Buying a brand new property is exciting and comes with all sorts of perks. First of all, there’s something satisfying about living in a space that nobody else has ever lived in. You get a place to live that is completely devoid of any negative energy from previous owners. What’s more – new builds tend to be a lot easier to personalize and make your own. Interior walls and ceilings will most likely be plain and smooth, meaning that you don’t have dated popcorn ceilings or other textured surfaces to get rid of.
Also, during the construction phase, you can pick out what type of flooring your want. You can choose from many different floor surfaces including solid hardwood floors, carpets, or tiles. Buying a new home means you don’t have to remove old flooring and clean up mess associated with past tenants potty training their new pets. Put simply, you have complete control of the interior and exterior design of your new home, condo or townhome.
Please note: this is a contributed post.
The next thing to consider when buying a new home is energy efficiency. Modern properties are likely to be a lot more energy-efficient than older homes – they are likely to have been built with top quality insulation and will generally have double glazed windows. However, while living in a new property will be extremely convenient, you may decide to opt for older, traditional, or period property. Many older homes have a beautiful aesthetic that just cannot be replicated by modern designers.
Older homes have history, they have charm and they also tend to offer more space. Many modern homes are built with an expanding population in mind and are, consequently, generally smaller. Traditional properties also tend to have more land attached to them. So, if you’ve opted for cottage life, but be prepared for a bit more upkeep. It’s best to familiarize yourself with potential problems older homes may have and learn how to deal with them. Here’s some helpful tips to guide you in the right direction.
Foundations
Let’s start with the very foundations of your property. Before buying or moving into an older home, you should check that its foundations are still sturdy and strong. In a well constructed home, the foundation of a building helps to transfer the building’s gravity loads to the earth. Foundations usually can’t be seen, as they are placed in trenches dug into the ground. There are generally two types of foundations – shallow foundations and deep foundations. This usually means a larger home will have larger and deeper foundations. Without strong foundations, your property would be unstable and may have to be demolished for the sake of safety.
Safety has greatly improved over the years and properties built centuries ago may not live up to current health and safety standards. The original foundations may have been exposed to all sorts of wear and tear, including water damage and cracking. So, before purchasing a cottage, or if you have already moved into a cottage and have doubts surrounding the safety and reliability of its foundations, you should check out this company, Helitech. They specialize in foundation repairs, crawlspace waterproofing, crack repairs and more.
Thatched Roofing
Thatched roofing is extremely rare on new build properties. It is a more traditional form of roofing, especially in the UK. Many people embrace this look when they have a traditional cottage of their own, because they like the aesthetic. There’s something truly endearing about a beautiful thatched roof, but they do come with a whole host of potential problems. One major problem with thatched roofing is animal issues. Thatch roofing is often composed of straw and other materials that can be used by birds to create their nests. They may also contain trace amounts of food sources for animals.
Many homeowners combat this potential problem by having special net placed over their thatch to keep it in place and prevent animals from nibbling or picking away at it and creating holes. Another common problem with thatch is leaking. Thatched roofs can easily begin to leak from the valleys, ridges and corners. This can be prevented by calling in a maintenance roofing team when even the smallest leak establishes itself. Leaks will not go away of their own accord, so it’s important to tackle them head on rather than ignoring them. This will prevent further problems from developing, such as water damage to your home’s interiors or damage to the electrics system.
Climber Plants
It is traditional to grow climber plants up the exterior walls of a cottage. Many cottage owners will opt for Wisteria, which blooms with beautiful purple flowers in the summer. Others will grow roses and some will choose ivy. Whatever your choice of climber plant, it’s extremely important that you maintain them. This can include trimming the plants so that they don’t interfere with windows or block windows, as this can minimize the amount of natural light that can filter through during the day. If you cannot reach higher areas that climber plants reach to, call in the help of a professional landscape designer. They will be able to carry out the work on your behalf.
Creaky Gates
Many cottages come with decorative wrought iron gates with wrought iron fences on the front of the property. This helps to create a barrier between the land in front of your property and public paths or roads. However, wrought iron gates can become rusty or creaky with age. If your gate appears beyond repair, you may want to completely replace it and the fences attached to it. If your gate is merely creaky, you may want to use lubricating oil on its hinges to reduce the noise that it makes when opening and closing. If you have a wooden gate, and small painted fence, you can maintain it by oiling the hinges. You also might want to consider giving it a coat of fresh paint or stain every now and again.
Old Plumbing
Let’s move on to your property’s interiors. Old buildings tend to have old plumbing, and you would not believe the kind of havoc that faulty plumbing can inflict on a household. It isn’t until you experience damage to your plumbing that you realize just how difficult it is to get by on a day-to-day basis without access to clean water. You will have difficulty showering, bathing, or brushing your teeth and you may not be able to flush the toilet after use. You may find yourself unable to use appliances to wash your clothes or clean your dishes.
Plumbing issues can result in problems including burst pipes, leaking appliances or faucets that won’t turn off. As soon as you find any issues with old plumbing in your home, it’s important that you bring in a professional plumber to take care of business. Licensed plumbers have years of education and training to quicly deal with any and all plumbing problems.
Old Electrics
If your electrical systems are old, they also may need updating. Signs that you need to contact a professional electrician include seeing exposed wires, witnessing sparks from electrical sockets, seeing burn marks around sockets, flickering light bulbs, and other issues. Never attempt to tackle electrical issues yourself. Touching the wrong thing could cause an electric shock which could prove painful, dangerous or even fatal. Online tutorials could possibly mislead you into thinking that making electrical repairs yourself could be a simple way to save money.
These are just a few different aspects of maintenance and repair that you might need to familiarize yourself with if you already live in a traditional or older property, or if you are intending to move into a traditional cottage. These DIY, home maintenance tips will help to keep everything up and running, and in good condition for the foreseeable future.
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