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July 22, 2018

Four Flooring Ideas for Your Creative Space

The errant soldering iron accident here, the odd paint splash there, and suddenly your craft area looks less like a creative space and more like a disaster zone. Choosing a durable flooring for your craft corner or hobby room can extend the life of your space, leaving your spare time open for the craft projects you really want to finish.

Temporary Flooring

Products like Aqua Shield by Trimaco are a perfect temporary flooring option. Unroll the water-resistant material in long sheets to cover your space, trimming it to line up perfectly. Then tape the seams and enjoy your new damage-resistant flooring until the time comes to roll it up again when you want to change the look or convert your space for another use.

Leave it Bare

If your creative space has a cement floor, don’t cover it with other flooring. You can express your creativity by painting it or using a cement stain in a wide variety of patterns and colors. Cement is a great surface for a creative space due to its durability. It can be hard on knees and backs when standing for hours, so place a couple of throw rugs in bright colors or invest in a rubber shock-absorbing mat where you’ll be standing.

Wood Would be Good

While using wood as a flooring can open it up to damage from paint spills or dropping heavy tools, if you already have wood in your space you can use it to your advantage. If you’re feeling brave, paint it in a cheerful checkerboard pattern that will help to disguise wear and tear or put some rugs or plastic flooring down to avoid harming it with any crafting spills.

Tile for a While

Similar to cement, tile is a durable surface treatment that can resist plenty of crafting disasters thrown its way. Seal the tile and grout to avoid seeping stains from spilled paint, and you’ll have a surface that will last for years. If you’re feeling particularly creative, you can set tiny tile squares in a variety of mosaic-like patterns. Take inspiration from simple cross stitch patterns for flowers, decorative borders and other motifs, and lay your tiles to match some of your favorite stitching projects.

Whether your creative space is the corner of a larger area or an entire room dedicated to your passion, you can find temporary or permanent flooring that will not only repel the very worst spills and accidents you throw at it, but will also reflect your own innovative and creative vision for a space you can truly call your own.
Other Flooring ideas
Family Life with Laminate Flooring
6 Home Office-Craft Room Flooring Design Ideas: With Pictures

June 28, 2018October 17, 2020

Do I Want to Become a Landlord?

Have you ever considered becoming a landlord? Being a landlord has its pros and cons, and it can be difficult to choose between the two. Do you want to take the risk that an initial investment requires to reap the financial reward of a good investment? Becoming a landlord is a gamble, and only you can decide if it’s right for you. Consider the following pros and cons.

Cons: Initial Investment Cost

It isn’t cheap to become a landlord. To rent a property, you must own it. Buying a building takes cash, or a fierce certainty in your business venture. With luck and careful planning, most rental properties pay for themselves over time, since each unit brings in a monthly fee. However, the initial purchase can be a hefty debt to handle.

Cons: Light Income

Between mortgage payments and unexpected costs, you won’t make much income on your rental property. Much of your revenue goes towards mortgage payments, and some must go toward repairs, advertisements, and the salaries of any employees you hire. Once you’ve paid off a building, you’ll make a better profit; in the meantime, your property won’t make as much money as you hoped.

Cons: Emergency Repairs

When you run a rental property, you must be ready for unexpected repairs. When a dishwasher breaks down or the furnace stops working, you’re responsible for fixing them. Besides the cost of these repairs, many landlords find the 24/7 on-call aspects of the job discouraging.

Pros: Job Flexibility

Despite the cons of becoming a landlord, there are many pros, as well. When you work as a landlord, you can set your own schedule. Depending on how many properties you manage, you might work full time or part time, and you can limit your office hours to a certain time each week.

Pros: Rental Income

While your income may be uncertain a few months out of the year due to empty units, a rental property still brings income. Your income per property won’t be extensive, but if you make the most of what you have, you can live, make a profit, and invest in your future, with the same building. Rent covers the mortgage in most instances, and as long as you take advantage of a free tenant screening, you can fill your buildings with tenants who pay on time.

Pros: Property Value

Once you’ve paid off a building, you own a property that’s all yours. You might not have made an enormous income thus far, but you can now sell a well-maintained building for a profit, in a favorable housing market. This kind of property value juggling can be a great way to make huge bursts of income. Patience is key with this kind of risk, but it pays off for the careful investor.

June 19, 2018

Choosing a decorative roofing solution for your home? Try these options

A house without a roof is useless— we all know this.

Your roof protects you from the elements and weather. However, the roof is often the most neglected part of a house. And while it is safe to say that most types of materials used for roofing can help enhance the overall aesthetic of your house, some of these materials are more appropriate for your budget or climate than others.

And with so many decorative roofing solutions available, choosing the right roofing material can be a challenging process.

Here are some of the most popular decorative roofing solutions you might want to try for your home:

Asphalt Shingles

Asphalt Shingle Roofs are probably the most traditional roof you can see. This type of roofing solution offers more options for styles and colors and tend to be the most affordable there is.

Image Source: Flickr.com

Shingle Roofs can only be used on roofs with a slope. They do hold so well against heavy winds, but they are very easy to repair and replace when a small area has been damaged. Moreover, they are very easy to install, so if you want a DIY roofing, then asphalt shingle roofs are the best choice for you.

Concrete Tiles

Tiles made of concrete are becoming popular since they look similar to traditional materials, like slate tiles, but a lot cheaper. Concrete Tiles are great insulators and work great for both hot and cold climate. Also, these tiles offer less noise during heavy rains that other roofing materials like metal.

Furthermore, concrete tile comes in various colors which makes it easier for you to look ad get a color that matches the other decorative elements of your home.

Clay Tiles

Clay Tiles are ideal for stylish homes with a symmetrical arrangement make the whole house elegant and classical. The clay roof ensures that the house stays cool throughout the hot weather making it very suitable for locations in hot regions.

Image Source: Flickr.com

Clay Tiles might be a little pricey; however, it is quite durable and long lasting. Meaning, it can last for over a hundred years.

Timber Shingles

Timber Shingles are popular roofing material in the US. In general, these shingles are found in overhangs, pergolas, patio covers or gazebos. And the most popular type of wood used for making timber shingles is western red cedar.

Timber shingles are generally an eco-friendly choice since cedar is grown plantations. Moreover, this type of roofing solution has natural insulation properties which surpass other materials. And it is worth mentioning that roofing made of cedar is known to withstand even the most extreme weather such as hail storms or cyclones.

Metal Roofs

Metal Roofing comes in all sorts of decorative colors and designs. It is ideal for flat roofs or roofs with steep slopes. This type of roofing solution is somewhat more expensive; however, there is no doubt that the metal panels are very attractive and long lasting which can stand up better to natural disasters such as heavy winds, rains, and hail.

Image Source: Flickr.com

Metal panels can be quite noisy during the rainy season, however, panels have been improved overtime in order to have noise reducing properties and provide a better insulation.

Slate Tiles

Slate tiles are one of the oldest roofing materials and are a very durable option. In general, slate tiles are associated with grey and dark color hues; however, it now comes in a broad range of colors.

However, if you are on a tight budget, opting for a slate tile roofing might be a no-no since these can be really expensive. Some slate tile suppliers offer a warranty for as long as 75 years which is more than what they offer for other roofing solutions.

Furthermore, it is safe to say that slate tiles have withstood the test of time. We all know that there is much historical European building with slate tiles and have been in good shape for centuries.

Conclusion:

The roof is the most critical part of your home. When it is not correctly done, it can affect the life of your entire house. Whether you are building your very first home or if it is time for roof repairs, choosing the right roofing solution will ultimately add value and boost the appeal of your home.

May 14, 2018

Celebrating Your New Home

Moving into a new home is demanding work. One of the best ways to reward yourself for working hard is to throw a housewarming party. It does not have to be too elaborate, since you do not have a ton of energy left at this point. Something about inviting friends and family over to your place for drinks and snacks has a way of making you feel like you’re home now. Here are a few things to keep in mind when you send out invitations and make a list of party supplies. While you’re at it, don’t forget to give your guests directions to your new place.

Is the House Ready?

This may seem like an obvious question. Who would throw a party if there was an issue with the house? Well, small issues have a way of rearing their ugly heads at the worst possible time. Let’s say you move in and notice that the flush handle on the back of the toilet gets stuck. That may not seem important, but parties often mean there is a great deal of traffic to and from the bathroom. Nothing ruins the party quite like a toilet that refuses to flush. Do not feel like you must be a psychic to predict the future, since that is not a common skill. However, if something pops up and you can attend to it before the party, do so. Did your roof spring a leak after the last rainstorm? Call roofing services in the Greater NJ area. Otherwise, you may have to stick a gigantic bucket in your living room to catch water in the middle of the party.

Some people decide they want to build their own home rather than buy one prebuilt. Calling home builders in Hanover, PA makes sense if you’re the type of person who doesn’t mind waiting longer for your dream house to come to fruition. However, don’t plan any housewarming parties until the construction is one hundred percent finished, because the typical home takes anywhere from four to 12 months to build. In the worst-case scenario, you must retract those invitations for the party you planned in May, because now the builders tell you that harsh weather is going to push back the projection’s completion to at least July.

Themes and Party Favors

Don’t feel like you must have any other theme besides, “Look at my new house, guys!” That is a very good theme all on its own. If you do want to go beyond that, then play it up as much as you can. Shooting fireworks can be dangerous but there’s no risk in firing off a confetti cannon for you and your guests to enjoy. A theme may also make more sense if your party falls near a major holiday and that would be an added incentive for your guests to come by and check out your new house.

Are any of your friends in a band? If so, then by all means you should invite them to play a show in your backyard, but don’t go overboard. You want to be a courteous neighbor. So, if you haven’t yet, go around the block and introduce yourself. Mention that you are having a party and would love to see them stop by for a beer or two. Say something like “I’m having some friends come over and play a few songs, but we’ll be done by 9 p.m.’ Because there is no need for the music to go on all night. You bought a house, not a concert venue.