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Building an extension for my mother-in-law

I love my mother-in-law but I never planned on living with her permanently. I have been enjoying her living with us now that we have kids but I feel like we all need some extra space so I am getting a granny flat built at the back of our block. This should allow us to have some extra space to make sure everyone has the privacy that they need whilst we can still be a family. This block has some tip on the process of building a granny flat including how to choose a contractor and how to get the council approval for the build.

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Building an extension for my mother-in-law

A Few Important Tips for Choosing Patio Blinds, Shades, and Curtains

by Chloe Cooper

Outdoor window treatments can make your patio space much more usable, as this can mean cutting off some of that direct sunlight during the hottest summer days, and insulating the space during cooler autumn weather. These window treatments can also add a cosy, homey look to the space. When you're ready to shop for patio blinds, shades, or curtains, note a few important tips so you know you're happy with your choice.

Check opacity and back lighting, not colour

Opacity means how opaque or clear the material is; a dark colour of shades or curtains can actually be very opaque, if the cloth has a loose weave. This will let in a lot of light. On the other hand, a very light colour can be made with a very dense weave and have a low opacity, so it blocks more light than even a darker colour of window treatment.

"Back lighting" refers to when light is coming in through the back of the window treatments, or the outside of the patio. Low back lighting also means that light is being blocked, whereas high back lighting means the treatments will let in lots of light, even when closed.

Opt for waterproof materials, even for sunrooms

Outdoor fabrics and materials will be waterproof or water resistant, but you want to choose this type of material even for an enclosed sunroom or back porch area. This is because these areas will still get in a lot of moisture since they're not typically as well insulated as other areas of the home. They are also often exposed to rainwater and humidity, if you tend to use that area and keep the windows open during inclement weather. If your window treatments are not waterproof, they can easily hold mould and mildew as well as water stains, just from the humidity in the room around them.

Note how they're cleaned

Shades aren't always made of vinyl or another material that you can just sponge down, and outdoor drapes may need dry cleaning rather than machine washing. Blinds may also need vacuuming rather than washing with a wet cloth, and certain detergents may need to be used for any of these fabrics. Always ensure you know how your outdoor window treatments should be cleaned before you do this yourself; you may also want to check before you even buy the treatments, so you know if you can easily manage needed cleaning and know how often this should be done.

For more information, contact companies like Apollo Patio Roofing.

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