If you’ve recently purchased a property or will close on the transaction soon, you’re probably chomping at the bit to get into your new house and make it a home. However, before you pack all your gear and book movers, it’s a good idea to think about what home improvements you can do before you’re living in the property.
Moving is stressful, particularly when you have children to help transition to a new place, so it pays to reduce anxiety and upheaval by completing jobs before you arrive.
Check Plumbing
No one wants to move into a new home to have their furniture and other belongings damaged by water leaks. Plus, of course, you also don’t want to have to pay for the cost of losing a lot of water to a leak rather than getting to use it.
Avoid ending up in this situation by looking out for large and small leaks alike before you move in. Pay attention to any concerns mentioned on a home inspection report, and keep an eye out yourself for water seeping out from faucets, pipes, holes in the roof, etc.
Don’t let even little leaks go untreated, as they can turn into major problems in a hurry, and lead to mold, mildew, and rot. You also don’t want to deal with a disruption to your water services once living in the property.
Test and Repair Appliances
Even if a home has newish-looking appliances in it already, that doesn’t mean every machine will be working efficiently. As such, before you need to use these devices, it’s wise to test them all, clean each one, and do maintenance work. If you notice any machines aren’t starting or don’t seem to work correctly, call in a tradesperson. Choose a specialist to conduct an oven, stovetop, dishwasher, refrigerator, hot water system, HVAC, washing machine or clothes dryer repair, as necessary.
If gadgets are really old or too costly to fix, replace them with newer and more energy-efficient appliances that will meet your needs now and into the future. While this can be done once you’ve moved in, it’s easier to make the required updates before you’re living in the home and avoid having any downtime in usage. Keep in mind, too, that some machines also need additional work organized, such as ducting, ventilation, or plumbing.
Inspect the Wiring
Similarly, it’s essential to get the wiring in your new home inspected before you move in to ensure everything is safe and that there’s no risk of electrocution or fire. Plus, if upgrades are required, it’s always easier for electricians and other workers to get to the wiring and electrical outlets in an empty room.
Furthermore, getting work done before moving day saves you having to worry about losing power for a time when you live there, especially if you happen to work from home or are at home a lot of the day with young children.
Hire a specialist to check that there aren’t any loose connections, or frayed or faulty wires, amongst other things. It also pays to take a thorough inventory of the electrical outlets in each room to see if it is already adequate for your family’s needs.
If you’ve purchased an older home or use more gadgets than most people, you’ll likely need extra power-points installed throughout the house. You may also want to add Ethernet cables and additional light switches or recessed lighting facilities. Plus, you may require options for ducted vacuum systems, security systems, wired-in smoke and carbon dioxide alarms, and extensive smart-home devices.
Remove Hazards
Before you move into a home, remove any hazards from the property, too. For instance, if there is any asbestos or lead paint anywhere in the property, have it taken away ASAP. Organizing this job will not only keep you and your family safer but also make it easier to do renovation work down the track if you want to.
Also, see to any mold, mildew, rust, or rot you can see in your house, and perform pest control to get rid of termites, ant or rodent infestations, or other creature-related issues.
These are just some of the jobs you might want to do before moving into your newly-purchased home. Other considerations include adding more insulation, completing structural work and foundation repairs, replacing windows and flooring, painting, and sprucing up kitchens and bathrooms. Consider your budget, lifestyle, and other needs, and plan to work carefully to make the transition as smooth as possible for you and your family.
![It's an election year, and in normal circumstances, it would bring with it a series of dates that are set in stone to orchestrate the equal spread of politics and patriotism in the lead up to the November elections. Party conventions, primaries, debates, rallies, and all manner of campaign brouhaha are set in stone and well in advance of the anticipation; the most critical decision put before a democratic society brings: choosing its head of state. What happens, though, when it's not a normal circumstance? A typical election year? When there is…oh, say.. a pandemic? Does one then steadfastly adhere to predetermined progression? 'Stay the course,' to borrow the phrase popularised by United States president George W. Bush, in defense of his war policy in Iraq, https://twitter.com/82ndABNDiv/status/984732941644316673?s=20 Alternatively, does one veer off said course and conform to the demands of a catastrophic situation. Allow proceedings to be dictated by necessity and existing circumstances in the best interest of all those involved? To be or not to be, that's the burgeoning question that is now underpinning the race for the 2020 US Presidential elections, which are under threat amidst the growing coronavirus crisis that is overwhelming certain American States and wreaking havoc on every aspect of life. The NBA is postponed. The NHL is postponed. MLB, MLS, and every major sports league are postponed. Like dominos, events are falling off the calendar. Now, the Olympics – one of the biggest sporting events – is the latest addition to the pile of events postponed indefinitely, proving that seemingly immovable dates can be moved. Across the pond, Brexit talks have been suspended. The UK government has taken an early Easter break, and so on. There, where the coronavirus outbreak is deemed to have a two-week leg up on North America, the government's business has been forced into submission. No longer could it ignore that adapting and changing to the times was in order and the only appropriate response to the spread of the virus's fears. In the United States, it's business as usual (for now) as far as the November elections. The dates appear to be holding firm with those involved and their leading proponents arguing they cannot be moved. Former vice president and democratic front-runner Joe Biden recently dismissed the possibility of postponement, insisting the election should move forward as scheduled despite increasing evidence the crisis may not be resolved in time. In direct response to the idea of postponement, Biden said 'There's no need to do that," Biden said. "You know, we voted in the middle of the Civil War, we voted in the middle of World War I and II." He added, "The idea of postponing the electoral process seems to be out of the question." [Source: Reuters]. Not only is Biden blithely discounting the fact that several states already have postponed primaries deep into June and that many major cities are in some form of a lockdown or urged to practice social distancing edits, but also disregarding just how the Coronavirus is already impacting his race against Bernie Sanders for the nomination within the democratic party. In an unprecedented twist, the first one-on-one Democratic Presidential debate between Biden and Sen. Bernie Sanders was held under closed doors and televised to a national audience instead. It remains to be seen whether Coronavirus will prove to be more than a footnote in summer events scheduled. If Donald Trump's prophecy comes to pass, it won't be the case. Trump is steadfastly insisting that America's handle over Coronavirus is something to hang one's hat on; even going so far as to suggest the country will have turned a corner by Easter, which, if it does come to pass, would arguably negate any need for rescheduling the November elections. That he's wildly optimistic hasn't gone unnoticed. Of course, nobody wants to reschedule something as momentous as the presidential elections, but if the virus-mandated limits continue to govern how society goes about its day, it may prove an unavoidable decision that will need to be placed before Congress to sanction in formal legislation.](https://www.praguepost.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/Presidential-Elections.png)
