By 3 min read

Refurbishment And Window Replacement Made Easy

Refurbishment or renovation reduces heating costs and enhances the home as an additional plus. But it also often means fear of dust and work. Things you want to avoid. With good planning, the right sales partner and tips and tricks, the joy of the new windows will prevail, and you will see that a renovation is quick, clean, and easy.

There are two clear arguments in favor of renovating the windows: living comfort increases, heating costs decrease. Because old, poorly insulated windows are one of the biggest weaknesses in a house. The consequences are drafts, noise pollution, and high heating costs. Around 25 to 30% of the warmth of a house escapes through the windows. Especially in houses built until the mid-90s, the two-pane insulating glass windows are an energy thief. With today’s triple insulation, up to 900 liters of heating oil can be saved annually in the house, while living comfort increases considerably. Modern windows help to save, are environmentally conscious, and visually enhance the facade and the interior.

Step 1: Energy

The energy certificate is comparable to the type certificate for your car. Many interesting characteristic values ​​of your house are included, such as the expected heating energy consumption.

Step 2: Renovation proposal

General renovators such as planning offices, builders, and architects with many years of experience offer you the best conditions for a smooth renovation. Discuss your ideas with you and have a remedial proposal put together. This should include a rough estimate of costs and a detailed technical description.

Step 3: Obtain offers.

You should have an exact cost statement given before starting the renovation. Plan a reserve of around 10% of the expected investment as security. To ensure optimal financing, we recommend that you also get an overview of the regional funding.

Step 4: Funding The

Federal and state governments support thermal renovation in different ways. It is best to ask your community or your general refurbisher about the different options.

Step 5: Execution

It is best to renovate with a qualified general renovator or planning office. They guarantee you a smooth process. Particularly in the case of detailed designs, such as window connections, sound knowledge is required to avoid later defects.

Step 6: Completion

After completion, a joint acceptance test should be carried out with your general renovator. Check the renovation carried out and have a new energy certificate issued.

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By 5 min read

The 1 × 1 When Buying A Door – You Should Know These Technical Terms

A front door offers protection, privacy, and is also the business card of the house. But a door is not just a door: in addition to a large selection of different materials and design styles, attention must also be paid to the nature, processing, and functionality of a front door. With this 1 × 1, you are perfectly equipped for your next-door purchase.

Surface and variety of designs

Wood-aluminum or aluminum, side panels or pilaster strips: You can choose from a variety of different designs for the front doors:

Choosing the right material 

For the wood-aluminum doors, you can choose a surface made from the different types of wood from spruce and ash to larch to walnut or oak. Wood designs, in particular, ensure warmth and comfort in your entrance area. Modern design and timeless elegance can be found in the aluminum front doors. You have a variety of design and color options available. It is always important when choosing the design that it is based on the character of your home. Your front door can also be perfectly combined with your window systems, thanks to a large selection of materials and colors for a consistent and uniform style. In addition to the classic material, there are also new trends such as front doors with a concrete, rust, stone, or steel look.

Light cutout and side part

With the choice of a light cutout or side panel, the front door gets a personal touch. A light cutout called a glass cutout or glass insert is a set opening within the door, which is closed by a glass pane. The side panel is a fixed side frame that complements the front door and is filled with glass, aluminum, or wood-aluminum. These details bring additional light accents to the interior and, at the same time, make the door area appear more spacious. Also, you can often choose from different special and designer glasses.

Pilaster strips and groove

In addition to light cutouts, the door can also be refined with vertical or horizontal narrow decorations, so-called pilaster strips, and groove milling – definitely an eye-catcher in the entrance area.

Door hinge

Another door element is the hinge, also known as a hinge or hinge. A concealed hinge system enables the door to be integrated into the living room without annoying fittings, making the hinge invisible from the outside.

Door leaf

The last distinguishing feature in the door design is the door leaf. Here you can choose between a full-surface and profile. A full-surface door leaf is understood to mean that the door can be mounted flush with the wall surface. On the other hand, the profiled door leaf is more or less contoured – just provided with a profile. Also, you can extend the door leaf with LED lighting in the handle or the floor area (threshold) and thus highlight the entrance area with light accents.

Processing the door 

The door can be visually appealing – but if noise, unpleasant smells, or cold drafts come in, it will have little pleasure in the long run. When buying a new front door, you should pay attention to the processing or insulation of the door and, in particular, to thermal insulation and sound insulation. Wood-aluminum doors consist of a composite of wood, thermal foam, and aluminum, and the aluminum doors consist of a multi-layer panel structure, which ensures excellent insulation. Wood-aluminum doors are also suitable for low energy and passive houses due to the material combination. Which door best suits your home depends on several factors and is best discussed directly with your advisor.

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By 5 min read

Homebuilding Trends 2020

More light, more design, and more sustainability for more healthy living are how the house building trends for 2020 could be summarized. We give you an overview of the direction in which architecture, house construction, and living, in general, are developing.

Exposed concrete and wood

Fair-faced concrete has long been found on the outer walls of a company or large residential buildings. Now, this trend has also arrived in residential construction and especially in the interior of the house. In general, the use of natural materials is also very popular due to the demand for sustainable building materials. Wood or concrete is often left in its natural form, if possible, to give the house a special style.

Tiny Living – Less is more!

Living space is becoming increasingly scarce, especially in urban areas, and therefore, unfortunately, also more expensive. Tiny Homes are just the ticket. This reduced living style naturally means less living space, but it also means lower construction and living space costs. And this is the main reason for the purchase of a tiny house. Even if you pay attention to minimalism and conscious use of resources, you don’t have to do without design and comfort in such a house. “Small but powerful!” Whether in the middle of the countryside, on the water or in the city – Tiny Homes are impressive. The house building costs can be kept in check mainly by a small number of square meters. For this reason and reasons of sustainability, too large houses are not used today. The trend is generally towards less living space – not just towards the tiny home.

Smart living

Home control systems are all the rage. In these smart homes, you want to make life easier with intelligent solutions, increase comfort and security, and save time. It’s no longer just about consumer electronics. The interaction of individual components of the house, such as ventilation, sun protection, heating, and power supply, automatically ensures a perfect room climate, saves valuable time, reduces heating and energy costs, and protects our environment by optimally coordinating the energy consumers in the house.

Sustainable Building

Energy-efficient and environmentally conscious construction has been an issue in the housebuilding world for some time. Probably more than ever at the moment. But what does sustainable or environmentally conscious building mean? It includes all measures that aim to build a building as environmentally friendly and resource-saving as possible. The use of environmentally friendly building materials, long service life, or high energy efficiency plays a role. Building materials are considered environmentally friendly if they are low in pollutants, durable, and easy to repair and recyclable (also by avoiding composites or ensuring reusability after demolition). One should pay attention to these aspects not only in the shell but also in the windows, the insulation materials, choose ecological alternatives for the floor coverings or the colors used. Not only to love the environment but also to promote your healthy living. The sounding terms “multifunctional” or “future-oriented” building is also concerned with sustainable construction, which we also looked at more closely for you and belong to the house building trends 2020.

Multifunctional and future-oriented construction

Dynamic architecture is a trendy buzzword. Floor plans and rooms are planned for multiple uses right from the start. This even goes so far that some prefabricated house providers can also add or remove individual floors or rooms. Depending on the requirements of the respective stage of life, an office becomes a children’s room or later a hobby room. So multifunctional building is also building for the future.

Can I still live in my home even in old age, how can I create living comfort for many generations and will my children take over my house one day? Many house builders are currently dealing with all of these questions. In addition to a multifunctional construction method, barrier-free building for a living is also trendy.

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By 4 min read

Which Front Door Fits My House? Easily Design Them Yourself!

The front door – it protects us from noise, moisture, cold, and of course, uninvited guests, but it is also the calling card of the house and allows guests to arrive in the house. But how do I find the front door that corresponds to my ideas? I tested the door designer myself and found out how I can design my dream front door.

With the door designer to your dream door!

You can easily use the door designer via smartphone, tablet, or computer, anywhere, 24 hours a day. This allows you to design the door individually and allows you to look at the door immediately. This turned out to be very practical to coordinate with my partner in the evening about the basic design.

Many options and variants for fulfilling all wishes!

In the designer, you will find many different door variants, and you get a good overview of the different design styles. You can use some filters to find the right door even faster. There are aluminum and wood/aluminum doors. Wooden doors offer a particularly high level of heat and sound insulation. Therefore, it should be a wood/aluminum door for us. In terms of the type of door, a distinction is made between doors with glass cutouts and fully closed doors. Security is also a big issue for us, so I chose additional burglary protection for more security right from the start.

Once you have decided on the basic door design, the specification follows. You now choose the system, the direction in which you want to add side panels or not, the door color, the wing color, and the glass structure of the door cutouts. You can also choose between many different door fittings, door handles, or knobs in different shapes, colors, and surfaces.

Finger scanner, more security, LED lighting – many extras for more comfort

There are also many extras to choose from: access systems from the finger scanner to the keypad (keypad), but also door locks and security cylinders, LED lighting in the shell handle or in the threshold area, which switches on in combination with a twilight switch when it gets dark. And the best thing is, you can also insert the door into a picture of an existing house to get a better impression of the design.

The price at a glance – everything under control!

During the whole process, the price is always shown, and you can immediately see which things are worth how much. So the cost/benefit calculation is also included. The result: I designed my dream door myself and designed it according to my ideas and wishes according to my budget. I was then able to look at the door using an example from the Internorm sales partner. After competent advice and the final touches, I then ordered the door and am looking forward to the installation.

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By 5 min read

How To Create A Deck Railing?

The terrace guardrail, or guardrail, is an essential and mandatory piece of equipment for the terrace. With the main role of preventing accidental falls, the deck railing also serves as exterior decoration. You can order your guardrail from an ironworker, a carpenter, or a specialist in landscaping work. However, you can also build a deck railing yourself. How to create a deck railing? Here is our step by step guide.

Terrace railing: what materials?

To create a deck railing, you will need:

  • Several stainless steels or galvanized posts;
  • Handrail;
  • A fittings ;
  • Screwdriver drill ;
  • Grinder;
  • Cable cutter;
  • Spirit level ;
  • Flat key ;
  • Metre ;
  • Square.

Before starting

Before you start your railing construction work, there are a few rules you should follow. First, the dimensions, layout, and shape of a railing depend on the result you want to achieve: do you want it to kneel, be sealed on a ledge, etc. Then you must take into account the required spacing between the rails. The distance between the first cable rail and the ground must not exceed 11 cm, the minimum required to prevent a child’s head from getting stuck. Likewise, the interval between the beams of a guardrail should not be more than 11 cm. Finally, the span between the posts does not require a maximum or minimum distance. However, if you are not yet a professional, choose a distance of 1.50 m maximum to ensure that the guardrail is solid.

Create support for the guardrail cables

The first thing to do to make a railing yourself is to install the cable support. To do so, follow these simple steps:

  • Disassemble the existing guardrail to see the different points where the posts must be placed.
  • Hold the post plate. Remember to put dowel bolts in the slab.
  • Hide the plate using new tiles. Make sure that the size of the tiles matches that of the floor space.
  • Create the rails by cutting the cable with a length corresponding to the distance between the posts or with a wire of 5 cm maximum.
  • Place a tensioner at the end of each cable. To properly insert the tensioner, you must screw in the same direction as the cable’s strands.
  • Fit the tensioner with a cable tensioner s. You can also choose a hydraulic crimper with a manual pump.
  • Prevent the threaded rod from passing through the post by cutting its end. Equip yourself with a grinder or a hacksaw and cut to less than 40mm.

Note that the tensioner is only an example; you can very well opt for fittings of different shapes: end cap, turnbuckle, lifting ring, quick link, etc.

Put the rails in place

Once the guardrail cable support is installed, you must now think about installing the rails by carrying out these different steps:

  • Drill holes in the intermediate posts and thread the cable through them.
  • Screw the threaded cable onto the starting post.
  • Equip the starting post and the posts on the angles with threaded sleeves and weld them into the holes. This action is not necessary on the intermediate posts.
  • Cut off the end of the cable. Note that the cable should not be shorter than the required dimension.
  • Crimp the hardware.
  • Screw in the threaded rod.
  • Use an open-ended spanner to stretch the cable and tighten the locking nut.
  • Cut the handrail with a grinder. You need to measure its length and cut it at a right angle.
  • Mark the location of the bolt holes on the handrail by positioning it on the posts. You can then drill holes in the same location and with the same diameter using a metal drill.
  • Secure the handrail with pan bolts or countersunk bolts.
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By 6 min read

Which Tree For A Small Garden?

Whether deciduous or evergreen, a tree remains a centerpiece in a garden, regardless of the space you have to devote to it. Majestic, the tree forms the backbone of the garden around which all the surrounding vegetation revolves. Graphic habit, colorful foliage, smooth flowering or amazing fruiting, worry-free find the one that suits you best, even if space is limited.

Before making your choice

A tree can live for tens or even hundreds of years if planted under favorable conditions in soil and a climate corresponding to it. Sufficient light and regular watering are a guarantee of success.

To ensure a good installation of the roots and, therefore, a good recovery of the subject, dig a hole two to three times wider than the root ball and of a depth equivalent to at least twice its height, which will be filled in with good soil. Garden with organic matter added. Then water abundantly to compact the soil and avoid air pockets. Finally, remember that planting a tree is best done in autumn or winter.

Isolated subjects

Choose an open location so that your tree is visible from several angles. Ideal for cutting the linearity of a lawn, subjects with beautiful bark are essential in the garden; a birch will create a beautiful contrast in winter thanks to its very white bark with silvery reflections. Choose a subject with low development, because this tree can still reach 25 meters in height at maturity depending on the species.

In cool soil and a sunny location, the golden bark of the Prunus maackii (Manchurian cherry) will sparkle like gold. It is adorned in spring with clusters of light, very fragrant white flowers. Its conical port gives it a beautiful appearance as an isolated subject on a lawn or a dam.

Textured, colorful or beautifully cut foliage

If the beauty of the foliage particularly touches you, a Salix integra “hakuro-Nishiki” will fill you with its juvenile leaves tinged with pink and white. Its weeping habit makes it an ideal subject planted in the middle of a lawn. Remember to prune it to induce the appearance of new shoots.

For its ability to survive the stress of pollution, Ginkgo biloba will be another option for city gardens; it already populated the planet 300 million years ago and continues to adorn the approaches to temples in Asia. Its green foliage with a unique fan-shaped cut changes in autumn, thanks to its golden hue, the full significance of its vernacular name: the tree with a thousand crowns. The variety of “tremonia” is ideal for small gardens because it maintains a very narrow habit.

For very sheltered gardens, think of Eucalyptus glaucescens: its juvenile, rounded, bluish-white leaves are very aromatic and diffuse a powerful fragrance in the hot summer heat. Its apetal flowers with many white stamens will arouse the curiosity of the neighborhood.

Spectacular blooms

The Judaea tree remains a must in dry and limestone terrain. Its dark pink flowers appear before the foliage that is sure to mark the arrival of spring.

Give a little Japanese air to your garden by installing an opulent flowering Japanese cherry tree. Very ornamental, it is ideal as an isolated subject on a lawn.

Think of the “crus-galli” hawthorn: a tree with curved needles adorned with a multitude of flowers in June, it will ensure a continuous spectacle: flowering, spherical fruiting followed by a bright red blaze of the foliage from the start. autumn… It only has advantages. Easy to grow, it grows in all soils.

For shady gardens

Indispensable for its ease of cultivation and the persistence of its prickly foliage, variegated according to the species, the holly, of very slow growth, can reach the dimensions of a tree with an erect habit of 6 meters in height at maturity. It will decorate the garden all year round with the beauty of its tough, shiny wavy foliage and the luster and opulence of its bright red berries in the fall.

In a pot on a terrace

In a well sheltered and sunny place, install an orange tree for the sweetness of its fragrance, or even a lemon tree. However, be careful because citrus fruits are not very rustic and will have to be brought in as soon as the cold weather starts. More rustic, a Hibiscus syriacus will delight you with its exotic blooming throughout the summer, while a dwarf lilac will distill its sweet spring scent into your home.

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