Swim spas for small spaces

Do you have room in the backyard for a swimming spa? 

 

When there isn't enough room for an outdoor or indoor swimming pool, but you like the idea of exercising in water and don't want the hassle of driving to a public pool, why not consider the idea of installing a swim spa.  Read more ...

Shelves add character to a room

We all need extra space right?   Doesn't matter whether it is in the shed, in the office, or the house.  Over the years we collect more and more stuff, and quite often it gets stored on the floor simply because it seems to be an easy place to put things.

But what about the walls?   They make ideal areas to put up some shelving and help to keep the floor tidy and hopefully accident free. 

Read more ...

Splashback Tiling

To add splashback tiling is like putting the final touches to a painting, for example.  Even although you need to consider your splashback well in advance of the tiling being started.

Splashbacks allows you to bring colour to a wall, especially where white wall tiles have been used in a bathroom for example.  Splashbacks also enable you to create some kind of a theme. 

Sometimes it is worth to spend a little more money on the splashback than the other tiles simple because of the value you might benefit in having the splashback in the first place. Splashbacks can be very effective in producing a wow factor when walking into a room. 

Read more ...

Tips on how to hang a picture

For many people, hanging a picture is relatively simple.  Just hit a nail into the wall and put the picture on the hook, right!  That might work in most cases, but what if the position of the picture means that the room looks out of focus? 

After all generally there is a purpose of hanging a picture on the wall in the first place.  It might be to make the area more lived in.  Or it might be for sentimental reasons, like a nice memory comes to mind by looking at the picture. 
 
If by hanging the picture reminds us of something or someone then it makes sense that we might give the process a little more effort than just a nail and a hammer.
Read more ...  

Process of Laying Wall Tiles

The process of laying wall tiles starts with having a good foundation.  

Tiling a wall has a lot to do with the floor and if they are not level this will affect your starting point. Before you start make sure that you have everything on hand that you will require to complete the job including the right type of adhesive compound and adequate quantity.  Then, set your starting point.  Read more ...

Getting rid of discoloured grout

Allow the tile grout to become discoloured and you invite a myriad of problems.  Not least being the repairing and cleaning of these areas even although the effort is well worth it.  
 

Whilst we would all like to think that tile grout will last forever, if the job was done well in the first place you will get a long wear albeit the colour will fade.  

Like with all man made materials, lots of wear and the weather will have an effect on the tile grout.  So it makes more sense to keep areas dry and clean as much as possible to prevent situations that will become costly to repair in the long run. 

Read more ...

Exterior moulding to change the house appearance

Are you looking to make some changes to the exterior look of your house; then why not try some external mouldings?  There are a number of different profiles to choose; from classical facades to ultra-modern.

Exterior moulding can be used to frame windows, doors and the sides of a home and are available in a wide variety of styles and types. Exterior trim and moulding can also add detail to roof lines, gables or porches.  

As a visual, aesthetic element to exterior home design, moulding is a simple and inexpensive way to remodel or update a home's exterior.  

Wood moulding is one of the less common moulding options because of its tendency to warp with exposure to heat and moisture. However, wood can be handcrafted into several elaborate design styles, making it an ideal choice for restored historical homes. 

Plastic exterior moulding is a more common material choice because it is resistant to weather damage. It is typically a single, solid piece, which means that some designs that are possible in handcrafted wood moulding are not possible in plastic moulding. 

It's important to choose exterior moulding in a style and colour that compliments the overall exterior design of the home, as well as the surrounding landscape. For example, a minimalist home with simplistic moulding is better than ornately detailed handcrafted wood moulding. 

External mouldings have the advantage of being lightweight and are relatively easy to work with compared to conventional building products and techniques. They look like high end concrete but weigh only a fraction as much - and often cost only a fraction as much as well.  

They can be installed during the initial construction of a home or building, or added on as decorative moulding after construction.  Installation is as easy as adhering them to the wall surface. With a wide range of finish options available, lightweight building products can also make your finished project look amazing! And the insulation properties of the products give you an added benefit (and value to your property). 

Window sills not only increase the curb appeal of your windows, but are also designed to prevent water damage around windows. Sills are designed with a slope running from back to front to force water away from your windows, preventing water from accumulating and leaking into your windows preventing rot or mould growth because of water and moisture.

Because of this, exterior sills make an ideal window sill replacement for those who have known the trouble of replacing a window sill. Exterior sills may be adhered to brick, stone, stucco, ICF and EIFS and siding.

Exterior moulding contributes to a home's value by increasing the curb appeal of the home. Selecting appropriate exterior moulding is an essential component to home renovation. Exterior trim and moulding also provides an opportunity to add colour to a home's exterior. Trim and moulding make a home look finished, increasing the overall value of the home. 

When our clients are looking for a building design that makes their house stand out from their neighbours, whether it’s for a residential home,  granny flat or kit home, we will often make suggestions to vary the design by using different profiles of external moulding.

Louvre windows make an ideal artistic statement

Louvre windows were once considered a thing of the past.  However, like many styles of past eras, they are once again in fashion.   

They look great in a 1 or 2 bedroom granny flat and allow air to flow through almost 100% of the window area. 

When opened, louvres are like free air conditioning which is great especially when your home is based in tropical climates like Queensland.  You get to control the strength of the breeze or to ensure the Louvre is sealed tight to keep water and wind out by a simple close of the handle. 

Read more ....

Paving a Way with Pavers

Paving a way with pavers to landscape requires a commitment of putting pen to paper to be guaranteed of some form of success. 

You will get a much clearer idea of the scale you need to work with.  And let's face it, it is much easier to draw out your landscape ideas on paper than to manually start the job and decide half way through that it is not working out how you envisaged it.  

Read more ....

SOIL AND SITE CLASSIFICATIONS

Soil classifications are extremely important when looking to build a granny flat in any Australian
backyard.  A builder and engineer need to know how reactive or problematic the soil is to determine what kind of footings each granny flat will have.  We have provided exerts relevant to the Queensland Building and Construction Commission ruling.

Read more ....

How to create more kitchen storage space

Many of us believe that we don’t have the storage space that we need within our kitchen. This is perhaps one of the top reasons as to why people invest in remodelling their kitchen. However, there are plenty of ways that you can add storage space to your kitchen without throwing a lot of money at it.  Here are a couple of good ideas.

Add shelving:

The easiest way of adding storage space to any room, no matter how big or small, is to add shelves to the room. This is a simple job to do and shouldn’t take you more than ten minutes for each shelf. All you need is a couple of shelves, some screws and a drill.

Anybody with an ounce of DIY prowess should be able to accomplish this. Some of the best places to add shelves include the corners of the room where often it goes unused.

If you have a lot of cabinets, why not consider adding a ‘stem’ rack underneath? Again, this job is as simple as installing shelves. All you do is screw them underneath the cabinet. These can hold any glass with a stem, and some of them are even capable of holding wine bottles. This is perfect if you want to add a lot of storage space to your kitchen.

Making better use of walls:

If you have a lot of pots, pans and knives why not consider storing them on the walls as opposed to in the cabinets? This can free up a lot of space and make the kitchen look interesting. You can purchase magnetic strips for your knives and pegboards for your pots and pans from any good retailer of kitchenware.

Cabinet inserts:

You could even look into the option of cabinet inserts. These effectively double the amount of shelf space that you have available within your cabinets. Again, you can purchase these from any decent home store, and they shouldn’t be too expensive to purchase either!

Additional benches:

If you have a bit of space in the centre of the room then perhaps you could look into the option of a bench with storage space underneath. This isn’t an idea for everybody, but it could add a real sense of character to your room. Make sure you have enough space to move around with afterwards of course! You could even purchase a small bench to use as your ‘preparation’ bench if you are looking to spend a lot of time in the kitchen.

 

When the Nova Group is designing for a granny flat or a kit home, we are acutely aware of building kitchens into a compact area. It can be challenging but there are always good options to be creative.

Laying ceramic tiles over vinyl flooring in bathroom

An old vinyl floor can be a good base for ceramic tile if the floor is stiff enough and the vinyl is properly prepared — eliminating the problem of tearing it up. This article explains what to look for and how to do it.

Old vinyl floors in bathrooms are a pain to tear up, and if the vinyl was installed before 1980 it may even contain asbestos. However, if you don't mind raising the height of the floor a little, you can usually tile right over it, even directly on the vinyl, and thus not have to deal with the asbestos issue at all.

Ceramic tile requires a stiff base to keep it and the grout from cracking. So the first thing you have to do is check the thickness of your floor. You can usually figure the thickness by pulling up a floor register or removing the door threshold. If the ceiling is open below the floor, you can often tell from where plumbing penetrates the floor. As a last resort, remove the toilet and examine the area around the ring; you'll have to pull the toilet anyway at some point.

If your floor framing is spaced 16 in. apart, the combination of subfloor plus underlayment (a second layer of plywood directly under the vinyl) should add up to at least 1-1/8 in. If it's 24 in. apart, it should add up to 1-1/2 in. If the floor is less than this, it probably isn't stiff enough to lay tile directly on vinyl. In that case use tiling Method 1, and add either 1/4- or 1/2-in. cement board to build it up. Keep in mind that in doing so, you'll be raising the floor level 1/2 to 3/4 in. (cement board plus 1/4-in. tile), which means that you'll have to trim the door, raise the vanity, extend the toilet ring, and make a new transition to the hallway.

If your floor is already stiff enough, you can lay the tile directly over the vinyl using Method 2. With this method you only build your floor up 1/4 in. However, if you choose this method, you should be aware of the asbestos issue. Asbestos is a known carcinogen that was used in many products including vinyl tile, asphalt tile, sheet flooring and adhesives made until 1980. So if your floor was laid after 1980, it won't contain asbestos unless the installer used older materials. You can clean and sand it to improve tile adhesion, or even tear it out.

However, if you have an older home, and don't know when the floor was laid, do not sand it or disturb it. Simply strip off the old grime and wax with an ammonia-based cleaner. When it's dry, apply a little tile adhesive and let it dry to test for good adhesion. If thin-set mortar with an acrylic additive doesn't stick well, try a mastic-type adhesive. Both are available at home centres and tile stores.

In any case, tighten any loose flooring by screwing down the entire surface with galvanized wood screws spaced every 6 in. Add more screws in obviously loose areas. For more information visit http://www.familyhandyman.com/tiling/tile-installation/how-to-tile-bathroom-floors/step-by-step

Owner Build Granny Flats

Easier & faster to build, owning a granny flat in WA is a rising trend. 

These secondary dwellings have consistently proved to be another source of income especially for the retired people facing challenging economic crisis.   Many of the older blocks of land around Australia are large and valuable, yet the living space is small.  Wise investors can see the potential.  Even wiser investors can see a bigger potential when they have the time to become an owner builder and construct their own secondary dwellings.

Granny flats by the Nova Group provide excellent living options and the many variations to choose from have proved equally attractive in several states across the length & breadth of the Australian sub-continent. 

These small home solutions are also very popular as granny flats for Sydney & granny flats for Melbourne.  The Nova Group owner build granny flat means you can build to your time frame and more importantly to your budget.  Having Nova provide you with all the materials and drawings and you providing the labour content, you end up with a second dwelling that is very cost effective and to be proud of.

Constructing Detached Granny Flats in NSW as Owner Builder

Like for a new house, an owner builder of a granny flat must essentially make sure to comply and meet the requirements of the NSW Housing Code. It generally includes specifications largely applying to height, site coverage, floor area & building setbacks.

Though this criterion is normally used in the NSW Housing Code, it also applies collectively to the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP when you are constructing a granny flat.  Permissible maximum site coverage the Affordable Rental Housing SEPP includes for the granny flat is along with the house.

Offering respite, no other private open space or parking area is required to be provided for the granny flat apart from what is already available with the existing residence.

Owner builders generally require the backing of an experienced team to ensure they are on the right track to achieve a successful outcome.  When they purchase their granny flat kit me from the Nova Design Group, the service and advice they receive is second to none.

Granny Flats are Popular Solutions for Extended Families

Aimed to decrease disruption to the existing structure, granny flats have fast emerged as a popular solution for many extended families in Australia.  The Nova Group specializes in designing and building 1 and 2 bedroom granny flats throughout Queensland and New South Wales where constructing a granny flat is hassle free to you because their expert team takes care of all the approvals, insurance and building infrastructure.

Nova offers a streamlined service that includes building on level foundations as well as more complicated situations where land is prone to flooding and is on a slope.

Nova prides itself on being creative in designing for their vast range of granny flats. A granny flat floor plan modified to fit all the day to day luxuries of a house into a small living area requires talent to ensure the area is workable, functional and comfortable for the resident.

Granny flats as a secondary dwelling serves as a boon for extended families saving you money in the long term by turning valuable land space into an income producing asset when the granny flat is rented out.  With the demand for rental properties on the rise, decent tenants are willing to pay for rent as much as they would to live in the main house.