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Guest Bloggers, OUTDOORS

Choosing the Best Backyard Furniture for Your New Home

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Good luck with your new home! Choosing the right furniture is essential to turning your backyard into a stylish and comfortable outdoor area for recreation and relaxation. Your backyard is an extension of your home; choosing the right elements for it is crucial in creating a space that makes you feel comfortable as well as at peace with your environment. Below, we’ll walk you through some of the choices that most homeowners will have to make for their outdoor spaces and give you a list of considerations to help you make the best decisions for your backyard paradise.

Assessing your Space

It’s important to take a good look at your home’s outdoor areas. First, measure your backyard to get a good idea of how much space you have for any tables, chairs, etc. Note any building features such as patios or decks that may affect how you plan the area. It’s essential to consider furniture placement and ease of movement, as well as how the room can ‘flow’ in a natural appearance before you make any purchases. After initial measurements and planning, you can make more informed choices about how to design your outdoor oasis.

Budget and Sustainability

When furnishing your backyard, it’s important to establish a clear budget during the planning phase to help guide your choices and make the most informed decisions possible. Determine how much your family is willing to invest before you start looking for options so that you can find durable, quality furniture that fits within your price range.

Establishing a Theme

When choosing elements for your backyard, picking the correct theme so that the area comes together in one fashion is essential. Consider your personal style to ensure that any selection suits your household preferences. A good tip for this is to match your backyard furniture to your home’s color plan and design type. This careful approach to setting a theme for your backyard guarantees an aesthetically pleasing and well-integrated design that fits in perfectly with your tastes and your home’s particular style.

Types of Furniture

You can add variety to your outdoor areas by choosing the right kind of furniture. Dining set displays are great for having meals outside, inviting a group-oriented atmosphere. Lounge furniture can create a comfortable and relaxing environment, and different types of seating can meet various needs depending on the size of the family. To create more shaded areas, include structures like pergolas, awnings, or table umbrellas to protect yourself and your guests from the sun and enable more year-round functionality.

Material Matters

The durability and maintenance of your backyard furniture are important considerations. Whenever possible choose weather-resistant materials, so they’ll last for a long time, even in harsh climates. When choosing your design, consider the different types of upkeep needed for wood, metal, plastic, or wicker. Balancing aesthetic appeal with durability is important for pieces that maintain their quality in harsh conditions, and knowing the maintenance required for your particular selections will help keep your backyard looking fresh and increase the lifespan of your patio furniture.

Comfort and Functionality

You can enhance your outdoor experience by focusing on functionality when choosing furniture. There’s a variety of unique options on the market and many pieces have built-in storage space to help with seasonal accessories, such as chair cushions and umbrellas. By combining aesthetics with practical options, your backyard can turn into a comfortable retreat at all times of the year, as well as maintain its appeal in every season.

The Best Patio is One That Fits You

Designing your backyard can be an exciting project that enables you to design an outdoor retreat that’s unique to your style and personality. To better create your outdoor masterpiece, it’s important to take all necessary measurements and space considerations before any initial planning. Making a budget before starting to shop will help you stay on track in terms of affordability and price range, and balancing functionality with style is key to finding the right aesthetic appeal while ensuring affordability and longevity. With careful planning, you can create an amazing backyard space with options that are low-upkeep, long-lasting, and budget-friendly.


By: Katherine Robinson, a writer for National Outdoor Furniture

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HOME DECOR, home renovation

How to Give Your New Home a Facelift: A Guide

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Moving into a new home is exciting, and most people can’t wait to take an empty house and make it their own. In a way, decorating your new house is kind of like starting with a blank canvas and then turning it into a work of art.

Even if your new home needs no serious work, you may still want to give it a bit of a facelift so that it can feel not only feel new but also reflect your style. That’s why this post will be walking you through a few ways to do just that. 

Redo your kitchen 

If there’s one room in any house that people feel strongly about, it’s the kitchen. The kitchen is often described as the heart of the home, so it makes sense that people want it to feel welcoming and cozy. After all, this is where you and your loved ones will spend a lot of time together. You may not have the budget to renovate your entire home, but if you have some extra money, it can be a good idea to invest it in a kitchen renovation. 

Of course, this is a big project, so it can be helpful to hire professionals to do it for you. Have a look at Mode Built’s Edmonton home renovations to see what they can offer you

Give your house a fresh coat of paint

If you want a more affordable way to give your home a new touch, paint is the way to go. Compared to other renovation options, painting is much cheaper, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t completely transform how your house looks. 

You can opt for bold and bright colors if that’s your style, or stick to neutral tones if you enjoy a more natural look. And if you aren’t ready to go all out, you can always dip your toes into the water by painting just one room in each wall a different color so that there are accent walls everywhere. 

Consider switching up your flooring 

Our floors often undergo a lot of wear and tear, so you may find that your new home’s floors look a bit worse for wear. 

This is why you should consider having new flooring installed. You can do this right across the house, or only in certain rooms – it’s up to you. Of course, you need to consider all of your options. Carpets and tiles used to be the most popular, so you can check out the price difference between those options here. Nowadays, however, laminate and hardwood floors seem to be trending. 

Add your own décor 

It’s not enough to simply decorate your house and give it a new style – you should also add your own touch. Remember that it’s not just a house, but also a home. 

Your home should be your safe place, so it makes sense to decorate it in a way that speaks to you, instead of just doing what is trendy right now. To truly give your new house a facelift, add some décor that means something personal to you – whether it’s postcards from places you’ve traveled or photos of you and your loved ones, you should see this as an opportunity to make the place your own.  

Do some work in the garden

People often forget that their homes don’t just refer to the house, but also the garden. The truth is that many people don’t utilize their gardens to their full potential, and this is a missed opportunity. 

If you have some extra time on your hands, go out and buy your favorite plants to place in the garden, or get a table and some chairs so that you can create an outdoor entertainment area. You can also click here if you need some inspiration for sprucing up your garden during spring.  

In conclusion 

Few things are as exciting and rewarding as moving into a new house and adding your own personal touch to it. that is what takes it from being a house to being a home. 

Most people want their homes to be a reflection of them, which means that they want their homes to look beautiful and showcase what they find pleasing. That’s why this post shared some ideas for how you can give your new house a facelift. Hopefully, this inspired you, and there is something in here for everyone, regardless of their style or budget. 

Also, don’t be afraid to try new things when decorating your house! If you don’t like how it turns out, you can always change it again.

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REAL ESTATE

How To Start Looking For A New Home: Top Tips

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If you have decided that you want to move house, you probably have an idea of how hard it can be. Finding a new home can be complicated as there are many factors to consider. The good news is that this article can help you. 

Below, you will find some tips that can help you to look for a home that’s right for you. 

Think About What You Need in a New Home

One of the very first things that you need to do is to think about what you need. What kind of home are you looking for? Do you want to search for the nicest new homes Florida has, or something a little older? 

Perhaps you’re looking to buy an apartment or a townhouse. 

Maybe you’re looking for a farm to live on or an old building to convert. 

Think about what you need in terms of your future home. When you do, you’ll have a better idea of what you should be looking for. 

Think About Your Future Needs 

Something else that you need to take into consideration is your future needs. If you plan on having a family, for example, you may need more bedrooms than you currently have. 

Perhaps you will need a 2-3 bedroom apartment or a 4-bed house. You may want more rooms because:

  1. You plan to have roommates to help you pay your mortgage
  2. You work from home so you need office space 
  3. You need a garage so you can run your business from there

Looking for a new home that has the right number of rooms is a good idea. It means you’re less likely to need to move home again any time soon. 

Use Your Budget as Your Guide 

Using your budget as a guide is essential. At the end of the day, it will dictate where you live. You may not have a huge budget to work with, however, you could still have a home you love. 

Be prepared to compromise if you need to. Think about buying a 3-bed home instead of a 4-bed. Choose a home with a smaller yard if it means your mortgage is lower. 

Using your budget as your guide can help you to buy a Florida home that you can afford. 

Consider Where You Need to be

Where would you like to live:? Do you want to be in the center of town? Maybe you want to live on the outskirts of a city. Or would you prefer a waterfront home?

Knowing where you want to be can affect the price of your new home. For example, a 1-bed apartment in the city center could be the same price as a 3-bed house in the suburbs. 

Think about how far you’d be prepared to travel to work. Could a daily 15-minute train ride into and out of the suburbs mean you can afford a house that’s right for you?

Use the above tips to help you to start looking for a new home. The sooner you make a start, the sooner you’ll find a home that’s right for you. 

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home renovation, REAL ESTATE

New Home or Fixer Upper: What To Know Before Buying

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When you’re buying a new home, you want it to be your perfect dream home. The problem is that when you are dealing with a house that has already been built, it may not be exactly to your standards or wants. 

This means that you have to make some tough decisions. Namely, should you buy a house that was just built, or buy something to fix up? It’s not an easy decision to make so you have to think about a few things before buying. In this article, we will go over several factors you should consider while house hunting. 

New construction has everything

When you see some land for sale Werribee, or wherever it is that you are looking to buy, you have a completely blank slate on which to create a masterpiece. You can use your wishlist to construct the house that has everything. All the modern conveniences and the exact style you are looking for. 

If you can dream it you can build it. Though, if you aren’t very creative when it comes to building design, you can often choose to have a prebuilt home done and still get some say in the design and style of the house. 

A newly constructed house will also be able to use the land and materials to be very efficient and use a lot less energy than an older home. For instance, you can position the house to make the most out of the sunlight in the winter so it can heat itself passively. And new materials keep the house cool in the summer and warm in the winter so you use less energy. 

Downsides to building from scratch

One of the biggest downsides to building a new home is the cost. Land alone can cost as much as a house in some areas. And then the costs of construction can be more than most people can afford. Not only that, but financing a new construction is also a bit tricky. You’ll need to have substantial savings to be able to pull it off. 

Finding land where you would actually want to live is another challenge. In areas near a city where you would likely be commuting to there is not much land available where you can build a home. Though with remote working being so prevalent now, and new developments popping up that offer something of a village, you can live further away from a metropolitan area and still enjoy modern conveniences. 

Buying a fixer upper

When you buy an old house to fix up, you have the second best thing to having a blank slate. You can strip the house down to the studs and essentially make it to your exact standards. 

You may already love the structure and just need to modernize it to where it can suit your needs. The downside is that the structure may not even be that good. And the materials are not as efficient as modern ones. 

You will save some money, but you will also have to compromise on many things so you never really get everything that you want with a fixer upper.

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REAL ESTATE

4 Tips for Moving Your Real Valuables to Your New Home Safely

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If you are planning to move your real valuables to your new home safely and securely, you need to know what steps to take to achieve that. Here are four pointers to keep in mind when safely moving your items to your new home.

1.  Select Your Mover Wisely

Do not make a mistake of hiring just anyone to help with your piano or any other valuable object during a move. If you want to protect and secure your valuables, you need to find a reputable and trustworthy company by ascertaining that the one you want to hire is fully licensed. In addition to that, you’ll need to get quotes from three different companies so you can compare the fee charged for moving your valuables. The estimates given should be based on in-person inspection or video inspection, so do not accept estimates over the internet or phone.

2.  Use the Right Boxes

Before you can begin to pack your valuables, make sure there are suitable boxes to carry the items you’ll be packing. If the movers are packing the valuables for you, then you need not worry about getting the boxes. However, if you’ll be packing on your own, you need to think about the boxes you will use.

Determine the size or dimensions of the boxes. Big boxes, no matter how tempting they appear, are not always suitable for small and fragile items because they could end up breaking or getting damaged during the move, especially when packed alongside the heavier items.

Smaller items should be packed in separate small boxes, and the bulky items should be put in the larger ones. This means you need to get boxes of different sizes to allow you to pack every item in its right box.

3.  Use Padding

You’ll need padding for fragile and breakable commodities. Especially if the boxes are not filled up completely, you’ll need to use padding to prevent any damage to your valuables. You do not want your fragile commodities to be tossed inside the box during transit.

Bubble wraps and foam peanuts are often used to protect fragile items. For plates, bowls, and other dishes, you could use a tissue paper or a newspaper as padding materials. If you are working on a tight budget, you can use pillows, comforters, blankets, T-shirts, and stuffed animals to protect your commodities from breaking because these materials can offer the cushioning required.

4.  Check Insurance Coverage

Check the homeowners’ insurance coverage to determine whether your belongings are covered during a move, either partially or fully. Contact your insurance agent so you can ascertain what exactly you are covered for. If you do not have any insurance or you do not have a policy covering your move, you’ll probably need to speak to an insurance agent to see if there are ways you can protect your valuables.

Taking the above pointers into consideration will go a long way in helping to protect your valuable commodities during a move. You can always hire full movers so they can take care of your commodities during a move as you focus on other important matters in your life.


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STORAGE + ORGANIZING

4 Ways To Usher Your Home Into The New Decade

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Not only is it a new year, but it’s also the start of a new decade and what better way to ring in the roaring 20s than to get organized? We all love The Addams family but who has the luxury of entire closets just for knick-knacks? Organizing all your closets can feel very intimidating so just think of one at a time! Where does one start the day? Tackle your coat closet first with some masterful hacks from The Home Blog to get your morning rolling. 

Kitchen Confident

There is nothing more demotivating (at least for me) than an untidy kitchen. Edit your crockery and other kitchen equipment or utensils and get rid of the excess (but never the teaspoons… can’t have too many of those). Having fewer dishes to dirty means you have fewer to clean later on and keeps things simple! No clutter also frees up your brain to get creative with all those meal prep ideas you’ve been dying to try but haven’t found the time.

Space Oddities 

Every single home, whether it’s a studio apartment, duplex or sprawling four-bedroom house has those weird spaces that nothing seems to fit in. That weirdly shaped stairwell or really high cupboard shelf may be worth investigating for its storage potential. Investigate the myriad of custom storage ideas on offer from companies or tackle a DIY project to utilize those odd corners of your home. 

Garage Bland No More

How many movie plots are built around cleaning out an old, badly packed garage and discovering something marvellous? Far too many, but although quite a cliche, you too may have the pleasure of that discovery. For many, a garage is simply a place where the car sleeps but it has so much more potential! Don’t have a car? Turn it into an entertainment space or even a home office with the addition of some shelves and a nice rug or two. Do have a car? The storage options abound! From floating shelves to stackable storage and even suspended shelving from the roof beams there’s very little reason not to make the most of this oft-neglected space.

The Office

Working from home sounds luxurious but as the initiated well know, it can drive even the most stoic of humans to madness! The antidote to this insanity is bringing order to the chaos. Getting a professional filing system might seem absurd but having that security for your important documents is a huge relief. Without the stress of losing paperwork, you can spend that energy on tackling your business goals for 2020 and keep track of all the progress you’re making.

Having an organized home is not just about the physical simplicity and ease it brings to your life. It also helps keep the mental clutter at bay! There are a plethora of ways you can life-hack your way into a more organized and productive year and hopefully, these have just gotten you started! Go forth and conquer! 


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HOME STAGING

How to make an old home look (and feel) new

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My husband is a real estate agent and he often finds himself in homes that just look old and tired but many seem to have great potential, they just need a few updates to bring it into current day style.  He shares a lot of easy tips and tricks with his clients on how to make an old home look and feel new again without compromising on character.  As an interior decorator and home stager, I couldn’t agree with him more. Plus these are great tips if you are thinking of selling your home in the not-so-distant future – keep it current looking – buyers will take notice

Here are some easy tricks to get an old home feeling new, again….

1 – Clean or replace carpets.

Make the space feel fresh with new carpet. It will instantly add a brand-new feeling to your home. If you are living there and like carpet than that’s fine but if this is an update for sale – price out replacing the carpet with hardwood or a laminate (that looks like hardwood).

2 – Make it cohesive.

A lot can be lost through the years—an update here and an update there can leave your house in a state of mismatched chaos. Determine whether you want room-by-room finishes to be the same throughout the house. The cohesive pattern will help your home feel polished, thus giving it new life.

 

3 –  Install new doors.

If you really want to go all out, replace your doors with Shaker-style doors or six-panel ones. A front door can also add a lot of curb appeal. If that doesn’t fit in your budget – paint the front door!

 

 

4 –  Update outlets, light switches, and plates

My husband and I have found that this is something that made a significant difference in all three of the older homes we’ve lived in. Some may have yellowed, been painted over, or have had various shapes and styles.
Update your house by switching all of the light switches and plates. Note: If you’re not experienced in doing this, hire a licensed electrician or find a great online video source and watch a few tutorials. It’s relatively simple, yet tedious work. We also updated yellowed alarms, thermostats, doorbells and smoke detectors.

 

5 – Repair walls.

In the past, we had purchased our home, it was apparent that years of poor quality DIY patching had taken place.
We had our painter fix the blemishes and fill all 240 nail holes. Yes, 240. Now when the light shines on them, it looks like new drywall.

6 –  Add light…

Whether it’s adding curtains, replacing light bulbs, or removing screens, adding light in your home is an easy way to breathe new life into each room. Remove vertical blinds they are so dated!

7 – …and paint.

A current and cohesive paint palette brings your home into the present and makes it feel fresh. If you stay away from yellow based tones that is recommended, when this get ‘yellowed’ they look aged.

 

8 –  Remove dated fixtures.

Updating lights and hardware on kitchen and bathroom cabinets are easy ways to make your home feel like new.

 

9 –  Refinish hardwood.

Choose an appropriate stain and give your hardwoods new life. I remember being astonished at how inexpensive it was to do the living room in our previous home and it made such a huge difference!

 

 

Every house needs a little sprucing up, I hope this inside info helps you out!

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HOME DECOR

5 Ways to Breathe New Life into Your Home

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After spending such a long and cold winter indoors, you might be looking at your space and think… well, this space looks little tired. A little dated or a little worn? Here’s 5 great ways to breathe a little life into your rooms and they are all quite easy and won’t break the bank!. Nothing drastic! Just a few thing you can change up or add to any room that
will be a breath of fresh decor air!

1- PILLOWS.

Can we talk about pillows. They are decor magic!! Pillows can brighten up any space! They are an easy, cheery face lift for sofas and chairs. Just think of all the options! Even think about changing pillows with the seasons and holidays. Don’t be afraid to get a little bold with pillows. A pop of color or fun is a very good way to freshen a room up!

2- SOMETHING ORGANIC.

A big vase or container of flowers will certainly make a room come alive!!! Even a grocery store bunch of flowers looks amazing with a little extra care and arranging! But, don’t overlook indoor plants. I feel they have gone out of vogue lately.  Add a little pot of ivy or a fluffy pot of herbs and they will literally give life to a room. If you don’t like to care for plants then go faux… but look for great fakes! You don’t want to add any tacky looking fakes to a room!

Even try adding elements like drift wood, looks great as a centerpiece or on a coffee table.  Antlers are also a big trend right now. Organic pieces can work with any decor style and they add a great texture element to any room.

3 – WINDOW TREATMENTS.

This can be expensive especially if you go the custom route but if you go out and purchase curtain panels that are pre-made, it can make a huge impact in your space.  Just be sure to hang them property!  By hanging them properly you can make the windows and the room look bigger and brighter.

Even if you have a great view that you love don’t forget, a window treatment frames the window and softens it and calls attention to what lies beyond. There are so many great, inexpensive curtains that are fun and sassy and updated and will give your room a real upscale look!

4- ART.

Art is such a personal thing. Some people like every wall covered with all sorts of pictures and things. And some don’t. I fall somewhere in the middle, like most of us. Art is a broad term that can cover so many wall decor pieces – like hanging old windows on a wall, a plate wall, wall decals, photographs, big clocks and more….. Look at your art… and look at your walls. Can you do a little updating? Here’s where you can get very creative!

5 – ADD COLOUR, LAYERS AND TEXTURE.

This is probably my very favorite way to add interest to my home. Not only can we feel texture with our hands… we can also feel it with our eyes.  A room can seem flat and even a little boring if we don’t fill it with lots of different textures! Soft, smooth, nubby, shiny… are examples of what textures should be in every room!  If you love a neutral space, play with texture to get a ‘designer’ look and feel. And when we layer those textures it is pure magic! To see a DIY about layering decor.

Now, head on over to the room you think needs a little decor love and ask yourself, “HOW CAN I BREATHE NEW LIFE IN HERE”?

Use these 5 tips to breathe new life into your room!

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LIGHTING

Choosing the Right Electricity Provider for Your Home: What You Need to Know

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Using this homeowner’s guide, navigate the world of electricity providers with confidence. Explore tips for selecting the ideal provider, including assessing customer service quality and reviewing contract terms. Consider renewable energy options and incentives for long-term savings. Make an informed choice tailored to your needs for a seamless electricity provider match.

Understanding Your Electricity Needs

Before choosing the right electricity provider, you need to understand your electricity needs. This involves looking at your past electricity usage and identifying any trends. For example, do you use more electricity during summer, or is your usage consistent throughout the year? For those in Texas, the choice might come down to understanding the offerings from a Dallas electricity company or elsewhere in the state.

Consider appliances and devices that consume energy most, and think about your family’s routine. Knowing your energy consumption helps you make a more informed decision when scrutinizing the available plans and providers. Additionally, understanding your peak usage times can assist in choosing a plan that offers lower rates during off-peak hours, potentially saving you money.

Also, consider your future needs. Are you planning to install a home office, buy an electric vehicle, or have additional family members living with you? These factors can influence your electricity consumption and the plan that will suit you best in the long term.

Comparing Providers and Plans

Not all electricity providers are created equal. Different providers offer various plans and rates; something other than what works for one household might work for another. It’s essential to compare each provider’s other plans and rates. Look for any additional benefits that might be included in these plans, such as smart home integration or green energy options.

Be sure to read the fine print on each plan. Some plans might have hidden fees or require long-term contracts, while others offer month-to-month flexibility. To quickly see the differences, it can be helpful to make a comparison chart of several providers and their programs. Pay attention to details like introductory rates that may change after a certain period and whether the rates are fixed or variable.

Another factor to consider is each plan’s pricing model. While some providers may provide time-of-use plans with charges that change depending on the time of day, others may offer tiered rates based on your consumption level. Awareness of these subtleties will make selecting a plan that fits your budget and consumption habits easier.

Benefits of Renewable Energy Options

The transition to renewable energy signifies more than a passing trend; it signals a shift towards a sustainable future. Renewable energy sources like solar and wind power can provide long-term financial savings and reduce carbon footprint. Recent research indicates that investments in renewable energy reduce energy expenses over time and promote environmental sustainability.

Many electricity providers now offer plans featuring a portion or all of their energy derived from renewable sources. Opting for these plans is worthwhile if reducing environmental impact is a priority. Furthermore, certain regions provide incentives for households opting for renewable energy, such as tax credits, rebates, or discounted rates.

Choosing renewable energy can also shield you from fluctuations in fossil fuel prices. As renewable energy technology advances, the cost of electricity generation from these sources is expected to decline, potentially resulting in savings on your energy bill.

Current Market Trends

Keeping up with the latest developments in the energy sector might be helpful when selecting an electricity supplier. Deregulation has allowed for more competition and often better rates for consumers. Reviewing current market reports and forecasts helps you understand how changes in the energy sector affect your choice of provider.

The trend toward utility deregulation in many regions has empowered consumers to choose from many providers, fostering increased competition. This has often led to more competitive pricing and innovative service offerings. Observing market patterns might yield insightful information and even cost-saving opportunities.

Additionally, the increased adoption of smart grid technology transforms how electricity is distributed and consumed. Smart meters allow for real-time energy usage tracking, giving consumers more control and helping them make more informed decisions about their energy consumption. This can be particularly beneficial if you want to monitor and reduce your energy use.

The Importance of Customer Service

Customer service might not be the first thing you consider when choosing an electricity provider, but it’s something to consider. Good customer service can make a big difference if you ever have issues with your power or need assistance understanding your bill. Some providers offer 24/7 support and user-friendly apps to help you manage your account easily.

Think about reading reviews and getting referrals from loved ones. A company that excels in customer service can guarantee a seamless encounter and prompt and effective resolution of any possible problems.

Accessibility is vital when it comes to customer service. Good customer service can significantly enhance your satisfaction with your electricity provider, whether it’s easy-to-navigate websites, comprehensive FAQs, or human customer service representatives who are readily available to assist you.

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home renovation

7 Expert Tips for Creating a Home Renovation Budget

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A home renovation is an exciting endeavor, but the process of finishing one is not only exhausting but also quite costly.

If you’re interested in starting a home renovation project but are having problems with the budget, here are some tips that can make it easier to establish an accurate budget.

1. Understand your renovation needs

When you renovate your home, many ideas about what changes to make can come to mind. However, renovations cost a lot of money, so you should consider which parts of your home need that renovation more than others. Knowing which renovations you will spend money on is more straightforward.

Once you’ve chosen the part of your home that you will renovate, you should look at the minute details and start narrowing down further which aspects are necessary and which aren’t.

For example, you want to make your bathroom look gorgeous while increasing its practicality. An upgrade to your showers and water fixtures might be OK, but steer away from the raised sinks. These raised sinks look pretty and unique but are challenging to maintain, prone to chipping, and cause more splashes.

There may be a case where all of your renovation aspects are practical. However, there are some things that you can do at a later date over other renovation projects.

An example of that would be if you wanted to renovate the kitchen. Your goal is to get more counter space for cooking, so your priority is a new island and replacing your kitchen appliances. But if your current appliances still work well, you can focus on that new island instead.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

2. Research the average cost of the project

What’s excellent about cost projecting for your renovation project is that other houses have already most likely done a similar project. Therefore, you can always look into some of the many similar projects and see how much they cost them to do.

There are many avenues to find cost projections for your renovation project. The most common way to do that is by getting a cost estimate from the contractors you hire to do the renovation for you.

That’s also a great way to shop for the right contractors to help you with the project. Just remember that cheaper doesn’t always mean better.

Another group of people that you can talk to would be people within your network. Ask friends, family, coworkers, and neighbors who you think might have done some renovation work in their home.

They might even refer you to reputable contractors if you consult your network, so you don’t have to shop around.

On the other hand, if you’re doing the renovation yourself, you should also shop for different hardware stores to know how much the materials will cost. You can then consult the list to understand where to source the materials you use for your project.

3. Determine overall budget limits

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

Now that you know the average project costs, you should determine the limits of your budget for the project.

While you might have an ideal goal for what your home renovation is supposed to look like, you should be realistic. Not only should you be aware of your financial limits, but you should also be aware of the limits that your set budget will be able to provide for your renovation project.

Consider not only the cost of the materials but also labor, permits, and even emergency funds. Your previous average project cost should help you determine the average costs to expect for your project so it is easier to figure out a realistic budget limit.

Remember that there will likely be lapses and emergencies afterward that can lead to additional costs for your project. It would help if you remembered to have enough financial cushioning so you don’t end up with a renovation project that gets stalled because you don’t have the budget to complete it.

4. Request quotes from different contractors

If you’re not planning on working on the renovation yourself, you would likely need to hire contractors to finish the project. Therefore, as you’re computing your budget, make sure that you factor in the labor costs.

You should shop around for different contractors and get a quote for the project you plan to get. To get as accurate an estimate as possible, you should be precise when describing the renovation project you want.

Otherwise, the contractors would give you a general cost estimate, and once the project finishes, it will cost much more than their estimate.

Indicating the materials you want to use and the specifics of the project details will make your project estimates much more accurate.

Once you’ve compiled a list of contractors, it’s time to make your choice. As mentioned earlier, don’t forget that just because it’s cheaper doesn’t mean it’s always better. 

5. Explore various financing options

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If you don’t want to fund this renovation process directly from your savings, you should explore your financing options before committing to anything. Some options available to you would be a cashout refinance, a home equity loan, a home equity line of credit (different from a home equity loan), and refinancing in general.

Do note that you need a relatively good credit score, most likely to be able to take out these financing options.

If you’re in debt, getting financing options for your home renovation might be more complex, but you can consult experts in debt, such as those in Money Max, to know your options. You can check Money Max account reviews to see if their expertise applies to your financial concerns.

You should ensure that your repayment strategy is achievable when you take out these financing options. Otherwise, you will be taking on a financial burden that will limit your financial capabilities.

6. Assess estimated costs with your budget

At this point, you should have your assessed estimated costs on average and the budget limit you’ve dictated. Now is the time to compare them to one another.

If everything you want to do falls comfortably within your budget with free financial room, you can proceed with your project. However, you should reduce the project scope before moving forward.

You can reduce the project costs in several ways. You could change certain project materials to a less expensive alternative. Another option is to lower the coverage of your renovation projects.

7. Establish a contingency fund

As mentioned earlier, your budget should also account for a contingency fund that will cushion your project if some things are costlier than you thought. Another aspect that could cause an unplanned expense would be if the project takes longer than usual.

The ideal range should be 10% to 20% of your budget, which should be the contingency fund, but if you’re worried about the costs increasing, you can expand that financial cushion.

Conclusion

These tips should all ensure that your renovation projects go smoothly or at least won’t have hiccups too much because of poor financial decisions. Read through these tips before you start a renovation project to ensure that you will have an accurate budget and that you’re ready for the costs of your project.

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