Why Your General Contractor Must Have Insurance

Why Your General Contractor Must Have Insurance

When you’re getting construction work done, you need to consider a lot of things. For one, you have to set a budget that you must work to stick to for the entire project. For another, you have come up with a design that will work for you. You will also have to find a good general contractor to help make your project come to life.

Finding a good general contractor can sometimes be tough, but you need to do your best to find one who does not only have the expertise, capability, and experience to oversee your construction, but also the proper contractor insurance coverage.

Why do you need your general contractor to be an insured one? Here are some of the reasons.

To confirm that the contractor is legitimate

Many individuals offer their services as a contractor but don’t actually have the license to do so. If a contractor is insured and provides proof of coverage, then you can be sure that that contractor is legitimate. Securing a license to operate as a contractor requires having insurance coverage. So if your contractor is insured, then he or she is a licensed one.

To not be liable for injuries and damages

The most common insurance policies contractors have are general liability insurance and workers’ compensation insurance. The former pays for any claims made for third-party injuries or property damage, while the latter covers the medical expenses and lost wages of workers who suffer an injury while working on your construction project.

If your general contractor doesn’t have them, then you will in effect be the contractor, and therefore liable for the injuries, property damage, or even deaths that happen on the work site.

To lower costs in the long term

While you may be able to save money from the generally lower rates that unlicensed and uninsured contractors may offer you, you may still end up spending more in the long run. You could be shouldering the cost for construction mistakes that need to be rectified, or pay for an injured worker’s hospitalization and medications if your general contractor has no insurance coverage.

Hard pass on uninsured contractors

Their services may come cheap, but uninsured contractors could cost you more. Aside from being unsure about the quality of work because of the lack of qualifications, an uninsured general contractor can make you a target for a lawsuit that could end up bankrupting you.

So even if someone offers you such services for cheap, steer clear of them if they have no insurance. The risks are just too high, and you wouldn’t want to take them on.

Guest Contributor, Rachel Porter

5 Good Reasons For Renovating and Remodelling Your Home

5 Good Reasons for Renovating and Remodelling Your Home

Home renovations can be pretty difficult and challenging, especially if you feel like all the other kitchens and bathrooms you see are perfect, whereas yours are outdated. Sometimes, people remodel their homes because they need to update something, but there are also cases when they only want their homes to be modern and in pristine condition. If you’re not sure whether you should renovate and remodel your home, we give you a list of 5 reasons why you should do so:

It will increase your home’s value

In case you decide one day to sell your home, potential buyers will appreciate the effort you’ve put into remodelling as well as the upgrades you've made. Work well-done means you took care of your home, and kitchens and bathrooms with modern appliances and fixtures will make people understand that you’ve invested plenty of time and money to get the desired results.

Keeping up with trends

You might have been admiring photos of beautiful homes for a long time, but who is to say that you can’t make your home look that way? You can easily add not only a scullery, but standout alfresco areas too, and have your home resemble a miniature palace or a minimalist Japanese home. If you follow trends, it’s easy to find inspiration there and invest your time and money into making your dream home reality.

Your energy bills will be lower

If you live in an old home, chances are that it is not very energy-efficient, which means that you’re probably spending more money on bills than you expect. By renovating and upgrading your home, you can make it more energy efficient, thus saving money in the long run. Great roof restoration services will save you the trouble of having to do minor repairs every few weeks; LED lights will save electricity, and water saving faucets and shower heads will significantly lower your water consumption. Upgraded kitchen appliances will also help you save money on electricity and reduce your carbon footprint.

Restoring a character home

A number of old and neglected homes are actually hidden gems whose glow you can restore with a little bit of careful planning and a few well-timed projects. Renovating such homes is a real challenge but it definitely brings a reward because you will end up with a character home that looks like it travelled back in time. Of course, it’s necessary to do your research first, so that you can focus on features that are specific to a particular historic style. Uneven floors, old plumbing, and poor structural support are common problems that contractors have to face when restoring such homes. For this reason,  you should leave a bit more room in your budget than you first thought.

You won’t have to wait long

Just a few years ago, if you had had the need to call a contractor, you would have waited months at a time before they came over. This was because good contractors used to be very scarce and they were very busy, but today you can easily find available contractors. This means that your projects won’t have to wait long and you can rest assured that it will only take a few days after you’ve signed a contract for people to show up at your doorstep with tools.

If you love your home, you will also embrace every opportunity to improve and upgrade it. You can think about redecorating, upgrading, renovating, remodelling, and even extending your home so that the result is precisely what you hoped it would be. Your lifestyle will be improved, you will be content, and in case you want to sell your home some day, you will be able to get a better price.

Check out A+ Construction & Remodeling for more details on remodeling.

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Dealing With Flood and Water Damages

Dealing With Flood and Water Damages

Water damage from a flood is one of the worse disasters that could ever hit your property, and it doesn’t even have to involve a foot or two of floodwater. Even just a few inches of water in areas inside your home or business that aren’t supposed to have water can already force you to fork out a few thousand dollars to deal with water damage.

What should you do in case your property suffers from flood and water damages?

In an ideal world, a quick call to water damage restoration services should be the only solution. However, you need immediate action, or the water damage is going to get worse. Also, if you’re relying on your insurance provider to pay for everything, things are also bound to get a bit more complicated and delayed because you have to follow a certain process, and that process could take some time.

Call your insurance company

Once you see that your property is flooded, call your insurance provider right away. Report every single detail that you see, and document everything by taking photos and videos of the affected area. Wait patiently for confirmation from your provider that you’re covered for this type of situation.

Waiting, however, means worse water damage for your property. So if you want to deal with it right away, inform your provider that water removal must begin immediately. The insurance company will likely grant your request and will give you instructions that you need to follow strictly, but until then, don’t do anything.

Remove the water

When you finally get that permission to start the cleanup, then proceed to remove all the floodwater using pumps, pails, mops, or anything that will help you evacuate everything. Once all the water is removed, you can immediately dry out the place using portable fans and even the air conditioning unit.

Call water damage restoration services

If you finally get the call from your insurance provider confirming that you are covered, then waste no time in calling restoration services. They have water damage specialists who are adequately trained and equipped to deal with the aftermath of a flood.

They will take care of cleaning up the place and removing parts that have been damaged by the flood. Once they’re done removing the water-damaged parts of your property, they will begin restoring it.  By the time they’re done, your property will look like the way it was before the flood hit.

 Guest Contributor, Judy Olsen

How Your Garage Became So Cluttered

How Your Garage Became So Cluttered

To understand how the garage came to play such a significant role in the average American acquisition, it’s easier if you have a bit of background on how architecture and the building industry affected the placement and use of the garage.

Housing developments

The first carriage houses and later, garages, were built behind the home. When housing developments became popular in the seventies and eighties, the architecture of homes changed to streamline traffic. The family garage was relocated to the front of the home and attached to the house. The average family now uses the automatic garage door as a primary means of entering their home rather than the front or back door.

Ebb and flow

Today, the garage door is also often the most significant architectural element in the front of many homes. For this reason, a new garage door can transform the look of a home. At the same time, the ease with which we enter and depart from our homes via the garage has given us the opportunity to use the garage as a holding area of sorts. Most of our purchases enter through the garage via the family car.

Much of our garbage exits through the garage door when we take out the trash cans. If items are too good to throw away but not good enough to keep in the home, they often become stuck in a holding pattern. After all, a garage isn’t a room in the house where cleanliness and comfort are required. As a result, we often allow the space to become so cluttered it becomes a safety hazard. We’ve all managed to trip over a bicycle or carelessly placed box at some point. Also, the automatic garage door can break, or its function is threatened if overstacked boxes or other items fall on the mechanisms.

Storage

As the middle class expanded, advertising told people to buy more stuff.  Even if you already had a coat, for example, advertising reminded us that the styles had changed and for a relatively reasonable price, you could own a brand-new stylish one. Since the old coat wasn’t worn out, you kept that one, too. Soon, we all had a mountain of old outerwear, dishes, knick-knacks, and kitchen appliances. It seemed reasonable to store the old stuff in the garage until the next garage sale, drop-off at the thrift store, until someone needed it, or until some mishap befell the new one.

Municipalities and HOA’s have added to the temptation to store items in the garage because many of these governing entities stopped issuing permits for sheds and other structures, or banned them altogether.

Hobbies and sports

Since the middle class is no longer required to work long hours to keep families from starving, there are new opportunities for leisure activities such as hobbies and sports activities. The tools and equipment from these activities are often stored in the garage as a matter of convenience.

Looking forward

In light of our new understanding of how the garage came to be a kind of private loading dock, we no longer have to be victims of an architectural decision from years ago. By rethinking the garage as a living space specifically for the car will help us become more respectful of the area.

Just as warehouses use floor tape to designate areas which are to remain clear at all times, a family can create a mental ‘safe zone’ in their garage, one in which walkways are clear, and boxes or other items aren’t abandoned: they ’re either appropriately stored or hauled away. If the project is overwhelming, asking for help is reasonable. Garage storage units can also be helpful.

Guest Contributor, Danny Cappello

About the author: Danny Cappello is a co-founder of Quick Response Garage Doors and Quick Response Garage Cabinets. When not busy with work Danny enjoys playing tennis, and spending time with his family.

Deciding On The Best Flooring For Your Bathroom

Deciding on the Best Flooring for Your Bathroom

Some home trends in bathroom floors are much more practical than others. Although some interior design professionals recommend high-end flooring materials such as marble, recycled glass and encaustic cement for the bathroom, this article will outline a number of durable options that are substantially more affordable.

As you conceptualize your well-outfitted bath, you're the interior design person, at least in the beginning stages. There is much to consider. Of course, you'll want to invest in a material that matches your existing design, isn't easily damaged, and doesn't require a lot of maintenance. You're sure to gain valuable insight as you go over the following flooring home trends. If you're ready to decide upon the ideal material, remember to enjoy the process—this is going to be fun!

Hardwood

Although you may love the look of solid hardwood, and have it installed in other areas of your home, you'll want to be careful about choosing this material for your sanctuary room. Let's face it -- hardwood is beautiful, warm, and rich-looking, yes. But rooms with plumbing are much more prone to moisture and standing water than other rooms in the house. For this reason, genuine hardwood isn't generally recommended for use in kitchens and restrooms.

Should you choose to go ahead and install it anyway, the hardwood is likely to expand and contract due to high humidity levels. Eventually, the wood will begin to crack and warp. Having gone to all of the trouble of having the hardwood installed in the first place, you surely wouldn't want to have it all demolished in a few short years and replaced with a more suitable material. A well-ventilated and rarely used half bath or guest bath is an exception, but if your lavatory gets a lot of use or contains a shower or bathtub, you might consider some of the other home trends in floors for the powder room.

If you must have hardwood in your powder room, however, you could go for engineered hardwood planks. It's made from a plywood base that is overlaid with real wood. This material tolerates moisture better than natural hardwood. Even so, a busy loo is probably not the best place for this material.

Porcelain Tile

Now if you're still stuck on wood but don't want to deal with all of the moisture-related problems, take heart. Home building materials have come a long way, and now science has come up with wood-look tiles. And guess what? You will find that a wide selection of these are made out of the title material.

You might be surprised at porcelain's resemblance to real wood, especially when the floor has been completely installed. And you'll be happy to know that these tiles are completely waterproof and resistant to scratches and other potential day-to-day damage. Given all of these advantages, you'll still want to be careful about dropping anything heavy on these types of tiles. The impact could seriously damage a tile or two to the point that they would need replacing. Think about it: if you drop a plate, the impact shatters it.

These tiles come in all designs and sizes, however, not just wood-look planks. You can find them in a plethora of hues, including earth tones, white and gray, and popular square sizes range from 12” x 12” to 24” x 24” and beyond. If slightly rectangular or glazed tiles are your thing, you'll find much to choose from there, too.

And don't forget that the tiles can be laid in patterns that give a more upscale look to your floors. Having the tiles installed in, say, a herringbone or stacked pattern can cost more at the outset, but the end result could be well worth it. Maintenance will be a breeze with just a soft mop or vacuum. This material continues to be a popular option because of its durability, style and cost-effectiveness.

Ceramic Tile

Another viable option is ceramic tile. It's important to note here that there are only slight differences between the two tiles, including the price. Porcelain tile is higher-priced than its counterpart, and there is also the fact that the tiles are considered to be more water-resistant than ceramic tiles are because of their density. These tiles are, therefore, thought to be more durable as well. Do remember that both kinds of tile are included in the same broad category.

With all of that in mind, you might give serious consideration to adding this type of tile to your space. This tile resists stains and scratches, especially when topped with a protective glaze, and it comes in a beautiful array of designs and colors.

Laminate

Laminate consists of four layers that are fused together: wear, decorative, core, and balancing. Some of the advantages of laminate are that it resists dings and scratches, and it's easy to clean and install. You may even choose laminate pieces that look like tiles. Laminate is also budget-friendly.

Now for the downside of using laminate on your floor. Laminate will warp if exposed to excessive moisture, so standing water can be a costly hazard. The material can also be slippery, so care must be taken to quickly clean up those occasional spills.

If you choose laminate for your floors, however, you'll want to avoid the kind of laminate that just snaps into place. Unfortunately, it will do nothing to prevent the seepage of water into the seams. Once it reaches the floor's sub layer, the end result is the dreaded warping. Instead, invest in laminate material that has seams that are glued down. The glue will act as a deterrent to water seepage.

You'll find laminate in various shapes, finishes, and textures. You might even be able to install this particular flooring yourself if you're handy.

As you can see, each of the materials above can be a great choice, and you're sure to find something that fits your design tastes as well as your overall budget. Once you decide what you want, the process should go very quickly. Good luck and have fun redesigning your bathroom floors!

Guest Contributor, Julia Ellison

4 Essentials to Make Your New House Feel Like Home

4 Essentials to Make Your New House Feel Like Home

A new house doesn’t become a home on its own – you have to make it a home. It’s never easy changing neighborhoods, bed positions, toilet orientation etc. (especially in the morning when you’re still half asleep and don’t know where your toothbrush is), but the more you invest in adapting, the better you will feel at your new place. Here are some tips to start with, but don’t forget that making  a home out of a living place is not just a one-time thing, but a process that takes time and lots of getting used to.

Make sure everything works

First of all, you can’t start calling home a place where nothing works for you. If you haven’t checked the electricity, the heating, and the plumbing before you’ve bought or rented a house, now would be a perfect time to do so. Always check the plumbing first, because this can be the biggest issue if not fixed on time. Afterwards, see how the heating works (don’t wait for winter to find out that you’re freezing). Doors and locks are also an important issue, because you want to feel safe and sound in your home. Windows can make hollow noises if they are not of good quality, and they can also let the unnecessary cold in, so see whether they need repairing, too.

(Re)create your favorite places

You always get the “home sweet home” feeling as soon as you experience your home visually and olfactory. So, make sure that you fill your new home with important pieces of furniture from your previous one, but don’t make it look exactly the same, because then those nostalgia blues will never go away. Instead, arrange some of your favorite pieces in a different manner and you will see how the room transforms into a familiar and cozy space. Put your favorite chair in the new living room next to a brand new TV set, desk or coffee table. You can also find quality antique rugs that collectors gathered from various parts of the world so that if you are moving far from home, you can find rugs with motives from your cultural background to remind you of home every day. 

Bring up some pictures

Not just any piece of art will do, but the one that you value most, and that is of sentimental value. Art can be anything you wish, especially pictures with your friends and family. You can even make a wallpaper out of the numerous pictures you have, both old and new. If you have some pictures only in digital format, this would be a great reason to make hard copies from them. Each time you look at this monumental memory, you will be reminded of the persons that you shared precious moments with and you will be instantly transported into those places that are now far from you. Be careful not to exaggerate, because nostalgia can catch you easily.

Enjoy your in the new kitchen

Now that you’ve finished unpacking everything, after a long moving day it’s time to order a pizza. No, wrong – you want to prepare a meal in your new kitchen! Actively discovering your new space and getting used to it means using it as much as possible, at least for the first couple of months. If you are ignoring this call you might still be negating the fact that you have moved, and this is a step backwards instead of stepping confidently into your new life. Take matters into your own hands and cook that first meal on your own. It doesn’t matter if your former kitchen was longer, wider or brighter, because you will have to learn to manage in these new conditions, and learn to love them, as well.

However, try not to change too much of your daily routine. You have made enough changes already by moving. Take one step at a time, because this process can last for as long as you need. Once it is finished, you will be able to enjoy every corner of your new home.

 Guest Contributor, Chloe Taylor

Seven Home Improvements That Do Not Increase Your Home Value

Seven home improvements that do not increase your home value.

A survey by the Homeowner Protection found that fifty-eight percent of homeowners in the U.S intend to carry out some kind of home remodeling in the next twelve months.

Most of the proprietors surveyed said that they wanted to renovate their homes so as to increase the value of the house when they do eventually sell it.

Not all home enhancements add value to your house. Some home renovations do not add value worst still various improvements can detract from the value of your house.

Here are eight home renovations that can lower the value of your house:

1.   Bright and Bold Paint Colors.

Trendy homeowners might feel the need to invest in painting the exterior of the home in bright colors. However, bright paint colors may not add to the value of your house especially if the house is ultimately sold to someone who does not like bright colors.

Instead, homeowners should paint both the interior and exterior of their house neutral colors before placing the house on the market.

Neutral colors can help the new homeowner to easily envision themselves in your home.

2.   Extreme High-end Kitchen renovations.

The kitchen is one of the rooms that most homeowners invest huge sums of money. However, homeowners do not recoup the full amount spent in the kitchen remodel as kitchen’s resale values are below the actual remodeling costs.

To avoid making this mistake, buy middle range kitchen appliances in place of high-end kitchen appliances.

3.     Luxury Bathroom.

Luxury bathrooms increase the value to your home, but over personalized finishes and over-the-top whirlpool tubs may not be too attractive to would-be buyers with a different bathroom preference.

To ensure that your house is desirable to many people install a walk-in shower and avoid extremely luxurious bathroom finishes.

4.   Combining two bedrooms to create a bigger room.

Knocking down walls to create one big bedroom might seem like a good idea to a young couple or to a retired couple whose children have moved away from the house. But this is a bad idea for homeowners who want to sell their home in the future.

Young families with children, want their children to have separate bedrooms, and they, do not mind if the rooms are small.

Each separate bedroom adds about fifteen percent value to the home, so try and implement simple décor tricks in the small bedrooms to make them seem bigger instead of taking down the wall.

5.   A swimming pool.

Families with kids and people who live in places with high temperatures at least six months in a year, may opt to buy a house with a swimming pool.

However, if the home is located in a place that is quite cold throughout the year a swimming pool will not add any value to your house.

6.   A hot tub.

For families with young children, a hot tub is a safety hazard in the home. Hence such families might offer to buy the home a certain price, less the cost of uninstalling the hot tub from the house.

If you have to install a hot tub to your home, consider installing a moveable hot tub that you can carry with you once you sell the house.

7.   Costly landscaping.

Lavish landscaping decorations may increase the curb appeal of your home, but they will not raise the value of your home.

Prospective buyers will only see the high maintenance costs required for the decorations and this may make them fearful of buying the home.

Homeowners should install simple easy to maintain garden décor which can be removed easily should the need arise.

8.   Creative interior décor.

Unusual wall colors, too much wallpaper, and quirky wall-to-wall carpets are some of the creative décor installations that detract from your home.

If the prospective buyer dislikes the décor installations in your home, they will most likely be calculating how much it will cost them to remove such items. Accordingly, they will offer to buy your house for a low price taking into consideration that they will incur additional uninstalling costs in the home.

When decorating your home avoid over personalizing your home as most probable buyers may not share similar décor preferences with you.

Avoid all the mistakes discussed above, for you to get the best possible price for your house when you do decide to sell it.

 Guest Contributor, Danny “Wheels“  Margagliano

Post Flood Management and Repair of Your HVAC System

Post Flood Management and Repair of Your HVAC System

After a terrible storm, the first thing on anyone’s mind is post-flood management and repairing your HVAC system. After a flood, there’s a lot of work that goes into making a home safe and habitable again. Your HVAC system can be loaded with bacteria and microorganisms which are carried in the flood water. Particularly, the HAV system requires either total replacement or major remediation so that the air in the home is pure again and healthy to breathe.   

Water and electricity are not a good combination. If simply stated, your heating and cooling system was not designed to operate in or under water. Flooding either due to excessive rainfall or hurricanes can cause varying degrees of damage to the HVAC system.

So, What Happens To Your HVAC System Post Flood?

During the flood, if the unit was running, then there might be some damage to the electrical components. There’s a chance that the fuse and the wiring may have malfunctioned when it came in contact with water.

Typically, floodwater is made up of debris, grime, and dirt. If this ‘dirty’ water if left unprotected and comes in contact with the condenser coil, then the efficiency level of the equipment reduces. Also, this can also result in premature failure.

The floods cause water damage to natural gas furnaces. It may lead to corrosion which usually begins inside the controls, electrical components, and valves. The outcome of this type of damage is long-term reliability problems.

So, Should I start my HVAC system after a flood?

After the water is drained, your HVAC system might look the same as before the flood, but there may be serious issues and concerns that you might not have noticed. The system is also prone to the production of microorganisms, bacteria which settles in the fans, ductwork and other parts of your HVAC system.

The impact of the flood on the system might be unknown, so it’s best to wait until a qualified HVAC technician performs a full inspection.

Your First Steps

If your home was flooded, the first thing you should do is to have a licensed electrician or qualified emergency responder declare the home to be safe. The major problem is of electrocution associated with standing water.

If you want to clean right away, mark the high water line on your furnace and air conditioner. It will help the technician to assess which components were submerged quickly.

There are some serious health hazards involved, and that’s why AHRI and CDC insist that all the work should be undertaken by HVAC professionals who are trained and possess a license.

-          Suppose the HVAC and the air duct units don’t need replacing, ensure you remove and dispose the flooded insulation along with any HVAC filters that are part of the HVAC system.

-          According to the CDC, the system needs to be completely disinfected and cleaned. The remaining dirt and debris need to be vacuumed out of the unit and air ducts using special vacuums.

-          After the debris is cleared, the surface needs to be wiped down with disinfectant to ensure that any remaining microorganisms are killed. To do so, it would require the ductwork to be completely taken apart, cleaned, disinfected and then to be put back together.

-          Trained professionals are hired to make sure that the cleaning is done in a manner such that the system doesn’t get re-contaminated. It’s best to hire hvac contractor in jacksonville for a thorough job.

-          After disinfecting the system, all parts need to be rinsed with clean water. Even the fan. It needs to be taken out and thoroughly disinfected, cleaned, dried out and tested to ensure it runs well before you fix it back in place.  

-          Phew, lastly, once the system’s cleaning and rebuilding id one, insulation and filters need to be replaced. The system should be examined by a trained professional.

During this season, the system needs to arrive at the desired temperature. By checking the odor and air quality, you can tell if the system is following the indoor air-quality standard. If there is any persistent issue, you need to re-inspect the HVAC system and get it properly cleaned and flushed to a point such that the air quality improves.  

Insurance

Restoring your home’s HVAC system after flooding can be a bit much on your wallet. But if you have home insurance which has natural disaster policy, it may pay for the restoration of your home’s HVAC.

In conclusion

Although we hope you never have to experience a flood, in the event you do, make sure you immediately reach out to trained and licensed HVAC technicians.  If flood water contaminates your HVAC system, pick up your phone and call a licensed HVAC technician to restore and repair it the right way. After all, your family’s health depends on it!   

Guest Contributor, Jessica Miller

Get A Living Room Of Your Dreams

Get A Living Room Of Your Dreams

Living room is a place where people spend most of their time at home. You relax in front of TV, chat with your family, entertain guests and make precious memories. Therefore, renovating it can look like a big challenge to you and it can easily go awry if you don’t have a plan.

Define budget

Once you start with renovation, it can easily happen that you’ll need more money than you planned to spend. Sometimes, construction work in your home will lead to unexpected expenses. For example, if you want to tear down a wall, you have to consider a possibility of electrical or plumbing problems. Therefore, you should also create a contingency budget, so that you are be able to deal with all the unforeseen issues that may arise when you are already in the middle of renovation.

Paint the walls

The fastest way to give your living room a brand new look is to get some paint on the walls. However, who says that you have to paint the entire room? Why not create a focal wall with a splash of different color? If you have dado rails in your living room, use darker shade of a certain color below it and lighter one above the rail. In case you want to get the same visual effect, but don’t have dado rails, make a line with a painter’s tape. You can even play with a shape of line and create your own two-tone wall!

Rearrange the furniture

Living room may have all the necessary elements, but still you yearn for some changes. That can be easily remedied if you decide to change a layout by moving your furniture around. Move that bulky closet away from your window so it doesn’t hide half of it. Let the sunshine in! Turn your beautiful leather lounge suites toward television so you can watch your favorite series in a comfortable position. Put a desk by a window so you can get enough daylight while you are sitting behind it and helping your kids with homework.

Decorate with style

Decorations are a beautiful thing, but if you bring too much of them, your living room will look tacky. Therefore, add a touch of elegance with a few carefully chosen accessories. A floor lamp will bring more light and create a calming, relaxed atmosphere with its warm glow. Put family photos or art-posters on the walls and you can be sure that they will always bring a smile on your face whenever you glance at them.

A touch of nature

If you want to brighten up your living room even more, then it’s time to bring in some houseplants. Believe it or not, there are some plants that can reduce stress levels and purify the air that you breathe while you are relaxing in your living room. Peace lilies, snake plants, philodendron and bamboo palm are only a few of plants that will do wonders in your living room. The best thing about them is that they don’t need much attention and maintaining them is a piece of cake.

A little exhibition

All people love to collect various things in certain parts of their lives. Sadly, most of those things end up in a store room or a basement. Bring them out right now! Choose one corner in your living room and make your personal little exhibition! Place a charming, old, leather suitcase on the floor and put your collection of cowboy-boots on it. Put a little bookshelf or a table in that corner and display all those cute teddy bears and other stuffed toys on it.

Your living room can get a brand new look without you spending a fortune. Some clever ideas combined with a bit of creativity will make your living room from dreams become a reality!

 Guest Contributor, Diana Smith

Factors To Be Taken Into Consideration When Hiring A Plumber

Factors to Be Taken into Consideration When Hiring a Plumber

A plumber is a serviceman who ensures the maintenance and initializing of the sewer, drainage and portable drinking water system. Plumbers are a very important part of the service force for our household. We must always hire the best plumber for our house. In case of any plumbing emergencies it is very important that we get the best facility for our house. if we fail to get the same, it might result into high priced repairs in the near future. Therefore, there are a few important factors that need to be taken into consideration when we are to hire a plumber. Here is a list of some such facts.

Licenses

The Australian plumbers are required to have licenses in order to carry on with their work across the country.  The licensing may differ from state to state, but it is generally accepted after an apprenticeship of four years with an additional experience of two years. They also require a curriculum requirement as a benchmark for their licensing. The license ensures that the plumber is well trained in the field and is capable to carry on with the work in the concerned field.

Experience

The next most important thing to look for in a plumber is the experience. The experience of the service provider will let you know all about the kind of work a plumber can do. This also lets you assess the quality of the   service he provides and also helps to understand the complexity of the procedures involved in different kinds of work that the plumber has been doing. You can hence, with this gather whether he is fit to work according to your needs or not. Also, with experience he can guide you through any difficulties and also help you out in various situations.

Cost

The most important factor which has to be taken into consideration when you are hiring a plumber is to look at the price a plumber charges for a particular job. It is essential to ensure that the plumber is not charging more than it’s worth and is also providing you with the required benefits. It is not necessary that a plumber who charges high will provide you with a much better service, but someone who is fairly priced is bound to give you shining results.

References

Whenever we are to hire someone for a particular job, it is important that we always check for references. The references let us know the kind of work he has done previously. The list of references also allows you to have a look at the profile of the plumber and have a look at the resume. Any good plumber will let you have a look at their reference lists and not hesitate even once. Therefore, you should always check for it.

Response Time

The next most important factor is to consider the response time of the plumber. We often have plumbing emergencies in the most bizarre situations in our life. Hence, making sure that your plumber is readily available for you is very important. They should be competent enough to contact you within 24 hours of your problem and solve it as soon as possible.

These are just a few important factors which need to be taken into consideration when you are to hire a plumber for service. Other factors such as warranty of their work and insurance are also the deciding factors. The plumbers which keep in mind the benefits of the customers are very hard to find. These tips somewhere help us to find the best plumber required for our needs. Therefore, we should try and accommodate these tips when finding plumbers for rectifying household plumbing issues.

Guest Contributor, Amelie Lawrence