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Dr Chris Brown recalls "dramatic" personal renovation disaster

<p><em>Dream Home</em> host Dr Chris Brown has revealed his own renovation fail on the latest episode of the show. </p> <p>The vet turned TV star has taken on a new role where he guides six teams of aspiring renovators through the joys — and pitfalls — of house remodelling in the new Channel 7 reality show. </p> <p>Speaking to 7NEWS, the star recalled the terrifying moment his home nearly fell in on itself when he was trying to build a garage. </p> <p>“On my first renovation, I decided I needed a garage underneath my house,” he said, adding that he had council approval for the renovation. </p> <p>“With a couple of tradies, we went about digging out the garage underneath the house, in the sand.</p> <p>“We just kept on digging, digging, digging, until a rather large sound indicated the house was about to fall into the hole!</p> <p>“So that’s about as dramatic as it as it gets.</p> <p>“To have your house sort of falling in on itself, that was a pretty big learning curve.”</p> <p>He said that the problem was solved "very quickly" with a lot of underpinning and structural support. </p> <p>“A lot of those steel support posts that you can sort of wind up and down, they went in, and thankfully the house didn’t fold in half,” he said, laughing at the situation. </p> <p>He added that unexpected situations like this are what make renovation shows so appealing as "there’s so much natural drama, you don’t have to fake anything." </p> <p>“Choices have to be made, and it’s either the right way or the wrong way, and you only really discover that as you go along," he added. </p> <p>“Sometimes it’s too late to turn back once you realise you’ve made a terrible mistake.”</p> <p>Chris added that his role on the show is almost as a"coach" to the pairs, supporting them through the renovation challenges, and helping them get to the finish line. </p> <p>“What these couples are going through, and just how much they put on the line to get these renovations done, is quite inspiring and quite uplifting and but also thoroughly entertaining,” he said. </p> <p><em>Image: Seven</em></p>

Real Estate

Even in a housing crisis, Australians can’t get enough of renovation stories on TV. Why?

<p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ella-jeffery-1459839">Ella Jeffery</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p>The Block has begun its 19th season this month, <a href="https://9now.nine.com.au/the-block/2023-season-block-confirmed-location-details-scott-cam-season-19-explainer/b4d5fa4e-690f-4755-90da-caba77925836">billed as</a> “a Block that’s entirely relatable to people right around Australia”. This year, contestants renovate five “authentic ’50s dream homes” in “the perfectly named Charming Street, in Melbourne’s Hampton East”.</p> <p>But if the median price for a four-bedroom house in Hampton East is <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/suburb-profile/hampton-east-vic-3188">around A$1.6 million</a> and the nation’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/aug/03/more-than-1600-australians-pushed-into-homelessness-each-month-as-housing-crisis-deepens-report-finds">housing crisis</a> shows no signs of easing, who is The Block relatable to? And why do audiences keep coming back to renovation stories?</p> <p>Home ownership is becoming <a href="https://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/BriefingBook46p/HomeOwnership">less accessible</a> and more people than ever are renting, but stories about renovation on TV, in film and in literature continue to have a powerful effect on us. Why?</p> <p>One reason they can be so captivating is that they invoke the idea of the dream home.</p> <figure><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KadU7z8GHoE?wmode=transparent&start=0" width="440" height="260" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe><figcaption><span class="caption">Season 19 of The Block promises to ‘transform these little time capsules into two-storey mansions’.</span></figcaption></figure> <h2>Home makeovers are ultimately about us too</h2> <p>Ask anyone you know about their dream home – something I did regularly when I was <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/122955/">writing my PhD</a> on renovation stories – and you’ll get an incredible array of different styles, sizes, locations. Maybe it overlooks the ocean, maybe it has the newest appliances, maybe it has a pool, maybe it’s just a house without a <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2022/apr/29/this-isnt-safe-nsw-renters-fight-twin-battles-against-mould-and-landlords">mould problem</a>.</p> <p>The idea of the dream home is deeply rooted in our shared imagination. The philosopher Gaston Bachelard wrote in <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13269.The_Poetics_of_Space">The Poetics of Space</a> (1958) that our houses – both the ones we live in and the ones we dream of – “move in both directions: they are in us as much as we are in them”. Bachelard suggests that in even “the humblest dwelling” our memories, desires and dreams are gathered, and this is why houses are so central to who we are.</p> <p>If houses can be expressions of self, our dream houses say a lot about our desires. While it might no longer look like a <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/is-the-aussie-dream-of-a-quarter-acre-block-dead-1221913/">house on a quarter-acre block</a>, the dream still exists. Renovation stories are so compelling because in them, as <a href="https://us.sagepub.com/en-us/nam/ordinary-television/book205099#contents">researchers</a> have noted, home improvement often represents self-improvement – a dream life, not just a dream house.</p> <p>This is especially important in programs like <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0388595/">Extreme Makeover: Home Edition</a> (2003–20) and <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0243688/">Backyard Blitz</a> (2000–), which often focus on people presented as hard-done-by whose lives are changed by renovations that solve their day-to-day problems.</p> <h2>Better house, better life</h2> <p>Reality TV isn’t the only place we find this type of story about transformation and self-improvement. In Frances Mayes’ bestselling memoir Under the Tuscan Sun (1996), Mayes travels to Italy and buys an abandoned villa, Bramasole, which she renovates. In the process, she gains a new outlook on life.</p> <p>There’s a similar story in Peter Mayle’s A Year in Provence (1989). Mayle, a UK advertising executive, buys a 200-year-old farmhouse in France and renovates it.</p> <p>Both books were exceptionally successful, inspiring an entire genre of renovation memoirs about wealthy middle-class people able to travel abroad, buy charmingly rundown properties in beautiful locations, and renovate them while enjoying the local lifestyle. In them, renovation is a clear symbol of self-transformation, if only for people rich enough to afford it: renovating houses leads to a greater appreciation of life’s pleasures and a new way of seeing the world.</p> <p>This idea of the renovated life can be especially compelling in a world that increasingly feels <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-doomsday-clock-is-now-at-90-seconds-to-midnight-the-closest-we-have-ever-been-to-global-catastrophe-198457">frightening and overwhelming</a>. Researchers like <a href="https://catalogue.nla.gov.au/catalog/4273551">Fiona Allon</a> argue that renovation stories allow us to turn away from the alarming outside world – with its violence, looming recessions, pandemics, climate crises – and focus on the smaller, more controllable world of the home.</p> <p>Maggie Smith’s viral poem <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/89897/good-bones">Good Bones</a> (2016) plays with this idea. The poem is about a mother trying to convince her children (and herself) that despite being a scary place, the world can be improved. To do this, she uses the analogy of a real estate agent selling a fixer-upper. The poem ends with lines that present renovation as an opportunity for change: "This place could be beautiful, Right? You could make this place beautiful."</p> <p>This optimism is what makes renovation excellent fodder for love stories. In the Nancy Meyers rom-com It’s Complicated (2009), Meryl Streep plays a divorcee looking for a fresh start, who renovates her home and falls in love with her architect, Adam. In The Notebook (2004), Ryan Gosling’s Noah transforms an old plantation estate into his lover Allie’s dream home, a gesture that reveals his enduring love.</p> <p>Renovation stories are always about change (although in <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5109784/">some</a> the change doesn’t last). Even if, as may be the case for the increasing number of people who are renting, having a house of our own is itself a fantasy.</p> <h2>Renovate? In this economy?</h2> <p>Many renovation stories can be seen as escapist media that trade on the image of the dream home to sell ideas about wealth, taste and style to audiences unable to afford such things. The Block may involve contestants from a range of backgrounds, but few people can afford the multimillion-dollar houses they build.</p> <p>The Block’s viewership has had ups and downs in its two-decade history, but the show (and many others) continues because, despite being about <a href="https://thenewdaily.com.au/entertainment/2023/03/29/the-block-controversy-grand-designs/">profiting from the housing market</a>, it sells the idea of transformation and change, not just in our houses but in our lives.</p> <p>Renovation stories invite audiences to indulge in a fantasy where we become our best selves living in dream homes that protect us from a volatile and threatening world. The dream home might remain a dream, but in renovation stories we escape reality and envision life in a Tuscan villa, or having a butler’s pantry or plunge pool, or simply owning a house of our own.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/211334/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ella-jeffery-1459839">Ella Jeffery</a>, Lecturer in Creative Writing, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/griffith-university-828">Griffith University</a></em></p> <p><em>Image credits: Instagram - The Block</em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/even-in-a-housing-crisis-australians-cant-get-enough-of-renovation-stories-on-tv-why-211334">original article</a>.</em></p>

9 easy ways to transform your bathroom without renovating

<p class="first-para">Mouldy grout and dated tiles are just some of the not-so-redeeming features of a tired bathroom, but regular renovations are an expensive and unsustainable option, so how do we fancy-up the bathroom without ripping out the tiles? We spoke to some experts to find out.</p> <p><strong>1. Spring clean</strong></p> <p>“The first step would always be to declutter your bathroom and give it a thorough clean – the tiles, any dust and water marks,” says Leah Peretz of renovation experts Just in Place.</p> <p>Interior designer Suzanne Gorman suggests attempting a DIY re-grout or re-seal on the tiles for a fresher look, but warns: “It is a lengthy process and the dust from removing the existing grout can be major.”</p> <p><strong>2. Between the lines</strong></p> <p>If your bathroom has the traditional sand-based white grout, Gorman recommends changing things up a bit.</p> <p>“There are a vast range of grout colours available on the market,” she says. “The grout colour and finish really does make or break the overall feel of your bathroom. For a subtle, contemporary look we choose grout that blends with the tile colour. If you feel game you can try a contrasting or even coloured grout.”</p> <p><strong>3. Spray it</strong></p> <p>Just because you can’t afford to rip the tiles out doesn’t mean you’re stuck with the brown and tan floral forever.</p> <p>Mary McManus of Lavender Hills Interiors suggests spray-painting outdated tiles. “Old, stained or old-fashioned patterned tiles can be spray-painted fresh bright white to look almost new.”</p> <p><strong>4. Tapping into trends</strong></p> <p>The aesthetic impact of a new toilet is greater than you’d imagine. Architect Ben Johnson of Benedict Design says replacing tapware and sanitary fixtures makes a huge impact on the look and functionality of the bathroom.</p> <p>“The options have exploded in recent years and you can get anything from matte black to gold,” says Johnson. “If you’re replacing your toilet, go for a back-to-wall model as this will keep lines clean and make mopping easy.”</p> <p><strong>5. Exhausted fans</strong></p> <p>If you feel your exhaust fan isn’t at its best, give your electrician a call and have it replaced with a higher powered unit. They don’t cost too much and will prevent unwanted mould build-up and condensation.</p> <p>“An old exhaust fan not doing its job properly can have a huge negative impact on all your finishes in the bathroom,” says Gorman. “Paint, mirrors, tiles and shower screens age dramatically without proper ventilation.” </p> <p><strong>6. The sky’s the limit</strong></p> <p>Go one step further with real ventilation via a skylight – a worthwhile investment, according to Johnson. “Getting natural light into a bathroom will have many benefits, from lifting your spirits in the morning to keeping mould at bay.”</p> <p>Aesthetically, it can also highlight a particular area such as the basin or shower. “If you can, build it with an open shaft that will improve the sense of space by giving additional height and breaking up the ceiling.”</p> <p><strong>7. You’re so vain</strong></p> <p>Peretz suggests upcycling an old piece of furniture with a lick of paint then sitting a basin on top for a unique vanity. You can replace a run-of-the-mill shaving mirror with a glamorous vintage one or opt for a contemporary black statement mirror.</p> <p>Tip: If you just want to replace your shaving mirror with a smarter version, Gorman says a larger mirror will hide any evidence of previous wall fixings. Alternatively, ask your local glazier to make up a replacement.</p> <p><strong>8. In the details</strong></p> <p>From framing your children’s art to displaying your towels on a ladder, all our experts agree that small touches can make a big difference.</p> <p>“Bring in some texture and colour with thick ribbed bath mats and fluffy towels,” says McManus.</p> <p>And fluffy towels are even better when they’ve come straight from a heated towel rail. “Most towel rails come as a plug-in,” says Johnson, “which helps if you’re not planning on cutting into your walls or replacing tiles. A warm towel on a winter morning is a wonderful thing.”</p> <p><strong>9. Go green</strong></p> <p>“A living plant will bring colour and texture into your bathroom,” says Peretz. “A ficus or a palm in the corner can be a beautiful statement if you have enough space. Orchids and bamboos like the humidity.”</p> <p>McManus suggests placing some blue-and-white ginger jars and an orchid on the vanity for that final touch.</p> <p><em>Written by Joanne Gambale. Republished with permission of <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Domain.com.au.</span></strong></a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

House with "free" rent listed with major catch

<p>A dilapidated house has been leased for free, offering prospective tenants 12 months of free housing. </p> <p>However, the three bedroom house in south-west Sydney must undergo a full renovation before anyone can move in. </p> <p>Originally posted on Domain, the house has been deemed "currently uninhabitable", with the listing quickly going viral before being taken down. </p> <p>The listing read, “3 bedroom family home perfect for the growing family, nestled in a quiet yet convenient location being close to all the wonderful amenities such as transport, parks, schools, shops in need of a renovation.”</p> <p>Hidden deep within the listing was the information that the house is not currently fit for anyone to live in, with the tenants being expected to front the cost of the entire renovation. </p> <p>“Property is currently uninhabitable - work is required before moving in. The landlord does not have the funds to renovate the property,” the listing said.</p> <p>The listing agent described it as an opportunity for a “savvy minded person or persons with trade knowledge and experience”.</p> <p>The successful tenant will be required to pay for the “full renovation at their own expense”, and in return will receive a three-year lease at the property with the first year coming with no charge. </p> <p>However, they will then need to pay for the second and third years of their lease, with the rent "negotiable" at $650 a week. </p> <p>The listing quickly went viral, with commenters calling out the landlord's "audacity" to ask such a task of a renter that only receives one year of free housing for all their hard work. </p> <p>“Next they will tell you to build a house which you can then rent back,” one person said.</p> <p>“Wow. Just when you thought the audacity was at its most audacious,” another person commented.</p> <p>On Reddit, commentators also pointed out the new tenant would need to spend thousands on the renovation, making the one year of free rent basically worthless. </p> <p>"What a steal. Instead of paying $33,800 a year (the $650 they want after the first year) you get to spend 100-200k+," someone said.</p> <p>"If the landlord is tight on money and doesn't have the funds to renovate, they should just sell the place," another commented.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

8 bite-sized renovations you can do on the weekend

<p>We’re all time poor but that doesn’t mean you have to develop renovation inertia. By chunking down the big tasks you need to do around your home into bite-sized, weekend-worthy nibbles you can power through a number of renovation items piece by manageable piece.</p> <p><strong>1. Replace your handles</strong></p> <p>Upgrading your old, tired <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/why-reddit-is-losing-it-over-doorknobs-20160323-gnpe5q/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">door handles</a></strong></span> is as simple as measuring the distance between the holes and searching online or in store to find a straight replace. Unscrew the old ones, hanging onto the existing screws, as otherwise you may have to cut the ones supplied with the new handles to size, and screw the new ones in place. Simple.</p> <p><strong>2. Changing cupboard fronts</strong></p> <p>A wonderful visual upgrade, you need to check that your kitchen has standard-sized cupboards for this to be an easy weekend upgrade. Standard cupboard and drawer sizes will have plenty of options in stores and online. You’ll need to check the location of hinges, the height and width of fronts and the condition of your carcasses but by unscrewing and replacing cupboards you can transform your kitchen or bathroom cabinets completely. You’ll find some <strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/cabinet-fever-on-the-rise-20120706-21kkk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">interesting colour, texture and pattern options</a></span></strong> The only impediment is your creativity.</p> <p><strong>3. Paint your doors</strong></p> <p>While painting your whole home might be a bit more than you can manage in one sitting, a nice bite-sized job is to apply a couple of coats of <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/for-the-love-of-the-coloured-front-door-20151127-gl5boi/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">coloured paint to your existing internal and external doors</a></strong></span>. Sure, you might not get through them all in one weekend but you can chip away at this task after work or in the mornings and add amazing contrast and interest to your interior scheme. Remember to use an enamel paint for doors and timber work.</p> <p><strong>4. Replace your shower head and toilet seats</strong></p> <p>One of the things I do routinely when moving into a new property is replace the shower head with a new one. Most replacement shower heads come with thread tape and you don’t need to be a plumber to do this straight replace as it doesn’t interrupt the fitting connection. If you can manage that the toilet seat replacement is a cinch.</p> <p><strong>5. Regrouting tiles</strong></p> <p>Scrape out any old or worn grout and replace with a new colour or a replacement of the existing. A word to the wise – don’t grout floors in white as they will be mid grey in no time.</p> <p><strong>6. Replace bathroom accessories</strong></p> <p>Another quick trip to the hardware store or bathroom supplier and you can <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/news/budget-bathroom-makeovers-can-make-big-difference-20150703-gi12es/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">give your bathroom a facelift</a></strong></span> to complement that lovely new shower head.</p> <p><strong>7. Fill gaps and scrapes</strong></p> <p>There are different fillers for different tasks. A quick-dry, all-purpose one like Selley’s Rapid Filler is great for scratches and scrapes on walls or filling in bumps in timber work before painting. Fill gaps between skirtings, cornices and walls with no more gaps. Use a two-part filler like builders bog for areas that need a more hard-wearing but still sandable solution.</p> <p><strong>8. Remove redundant “features” and install new ones</strong></p> <p>Pulling out old, dated or worn shelving and storage cabinets can free up wall space and liberate your rooms from a tired look. Installing wall hung units or floating shelves can give you an opportunity to <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="https://www.domain.com.au/advice/moving-house-how-to-let-it-go-declutter/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clear your home of clutter</a></strong></span> or create a place for you to best display your favourite items.</p> <p><em>Written by Darren Palmer. First appeared on <a href="http://www.domain.com.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Domain.com.au.</span></strong></a></em></p> <p><em>Images: Getty</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Keeping your cat safe while renovating

<p>Planning renovations or starting a DIY home project? It’s worth it in the end, but the process can be stressful for people and pets. With a little planning, you can ease the stress and keep your cat safe as you transform your home.</p> <p><strong>Plan ahead</strong></p> <p>Before starting your home improvement projects, make sure you have made arrangements to keep your cat safe during this time. Renovation chemicals, debris and noises can be harmful to your cats’ health and even lead to behavioural problems. Workers coming in and out of your home create a high risk of your cat escaping.</p> <p>Pets need to be kept away from work areas for their safety and the safety of workers. If the planned work is extensive or your pet is very sensitive, it would be worth boarding them for the duration of construction; you’ll have peace of mind knowing they won’t be exposed to anything dangerous and won’t get frightened and run away.</p> <p><strong>Creating a safe space</strong></p> <p>If your cat is staying home with you, set them up in a separate room with everything they need: litter tray, food and water, toys, and their favourite bedding. Choose a room as far as possible from the construction zone, that workers do not need to access, and put a big “Do Not Open” sign on the door. Make sure windows and flyscreens are secured. Even with all these measures in place there is a high risk of your cat escaping during renovations so guarantee your cat’s microchip and registration details are up to date with the Pet Registry.</p> <p>Cats are especially sensitive to noise and can become stressed with the unfamiliar and often very loud sounds associated with construction. Even the most confident cats want to have a safe, quiet space free from startling noise. When setting up their room it is a good idea to include a high perch and an igloo bed or box that they can retreat to. This will help them to feel secure, and calming interventions such as Feliway, Zylkene and Tranquil Treats can also be beneficial. Cats are creatures of habit, so maintaining their normal feeding, playtime and sleep routines will reassure them.</p> <p><strong>Hazards for your cat</strong></p> <p>Small particles of dust and debris from renovation work can easily attach to your cat’s coat, their bedding and get into their lungs and eyes. This can cause difficulty breathing, asthma, eye irritations, skin allergies and/or toxicity if they ingest chemicals or foreign materials. Keep their room scrupulously clean and monitor their health closely.</p> <p>Many older homes have lead paint and asbestos, which are extremely dangerous for people and for pets, so consult professionals before embarking on any DIY.</p> <p>Cats are more sensitive to fumes than we are, so don’t assume that because you don’t notice an odour your cat is safe. Keep in mind a cat’s lungs are much smaller than ours and their sense of smell is much better than ours. Renovation work such as painting, floor finishing, using adhesives and varnishing are all potentially harmful to your cat. Make sure there is sufficient air flow to allow fresh air into areas where there may be heavy fumes not only for your cat’s safety, but for the safety of yourself and workers. Keep your cat away from these areas in a separate room with ample air flow for at least 1-2 days to allow time for fumes to dissipate. Even if your cat is mostly staying home during renovations, you should consider boarding them during dangerous, noisy, or fume-emitting jobs. </p> <p>Document all the products used (safety data is usually printed on the packaging; take photos to record all the paints and chemicals used for your renovations). If your pet somehow ingests something, the product information will help your vet to determine the best treatment.</p> <p><strong>Adding ‘feline features’</strong></p> <p>While you’re renovating, consider including some special “feline features” to your home, such as indoor catwalks, shelves and perches. It is a great idea to make use of vertical space within your home as cats love high vantage points which enable them to look down on their world. You might even incorporate a “catio” or access to an outdoor enclosure for your feline friend to enjoy. By creating a secure outdoor area for your cat to explore they will be protected from the dangers of cars, cat fights and injury all the while protecting not just your precious pet but also native wildlife and birds.</p> <p>Once the renovations are done, thoroughly clean your home and remove all potential hazards. If you’ve made big changes, gradually introduce your cat back into the home: things will look and smell different to them, so make sure there are some blankets and toys that have your cat’s scent on them. This will reassure them that they are indeed “home”. </p> <p><em>For general advice on cat care and everything feline, call the Cat Protection Society of NSW on 02 9557 4818 or visit their website <a href="http://www.catprotection.org.au">www.catprotection.org.au</a></em></p> <p><strong><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with the Cat Protection Society.</em></strong></p> <p><em>Image credits: Supplied - Cat Protection Society</em></p>

Family & Pets

Renovating your home could ruin your relationship… but it doesn’t have to

<p>Many <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/covid-home-renovations-1.5856136">Canadians have turned to home renovations</a> to find space — both literally and metaphorically — after a year of working, learning, exercising and doing just about everything else from home. As we head into spring and summer, the most popular seasons for home improvement, it’s important for couples to set ground rules before breaking ground.</p> <p>While more living space, a dedicated home office or upgraded kitchen might ease the strain the pandemic has put on homes and families, the renovation process, which <a href="https://www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/life-after-50/201811/renovation-and-couples-conflict">tests relationships at the best of times</a>, could put more stress on partnerships already cracking under the weight of the past year.</p> <p>Contractors and architects say the recent surge in renovation work has them fielding up to five times as many calls per day than they were pre-pandemic. And according to a recent <a href="https://abacusdata.ca/home-renovations-covid-19/">Abacus Data survey</a>, 44 per cent of Canadian households have done or are planning to do renovations this year. Most say they are doing the work so they can feel more relaxed in their homes.</p> <p>At the same time, <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/couples-counselling-covid19-1.5557110">phones are also ringing at couples counselling and family law offices</a> as more seek professional help to either preserve or dissolve their relationships.</p> <p>“Couples are experiencing a whole variety of stresses — childcare, household management, personal challenges, strains in the relationship — and the temperature has gone up during the pandemic,” says <a href="https://tribecatherapy.com/">New York City therapist Matt Lundquist</a>. He believes that while the stresses of the pandemic may not be the cause of marriage problems, they are revealing cracks that were already there. </p> <h2>Relationship cracks on full display</h2> <p>Renovations can widen relationship cracks as couples find themselves navigating financial stresses, extended disruptions and making thousands of decisions — from how much they can afford to spend to lower a basement to selecting drawer pulls for new kitchen cabinets. </p> <p>The process can amplify conflicting approaches to <a href="https://doi.org/10.9790/1684-1305064448">decision-making, unhealthy communication habits and latent tensions in relationships</a>.</p> <p>These strains are on display on <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/relationship_advice/">Reddit’s r/relationship_advice</a>where desperate users seek advice for resolving renovation conflicts with their partners.</p> <p>From “I’m an <a href="https://www.16personalities.com/intp-personality">INTP</a>, he’s an <a href="https://www.16personalities.com/entj-personality">ENTJ</a>, we’re renovating and fighting so badly I fear our relationship will never recover” to “renovation taking way longer than expected, BF taking it personally when I try to speed the process along. We’re at a breaking point” and “renovation frustration with me (29f) and him (31m) — is this understandable or abuse?”</p> <p>Gloria Apostolu, principal architect at <a href="https://www.postarchitecture.com/">Post Architecture</a> in Toronto, pauses for a moment when asked how couples handle the demands of making so many decisions during a renovation. “Every client has their Achilles heel,” she says. “And it’s never where or what I expected.”</p> <h2>Different breaking points</h2> <p>Some of Apostolu’s clients can’t make sense of tiles. Others balk at the price of a front door or are overwhelmed by having to settle on a faucet type for the main-floor powder room all before the contractor even arrives to tear the place apart. </p> <p>Making high-stakes decisions as a couple, Lundquist explains, requires advanced skills, such as weighing pros and cons, gauging the level of acceptable risk and being decisive under pressure, or “pulling the trigger” in contractor parlance. It also requires what he calls relationality — listening and curiosity, taking turns, empathy and working to understand your partner’s point of view, even if you don’t see its logic or agree with it.</p> <p>“It tremendously taxes our skills not to react when our partner says something we disagree with, or isn’t what we expected,” says Lundquist. What really feeds a relationship, he adds, is trying to be curious about where your partner is coming from and resisting the temptation to shut them down or make a counter-argument before fully understanding their point of view.</p> <p>On the other hand, he often encounters partners who, in trying to keep the peace, are <a href="https://www.quickanddirtytips.com/health-fitness/mental-health/let-go-resentment">not assertive enough about what they want, which can lead to lingering dissatisfaction and resentment</a>. </p> <p>The last thing a relationship needs, Lundquist jokes, is a big, expensive, fixed piece of resentment that a couple is forced to stare at as they sit next to each other on the couch every evening.</p> <h2>Honesty and a smooth renovation</h2> <p>Apostolou echoes the need for openness as a foundation for a smooth renovation. </p> <p>She suggests devising a system at the start for resolving the inevitable conflicts that will arise. This could mean taking turns, or giving veto rights to the person who is most dedicated to that part of the home. For example, the person who does most of the cooking gets the final say on kitchen details. </p> <p>She advises it is most important to work it all out in drawings before you get started. “Don’t rush the design process. You don’t want to be making decisions that are more costly than they would have been if they were planned out in advance.” </p> <p>Apostolu’s no-surprises approach has garnered <a href="https://www.houzz.com/professionals/architects-and-building-designers/post-architecture-inc-pfvwus-pf%7E847407266">effusive five-star reviews</a> from clients on home design and improvement website Houzz.</p> <p>One is from Stephanie Nickson, a financial services consultant, and her partner David Raniga, who now runs his massage therapy practice in the light-filled basement of their recently renovated home in Toronto’s Wychwood neighbourhood. </p> <p>Raniga jokes that the hardest part of the process was dealing with his wife’s inability to make decisions. But because they remained open to each other’s needs throughout the process and stuck with the vision and budget they set at the beginning, they say they actually miss the process now that it is over. And they are almost giddy with the result. </p> <p>“I literally say I love this house every day. We were so lucky,” Nickson says.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/renovating-your-home-could-ruin-your-relationship-but-it-doesnt-have-to-157942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Aussie mum's thrifty Kmart renovation hack

<p>Home décor on a budget has become the latest phenomenon this past year, with creative women showing off their inspiring rooms that look a lot more expensive than they actually are.</p> <p>The most recent is a mother who has stunned thousands after completely transforming her home for less than $20,000.</p> <p>Stay-at-home mum Rebecca Townsend proudly shares photos of her creations through her Instagram account and says that except for the fireplace and air conditioning system, everything else is the result of her and her husband’s hard work.</p> <p>She managed to find affordable duplicates of designer pieces in order to create a “slice of heaven” on a budget.</p> <p>“With help from family and a lot of hard work, we’ve managed to not have one trade come through the house, we’re pretty proud of that,” she told the <em><a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-6251367/Mother-transforms-home-using-Kmart-versions-designer-decor.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Daily Mail</a>.</em></p> <p>“We repurposed and recycled things to save on costs so we can splash out on big ticket items such as the mirror splash back and heater.”</p> <p>The kitchen was torn down, including the surrounding four walls, only a few days after they moved into their new home.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BblAO_EjBSR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BblAO_EjBSR/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Rebecca Townsend (@champagne_dreaming_on_budget)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Certain clock designs can put shoppers back hundreds of dollars, but thanks to Ms Townsend's savvy skills, she managed to find a replica for $19, which features a wooden backing to give a more rustic appearance.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl9Bh_7nLbQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bl9Bh_7nLbQ/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Early morning cuddles in bed with Mr.2 ..and every.single.teddy he owns 🤦‍♀️ I’ve got a corner of the mattress, but I wouldn’t have it any other way 🤷‍♀️✨🌟 Enjoy your day instafam 😚 . . . Tap for sources🌟✨ . . . #earlymorninghangs #styling #loungeroominspo #howihome #myfabhome #mydomaine #apartmenttherapy #homeinspo #interior123 #plantmom #planteriordesign #plantsofinstagram #itsajungleinhere #crazyplantlady #rustic #interiormilk #styleitdark #industrialdesign #mybohotribe #chickswithplants #myhomevibe #boholocs #bohemian #thehecticeclectic #kmartstyling #styleonadime #showmeyourstyled #hyggehome #actualinstagramhomes #cornerofmyhome</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/champagne_dreaming_on_budget/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Rebecca Townsend</a> (@champagne_dreaming_on_budget) on Aug 1, 2018 at 3:44pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>To further cut down on costs, Ms Townsend purchased many items second-hand, which resulted in huge savings.</p> <p>In the past, the mother-of-one shared her and her husband’s work after they decorated their bathroom using items from Kmart, ALDI and eBay, totalling to $800.</p> <p>“You don’t need to spend a lot these days to get the designer look, you just need to be savvy, wait for the specials and shop around,” she said.</p> <p>“The bathroom is the only room we didn’t rip apart the moment we moved in, we just cleverly designed it on a budget with items mostly from Kmart to make it more designer.”</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2gJjiHpMS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bn2gJjiHpMS/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">YES, I’m back! Well, I’m back ..yes, I’m BACK IN BLACK!!! . . . Black is the new black guysss and I’m all over it like a bee on a flower 🐝 (there’s a spring reference for you there 😉) . . . The bathroom is the only room in the house we didn’t completely gut the moment we walked in the door from getting the keys, we’ve just cleverly decorated it to make it ✨POP✨on a very tight budget of $800! This completely decked the room out from top to bottom including swapping all the hardware out for the more modern black look, you just need to be savvy and look for the bargains (don’t be afraid to be stingy 😜) and get your hands dirty with some #diy the money you save on the little things allows you to splash out on the bigger ticket items! . . . ✨I’ll go into more detail in my stories 🙏 ✨ . . . #diystories #blackonblack #backinblack #bathroomdecor #bathroom #bathroominspo #bathroomremodel #luxuryinteriorsonabudget #cornerofmyhome #newinteriorsontheblock #actualinstagramhomes #apartmenttherapy #interior123 #interior_design #designsponge #interiormilk #howihome #homeinspo #industrialdesign #kmartstyling #kmartaus #styleitdark #styleonadime #deliciousdarkdecor #interiorboom #myhomevibe #myhometrend #dailydecordetail #livefabulousandfearless</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" href="https://www.instagram.com/champagne_dreaming_on_budget/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_medium=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> Rebecca Townsend</a> (@champagne_dreaming_on_budget) on Sep 17, 2018 at 8:00pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Ms Townsend hopes that her décor-on-a-budget will help inspire other people to step out of their comfort zone.</p> <p>Her and her husband worked together on this home project during the time their baby was on home oxygen and was in and out of hospital.</p> <p>“After our son was born at 23 weeks gestation and spent 125 days in hospital, we bought this house when he was only seven months old and on home oxygen, but it didn’t deter us from creating a wonderful home for him to grow up and into,” she said.</p> <p>“Whatever challenges you may face, don’t put renovating off if it will provide you with happiness, if we can do it on a budget through all our ups and downs, you can too.”</p>

Home Hints & Tips

“I live in a tent”: Horror renovations see woman living in home with no roof

<p dir="ltr">A woman and her son have been left living in a “tent” home filled with mould, exposed wiring and holes after renovation plans went horribly wrong.</p> <p dir="ltr">In February 2020, Jill Harris hired Extension Factory to extend and add a second storey to her Melbourne home.</p> <p dir="ltr">Two years later, she says she has been left living in poor conditions after numerous problems plagued the construction work.</p> <p dir="ltr">With tarps replacing the roof overhead, Ms Harris said the home is flooded by “waterfalls that leak through the light fittings” when it rains and that the only thing her home was good for was Halloween.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I call this the tent. I live in the tent because there is no roof over my room or my son‘s room,” she told <em>A Current Affair</em>.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-753fe61a-7fff-bc70-a1b0-3fb26a2702bf"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I have good days where I try to be positive and I have the lowest of lows.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/aca-house-damage.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Exposed wiring, holes, and a lack of a watertight roof have been just some of the issues Jill Harris has faced while living in her unfinished home. Images: A Current Affair</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Ms Harris said the builders first built the storey out of square, forcing them to knock it all down and start again.</p> <p dir="ltr">“(It) just went completely wrong from there. They built it 160mm out of square, which we didn't find out till 12 months later,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr">Work was eventually stopped by surveyor Steve Maloney after the builders allegedly continued work without the permission of the inspector.</p> <p dir="ltr">Mr Maloney said work needed to stop because of the “owner(s) and their builders' compliances with the building legislation”.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since then, Ms Harris has turned her unfinished home into a warning against the company, adorning the front with signs reading that the company is “destroying our lives”, “doesn’t care” and that “a contract with them means nothing”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-98e35689-7fff-0363-0578-8796f43ec3b1"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">“I’ts (sic) cheaper for the “Extension Factory” to put this in the hands than it is to honour my contract with them and finish my home. Tens of thousands of dollars of mistakes, so they gave up and use lawyers to protect them!” another sign reads.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em><img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/09/extension-factory1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /></em></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>After no resolution was reached to finish her home, Jill Harris let out her frustration against Extension Factory through signs displayed in front of her home. Image: A Current Affair</em></p> <p dir="ltr">Gerry Hoggard, the owner of Extension Factory, conceded that there had been issues with the property and said he could appreciate Ms Harris being upset.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It certainly was an error, it was built out of square, we accepted responsibility and took it down,” Mr Hoggard said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I know what she’s living through.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I don’t like it (my name) being treated that way, but I can appreciate she‘s upset about what’s transpired.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Although he claimed that Ms Harris was advised to vacate the property at the start of the build, her brother Ashley, a former Extension Factory employee, said it wasn’t going to happen.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It’s not the sort of job that you would leave anyone occupying the premises,” Mr Hoggard said.</p> <p dir="ltr">However, Ms Harris said she wasn’t told that she would need to vacate her property.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>A Current Affair </em>reported that it alerted the Victorian Building Authority to Ms Harris’ situation, prompting the organisation to release a statement.</p> <p dir="ltr">"The Victorian Building Authority takes complaints against building and plumbing practitioners extremely seriously,” it read, adding that the building authority carries out thousands of inspections to ensure work is compliant.</p> <p dir="ltr">"When it doesn't, we use the powers available to us to hold practitioners accountable."</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-0ed70c5a-7fff-44b9-bdcc-0831adfcf2d3"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em> Image: A Current Affair</em></p>

Real Estate

Guide to getting approval for renovations

<p>Home renovations can be fun, exciting and even life changing, but before you get carried away with the romance of it, it’s important to be aware of the red tape.</p> <p>We’re going to take a look at some of the essential legal boxes you need to tix when renovating. While doing so may seem like a bit of a nuisance during the renovation process, it will ensure that you don’t waste your money (and risk your safety).</p> <p><strong>Council approval</strong></p> <p>Depending on where you live, the nature of your lodgings and the type of renovations you have planned, you may require some form of council approval.</p> <p>Your best bet here is to contact your local council ahead of time and check what your requirements are. You may need a planning permit if your renovation requires building alterations and you may need a surveyor to confirm the plans meet regulations.</p> <p><strong>Meeting requirements</strong></p> <p>If you’re taking a gung-ho approach to the renovations and planning to manage the project yourself, rather than hiring a registered builder, you’ll need to make sure you obtain the correct building permits and ensure the work is up to required standards. </p> <p><strong>Hiring licensed tradespeople</strong></p> <p>It’s generally recommended that you only used licensed building practitioners and tradespeople. Builders, architects and engineers must meet certain obligations to maintain their accreditation, which ensure their work and your home are protected.</p> <p>Make sure you ask for references, check for a current license and insurance policy and even consider a simple contract describing the work and any warranty.</p> <p><strong>Additional hazards you may have to deal with</strong></p> <ul> <li>Termites can be a big problem and undo months of hard work on renovations and building projects. If you’re concerned about termites affecting your project, it’s advisable to contact your local council and find out if your area has a documented termite problem. From here they can advise you on how best to protect your renovations from infestation.</li> <li>Many homes may contain asbestos building products, and if you think yours does you’re obliged to get a check from a reputable assessor. If they find asbestos, make sure you hire a licensed removalist to ensure you get rid of it safely.</li> </ul> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Win a share of $35,000 in renovation vouchers while adding value to your home

<p>A <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">simple renovation</a> is one of the easiest ways to add value to your home. And from August till November, <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LJ Hooker</a> are helping you out, giving you the chance to win a <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$5,000 renovation voucher</a> out of a pool of $35,000. Whether it's a small bathroom renovation, sprucing your kitchen with new benchtops, or brushing up multiple rooms via a new paint job, it’s <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">a small investment</a> that can <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pay off substantially</a>. To help you figure out what your home needs, book an appraisal with them <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here</a>.</p> <p>It is a good idea to add value to your home before selling. Making small improvements will give your property a fresh, new look and increase your chances of getting the best return.</p> <p>Adding value to your home does not have to involve breaking the bank with expensive renovations. You can easily <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">boost your property’s value</a> on a budget with some simple yet effective DIY hacks that will increase the likelihood of selling your home.</p> <p><strong>The rooms that add value to your home</strong></p> <p>When you are looking to add value to your home on a budget, you want to make improvements that will create maximum impact with minimum investment. Think about small updates that can increase the functionality of the room. Home improvement does not need to mean spending a lot.</p> <p>Here are the rooms that, when done right, can add great value to your home:</p> <h3><strong>Revive your kitchen</strong></h3> <p>People spend a lot of time in their kitchens. The classic go-to room, your kitchen should be one of the first rooms to focus on <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">improving prior to selling</a>. You do not need a full-on makeover.</p> <p>Start with updating the floor if needed (vinyl is a great cost-effective option that looks great and will not break the bank) and give old cabinet doors a facelift with new paint and fixtures. Countertops can be revamped with laminate benchtops - the most cost-effective material.</p> <p>Another point of focus should be your splashback. Scrub to remove any grime or consider stick-on tiles that can be placed over the top of your old splashback for an instant, budget-friendly upgrade.</p> <h3>Maximise space in bedrooms</h3> <p>Have a ‘spare room’ that is primarily used for storage or as a study space? Consider converting it into an extra bedroom. Doing so will add value to your home and attract more buyers.</p> <p>With your existing bedrooms, consider giving them a repaint and adding extra storage options such as installing a built-in robe or extra shelving. Make bedrooms ready for staging by adding plush finishes such as comfy bed throws, cushions, shaggy rugs and fresh flowers.</p> <h3>Make your living room liveable</h3> <p>The family living room should be a space of comfort and function. Open up the space by neutralising the wall colours and letting in maximum light with the use of added lighting such as floor lamps or by swapping out heavy curtains for light-coloured shutters.</p> <p>Turn awkward nooks into usable spaces for storage and consider investing in smart home technology with smart lights, a smart thermostat and adding a smart device to your TV for easy voice-command operation.</p> <p><strong>Add value to your property on a budget</strong></p> <p>There are many things that you can do to <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">get the most value when selling your home</a>. If you are planning on selling soon and want the best return on your investment, then the key is to spend money in the right places.</p> <p>Even on a budget, there is still a fair bit you can do to your home to have it <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ready for appraisal</a>. You do not need to spend a dramatic amount of money, especially if done right. Here are our top ways to instantly add value to your property:</p> <h3>A fresh coat of paint</h3> <p>Re-painting a room makes it seem brand new and refreshes the complete look of your home’s interior. It is also a good way to add light to a room, particularly if you choose neutral colours such as whites and creams. This creates an overall brightness and airiness to your home, making it more inviting.</p> <h3>Curb appeal</h3> <p>First impressions count! Your home’s exterior is the first thing people see. Boosting its curb appeal is therefore a quick yet effective way to <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">add value to your property</a>. You can do this by mowing lawns, pressure washing the exterior walls and driveway, fixing broken fence pailings, adding outdoor lighting to your entranceway and planting new plants.</p> <h3>New flooring</h3> <p>Floors have a big impact on the perceived value of your home. If your floors are in generally good condition, you can help increase their value and appearance by simply steam cleaning to remove old built-up dirt and stains, replenishing timber floorboards with new lacquer or a wax finish or hiring a buffer to buff and polish.</p> <p>If your flooring is old and outdated, it is possible to install a new floor without having to sacrifice too much of your savings.</p> <h3>Add space and cleanliness</h3> <p>You want to make the best first impression when selling your home. Do this by getting rid of any rubbish and clutter and by giving your home a deep clean to remove any mould, dirt and deodorise furniture.</p> <p>By removing clutter and giving your home a deep clean, you are making your home fresh and inviting for potential buyers. Some quick ways to create a more open living space include:</p> <ul> <li>Removing excess furniture</li> <li>Clearing table tops</li> <li>Keeping knick-knacks and collectibles to a minimum</li> <li>Storing unwanted or unused items in under-bed storage boxes</li> <li>Invest in space-saving options such as stackable boxes, furniture that doubles as storage, and vertical hangers or shelves.</li> </ul> <h3>Update old fittings & fixtures</h3> <p>Giving old doors, cabinet doors and drawers a facelift with new handles is an instant upgrade that will add value to your home. Replacing old light fittings and light switch face plates is another way to add value without much effort or money.</p> <h3>Create inviting spaces</h3> <p>Improving the key rooms in your home can contribute to the overall <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">worth of your property</a>. If your home’s interior is in good condition and indoor spaces are usable, then you are likely to get a higher market price when it comes time to sell. You can prepare your home for staging by focusing on the main liveable spaces of your home such as the kitchen, bathroom and living room.</p> <p><strong>A key summary of adding value to your home</strong></p> <p>If you are on a budget and want to add value to your home, you should look at the below options:</p> <ol> <li>Transform your home with a coat of paint</li> <li>Create some street appeal by sprucing up your front yard and home exterior</li> <li>Install new floors or polish old ones</li> <li>Get rid of clutter and put personal items in storage</li> <li>Update fittings & fixtures on cabinetry, lights and doors</li> <li>Stage key rooms to improve appearance and function</li> </ol> <p><strong>Let us help show the value of your property</strong></p> <p>If you are ready to sell your home and wondering how to add value to your property to maximise your return, then give the above budget-friendly tips a go. You do not have to spend a lot of time or money to improve your home. Remember, the key is to make your home beautiful and functional. If you do not enjoy using your home while you are living in it, then how will potential buyers?!</p> <p>Voted Australia’s number one real estate brand, a little help from the team at LJ Hooker can be invaluable when it comes to <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">selling a home</a>. Book a <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">property appraisal</a> today to get your home market-ready.</p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This is a sponsored article produced in partnership with <a href="https://go.linkby.com/TBDJBQJE" target="_blank" rel="noopener">LJ Hooker.</a></em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Historical home renovators share kitchen tips and tricks

<p dir="ltr">A US couple who have renovated several historic homes have made a splash on social media, with nearly two million people following their process of restoring old residences.</p> <p dir="ltr">But, the number of people tuning in to see Adam and Jessica Miller’s renovating ventures grew to a fever pitch because of their latest and much more personal project: renovating Jessica’s childhood home, that also happens to be 115-years-old.</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-c459232f-7fff-c21b-ac91-91b8f26f1d73"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After buying the home from Jessica’s parents, the Millers were eager to preserve the home for future generations, including their four sons, but taking on the 1906 home hasn’t been easy.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJWgfz2pfPH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CJWgfz2pfPH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Adam Ramsey Miller (@oldhouseadam)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">“When Adam and I decided to purchase my family home from my parents, the main concern was to keep all the original woodwork on the outside intact,” Jessica told <em><a href="https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/kitchen-renovation-tips-tiktokkers-historic-home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Realtor.com</a></em>.</p> <p dir="ltr">After replacing the significant amount of water-damaged columns, the couple spent nine months restoring the outside of the home before turning their attention to the kitchen.</p> <p dir="ltr">Since breathing new life into the space all while maintaining its character, the couple have shared some tips and tricks for those planning on renovating their own ageing kitchen.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Make your renovation suit you</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">No matter the extent of renovations you’re planning for your kitchen, any changes you make to this frequently-used space should prioritise function - which can differ person to person based on your lifestyle.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Be very aware of what you need out of the kitchen in terms of function. Let it work for your family and lifestyle,” Jessica said.</p> <p dir="ltr">In their home, she said they chose two different countertops - nonporous, spill-friendly quartz and heat-resistant soapstone - to make their kitchen feel “like it was all found in the house and opened up to reveal a grand kitchen space”.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Avoid blindly following trends</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Though it may be tempting to follow the latest trends, the Millers suggest leaning into the concept of designing a space that suited and highlighted the beauty of their historic home.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Once we leaned into this concept, it opened up a whole new world free of restraints,” Jessica said. </p> <p dir="ltr">“We were inspired by Old-World European functionality mixed in with the vibe and history of the home.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-4d199794-7fff-e927-a425-a5b2858f7fcb"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">If you do want to incorporate certain trends, such as a large island or natural wood finishes, you still can in a way that stays true to the look and feel of your home.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPhGEdwpClH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CPhGEdwpClH/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Adam Ramsey Miller (@oldhouseadam)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Work with what you have</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Old homes come with plenty of quirks which make them unique, and adjusting the existing layout rather than ripping down walls and cabinets can help maintain the home’s unique character.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Don’t assume that you need to start down to the studs,” said Jessica. “Most of the time you can use the existing layout and cabinets.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Since Jessica’s parents renovated the kitchen 11 years ago, Jessica said they didn’t feel the need to tear out cabinets, opting instead to tweak the “vibe” of the space.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We also kept the range hood but adjusted the colour from cream to a warm white to change with the overall vibe. The kitchen layout was solid, so we didn’t have to adjust anything there,” she said.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Expect costly surprises</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">Renovations can be a costly undertaking for any house, and rehabbing an older home is no exception - and can even come with surprise costs.</p> <p dir="ltr">The Millers can attest to that fact, and suggest saving a buffer of at least 10 percent of your expected costs just in case.</p> <p dir="ltr">“We ran into more water damage in the island than we expected based on a small leak from the sink. This led to a complete island rebuild and new plumbing from the sink into the house,” Jessica said.</p> <p dir="ltr">“Since we worked with a local plumber, we only had to increase our plumbing budget by a couple hundred dollars.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I would say keep a solid 10% set aside for any unforeseeable expenses.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><span id="docs-internal-guid-83c8bb77-7fff-036c-5675-89751765d5d7"></span></p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: @oldhouseadam (Instagram)</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

"Greedy and despicable" rental renovation causes outrage

<p>A renovated rental apartment has received a flood of attention for all the wrong reasons. </p> <p>The newly listed studio apartment in North Adelaide has caused a nationwide stir online, with many slamming the bizarrely designed rental renovation as “real life satire.”</p> <p>The studio not only features a kitchen with no oven, but a giant glass walled bathroom wedged between the living area and kitchen. </p> <p>The bathroom only comes with a glimpse of privacy in the form of a metre wide section of frosted glass. </p> <p>The apartment at 4/201 O’Connell Street is described as a fully furnished, open plan studio apartment, “ideal for anyone looking for comfortable city living.”</p> <p>The $400 per week studio has served as a prime example of Adelaide's deepening rental crisis, as many prospective tenants are left struggling to find homes for a reasonable price that preferably don't have a bathroom in the middle of the kitchen. </p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr" lang="en">Look at this listing. They’ve turned a single room from a house into a “self-contained” apartment that violates soooooo many regulations it’s not funny. Because it’s in North Adelaide they want $400 a week. <a href="https://t.co/uA3286cIkj">pic.twitter.com/uA3286cIkj</a></p> <p>— Jamie Moffatt (@Guestyperson) <a href="https://twitter.com/Guestyperson/status/1541061037239050240?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 26, 2022</a></p></blockquote> <p>The listing quickly garnered attention, with one person on Facebook writing, "I honestly can't believe what I'm seeing."</p> <p>“This reminds me of my bedsit in London in the 80s,” said another.</p> <p>Others were quick to point out that you would be able to “cook and s**t at the same time” before “washing your dishes while you shower.”</p> <p>While questions remain over exactly how the 25-square-metre apartment pulled off such an unusual design choice with building approvals and planning permits, at $400 a week people can’t decide if they “want to laugh or cry.”</p> <p>“The rental crisis is real,” one social media user commented after the listing was posted online.</p> <p>“I mean it’s funny, but it’s also not,” another chimed in. “Someone will be desperate enough to take that rental just to have a roof over their head.”</p> <p>“Completely shameless,” someone else said. “Whoever owns this property is greedy and despicable.”</p> <p>According to a recent rental vacancy report by Domain, Adelaide has the tightest market in the country, with vacancy rates in May sitting at just 0.3 per cent.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

Holy renovation: unique church conversion wows viewers

<p>A true one-of-a-kind church conversion is now for sale in the bright inner-Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy. The asking price sits between $5.7 million to $6.2 million.</p> <p>Situated in the heart of the cosmopolitan locale, just minutes away from some of Melbourne's most desirable bars, restaurants and cafes, this property is a unique offering.</p> <p>Part of a boutique living complex that utilises the structure and the grounds of a gorgeous bluestone church, the residence spans multiple levels.</p> <p>Boasting three bedrooms, three bathrooms, one off-street parking space on title and a total footprint of 443-square-metres, space, this property is a once in a life time find.</p> <p>Occupying the entire top floor of the church and benefitting from stunning beamed, vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, the living, dining and kitchen area is minimalistic, tasteful and bright.</p> <p>However, best of all is that one entire side of the church's tiled roof has been replaced with large glass panels, creating a mesmerising window feature that soaks up and bathes the space in natural light.</p> <p>Walking through an aperture in the creative window display leads occupants to an expansive outdoor timber deck that provides sweeping views across rooftops toward Melbourne's CBD.</p> <p>While the architecturally designed space is unquestionably the abode's crowning glory, it doesn’t stop there with the rest of the stylish pad ensconced in solid wood panelling throughout.</p> <p>Other benefits include a generous master suite that occupies the entire first floor, an elevated loft and plenty of storage space.</p> <p><em>Images: Domain</em></p>

Real Estate

Five ways to reduce waste (and save money) on your home renovation

<p>On average, renovating a home generates <a href="https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%290733-9364%281996%29122%3A1%2855%29">far more waste</a> than building a new one from scratch. </p> <p>This waste goes straight to landfill, damaging the environment. It also hurts your budget: first you have to pay for demolition, then the new materials, and then disposal of leftover building products.</p> <p>By keeping waste in mind from the start and following some simple guidelines, you can reduce the waste created by your home renovation.</p> <h2>1. It starts with the design</h2> <p>Waste is often treated as inevitable, factored into a building budget with no serious attempt to reduce it.</p> <p>By raising the issue early with your architect, designer or builder, they can make decisions at the design stage that reduce waste later. Often the designers and architects don’t see their decisions contributing to waste – or rather, they don’t really think about it. </p> <p>During my research on reducing construction waste, I asked one architect what he thought happens to the waste generated. He laughed with a glint in his eyes and said, “I think it disappears into pixie dust!” </p> <p>One simple early decision that dramatically reduces waste is designing with material sizes in mind. If you have a ceiling height that does not match the plasterboard sheet, you end up with a tiny little strip that has to be cut out of a full sheet. In the case of bricks, not matching the ceiling height is even more wasteful. </p> <p>Obviously not all materials will work together at their standard sizes (and you need to fit your renovation to the existing house). But sensitive design can make intelligent trade-offs, reducing overall waste. </p> <p>When I asked architects why they don’t design zero-waste buildings more often, they said clients don’t ask for it. Make it part of your brief, and ask the architect how they can save money by using the materials efficiently.</p> <h2>2. Get your builder involved early</h2> <p>If you’re using an architect for your renovation, it’s common to have very little collaboration between them and the builder. Any errors or issues are usually spotted after construction has begun, requiring expensive and wasteful rework. </p> <p>Instead, ask your architect and builder to collaborate on a waste management plan. Such integrated approaches have worked well in <a href="https://www.pwc.com.au/legal/assets/collaborative-contracting-mar18.pdf">Australia and the United States</a>. </p> <p>This means clients, engineers and builders are collaborating, rather than taking adversarial roles. For such contracts to work, it’s important to involve all parties early in the project, and to encourage cooperation.</p> <p>The briefing stage is an opportunity for architects, quantity surveyors and builders to work together to identify a waste minimisation target.</p> <h2>3. Whatever you do, don’t change your mind</h2> <p>One the biggest contributions to waste on sites is late design changes. Client-led design changes are identified in all literature as having far-reaching implications on waste. </p> <p>These are mostly due to owners changing their mind once something is built. Reworking any part of a building due to design changes can account for as much as <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283714629_Impacts_Of_Design_Changes_on_Construction_Project_Performance_Insights_From_A_Literature_Review">50% of the cost overrun</a>, as well as causing delays and generating waste.</p> <p>The early work with your design and construction team outlined in the first steps gives you the chance to make sure you’re committed to your original design. Skimping in the planning stage can end up costing you far more in the long run. </p> <h2>4. Deconstruction, not demolition</h2> <p>Ask your builder not to demolish the building, but to deconstruct it. Deconstruction means taking a building apart and recovering materials for recycling and reuse. This provides opportunities for sorting materials on site. </p> <p>Salvaged materials can be resold to the community or reused in the renovations. It greatly reduces the tip fees which are usually higher for mixed waste (typical from demolition process) and lower for sorted waste. </p> <p>Of course this takes more time and has an additional cost. Therefore you do have to balance the cost of deconstruction against the savings.</p> <p>Denmark, which recycles <a href="http://ec.europa.eu/environment/waste/studies/deliverables/CDW_Denmark_Factsheet_Final.pdf">86% of its construction waste</a>, has made it mandatory for all government buildings to undergo selective demolition and sorting of construction waste. A good place to start in Australia is your state environment department, which may have <a href="https://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/-/media/epa/corporate-site/resources/managewaste/100080-house-deconstruction.pdf?la=en&hash=CD70BEEF7EC72CEBC3641F46F1DBE19862DAED1D">guidelines</a> on what is involved.</p> <h2>5. Choose materials carefully</h2> <p>Good-quality materials last longer, reducing maintenance later. Choosing manufacturers that use minimal packaging also reduces waste (be careful here to check the difference between “minimal” and “inadequate” packaging, as the latter can mean your <a href="http://eprints.uwe.ac.uk/30123/7/Saheed%20Thesis_Final%20Copy.pdf">material breaks</a>).</p> <p>Reusing materials from your renovation may also be an option (you will need to discuss this with architect and builder at the beginning of the project). Finally, using materials with recycled content is a great option, and boosts our recycling industry. </p> <p>In March 2017 the <a href="https://hia.com.au/-/media/HIA-Website/Files/Media-Centre/Media-Releases/2017/national/Home-Renovations-Australias-Next-Building-Boom.ashx">Housing Industry Association</a> released data suggesting the Australian residential building industry will increasingly become more dependent on renovation work rather than new construction,</p> <p>If you’re renovating your home, making efficiency and low waste a priority helps cut costs and reduce landfill.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/five-ways-to-reduce-waste-and-save-money-on-your-home-renovation-103942" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.</em></p>

Home & Garden

What adds value to your house? How to decide between renovating and selling

<p>The government’s <a href="https://treasury.gov.au/coronavirus/homebuilder">HomeBuilder</a> scheme allows <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/news/homebuilder-renovations-where-are-most-owner-occupied-dwellings-below-15-million">certain</a> home owners to apply for a tax-free grant of A$25,000 if they are spending between $150,000 and $750,000 renovating a home or building a new home. Eligibility criteria are strict.</p> <p>The scheme has boosted renovation talk in some circles (although, as CoreLogic has <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/news/vacuum-effect-and-its-implications-homebuilder-scheme">pointed</a> out, it may merely bring forward works that were already planned).</p> <p>Here are some questions to ask yourself when trying to decide between renovating and moving – and how to add value to your existing home.</p> <h2>What adds value to a house?</h2> <p>Property market observers <a href="https://www.domain.com.au/advice/how-to-make-your-home-stand-out-when-selling-932031/">advise</a> updating or renewing bathrooms or kitchens – even small fixes such as replacing a cracked or dated splashback, replacing a bath or adding skylights can go a long way.</p> <p>Think about easy repairs that create an invaluable good first impression – a fixed-up fence, a new carpet or resurfaced flooring or even good old decluttering.</p> <p>But remember you’ll only qualify for HomeBuilder if you plan to spend at least $150,000 on an owner-occupied home worth no more than A$1.5 million (CoreLogic has <a href="https://www.corelogic.com.au/news/homebuilder-renovations-where-are-most-owner-occupied-dwellings-below-15-million">listed</a> which suburbs have the most owner-occupied properties under A$1.5 million).</p> <h2>Factors to consider if you’re thinking of renovating</h2> <p>How long till you retire? How secure is your employment? Thinking carefully about your earning potential between now and retirement will help you understand how what you can borrow and afford. If you are planning to stay, you will get the benefit and enjoyment of the renovations. </p> <p>Do you need to stay close to school or work? If that’s a consideration, renovating may be worth more to you than buying further out.</p> <p>Look closely at what your property is worth (there are plenty of online calculators) and keep track of how much similar local properties with one extra bedroom or bathroom sell for. That will give you a sense of the value-add to your home equity that a renovation might represent. </p> <p>Be honest with yourself about the total cost of renovation. There are myriad expenses not always initially apparent. These may include:</p> <ul> <li>planning fees (the cost of getting a development assessed by council)</li> <li>the cost of architectural drawings</li> <li>consultants’ fees for environmental impact statements or arborists’ reports</li> <li>extra costs due to a heritage listing</li> <li>renting, if it’s not possible to live at home during renovation</li> <li>the cost of protecting underground public assets such as water or sewerage pipes</li> <li>extra costs caused by poor access or other limitations.</li> </ul> <p>Consider the possible long-term savings of retrofitting your home to be more energy-efficient. Proper insulation, secondary glazing, draught excluders and solar PV energy are expensive upfront but will save on long term running costs. It’s likely, as energy costs increase, homes that are at least partially off grid will be more attractive and valuable over time. </p> <p>And remember that for some, even with help from HomeBuilder, renovation won’t stack up economically.</p> <p>Some older people may eschew home renovation to put money aside to help children get a foot on the property ladder. </p> <p>Others may decide potentially expensive renovation is worth it to hold onto a family home to which children return as they get older. It might sound sentimental but the idea of Christmas in the family homestead is worth it, for some. </p> <h2>Tax considerations</h2> <p>Find out what tax breaks, if any, you might be eligible for if you renovate to divide the family home into a smaller space (if you’re keen to downsize, or enhance the accessibility of your home, for example) and adding a self-contained granny flat. </p> <p>However, if the granny flat is leased out, this section of the home would be considered income-producing. Your “main residence” is generally <a href="https://www.ato.gov.au/General/Capital-gains-tax/Your-home-and-other-real-estate/Your-main-residence/">exempt</a> from capital gains tax when it comes time to sell, but you may not qualify entirely for this exemption if a section of the property is income-producing.</p> <p>You may also consider remodelling the family home into a duplex and, depending on council planning laws, convert the title into dual occupancy. However, these suggestions may complicate eligibility for the HomeBuilder grant (which seems to exclude property investors, although there’s no mention of partly converting the main place into a dual occupancy). </p> <p>The best option here is to seek advice from a tax specialist.</p> <h2>Factors to consider if you’re thinking of selling up and buying elsewhere</h2> <p>Use a <a href="https://www.realestate.com.au/home-loans/stamp-duty-calculator">stamp-duty calculator</a> and <a href="https://www.localagentfinder.com.au/selling-costs-calculator">cost-of-selling calculator</a> to get a rough idea of those costs.</p> <p>How important is proximity to work? Particularly if the coronavirus pandemic has opened your (or your employer’s) eyes to working remotely, would you consider a move to a more remote area where you can afford a bigger house?</p> <p>Chat with a range of real estate agents and get into the habit of reading market media coverage. Have a sense of what houses sell for that featured your desired attributes (such as more bedrooms or off-street parking). </p> <p>As a chartered building surveyor, I’d advise would-be downsizers to be cautious when buying a brand new high-rise apartment, due to risks of potentially costly defects that might become apparent over time. </p> <p>And remember, even if you do sell and buy a new place, very few are able to find the perfect home. You may decide to make renovations anyway.</p> <p>There are no easy answers. It comes down to your individual circumstances, your attitude to risk and ensuring you have a good grasp of the relative costs of each option. </p> <p>Talk to a financial adviser, tax accountant, real estate agents, builders, architects and others who have been through each process about what they’d do differently next time.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/what-adds-value-to-your-house-how-to-decide-between-renovating-and-selling-140627" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>. </em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Mother slammed after renovating her council house

<p dir="ltr">A Scottish mother-of-four has been slammed online for showing off her newly-renovated council home that she has spent eight years slowly making over. </p> <p dir="ltr">Sharing videos on TikTok as @abitofme123, the woman initially took to social media to share the DIY makeover she finally completed during the pandemic on the house that's been her home for 17 years.</p> <p dir="ltr">While many applauded the mother’s hard work, her videos were also flooded with comments from people accusing her of taking up space in council housing that should go to the less fortunate. </p> <p dir="ltr">"If you can afford to do all that, do you really need a council house? There are people living in poor conditions waiting for one of these homes," one user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">The mother replied to the comment with a video of her home, with the caption, "Why would I give up everything I've worked for?"</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ca7jHLGFnEi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ca7jHLGFnEi/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by @diaryofmy_home_life</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">"I think what they are saying is how did you get a council house if you have all this money to decorate it?" another TikTok user wrote.</p> <p dir="ltr">The woman responded saying, "Yes I work, they're not given to people on low incomes, anyone can apply. I had this 17 years ago when I was 18 with a baby and nowhere to live.”</p> <p dir="ltr">"Everything was done on a budget, sale items, discounts and over the space of the last 3 years," she explained.</p> <p dir="ltr">"I understand people are waiting for council homes but we love ours, I can't give it up," she added.<span id="docs-internal-guid-140580ed-7fff-5ce0-48db-cad2f9f01e33"></span></p> <p dir="ltr">After sharing a video of the transformation to her backyard, one shocked user called the renovation “actually disgusting”. </p> <p dir="ltr">"Nice to see our taxes pay for your lower rent so you can make the garden look like a show room!!" one user remarked.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZeuJzLIqGI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/reel/CZeuJzLIqGI/?utm_source=ig_embed&utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by @diaryofmy_home_life</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">Another dubbed her "council Karen" and others made comments such as "get a job," "load of crap" and "paid for it using benefits".</p> <p dir="ltr">Many of the comments questioned why the mother wouldn’t buy her council house, with the woman going on to explain that they'd been offered the right to buy a few years ago but hadn't been able to afford it and instead, secured lifetime tenancy.</p> <p dir="ltr">Despite the divisive comments, the woman’s videos have helped to shine a light on the realities of eligibility for council housing in the UK.</p> <p dir="ltr">Responding to the slew of negative comments, the woman simply said, "All the council owns is the bricks and mortar, everything else is my home. Please stop judging.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: TikTok @abitofme123</em></p>

Real Estate

Refurbished Big Ben unveiled after five-year renovation

<p dir="ltr">What is most likely the world’s most famous clocktower is now visible after five years hidden behind scaffolding during a renovation, and it’s an amazing sight.</p> <p dir="ltr">Renovations on the tower started five years ago, when it was announced it would be undergoing a £79.7 million reconstruction. The reconstruction included taking apart more than 1000 pieces of the clock face and removing them via a lift shaft in order to clean and repair them; that includes wheels, pinions, bell-hammers and bearings of the clock face.</p> <p dir="ltr">In addition, the clock hands have been restored to their original blue after having previously been painted black to try and mask the dirt from pollution. Most noticeably, the exterior has been repainted a bright and glistening gold, and the overall effect is outstanding.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet"> <p dir="ltr">Maybe it’s been worth the wait? <a href="https://t.co/a1EpBcuMcb">pic.twitter.com/a1EpBcuMcb</a></p> — David Belle (@davidbelle_) <a href="https://twitter.com/davidbelle_/status/1481013484993368069?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <p dir="ltr">The Cumbria Clock Company has overseen the refurbishment, working tirelessly in their workshop to clean and repair all of the necessary components. This renovation was the first time the clock mechanism had been removed from its home in the Elizabeth Tower (the structure’s actual name, ‘Big Ben’ is just the bell inside).</p> <p dir="ltr">Cumbria Clock Company director and co-founder Keith Scobie-Youngs wrote on the Parliament website, “It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to work on the best-known clock in the world. We transplanted the heart of the UK up to Cumbria. We were able to assemble the time side, the heartbeat, and put that on test in our workshop, so for two years, we had that heartbeat ticking away in our test room, which was incredibly satisfying.</p> <p dir="ltr">“It became part of the family and its departure has been like a child leaving home. The beauty of a clock like this is that you as a clockmaker become part of its history and want to leave it in a better place than you found it, so the next clockmaker can appreciate it. We were privileged to become part of the story of Big Ben; everyone at the company feels that attachment to the story.”</p> <p dir="ltr">Work on the tower is not yet finished, however, and is expected to wrap up by British summer, a year later than planned, during the pandemic. While the tower was undergoing its renovation, Ben’s famous bongs only rang out on a select few special occasions, such as New Years and Armistice Day.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image: Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images</em></p>

International Travel

Renovating your kitchen? Help Australia’s tradies avoid silicosis by not choosing artificial stone

<p>In 2012 my wife and I renovated our house — a two-storey extension with a brand new kitchen. Inspired by various renovation-themed TV shows and magazines, we chose a sleek stone island bench as the focal point for the kitchen.</p> <p>I knew the benchtop material was some form of stone. You could choose almost any colour and it cost a lot less than marble. But I didn’t know much else and I didn’t ask any questions. As a respiratory physician who has diagnosed numerous workers with silicosis over the past four years, I regret my ignorance.</p> <p>Like <a rel="noopener" href="https://s23.q4cdn.com/225400014/files/doc_presentations/Investor-presentation-Sept-2018-Final-Version.pdf" target="_blank">many Australians</a> who have renovated or built homes since the early 2000s, the material we chose was artificial stone (also known as engineered or reconstituted stone, or quartz).</p> <p>In 2015, after the first Australian stone benchtop industry worker was reported to have <a rel="noopener" href="https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/46/suppl_59/PA1144" target="_blank">severe silicosis</a>, I was astonished to discover artificial stone contains <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/engineered-stone-benchtops-are-killing-our-tradies-heres-why-a-bans-the-only-answer-126489" target="_blank">up to 95%</a> crystalline silica.</p> <p>Inhalation of crystalline silica dust is one of the best-known causes of lung disease, including silicosis and lung cancer. The adverse health effects of silica exposure <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-silicosis-and-why-is-this-old-lung-disease-making-a-comeback-80465" target="_blank">were established</a> while there was still debate about the harm of cigarettes and asbestos. But Australians’ affinity for artificial stone benchtops has seen silicosis make a major comeback in recent years.</p> <p>New research <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/silica-associated-lung-disease-health-screening-research-phase-one-final-report" target="_blank">in Victoria</a> shows the extent of silicosis among workers in the stone benchtop industry.</p> <p><strong>What is silicosis?</strong></p> <p>Silicosis is <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/explainer-what-is-silicosis-and-why-is-this-old-lung-disease-making-a-comeback-80465" target="_blank">a preventable disease</a> characterised by scarring on the lungs, called <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31989662/" target="_blank">pulmonary fibrosis</a>.</p> <p>Over time, inhalation of tiny silica dust particles triggers an inflammatory response that causes small growths called nodules to build up on the lungs. These nodules can grow and cluster together, causing the lungs to become stiffer and impeding the transfer of oxygen into the blood.</p> <p>In the early stages of the disease, a person may be well. Symptoms of silicosis can include a cough, breathlessness and tiredness. Generally, the more widespread the disease becomes in the lungs, the more trouble a person will have with breathing.</p> <p>There’s not currently a cure. In severe cases, a lung transplant may be the only option, and the disease <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-03-13/silicosis-victim-dies-from-disease/10895774" target="_blank">can be fatal</a>.</p> <p>Brisbane researchers, however, recently demonstrated <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/queensland-researchers-develop-world-first-treatment-for-deadly-lung-disease-silicosis-killing-tradies/2f5fc92f-d8a5-46f4-b6d3-2f0a6beb083a" target="_blank">early but promising results</a> from <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33626187/" target="_blank">a trial</a> in which they washed silica out of a small number of silicosis patients’ lungs.</p> <p><strong>The road to reform</strong></p> <p>Tradesmen in the stone benchtop industry cut slabs of stone to size and use hand-held power saws and grinders to form holes for sinks and stove tops. This generates crystalline silica dust from the stone which may be released into the air.</p> <p>Using water in this process can <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25326187/" target="_blank">suppress the generation of dust</a> significantly, but until recently dry processing of artificial stone has been ubiquitous in the industry. Almost <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/silica-associated-lung-disease-health-screening-research-phase-one-final-report" target="_blank">70% of workers</a> with silicosis in Victoria indicated they spent more than half their time at work in an environment where dry processing was occurring.</p> <p>Stone benchtop workers suffering silicosis <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.abc.net.au/7.30/spike-in-silicosis-cases-from-dust-created-when/10361776" target="_blank">have called out</a> poor work conditions over recent years, including being made to perform dry cutting with inadequate protections such as effective ventilation and appropriate respirators.</p> <p>Queensland was the first state to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/news-and-events/alerts/workplace-health-and-safety-alerts/2018/prevent-exposure-to-silica-for-engineered-stone-benchtop-workers" target="_blank">ban dry cutting</a> in 2018. Victoria followed <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/news/2019-08/uncontrolled-dry-cutting-engineered-stone-banned" target="_blank">in 2019</a>, and <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.smh.com.au/business/workplace/nsw-to-ban-dry-cutting-of-stone-products-to-combat-deadly-silicosis-20200220-p542qr.html" target="_blank">New South Wales</a> in 2020.</p> <p>It’s too early to assess whether these changes have affected the prevalence of silicosis, but hopefully they will make a difference.</p> <p><strong>Our research</strong></p> <p>Around the time the Victorian government introduced the ban, it launched <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.premier.vic.gov.au/protecting-victorian-workers-deadly-silica-dust" target="_blank">an enforcement blitz</a> in high-risk workplaces, while WorkSafe Victoria implemented a free screening program for the estimated 1,400 workers in the stone benchtop industry across the state.</p> <p>The Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health recently released <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/silica-associated-lung-disease-health-screening-research-phase-one-final-report" target="_blank">a report</a> detailing the findings from the first year of the screening program. Some 18% of initial 324 workers who completed the assessments were diagnosed with silicosis.</p> <p>We’ve seen similar results <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.worksafe.qld.gov.au/claims-and-insurance/work-related-injuries/types-of-injury-or-illness/work-related-respiratory-diseases/silicosis" target="_blank">in Queensland</a>, where as of February 2021 the government had screened 1,053 stonemasons exposed to crystalline silica dust from artificial stone. Some 223 (or 21%) were diagnosed with silicosis, including 32 with the most severe form, called progressive massive fibrosis.</p> <p>The Monash report indicates workers in Victoria are diagnosed with silicosis at an average age of just 41. The average time spent working in the stone benchtop industry when diagnosed was 14 years, and the shortest was just three years, reflecting an extremely high level of silica dust exposure.</p> <p>We published some earlier results of this research project in <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33115923/" target="_blank">Occupational and Environmental Medicine</a> late last year. But this latest data hasn’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning it hasn’t been subject to the same level of scrutiny as other published research.</p> <p><strong>A broader problem</strong></p> <p>Failure to protect workers from silica exposure <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/silica-office-admin-worker-joanna-mcneill-contracts-silicosis/d64f8661-8bca-4b6f-b950-a1d64e13e421" target="_blank">goes well beyond</a> the stone benchtop industry.</p> <p>Around <a rel="noopener" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26888888/" target="_blank">3.7% of Australian workers</a> are estimated to be highly exposed to silica at work, and we see workers in other industries, such as quarry work, with silicosis too.</p> <p>Some <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.britannica.com/science/silica" target="_blank">59% of Earth’s crust</a> is silica, so in certain workplaces such as mines and quarries, eliminating silica is not feasible.</p> <p>In these circumstances, exposure must be identified and tightly controlled with measures to prevent dust generation, isolation of workers from the dust, and effective ventilation. If silica cannot be eliminated from a workplace, constant vigilance and evaluation of control strategies are essential.</p> <p>But when it comes to the choice of material for your kitchen benchtop, it’s hard to argue elimination of high-silica artificial stone isn’t feasible. There are many other materials suitable for benchtops that contain little or no silica, such as wood, laminate, steel or marble.</p> <p>Compared with other countries, Australian consumers have developed a particular fondness for artificial stone, which accounts for <a rel="noopener" href="https://s23.q4cdn.com/225400014/files/doc_presentations/Investor-presentation-Sept-2018-Final-Version.pdf" target="_blank">45% of the benchtop market here</a>, but just 14% in the United States.</p> <p>Workers’ lung health may seem like a strange thing to contemplate when designing a kitchen. But increased awareness of this issue is crucial to drive change.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important; text-shadow: none !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/156208/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /></p> <p><em><a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/ryan-hoy-1211851" target="_blank">Ryan Hoy</a>, Respiratory Physician. Senior Research Fellow. Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/monash-university-1065" target="_blank">Monash University</a></em></p> <p><em>This article is republished from <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a rel="noopener" href="https://theconversation.com/renovating-your-kitchen-help-australias-tradies-avoid-silicosis-by-not-choosing-artificial-stone-156208" target="_blank">original article</a>.</em></p> <p><em>Image: Getty Images</em></p>

Home Hints & Tips

Five money-saving kitchen renovation ideas

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though renovating your kitchen can be a costly endeavour, there are some ways to spruce it up while sticking to a small budget.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Consider </span><a rel="noopener" href="https://www.bhg.com.au/ways-improve-kitchen-without-breaking-bank?category=renovating" target="_blank"><span style="font-weight: 400;">these five</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> quick, easy and affordable ideas if you’re looking to update your kitchen without spending a fortune.</span></p> <p><strong>Stick with the same layout</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Renovations that cost an arm and a leg often involve rearranging the kitchen in a major way.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you can avoid moving cupboards, tearing down and rebuilding walls, or rearranging the electrics and plumbing, you can save some real money.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Despite this, you can still give your kitchen a proper facelift.</span></p> <p><strong>Spend wisely</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another chunk of the costs will come from replacing appliances, especially if they are still in good working order.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">And, by reusing appliances and simply giving them a clean, you can spend the money you save on new taps or other smaller items that can add to the room’s sense of style.</span></p> <p><strong>Get out the paint roller</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re looking for the simplest way to revive your kitchen, painting is the best place to start. Gloomy rooms can be instantly brightened just by painting the walls, ceiling, door, and window frames with a few coats of a bright, neutral colour.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stuck with mismatched dining chairs or a set that’s seen better days? While you’ve got the paintbrush out, give your dining chairs and table a few coats of paint or a stain to make them match and look brand new.</span></p> <p><strong>Refresh your cabinetry</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another way to blow out your budget can be the replacement of cabinets. If your current ones are structurally sound but look a bit tired or no longer match your dream colour scheme, paint or replace the doors, drawer fronts and hardware and save a bucket load of cash.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Another way to freshen up your over-bench cabinetry is to remove the doors altogether. This can give your shelves a new, modern look, especially if you paint or line the back of the shelves with a splash of coloured paper.</span></p> <p><strong>Add some little touches</strong></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Spending a little on replacing power-point covers, light switches, window coverings, or light fittings can add the final touches to your fresh-faced kitchen.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">With money saved from avoiding buying big ticket items or paying for major works, it’s possible to walk away with a new kitchen without the huge financial investment.</span></p> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Image: Getty Images</span></em></p>

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