Building, Renovation & Design Advice

10 Principles Of Landscape Design Your Landscape Architect Should Adhere To

10 Principles Of Landscape Design Your Landscape Architect Should Adhere To

Every project that requires a degree of creativity will follow a set of well-founded principles, and that is certainly the case when landscape designers design a landscaped garden. If that garden happens to be yours then it will be useful for you to know what those principles are, given that it may help you in your discussions with your landscape architect when trying to agree upon the final design. As such here are ten of the most important landscape design principles.

Landscape Design Principle #1 – Allow The Existing Architecture To Influence The New Design

Even though the landscape design will be new, the house will still be present as will any other architecture, such as boundary walls. As such, it will make the landscape design seem even more cohesive and attuned to the entire property if the current architecture is used to inform it.

Landscape Design Principle #2 – Proportion Should Have The Human Body As Its Basis

When considering the dimensions of features such as composite decking within the design you need a benchmark for proportions. The most logical is to use the size of a human body. The reason is simple in that it is humans who will be using the garden.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago

10 Types Of Paving Materials That Are Ideal For Landscaping

When a new landscaping project is being discussed between a landscaper from Principal Landscapes and a homeowner, one of the critical decisions they must make is what types of paving they will include in the landscape design. This decision will need to take into account several points, which include the size of the garden, the available budget, who will be using the garden, and the aesthetics that any paving choice creates.

A wide variety of materials can be used for paving, and often this is more of a hindrance than a help when trying to choose between them. However, what we have done here is pare them down to just 9 of the most popular paving materials to allow you to consider which materials you would like to use for the paving in your new landscape design.

Bricks: Most of us see bricks in constructions like walls; in most cases, these tend not to be especially decorative. However, using bricks for paving with a bit of added imagination can result in a pathway that is robust and durable and has numerous patterns created by how the bricks are laid.

Limestone: Limestone blocks are a preferred choice for landscaping paving due to their natural beauty, versatility, durability, and cool, non-slip surface. Its timeless look works well with many various styles, and maintenance is fairly easy. However, it should be considered that limestone can require occasional sealing and can sometimes become stained.

Concrete: Concrete paving comes in various shapes and sizes, although the most common is the more simple square paving stones. Options usually exist to select concrete paving stones in different colours to add aesthetic appeal to their durability, as they can also be laid in patterns within the same pathway.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
How Double Glazing Works And Why It Is So Popular

How Double Glazing Works And Why It Is So Popular

Of all the glass products that exist for use in domestic and commercial properties, double glazing is the one that almost everyone has heard of. That applies even if they do not have double-glazing themselves. Sometimes called “insulated glazing”, double glazing had existed from as far back as the 1870s when the early versions of it were installed in countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Scotland.

Given that none of those three countries is considered holiday “hot spots“, it should give you a clue as to why double glazing was used, and well done if you said to keep out the cold. Before double glazing, what would happen was that the second sheet of glass was installed in the winter months and then removed when warmer temperatures arrived in spring. The work required, and the inconvenience led to the search for a better alternative, and double glazing was the solution.

How Is Double Glazing Constructed?

You do not need to be a glazing expert to understand that double glazing involves two panes of glass. They are set within a frame, often made from aluminium or uPVC, and the gap between these two panes of glass is filled with an inert gas, which in most cases will be argon gas. The frame is then sealed to ensure that none of the gas escapes. Other than a different inert gas, variables can include the thickness of the glass panes and the material used for the frame. The plane can then be used for windows or glass balustrading etc.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
7 Ways You Can Use Gravel Within Your Landscaping

7 Ways You Can Use Gravel Within Your Landscaping

One material that is used extensively by landscapers for landscaping projects is gravel. Gravel has many attributes that make it a more desirable material than many others with one of the most important attributes being a relatively low cost. This is especially relevant when the landscape design has to be created and constructed within a relatively small budget.

Apart from being affordable, gravel also has practical advantages such as being a material that offers excellent drainage properties. There is also the aesthetic value of gravel since it can come in multiple colours, shapes, and sizes. If you are considering a new landscape design for your garden but were not aware of the benefits of using gravel, here are seven ways in which it can be included in your landscaping.

Driveways: The key to using gravel as an effective driveway surface material is that it must be installed professionally by experts to ensure that any vehicle using it can be properly supported. If this can be done, gravel can offer a solid surface for vehicles. In addition, it is especially suitable for drainage after heavy rainfall.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
7 Sports Nets And Their Array Of Differences

Why Cargo Nets Can Save You Money And More

There is a group of vehicles that people in Australia might call ‘Utes’, Trucks’ or ‘Pickups’ and whilst there might be some disagreement on what we should call them, the one aspect that is not in question is you can use them to transport items of all sizes from one location to another. Whilst doing so you will need a way to keep everything secure and prevent them from moving around, and that is when you need a net manufacturer, and more specifically, a cargo net.

There are many drivers who think that because the storage area in the back has four sides that the need for a cargo net is minimal, and therefore they do not use one. Not only can this lead to a lot of hassle for them, but it also has the potential to cause a serious, and in the worst-case scenario, a fatal one.

Bear in mind the sorts of items that can be placed in there are limited only by the vehicle storage area’s size and load capacity therefore you can have anything ranging from grocery shopping to large pieces of industrial equipment. Across the spectrum of items some are very lightweight, and others are so heavy that it takes two people to carry them.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
Tips for Hiring a Custom Cabinet Maker

Tips for Hiring a Custom Cabinet Maker

When you enlist the services of cabinet makers to be in charge of a home renovation, it pays to do your homework. Given that you will be transforming a part of your home like a bathroom, kitchen, or laundry, you want the entire project to go off without a hitch.

And for it to go off without a hitch, you need to be sure that you’ve chosen the right business or company to assist. Here are some general tips for hiring a custom cabinet maker. You can then have full confidence in your decision.

Tip 1: Do your homework

The internet age has allowed us to become armchair investigators. We don’t have to take a company’s word for it that they are professional, high-quality, and reputable. Instead, we can let their digital footprint speak for them.

Look online for Google reviews and social media comments. Look at their testimonials on their website. These can be quite telling about the level of service you can receive. You may even like to go the extra mile by asking for contact information for a past customer if that customer feels happy about that.

Tip 2: Check out their past work

By the time you get around to hiring a cabinet maker, you probably have an idea of what you want. The challenge is to find a business or individual who’s up to the task of bringing those ideas to life.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
Great Storage Ideas

5 Great Storage Ideas For Your New Home

No matter how professional and efficient the interstate removals you hire when moving to a new house are, once they have delivered all your furniture, appliances, and other belongings to your new home, how you arrange and store everything thereafter, is up to you.

At this point, you could take a haphazard approach and try to store everything as best you can, but in truth, this is likely to lead you to have either not enough storage for everything, or having everything stored but randomly with no proper organisation to it all.

A better strategy would be to follow some of the great ideas for home storage that exist and utilise some of them once your removalist moved stuff to your new home. In doing so, not only should everything be stored, but it will be in a way that allows you, and your family, to know where everything is.

What these ideas also do is provide some unique and fun ways to store items that might otherwise be thrown in a cupboard, drawer, or box, never to be found again. You’ll discover loads of these ideas if you search online, but to get you started, here are 5 which we love.

Headboards With Storage

This one you can use if you plan to buy new beds for your new home. Many bed designs now have storage within the headboard section which can be used for storing small or personal items such as jewellery, handkerchiefs, books, pyjamas, socks, and underwear. It is especially useful if the bedroom is small with little room for drawer sets.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
Removals Checklist

The Only Removals Checklist You will Ever Need

Moving to a new house or organising office relocations needs lots of planning, and even if you are hiring removalists to do all the heavy lifting and transportation, you have many things which you need to organise and arrange.

You could wing it, and hope that your brain remembers everything, but Sod’s law dictates that one thing which we forget is going to be something crucial, and which cases the maximum stress and upheaval, so to avoid any chance of that happening, we have something which can help you.

It is a simple checklist which covers the seven important aspects of a moving to a new house that should keep you on track and ensure that the whole process is as stress-free as can be.

Utilise Your Diary and Calendar

Using a diary or calendar to highlight all the dates and times that relevant to your move, is essential. These can range from an important appointment with your bank about your new mortgage, to when you need to tell your newsagent to stop delivering your morning paper.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago
Install an Alarm System

Five Reasons You Should Install an Alarm System

Crime rates are rising today, and break-ins and other property crimes are becoming more common. Because of this, security alarm systems are also becoming increasingly popular as people attempt to secure their properties, preventing break-ins and robberies.

Unfortunately, not everyone realises how important it is to secure their property. Because of this, we’ve put together the following list of our top five reasons why you should consider installing an alarm system. These include:

  1. Alarm Systems Are a Natural Deterrent

If you have an alarm system visibly protecting your property, your chances of being robbed or stolen are instantly lower. In many cases, the sheer presence of a security system will deter prospective criminals and provide added protection for your property. After all, what clever criminal would rob a protected and monitored house?

  1. Alarm Systems Will Help You Catch Intruders

Occasionally, houses with visible security alarm systems will still be robbed. In these cases, it’s essential to have some security camera or other alarm system to notify you and help catch the intruder. After all, the best way to recover stolen belongings is to see the intruder, and having security footage will help the authorities do just that.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago

Three Landscape Design Ideas to Transform Your Garden

If you have a large backyard or garden, you might find it a little difficult to keep on top of ongoing maintenance to keep it looking good. If this is the case, it could be time to come up with a new landscape design plan with the help of professional landscapers to transform your outdoor spaces.

There are numerous different design styles you could follow when creating a new landscaping plan. Different design styles are best suited to different people with different needs. With this in mind, we’ve spent a bit of time coming up with the following three innovative landscape design ideas to help you transform your garden.

Consider a Minimalist Style

Minimalist landscape design is becoming increasingly popular across the world. In general, it involves using simple design elements which require low maintenance throughout the year. Minimalist styles are best suited to those who lead a busy life without a lot of time to maintain their outdoor spaces.

The following minimalist design tips should help you get started:

  • Think about using plenty of paved/hard areas to prevent the work associated with gardens and lawns.
  • If you do want a lawn, go for artificial turf.
  • Plant larger, low-maintenance bushes and shrubs.

As you can imagine, minimalist landscape designs are usually quite simple – but that doesn’t mean that they don’t look good.

(more…)

By Construction Safety, ago