Halogen lamps are often regarded as the eco friendly cousin of the conventional light bulb.
But what really sets them apart?
1. Produce a more natural, softer light than filament bulbs.
2. Last twice as long and throw out more light than a conventional bulb.
3. Cost twice as much as a conventional light bulb.
4. The Halogen bulb contains a chemical additive that creates a greater luminosity.
Ever considered whether you actually need that garage?
Well, there is a growing trend for many households to convert their garage into additional living space. To me this makes absolute sense and I suspect (contrary to some recent evidence) that this will ultimately add value to your home and here’s why:
1. Converting garages is typically a very easy/cheap thing to do. Plaster, flooring, hooking up services and your off.
2. The principal reason for garages used to be for storage of the family car. Why? Because vehicles in general were not galvanised as par for the course - resulting in rust. Therefore, it was important to protect your car from the elements as much as possible. Today, new cars are routinely galvanised - hence no need for the garage.
3. Sheds are fast becoming the place of choice for storing everything that you would have usually stored in the garage. Particularly, with the increasingly vast array of ultra modern sheds containing everything including the kitchen sink!
4. Living space, particularly in city and urban areas is rapidly becoming more and more important. It’s a question of whether that garage is more important than a nursery, study or larger kitchen/diner? That’s a no brainer to be honest!
5. I think most of us if we were honest, would concede that the garage is jammed full of junk that you actually don’t need. Strip the junk out and you would more than likely be able to fit everything else in the shed or in the loft.
We’ll see in years to come, but I predict that garage conversions will become a very easy way to add serious value to your home, for comparatively little expenditure.
Where can I best use my limited $2,000 dollar budget to best effect on my new home? Umm, this is fairly straightforward question that many people ponder everyday.
Well quite simply it’s a question of prioritisation and not forgetting that quality of life sometimes comes before the investment value of your house. So I would do as follows:
1. A bad kitchen equals a bad house. You’re going to be spending a lot of time in there so you should ensure that it’s functional and hygienic. It’s also probably going to add the most value in the long run.
2. Bathrooms are definitely up there with the kitchen. After all, how keen are you going to be about hopping into a stained bath with moth eaten carpets! Again, a great value adder if you get it right . Go simple, go neutral, go white! It will always last the test of time unlike that avocado bath suite!
3. A lick of paint in all the rooms is a tremendously cheap way of lifting an entire house. Yes it can be time consuming, but well worth it.
4. Don’t forget the exterior. Replacing or repairing windows may be essential so don’t hold back or you’ll end up with elevated energy bills at the end of the year.
5. Getting your hands dirty in the garden can make all the difference and you can buy a variety of plants for really very small amounts of money nowadays. A great tip is to buy succulents for ground cover, things like sempervivums and caedum - they spread quickly and can be broken off and planted elsewhere - a great cost saver.
