Cosy Outdoor Balcony Ideas for Your Residential Property

Balcony areas on most residential properties are enclosed by walls or balustrades that are typically located outside of residential properties or buildings. Most balconies can be accessed through a door. However, others can be accessed through an upper-floor window.

By tradition, balconies are not utilised as social spaces or for entertainment purposes due to their space restrictions. However, modern architectural designs have introduced and paved the way for numerous ways of maximising and utilising the space of these balconies. Today, these areas can finally be used as an extension to social spaces from inside a property.

If you are thinking of converting your balcony into something useful, then here are some cosy outdoor balcony ideas that can make this area functional and great looking.

Add Lively Plants

Natural products certainly have features that cannot be trumped by artificial or manmade products. And so, one great way to make your balcony cosy and lively is to add some lush plants and herbs. These greeneries can surely make your balcony smell good and look pretty. Even if you have not entered the balcony, you can easily feel and see the comfort of the place as nature gives life to your property.

Integrate Café Table

Want to enjoy and spend your morning coffee outdoors? Then you might want to integrate a café table and a chair for your morning refreshment. It would be important for these furniture pieces to be portable and foldable so that they can be easily transferred whenever necessary. Also, make sure that your table and chair are both made from materials that can withstand different weather elements.

Bring in Pillows

Balconies typically receive fresh air. And so, if you want to make your own balcony colourful and comfortable, then bring in floor pillows that are relaxing to sit or sleep in. The addition of fluffy pillows to the balconies can easily promote more social gatherings in these areas compared to the living room. More fun talks and conversations may even happen on your pillow-filled balcony.

Install Outdoor Lights

Another great way to maximise your balcony is to install weather-proof lights. These lights can easily illuminate the space whenever the sun goes down. Using colourful lights can even make the place enchanting and pleasant looking. Another benefit of outdoor lighting is that it can make the place safer and more secure as any suspicious movements can be easily detected.

Include Some Shade

Aside from lighting, you can also maximise and make your balcony a great place to hang out with by adding some shade. A retractable awning can already protect everything that is underneath it from intense rain or harsh sunlight. An awning can come with a wide variety of bold colours that can make your balcony unique and great to stare at.

Build New Flooring

Flooring is essential to make an outdoor balcony functional. When building a new flooring for your balcony, you may want to choose materials that do not only look great but can also withstand the damaging effects of heat and moisture. Some outdoor flooring options that you can choose from are tiles, concrete, brick, heavy-duty flexible coating, rubber pavers, and high-quality timber.

These cosy outdoor balcony ideas can all be integrated alongside other ideas that have not been previously mentioned. If you want help with your outdoor balcony renovation, just give us a call at Thomsen Builders & Carpenters.

Sydney Home Renovation in 2021: Why It Helps to Plan Ahead for a Better Home?

Home renovations can provide all the improvements that property owners seek for their respective properties. The whole process of the renovation entails careful planning and preparation so that everything can be done perfectly.

If you are thinking of having your home renovated in 2021, then you may want to plan as early as today. You see, every aspect of the home renovation must be in place for everything to go smoothly. Resources such as time, energy, and money must be allocated properly to make your home renovation project successful. While some hugely rely on the plans given by their contractor, it would be much better if you come up with your own home renovation plan and present it to your hired contractors and professionals.

To motivate you further, here are some reasons why planning ahead can truly give you better home.

Perfect Timing Can Change Everything

Planning for your home renovation can help you obtain a better home since you do not have to rush everything. Home renovation plans do not only cover all the process of changing your property, but they also include the timing of the whole renovation process as well as your schedule. Starting a renovation work quickly without careful planning can frequently lead to conflicts and issues as renovations start. Alternatively, allocating the perfect time to plan and finalise every detail of the renovation works will allow you to perfectly balance the time allotted for the said work and your family.

Smart Planning for Budget is a Must

Another reason why planning ahead can give you a better home is that it can help you plan your finances and budget thoroughly. Home renovation projects can be costly, especially if there are a lot of things that need to be changed or modified. Renovating a home that has not been modified for years can be truly expensive. And so, without planning, you might be overwhelmed by how big your expenses can be, and that you might find it difficult to fund the renovation works along the way. If you think it is not yet smart to spend on home renovations, then hold on and wait. After all, perfect timing can truly change everything. But if you can afford one, then weigh in your possible return on investment value as you proceed.

Needs and Wants Should be Evaluated

Both time and budget can affect the way you plan for your renovation works. Without these two elements, it would be difficult for you to enumerate everything that you want to do with your home. But once you have acquired great timing and sufficient budget, then you can now start planning for your true needs and wants. You may want to look at some design and layout inspirations that can make your home feel modern or classy. You can also decide and settle on all the details and elements that should and should not be included in the final home renovation design. Planning these things ahead of time can save you valuable resources such as effort and money and relieve you from stress. These reasons are already enough to justify the need to plan for your home renovations. Doing this can help you achieve a great home without encountering numerous problems along the way.

Choose the Right Commercial and Residential Builder in Sydney

Commercial and residential properties boast different features and characteristics that make them unique in their own ways. However, you might be surprised that some buildings with different designs were built by the same builder throughout the years, which perfectly showcases the builder’s versatility and creativity. This type of commercial and residential builder is truly admired and is sought by many property owners and project managers.

If you are thinking of constructing a commercial or residential building, then you must find a builder that is skilled, talented, and filled with excellent characteristics. To help you choose the right builder, then you must consider the following tips:

Field Experience Matters

Builders that have been in the construction industry for a very long time will surely acquire knowledge and skills that make them great in their respective fields. The years of experience of a builder, coupled with their knowledge about anything related to the construction industry and market, can help you obtain a high-quality, durable, and cost-effective residential or commercial building. So, in listing your potential builders, you must find include those that have long years of construction experience.

Ask Important Questions

In choosing the right commercial and residential builder, you must meet your top builder options and ask them relevant questions. These questions will help you decide their authenticity and capabilities. Meeting them the first time will also give you an idea and impression of how they deal with clients.

The questions you may want to ask will mostly revolve around the nature of their business, certifications and licences, existing and current projects, insurance, available resources such as equipment and manpower, work ethics, strategy, costing, and so on.

PastProjects and Clients

Knowing the builder must not end with them. As the project manager and property owner, you must verify all the information that they are throwing at you. After all, it would be difficult for you to trust everything that they are saying without seeing their actual projects. Research about their basic information and all other details that will confirm their authenticity. You can likewise look for actual projects that they have done to see and verify their existence. You can do this by finding their past clients and ask or visit them if time permits. Their testimonials are integral in helping you decide which one of them fits your plan.

Licences and Certifications

Aside from assessing their previous project and talking to their past clients, you must also spend your time in finding out their licences and certifications. The presence of these things helps you obtain a sense of relief as they prove the legitimacy of their works. The liability for damages and other incidents on the site can also be easily worked on with certified builders. 

There are more tips that you need to know and consider when choosing the right commercial and residential builder in Sydney. If you want to know more about these tips, feel free to contact us at Thomsen Builders & Carpenters.