The Sonic Boom

Home & Garden

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5 Things to Do Before Renovating Your Parents’ Home

If you are about to embark on a home renovation for your parents, there are a number of factors to take into consideration before you start. Homeowners in advanced years have different needs than their younger counterparts which should be addressed prior to beginning any home remodel.

In fact, in today’s environment of specialized professionals, there are contractors who actually specialize in home remodeling for the elderly and physically challenged. With 70 percent of the U.S. population over the age of 65, “homes often require some improvements to become suitable for aging in place” according to Live in Place Designs, which offers home renovation contractors in NJ. Therefore, it makes tremendous sense to get a home consultation prior to beginning any remodeling project.

According to a 2011 AARP research report, almost 90 percent of people over age 65 would rather remain at home as long as they’re able, and 80 percent of older Americans have firm plans to do so. Weighing in on your parents’ home renewal so that all physical needs and therapeutic needs are met is key, while still making the space personally pleasing and comfortable. Here are five things to do prior to beginning your remodel project for the best possible outcome for your folks.

Locate the Bedroom and Bathroom on the First Floor

With home improvement comes a chance to rework important aspects of house design and implement changes that make living easier and safer to accommodate the limitations of older individuals. Architectural plans should include situating the master bedroom and bathroom on the first or main floor. This will eliminate or lessen the need to walk up and down steps, which can become difficult with aging. It will also make these rooms easier to access as your folks become less mobile.

Consider Safety Issues

There are a number of updates that can make your parents’ home much safer for everyday living. Consider starting with necessary bathroom upgrades like walk-in bathtubs to minimize slips. Adding grab rails next to the toilet, in the bathtub, as well as next to the bed allow for greater stability. Replacing round doorknobs with lever-style doorknobs around the house will prove easier for elder individuals to grasp.

Other home safety modifications include widening doorways in the event wheelchairs and walkers are required at present or in the future.

In-Home Monitoring Systems

If you are looking to achieve greater peace of mind about the well-being of your older parents when they are home alone, then it’s wise to check into in-home monitoring systems.

According to U.S. News and World Report, many “smart” homes with burglar alarms, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detection systems are also starting to offer in-home monitoring services for seniors. Some companies will even place monitors throughout the home, making it possible to track the movements of your loved ones.

Install Smart Home Solutions

Today, there are a plethora of smart home solutions that make life easier for seniors. Renovation plans should include necessary construction and decorative options that will make day to day living more convenient and safe. While some of these can be costly on their own, incorporating them during construction is always the most economical time to do so.

Disability ramps are becoming more popular and when worked into a home’s redesign from the beginning, they can be quite tastefully done without detracting from the aesthetics of the house. The same is true of stairlifts, which generally require fitting staircases with special tracks And can be expensive if done as an afterthought. When decorating, plan to incorporate remote control blinds and lights which have become readily available from most manufacturers.

Implement Sensible Power Options 

Anything that can result in cost savings to aging parents should be well researched before beginning any kind of house renovation. Residential solar panels have a number of benefits that include lowering the monthly electric bill and increasing the value of one’s home.

The good news is that solar energy is also more environmentally friendly. From an electrical standpoint, automating lighting throughout the home and garage is a sensible and safe upgrade to implement to prevent your parents from unnecessary fumbling in the dark when moving about.

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What Type of Loan Is Best for Home Improvements?

Buying a new home doesn’t mean that you are going to have a property that is in perfect condition or is exactly how you want it. While it might be free of debris, have clean gutters, and have a yard that has been taken care of regularly, you, as a homeowner, may want to make larger changes to your home in the long run that will provide you with the living experience that you are looking for.

That said, home improvements are expensive, and not everyone has the finances needed to pay for these out of pocket. The solution? Taking a new loan out for your needs can help you pay for these renovations. If you are looking for a loan for this use, let’s walk through which type of home loans are best suited for your home improvement needs.

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1. Figure Out Your Budget and What You Can Do on Your Own

Before you apply for an additional loan that further increases the total amount you will have to pay back during the life of your loan, take some time to consider how you can boost the value of your home without having to pay back interest payments in the process. This begins with figuring out what your current budget looks like and how you may be able to use it to handle some of the renovations or improvements needed on your property. It will also give you the financial peace of mind you need so you aren’t spending more than you can afford.

Once you have a better idea of what your budget looks like, consider areas of maintenance such as:

  • Regular gardening and outside maintenance, which may be essential if you have a lot of lands known for gathering debris
  • Semi-regular maintenance projects such as cleaning windows, gutter cleaning, and maintaining other outside parts of your home. While some of these projects, like cleaning the windows of the first story or clearing your gutter system on a small house may be easy, others may require you to enlist the help of a gutter cleaning service who can take care of this work for you. You can use part of your budget to hire professional gutter cleaning experts or other services to take care of these projects for you if needed.
  • Small home improvement projects that are one-and-done and would be easier or more affordable to handle on your own.

Anything that doesn’t fall within these categories, such as room additions or other large projects, may warrant looking for a loan. But what exactly is the right loan for home improvement projects?

2. Find a Loan That Works With Your Income and Needs

Now that you know exactly what you can take care of and what your current budget is, it’s time to set out for a loan that you can use to get the job done. While this may sound simple, this is often the hardest part. What should you be looking for?

  • The Overall Loan Amount and Interest Rate: As a borrower, the most important things to know are how much you will be needing and how much you are going to be paying back, which often relies on the type of loan you choose and the initial rate as well as whether or not the rate increases over time. For example, some small personal loans, while great for small projects, may come with high-interest rates, minimum amounts that need to be borrowed, and collateral requirements. Of course, if you have a larger project and you have yet to buy the house you are looking at, you can set your sights on a mortgage loan that allows you to lock in your repayments with a fixed rate loan so that you don’t have to deal with varying monthly payments or higher interest rates. Pay close attention to the loan terms to see how you will be affected by your choice of loan.
  • The Loan Repayment Period: You will notice that the time you have to pay back a loan will differ based on your loan type and greatly impact your interest rates. If you are getting a mortgage loan, for example, you may be able to keep payments down with a fixed-rate loan that requires you to pay a set amount over a set period. If you are taking a personal loan out, however, you may end up paying a higher rate throughout the life of the loan (which is often relatively short). Make sure to go over your loan terms to avoid this!
  • Additional Fees: If you’re not careful when selecting a loan, you can easily wind up paying for a large number of fees, even if your choice comes with less interest than other options. Whether this is an annual fee, fees that are specific to the lender, or sign-up fees that are tagged onto your bill when you first receive your loan, you should be aiming to pay as few fees as possible.

Although the process of looking for a home loan with the right interest rate that will help you achieve your home improvement goals can sound difficult, it all boils down to learning more about your needs and finding out which solution will be the best for your given financial situation.

If you can, try to look for a fixed-rate loan for your home that will help you accomplish your renovations without altering your automatic payments. If you already have your home, you may want to look into personal loans that can give you access to the funds that you need. Use the guide above to learn more about what to look for in a home loan and which options may be best for you.

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Advantages of Attending Property Seminars for First-Time Buyers

Guest Author: Darren Wilson

When asking people how they feel about buying their first property, chances are, they will begin their answers with “If I only knew then.”; this answer is one of the reasons why it is essential to attend property seminars, especially if you are a first-time buyer.

If you do not want to become a part of the first-time buyer statistics, this article will suggest you how to avoid the pitfalls of buying a property for the first time through seminars.

Your first line of defense

Looking for an affordable property is not an easy task, and if you find one, buying that property could be complicated. Education is the best defense that could help you get through the complex process of buying your first property. Seminars will tell you all the things you need to know about buying your first property.

The best place to explore

If you want to get the best deals when it comes to investing in a property, you must look for a developer whose project is just about to start. Investing in an early phase will give you lots of choices and benefits on a property.

So, where can you easily find these developers? At the seminars! Just like you, looking for developers that could give you the best deals, developers are also looking for potential buyers to finish their projects as soon as possible. Attending seminars will get you insights on where to find the best properties around the city.

The seminar can save you tons of time as it could give you all the information you need without visiting each property, getting all the details in person. It also allows you to filter the property list and choose the ones that could give you the deals you want.

Attending seminars can also help you expand your network. Be one of the first people to receive a call from developers whenever a good property is available. Seminars are a place where you can find tons of opportunities to get the best deals in property buying.

Opportunity to know the professionals

Seminars can introduce you to other property professionals from newbies to experts. Build a good relationship with these people, and it could lead you to new business opportunities. Furthermore, these experts could give you mentorship and advice just in case you face some setbacks.

Do not be afraid to ask these experts about problematic topics and let them give you some clarity on the confusing parts of the business. The speakers at the seminars with well-established experience in the industry could give you some good tips about investing in properties in multiple locations.

Seminars can keep you motivated

Attending seminars will expose you to new ideas and new tools that you can use to run your business efficiently. Being inspired by the success stories from the experts will surely keep you motivated in doing more for your business.

There are many things that you should understand before becoming successful in investing in properties. Attending property seminars can help you gain as much needed information as possible. Aside from the opportunity to build your network with developers and other investors, you can get good insights about the market, keeping you on top of the competition.

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Get to Know the Many Perks of Being a DIYer

Guest Author: Darren Wilson

If you’re someone who carries out tasks such as home repairs or room redecorations, you’re a certified DIYer. If you’re a hardcore DIYer who is always ready to get to work, it’s likely that your garage or work shed is teeming with all kinds of essentials. They include buckets of paints, power tools, trestles and planks.

Solving a problem or completing a project on your own can fill your heart with pride and joy. However, many other perks come with being a DIYer. The following are some of those that will surely leave you glad that you’re into DIY tasks:

It Lets You Save Money

Getting the assistance of experts does not come cheap. The most experienced ones in the most competitive industries tend to have steep rates. For a budget-conscious homeowner, it can be daunting to try to look for an expert solution to an existing issue or plan.

This is when the money-saving advantage of being a DIYer becomes clear. You only have to pay for the materials or tools that you will need, like trestles and planks. However, before doing the repair or project, you should see to it that you will be able to pull it off. Otherwise, you might spend more than you would when hiring an expert.

It Allows You to Gain Knowledge and Experience

Being a DIYer does not mean that you know it all. Rather, it means that you’re willing to research and you have the drive to learn. This is why engaging in DIY tasks allows you to fill your brain with all kinds of knowledge, all of which will come in handy sooner or later.

Doing home repairs and projects yourself also enables you to gain experience. The more tasks you finish successfully, the more experienced you become. Time may even come when you can formalise your skills by applying for a certificate or license. However, you may have to spend some time completing programs or courses.

It Benefits Your Mind and Body

As mentioned earlier, being a DIYer involves a lot of researching and learning too. This is why it is good for keeping your brain in excellent shape. Health experts say that you should treat your brain as a muscle. The more that you use it, the more powerful it becomes.

Your brain is not the only one that can get better because of being a DIYer but also your body. All the sawing, hammering, painting, and climbing onto trestles and planks allow you to get your dose of exercise. Instead of getting a gym subscription that doesn’t come cheap, you may engage in DIY repairs and projects to stay fit and healthy.

Before You Start Doing DIY Tasks

The above are some of the perks that you can get from being a DIYer. Always keep in mind that your safety and that of your family members should be the priority each time you are planning on embarking on a DIY endeavour. If you have doubts or hesitations even after doing plenty of research and planning, it’s a good idea to leave the task to an expert.

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3 Tips to Save Money on a Home Renovation

Whether you have a limited budget or not, you always aim for an economical home renovation because you know that renovation will get costly at a particular phase. Hence, it is significant on your end to control the cost of renovation beforehand by properly planning for it. Consider this as your special project or a business plan. You have a fair idea that you are renovating your house because you want it to be more beautiful, stylish, and comfortable. But, if your ultimate goal is a budget-friendly renovation, then review the below-mentioned tips to get you started on your mission.

Close-up Photography of White Poodle

Divide & Conquer

Understandably, effective planning is the core framework of a successful renovation. You cannot simply go on with an idea. You need to have a proper plan to efficiently and effectively complete your home renovation project. You need to focus on small parts to gain a bigger and better picture. It is said that if you want to achieve something big, you need to take one step at a time. The same strategy is applied when it comes to your home renovation.

Thus, it is brainy on your end to formulate a renovation plan for each area in your home. It is good to do some homework before hiring an architect for the renovation. When getting the help of an architect, make sure he is capable enough to evaluate your requirements so he can do the job accordingly. Home Renovations begin when you brainstorm your ideas, write down your end goal, and divide the overall goal for each area in your home. This way, you can move on to the next step by taking into consideration your budget. When you happen to apply divide & conquer rule, you are in a better position to negotiate for even smaller things.

Work On Your Budget

Since your sole mission is to renovate your home beautifully yet economically, then you need to carefully consider your budget or limit. It is sensible to plan accordingly if you have got the restricted funds. Take a spreadsheet and try to get a rough estimation of your total expenditures. Then, compare this value with your budget. If the total expenses exceed than your actual value, try to work on that. Talk to your architect, exterior design, and interior design. They can guide you better as they are the experts in the field. Besides, don’t try to overestimate your budget. It’s a pro tip to underestimate your budget. This way, you can move on researching for things you desire for your home, depending on your budget. So, if the prices go slightly up, it is convenient for you to work within the budget.

Research Your Options

It is true that when you happen to research your options for a home renovation project, you will be amazed to see multiple options available online and in the markets. It is a great technique to shortlist a few of the reliable providers. This will help you to pin down to one name based on your limited funds. When you put your efforts in searching for even little tasks of your renovation project, you are in a position to save some money in your pocket. For instance, when you search online for home décor things, there is a high chance that you can buy a beautiful lamp at a lower price as compared to one you saw at a high-end store. So, when looking to save money on a home renovation, remember the simple research rule. Starting from the architect to furniture you like to wall paints to home décor, you are likely to find the suppliers at reasonable rates.

For example, if you aim for basement renovations to transform your basement into a home theatre, games room, guest room, or maybe home office, then perhaps you need to check online to gain reasonable ideas. Discuss your budget with the provider, as the experts will take care of everything from framing to plumbing to drywall to electricity to flooring to millwork to painting. Moreover, take advantage of thrift stores, second-hand furniture shops, and online shopping to decorate your house economically.

 

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Amazing Amenities Students Look For Their Accommodation

Are you a student looking for student accommodation in a foreign land? Or maybe you are an accommodation provider who’s trying to understand what is it that youngsters look for while choosing student accommodation?

If you agree to it and say YES to either of the two questions, then you have landed on the right article. The article describes the few things that every fresher should lookout for a while searching for their accommodation. This includes basic facilities as well as some facilities which are pretty standard in Australia now. Read on!

  1. 24/7 access to clean drinking water and electricity:

    This may sound basic, but your life depends on it. You have to be sure that the area you are staying in is not deficient in water even during the harsh months of summer, and that even in the case of a blackout, your building has a provision for a generator or transformer, which will keep your building always supplied with electricity.

    Why this is important is because your body needs water and cannot do without it. Moreover, as for power, all the gadgets that you rely on and the security system of your place depends heavily on electricity. When electricity runs out, these gadgets which are helpful now would also disappoint you. Therefore, your area must have 24/7 access to water and electricity.

  2. Cooking facilities:

    It may sound exciting to order food for the first few days. However, it would soon start to take a toll on your health. Whether you already know how to cook or not, you ought to learn in your college life. It is an important life skill; one part of being on your own is to learn how to live on your own. It would help if you asked for proper utensils, cooking gas, and other requisites to a self-pantry before finalizing a place.

  3. 24/7 internet connection:

    It is hard to live without the internet these days, from your study material to recipes, you would find everything on the internet. Be it for an emergency or entertainment, you need a steady and fast connection, so this needs to be on your priority list before finalizing the place.

  4. The place’s online reputation:

    It is always good to read up about the places you have handpicked, and you should only go for places that have been listed on a verified portal such as Iglu Student Accommodation. In case you going for a lesser-known place such as a PG or a homestay, then we recommend you speak to the landlord at length to get an understanding of how the place and the owner works.

In case of an emergency, they would be your first point of contact in a foreign land, since your parents or your friends can’t reach there in a flash. Do a background check on the landlord and the property.

  1. Add-ons:

    It is only after a place has passed all of the above demands that you can ask for add-on amenities like gymnasium, in-house theatre system, pool, etc. However, do not be blinded by the shimmer of these add-ons; you are to only look for them when a place has sufficed the basics listed before.

    Cleanliness and hygiene are also important points. It is suggested to look out for areas behind doors and cupboards or under the bed or corners to understand how clean a place usually is. There may be chances that the place has been cleaned just before your visit to impress you! Even in that case, an attentive eye could find the spots the owner or housekeeper may have missed.

We hope the above article was helpful for you to understand how to go about your house hunting! Good luck and may you find the best place for your higher education in Australia!