As a homeowner, I like to ensure that I always take good care of my home. Luckily, I have quite a bit of DIY experience, so when it comes to checking my house before Winter, I know what to look for. However, the other day when I was chatting with a friend about DIY, I realized that not every homeowner has the knowledge to take care of their home.

The extreme weather that comes with Winter – snow, rain and high winds can put our homes under a lot of strain. These nasty conditions can lead to all sorts of problems, from burst pipes to overflowing drains. That’s why, before the cold weather hits, it’s crucial that you check your home for any issues that may need fixing.

Credit for photo

To help you do that, I have put together a guide to all the most important checks that you should make before Winter arrives. You can find out everything that you need to know, here:

Check your roof

If your roof itself, or any of the tiles are damaged or cracked, this can lead to leaks. If water leaks through your roof into your attic, and you don’t notice, this can lead to your roof rotting. To prevent this from happening, it’s crucial that before the wet winter months, that you check your roof.

Start off by going into your attic with a flashlight, looking for any gaps where sunlight is shining in. If you can see light streaming through a small area of your roof, this is a sign that there may be a hole or loose tile. Once you have checked the inside of the roof, the next step is to go up onto the roof and check the exterior. If you can see any holes or broken or cracked tiles, these will need to be fixed. You can fix these yourself, or you can call a contractor to do it for you.

Unclog your gutters

Use a ladder to look inside your gutters, if there are any blockages, like leaves or debris, remove them. If you fail to check your gutters, and they are blocked, rainwater may run down the sides of your house, causing damage.

Check your drains

Your home’s drainage system all links up, so it’s important to check both your inside and outside drains for any blockages. A blockage outside could lead to rainwater left standing in your garden. This could not only damage your driveway and patio but also, your home’s foundation.

If you think that any of your drains has a blockage, then that drain needs clearing. You could attempt to do this yourself, but it’s probably best to leave it to the experts.

Give your boiler a once over

During the Winter months, your boiler is crucial for keeping you and your family warm. That’s why, before the cold weather sets in, it’s best to give it a once over.

If you aren’t sure how to check your boiler is in good shape, it might be worth calling a plumber to service it over for you. That way, if there are any issues, he’ll be able to spot them and fix them for you so as during the Winter your boiler doesn’t break down.

If you want to take care of your home, it’s crucial that before the Winter that you perform all the checks above. So that if there are any issues, you can get them sorted out sooner, rather than later.

Special post written by Laura for my readers

Most of my friends laughed until they were blue in the face when I told them about my idea. They thought that building a barn for my kids was an incredibly funny concept, and they just couldn’t understand my motives. Once their laughter had subsided, I had the chance to explain my reasons. You see, the barn on our land is not like a standard space for keeping animals. We do have a couple of cows, but that’s not why we paid for the barn. The building was created by an Amish specialist living in our area. So, the room is more functional than you might expect. To set the record straight, I’ve listed all my reasons below. Hopefully, you won’t all think I’m mad after checking them out.

Link

The barn provides a play area

We don’t have a summer house on our land, and so the kids had nowhere to play. After seeing an advert online for a local Amish expert that specializes in barns, I had to know more. Luckily, he quoted me a very affordable price. The entire building cost thousands less than the average summer house. Plus, it is more than ten times the size. I split the barn into two sections. One for keeping the cows, and one for the kids. We put their bikes in there, and lots of other items from our garage.

The barn keeps our animals healthy

As I’ve already said, we keep a couple of cows on our land. My children were worried about their health when they were out in the field all night. Also, there had been a spate of nighttime attacks in the area. I was terrified we’d wake up one morning to find dead cows lying in our field. That idea worried me a lot. My kids wouldn’t know how to deal with that yet. They’re only young. So, getting a barn seemed like the obvious solution. I even installed a security system that should alert us if something happens during the night.

There’s lots of free space in the barn for more things

My children are starting to grow, and so we knew more space was essential. While we’re not 100% certain how we’re going to use it yet, there is more than enough room to expand in the barn. My husband discussed the possibility of homeschooling our kids from next year. If that happens, we’ll do everything in the barn. It’s not like the cold and drafty building you might imagine. In fact, we’ve got electricity in there and a flat screen TV. So, it wouldn’t be too hard to convert some of the areas into a school room.

You should now have a good understanding of why I erected a barn for my kids. In truth, it was partly for the animals too. However, it sounded a lot funnier if I told my friends the barn was there for the kids. My husband has already covered the walls in canoes and tools, and I hope we do manage to homeschool in that space. It’s warm enough thanks to the heating system we’ve installed.

The competition for buying homes across the country has never been fiercer. So, when you find what you think is your dream house, there’s a good chance that you won’t end up as the lucky buyer.

It can be heartbreaking to have your dreams ripped away from you like that, but in a tough market, what can you do? It’s happened to all of us at some point, so I thought it was time to come up with some clever ways to increase your chance of winning.

Nothing’s guaranteed, of course, but these tips should help you improve your chances of success.

Spot an up-and-coming area

Expensive places to live cost a lot because they are already established. People like the security that comes with an established area, because everything is already there for them. However, if you are willing to put in some groundwork, you can find an up-and-coming area.

The house prices will be much cheaper, and they will also rise quickly as the location becomes more established. There are a few clues to look out for. When there are a lot of improvements made to the area, you will notice independent shops cropping up all over the place.

There will also be an effort by the local state to improve transport links. So, keep your eyes on the developments in your local areas and you should be able to get a better home for your budget.

Lee Ruk

Find a local estate agent

Although real estate agents have a duty to represent the seller, they know the local markets inside out. So, they are in the best position to advise buyers, too.

They will know which sellers want to sell up quickly, which could be a sign they are willing to negotiate a deal. Local realtors also have a lot more property on their books than you will find on major home finding services online. Take a look here for a good example – www.searchbaltimorerealestate.com. As you can see, they have at least 25% more properties than you will see on the likes of Trulia and Zillow.

So, get yourself connected to a local estate agent or two and you will have a better chance of coming up with a bargain.

Remove your part of the chain

‘The chain’ can put the skids on many people’s chances of buying their dream home. If you are already living in a house, then you might not be able to sell it and buy a new place at the same time.

Timing is critical when you purchase a house. There are a lot of people out there who will sell for less rather than waiting three, six or twelve months while you find a buyer. So, if you can remove this complication – by selling up and renting for a while, for example – you will find you are a much more attractive buyer.

You could also get pre-approval for your home loan. Anything that you can do to make that sale go through quicker will be a bonus, and could be the difference between you and another interested party.

Well, there you have it. I hope this has helped you think of some ways you can improve your chances of finding your dream home. I wish you all the best with your move!

Source:

It doesn’t matter if you’ve lived in your home for 10 years or 10 minutes. We all want to upgrade our properties from time to time. After all, we work our entire lives to create the perfect environment for the family to grow.

Unfortunately, there is one word that usually holds us back. That word is budget. However, a lack of funds doesn’t have to end your hopes of improving the home over the coming months. Here are some relatively cheap and easy ideas that will bring noticeable differences.

Repair Instead of Buying

Is there anything more frustrating than not being able to complete basic tasks around the home? Unfortunately, problems will arise from time to time. While it can be easy to ignore the issues, fixing them immediately is a must.

The faults won’t magically disappear, so you must find a solution. At the same time, nobody wants to spend more money than is necessary. We’re quick to throw items away, but it can be just as easy to fix your appliances. And a dish washer repair service, for example, is much cheaper than buying a new model completely.

A home that works properly will be far easier to enjoy.

Bring The Great Outdoors Inside

It’s quite amazing how a little fresh air can improve our mood and general well-being. This notion could be the secret weapon to keeping your home happy all year round.

Making the home feel fresh isn’t difficult, and a little work goes a long way. These tips should help you achieve the desired impact. If you do have the money for significant investment, you could invest in sliding doors to open your home out to the garden too.

The home will feel cleaner and fresher. It’s something that will benefit the entire family. Don’t underestimate how important this simple upgrade can be.

Source:

Invest In The Bathroom

Most families don’t appreciate the bathroom as they should. It’s a huge shame too because we all know how a little luxury can make our lives feel brighter.

You don’t have to visit the local spa to enjoy those comforts. Adding luxury to the bathroom can be achieved with a few simple oils. Meanwhile, increasing your water pressure will make showers far more enjoyable too.

Every home should allow the occupier to relax after a long day at work. The bathroom is easily one of the best (and cheapest) spaces to achieve this.

Make Better Use Of Space

Got a garage, but leave your car on the driveway? Or a spare bedroom that only gets for one weekend every six months? Maybe you have a downstairs office that is being used as a storage space?

If you’ve answered yes to any of the above, rectifying these issues must be your priority. Declutter the space, and give it a purpose. It doesn’t matter if you make it a gym, or a playroom. The key is that you are using the available space to maximum effect.

Simply making better use of the areas will instantly make the home feel bigger. With this, you’ll have far greater possibilities around the home.