I often see people with overloaded cars, or trailers, leaving Bunning’s car park. . . . . but the guy in this photo is more hopeful than any I have seen.
Looks like he is going to try jousting with oncoming traffic on the way home.
I found the photo on the Engineering and Crafts Facebook Page.
For more Unusual House Photos, Wins, and Fails, have a look at: What the………………….?
Whatever the reason to remodel your bathroom, planning will go a long way to make each of your house spaces complementing the other.
Don’t overspend; smart planning about the improvement is a must.
Your one and only aim should be spending less and making the most of what is available, for instance bathroom renovations in Brisbane….and, to do this, create a checklist of what you need; what the budget is; and how a wise investment is possible.
Remember, to make your bathroom a wonderful retreat, you have to ensure its functionality.
And, saying no to the rest, here are a few more things to consider –
Want To Get A Feature Bath? Think Again
If you have no plan to sell the house soon, do not plan for a ‘Feature Bath’.
Fashion will have changed, but the expense will have an immense impact over your bank balance.
Rather, look out for a basic tub, which suits your regular use and also adds to the value of your property.
Remember, cost of the product must be commensurate to its importance in your life.
A comfortable nice-size bath is going to work wonders.
How Have You Imagined Your Shower?
A modern bathroom without a separate shower does not justify the tag.
But, the concern is how to make your showering experience better and worth the expense.
The unlimited showerhead choices on market is likely to leave you bewildered.
Right from single shower head to multiple rain shower heads, you get myriad number of choices and choosing what suits your needs the best might make your head spin.
Keep in mind that with each better choice, the cost goes higher and at some point, you can see yourself slipping out of the budget.
What’s more, the placement of the shower setup, which should be the way plumbing and replacement (if needed later) can be done handily.
And, do not pay for needlessly complicated shower faucets.
Safety Measures Are Essential
It would not be wrong calling a bathroom an accident prone zone.
It will be wet and slippery, so the chances of fall are higher.
What is wise is getting a couple of permanent safety bath mats and install it besides the tub with the help of suction cups or you can also opt for non slip bath mats for the use in the shower.
Besides, there are grab bars, which you can attach judiciously on the wall nearby bath tub to help yourself raise and come out holding.
Some of your older neighbours may be installing a shower bench as they don’t feel safe taking a standing shower.
Make An Arrangement To Sit
If your bath in built in you can extend the edge make a place to sit and relax or have a bench.
The advantages that come along with such arrangements, include easier shaving legs, self pedicures, and easy application of moistening creams.
Considering the low cost to this, it could probably be rolled into your current budget.
Keep Reading Materials Near The Loo
Sounds quite intellectual, or at least an opportunity to read in peace, right?
Well, enough with smartphone browsing, how about doing something conventional.
Keeping reading materials nearby the loo can be a good idea, but you have to arrange a space for that first.
In many contemporary bathrooms the loo is installed besides the tub. And,maybe you build some shelves at the bottom of your tub section to store some easy reading.
This is a guest post written by Kylie from grohelps
For anybody that is looking at starting their very own home vegetable garden there are a number of important factors that you should be looking at getting to grips with before you begin.
After all, you will want to avoid making mistakes since it then leads to it becoming harder to grow those vegetables and actually being rewarded for all of that hard work that you are then putting into action.
So, these are some of the key factors that you really need to think about before you become too involved in your vegetable garden.
1. Size and Location
It is important that you think about where your vegetable garden is going to be located as you must think about the quality of the soil, how much light it gets in that spot, and what the drainage is like.
In other words, you cannot just go and start growing vegetables anywhere that you want since that can lead to disaster.
Also, you need to plan ahead and understand what you will be growing as this then determines the size.
Alternatively, if you are aware of your limitations in the space that is available then you should then measure the space and spend time researching the different vegetables that can fit according to the space that they need in order to grow.
2. Planning Ahead.
You really do have to spend some time planning your garden and this means knowing what is going to be growing, where they have to be positioned, how they will grow together, and even when the produce is going to be ready for eating.
Some vegetables compliment one another in the ground while others fight against one another and restrict their growth.
Planning makes sure that you get the maximum number of vegetables in the smallest area possible.
3. Preparing the Bed and Soil
Vegetables are only going to grow in the correct soil and it is therefore very important that you prepare the bed correctly before you start planting.
You need to break up the soil, perhaps even turn soil over, and remove any weeds.
You might also want to also incorporate some fertilizer and work that into the soil so that the plants are able to get a real shot of those all important nutrients as they start to grow and develop as plants.
4.Selecting the Vegetables to Grow.
Next, you have to really study what you are going to grow and there are a number of deciding factors that will help you out.
First, learn about the vegetables that give you the best return for the effort that you put into getting them to grow.
Also, think carefully about what your family likes and take full advantage of those vegetables in the space that you have available.
You also have to think about what is the easiest to grow since this does also vary and if you are new to it then you do not want something too taxing.
5. The Care and Maintenance
This point is all about care and maintenance of your vegetables and the plot. As you can imagine, there are a number of things for you to think about with this and we will look at each point individually to help you to really make sense of it all.
Plant Supports for the Vegetables
You have to be aware of the fact that some vegetables are going to require some support to help them to grow.
This includes the likes of peas, runner beans and a number of other vegetables that tend to grow to a reasonable height. If you do not support them then their growth will be restricted.
Fertilizer.
If we can go back to fertilizer as it does play an important role throughout the duration of the growth and development of the vegetables.
You need to understand the kind of feeding that different vegetables prefer and also how often they need to be fed.
This will more than likely increase when they are at the part of developing the actual vegetables, so you have to be aware of the growth cycles so they can be fed at the correct moments.
Watering
Water is important if you want impressive vegetables, but you also need to understand how much water the different vegetables like when they are growing.
Some such as leeks love to have their roots soaked while others are not so happy with that.
Understanding the watering cycle for different vegetables can also make it easier for you to plan the garden in the first place.
Weeds
Vegetables hate weeds as they are just going to compete for the various nutrients that are in the ground and they can also start to fight against the roots and inhibit the growth of the plants themselves.
It is important that you weed the vegetable garden on a regular basis to keep on top of this issue.
Mulching
Mulching is something that you can use in order to boost the fertility and overall health of the soil and the best part is that you can even use old food scraps from your kitchen and throw it into the soil.
The plants are going to extract the nutrients and this will then boost their growth.
6 Protecting Your Vegetables
Protecting your vegetables is also just as important because you can easily get to a point where they have been destroyed and you are left with nothing in return for all of your hard work. Once again, we will look at several points individually.
The Problem of Pests
Different vegetables can be affected by different pests and that just means that you need to be aware of the most common issues for the plants before you go ahead and start your vegetable garden.
In addition, it is important to know that you can use organic insecticides to deal with the issue as at least then it is not going to give you any cause for concern with the health of the vegetables.
Dealing with Disease
One major problem with vegetables is that they can often be prone to different diseases.
As with the pests issue it is important that you know the main diseases that tend to affect the plants or vegetables so you know what to look out for in advance and how to deal with it.
Once again, there will be organic options for you to use that can be just as effective.
Dealing with Wildlife
Finally, there can often be a problem with wildlife and of course you then want to deal with them.
We are talking about more than just birds as well, so you might want to look at the idea of investing in some netting to protect especially the young plants.
Also, you have to think about the ways in which they are going to attack the vegetables and then counteract those problems.
As you can see, there are a series of things for you to think about when growing vegetables at home and the main thing is that you spend time getting to grips with the basics before you then go ahead and get started.
However, there is nothing complex here so keep that in mind and ultimately you should end up with some vegetables that you can be proud of.
I will be watching Tim Ross’s ‘Streets of Your Town’ tonight on ABC . . . . will you?
There is quite a lot of what Tim said in the first episode that I agree with when it comes to very large houses.
One thing that annoyed me was his ‘Fanboy’ attitude to ‘International Modernist Architecture’, including project homes, from the post war years.
Although there are some houses of this style that I admire; the style is not without its problems:
Problems With ‘International Modernist Architecture’
Although these homes may have been carefully designed at the time some of the problems are:
Over large single glazed windows. The photo on the right shows one of a pair of modernist semi detached project homes with the original front facade. Such windows result in massive heat loss in winter and excessive heat gain and glare in the summer. The owner of the other house of the pair has obviously decided that the window size needed to be reduced. (see photo at bottom of post)
Tiny kitchens. These kitchens were designed when wife’s didn’t work and could go shopping every day. They also don’t suit our modern lifestyle where the kitchen is the social centre of the house.
Minimal / low insulation levels. Together with the large windows this makes the houses hard to heat, and cool.
The common use of a flat roof. A recipe for future expense due to leaks.
Use of unproven materials. Many of these houses used large amounts of asbestos sheet.
Narrow corridors. I have found some corridors claustrophobic, and unsuitable for anyone in a wheelchair, or even a baby in a pushchair
Cell like bedrooms. I’m not a fan of huge bedrooms but sometimes it is nice to get away from the open plan living areas.
Things like shelter, water, food and clothing are needs.
We have to have them, otherwise life just kinda doesn’t work for us.
Then there are some things in life that are wants; and these are things like champagne, caviar, plush carpet, luxury beach holidays and open fireplaces in wintertime.
But let’s face it, if you’re in Victoria during wintertime, fireplaces in Melbourne are kind of a need.
You might be thinking – well, a fireplace, that’s a little indulgent, isn’t it?
But I have long been of the opinion that if you’re in a position to treat yourself, you should.
This article is all about how you can enjoy adding some other luxury items to your home, while still getting the most out of the practical benefit of these little luxury add-ons.
So let’s take a look at my top five luxury home additions with practical benefits.
A new kitchen
A brand new kitchen is something that so many of us want, and yet we continue to work away, making do with the kitchen that we have and just hoping for something better to be there one morning when we wake up.
But not going to happen and you need to be the one to make the call.
Now, no one ever said that kitchens were going to be cheap – but the fact is that a new kitchen can actually add a whole heap of value to your home.
You can afford to spend a little more on a new kitchen knowing that it’s going to add value, which can potentially appear in the form of equity on your home loan.
Just so long as you don’t over-capitalise you’ll be laughing.
Plus, with the money that you make back on your home loan, you can afford to splash out on some kitchen gadgets.
A fireplace
This is a need, not a want, if you’re lucky enough to live in Victoria, don’t you think? In all seriousness though – a fireplace is a great option for your home.
You can install one fairly cheaply and it ensures that you save on your heating costs during wintertime.
Now if that’s not enough of an incentive I don’t know what is…
LED lighting
While this isn’t technically a ‘luxury’ add on, many people are still reluctant to invest in it due to the initial cost.
All you have to do is look at the way in which you can save money thanks to the lifespan and energy use, and you’ll see that LED is the way of the future.
So many of the top homes have LED lighting thanks to its industry esteem, so it makes sense that you would pick it for a splash of luxury in your home.
A bathtub
If you have the space for a luxury tub in your home, you had better think about investing in one.
Some people will choose a home (or not) based on the presence of a bathtub.
And for dedicated tub bathers, it’s a no-deal if you don’t have one.
So don’t eliminate some people from the market – get a tub for your home.
There are plenty of great options available.
A luxe laundry
You might not think laundry when you think luxury, but there you go!
A spacious and tasteful laundry is a great option for your home, and you can be as creative as you like with surfaces and finishes.
Good luck with making your home a luxury paradise, while still enjoying the benefits of practicality.
I heard on today’s news that there have been bush fires in NSW, in the first week of November!. . . . so I thought it was worthwhile reminding people about making an Emergency Plan.
If you have just moved into your new house make sure you spend time thinking about what you would do in an emergency.
Even if you house is still being being built its not too soon to start thinking about emergency planning.
Don’t think this doesn’t apply to Houses on new urban estates. Your house can still be affected by things like grass fires and flooding.
I and many others have said “If you don’t plan, you are planning to fail!” . . . and the consequences of failing can be fatal.
Emergency Planning Guides
If you look on the websites for your States Emergency Services or Fire Brigade you should find sample plans.
The Australian Red Cross also have a great downloadable planning guide at this link Red Cross Emergency Planning.
Emergency Planning Guides
If you look on the websites for your states Emergency Services or Fire Brigade you should find sample plans.
The Australian Red Cross also have a great downloadable planning guide at this link Red Cross Emergency Planning
Potential Emergency Scenarios
Having seen a lot of emergency plans one thing that they often miss is planning for different scenarios.
Remember emergencies can happen without warning. . . . so check you have a plan for
Everyone at home with vehicle/s and time to leave safely.
Everyone at home with vehicles BUT no time to leave.
One parent away from home with vehicle.
Both parents away from home, but children home.
Adult/s home but children away from home.
If you don’t have a plan for any of these scenarios . . . . then don’t let that scenario happen.
