How Long Will Your Solar Panels Last? Solar System Degradation Explained…
It’s hardly news… solar panels are a great way to generate your own electricity to save money. With prices sitting at historical lows, it makes sense to think about going solar. However, even with the current low costs, a solar panel investment can still require a considerable outlay. How much you will save on your […]
Three Home Remodelling Projects That Will Add Real Value…
Remodelling to add value to a property is very different from renovating for lifestyle. If it’s your ‘forever home’, you will gain emotional and physical comfort from your expenditure. But if you are remodelling to sell – to increase the value of your property – you need to think hard before committing. Home owners who […]
Color Psychology: How to Choose the Right Paint for Your Kitchen Cabinets!
It’s often said that the kitchen is the heart of your home. You spend so much time there, with family, entertaining, cooking fabulous meals, that it’s only natural to want to give it a facelift from time to time. While a full kitchen renovation might not be in your budget, there are some simple and […]
Keeping Your Kitchen Appliances in Prime Condition Saves Money!
As any homeowner will tell you, big-ticket appliances don’t come cheap. Even lower-end dishwashers, laundry machines and refrigerators are liable to cost a pretty penny. Furthermore, having essential appliances serviced, repaired and replaced can put a sizable hole in your personal finances. That being the case, properly caring for these devices and making them last […]
7 Tips For Buying the Best Beach Condo in the Right Spot
The cool breezes, long shores, the walk on sand, the beautiful sunrise and sunset can be relaxing. The best place to find it all, will of course be the beaches. So instead of visiting this place often, why not live here permanently or at least have your second home here? A lot of people think […]
What Tools Does a Homeowner Definitely Need?
When you own a home, you need tools. Even if you don’t plan to DIY any major home improvements or repairs, there will still be minor things you’ll need to take care of — hanging pictures, putting together flat-pack furniture, and doing minor repairs. But what tools do you absolutely need to buy right away, […]
Making Your Rental Property More Attractive to Tenants
Having a property that you can rent is a great way to earn some extra cash. But if you are not doing anything to improve it, you are depriving your bank account of quite some savings. With a little effort and work, you can pull in the right tenants, show them a space that they […]
How to Choose the Right Size Ceiling Fan for Your Room
Ceiling fans can be super useful for moving air around in your home — in the summer, they can create a cooling breeze that allows you to turn your thermostat up a few degrees. Reverse the fan’s direction in the winter, and it can push warm air down from the ceiling to make your home […]
What You Need to Know About Your HVAC System:
Your HVAC system is vital in your home. It can control the humidity, temperature, and quality of the air to make you feel more comfortable. This system prevents you feeling overly hot in the summer and keeps you warm in the winter. Here is what you need to know about your HVAC system, including how […]
How to keep your home safe before and after the storm
Although Ireland is a country with relatively calm weather, we still have our shares of storms and other extreme weather conditions that often cause severe destruction to our homes. However, with proper preparation and protection in place, you can dramatically reduce the effect of these weather conditions on your home and properties, saving yourself not […]
Does Your Home Need a Generator?
When you planning your new home, there are lots of things that you need to think about. There are the obvious ones like needing to consider the way that the rooms will be designed and the type of furniture that you want to include. But there are also the less obvious and sometimes, overlooked. For […]
Refuge in Malalcahuello
Malalcahuello Chile – mc2 Arquitectos Built area: 50 m2 Construction materials: Pine and glass Year Built: 2013 A wall of glass and the soft hues of natural pine combine to create glowing visual and physical warmth in the midst of snow! Situated in the ski resort area of Corralco, […]
Paint your house solar!
We wrote some years back about early research into solar paints. At that time, the research was aimed at making the paint act as photo-electric collectors in the same way that conventional solar panels work. We’ve seen nothing since about that research but Melbourne’s RMIT has now developed a a paint that might just power your […]
Bamboo simplicity – Forest for a Moon Dazzler
Guanacaste, Costa Rica – Ben Gracia Saxe Built: 2010 Bamboo is an extraordinarily versatile material. It’s strong, flexible, lightweight, totally renewable and, potentially very long lasting even when in ground. The home shown here uses bamboo in both conventional and very unconventional ways. It’s a home ideally suited to it’s hot, humid locale – open and […]
Seven solid reasons for using bamboo flooring
Bamboo flooring is becoming an increasingly popular option in new homes and in renovations. Before deciding whether to install a bamboo floor , it’s important that you know and understand the advantages and disadvantages of using this material for your project. The Advantages of Bamboo Flooring There are many advantages to bamboo including its environmental friendliness, […]
Look… No Triangles!
By Guest Blogger Munir Vahanvati The use of triangles is one of the fundamental principles for bamboo construction which is commonly used in most bamboo structures for stability and rigidity. Keeping with our principle of exploring new designs and connections in every project we decided to challenge the notion of using triangulation for structural stability. […]
Are solar myths stopping you from saving big money?
This article was originally written in March 2012. It was last updated on the 16th of March, 2017. If you’re struggling with skyrocketing energy bills, you’re in good company. In fact, just about everyone else on this planet of ours is facing the same challenge. And like you, they’re not happy about it! Fossil fuels […]
The Owner-Builder’s Sanity Saving Checklist!
The two most daunting questions in the minds of first time owner builders are: What are the steps or process I need to follow to build a house as an owner builder? and What are the stages of building a house as an owner builder? How great would it be if you had a […]
Seven Tips for Successful Owner-Building
We choose to owner-build for many and varied reasons. Sometimes, it’s because we have a limited budget and want to save as much as possible. Other times it’s because we want something unique that we feel a commercial builder won’t be able to deliver. And then there’s, what may be the best motivation and reason […]
Small house in Surrey Hills
One with the birds
Badaling China – Penda Design House Concept only Badaling is a forested mountain area about 100 kilometres from Beijing. It is one of the main sites for viewing and walking The Great Wall. Entries were invited in a competition to design an eco-hotel in one of China’s most successful, but ecologically sensitive, destinations – The […]
Great Wall Bamboo House
Commune by the Great Wall Near Biejing China – Kengo Kuma and Associates Year built: 2002 Built area: 529 m2 (5,713 sq. ft.) The Bamboo Wall House was completed in 2002 as part of a multi-dwelling project near Beijing. Requirements were to use local materials and conform to the topography. The […]
Bamboo Courtyard Teahouse
ShiQiao, Yangzhou China – World Consulting & Design (HWCD) Building Area: 400m2 Completed: May 2012 Yangzhou is a city located to the north-west of Shanghai. It is home to Huaiyang-style cuisine which ranks as the top of all eight famous Chinese cuisine styles. Focussed on pastries and snacks as the key components, it’s customary for […]
Bamboo Brilliance – Wind and Water Cafe
Vietnam – Vo Trong Nghia Vietnam has a long tradition of bamboo construction. When local architects, Vo Trong Nghia were briefed to design a bar come meeting place, bamboo seemed a natural candidate. The Water and Wind Café in the southern province of Binh Duong subsequently won Nghia the 2007 International Architecture Award (IAA). Since then […]