Hewn and Hammered

7 Improvement & Remodeling Ideas to Increase Home Value

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication.

1. Remodeling the Kitchen

Most people consider the kitchen to be the heart of the home, and because of this, updates in this room pay off. According to HGTV, you can expect to recoup 60%-120% of your investment on a kitchen remodel, as long as you don’t go overboard. You should never make your kitchen fancier than the rest of the house, or the neighborhood.

2. Bathroom Addition

If your home only has one bathroom, you can recoup a large chunk of your investment by adding another one. HGTV estimates that you can recoup 80%-130% of whatever you spend adding a bathroom.

read the rest of these 7 remodeling ideas here

8 lies estate agents will tell you

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. Creative Commons-licensed photograph by Paul Mison.

House sellers can make terrible mistakes when dealing with property. These errors in judgement and holes in their knowledge can cost them thousands or tens of thousands of pounds and one of the most desperate is the use of a scurrilous estate agent. Regular studies into the behaviour of an average agent rarely show a positive side, simply because of commonly heard falsehoods such as these:

Idyllic/rustic/peaceful

The art of the short property description is a skilled one. And some words and phraseology, while undoubtedly correct, just don’t sell (‘must sell’, for example).

So other, more effervescent wordsmithery is employed, such as ‘manicured gardens’ or ‘elegant’, even if the former is a patch of grass and the latter is about as dignified as an abattoir. The key lesson; don’t believe anything until you’ve seen it with your own two eyes.

“We’ve already had several people looking around the house already”

or

“We had another offer just after yours that was higher, do you want to match it or beat it?”

Two heads of the same beast, both designed to extract more money. They may not have had anyone even look at the property for three months or longer, but it just so happens that on that particular day a glut of visitors decided to book spots. Or bizarrely, table an offer a couple of thousands of pounds north of yours. Totally unproved, of course.

“You like this place, don’t you? We’ll get a good deal for you”

If they’ve picked up on the fact that it’s perfect for you, then they know that they can exploit your emotions, especially if you’ve spent some period of time searching before landing here. Some clients look at 40 houses over a weekend, others get excited by the first they see and don’t search any further – just be careful not to reveal your hand too early.

“Selling a home is too complex for a non-estate agent.”

It’s 2015. Knowledge on every process and step in selling a home can be obtained online, from advice on photography and writing, to templates of forms, to legal clarification. Companies such as HouseSimple.com can also negotiate and manage the entire process for you – it’s worth looking around before diving in.

‘The fffsss sound’

Estate agent David Pollock writes here about this sound that an agent might make, in the form of a sharp intake of breath, when a buyer puts in a low offer. Sometimes that one sound convinces the buyer that their bid is unrealistic or silly and they bump up the price, costing them several thousand pounds in the process.

“You have to get a mortgage with xx company for this house”

“…because I’ll get a commission that way” is the unsaid communication. Many estate agents have connections with mortgage companies and are keen to pick up a little slice of the transaction.  

“We’ve searched all the mortgage companies and arrived at the best deal”

…which is coincidentally the same mortgage provider mentioned above. It’s very possible that they have scanned hundreds of lenders for deals, but not all of them will benefit the agent or broker.

Before signing up to a mortgage that could cost you thousands of pounds, have a quick search on the Internet, using exactly the same information you gave the estate agent. You might be surprised.

Improve Your Home Internally

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. Creative Commons-licensed photograph by Benny Lin.

There are so many options for improving your home’s interior. Painting the walls, reupholstering furniture, adding new decor elements, and dealing with clutter are all excellent options for giving the interior a “facelift,” as is purchasing and installing new flooring. The decision to renovate floors easily tops the list of most-desired interior home improvements, as it looks fabulous and contributes to a more streamlined appearance; it can also give a big boost in resale. Hardwood floors are particularly pleasing to the eye, and offer an array of benefits few other flooring options can compete with.

Let’s take a deeper look at the benefits of “switching up” your flooring:

Mold Removal

One of the problems with carpets and laminate flooring is the potential for mold growth. Mold thrives in dark, damp conditions, and if floors get wet enough, water soaks through carpeting or floor boards. This resulting mold growth can cause a number of health issues, most of which are related to allergies and respiratory health. When found in large amounts, professional removal is required to prevent additional inhalation of spores. The decision to renovate flooring allows you to identify areas of growth and deal with the issue rather than unintentionally allowing it to get worse.

Less Allergens

The decision to renovate with hardwood flooring and other options such as cork and vinyl flooring results in a serious reduction in allergens. Carpets provide optimal environments for dust, pollen, pet dander, and other allergens to collect, thus increasing allergy problems. Family members with allergy issues continue to suffer, and even those without a history of allergies find themselves sneezing and wiping their eyes. Choosing hardwood and similar flooring options is therefore a great way to decrease your home’s allergen content.

Increased Home Value

Another reason to improve your home’s interior via new flooring, and perhaps the most important for those homeowners thinking of selling in the next few years: It can increase a home’s value dramatically. This is particularly true of hardwood flooring, something the vast majority of homebuyers look for.

Give your home the interior makeover it deserves! Contact GoHaus today for information about wholesale wood flooring and hardwood prices.

10 Amazing Storage Hacks for your Home

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. Creative Commons-licensed photograph by David Lofink.

If your home is severely cluttered and you can’t go a day without clenching your fists in frustration because of it, it may be time to consider bringing in some handy hacks to help free up space in your house. The first step is to battle one room at a time and don’t overwhelm yourself. This process may take more time than you first thought but by using some of these tips you might de-clutter your home by the end of the week.

1. Self-Storage

Many homes have a great deal of extra furniture, equipment and things that they no longer have enough space to hold. The quickest way to deal with this problem is to use a self-storage unit from Readysteadystore. This will take the burden off your shoulders so that you can instantly free space and start feeling right at home again.

2. Wall Storage to keep shoes

If you have a lot of shoes and have no place to store them, consider installing a simple wall storage compartment that is ideal for shoes, scarves and other essential items that never seem to find a place in the home.

3. Christmas Ornaments inside Egg Cartons

Christmas ornaments are quite delicate which is why egg cartons are the perfect place to store those shiny ornaments until next year.

4. Rods used to hang Cleaning Products

Underneath the sink tends to look like a bomb has hit it. By installing a rod along the bottom of the sink, you can make yourself a handy cleaning product holder so that your under sink area becomes more organized and you can easily find the products again when you need them.

5. Store Toys in Fruit Baskets

If you have kids in the house then you know how frustrating it can be to see their toys lying about the house. According to Life Buzz, a simple fruit basket can be used to hang toys or bath accessories.

6. Magnetic Strip in the Bathroom

Tweezers, nail scissors and hair clips are easy to lose and can be difficult little things to store. A long magnetic strip on the bathroom wall is perfect for holding these slippery gadgets and will make finding them again a lot easier.

7. Cereal Box Dividers

The next time you reach the end of the cereal box, cut it up and use the boxes as dividers for your drawers. These can be great devices to store sowing equipment, jewellery and stationary.

8. Velcro to store Remotes

Remote controls can be stuck to the wall using Velcro strips. This is a great way to keep track of your gaming and television remotes so that you never lose them or mix up their wires.

9. CD Racks to sort Tupperware

Sort out your Tupperware and other kitchen essentials using CD racks inside your cupboards. This is a great way to organize your drawers.

10. Wine Rack used as a Towel Holder

According to www.lifehack.org a useful way to store towels is to use a traditional wine rack. This will make separating the clean towels from the used ones so much easier and you will never have to get out of the shower without a towel ready again.

10 De-Cluttering Tips from the Professional Space Savers

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. Creative Commons-licensed photograph by Rubbermaid.

Keeping your home tidy and free of clutter can seem like a challenging task in the beginning but it is important to push past your doubts and defeat the clutter bug. These simple tips will ensure that you de-clutter your home in no time.

1. Donate to Charity

Throw out the torn and worn clothes but give those that remain in good condition to someone in need. There are hundreds of charities that accept donated clothes such as Oxfam. You will be doing a good deed and freeing some space in the closet at the same time.

2. Storage

If you have a lot of items around the house that you have no room for but are reluctant to just throw out, consider keeping them in self storage. This is a convenient way to de-clutter your home and you can rent the unit for as long as you like.

3. Only keep what you need

According to The Guardian, the focus of de-cluttering should be on what to keep instead of deciding what to get rid of. This will give you a clearer perspective on what is expendable and what is irreplaceable.  

4. Install Extra Shelves

Make the most of your wall space by installing some useful shelves to store books, photo albums, toys and other things that tend to clutter the house. You can get a little more creative and paint the shelves a colour that matches the rest of the room to add a touch of personalisation.

5. Tackle One Room at a Time

Try not to take on such a mammoth task all at once. Instead, clean and sort out one room at a time. This will make the process so much easier. If you can’t find a place for a certain item then throw it out or donate it.

6. Label Boxes

Save yourself a lot of time and effort by labelling the boxes that you fill as you de-clutter your home. Labels will help to keep your things organized and will make finding them again so much easier.

7. Use Cereal Boxes as Dividers

For those items that are often difficult to place, use cereal boxes as drawer dividers. According to www.realsimple.com, you can keep better track of items such as candles by corralling them with a ‘grid of interlocking inserts tailored to the contents—whether that’s candles, batteries, or cosmetics.’

8. Sort out Documents

Homes tend to have a lot of old letters, school documents and old paperwork lying about which can make a home look messy. Decide which papers can be thrown out and then create separate files to store the important documents to help you to keep track of them.

9. Use a Shoe Rack

Encourage your family to store their shoes on a handy shoe rack. This will keep the shoes in one place and provide a handy storage solution for all of the many pairs of shoes in your house.

10. Basket Storage

Baskets can be hung behind doors, on walls or under the stairs to store smaller items such as scarves, socks, bathroom essentials and toys, etc.

How does underfloor heating work?

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication. Creative Commons-licensed photograph by Martin Pettitt.

Whether you are buying your underfloor heating from a specialist such as The Underfloor Heating Store or picking up a budget kit from your local DIY store, all underfloor heating essentially works the same way; to ensure your home is free from cold spots, is heated efficiently and looks great because it eliminates the need for ugly radiators from your home.

Research, conducted in 2014 by Continental Underfloor, confirmed that 75% of installers believe underfloor heating will be key in 2015 as people look for alternatives to traditional systems. There are two underfloor heating solutions available, electric and wet. Both work by using either electricity or warm water to heat your floor evenly, throughout the room.

Electric underfloor heating is the simplest to install out of the two and usually consists of heating mats, packed with electric wires that heat up once connected to the mains electricity supply.

Electric underfloor heating is best for smaller rooms that might have awkward corners. The mats (which come in tile form or on a roll) are laid beneath your flooring (which could be tiles, vinyl, laminate or even carpet, if it is not too thick), then a layer of screed and floor insulation is placed on top before the actual floor is finally laid. You will need to call in an electrician to hook the heat mat system up to the mains electric supply and thermostat but you can do most of the work yourself.

Wet underfloor heating is a little more costly to install but cheaper to run than its electric counterpart. Wet underfloor heating works using plastic pipes, fitted beneath the floor, which are then heated using warm water from the central heating system and work better in larger spaces. These plastic pipes are carefully connected and laid in a sand and cement screed with flooring then laid on top.

Wet underfloor heating is a little trickier to install yourself and you will need a plumber to hook up the system to either your boiler or a heat pump, so we recommend that you hire a professional to install the system so there are no issues later. Paying for professional help at this point should prevent you running into issues later and compared with having to rip up the whole floor, will be much less costly.

Underfloor heating is much more energy efficient than a radiator central heating system, it acts essentially as a whole room radiator that runs constantly in the background (simply because it takes longer to warm up to its highest temperature) but requires a much lower boiler temperature to actually heat up the water. Most radiator systems require the water temperature to be around 80°C, whereas underfloor heating only needs the water to be 40°C - 65°C to achieve a floor temperature of between 23°C and 32°C!

Underfloor heating is the definition of luxury but is quickly becoming a popular and affordable alternative to traditional central heating systems and with energy efficiency, even temperature throughout the room and quick installation times it’s easy to see why. 

DIY Friday: How to Repair or Replace Cracked Tiles

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication.

Tiles can crack for a variety of reasons, from heavy furniture to constant foot traffic from passers-by. Whether your tiles are ceramic or made from natural stone, cracks and chips can quickly ruin the appearance of your walls or flooring.

While cracked tiles might seem impossible to repair, it’s surprisingly easy to fix thin cracks or, in cases where your tiles are severely damaged, replace them without any damage to the rest of your floor or wall.

In this guide written by the experts at Tile Depot we’ll share some simple tips and techniques that you can use to repair or replace cracked tiles and conceal damage with ease.

When you’re installing tiles, keep a set spare

No matter how carefully you care for your tiles, sudden pressure from furniture or foot traffic can cause them to crack. Keeping a set of 5-10 spare tiles around makes replacing cracked tiles easy and saves you an extra trip to the shop or online order.

When you’re installing tiles, keep a spare 5-10 to use for repairs and replacements per room. If you’re installing tiles outside or in an area with lots of foot traffic, keep 10+ spare tiles to deal with the higher likelihood of tiles cracking over time.

Ceramic tiles installed in sunny areas such as balconies or garden paths might fade because of sun exposure. Keep your spare tiles outside in the same area so that they match your existing tiles even after the sun’s caused their colour to lighten.

How to repair small cracks and imperfections

While tiles that are severely cracked need to be replaced, small cracks can be fixed (or at worst, concealed) relatively easily. By using paint that’s the same colour as a tile, you can cover cracks in its surface and return it to its original look.

Repairing a hairline crack in a tile is surprisingly quick and easy. You’ll need some oil-based paint and primer to match the tile, a paintbrush, some marine epoxy and some soapy water.

You’ll also need a towel to use for cleaning up, a cloth that you don’t mind throwing away afterwards and, believe it or not, a hair dryer. You’ll use the hair dryer at the end to quickly dry the paint without getting any moisture stuck in the tile.

Let’s start by cleaning the tile. Dip your cloth in soapy water and scrub away at the tile until it’s completely clean. You’ll need to scrub quite firmly to remove any dirt that’s gotten stuck in the tile since it cracked.

Once you’ve cleaned away dirt and dust, gently rinse away extra soap. Switch on the hair dryer and point it at the crack in the tile to apply heat until the tile is completely dry.

After the tile has dried out, apply some primer to your paintbrush and gently brush it onto the crack. You only need to paint over the crack – the rest of the tile doesn’t have any gaps and thus can’t let any water in.

Let the primer dry naturally. This usually takes two to three hours. Once the primer is completely dry, apply some paint to your paintbrush and paint along the crack. It will take several hours for the paint to dry, so leave your tile overnight.

After your paint has dried, it’s time to seal the crack using epoxy. Use a very small paintbrush to apply the epoxy. Keep brushing gently until the crack is exactly level with the surface of the tile.

Epoxy takes several hours to dry, so leave your tile for two to three hours before returning. Avoid applying any pressure to the cracked tile for 24+ hours to let the epoxy completely set in place and prevent the tile from cracking again.

How to replace severely cracked and damaged tiles

Not all tiles can be repaired. If your tile has a large crack that goes from one end to the other, or it has several small cracks that meet and separate the tile into several parts, you’ll need to remove it and replace it with a new one.

Removing a damaged tile is simple. The first step is to smash the tile into smaller pieces, which can then be removed one by one. Use a cloth to cover the surface of the tile and use a hammer to smash it into smaller pieces.

For smaller tiles, a hammer often isn’t appropriate. If you’re worried about hitting the surrounding tiles, you can instead cut into the tile and split it into four triangle-shaped pieces to remove manually.

Once you’ve smashed the tile, carefully remove each piece with your hands. Some edges could be sharp, so be extremely careful when removing the tile and ensure you don’t touch any sharp edges. You can use a chisel to remove small pieces.

After the tile is removed, brush away any dust from the space left in the floor. You now need to apply adhesive to fix the replacement tile in place. Use a notched tile trowel to spread tile adhesive and gently insert the replacement tile into the floor.  

If you’re worried about uneven spacing between tiles, use tile spacers to make sure your new tile is equidistant from all the surrounding tiles. The tile adhesive will take several hours to set before you can apply tile grout and finish the job.

Once the adhesive is dry, carefully about tile grout around the edges of the tile. Give the grout plenty of time to dry before you clean the surface of the tile using a moist cloth. Let the tile’s surface dry, then brush away any remaining dust and tile grout.

Take care of your tiles to avoid cracks, chips and imperfections

The key to extending the lifespan of your tiles is installing them carefully. Uneven tiles, which are a common side effect of rushed installation, face different levels of pressure, which can often lead to cracks developing over time.

Take care of your tiles, not just by keeping them clean, but by making sure they’re installed correctly. This way, you’ll deal with far fewer cracks over the life of your tiles. 

Riley Fuller & Michael Coffey, sculptors and furnituremakers

I recently heard from 29-year-old Riley Fuller, a New Hampshire-based woodworker currently apprenticed to his uncle, the great Michael Coffey.

Riley readily acknowledges that he has huge shoes to fill; Coffey, after almost 60 years of woodworking, is generally considered one of the greatest wooden sculptors and furniture designers in the world. That said, I think you'll agree with me that Riley’s skill, imagination, and technique are promising and will certainly continue to develop as he works with his uncle and practices his craft.

The mix of  Arts & Crafts, Nouveau, and modernism that Coffey pioneered is instantly recognizeable in Fuller's work as well:

Caesar Stone Quartz Countertops: Customized Countertops For Your Kitchen Space

Note: this is a partnered post and consideration was received for its publication.

A kitchen is a place where all the action happens. Countertops definitely see a lot of action in the kitchen space. Because of this specific reason, they should be properly maintained, cleaned and protected. Just like any other surface, these high traffic areas should be cleaned in a proper way depending on the kind of material you have used. Keep reading this post to learn about Caesarstone’s quartz countertops.

Granite & Quartz: What’s The Speciality?

A quartz granite countertop is a very popular choice among people who love the appearance of granite but are a little worried about the stones short falls. In simple words, granite is a porous natural stone which can quickly absorb liquids; it can easily soak up any kind of cooking oils and the best thing is that it can be easily etched by acids which are found in any household items i.e. hairspray.

The reason why Caesarstone quartz countertops have gained popularity among the modern homeowners is because they are not affected by any of the hazards. When it comes to the colour or pattern of granite, it is something very unpredictable, and this sometimes will make things a little difficult for you as you won’t be able to make the right choice. They are even in their colour, pattern and texture.

Top Benefits Of Quartz Kitchen Countertops

One of the major benefits of quartz kitchen countertops is that they have some of the best qualities of natural stone i.e. when it comes to the durability and appearance of the countertops. The best thing is that they don’t have any as such cons and you can also get it at a very affordable price if you buy it from a reputed online store.

Of course, you must be very well aware of the fact that they are man-made. The process of manufacturing usually involves raw quartz crystals which is one of the hardest substances available in the market. After it has been selected and the ground procedure is done, it’s the resin and crystals which are combined together along with resin and different colours.

Once they all are mixed together, all the components are then heated and then they are vibro-compacted which creates an impenetrable surface. It’s around 95% quartz components which are used in the manufacturing process of quartz countertops or it won’t be durable. The final product is non-porous, strong and has excellent durability in comparison to granite.

Colours: What Options Do You Have?

If you have decided to choose engineered quartz countertops, you will be happy to know that they are available in a huge range of colours that cannot be easily found because dye is combined with crushed stone. They are very versatile and appealing. It is the appearance of the countertops which can dazzle the eyes.

The installation process of Caesarstone’s quartz countertops is definitely a do-it-yourself project. It is advisable to hire a professional who can carry out the task for you. You should do a complete background check of the professional before hiring them for the task.

Asilomar restored!

Celebrated as Monterey Peninsula's "Refuge by the Sea," Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds has been restored to its former glory. Preservation architecture firm, Page & Turnbull, played an important role in the Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall and the Mary Ann Crocker Dining Hall. 

Phoebe Apperson Hearst Social Hall

In this building, Page & Turnbull removed alterations that were not agreeable to the original design and restored the configuration of spaces in the building to be as close as possible to Morgan’s original layout, while improving its functionality. Restoring the Registration Area and rebuilding the hall’s historic Tearoom returned a sense of harmony and order to the Social Hall. In replacing the non-original existing flooring in the Social Hall, the size and grain pattern were matched to the original oak strip floors. Highlighting the ceiling structure and illuminating the room’s beautiful redwood trusses are replicas of the original wall sconces and historical chandeliers produced with a lighting manufacturer. Stains and varnishes were tested on the new redwood boards in the walls and, where possible, many of the existing boards were reused and salvaged. 

Crocker Dining Hall

In this building, a visual connection was created between the historic dining hall and the servery, and the building’s commercial kitchen was completely renovated. 

Asilomar Background

The Pacific Grove retreat was originally designed by Julia Morgan, the first female architect to be licensed in the State of California. The grounds were founded by the YWCA as a young women’s leadership summer camp in 1913 and has been part of the California State Parks system since 1956. A National Historical Landmark, the 100-year-old site features the largest collection of buildings designed by architect Julia Morgan, who embraced the Arts and Crafts Movement. 

You can learn more and book a room at Asilomar online.