Steps For Maximizing Your Money in New Home Construction – Avoiding Storage Pitfalls

Steps For Maximizing Your Money in New Home Construction - Avoiding Storage Pitfalls

“I like my money right where I can see it…hanging inside my closet,” says Sara Jessica Parker. In new house construction, money hanging inside your closet starts with taking advantage of the structure contractors storage allowance. Shelving and closet allowances tend to be overlooked and after that added being an afterthought causing financial and emotional stress on the property buyer. How difficult would it be to advance in a home without shelving or hanging capabilities in the closets or pantries? Important steps to consider are: 1) engage with your builder regarding all storage space requests; 2) enquire about the allowance for storage spaces, and 3) discuss the different storage options including builder preferences.

Discuss using your builder any special requests you will probably have for all your storage areas for example drawers inside the closets, pull-outs or baskets inside the pantry and extra shelving inside the garage. By adding all the special details and order inside the beginning stage of construction your entire project will run more smoothly and it is more affordable by eliminating last-minute decisions.

Before the designated time for you to finish the storage areas, it is usually smart to ask the builder or contractor what type of goods are being budgeted on your project. Since there are many storage variations and numbers of quality to think about, the builder may have a preference. Often the contractor will select the lowest-priced storage option. To get essentially the most bang on your buck, it is essential to communicate in your contractor your requests so that you can adequately meet your storage needs.

If you happen to be unsure about your storage needs or perhaps the cost of the special details you are considering, it would be useful to consult a specialist closet and storage designer. These professionals are … Read the rest

Home Construction Uncensored

Home Construction Uncensored

My cellular phone is capable of every little thing, from GPS directions to star-charting, digital pictures, video…. and today my iPhone actually predicts me.

So why can’t Americans build re-build stronger/better homes so they can survive the storms, floods, mold wood rot, etc. If the climate is getting worse every decade why aren’t the house construction techniques keeping up?

Remember the story of The Three Little Pigs? The crew of pigs built house # 1 beyond straw, house # 2 beyond sticks, then on house # 3 they used bricks – looking to outsmart the big bad wolf who kept destroying their houses. We could all learn something from those 3 little piggies- which is it pays off eventually to look at time to make a house right.

Some in the homes built after Hurricane Katrina where created to withstand higher wind loads and to be more mold resistant which is s good start. When you live along the coast why aren’t house already built to withstand category 5 storms and on some kind of pilings to hold the structure off grade level and outside the damaging water? This could be building smart.

Building homes in relationship for the specific region and climate will be another smart move to make. Home construction will not be “one size fits all”. In low flood plain or areas prone to flooding, how come we building homes with basements that aren’t properly drained or protected from the ceaseless moisture? Seems in my experience it might make more sense not to develop a house with basements in areas that flood regularly. In regions that fire wildfires are regular along with frequent droughts, why aren’t we building fireproof homes and earn it part of the International Residential Building Code to have all building material fire resistant?… Read the rest

Classic House Style

Classic House Style

The classic home style is one of the most difficult (and potentially expensive) styles to achieve in home decor because it relies on creating formal, symmetrical, elegant spaces using quality decoration, furniture and accessories. This style draws a little inspiration from history and this is not the history of poor farm laborers or factories, but the style of the aristocrats and industry leaders at that time. Because it costs.

The classical style, of course, is more easily achieved in large rooms with high ceilings by lending themselves to fine furnishings and architectural details. Here are some elements to consider in achieving this style.

Quality Count

In the classic style, the quality of each element is important. Furnishings will generally be heavy and made of wood and may be intricately carved. Curtains and window nets must be in a formal style and heavy fabrics and other soft furniture must be in luxury fabrics such as silk or thick cotton damask. Solid wood floors with expensive oriental area carpets will help achieve a classic look on the floor.

Antiques

If you have some original antique furniture then this will elevate your room and help your classic look. If it is worn out it can be returned to its former glory.

Symmetry

Classic rooms are normally symmetrical in arrangement so you might have a hall table with two matching lamps, a bed with two matching bedside tables and a living room with two chairs, one on either side of the fireplace! You can of course have different non-matching elements in a room but it is important that they are all in proportion to each other. So you would not have a giant slouchy sofa to go with two upright formal fireside chairs for example.

Architectural Details

If your house is lacking this you … Read the rest

Bringing the Luxury of Old World Spain to Your Home Design

Bringing the Luxury of Old World Spain to Your Home Design

Spanish design is about highlighting great architectural elements. Unusual for California, Texas and Southwestern, Spanish-style houses are usually made of stucco with heavy wood trim and red clay tile roofs, have large terraces and open windows and support arches over a square design. The front door is often more than a porch into a small yard, as opposed to opening right into the house.

An important element of Spanish home design is the seamless integration between inner and outer space. Floor plans are usually open to a large outdoor area with French doors and arches designed to allow abundant natural light. These outdoor spaces are meant to be inhabited as an extension of the house. Many designs will be centered on the main page, which was originally intended to offer the Spanish aristocracy a private garden protected from public view. This protected and intimate space is perfect for relaxing and entertaining on warm summer nights.

Distressed wood is very important for the Spanish style. The most traditional flooring choices in Spanish-style houses are hardwood and full carpeted rooms are rarely found. Terracotta tiles are another popular choice of flooring material, especially if it has a rather rough texture or a pressed surface. Sometimes bright tile accents in the corners or the center of the engraved tile are added for more drama and color. Adding hand-painted tiles to the kitchen table or backsplash is another great way to combine Spanish colors and designs.

Interior walls are generally finished with stucco textures in warm earth colors such as taupe, burning orange, brown chocolate, and mustard greens. Warm poppy red, cobalt blue, olive green and golden yellow are popular accent colors that bring a Mediterranean feel to your home. Design elements such as earthenware vases, jars, and bowls in unique shapes can make … Read the rest

What You Need To Know About Funeral Home Services

Getting the best funeral home services is the first thing that comes to mind after knowing the immediate loss of a relative or family friend. This is a critical decision especially if the person who passed away does not have a funeral plan at the time of his passing.

Who Will Benefit The Most?

In this time of mourning, the family of the departed is the one who will benefit the most as soon as they know the lineup of services that will be executed throughout the wake. This will save money as they already have planned activities to implement. The family can give their full attention on their deceased loved one as soon as they are aware that someone is already taking care of all the needed accommodations for the wake.

What Are The Common Funeral Services?

If the person who died was in another country, most funeral home websites inform their clients that they can take care of the arrangements needed for the transfer of the body to the home country. This provides huge assistance for the surviving family in making sure that they will provide their deceased loved one the immediate care that they deserve.

The funeral director can also inform the surviving family’s relatives and friend’s details about the wake and what they can do to extend their sympathies. This service also extends to contacting the proper authorities as needed. By doing so, this frees the family for having to go through all the troubles of handling these formalities. After all, they are already grieving, so might as well give them some slack.

They can also assist the family in getting the necessary document and paperwork like death and insurance certificates and benefits processing. They can also prepare and submit an obituary in behalf … Read the rest