December 2017

Below are some of the mistakes that people frequently make when it comes to wooden floors:

  • Not sweeping frequently – if you want to preserve your expensive Quick Step Eligna wooden flooring, then the number one tip you want to follow is to frequently sweep your floors. Not only will this ensure that your floors look clean all the time, but it also ensures that your flooring is guarded against unnecessary scratches from an accumulation of abrasive dust and debris. By preventing your floors from getting scratched, and eventually dulled, you prolong their lifespan (and save yourself from wasting money on costly repairs).
  • Vacuuming the wrong way – almost all the vacuum cleaners you buy nowadays come with an assortment of attachments. These are catered for different purposes in cleaning, both because they make the job easier, and also because they prevent any damage to a specific material or object. When it comes to wooden flooring, you want to avoid any possible scratching and gouging out of floors with the wrong attachment. Use the attachment that comes with soft brushes – it is often called the hardwood brush.
  • Mopping your floors – the common advice that you might have learned from your parents – or any other elders – is to wash your floors with a mop after vacuuming to clean them. Such ideas are contradictory to the nature of timber flooring. As experts and trusted wooden flooring suppliers will relentlessly warn you, you have to protect your flooring from moisture if it is made out of wood. There is a reason why wooden constructions outdoors are quick to rot and warp if they are not coated with the proper water repellents (which are not 100% effective, mind you). Accordingly, you should take steps to avoid excess moisture on your wooden floors, and that makes mopping the worst way to clean your floors. Instead, stick to a damp rag or mop to wipe your flooring (instead of washing them).
  • Not attending to spillage – as you read previously, moisture can harm wood. Spills, in addition to harming the floor with moisture, can also stain the floor permanently if not attended to quickly. Therefore, make sure to quickly wipe any spills; if you need to wash the floor for more obnoxious spills, make sure that you properly dry the floor afterwards (with a dry rag that is).
  • Wearing inappropriate shoes – if you have visited any museums or similar venues with wooden flooring, you might have seen boards or have been told by the attendants that high heels should be removed. Stilettos and other similar high heels with small, pointy heels especially, concentrate the pressure into one small point. Since wooden flooring is soft, it is easily indented and damaged by such types of footwear. Stick to the advice and avoid wearing your heels indoors.

Investing in a new home can be quite stressful if you are doing it for the first time. Many people end up paying a huge price for mediocre houses. Eventually, they realize that the investment is not worth the price they had paid. However, once the payment is done and agreement is sealed, as a buyer, you cannot bargain for any kind of compensation. This is the reason why it is advised that before making any home-buying decision, you need to confirm all the details concerning the property and its surroundings. In this review, we will be discussing a few major factors that play a vital role in finding a perfect home that not only suits your expectations but also fits into your limited budget.

Property valuation

Whenever your agent informs you about the availability of a home, you need to inquire about a few major aspects before visiting the home. Primarily, you should inquire about the age of the property. It is not wise to invest your hard-earned money on an old property that can only be renewed externally. Even if it looks great after renovation, you cannot confirm the extent of damage sustained by its structures owing to years of depreciation. In short, you need to take permission for getting necessary pre purchase building inspections before entering into any kind of discussion related to price. After getting the entire property checked by a certified property inspector you can consider the option of buying if you feel that the home is perfect for your family.

Financial assistance

It is always advisable to partially finance your new home with the help of a housing loan. Rather than spending your entire savings on a single investment, it is better to get some financial assistance through a reputed bank or a financial institute. However, banks would provide you with a loan only after checking the condition of your property. There are several cases where bank rejects a loan after finding the property to be too old or structurally unsafe. Hence, if you are expecting any kind of financial aid, you need to find a well-built home that isn’t too old.

Size and structure of the home

It is always wise to invest in a home that has spacious rooms and balconies. Even if the interiors are not too attractive, you can go ahead with your decision. Besides size, you need to check the entire structure of the home with the help of a professional home inspector. After a detailed structural inspection, he would inform you about potential damages and risks. You need to assess the total expenses that need to be incurred for any kind of maintenance or repair works. You can deduct this amount from the total cost of property and thereby save money on buying a new home.