​Do you require garages for your cars? How many vehicles? What size – length, width and height? Do you need the garage for other purposes – such as hobbies (maybe you’re often working on your cars, or you do woodworking)? Does the garage need to be secure?

​Garages are an added expense. But they can:

• Reduce insurance premiums for your vehicles.
• Protect your vehicles from theft, vandalism, hail, bird droppings, sun and tree debris.
• Provide additional secure storage space.
• Allow space for hobbies.
• Allow you to get into a cooler car in hot summers, rather than one that’s been baking in the sun.
• Add value to your home.
• Keep your car cleaner for longer.

​Considerations for your garage include:

• Local council and estate rules may limit the type of garaging and the distance it must be from the road.
• The position and orientation of your house – you don’t want your garages to block daylight to the rest of your house, or to use the prime piece of garden.
• Access to the road. There have been many cases of garage doors being blocked by existing street infrastructure, such as light poles, electricity pylons, bus-stops, street signs and utility connections. Arranging for the relevant authorities to relocate  these items is a lengthy and often expensive process which isn't always guaranteed success and may leave the owner little choice but to navigate around the obstacle every time they enter or leave the garage.
• Accessible power points in the garage for hobbies and cleaning vehicles.
• Power points to charge electrical vehicles – even if you don’t own an electrical vehicle now these charging points will become a necessity.
• Storage areas.
• The type of garage door – most people want an automated door so you require a power point for this. If you want a double garage, do you want two separate doors or one double door? Garage doors can be decorative and they could be a major focal point for some houses, especially if they’re in the front.
• Lighting – you’ll want additional lights if you’ll be working in the garage or busy with hobbies.
• Floor finish – hard wearing painted floors can make cleaning easier and help reduce dust. But there’re many other innovative floor solutions that could be more suitable for the purpose of your garage.
• The size of the vehicles using the garage. You don’t want a garage that’s too low, or short or narrow. Don’t just consider your current vehicles, but also vehicles you could own in the future, or ones that a prospective buyer may have. Remember to allow room for the garage door to open.
• Whether you want direct access to the house from the garage.
• Fire safety to prevent fires in the garage rapidly spreading to the rest of the house. Usually connecting doors should be fireproof and the ceiling void over the garage should have a fire wall or baffle between the void over the rest of the house. But regulations vary so check those in your area.
• Include windows, possibly high up or in the garage door to let daylight in.

It should be noted that garages can generate lots of additional heat. Petrol and diesel cars are always hot after use, so they make garages hot. In addition garage doors are poorly insulated and have gaps around the edges and top. Consequently garages can be hot places in summer and heat up the adjacent rooms in the house.
Case study: The main bedroom of one house was situated immediately above the double garage. The floor of the bedroom was often warm from the garage below which made the bedroom extra warm in summer. One would think that this would be a bonus in winter, but of course garages usually don’t hold heat for very long in winter. As mentioned above the garage doors are poor insulators so in cool climates the garage can quickly become colder than the rest of the house.
Consideration could be given to using a heavier better insulated door and sealing gaps around the door, especially if you’re planning on working in the garage often. You could install extractor fans to get rid of the warm air in summer, and they are also essential if the work you do in the garage generates fumes and gasses.

Garages can be a valuable addition to your home, but often they're an afterthought and poorly planned and located. It's important to get your garage right, where it won't spoil your home, and so that the garage suites your vehicles and your needs.

​If you’re going to build a new house it’s important to select the best property. Often people buy land for their dream house only to find that they haven’t done their research properly and there are unforeseen costs, or the property isn’t suitable for their needs, or the area’s character is changing, or isn’t as expected and it isn’t such a desirable place to live. Buying land is a major investment. There are often transaction costs and fees to pay, so it isn’t as simple as making the wrong purchase from the shops and being able to take it back for a refund. In this case, selling a property that’s unsuitable will almost certainly lead to large additional wasted costs.

It’s essential not to purchase on impulse, but rather to do your homework and fully investigate various aspects and characteristics of the land before purchasing the property. 

A neighbourhood could be quiet with little traffic on the weekend when you visit, but during the week it could be completely different, with no parking available in the street, busy roads, traffic congestion and noise. In fact, even during the course of a weekday the streets can change, being quiet in the middle of the day and then busy at peak hours.

But properties can even change with the seasons. That brilliant view could be blocked out when the trees are covered in leaves in summer, or your nice sunny piece of ground could be in the shadow of the neighbouring buildings in winter when the sun is lower on the horizon.

​The common saying ‘location, location, location’ means that selecting the right location is the most important part of buying a property. 

So properties located on busy streets, or next to industrial areas, perhaps neighbouring shops and restaurants, maybe overlooked by apartment buildings, those that are in undesirable neighbourhoods, or those that have unpleasant noisy neighbours aren’t going to be desirable locations. If a property appears to be a bargain, understand why it’s a bargain, what does the seller and others know that’s not immediately apparent to you.

Obviously properties that are in leafy, friendly neighbourhoods, with quiet streets, near parks, with easy access to schools, shops, transport networks, recreational facilities and work opportunities are usually desirable locations. These ideal locations are often in short supply, meaning that they’re more expensive. The thing is that in the future they’ll be even harder to find, which will ultimately increase their value.

But, it’s important to understand that a good location shouldn’t be impacted by ‘snob value’. Far too often we allow ourselves to be influenced by what others in our family and community think. Do your own research. Be prepared to look beyond the areas you’re familiar with. Take time to visit different suburbs and towns, get an understanding of what’s available and what the costs are. A location that isn’t seen as the best location right now, because it’s older, or less ‘upmarket’, may be about to change. Often older areas go through a period of regeneration and suddenly property values increase when it’s perceived to be the new desirable location. However, older areas could also go the other way, where they become rundown, dilapidated and even overtaken by crime.

New transport networks, schools and other facilities can quickly turn an area into a desirable location. Buying into these areas before the rush can mean you’re purchasing property that will rapidly increase in value. It’s important to understand what’s happening in areas and what the plans are.

Understand what your priorities are, and those of your family. What lifestyle are you looking for? That desired location that many hanker after might not actually be the right location for you. We are all different, with differing needs and desires. Understand what's important for you and your family when choosing land.

Start with the right location, suburbs and neighbourhoods and work from there. Always be open to other possibilities and areas you aren’t familiar with.

In future articles we will discuss what to look for when looking for your ideal piece of ground to build your new house. Know which aspects of the property could add to your construction costs. Be aware of how the land could influence your new home's design. Understand what's important to you and your family.

​Thinking of buying a property and building your dream home? Don't be a victim of a poor decision. Educate yourself and know what to look for when purchasing a property. Read 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'


​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

Over the last few weeks we've looked at a number of serious building defects which have left home owners distressed, out of pocket, and sometimes without a home. Many home owners face the prospect of lengthy legal battles to recover money spent on fixing building problems. This included the horror story of a major UK builder who delivered hundreds of substandard homes. Another article on an  Australian apartment that cost $1.7 million which isn't fit to live in  a year after completion, and more. In other articles I've discussed how you can ensure you are hiring the right building contractor. These articles include Read this before selecting you home building and renovation contractor and Before employing a building contractor ask these questions. 

To ensure you employ a reputable building contractor it's important to ask your contractors for a list of references of past clients and projects. What building projects have they worked on? Are these similar to the work you are asking them to execute? Were these projects completed successfully - finished on time, without fuss and of good quality? But don't just take the contractor's word for it, rather talk to these past clients and ask them these important questions:

• What was the scope and size of the project that the contractor completed and when was it finished?
• Were you satisfied with the work?
• Was the quality good?
• Did they finish it when they said they would?
• Did they communicate regularly with you?
• Was the contractor's management frequently on the project?
• Were there problems? What were they and how did the contractor handle them? Were the problems sorted promptly? (Remember that almost every building project will encounter problems and there probably will be an error or two along the way - but it's not so much about the problem, rather about the solution and how quickly and efficiently the contractor dealt with the issue.)

• How easy were they to contact? Did they return phone calls and emails? Were they responsive?
• Did they work safely?
• Did they keep the project site tidy?
• Were there extra costs? Why? Did they advise you ahead of time that you would incur these additional costs? Were they fair and reasonable?
• Was the contractor helpful? Did they provide good advice?
• Did the neighbours have any complaints about the contractor?
• What advice would you give me if I was to hire this contractor?

It's vital that you employ the right contractor for your building project. Take the time to thoroughly investigate them to ensure that they will be the right contractor for your project. Knowing some of the issues that previous clients encountered with the contractor will make you more prepared to manage them should you employ them. Knowing their strengths and weaknesses will enable you to quickly deal with problems before they occur, and it will often give you confidence to deal with the contractor.

​This is an extract from my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' which also contains lots more valuable information to save you money and ensure that your home build or renovation project is a success. Click on the image to read a preview on Amazon. The book is available in paper or ebook form from Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you. For tips on designing your new house as well as renovation ideas read Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

The air we breathe could have a severe impact on your health and the health of your family. Some homes have poor air quality. This could be caused by a variety of problems including:

• A lack of fresh air - ensure that rooms are well ventilated. Even in winter regularly open rooms to allow fresh air in.
• Air-conditioning filters aren't regularly cleaned. Not only does this reduce the efficiency of the air-conditioner but it also means that the air from the air-conditioner is passing through the dirty filters recirculating the fumes and possible poisons trapped in the filters.
• Mould growing in the house, possibly in bathrooms, in walls and roof spaces. Mould releases spores into the air which will cause illness. Mould grows in damp and poorly ventilated spaces.
• Some building materials, paints and glues release volatile gasses which are dangerous to our health and which could inhibit growing brains in young children. I'm sure we've all experienced walking into a newly painted room, or a room with a newly laid carpet tile - the fumes can be very overpowering and we want to get out as quickly as possible. Know what materials are incorporated into your building.
• Some cooking fumes - particularly from some oils - are poisonous when breathed in regularly.
• Poorly fitted gas appliances could leak dangerous gases.
• Open flames consume oxygen making it harder to breathe and the flames release gases and in particular carbon dioxide. Ensure rooms with open fire places are ventilated.
• Some household cleaning chemicals release fumes and volatile gasses. Use chemicals sparingly and only in ventilated spaces. Know what chemicals are in the products you use.
• Insect sprays and poisons for vermin are often highly toxic. Always ventilate areas well after these products have been used. Stay out of the room until the fumes have dispersed.
• A large build up of bird, rat or bat excrement in roofs can release toxic spores into the air in houses. Always take care when working in roof spaces to ensure you wear a suitable breathing mask.
• Some furniture contains glue, or are covered in synthetic fabrics and coatings, which release toxic fumes.
• Fumes from traffic outside your house could be entering your home. Diesel fumes are responsible for many illnesses and cause brain damage. Living near some factories, and particularly oil refineries, could mean that you and your family are exposed to toxic fumes.

​There are many fumes from everyday building and household products which can cause breathing difficulties, allergies, and even some products that are linked to cancer, learning difficulties, sleep disorders, Alzheimer, and dementia. Your health is important, don't take risks with it. Understand the products you are using and ensure all rooms in your house are well ventilated.
​
For more on the impacts of poor air quality read this BBC article Why Indoor Air Quality Matters to our Bodies and our Brains.

Design your home so that it's safe for you and your family. For more home design tips and insights read  An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

In a previous article Finding contractors for your home building and renovation project we discussed how you should go about looking for the right building contractor for your home building project. In another article Read This Before Selecting Your Home Renovation and Building Contractor we discussed what you should consider when you employ a contractor. In this article I present a few simple questions you should ask potential contractors before employing them for your home building project.

• Will you prepare the plans (if this is a requirement)?
• Will you arrange council and other required approvals?
• Do you have insurance – including worker’s compensation insurance?
• Is your company registered? (Check the registration provided.)
• Do you have the required building licenses to work in this state? (Check that the license is valid and current.)
• Can I have references of previous clients?
• Will there be a full time project manager? If not how often will they be on site?
• Will I be welcome to visit the project at any time?
• Can I view other projects you've completed?
• What other projects are you currently working on?
• Do you have resources for my project?
• What work will you subcontract?
• Are there outstanding legal cases against your company?
• Do you have the capabilities and experience to do the work?

In a future article we look at what to consider and check when reviewing the contractor's price.

​This is an extract from my new book 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses: Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' which also contains lots more valuable information to save you money and ensure that your home build or renovation project is a success. Click on the image to read a preview on Amazon. The book is available in paper or ebook form from Amazon and other online stores, or ask your local bookstore to order a copy for you. For tips on designing your new house as well as renovation ideas read Volume 2 - Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home 
​© 2019 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

The media is filled with stories like this one in the ABC News where owners are left out of pocket and sometimes even without a home because of shoddy construction work. What a nightmare to pay $1.7 million for a new apartment that you can't live in.

Of course not every new home build or renovation project ends like this. There are many reputable builders that deliver quality building projects on time and with minimal fuss. There are many happy home owners who are satisfied with their new home.

How can you ensure that your new home building project is a success? Sometimes it's just luck. But being educated you can ensure that you choose the right builder. It's important to not be swayed by price alone. Selecting the cheapest builder often ends in a very expensive project. In a previous post 'Read this before selecting your home renovation and building contractor' I discussed important things to consider when selecting your building contractor. In a future article I'll discuss important questions to ask your contractor and their references before you employ them. 

But even the best contractors make mistakes and they should be checked. I'll discuss what to look for in a future article so bookmark this website. Indeed as in the lead story above water is the single greatest problem with new builds according to this report. 

What are your rights when there is a problem with your new home? Believe me there are always some problems so it's important to understand what your builder is responsible for fixing. Again another topic for a future article when I'll discuss building defects and warranties, what you need to know and what you should do when you uncover a defect in your new home. 

To help you navigate the construction process and avoid the traps and pitfalls when building or renovating your home read 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 1 Hiring Contractors, Managing Construction and Finishing Your Home' 

Northern Ireland's tiny house movement - a small move to the future?

Downsizing. De-cluttering. Alternative housing - these terms are becoming increasing well-known as people try to find and improve their perfect living space.
But how would you feel about living in a 'tiny house' on wheels?
That's what Michael Rauch, 25, and his girlfriend Alex Connolly are building on the back of a flatbed trailer in County Down.
When finished, he'll become one of a very small handful of 'tiny house' owners in Northern Ireland and part of the global tiny house movement, which has its roots in the United States in the 1990s.
Read more on this story in this BBC article.

​Thinking of buying a property and building your dream home? Don't be a victim of a poor decision. Educate yourself and know what to look for when purchasing a property. Read 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

It was supposed to be their slice of the “sweet life” but the owners of new Sydney apartments have only tasted bitterness after being locked out of their homes for a year.

The construction of the Sugarcube apartments and Honeycomb terraces in Erskineville were reportedly finished about 12 months ago but the new homes remain empty due to concerns about whether the developer Golden Rain Development properly cleaned up toxic land on the site.

It’s the fourth apartment block in Sydney to sit empty thanks to problems with construction and building.
​
Buyers paid up to a $1 million for a two-bedroom apartment in the development of 109 units and 18 three-bedroom terraces, but have been prevented from moving in.
A City of Sydney spokeswoman said the developer was required to remediate the site where there was contaminated groundwater and detection of heavy metals, hydrocarbons and asbestos.
Continue Reading News.com.au

Thinking of buying a property and building your dream home? Don't be a victim of a poor decision. Educate yourself and know what to look for when purchasing a property. Read 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses - Volume 2 Finding Your Ideal Property and Designing Your Dream Home'

Craig Fitch's apartment building is so highly flammable that residents were ordered to remove wood-chip mulch and trees because of fears any fire in the garden could quickly engulf the block.
"It's extremely dangerous," Mr Fitch said. Large parts of the complex, located in Frankston in Melbourne's south-east, is wrapped in non-compliant polystyrene, painted to look like concrete. But this isn't the only problem!
​Read more

Don't fall victim to greedy developers, poor building contractors and a lack of compliance inspections by the authorities. Before building or renovating your home get educated. You must protect your valuable new asset and your family - you must ensure that your home is safe, compliant and of good quality. You cannot rely on the authorities or building contractors alone. My new books 'An Introduction to Building and Renovating Houses, Volumes 1 and 2' will provide tips, advice and knowledge so that you can ensure your home isn't like one of these in this story.

​It’s getting hot in here, and by here, we mean the entire planet. Every summer seems to be warmer than the one before. Lucky for us, we have air conditioning to help keep us cool all summer long.

However, we can only expect higher energy bills with all the action our air conditioning system is going to see this summer. Then again, we can still ensure a cool summer for everyone in our home without breaking the bank. Here are some of the ways we can do that.

Get your air conditioner a tuneup before the onset of summer.
You already know that your AC system will be subjected to heavy use in the summer, so you have to get it ready for some heavy work. A tuneup will do wonders for your AC. Get a licensed, bonded, and insured air conditioning professional to do it, and you’ll have a fully-serviced AC by the time the summer gets here. You’ll also have peace of mind knowing your air conditioner will be less likely to break down in the middle of the sweltering heat.

Check and clean the filter a month later.
Because you had a tuneup performed, your air conditioner's air filter may be clean on the first day of summer. A month of continuous use, however, could mean a dirty air filter at the end of that period.

So check the air filter after a month to make sure it’s clean, and airflow is still optimal. You don’t want a dirty air filter clogging things up and causing inefficient operation and higher energy bills. And if the air filter is indeed dirty, take it out and clean it yourself since it’s easy enough to do.

Don’t let the sun shine on your AC unit.
If your air conditioner unit is exposed to the direct rays of the sun, then it’s bound to work harder—and therefore consume more power—and lead to higher energy bills. Things will be really different if only your outdoor unit is shielded from the sun. Planting trees near the unit can give it more shade. You can also opt to build an actual shade for your unit to help it regain its efficiency.

Keep your thermostat away from the sun.
Your thermostat reads the temperature in the room and signals the central air conditioner unit to continue or stop running depending on whether the temperature is cool enough or a tad too hot. If the room is sufficiently cool, but your thermostat is getting hit by direct sunlight, it will think the room is not adequately cooled and will tell the AC unit to run longer than necessary.

Aside from direct sunlight, other sources of heat that could mess with the thermostat include LED lamps, TVs, and refrigerators, so place your thermostat away from them.

Get that ceiling fan running.
If you have ceiling fans, turn them on and adjust your thermostat accordingly.  Doing this will improve the distribution of cool air in your home without setting the thermostat to freezing just so every nook and cranny of your home will feel cool.

Cook outside your house.
Cooking inside your home on a sweltering summer day can only make everything hotter indoors and your AC unit work doubly hard. To avoid the energy inefficiency that comes with that temperature, we can always cook outside on a grill or a fire pit, if you have one. But if that isn’t an option, then you might want to cook your food on a microwave oven, which doesn’t produce heat like regular ovens and stoves.

Plug your home’s gaps, cracks, and holes.
It’s such a waste of money if you just let all that cool air escape from your home through its numerous gaps, cracks, and holes. That loss also leads to higher energy bills, as the AC unit will continue running to compensate for it.

Identify where those exit points are and plug them. Improve the insulation in your windows and doors, too. If you have the budget to insulate your entire house better, then figure out its insulation requirements by having a professional do an energy audit on your home.

Conclusion
These are just some of the things you can do to keep cool this summer with the help of your AC system. Follow them to ensure that your summer will be fun, cool, and energy-efficient!