The end of last week, I was in a ride of the ATC, the Holmes Foundation fundraiser. I had to do something outdoors, have fun, be with friends and support skilled trades training - some of my things favourite all in one. It was great.
It also reminded me how field can maintain and manage the environment. On the route of the ATC, we have a trail. The way in which rain water flowed a dry parts and other a mess. According to how the trees and plant life grew, we had shade at some locations and Sun in others. This has me thinking the field around our homes.
I am not a landscape but I care about landscaping. Why? Landscaping affects a House.
Most people think landscaping is a way of the House features - increase the attractiveness of sidewalk. But most of all, eye candy, landscaping around a House serves a purpose. It has a function. And it is for you to decide what is this function.
You want to ensure the safety of children? Keep them in view? Direct traffic? Protect pets? Protect your home against weather outside? Protect your home from the Sun and heat? Manage rainwater around your home? Increase in privacy? What you want to do for you?
Good landscaping works with your home. Steps against it. It is obvious. What you do outside of a House, it will affect the Interior. He must be intelligent.
For example, planting a garden against the walls of your House may seem pleasant. But the soil around the foundation walls has been disrupted. Packaged not as strongly as the undisturbed soil. It has more air space. So when you water the plants, where you think that water goes? Directly to the Foundation. Not good. If you want to avoid a basement leaking, keep gardens and plants away from the walls of your House.
Let's say you want to build a bed raised to a garden near a fence. Large. What is the first thing you think of? What type of wood, you will need to place it? Type of soil? Type of plants? You will need the address - above all - the most important thing, is how is that it will affect the grading around your home. How this will affect the neighbours?
I have heard of many stories where a neighbor will be doing some landscaping on their property and the next thing you know, he is a pooling of countries neighbouring water. Why? Because the landscape has changed the rank. And that drainage.
Can be difficult to know exactly how landscaping will affect your home. That is why it is smart for someone who knows to do. Someone who can tell you what must be done to keep your home safe and healthy. And what landscape options you have to increase the functionality of your home.
Are there ways you can enjoy the Sun in the winter? The heat during the summer? Block tough winds that can damage the outside of your House? Plants and shrubs to help drainage? Prevent leaks?
A good landscaper will know all the right questions to ask before a shovel even touch the ground. As the location of all the lines the utility on your property. The last thing you want is to cut your cable - or worse.
They will also tell you the best way to maintain everything. Don't forget to water the lawn is one of the largest committed water. The average suburban garden at the Canada is about 100 000 litres of water during the growing season. That's a lot of water. But when you consider that the water used for most of the gardens has been processed for consumption, which is a huge waste.
The grass is always greener, when we are green. If you are intelligent, collect you rain water and use it to water your lawn and garden. A professional landscape will help you do so. They develop a system and work to develop landscape around him.
How do you find the right landscape? Similarly, you can find the right contractor. Ask lots of questions, a lot of references and talk to many past customers. Do you your homework and check their work.
And notice what kinds of questions they ask. -T - they care more than your budget? Or they ask if you have children? If you plan to have children soon? How long you will live in the House? Everything you need for the good landscaping to solve problems? This will tell you if they are interested in doing a good job or get next task.
I do not expect the owners of all about homes and landscaping. But I expect pros to know. And if you spend the time and money, just the first time. Spend your money once and you are going to do you and your home a huge favour.
Work for us - and save us money in the process. Everybody wins when we handle.
Catching Mike in his new series, the best of Holmes on Homes, aired Thursdays at 9 am on HGTV. For more information, visit www.hgtv.ca. For more information on home renovations, visit makeitright.ca.
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