FP Homes & Renovations

The Pros And Cons Of DIY Versus Professional Couch Cleaning In Airbnb Properties

Nobody can have missed the huge rise in the popularity of Airbnb properties both for those who pay to stay in them and those who rent them out, and whilst there will be many ways in which those hosts seek to keep their properties in the best condition possible, when it comes to upholstery such as chair and couch cleaning, they have two basic options.

The two main options they have for upholstery and couch cleaning are to either ‘DIY’ it whereby they attempt it, or they hire a professional couch cleaners.

Each of these choices has its pros and cons, so to help any Airbnb host reading this decide which is best for them, here are the pros and cons for each couch cleaning option.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
7 Myths About Frameless Glass Shower Screens You Must Ignore

7 Myths About Frameless Glass Shower Screens You Must Ignore

We are not sure how much you know about frameless glass shower screens, but we are pretty sure that the fact you are reading this means you have some interest in them.

It might be you have never had a shower screen and thinking of having one installed, or you may be thinking about replacing your existing shower screen during a bathroom renovation with complete bathrooms.

Regardless of your reason for reading about frameless glass shower screens, we hope that the information you have found elsewhere has been informative and factual.

We say factual because there are several myths about frameless glass shower screens, which are, at best annoying and, at worst, might give someone the completely wrong impression about them.

So, to ensure that you are aware of these myths, we have listed the seven most common ones we have come across.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
A Beginner's Guide To How Solar Panels Work

A Beginner’s Guide To How Solar Panels Work

Solar systems to generate electricity in homes are becoming increasingly popular with homeowners, not just for the financial benefits but also as the focus intensifies on the desire for increased use of renewable energy sources. However, many people are still unfamiliar with how solar systems work, particularly how solar panels can transform light from the sun or any other source into usable domestic electricity.

In this beginner’s guide, we will explain the basic principles behind solar panels and how they can be used to produce electricity for homes. Fear not; we will not make it so technical that you would need a degree in solar energy or electrical engineering to understand it.

What Are Solar Panels?

Let us start with the absolute basics, and that is answering the question, “What are solar panels?” just in case anyone reading is not aware of them. Solar panels are devices within a solar power system that convert sunlight into electricity, and they can be used for both residential and commercial properties. They are made up of numerous photovoltaic (PV) cells, which comprise mainly silicon but also some other materials.

When sunlight hits these PV cells, it causes electrons to move, creating an electrical current. At this stage, the electricity created is direct current (DC) akin to the electricity supplied by the battery and alternator within your car, so it has to be converted into alternating current (AC) for use in domestic properties.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
5 Reasons To Ask Your Landscape Architect To Include Water Features

5 Reasons To Ask Your Landscape Architect To Include Water Features

When discussing your wishes with landscape architects as to what you want to be included in your new landscaped garden, we sincerely hope that one or more water features are on the list. As for constitutes a water feature it can be anything from a small bird bath to a large fountain, from an artificial stream to a pond, and many more including a full-sized swimming pool if your pool builder says your property is large enough.

Water features are amazing in that they can activate several senses including seeing the beauty of cascading water, listening to the peaceful ripples from a small stream, or the cooling feel as you splash cold water onto your face on a hot summer’s day. You can also include taste if you have a drinking fountain, and smell if you have a fish pond, so that takes care of all five senses.

As well as what we have just described, water features have several other benefits for homeowners who request that their landscape architect include one in the landscape design they are creating. If you are unsure of what they might be, please continue reading and you will discover that we have highlighted five reasons why you will want a water feature in your landscaped garden.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
Store-Bought vs. Custom Kitchen Cabinetry – What to Consider

Store-Bought vs. Custom Kitchen Cabinetry – What to Consider

When the time comes to undertake home renovations, there’s much to consider. Near the top of the list is money, followed by value for money, product quality, and service. It would be best if you must also consider whether you’ll hire cabinet makers for your renovation or utilise store-bought, pre-made cabinetry.

Surprisingly, the former points connect with the latte. To get value for money, a high-quality product, and incredible service, you must make the right call to invest in custom kitchen cabinetry or store-bought. These points below might be worth considering.

Quality

One of the most important things to consider when renovating your kitchen is the quality of the cabinetry, flooring, and appliances you will be fitting. A kitchen is one of the most commonly-used parts of any home, so the durability of your material is essential.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
5 Premises Where You Need Commercial Cleaning Expertise

5 Premises Where You Need Commercial Cleaning Expertise

There are many who believe that commercial cleaning is merely where cleaning takes place within business premises and that it differs little from normal house cleaning. Now, you do not need to be a commercial cleaning expert to know that is simply not true, at least in the main it isn’t.

There are certainly some premises where the actual cleaning work will be similar to domestic cleaning, however, our advice would still be to use a professional commercial cleaning company, simply to ensure that the quality of the cleaning work is high.

That being said, there are a number of scenarios where the need to use skilled and experienced commercial cleaners is absolute.

This will be for a number of reasons with the main ones being safety, the need for specific cleaning knowledge and skill, plus there may also be a requirement that specialised equipment is needed for cleaning certain equipment or premises.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
Why Millboard Decking Beats Hardwood Decking Despite The Extra Cost

Why Millboard Decking Beats Hardwood Decking Despite The Extra Cost

If you are at the stage of having already decided you want decking but are torn between whether to use Millboard composite decking or hardwood decking, then we are here to help you decide. As you might have already gathered from the title, we are going to come down on the side of millboard decking but that does mean we are saying that hardwood decking is all bad.

In fact, it has many qualities that make it a great choice including lower upfront costs, and of course, nothing can truly give you a more natural appearance than real wood. However, despite these positives, as we go through the list of features that millboard decking offers, compared to hardwood, you will discover why it is a better choice.

Installation Is Quicker

Most people employ a local company who are experts in installing millboard decking, but even so, you can still expect some degree of disruption given the size of the project. Nevertheless, compared to wood decking installations those for millboard decking tend to be a lot quicker by up to 1/3 of the time as there is no need to trim, sand, or stain, and everything will be perfectly straight, versus the potential of warped wood.

Less Maintenance Required

Once installed the amount of maintenance required for millboard decking amounts to occasional brushing and mopping. Compare that to the oiling, sanding, staining, sealing and removal of algae and moss, to name but a few of the many maintenance tasks that hardwood decking requires, not just once, but on multiple occasions.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
Make Your New House Feel Like Home

How To Quickly Make Your New House Feel Like Home

If your move to a new home went smoothly, thanks to good planning, professional removalists and a little help from your friends and family, we congratulate you. However, we also have to tell that for many people, the actual move is just the beginning, and that there are further challenges that lay ahead.

One of those challenges is one which every person who moves to a new house experiences, and it is the challenge of the four walls and roof that surround you actually feeling like your home, and not just the house you have moved to

It is really is down to you to take the steps necessary for you feel you are at home, and there a number of things you can do to accelerate that process. These can work, not just for you, but further members of your family, who may also need to adjust to their new surroundings.

Start With your Clothes

It might seem strange that, rather than talk about your furniture, decor, and the likes of family photographs, we are bringing up the subject of your clothes first, but there is a perfectly simple reason for that. Your clothes are the things which you are more familiar with than almost anything else in your home.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
What Is CCTV

What Is CCTV and Do I Need It?

Using CCTV (closed-circuit television) monitoring is becoming increasingly popular throughout Australia. As security cameras and CCTV systems continue to become more affordable, more and more homeowners are installing them to combat intruders and burglars.

However, a lot of people still don’t understand what CCTV is or how it works. Because of this, they don’t even consider installing it, even in situations where it could be extremely useful.

Because of this, we decided to put together the following guide. We’ve looked at what CCTV is, how it works and a few of the things to consider when deciding whether or not you need it.

What Is CCTV?

In short, CCTV surveillance involves installing some sort of video cameras around your property to detect the presence of intruders or burglars. The technology has been in use for years, but until recently, it was relatively expensive and ineffective.

However, recent advances in surveillance technology have led to much more useful equipment that can be used to accurately capture and identify criminals. If you live in a crime-prone area or store a significant amount of valuables on your property, we’d highly recommend installing some sort of security camera system.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
Professional Landscape Designers

How Can Professional Landscape Designers Help Me?

Although you might not realise it, the landscaping process can be very stressful and time-confusing. Hiring a professional landscape designer can make things a lot easier, even if you work alongside them to save yourself some money.

There are numerous benefits associated with hiring experienced landscape designers. In this article, we’ve looked at a few of the top advantages. These include:

  1. A Professional Designer Will Analyse Your Property With a Professional Eye

For starters, you can rest assured that a professional landscape designer will approach your property with professional eyes. They will consider a wide range of things before starting to form initial design ideas. These include:

    • Architectural elements, such as patios, outdoor dining areas and more.
    • The local environment, including things like temperature, rainfall and wind.
    • Your soil and its nutrient levels.

  • Any artistic elements that stand out immediately.

As you can imagine, the years of experience and training that a professional landscape designer brings to the table allows them to come up with ideas that might not even cross your mind.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago

3 Reasons Why You Should Design Your Own Custom Swimming Pool

Landscape design can be fun and exciting, especially when you’re able to work hand in hand with a skilled designer. Crafting a plan for your new swimming pool may appear way too difficult at first, but it’s certainly achievable, especially if you’re working with a professional designer.

There are many benefits associated with designing your own swimming pool. You will be able to customise your pool fencing, the style of your pool and the things your pool is made out of. You will be able to work attractive landscaping elements like glass pool fencing into your design blueprint, an ultimately, you should end up with the pool of your dreams!

Here are three reasons why you should design your own swimming pool – with or without the help of a professional designer:

  1. You Know Exactly What You Want

Only you know exactly what you want when it comes to your new swimming pool. Sure, you could sit down and try to explain your thoughts to a professional landscape designer, but this isn’t always very easy – trust me!

The best way to make sure that you get the swimming pool of your dreams is to design it by yourself. If you’re not sure that your knowledge and design ability is good enough to put together a comprehensive design document, then you could employ a designer to work with you, but make sure that they understand that you’re going to be doing more of the work.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago

5 Tips for Choosing the Right Plumber

Choosing the right plumber isn’t always easy, but it’s important to put some time and thought into the process. Although plumbing is a highly skilled job, not all contractors have what it takes to make your experience a pleasant one.

Fortunately, there are a few things you can look out for to ensure you’re working with a plumber who knows what they’re doing. We’ve put together a list of our top five tips for choosing the right plumber, which include:

  1. Make Sure You Check Their Licence

It’s crucial to make sure that you use a plumber who is fully licenced, insured, and qualified to do their work. When you’re choosing a plumber, it’s always a good idea to check their licence and insurance before you even consider working with them.

Doing this will ensure you’re protected, even if something goes wrong with their work. Although, if you use the right contractor, you shouldn’t have any problems on this front.

  1. Look at Reviews and Referrals

At the same time, it’s worth doing a little research to ensure that others have had a good experience working with the plumber that you’re considering. Start by asking your friends and family if they can recommend a good service provider.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
Plumbing in the Garden

Plumbing in the Garden – What Do I Need to Consider?

Installing plumbing in your garden requires a decent amount of thought to ensure you get things right. If you’re not careful, poor garden plumbing can cause all sorts of problems.

Although we always suggest working with a professional, the truth is that most garden plumbing isn’t that difficult. As long as you’re careful and pay attention to what you’re doing, you shouldn’t have any problems installing things like sprinklers and garden taps.

With this in mind, we’ve put together a short list of the top things to consider before plumbing in the garden. These include:

Create a Clear Plan Before You Start Work

If you’re interested in adding things like sprinklers or garden drippers, the first thing you should do is create a clear plan of the work you’re planning on doing. Sit down with a piece of paper and a pencil and create a rough sketch. Think about:

Overall, creating a clear plumbing plan will help ensure the job goes smoothly. If you need inspiration or additional help, a quick online search will get your sorted.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago
Glass Pool Fencing

Is Glass Pool Fencing Affordable?

Anyone with a swimming pool in Australia has to have pool fencing that meets strict standards. Australian law specifies exactly what’s acceptable in terms of the dimensions, materials and structure of pool fences, and it’s important to follow the rules closely. If you don’t, then you risk significant fines and other penalties from your local authorities.

Pool fences come in a wide range of shapes and sizes, so it’s important to consider your options carefully before choosing the right fence for your pool. Glass pool fencing is a stylish and modern option, but a lot of people don’t choose glass because they’re afraid that it will be too expensive for them.

Through the rest of this article we will look at the affordability of glass pool fencing and a few things that you can do to help you afford to use glass – after all, everyone should have the chance to have a stylish, classy backyard!

What Types Of Glass Fencing Are There?

There are two main types of glass pool fencing, each of which comes with a different price range. Frameless glass fencing is usually seen as the most expensive choice, while semi-frameless is slightly cheaper and more affordable.

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By FP Homes & Renovations, ago