Caden Grimes Estates

Residential & Commercial Property Sales & Lettings | Lettings Management | Accommodation Outsourcing | Corporate Relocation

Kerb Appeal, First Impressions, Presentation

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Call it what you will, but it Sells Houses

This property recently went Sale Agreed within 3 weeks of going to market, substantially above the asking price.
For sellers and buyers alike, the Sale Agreed sign is a thing of beauty, the first real step into your new home. But it takes such a lot of work to get there. What can make it easier, what can make getting to that point more simple and more quick?
Presentation. There are lots of elements in a sale, but presentation is the most important one. The prospective buyer must be met with a warm, welcoming sight that he or she can imagine as their own home.
The above property was immaculately presented, very well decorated, spotlessly clean and uncluttered. The impression on walking in was welcoming, clean, warm. Somewhere you could walk into and feel right at home.
Of course it’s not always possible to present a property in show house condition, but you owe it to yourself to make the most of what you’re offering. Unless you’re selling a fixer upper or to an investor, the old adage “they’ll see past that” will cost you time and money.
The Better The Offering, The Sweeter The Sale.

Caden Grimes Estates is a PSRA Licenced (# 001883) Dublin Estate Agent
Info@CGestates.ie 019014480 www.CGestates.ie

Squeaky Flooring Drives Me NUTS!!

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Pat McGovern is a chartered building surveyor and member of the 
Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.

Writing here in The Irish Times

Creaking or squeaking floorboards are usually the result of loose boards and when walked upon they creak. The board may rub off another, a fixing nail or joist. There are many reasons for a loose floorboard, but the main ones are use of incorrect nails or nails too far apart due to inadequate nailing. The solution here is to screw-fix the board to the joists to secure the boards. You cannot introduce nails or it will do further damage to ceilings etc.

The screws should be fixed at 400mm centres in both directions and consideration should be given to countersinking the screw head into the floor board. At all times check for pipes or cables before screwing.

Another cause may be an unsupported end joint between floorboards. To resolve this the floorboard falling short of a support must be lifted and an extension added to the joist to support the board end. As this will involve cutting the tongue of the board to be removed it is not a simple DIY job but one for an experienced carpenter.

If this simple approach does not work, you need to investigate further.

Other considerations include problems with the joists supporting the boards. These may have twisted due to shrinkage or poor workmanship during construction. They may also be undersized for the floor span and result in sagging of the floor joist. This can lead to movement between the board and joist resulting in creaking. There may be a need to add additional bridging pieces at regular intervals across the floor to strengthen it. However, this is a big job involving lifting of the floorboards.

It is also worth checking the joists to see if an overzealous plumber or electrician has drilled excessive holes in the joist to facilitate a plumbing pipe or cable resulting in a weakening of the joist. Joists should also be fixed solidly at either end of the span on to the wall or a joist hanger and spaced at 400mm centres usually.

One last thing to consider is expanding heating pipes which expand and move slightly when they warm up which may cause the floorboard to make noise if it rubs off a heating pipe. A droll carpenter suggested to me the use of talcum powder, while I’ve no doubt would work for a short time, but it is not a long-term solution.

Caden Grimes Estates is licensed Estate Agent, PSRA Nr 001883
Info@CGestates.ie