Almost a quarter of people in the U.S. population made home improvements in 2017 and the remodeling activity is expected to steadily increase through 2021.

Image by idodesign from Pixabay

Done well, remodeling can improve the aesthetics and the value of your home. Remodeling is usually an expensive and time-consuming process, therefore, the last thing you need before starting this process is government officials delaying your project for months because of a building permit. Not all home remodeling projects require the approval of the local authorities. Find out how to transform your patio without requiring a time-consuming building permit.

Extending the Patio Using Awnings

Home renovation is both an exciting and potentially stressful period for homeowners. Specific reasons for renovation differ according to individual families but customization is a major motivation for renovation. A study by Houzz found out that over a quarter homeowners renovate to customize the home. Installing awnings is one of the ways you can customize your outdoor spaces without needing to seek authorization from the local government. Awnings achieve the dual purpose of protecting your windows/patio from extreme weather conditions and improving the visual appeal of your home. They can provide a shade for outdoor entertaining on the patio regardless of the weather. Awnings come in a variety of sizes and styles and you need to plan carefully to find something that suits your home. It is important to make sure that the way your install awnings does not deprive you of sunlight during the winter months. The best way to maintain control over your awning is by using a retractable design. Such retractable awnings can be adjusted or removed at will. Some advanced models are motorized and adjusting them is just a switch flick away.

Creating a Shed Using a Pergola

A pergola is another structure that can completely transform your outdoor spaces. You will not usually need a building permit for a pergola unless you make it too big or too tall. A pergola can be used to highlight a walkway, give a shade, or to serve as an outdoor living room for entertaining. There are dozens of shapes and designs you can choose from, although hexagonal, cuboid, and circular pergolas are the most common. In any case, It is important to make sure that the pergola harmonizes with your landscape and architectural design.

Pergolas are build from a variety of materials. Wooden pergolas are cheaper but they are more susceptible to fungi, termites, and moisture damage. Steel and aluminum pergolas usually cost more but they are easier to install and they are usually more durable than wooden pergolas. Some homeowners choose to install a roof over the pergola to protect it from the elements. You can choose from transparent panels or sails for the roof if you need it to allow sunshine through. You can install lighting in the pergola if you intend to use it after sunset.

Demarcating Using a Trellis

Adding a trellis to your patio is an easy way of beautifying your outdoor spaces. A trellis can be used to cover over unsightly parts of your home or demarcating parts of the garden. In addition, the trellis may give your family some privacy from the prying eyes of neighbors. Homeowners can choose from a number of designs and materials for trellises. Wooden trellises cost less but you may need to carry out regular maintenance on the wood every year. Wire trellises on the other hand, require less maintenance, and are favored by people who abhor the chores involved in maintaining the structure. The trellis can support a wide variety of vining plants. Wire trellises can last many years without maintenance. Naturally, the sturdiness of the trellis will be determined by the plants you want it to support. Heavy plants like wisteria will require more study structures compared to lighter plants like morning glory.

Remodeling a home is an art that requires an investment in terms of time and money. The need to get a building permit can increase the costs and the time needed to remodel. But there are things you can do to improve the aesthetics of your outdoor spaces even without a building permit. In most places, you can install awnings, pergolas, and trellises without a permit.

Street photography is one that shows the local culture, events, architecture and / or portrays people in scenes of their day to day life. Usually they are intriguing images that tell a story and have the potential to mark an epoch. Street photographs carry a temporary character, show a passing scene, usually (but not necessarily) commonplace, which after a time will be history and tends never to repeat itself in exactly the same way.

The idea of ​​street photography is to give the viewer the sensation of what it is to be there in that place, at that moment, in such a way that, seeing his picture, he can even imagine the smell of the street. The concept is broad and its classification varies from person to person. Often, depending on the context in which it is used, it can also be identified as photojournalism, travel photography and documentary photography.

Despite the name, street photographs do not necessarily have to be taken on the street. Photos in a shopping center, shop, theater, beach etc can also be considered street photography.

In the opinion of many, street photography does not need to have perfect technique and composition. On the contrary, the imperfections of a snapshot taken at a decisive moment are that they bring to the photo the “charm” of street photography, and convey a sense of authenticity and reality. People or objects partly cut, blurry elements, display errors are just a few examples of these imperfections. They reinforce the immediacy and spontaneity of a passing moment in the life of the person portrayed.

On the other hand, some people argue that every photo should have perfect technique.

Of course you should have good sense and a good dose of self-criticism when you go through your photos, and even if you fit the “perfect” side, think that small mistakes in street photography are accepted by many, and so you have a little more flexibility in this theme. The impact of street photography is more on the alert eye of the photographer and its rapidity in freezing that particular moment – and the content of the final image – than in the technique and composition of the photo.

When you see something interesting happening, do not hesitate! Take the camera and hit the photo. If you decide to set up the camera at this time you may lose the photo. At the end of the day, some of your photos will be discarded, but many will not, and will make your photo day worthwhile.

Tips for Street Photography

When taking street photography, consider the following tips for returning home with good photos on the memory card:

• Shoot without looking through the viewfinder: To capture unusual angles and be discreet, try taking pictures by pointing the camera without looking at the viewfinder or the subject being photographed. In the first few times, framing probably will not be the best, but over time, you gain experience.

• Being “face-to-face”: photographing unfamiliar people, often knowing they are being photographed, can yield great images with excellent compositions. However, it requires a good deal of extraversion and courage, which the photographer creates with the passage of time and experience.

Door furniture is the term for door hardware. Door hardware can be strictly functional, such as a door handle or knocker, or it can be purely decorative. However, most door hardware is both functional and decorative. What factors should you consider when shopping for door furniture? Factors to Consider When Shopping for Door Hardware
Factors to Consider When Shopping for Door Hardware

Before you buy door furniture, understand that they are not all interchangeable. For example, doors come in varying thicknesses. Doors are generally between 1.375 inches and 1 75 inches. The typical door has a 2.125 inch bore hold for door knobs and 1 inch cross bore. However, this isn’t always the case. Know what dimensions your door has before you buy a door knob or lock. The backset is the distance from the bore hole to the edge of the door. This distance can vary, and if you buy door hardware that is too short, your door won’t close and the lock you selected cannot secure the door in place.

When selecting door hardware, it is necessary to determine where or not the door will be locked. You can rely on a deadbolt, an entry set, or a modern key code lock. If the door has a traditional keyway and tumbler, you can replace it with another locking mechanism, but you’ll have to either find something that fits the space or modify the door. Deadbolts may be operated by a thumb turn or a key. Note that a deadbolt will secure a door rather well, but it won’t make up for a thin door or weakened door frame when kicked in

An often-overlooked factor when selecting door hardware is accessibility. Adults with limited mobility may struggle with door knobs, whereas door handles are something you could use in twenty years. Door hinges that slowly close doors make it easier for those who move slowly to get through the door without it closing on them

Decorative door hardware can take several forms. You can have purely decorative grills on the door. Sometimes people put dummy door handles on the door to make it easier to opem This is commonly done to the inactive door in a double door set. In these cases, the door handles should match each other, while the hardware in the active door contains the latches and locks.

Note that any door hardware can include decorative elements. Large ornate door handle panels and knockers are common. The only matter for the home owner to decide is which decorative features suit the door and the room it is in. In the case of exterior doors, the decorative elements need to match your home’s architecture.

You don’t want to have a gleaming minimalist door handle that stands out like a sore thumb when the rest of the porch is decorated in black wrought iron. Be careful, though, not to choose door hardware based on how it looks while forgetting the importance of functionality or its ability to literally fit. Another factor to consider is what the door hardware is made to handle. A door knob made to survive rain, sleet and snow can be used indoors. However, door hardware only intended for indoor use no matter how durable it looks may rust shut when used on an exterior door.

Understand the main factors you need to use when selecting door hardware, and you’ll find the best combination of form and function for your particular application

For most homeowners, the spring melt is a welcome change from blustery winter winds. But with warmer temperatures also comes spring rains, and with them comes the risk of roof leaks.

Winter storms, ice build-up, and the wear and tear that comes during periods of frequent freezing and thawing all place a significant amount of stress on your roof, and when the thermometer rises and the water flows, this can lead to nasty surprises.

If you want your roof to stay leak-free this spring, there are a few preventive steps you can take as soon as the snow melts to ensure that any potential problems are dealt with promptly and effectively. Here are the three most important:

1. Replace Broken Shingles

For good reason, asphalt shingle is the most common residential roofing material in Canada and the northern United States: not only are these roofs cheap and easy to install, they generally offer at least twenty-five years of protection from the elements.

But asphalt shingles are also prone to damage, and high-speed winds, rapid changes of temperature, and ice dams can all conspire to cause shingles to crack or fall away, exposing the roof deck to water damage and rot that will eventually lead to serious leaks.

If the damage is minimal, you may be able to fix it yourself, but it is important to know when to hire an expert roofer in the event that damage is more extensive than you’d expected. If you live in the GTA, call roof repair Toronto experts to help you figure out whether you need professional help.    

2. Clean Your Gutters

A well-designed roof should channel water away from your roof deck in the most efficient way possible. This cannot happen if your gutters are filled with dead leaves, dirt, and other debris, and in the worst case scenario, clogged gutters will cause water to pool on the roof itself, drastically increasing the chances of a leak.

If you want to preserve your roof’s integrity this spring, make sure your gutters are clear and your drains and downspouts are directing the water away from the foundation of your house.

3. Install Proper Ventilation

It is all but inevitable that some moisture will make it through to your roof deck at some point in the season — between shifting temperatures, internal condensation, and heavy rains, you can’t expect to keep moisture out completely.

This is why it is important to ensure that your roof is properly ventilated. A well-ventilated roof allows moisture to dry out quickly, and keeps it from rotting your roof deck and causing water damage to your insulation and beams. Roof ridge vents are an increasingly popular way of dealing with this problem, but to find out which solution is best for you, consult roofing Toronto experts.

Most homeowners won’t notice that their ceiling has sprung a leak until heavy spring rains are causing water to actually fall into their living area. By this point, the damage is likely to be extensive, and the solutions costly. For this reason, all homeowners should make a plan to inspect and repair their roof as soon as it is safe to do so.

This kind of preventive care won’t simply ensure you avoid a ceiling leak; it will also save you potentially thousands of dollars in repair costs.