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2985 days ago

Summer renovations to increase your home's value!

Lodge Real Estate - City

Want to turn your home into a high-value property? Get professional advice from our free eBook: The three elements of a low maintenance, high-profit property. Here are some simple, easy and quick ways to renovate your home this summer.

1. Wall colours matter
Avoid painting your walls white or black—one will show the dirt and the other any imperfections in your wall or ceiling. Instead, consider using patterned walls.

Wallpaper is becoming fashionable again and can really help your home look fresh.

2. Make the cleaning easier
Does anyone really enjoy vacuuming or cleaning in low, hard to reach places? Why not consider switching out your bathroom essentials for wall-mounted alternatives.

A wall-hung toilet and elevated sink will not only make cleaning easier but can create space and give the bathroom an entirely different context. For the ultimate easy-clean, install a drain in your bathroom floor so you can hose the floor down.

3. Consider changing surface tops
Changing both kitchen and bathroom surface tops are easy ways of giving your house a different feel. However, keep in mind that choosing a single colour will highlight imperfections, dirt and dust. Patterned surfaces are a great way of avoiding this. Natural stone countertops such as granite or quartz are good for this, but these are very heavy materials, so make sure your cabinetry can support the weight!

If you’re after an industrial look, consider stainless steel—it’s practically indestructible. The only downsides are that some chemicals can stain it, and it can dent if something heavy is dropped on it.

Plastic laminate is another long-lasting homeowner favourite, especially for those on a budget. It’s lightweight too so it doesn’t need sturdy support under it like granite or quartz do. However, it can be scratched and sometimes burned if you’re not careful.

4. Change the flooring
If your current floor is covered in furniture scuff marks, stains and claw indents from the family pet, it could be time to consider a more durable option. This could range from bamboo to natural stone or laminate, or vinyl, and while each has their benefits they also have their limitations.

Stone may be a great addition to your kitchen and bathrooms, but be aware that some types of stone, such as marble, will wear quicker than you might expect. Likewise, porcelain and ceramic tiles are a bathroom and kitchen favourite. While they’re not as tough as natural stone, they’re less porous, which makes them quick and easy to clean.
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More messages from your neighbours
33 minutes ago

Tamahere home in dentist case was once centre of accountant’s fraud

Libby Totton Reporter from Waikato Times

It’s been a feature in a recent Hamilton District Court trial , but a Tamahere mansion already has an complicated history.

The property in Woodcock Rd - notable for having a hydroslide in the back yard - the scene of now-disproved alleged sexual offending by Hamilton dentist Rahul Gautam - made headlines more than 15 years ago, when it was a focus in the case of accountant Gary Soffe.

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L
1 hour ago

Learn to Play Bridge

Lesley from Claudelands

Bridge is a card game that challenges the mind and keeps the brain sharp. Waikato Bridge Club (Brookfield Street, Hamilton East) has lessons coming up, with an evening class starting Thursday 5 March at 7.15pm, and a day class starting Wednesday 11 March at 1.15pm. Both times provide a relaxed, friendly atmosphere to encourage learning.
For more information, contact Shirley Bennett on 0210426930 or email a-s.bennett@xtra.co.nz.

21 days ago

Poll: As a customer, what do you think about automation?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

The Press investigates the growing reliance on your unpaid labour.

Automation (or the “unpaid shift”) is often described as efficient ... but it tends to benefit employers more than consumers.

We want to know: What do you think about automation?
Are you for, or against?

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As a customer, what do you think about automation?
  • 9.3% For. Self-service is less frustrating and convenient.
    9.3% Complete
  • 43.6% I want to be able to choose.
    43.6% Complete
  • 47.1% Against. I want to deal with people.
    47.1% Complete
2456 votes