6 Tricks to Make Your Curb Appeal More Appealing

Is your house living up to its real value? Does it need repairing or at least some freshening up? Help yourself and your house feel comfortable and valuable by doing some remodeling on the exterior. Make your curb more appealing and welcoming and avoid being judged as a person who neglects its house and its comfort. Here are some tricks for staying beautiful on the outside.

 

image source: flickr

Enhance the Architecture

To make your house more valuable and appealing you need to work on its architecture. Repair everything that has to be repaired, from roof to the very base. Change the window frames, doors, freshen up your patio and balconies, and repaint everything. If something has to be added, make sure to add it. If something has to be removed to make your house more balanced in every possible way, remove it. Create the perfect balance on the outside and you will feel more balanced and safe inside your house.

Paint It right

Colors affect people in many ways. That is why it is important for your house to be painted right. Flashy and tacky colors like some shades of orange, yellow or green should not be used for a facade because they are too strong. Also, you should avoid dark colors because you do not want to make your house depressing. The best choices for painting your house are pastel and calm colors that give away a pleasant peaceful feeling even on the first glance. Another great idea is repainting your garage doors or even the whole garage to match the whole exterior.

Beautiful Garden

Among other things that are catching to the eye is a beautiful garden in front of your house. You should grow at least a small garden so the entrance to your yard and home would be more welcoming. You can decide on some traditional gardens with a few decoration plants and simple furniture or you can choose a more contemporary garden design and make your front yard look spectacular.

Odd and Unique Front Door

To give your home more personality and character you should try some odd or unique designs for your front door. Think of weird shapes, or some strong colors that are catching to the eye and that will give your home more spirit. Also, you could put a nice new interesting door knocker or install a bell that sounds unusual.

Repair the Driveway and Other Paths

Home renovation also means repairing everything that has to be repaired. If your driveway and paths around the house are worn out you should refresh them. There are numerous cement blocks in many shapes and colors. Make your driveway colorful and welcoming for you, your family and guests. Paths that go to your front door or garden should be repaired. You can use cement, pavement or even stone blocks for your garden paths so they would last longer and look more playful.

Light up Your Porch

Lights can change the look of your whole house and exterior. To make your home welcoming even during the evenings and nights you should think of replacing old lights on your porch and around your house. Instead of having small and dull lamps on, be bold and put some big and unique lamps on your porch so you could add some warmth to your evening relaxation. Also, you could set up small lamps in front of you porch or garden, or arrange few of these along your driveway.

By making your curb and exterior more appealing your house could be the best one in the neighborhood. Additionally, you would increase its value and you could enjoy more knowing that your house looks great on the outside, too.

Ten Ways to be a Good Tenant

image:grabhouse.com

You agree or not, but the relationship between a landlord and a tenant is like Tom & Jerry. They both never fail to blame each other for any kind of disputes. If a tenant complains that the plumbing of the house is not good, inevitably the landlord will say that the tenant never pays his dues within the time. But if you’re a student or have come to a new city for a job, you should keep a good relationship with your landlord and neighbours. They can help you in need, after all. So, why not start from your side to be a good tenant? Surely, you can create fine concept for you in your landlord’s mind. Here are the qualities of a good tenant-

Go through the Lease Carefully

If you have a well-rounded lease, then it will protect you from any further tenants’ rights issue. Therefore, read the lease before you sign it. Good landlords, usually, sit with tenants and set the terms and conditions. If you have any special issues like friends and family visits regularly, tell him before signing. Also, don’t go for verbal promises. Make sure he makes it written. Ask a copy of a lease and keep it safely.

Follow the Terms-

The lease is made to follow. So, don’t overrule it. Maybe the small points are not counted, but your landlord remembers everything and can keep those as hidden cards. So, don’t break the rules if you want to keep a peaceful relation with the landlord of houses on rent in Mumbai.

Pay Rent Positively

 Do you want to be on the good book of your landlord? Never fail to pay rent within time. Don’t wait for the last date of payment. You definitely don’t want your landlord to remind you several times for rent. This habit can keep you safe if you are late in any months due to financial hardship. But don’t forget to inform your landlord about your late payment.

Treat Well

Suppose, you’ve a house and give it to rent, then how will you feel if someone treats your house like hell? So, don’t make any serious damages as that will annoy your landlord. Also, such severe damage can affect your security deposit. You definitely don’t want to spend extra bucks for pointless repairs.

Keep Good Relation with Neighbours

Often landlords get irritated to solve matters between tenant and neighbours. Don’t drag your landlord into those which you can solve yourself while staying in apartment or flat for rent in Mumbai. If you keep good relation to your neighbour they won’t report your landlord against you. Also, if you have any problem with a neighbour, talk to him directly. The main goal is to live peacefully without complaining.

Be Honest

Often tenants lie about sending payments, or become surprised why the check has bounced. Never do such things. If someone is showing trust on you, you must be respectful of that.

Be Able to Pay

Know your limits. If you are able to pay for the whole house then only rent it. Otherwise, you can take part of the house at a rent. That will be convenient to you too, as you have less to maintain.

Have Clear Background

Never lie about your whereabouts from your landlord. You must give him your identification proof. Your landlord will go through a background check. If he finds anything wrong in your workplace or about yourself, you won’t get the house.

Good Reference

Your present landlord may want to check the references from your previous landlords. If you keep good relation with everyone, it won’t be difficult to find a house according to your choice.

6 Things to Consider When Applying Decking Oil to Merbau Timber

As merbau timber has myriad uses outside the home, it is important that you have chosen an appropriate decking oil to protect it from the elements. There are a number of different oils to choose from, which can make the decision difficult if you don’t really know what you’re looking for. In this article, we have compiled a list of 6 things to consider when applying oil to merbau.

 1.   If the timber structure is brand new and you’re looking to apply its first oil treatment, we recommend a product in a lighter colour (such as Light Oak) followed by a clear coat. This is because lighter coloured products use minimal pigments, which helps to prevent further darkening of the merbau, and will showcase the natural colour effectively.

2.   If the timber structure is over 5 years old and has had a number of oil treatments throughout it’s lifetime, we recommend sanding the merbau timber back before application to ensure a nice finish. If you’re working on a budget, however, you can also opt for a darker pigmented oil that will hide any marks or patches of discolouration.

3.   You also have the opportunity to use an oil that has a strong merbau pigment. This is actually the most cost effective option in most cases, as it enables you to achieve a uniform look on even the oldest of structures. It is important to note, however, that such treatments are just delaying the inevitable – overtime, the coatings will build up on the timber.

4.   It is important that you clean the structure every 3 to 6 months using a high pressure washer. Don’t go out and purchase the strongest unit on the market, however, as it is likely to do more harm than good – ideally, use a pressure washer at 1000 PSI. Also ensure that you don’t get too close to the timber, as it can actually tear it apart.

5.   Before applying any oil treatments to your structure, it’s important that you give it a good wash and scrub using an oxalic acid solution. This product can be picked up at most hardware stores. It can be applied to merbau timber using a broom with tough bristles – let it sit on the surface for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing with the garden hose.

6.   Once you have cleaned the merbau, it is essential that you let it sit for at least 24 hours (but ideally 48 hours) to allow it to dry. After this time has passed, you are able to apply oils and other treatments. You should also regularly rotate any pots and furniture regularly to help reduce tan lines (which are caused by irregular UV exposure).

If you are planning to use merbau timber around your property, we have that the above list of things to consider has enabled you to choose an oil treatment that best meets your needs. We also hope that you now have a better understanding of how to properly apply it and keep the structure in good condition. Do not hesitate to ask an expert for product recommendations if required.