| Buyers: Watch out for water damage |
Unless it's really obvious, you will probably not notice water
damage in a home as much as an overgrown garden, peeling paint or
a lack of light.
And yet it can be much more serious than any of these problems,
and consume huge amounts of time and money to rectify. Even a small
hole in a roof can result in a rotting rafter or a waterlogged wall
that requires replacing.
This is just one of the reasons that it is worth giving even the
best-looking properties a thorough pre-purchase inspection - and
even paying a professional to conduct it if you have any doubts.
Possible water problems to look out for include the following:
* Roof leaks, especially around flashings, skylights or chimneys,
and any downward water seepage into walls.
* Upward water seepage into walls from cracked foundations or lack
of damp-proofing.
* Poor drainage. Surface water runoff should drain away from the
house and gutter downspouts should be directed away from the foundation.
* Mould, especially in bathrooms and laundries, This is becoming
more prevalent in modern homes due to the increasing use of air
conditioners, dehumidifiers and clothes dryers, and may require
the installation of exhaust fans, the replacement of infested carpets
and the repainting or retiling of certain areas.
* Poor water pressure, which can be a sign of water service supply
deficiencies or the necessity for costly piping upgrades, especially
if the home is fitted with old galvanized piping.
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| Sellers: Downsize the smart way |
Whether you're downsizing to a smaller home for
financial reasons or just trying to "downshift" to an
easier lifestyle involving less home maintenance, you will probably
have some hard decisions to make about what to take with you and
what to leave behind.
These can be made easier, however, if you stick
to the maxim of "quality over quantity" and start paring
down your possessions well before you have to move.
A good start is to get a floorplan of your new
home and plan where you will place chosen items of furniture, then
dispose of the rest. You should not take anything else just in case
you might find a space for it, and nor should you hire a storage
unit for your overflow.
If you have been keeping heirlooms for grown children,
now is the time for these to be re-housed in their homes, and many
other things can be donated to a charity organisation or sold to
a second-hand shop for cash.
The next step is to make the most of the space
you will have. You could plan, for example, to make a spare bedroom
do double duty as an office, or perhaps as a play space for visiting
grandchildren.
You can also save space in your living area by opting for a flat
screen TV monitor instead of a conventional television set, and
losing the bulky music system in favour of CDs in your DVD player.
Lastly, you will need ways to keep your new home uncluttered, so
it will not look cramped, and the key to this is to ensure that
you have enough storage space. You could for example look at installing
new cupboard space above the existing units in the kitchen or behind
the bathroom door, and putting double rails into clothes cupboard
for additional hanging space.
And, once again, you should not move anything to
your new home that does not already have an allotted space. You
can deal with messy papers and photos by scanning them to CD, and
with books by keeping only those that will fit into your bookcases
or cabinets, and donating the rest to a library.
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| Winter the best time for HOA building
projects |
From now until about October is the best time of
year for the homeowners' associations (HOAs) of security estates
and cluster complexes to tackle any outstanding construction or
outdoor renovation projects such as painting, paving, fencing and
roofing.
Aside from the prospect of dry weather (except
in the Western Cape, of course), winter is generally a slow time
for contractors, so it is easier to schedule the work that needs
doing - and negotiate a discount.
However, the HOA should not select a contractor
in haste or on price alone. The executive should always ask for
references, and be sure to check them, as it is important to use
contractors that are not only properly qualified but have a good
track record.
It is also important to ensure that the preferred
contractor has handled projects of similar size and complexity to
the one the HOA has in mind, as it is not uncommon for small contractors
to overcommit themselves when trying to secure work.
When investigating the cost of the work, the executive
will also need to give prospective contractors a clear and detailed
work brief to quote on. The contractors' quotes may not otherwise
contain the details and protections the HOA needs to ensure a top
quality job with the fewest hassles.
In addition, the HOA executive should ensure that
the following are contained in any contract it signs: Contractor's
contact information and physical address, a project schedule, and
a schedule of payments. Any building plans, permits and warranties
that are necessary should also be attached.
And finally, once work begins, the HOA should never
give in to requests for advance payments. This is often the sign
of a contractor working on a "shoe string" and being unable
to fund his own labour or supply bills. Instead, the HOA should
make progress payments for work already completed - after it has
been inspected to verify quality as well as completion.
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| Homeowners: Turn your roof green |
One of the best ways to improve energy efficiency
in your home is to ensure that your roof and ceilings are properly
insulated so that the interior stays at a constant, comfortable
temperature.
The reduction in your heating and cooling energy
requirements will also cut hundreds of rands a year off your electricity
bills.
Roof insulation mainly comes in the form of a reflective,
foil based product that reflects radiant heat and stops the home
from becoming too hot in summer, whereas ceiling insulation is mainly
in the form of thermal batts or blankets made from fibreglass, rockwool
or paper that prevent heat loss in winter.
The most important consideration in selecting the proper insulation
is its R-value - the measure of how effective a material is at resisting
heat flow. The higher the R-value, the greater the resistance there
is to heat transfer and the greater the energy efficiency.
Additionally, you may want to consider ventilation
to remove hot air trapped in the roof cavity in summer and to reduce
the condensation that can occur and damage insulation. For this
the most energy efficient choice is mechanical roof ventilators
that spin with the wind to create an updraft and extract the hot
or moist air.
And while you're thinking about the roof, what
about installing skylights to let more natural light into the home
and cutting your electricity usage even more. They are available
in many shapes and sizes but the small tubular variety are especially
useful to bring more light to dark hallways, ensuite bathrooms and
kitchens.
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FROM
BERRY EVERITT
