt function which makes cleaning them a breeze. As with the timber frames, they too can be supplied with traditional styles of locks, catches and glazing options to personalise your home.

A fully trained professional will guide you through the range of design choices, security features and thermal performance, helping you to choose the right design for your home and budget.

Image via: Pine Street Carpenters & The Kitchen Studio

Fitting Sealed Double Glazed Units

As an alternative to replacing your old windows for new, you may be considering having sealed double glazed units fitted into your existing frames. Even if your timber frames appear to be in good condition, going down this path can lead to problems. The main danger is that the glazing bars may not be deep enough to hold the sealed units. This means that there isn’t room for a sufficient depth of timber beading, which serves to protect the edge sealant from the heat of the sun, thus causing it to dry it out. This then leads to internal misting on the windows. Another cause of premature internal misting which can happen within the first year, is that sash windows notoriously fail to provide a clear drained 5 mm gap around all four edges of the sealed double glazed unit. If you love your sash windows but want to update them Lytham Window Company Limited can help.

For more home organization ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Something that no one ever wants to hear is that they have asbestos in their home. But, what makes that even harder to process is when a home inspector tells you that it has been there longer than you would have ever imagined and that there were things that you could have done to prevent it from becoming such a huge infestation in your house.

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The problem with having this mineral fiber growing in your house is that breathing high levels of it can put you at serious risk for cancer of the lungs and chest as well as asbestosis, which is a serious scarring of the lung tissue. So, for obvious reasons, it’s best to stop asbestos before it stops.

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Here are three things that you can do to identify asbestos in your home.

Know Where It Grows

The first thing to do is to be aware of exactly where asbestos tends to grow: steam pipes and furniture ducts; floor tiles; cement sheets and papers that are used as insulation; door gaskets; shingles and sidings; soundproofing material and also automobile brake pads and gaskets. As it relates to your house and where asbestos hazards are most commonly located, that would be roofing made with asbestos cement; older homes (especially between the 1930s-1950s) that used asbestos for insulation purposes; the walls and flooring around wood-burning stoves and fireplaces; vinyl floor tiles and adhesives and hot water and steam pipes that may have had a layer of asbestos insulation covering it. (Oh, and don’t forget the door gaskets too.)

How to Check for It

If you sense that there may be some asbestos growing within your house, the first thing to keep in mind is that there is no need to panic. The second thing to remember is that under no circumstances should you touch it. Signs to look for are wearing and tearing on the above mentioned items. Also look for if there is any water damage. If you do see some tear or abrasions, then you should either contact a professional asbestos home inspector or you should speak with an accredited state laboratory consultant in your area about the safest and easiest way for you to test for asbestos on your own.

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What to Do in the Meantime

So, what happens if you do discover that you have asbestos growing in your house? Well, you won’t need to hire an Asbestos law firm in Texas or wherever it is you live if you take the right precautions in handling it. This would definitely include contracting a professional service to come and remove it. In the meantime, make sure to keep activities around the asbestos to a minimum; that you don’t do any dusting, sweeping or vacuuming in those areas; that you don’t attempt to sand or level out any flooring where asbestos may be and that you refrain from tracking asbestos throughout the house. If there are certain places that you have to walk through with asbestos that are unavoidable, use a damp mop to wipe down the area once you are done. For more information on how to deal with an asbestos infestation in your house, visit EPA.gov and put “asbestos in your home” in the search engine.

For more maintenance tips on Stagetecture, click here.

If you’ve been thinking about investing into some real estate, rather than purchasing a brand new home (that can cost quite a bit of money), you may have been considering buying a “fixer upper”, instead. That way, you can get the property for much less money and then fix it up at your leisure (which usually means, as you can afford to do so).

However, just because you get the home for a fairly cheap price initially, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you ended up with a bargain. In other words, sometimes you can purchase a piece of property at a really great deal, while getting into a situation that ends up being way over your head.

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So, how can you know if a fixer upper is something that you can realistically handle? Here are some really great tips:

Consider the Perks of a Fixer Upper

When it comes to actually looking into some homes that need a little bit more work than others, there are some definite benefits. Aside from the lower asking price that you will probably be able to get on the house, it may be a way to get into a neighborhood that’s property value would otherwise be too expensive for you (if it were a newer home). Plus, as a major DIY project, it gives you the freedom to use your own creative ideas to bring out the individuality that you would like for the house (especially if you plan on living in it rather than flipping it over and reselling it to someone else).

What You Should Look Out for Before Making the Purchase

Now that we’ve explored some of the pros to purchasing a fixer upper, let’s take a minute to talk about some of the cons that can make getting the home a real headache rather than a true blessing. Sometimes, people are so quick to want to get a certain home (at a certain price), that they never take out the time to consider why the house may be up for sale (for so cheap) in the first place. Therefore, in order to spare yourself a lot of potential regret, it’s a good idea to take a home inspector along with you to thoroughly look through the house. They will know to look for rodent (include termite) infestation, structural damage and wiring and plumbing issues. If you discover that the maintenance on the house will cost more than the home is actually worth, that is a reason to seriously reconsider it. For instance, paying half a million to restore a home that is only worth $200,000, especially with this current real estate market, may not be the wisest kind of investment.

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Review Why You Want to Do It…Before You Do It

As you’re looking for the right kind of house, whether it’s Houston real estate, Nashville real estate or anywhere else in the country, make sure to keep your eyes on the prize by staying focused on the ultimate reason why you desire to make the purchase in the first place. If it’s to buy the home, fix it up and resell it, then make sure that the purchase will ultimately make you a profit. If it’s so that you can create your own dream home, then don’t buy the home unless it can meet your basic needs. Bottom line, when it comes to a fixer upper, you’ll know that you can handle it if it seems like a fun thing to do that will not put you into long-term debt; if once you fix it up, all of the work was truly worth it. Literally.

For more home buying & selling tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Rarely do we wear the same pair of jeans or shoes for 5-10 years, so we certainly shouldn’t feel guilty when we feel like the rooms in our house could use a furniture upgrade. After all, the couch in our living room or the chair in our bedroom isn’t just for us to recline on; it makes a statement about who we are and our personal tastes. And sometimes, tastes change.

That doesn’t mean that you have to take a trip to the local dump to get rid of your old sleigh bed and cracked glass coffee table. Chances are, someone out there is thinking about making some adjustments in their home too. So, why not just sell it?

Don’t know where to start? Here are a few tips.

Image via: Knack Studios

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Prep Your Furniture

While some people are really good about furniture upkeep, there are even more who can’t remember the last time they had a professional upholstery cleaning or polished their real woods pieces. The reason why you’re putting your furniture up for sale is so that people will actually spend their money to buy it. Therefore, you’ve got to make sure that what you’re offering is worth the purchase. If it’s in good condition and there are no serious obviously flaws or damage, it’s relatively easy to sell any furniture piece. If you’re selling your bed, however, think long and hard before offering up the mattress. If it’s more than seven years old, honestly, it’s not going to do a potential customer or you any more good. Sell what is useful. Discard what is not.

Plan Wisely

You may be tempted to sell all of the furniture in the house, but that’s probably not the best move. At the most, sell the furniture in one room of your house at a time; but if you can help it, try to do just one piece. For instance, if you know what you want to replace your reclining chair with, be sure to jot down the price of the new piece of furniture and check your budget to estimate how long it will take you to be able to afford it. This will help you to not just sell wisely, but spend wisely in the process. Also plan ahead how much you’re willing to negotiate with a potential customer. It is used furniture and so you need to be open to a little bit of wiggle room; but remember that your furniture is still worth a few dollar bills so don’t go below $10-20 of the initial asking priced. After all, if you wanted to give it away, you could’ve just taken it to a thrift store.

Image via: Sweetgrace.Typepad

How Do You Want to Sell It?

Depending on how you choose to look at it, there are a lot of options at your disposal when it comes to selling used furniture. That can be good news if you enjoy organizing things; not so great news if you can’t decide which one way of making a sale suits you best. For instance, if you live in Illinois, attending some Chicago garage sales may provide you with some ideas on how to host one of your own. But there are also other creative methods. You could contact a consignment shop to see if they would be willing to put one (or some) of your pieces on display. The key here is that you get your percentage on the furniture once the sale is officially made. You can sell it online either through a blog of your own or on a highly-trafficked website like Craigslist. They actually have a section devoted to selling furniture and the instructions on how to place an ad are pretty easy to comprehend. You could also reach out to a local furniture liquidator for their ideas on how to make the most of a used furniture sale. They may recommend having an on-site auction or even holding a tag sale. A tag sale is basically when they sell the furniture for you and charge 20-30% off the top. All of these can work in your favor. It’s basically just a matter of deciding how much time and energy you want to put into letting your old furniture go.

For more home furniture ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Before you undertake any significant work on your home it helps to know something about its history. Loft conversions are very popular and knowing more about the house and the kind of materials it was constructed from can help prevent some serious DIY mistakes.

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Take a good look around the inside and the outside of your home for signs of change. You may be able to see signs of renovation that will give you some idea of how well the house has been looked after by previous owners.

Ask the Neighbors

The date that your house was built should be on the deeds to the property but that won’t tell you much about what may have happened since. Speak to your neighbors and possibly local shop keepers, the person who has lived in the area the longest may be able to tell you something about the building. In homes where loft conversions have already been carried out there may be a certificate attached to the deeds saying when the work was done.

Neighbors who have lived in the area a long time may be able to tell you about previous owners and what may or may not have happened to the building over the years. It’s surprising what you can find out from people who have lived in a particular area for most of their lives as they know most of the local stories and who lived where and for how long.

There should be some documentation regarding any major work that has been undertaken on the house. There may be certificates for replacement windows, rewiring or a new roof. If you have a contact number for the previous owners it’s worth asking them if they know of any major work that has been undertaken on the house before you purchased it.

Try Your Local Library

It’s worth going to the local public library as libraries often keep a history of the local area along with local newspapers going back many years on microfiche. You could also try searching on the computer to see what information you might find there. In some areas the library incorporates a local history section and you may be able to find out more about the local area and how it’s changed over the years.

If Your House is in an Isolated Area

If your house is an area where there are no immediate neighbours probably the best place to start looking for information about the building is with the estate agent. Even if the agent doesn’t know much about the property then he or she should be able to tell you when it was built and be able to put you in touch with the previous owner.

Again, you may be able to get some information from the nearest library or even the website of the local council and you should check the building to see whether any specific work has been done. No matter what type of house you live in, you should be able to get some information as to the history of the building.

This post was written by James Harper on behalf of Boughton Loft Conversions who provide loft conversions in Birmingham as well as Staffordshire loft conversions. James is currently in the process of moving houses and enjoys writing on the subject.

For more home organization ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

When choosing to buy our own home many of us are faced with this classic dilemma; do we choose something old, reliable and lived in or something brand-new, spotless and (if we’re lucky) customized to our tastes?

Build Quality

The fact is that when it comes to new-builds the construction quality can vary drastically. What’s more, considering the current financial climate, and the fact that many building firms are struggling to complete developments and shift finished homes, they may be looking for ways to cut costs.

Conversely, homes with a few decades or more behind them have stood the test of time, weathered the harsh winters and despite a number of inevitable, inherent problems, have the basic build quality to retain their value and provide a safe, comfortable home for as long as the owner needs.

Image courtesy of Galen Fry Singer

Plot and Home Size

In years gone by, land was much cheaper. This meant both home and garden were bigger. Today, builders are trying to fit as many homes as possible into the smallest area possible. The resulting impact is that gardens are small and the rooms smaller.

Whereas there are some new builds that are as large as or larger than their period counterparts, these are few and far between and therefore, come with a huge premium.

Customization

Often, we buy a new build home before it’s actually built. This means that the homeowner is able to customize the property to their hearts desire. You can choose oak internal doors, bespoke kitchen fittings and even walk-in wardrobes.

This is also much easier than trying to customize a ‘second-hand’ property upon moving in since all the work, from installing the new oak doors to fitting the carpets or laminate flooring, is done for you.

Location

New homes are often, though not always, located in developments away from the heart of the city. This can mean added commuting costs and access to minimal conveniences such as shops, schools and public transport.

However, this positioning away from the city can often make for a more peaceful environment – perfect for those who are less fond of the hustle and bustle of city living.

Image courtesy of Infotelli

Maintenance

In many cases, old homes require considerable maintenance; often, as soon as one problem is fixed another one surfaces.

However, new homes can need maintenance too. Depending on the build quality many problems can begin to surface once the property is lived in. New homes also need to ‘settle’ into their foundations. This settling can often result in cracks in the walls, foundations and the frames of your new oak doors; not a cheap problem to fix.

Value

The sad fact is that new homes generally come with a premium attached. This means that the instant you move into your home, it loses a considerable amount of its value; regardless of the high-spec kitchen and the top quality oak internal doors.

This might not be a problem if you’re buying the home for life, but if you only plan to live there for a few years until finances allow for something bigger and better, buying new might not be such a wise idea.

This post has been written by James Harper on behalf of UK Oak Doors who supply an extensive range of oak doors including oak internal doors to suit any home. James writes on subjects relating to the home and home ownership.

For more home buying & selling tips on Stagetecture, click here.

Your front door is the first thing your guests see when they walk up to your home.  Have you gone outside and looked at yours? Is the color eye catching, or is it drab and blah? Does the trim around the door accent the main door color? If you would like to boost the curb appeal of your home, try looking at the front entryway and door.  Consider repainting, changing out door hardware, or replacing you door entirely if you feel it’s time.

Here are some front doors to give you inspiration to make yours beautiful!

How about adding a bold color to your front door?  If you don’t want to be too risque with the color on the entire exterior of your home, opt for a shot of color on the front door.

Wreaths and planters full of flowers are welcoming and compliment a colorful door nicely.

Don’t underestimate the color black, this classy color painted with high gloss paint is a welcome addition to any front entry.

For more curb appeal ideas look, click here!

When we moved to our new house, never did I realize how much high school, college, vacations, you-name-it-we-had-it memorabilia we

have been lugging from house to house.

Debbie Bowie from Stepcase Lifehack gives us a list of how to tackle all of that .. stuff!

Have you been putting off opening those boxes that your mother handed over to you when she was cleaning out her attic, boxes full of papers, trinkets and treasures from your childhood? Many people shove those boxes in their own attics to deal with later. Why? Because they have the power to bring your history back to life, at least in your memory. And, our histories are a mixed bag!

But, there is a payoff for sorting memorabilia in search of the most precious items, those that stir the best memories and feelings.

When you let go of quantities of things from the past, you release some of the emotional burden of the past and can be more fully present in your life.

Use the following 9 tips to help you face the challenge of searching for the true treasures, the diamonds, among the stuff of your past, the stones.

1. Schedule a time for sorting your memorabilia when you’ll have plenty of time to reflect, feel your feelings and recover from any sad, mad or other uncomfortable feelings.
2. Consider sorting memorabilia with a trusted friend or family member who might be interested in the content and who understands that examining and letting go of memorabilia can be a difficult process.
3. Your intention for the first pass should be to eliminate items with obvious negative energies, those that bring up sad, hurt or angry feelings. If you hold onto those items you will be anchoring those old feelings in place.

   

4. Sort the memorabilia into items that are for-sure keep, for-sure get rid of, and undecided. Remember that you are looking for items that have the BEST energies of the past, items that make your heart smile. You are looking for diamond energy in a sea of stones!
5. When you choose items to keep, consider how they will fit into your home. It is always best if memorabilia can be displayed or at least is easily accessible to you so you can enjoy the positive memories it calls forth. If space is limited, keep the best of smaller items that anchor the energy of a particular time period or person. It isn’t necessary to keep everything that holds those energies. Just keep the best! For example, I keep the memory of my maternal grandmother alive with my favorite photograph of her on the wall of my office and her wedding band that I wear every day. When I inherit her china, I will keep a special piece or two and sell the rest. I need no more than 3 or 4 items to keep her awesome energy in my space and in my life.

For the rest of Debbie’s list, visit Stepcase Lifehack.