Browse Author: RandyWenzel6623

Renovation tips for a Northern Virginia house

Do you ever get the feeling that someone is watching you?

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night, convinced you’ve heard heavy footsteps pounding slowly toward your door… have you sat in wide-eyed terror as the door knob begins to turn but you know you’re alone in the house!!

If you have then maybe you should call a priest.

But for most so called “hauntings” the culprit is not an otherworldly spirit, rather it is it is usually just some part of your home that needs a bit of TLC. This is why it seems so many old buildings are haunted – it’s not ghosts, it’s just old wiring.

Speaking of which…

 

Flickering Lights

No horror movie home is complete without a deep, dark basement lit only by a single, flickering light bulb…

Though haven’t you ever wondered why the owners never got around to installing a better light system down there? Dave with a kitchen & bath remodeling company – larkinremodelers.com walked me through, what’s going on in the mide of the home owners at these places, and it’s incredible!

Don’t make the same mistake! If your lights (or any other things) are flickering, it’s probably not a spirit trying to make contact, it just means the wiring is faulty. So get an electrician in to take a look.

 

Slamming Doors

Ok, we’ll admit it – suddenly slamming doors can be kind of kind frightening. But they are not the product of unruly ghosts running amok in your home.

For one thing, slamming doors is just rude – no self-respecting ghost would every do such a thing.

Secondly, it’s probably just because the door is not hanging correctly on its hinges. Try bringing in a carpenter to plane the door and re-hang it for you so it doesn’t swing around in the merest puff of breeze.

 

Disappearing Keys

Do you ever go to pick up your car keys or perhaps your watch and find they aren’t where you put them down?

It’s not a spiritual treasure hunt – you’re just a bit messy, and don’t want to admit it. Try putting up some nice decorative hooks to hang your keys on so you always know where they are.

Just make sure you don’t install the hooks too close to the front door, or a car thief (who are unfortunately all too real) could try to steal them through your letterbox.

 

Things that go bump in the night

If you’re waking up in the night to strange bangs and crashes, then naturally the first thought that could go through your mind is that your are experiencing a real life haunting.

Well, banish that thought from your mind quickly, and start thinking rationally. For one thing, all buildings make noise, irrespective of their age. They settle on their foundations, they swell in the heat and shrink back at night – all of this can produce classic groaning and banging noises.

Another culprit could be the good old central heating pipes – and that is a renovation project scarier than any ghost!

If you hear a lot of banging, an hour or two after turning off the heating system, it’s could be air bubbles in the pipes. Try bleeding the system to remove air. If it continues, then it might be a sign your old heating system is on the way out and needs replacing.

Or, of course, it could be a ghost. Ripping out an old heating system or seeing a ghost? We’re honestly not sure which we find scarier!…

Kitchen Design Mistakes You Must Avoid When Remodeling

The do’s and don’ts of kitchen design can run for pages and pages – and that the end of the day they are largely subjective.

At the same time, there are some universals, practical reasons to not do some of the things that are included on this list.

So, whilst you are still in the designing stages of your kitchen remodeling, take a look at this list of design mistakes to avoid!

 

Reach for the Sky

When you are planning out your cupboard space, don’t stop before you get to the ceiling; instead build in your cupboards so they finish in contact with the ceiling with no gap.

Now unless you are 7 foot tall you won’t be using that cupboard space daily – it is however very useful storage space for things that can be tucked away for long periods of time between uses – and never underestimate how much storage space you might need.

Besides, if the cupboards end before the ceiling, the tops of the cupboards just become magnets for grease and dust.

 

Learn When to Stop

It could be said that the real secret to effective kitchen design lies not in what you put in the kitchen – but in what you keep out.

Vince, the head designer at Kitchen & Bath Remodeling of Virginia Beach I interviewed also said: “Making up kitchen designs for a remodeling project can be fun and it can be kind of exciting. At the same time, it cal also be real easy to go overboard” – which makes perfect sense when you think about all the risks involved in such a large scale project!

Remember to try to leave some “negative” space, i.e. space that has nothing in it. worktops are a great way to do this, as is trying to keep the overall floor plan with lots of nice, wide walkways.

 

Here’s also a quick indestructible if you’re looking to build your own cabinets:

 

Beware Over using Stainless Steel

Yes, Stainless steel can be a great way to add a touch of classy modernity to a kitchen design.

At the same time, it can be very easy to overuse it, particularly when it comes to choosing the appliances you will install in your kitchen – especially the refrigerator.

Simply because of it’s huge size, the refrigerator, especially a stainless steel one, can quickly dominate the room. Consider placing it behind cabinet doors for a more overall welcoming feel to the kitchen.

 

Do What You Want

Yes, the final tip is to ignore everything you’ve just read.

Ok, maybe don’t ignore it completely; there are some good ideas of things to avoid in this list. But at the end of the day, the only person that you need to please is you. If you have your heart set on a design feature that flies in the face of any the tips above though – then go for it!

You are the person who will be cooking in this kitchen everyday – so above all else, make sure that you are happy with it!…

5 Basic Things to Consider Before Finalizing any Contract

5 Basic Things to Consider Before Finalizing any Contract

Contracts are like a huge safety measure unless you plan on doing fraud! Any verbal agreement between two parties where there is money or valuables involved must be written down in a contract and signed by both parties (and more, if there are any).

The contract functions as an agreement that has you bound by the law and it is evidence that a transaction or an agreement actually took place. So before finalizing a contract and stashing it in your file of important documents, here are some things that you must keep in mind and act on.

Discuss the Terms and Conditions Beforehand

The parties involved in the contract must make it a point to discuss the terms of the contract before writing it up. Try to do this in an official meeting with impartial witnesses involved so people other than the involved members also know what to expect from the final contract that is written up. In this way, you will save yourself from coming across unpleasant surprises.

Help in Writing in Up

No matter who it is that is writing up the final contract, it is best if you are present there when they are doing so. Try to tally the points you agreed on in the meeting with the points that are actually being written up in the contract. Make sure the writer gets everything through thoroughly. Talk about any inconsistencies you come across during the writing period. Even if you don’t really see anything wrong in the contract that is being written up, you would at least have some peace of mind that the contract is exactly what you intended it to be.

Make Sure all the Necessary Signatures are Present

Almost every contract out there needs some basic signatures to be finalized before it is available to you or to the other parties involved. This signature could be of the attorney that is in charge of your case, the witnesses or a notary person. Make sure all the necessary signatures are present on the contract by yourself.

Thoroughly read through

Even after the final contract has been written up and signed by the noteworthy authorities, you need to read through the finalized piece before you sign it. It is actually a rule of thumb that you absolutely need to read every piece of paper there is before you sign it. So make sure all the required clauses are present and that you are not putting yourself under a legal liability by signing the contract.

See if the Contract Needs Witnesses

There are many legally binding contracts that need a couple of witnesses or notary people present during the time of the signature. Make sure all such people are present when you and the other parties are involved during the signing of the contract.

If you follow these steps all the way through, you will be saving yourself from the possibility of being scammed by frauds.