4 Tips for Finishing a Basement

17 June 2019

Some homeowners are completely content to keep their basement relatively out of sight and mind. They don’t really mind that there’s an unfinished or partially finished space right underneath them, because, frankly, they don’t have much use for it.

That doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. With the scarcity of great real estate in modern urban centers and the skyrocketing price of homes, you would think that a homeowner would want to squeeze some life out of every little, liveable corner of their home.

That’s why many experts recommend you consider finishing your basement, making it either liveable (in which case you could rent it to help pay the mortgage, or offer it to a family member), or recreational (in which case it functions as a rec room). To help you on your way toward a finished basement, this article will discuss four key tips to bear in mind.

Plan the Layout for Usability:

Planning the layout of a basement is often the most consequential part of the process – it creates a blueprint for everything to come. Have utility and functionality in mind when planning the layout: if it is meant to be liveable, how can you make it more liveable? If it is meant to be recreational, what would you like the basement’s centerpieces to be? In either case, plan the main areas around natural light and open space. Give thought to the flow of rooms, starting with when you walk downstairs.

Protect Your Basement from Water:

The single greatest threat to a finished basement is water. Being the lowest space in a house, a basement is also the most susceptible. Hire a professional to consult on waterproofing, and get yourself two sump pumps, including a battery backup for your existing sump pump – you’ll need a plumber to aid in installation, but it’s worth it for sheer risk management.

Budget for the Use of Professionals:

Working off that last point, here’s an important, broad tip that homeowners should keep in mind: budget for bringing in pros. So many homeowners convince themselves that DIY construction, electrical, plumbing, etc. is going to be easy, only to find that it is incredibly complicated and that incorrect execution can have big consequences for the final product. There’s no shame in calling in pros, and, in fact, it might save you money in the long run.

Don’t Discount Looks:

As discussed, functionality is a crucial part of putting together a finished basement… but so is aesthetics. Consider trim for the walls, wainscoting, good flooring, and pleasing light fixtures. Put thought into the color and brightness of the room, as well as the arrangement of its furniture and components. Install and maintain good windows and, as a final touch, add some art to the walls. Don’t be afraid to head to the internet for inspiration. This collection of 50 basements remodels in a great place to start!

Don’t leave a whole floor of your home unfinished –start thinking about your dream basement today!

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How Often Should You Schedule Professional Cleaning Service – A Detailed Guide

In today's fast-paced world, maintaining a clean and orderly environment, whether at home or work, is a challenge many face. While doing it yourself is an option, scheduling a professional cleaning service offers efficiency and thoroughness that can hardly be matched. However, one crucial question remains: How often should these services be scheduled? This is a challenging answer as it depends on multiple factors like the type and usage of the space, personal cleanliness standards, lifestyle, and budget. This comprehensive guide explores these factors, providing insights to help you decide the best cleaning schedule for your needs. Understanding Your Space The type of space you occupy is pivotal in determining the cleaning frequency. Family Homes: Homes, especially with kids and pets, are prone to frequent spills, stains, and general untidiness. A weekly cleaning schedule is often recommended to keep up with the chaos and maintain a hygienic environment. Apartments: A bi-weekly cleaning can often suffice for smaller spaces like apartments, especially those occupied by singles or couples without pets. These spaces generally accumulate less dirt and clutter. Office Spaces: The frequency of cleaning in commercial office spaces should be dictated by the daily foot traffic and the nature of work conducted. Highly trafficked areas like lobbies, bathrooms, and meeting rooms require daily cleaning to maintain a professional appearance and hygienic environment. Lifestyle and Personal Preferences Your daily routine and personal standards of cleanliness play a crucial role in how often you should schedule cleaning services. Busy Households: In homes where both adults work or where there are several activities, more frequent cleaning can be a lifesaver, helping to manage the chaos and maintain some order. Health Concerns: For households with allergy sufferers or people with respiratory issues, regular cleaning can significantly reduce allergens and dust, thus requiring more frequent attention. Social and Professional Engagements: If you frequently host guests or business meetings at your place, maintaining a consistently clean and presentable space is essential, warranting more frequent professional cleaning services. Differentiating Between Cleaning Services Different cleaning services have different roles and thus require different scheduling frequencies. Deep Cleaning: This is an extensive cleaning process covering areas often overlooked in regular cleaning. Scheduling a deep cleaning every three to six months can help maintain your property's overall cleanliness and longevity. Standard Cleaning: This includes routine tasks like dusting, vacuuming, and cleaning bathrooms and kitchens and is typically what you would schedule weekly or bi-weekly. Specialized Cleaning Services: Tasks like carpet cleaning, window washing, or pressure washing are specialized services you might not need as often – perhaps just a couple of times a year. Balancing Budget and Cleanliness While frequent cleaning ensures a consistently clean environment, balancing the costs and benefits is essential. Regular cleaning can prolong the life of your furnishings and finishes, saving money in the long run. However, each cleaning session is an added expense. Finding a schedule that keeps your space clean without straining your finances is vital. Sometimes, alternating between deeper cleans and lighter maintenance can be cost-effective. Seasonal Adjustments The changing seasons can also impact your cleaning schedule. Spring and Fall: These transitional periods are often ideal for more thorough cleaning to prepare your space for the summer or winter months. Winter: With more indoor activity, you might require more frequent cleaning to address the increased use of indoor spaces. Summer: Depending on your lifestyle, summer might mean less time spent indoors, allowing for a more relaxed cleaning schedule. What Are The Benefits Of Hiring A Professional Cleaning Service? While keeping your office or home tidy and clean, this is crucial for several reasons. However, keeping a clean and tidy space can sometimes be time-consuming. This is often a challenging task. Below, I will discuss the benefits of hiring a pro-cleaning service. 1) Saves Time and Energy If you are hiring a pro-cleaning service, this would save you a crucial amount of energy and time. Instead of cleaning your ice or home, it can leave professional angels on several others. This is especially beneficial if you have a busy work schedule or if you have to spend time, as this allows you to prioritize your energy and time on more significant tasks. 2) Saves Money in The Long Run If you are hiring a professional cleaning service, it may be an additional expense. But this can save you money in the long run. Above all, regular cleaning and maintenance would also help you in the prolonged life of your furniture and several other household or office items. Above all, by investing in such a professional service, you can avoid costly repairs or replacements. 3) Customisable Cleaning Plans There are a large number of professional cleaning services which often offer such customizable cleaning plans. This would also be suitable for your specific requirements along with preferences. Whether you require a one-time deep clean monthly cleaning services, or regular weekly you tailor the service to fit your budget. 4) Peace of Mind If you are hiring a pro-cleaning service, this provides peace of mind. Furthermore, you can be assured that your office or home is being cleaned by several trained professionals, especially those using effective and safe cleaning methods. This would also alleviate any concerns that you might have about cleaning your working or living space. 5) Customized cleaning Plans If you can tailor your cleaning plan to your specific requirements or preferences, then this is one of the most significant benefits. Above all, professional cleaning services also provide flexibility in service selection and scheduling. Above all, this allows you to choose the plan that fits your budget, cleaning priorities, and schedule. In this case, the cleaning service will also be able to create customized cleaning plans that consider the size of your area. For example, if you can manage busy office traffic or high traffic such as reception or restrooms, this might necessitate daily cleaning. If you have pets, you would set up the routine, which includes deodorizing your carpets and regular vacuuming. 6) Healthier Living Environment A clean living environment is always essential for good health. Above all, this prevents the spread of allergies and diseases. Professional cleaning services are critical for creating a healthier living environment by eliminating germs and allergens. Regular professional cleaning service also keeps allergens from building, making allergic reactions less likely. 7) Reduced Stress If you are outsourcing any cleaning tasks, then this can reduce stress. This happens by taking the responsibility of cleaning off your plate. Rather than worrying about cleaning your space, you can focus on other crucial tasks. Not only that, but you can also spend quality time with your family members. Bottom Line Determining the optimal frequency for professional cleaning services is a personalized decision that depends on various factors. It's about finding the right balance that keeps your space clean, healthy, and welcoming without overburdening your schedule or budget. Regularly assess your needs, make adjustments as necessary, and remember that the proper cleaning schedule aligns with your lifestyle, preferences, and requirements. Your peace of mind and the cleanliness of your space are well worth the effort! Learn More About: Cleaning Your Home with Pets – The Most Common Problems Swimming Pool Cleaning and Maintenance: Cheap Online Pool Supplies Disinfection and Cleaning Strategies for Reopening Commercial Buildings Choosing The Right Cleaning Company: 5 Essential Factors To Keep In Mind

9 Home DIY Decorating Tips

For new homeowners, there is nothing more exciting than the prospect of owning your first home. This is a place that you can share with your family and make memories in. Of course, for your home to truly feel special you need to do the work to make it look as stunning as it possibly can, so not only do you get to impress your neighbors, but you will be able to give your family a feeling of warmth and belonging by manipulating the aesthetics to suit their tastes. If you don't want to spend money by hiring a professional interior designer at the moment, here are some quick ways for you to decorate your home! 1. It All Starts At the Facade The facade is the first thing that your guests see when they enter your home. It is fair to say that the facade will create a more lasting first impression compared to the other parts of your home. One thing that you can do to make your home feel inviting is by giving your front door a nice playful hue, perhaps one of the primary colors of red, blue, or yellow. This gives your house a very impressive aesthetic, which many of your guests will surely appreciate. In fact, it is actually a very popular tradition to paint the front door red as a sign of welcome, which is something that started in the early days of the United States but is something that is still practiced today. 2. Keep Everything Light and Subtle So this approach is a little different from your front door, but you should keep the colors of the interior of your home very light and very subtle. Remember, you want to tickle the senses with the color of your front door, but you want to calm them down with the color of your walls and furniture. The reason why is simple: the colors of the interior surround you and your guests, from all sides. That is why having a very profound color indoors has the potential of absolutely overwhelming your guests. Light-colored walls of white or gray particularly go well with natural light. 3. You Can’t Get Enough Natural Light Speaking of natural light, you should make sure that you maximize it within your home by removing any obstructions from the outside or from within that could obstruct it. Natural light is beautiful and it can easily improve the aesthetic of your home. 4. Mirrors, A Must Have For Every Room Of course, if your home is not situated in an area that permits too much natural light, there is a little secret that you can so that you can recreate the effect of having tons of natural light in your home. That is, of course, with the careful and creative use of mirrors. You should have a mirror hung in every room because it can bounce light around to give your home better brightness and artificially create the feeling of having tons of light from coming from the outside. 5. Make Good Use Of Art The oldest trick in the book when it comes to making your home look fancier and more luxurious is to buy art and carefully choose the right areas of your home to feature them in. You have to remember that art is very subjective, so you shouldn’t feel the need to buy pieces that are too expensive to enhance the aura of your living room. It is purely visual, there are tons of paintings out there that you can buy for under $50 that would look great on your wall. To the untrained eye, which accounts for most eyes, the difference between those pieces of art and the most expensive ones will be completely negligible. If it looks good and fits the color scheme of your home, buys it! 6. Add An Electric Fireplace Earlier we talked about the home being the perfect place to make your loved ones feel nice, loved, and warm. There is no better way to recreate this warmth in your home than to feature an electric fireplace with mantle. Not only are electric fireplaces very practical for people who live in colder states, but they are very symbolic and traditional as well; an ideal setting for having deep conversations and telling fun stories in the presence of the people you care about. Not only are electric fireplaces very practical for people who live in colder states, but they are very symbolic and traditional as well; an ideal setting for having deep conversations and telling fun stories in the presence of the people you care about. You can also consider in using bio ethanol burners, powered by clean and renewable bioethanol fuel, offer an eco-friendly and versatile solution for adding warmth and ambiance to any space without the need for a chimney or vent. 7. Lighting that Matches the Room This tip is a little bit more technical but it can be very powerful if you use it correctly. You should have different types of lighting in your home and you should match with the room it is in. There is ambient lighting that exists purely for the purpose of illumination, which would work great in the living room. There is also such a thing as accent lighting, which provides very decorative and very pleasing highlights. These types of lights are perfect for places where you entertain like the dining room. 8. Don’t Forget to Declutter This is probably something that you hear time and time again from people that are interested in home decorating, less is definitely more. Having that said, you have to constantly look at the parts of your home that you feel may look a little overwhelming and find ways to declutter. Maybe your bookshelf has too many books, or maybe your furniture is too closely packed together. 9. Low Ceiling? No Problem One of the first things that realtors talk about when they are trying to sell an expensive home is high ceilings, they are just magnificent to behold and they can give the home a very grandiose appearance. Of course, if these types of homes are not exactly within your budget, there are some visual tricks that you can try to artificially reproduce this look. Using custom drapes, using large mirrors, and using design elements that feature vertical stripes will all make your ceiling look higher. Styling a Stunning Home So those are some of the simple ways you can make your home look great in a way that does not break the bank. Always remember, however, that design may give you a beautiful looking house, but it is the people in it that truly turn it into a home. Read Also: How to Improve Your Living Conditions in a Small Living Space 5 Tech Items You Can Display as Decor Home Improvement Hacks to Add to Your Space

What Does Sound Dampening Mean?

Noise traveling to and from rooms can be distracting when trying to work, read, or enjoy some peace and quiet. It can be hard to focus on what you are trying to do when you can hear music blaring, a loud television, or children screaming through the walls, not to mention a million other potential distractions. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce sound transmitted through the walls, which can be invaluable when preventing sound transfer inside or outside a room. Felt Right has a unique way to achieve this. Depending on the materials you use for this procedure, you can obstruct more or less sound, even blocking the transmission of sound waves entirely, if you choose. What is Sound Dampening? Sound dampening is installing materials within a home, vehicle, or other location to absorb, reflect, or diffuse sound. This reduces the amount of noise that passes through and can also improve a room’s acoustics, which is why sound dampening is also known as “acoustic treatment.” It is a significant reason that recording studios make use of this technique. Sound dampening can eliminate approximately 80% of the sound transfer, meaning that you can prepare a room for studying, work, hobbies, or mental health. However, there is just enough sound to hear if there is an emergency in another room or someone yells for you. This is especially ideal if you have children in the house or others who may need your attention so that you can focus on what you are doing while still being accessible to others if required. If you need even greater solitude, one option is to soundproof a room similar to sound dampening but endeavors to block any sound infiltration whatsoever completely. However, this process is far more intensive and to prove entirely successful generally requires planning in architectural design before room construction to ensure complete soundproofing. What Materials Work Best for Sound Dampening? When you sound dampen locations, you must decide which materials you wish to use. Different materials can prove effective to different degrees; some are external solutions, while others require installation within the walls or other surfaces. Keep in mind if air can pass into an area, so can sound. For best results, address windows, spaces between and under doors, and other airflow conduits. No matter how effective your sound-dampening materials are, if air passes freely through such openings, you will have more noise. Felt Tiles One of the easiest methods for sound dampening is through the use of felt tiles. These panels have an adhesive back designed not to damage walls or paint, creating a plug-and-play solution. Felt tiles are versatile, coming in various shapes, sizes, and colors, so they are excellent choices if you wish to snazzy up the interior design of your room and enjoy the benefits of the felt’s sound-dampening qualities. Choosing felt tile designs to match your taste or set a professional tone can be invaluable when creating a relaxing atmosphere or environment conducive to work. A soothing, welcome decor has proven effective in improving mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. Having an attractive backdrop during work video calls provides an air of credibility to a home office space. In either situation, the reduced noise permeation is invaluable. Polyurethane Foams These polymer foams come in rolls or sheets and can serve as a suitable sound-dampening barrier, particularly when reducing high-frequency noises. However, low-frequency sounds are more likely to penetrate if the foam is not sufficiently thick, so keep this in mind if you want more effective noise reduction. Also, be aware that polyurethane foams are flammable, so only place them in areas where they will not be susceptible to open flames or other fire risks. As a result of this quality, this type of sound dampening should be for home use in fire-safe locations rather than used in an industry setting, where there is a greater risk of inflammation. Polyester Fibers These dense materials are excellent for sound dampening in industrial settings or other noisy areas. They work best on high-frequency sounds and are often lauded for their strength and durability, making them incredibly resistant to general wear and tear and fire. Plus, it is a lightweight material, which makes it easier to transport and install. Cork This porous material is surprisingly effective as it can trap a significant quantity of air, which means it can catch sounds and convert them to vibrations, effectively deadening noise. Cork is effective even in thin sheets, and the material is incredibly lightweight. Furthermore, it is an accessible material to install and can be purchased in tile forms for easy customization. Mass-loaded Vinyl A popular choice because it is one of the least expensive sound-dampening options, mass-loaded vinyl is explicitly intended for sound dampening. It is easy to find and acquire this material, but remember that the denser the material, the more effective it will be. Mass-loaded vinyl does not have much elasticity, so it forms a solid barrier that sounds waves have trouble passing through. Green Glue, Gaps, and Spaces Remember that sound can pass through any space air can, so for better sound dampening, you need to find spaces where air can pass through, such as cracks or gaps within the walls. Green glue is an excellent choice for filling holes, blocking airflow, and reducing the noise that can enter (or exit) the room. For areas you will not want to seal, such as windows, you can find sound-reducing curtains that can serve as sound dampening, combatting unwanted outdoor sounds such as those from traffic, industries, and neighbors. For doors, sound dampening can be as simple as placing a blanket against the gap beneath. Alternatively, you can install a door stop, soundproofing rubber, or acoustic panels to block sound from entering. The Bottom Line When you want to keep from traveling in or out of a room, one of the most effective ways to reduce sound is to find appropriate materials that function as sound-dampening agents, placed along walls and wherever there are gaps or cracks in which sound can pass. Proper sound dampening can create an atmosphere conducive to work or relaxation or prevent televisions, music, musical instruments, and other loud forms of recreation from disturbing others. Read Also: How To Get 60 Day Trial For Luxury Beddings Five Bedroom Rug Ideas – Area Rugs and Decorating Ideas Living Ideas In Small Bedroom House Plans With Efficient House Designs

4 Tips for Finishing a Basement

Plan the Layout for Usability:

Protect Your Basement from Water:

Budget for the Use of Professionals:

Don’t Discount Looks:

Best Carpet Maintenance Practices

Ideas to Give Luxury Feel to Your Condo

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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How Often Should You Schedule Professional Cleaning Service – A Detailed Guide

9 Home DIY Decorating Tips

What Does Sound Dampening Mean?

4 Tips for Finishing a Basement

Plan the Layout for Usability:

Protect Your Basement from Water:

Budget for the Use of Professionals:

Don’t Discount Looks:

Share this Article

Best Carpet Maintenance Practices

Ideas to Give Luxury Feel to Your Condo

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related