Month: October 2018

A Renter’s Reflection – A Guide to Victoria’s Best Suburbs

Guest post by Hubert Dwight

Victoria has a lot of great suburbs, so many in fact that it can be hard to choose which ones are right for you and your family.

A good way to get to know which suburbs are right for you is to make a wish list of what you are looking for.

  • Where do you and your partner need to commute in the morning, how long are you willing to travel?
  • Are schools important? Do you prefer beach or bush?
  • Are you looking for a rental that will sustain you longer term or are you looking to buy to rent? . . . . If so will you look to live in the property in the future?

All these questions will help you to understand your parameters but also enable you to effectively communicate your requirements to a real estate agent or property manager.

To get an idea of the best rental suburbs we spoke to My rental a rental property management company in Melbourne to get the inside scoop.

We based our particular search on people searching for a safe and friendly neighbourhood that has good transportation links and reasonable rental prices.

The Suburbs below are a selection of what we found:

Brunswick East

Brunswick East one of the popular inner suburbs with it being around 6 kilometres from Melbourne’s Central Business District (CBD).

It has a growing population with people flocking to the suburb for many years.

However back in 2016, Brunswick East had a population of under 12,000 residents.

Brunswick East is very popular with the artistic and creative types as well as the young and progressive professionals.

Some of the benefits include great transport links into the city, amazing bars and cafes, as well as a inclusive neighbourhood feel.

Parkville

Parkville is an up and coming suburb close to Melbourne’s CBD, the suburb is exceptionally close with it being only 3 kilometres north of the city.

This suburb is renown for its parks and recreation spaces which attractive a wide variety of people to the area.

Although the population size is approx 7,500 the traffic congestion is higher than Brunswick East just due to its proximity to the city, and the population predicted to grow to 9,500 by 2037.

Elwood

Elwood is a beautiful beach side suburb, which naturally makes it more expensive than over places 8 kilometres outside of Melbourne’s central business district.

However, the heritage building and active lifestyle this suburb grants you really does make up for the price hike.

Locals are happy and friendly which can make any new addition to the neighbourhood feel welcome straight away.

South Melbourne

South Melbourne is best known for its market which are a great sensory experience.

The smell of fresh produce and the early morning hustle and bustle of the South Melbourne Market getting ready on the weekend is an experience not to be missed.

South Melbourne is great for the foodies, with a plethora of cafes, restaurants and bars to choose from you’ll never be far away from a delectable bite to eat.

St Kilda

St Kilda is a very popular suburb to both buy and rent in.

It has the benefits of the beach, great nightlife and yummy cafes.

Therefore it attracts people of all walks of life and backgrounds creating a very vibrant suburb.

St Kilda has grown a great deal over the years and has a colourful history.  

Location wise it is only 6 kilometres from Melbourne’s central business district which could be part of the reason it is over to over 20,000 residents according to 2016 census data.

Wardrobe Doors. . . . The Big Question

I know a lot of houses come with Walk in Robes but if you are are building a small house you may need built in robes.

So the question is are you going to have hinged doors like these. . . .  or sliding doors?

Hinged Doors

Pro’s

They allow great access to your wardrobe.contents.
The back of the door can be used to store a full length mirror.
Easy to maintain and clean.
No need to fix tracks to floor

Cons

Need more space to open, the door swings outward into the available space of your room.
May need lots of smaller as doors which can be a fussy look.
Tend to be more expensive than sliding doors for the same opening size.

Sliding Doors

Pro’s

Sliding wardrobe door require less space to open.
Mirrored  doors can make your room look bigger and give a room a light feel.
Sliding doors provide a sleeker look to your room.

Cons

Doors move along the tracks easily and can close with a bang.
Only one person can access the wardrobe at a time.
Due to door overlap some of the clothes on the hanging rail can get hidden.
Dirt and dust in the tracks can cause jamming.

Conclusion

For me the fact the clothes I want always seem to be hidden behind the overlap in out current house mean I would much prefer hinged doors. . . . How about you?

How to Prevent Electrical Dangers at Home

Guest Post by Trent Anderson

Electricity is an essential part of modern life.

It does more than give you heat and light.

Electricity is now essential to keep people connected, run financial institutes, pay for items and even drive your car into town. But, that doesn’t mean it is not dangerous.

In fact there are 15 Australians killed every year and 300 hospitalized due to electrical accidents at home.

You need to implement these tips to ensure you are not one of these people.

Get An Electrician

You probably had your electrics inspected when you bought your home and have done nothing to it since.

This is normal, but dangerous.

You need to use a service such as Tiger Electrical that will offer you a complete inspection of your current electrical installation.

They will be able to advise of any issues you have, particularly faulty circuits that could increase the chances of an electric shock or a fire.

The sooner you have an electrical inspection the quicker you’ll be able to resolve any issues.

It is also essential that you get any new electrical installation completed or verified by a qualified electrician.

Just because you got something to work doesn’t mean that it is safe.

Overloading

It is easy to add an extension, or adapter, in order to run all the gadgets you have.

However, this can cause an overload of the circuit.

Each circuit is only designed to carry a certain load; going past this will increase the chances of the circuit tripping or you starting a fire.

Also when electricity passes through cables it generates heat, too much of this heat can cause the wires to melt and a short can start a fire.

This is why you should never leave an extension cable coiled up.

Inspect Appliance Cables

An electrician will inspect your installation but they can’t check that your appliances are safe; only you know what you plug in on a regular basis.

You need to visually verify that all cables are not damaged.

Don’t be tempted to use the item if the cable is damaged; this could result in an electric shock or a fire.

Water & Electricity Do Not Mix

You probably already know this but you may not have realized that there are strict regulations regarding wiring in bathroom s and kitchens.

You should never touch an electrical item if you have wet hands.

You should also make sure that all electrical items stay dry; this will prevent them from becoming damaged and potentially shocking you.

Use Surge Protectors

A surge can happen at any time and damage your electrical items.

It can also give you a shock if you’re holding the appliance at that moment.

To help reduce this risk it is a good idea to use surge protecting sockets or even whole house protection.

Don’t Modify Your Systems

You may be tempted to modify the wiring in your home to suit your own needs but you should never adjust the pins on your plugs or the wiring in a socket.

This will simply increase the likelihood of an accident happening.

Sealant Is Not A Water Proofing Solution

Watch enough TV and you will see adverts for sealant (or Caulk) which will solve all your leaks and waterproofing problems.

In my experience sealant is really an extra step in good design.

You should be looking to make sure that water is directed away from building joints, to keep them as dry as possible.

The sealant is really just an additional step to make extra sure.

If you are just relying on the sealant here are some of the ways things can go wrong,

Some of the causes of sealant failure

1.  Aging Most sealants deteriorate as they get older and can become dry, brittle, cracked crazed.

2.  Incorrect Sealant   Sealant are deigned for particular applications. . . . just because you have some sealant left over from a job doesn’t mean its going to be successful in a different application.

3.  Inadequate Surface Preparation Dirt, dust, debris, other contaminant s  and/or omission of any required sealant primer can result in early failure.

4.  Incompatibility If sealant and substrate incompatible causing an adverse reaction at the sealant/substrate interface.

5.  Excessive Joint Movement  Actual joint movement exceedes the movement capabilities of the joint sealant causing tearing. 

6.  Early Joint Movement before Sealant Cure Early joint movement due to large temperature during during the initial sealant cure cycle cause surface wrinkling and cracking.

7  Improper Sealant Application  Several reasons including:

  • Improper sealant dimensions (width to depth ratio.
  • Sealant was not properly mixed leading to insufficient cure and poor sealant performance (applicable to multi-component sealants only).
  • Three-sided adhesion due to inappropriate or non-existent sealant backing.
  • Inadequate sealant tooling causing lack of contact at sealant / substrate interface.

5 Effective Bird Control Strategies for Your Garden

Guest Post by John Smith

It takes a lot of effort and works to till, plant and weed out your garden.

However the results are far worth it— vegetables, fruits, and flowers grow which you can proudly share with friends and family.

But, there is a pesky problem. . . .Birds— they love your garden, too.

Especially those seeds and fruits and vegetables they can put their beaks into.

Birds are not only a common hazard you can find destroying your gardens, and droppings are very unsightly!

So, what do you do? . . . Try these 5 strategies for a bird-free garden!

1. Bird Barriers

This is probably the most effective bird control strategy.

Bird netting can allow the sun or rain through while keeping pesky birds away.

They are simple to install and can just be tossed on top of your fruit trees.

For some common plants like blueberries, you can erect fence posts, bamboo or other stakes which the bird netting can hang on and sturdily anchor it to the ground with strong wires.

If carefully handled and maintained nets can be reused for several years.

Moreover, any bird guard material can be effective, like window screening and chicken wire (smaller birds can pass through).

If birds are pecking on your freshly planted garden seeds, then you can cover them with a layer of landscape tulle or fabric and removing them when the seeds have germinated enough.

You can also attach spikes to the building where birds love to congregate.

2. Get A Dog

https://www.flickr.com/photos/pandoozy/6334535751

Sheepdogs, border collies, and other breeds love to chase birds are quite good at it.

You can either hire a trained dog handler so they can patrol a bird-infested area or get a dog for yourself and train him.

Walk your dog in the early evening and early morning hours when birds are most active.

You not only control pesky birds but you also got yourself an adorable pooch to live with.

3. Scare Tactics

Birds are scared of humans, however, who likes the idea of standing in their garden all day long?

Well, a scarecrow can do the trick.

You can buy a pre-made one from your local garden store. Or, much better, create your own scarecrow by simply constructing a cross out of woods, cover it with clothes and stuffed it with straws to make it more realistic.

You can place your scarecrow in the vicinity of the birds and watch them fly away scarily.

You need to move your scarecrow around every few days in order to prevent pesky birds from getting too comfortable with it.

You can also change its clothes to scare birds more.

Like scarecrows, you can also place decoys throughout your garden.

Get a number of cheap, plastic animal decoys and place them on your garden.

Choose natural predators of birds such as coyotes, swans, owls, and snakes.

Re-position them every few days in order to keep the birds on edge.

4. Activate Water Deterrents

This strategy might not be feasible in every space, however, it can be a great tool in keeping birds away from your plants and vegetation while also effortlessly showering them with water.

You can buy and install a motion-sensor sprinkler aimed at the infested bird area.

Every time a bird tries to land on your precious garden, the sprinkler will sense them and a spray of water will be sprayed, scaring them away.

Do not worry about the strength of the water stream since they are harmless and only keep birds away.

5. Build A Distraction

https://www.flickr.com/photos/kables/8367405

The only reason why birds love to hang out in your garden is that they are looking for an easy and convenient food source to nibble on.

Building bird feeders are a great way to attract these birds to a particular area in your garden and keep them away from other areas that you want them to avoid.

Just make sure that you monitor your feeds every day and give those birds an easy access in order for them not to look at other food sources in your garden.

Conclusion

Although some birds can be quite beautiful to look and enjoy at others can be downright destructive and pesky.

The tips above can help in order to deal with a pesky bird problem.

If these birds stubbornly decline to leave, then boost up your efforts by trapping or hunting them, or call in pest control pros in Pretoria.

Sliding Patio Doors – Occasional Use Only

These sliding patio doors were the entrance to a cafe that I visited the other day.

It was no surprise to find they didn’t open very smoothly.

It reminded me of the first house we built in Australia where we used patio doors to let the dogs in and out of the house.

The Problems

Most patio door components are not designed for constant use.

The doors are fairly heavy but run on a couple of fairly small nylon wheels

My experience is that the wheels the doors roll on will only last for 2-3 thousand openings. . . . . Sounds a lot but open them twice a day and they will be badly worn after 3-4 years.

You can get new wheels which are a bit fiddly to fix; however that’s not the end of the problem.

After a few more years you might find the door tracks, which are often fairly soft aluminium, are also badly worn, and that can be a tricky and expensive fix.

 

I’m not saying don’t buy patio doors . . . just don’t use them in places where they will be in daily use.

 

Stepping Up Your Game – A Guide to Adding a Second Storey

Guest Post by Hubert Dwight

Home ownership is a goal for many people. But it’s not accessible to everyone.

So if you’re one of the lucky ones count your blessings.

Even after you’ve reached the goal there’s still so much to do – pay off the mortgage, pay rates, maintain and repair your property and keep it up to scratch.

What if you’ve bought a smaller space and want to expand?

Now, the logical thing would be to go out to the sides or out the back – but not everyone has that space.

For those that don’t the way to add extra space is to install a second storey. . . . . but this is a bit more complicated than just deciding to add another level to your home.

Let’s take a look at how you can step up your game.

Work Out Your Budget

Large additions can get expensive and the size of the additional room will depend on how much you can afford.

While they may not cost as much as the initial purchase of your home, they still aren’t cheap.

If you don’t have the savings, then you will probably need to approach a financial lender.

You may be able to use the equity, the amount you own in your property, to leverage a loan.

Determine if You Can Go Up

Before you rush off to consider scissor lift hire and all the renovation plans, you need to determine if your house can actually manage having a second storey added to it.

Consult with a building engineer or someone who is similarly qualified.

They’ll be able to come and assess your property and figure out if it can bear the extra load, or work out exactly how a second storey can be added safely.

The next step is to obtain local council approval.

Different local governments have different rules about what you can and cannot do when it comes to modifying your dwelling.

Even when you’ve got the plans completed to meet the requirements of the council, your neighbours may still object, especially if your second storey is going to be overlooking their yard.

Hopefully it can all get passed  so you can start to move forward.

Pick a Builder

Builders are a dime a dozen, and they’re not all up to scratch.

Some may promise the world but end up cutting corners and using cheap material, labour and processes which can result in a substandard job that may end up costing you heaps more in repairs down the line.

The best thing to do here is to rely on word of mouth and referrals from friends, family and colleagues.

Chances are someone you know in your life has renovated in the not too distant past.

Pick their brains and you’ll eventually come across a recommendation for a good builder.

Summing it All Up

To conclude, first of all you need to figure out if you can go up a storey., which may involve hiring a professional engineer or assessor to have a look at your place.

Next you need to work out if you can afford the renovation including additional loan repayments.

Finally, it’s time to pick a builder, but take your time, you don’t want to be hasty and pick a bad one.

Now wait to enjoy your new space upstairs.

 

 

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