Search This Blog

Thursday 26 September 2013

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.  
 
granny flats in Brisbane will need tile regrouting
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 ...

Saturday 21 September 2013

Exterior moulding to change the house appearance


Exterior moulding changes the appearance of granny flats BrisbaneAre 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 looks great on granny flats Brisbane
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. 

Exterior moulding changes the appearance of granny flats BrisbaneExternal 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.

Monday 16 September 2013

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 ....

Friday 13 September 2013

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 ....

Monday 9 September 2013

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 ....

Saturday 7 September 2013

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:

maximising on kitchen spaceThe 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.