Tips When Filing an Insurance Claim for Your Home

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Keep your home and belongings safe by filing an insurance claim on your home. Here’s exactly how to do it the right way!


Photo: Pinterest

One of the last thoughts on your mind should be your homeowner’s insurance company giving you a rough time regarding your insurance claim. Here are some simple tips when dealing with your homeowner’s insurance claim regarding damage sustained to your home.

Get Covered with an Insurance Company

If you had to evacuate due to substantial damage to your home and or dangerous living conditions, you probably did not have any time to grab essentials including, clothes for work and or school, toiletries, etc. These types of property may have been wholly diminished in a natural disaster and or fire. Contact your insurance company and ask that they reimburse your damages and to send a check to wherever you may be residing at the time. This is so that you may purchase your necessities without the need to wait for your full insurance coverage. Tip: If you’re area is prone to flooding, consider purchasing a sump pump to minimize the damage.

Always put your needs first, be sure to not go overboard on what you need, be courteous and practical with what your necessities are as many insurance companies will refuse or be frivolous with reimbursing you. For example, you need work clothes (slacks, dress shirt, etc,) don’t assume you will go to a high-end store in town to purchase these items. The advance will be deducted from your total insurance claim amount you will receive when the claim is completed, so be sure not to hurt your end claim amount.

Document all of Your Stuff

If you’ve just bought a house, make sure to document all of your belongings in case of a disaster. When a disaster occurs, it will be easy to list everything you have lost. This may take some time and effort from everyone in the household. You will want to be sure that when making this list you start as soon as possible so you can remember everything you have lost before filing your insurance claim.

Never throw anything away. It is always easier to prove that what you have lost was in the household at the time of the disaster and or fire. If you hold on to these items such as family belongings, or even home decor items until your Public Adjuster they may be added to your claim, which will be valid proof it was there and lost during the incident. This will help compensate the loss of all items in the home at the time of the incident.

FILE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Filing your claim as soon as possible is key. Most insurance companies will require policyholders to submit their claims as soon as they can. Contact your homeowner’s insurance agent and or company immediately to begin the claim process. The said insurance company will require to provide and submit “proof of loss claim.” The form which will include all items lost at the time of damage, and include their value. Your immediate action is most important if there were many homeowners affected within your area. If not done in a timely manner, you could be at the bottom of the list of insurance policyholders who have filed their claims.

5 Types of Steel Buildings Built to Purpose

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Steel buildings are more economical than you would imagine because they are built usually from prefab parts. More durable than wood and better able to withstand varied weather conditions, steel buildings have come a long way from their early beginnings.


Photo: Laura Putnam

 

To give you some idea about how steel-based structures can be used for many different building types, here are a few examples.

Agriculture

For farmers, the traditional wooden building to store hay and as a place to house some of the livestock is becoming a thing of the past. The durability and predictable build quality of steel structures that can be erected in record time provides an affordable option. There is also far less risk of fire damage than with a wooden building, so the produce and livestock are much better protected too. If you install clear ceiling panels your steel building could also double as a luxury greenhouse.

Churches

Places of worship are traditionally brick buildings, but that’s not always convenient for either the location or the surrounding area. Whether due to lower costs, risk of variable weather conditions including occasional hurricane damage or the inability to find a suitable building, metal buildings like the ones created by Armstrong Steel solve a need for church leaders and parishioners who want a place to worship that’s close by. There are tons of steel building decorating ideas on the net, where you can make this cold steel structure look and feel like a real building!

Warehouses

Warehouses are quite often built using prefab steel sections to put up a new storage or functional warehouse facility quickly in a new area. The expandability of steel structures to extend the width or length as needed, assuming sufficient available land area to expand into, offers a flexible option to use later as the business expands and its warehousing needs grow with it.

The interior of a steel structure is also highly adaptable, essentially beginning as an empty shell, so a company is not dealing with an old building with many small offices that gets in the way of their intended floor plan. With a steel building, the business is free to produce an interior floor plan that matches their operational needs specifically to maximize both available space and efficiency.

Parks/Recreation Areas

Many parks often use steel structures to put small buildings in place for specific purposes. In some cases, this is a restroom facility or a secure lock-up for equipment that staff use during the daytime to take care of the gardening, maintenance and other duties. It’s also possible that even smaller open structures get created for park visitors to use when seeking cover from sudden downpours.

Storage Units

Storage facilities are an obvious choice for steel structures because they need to use the steel building systems that support a variety of differently sized storage containers, some locker size and others which could store an automobile or more. Beginning with a strong steel structure provides the basis for security and protection from the elements which leaves the storage company free to develop the interior to match their particular needs.

There are very few types of buildings that wouldn’t benefit from using a steel structure. It’s fast to erect, convenient, affordable and with fewer maintenance issues.

CanvasDiscount.com – Custom Canvas Prints and Personalized Wall Décor!

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

 

Transform your treasured family photos into customized works of art with one of our favorite online shops – CanvasDiscount.com!

What’s a better way to create memories than with your favorite snapshots of friends, family, your pets, you name it! At CanvasDiscount.com you can create your own custom printed canvases, custom printed blankets, mugs, cellphone cases, and so much more. This is the perfect way to create a memorable Christmas gift this holiday season!

Are you looking to spruce up your home for the holidays by adding some color or a statement piece in your home? CanvasDisocunt.com has the answer with customized acrylic prints on canvas. This first-class quality hardened acrylic glass is the perfect answer to photo-realistic imagery with vibrant, beautiful colors. No need to worry about your print turning out blurry like at most print shops, the acrylic prints at CanvasDiscount.com come out glossy, and pin-sharp.

[su_note note_color=”#aef1cf” text_color=”#000000″ radius=”0″]I love the way CanvasDiscount.com pays attention to detail when printing on acrylic, and uses high-tech 12-color printing machines to provide a wide range of colors and a crystal clear resolution. I’ve printed large-scale photos at my local Wal-Mart print center back in the day, and received horrible, blurry results. CanvasDiscount.com is definitely the place where I will be printing my next personal photo artwork.[/su_note]

Another enormous plus about the acrylic photo prints is that they are very light and easy to hang up. Behind the frameless print is a hanging system that is actually hidden behind and creates the illusion that is print is hovering above the surface of the wall. This look is really popular in contemporary galleries, making it a great solution for a modern, eclectic home. The acrylic prints are also water-resistant which means you can easily clean them with a paper towel and some window cleaner to keep them looking shiny.

If you like a more traditional look with your customized prints, CanvasDiscount.com also allows you to print on high-quality canvas framework. These canvas prints for cheap look and feel like actual real artwork painted onto canvas and are printed with HP latex ink which provides the best photo reproduction quality. Even if your original snapshot may not be the best quality, CanvasDiscount.com uses printing technology that is capable of enhancing the quality of your original photo.

Each custom canvas print is printed on canvas stretched onto a professionally crafted wooden frame, which gives a new dimension to your original photo. The canvas used is even better quality than your ordinary store-based canvas, which significantly increases the print quality.

So what are you waiting for? These adorable customized prints make the perfect gift for family and friends this holiday season. To make it even better for you, we are offering you a special promotion code for all ModernArchitectureConcept.com readers!

[su_note note_color=”#e72f4c” text_color=”#ffffff” radius=”0″]Use code MODERNARCHITECTURECONCEPT to customize your own 8”x8” canvas print for only $5 (original retail price $49)! Plus you can also design your own 8”x8” acrylic print for $19 (original retail price $54)! Code is valid until December 31st, 2017![/su_note]

How to Free Up Space in Your Home

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Make your home look and feel twice the size with these easy ways to free up space in your home! You’ll be surprised at what a difference it make’s and how large your home really is!


Photo: Style at Home

Have you been feeling space is a bit tight in your home as of late? Is it starting to get difficult to find a place for everything and move through the house without feeling like you are in an obstacle course? If so, it’s probably time to start looking for ways to free up space in your home. This will leave the space feeling bigger, brighter, and just more enjoyable to relax in. Here are some tips you can use as you work to free up space in your home.

Go Through the Cupboards

One of the biggest culprits when it comes to wasted space in a home is our cupboards. There is bound to be items there that you no longer want or need that are just taking up space. Think about it, if you manage to clear space in your cupboards, then it allows for more storage space for all those items that are currently causing clutter in your home.


Photo: Home Decor Star

You will want to start by taking everything out. Once you’ve got an empty cupboard, you can then start to decide what will be going back in. A general rule of thumb that will help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of is the one-year rule. If you haven’t used it or worn it in the past year, then there’s a good chance you won’t miss it.

[su_note note_color=”#f1aec4″ text_color=”#000000″ radius=”0″]Tip: Before you do put everything back into the cupboard, it would be a good idea to consider a cupboard organization system. This could include racks, shelves, drawers, and hanging rods. These types of system provide you with a massive amount of storage space in an organized manner.[/su_note]

Invest in Smart Furniture Pieces

Rather than just looking at furniture to serve one purpose, it’s time to start shopping for smart pieces. Today, you can find furniture that is able to multi-task and act as both a place to sit, rest, or place objects and provide storage.

Great examples include ottomans with storage under the top, a bench seat at the front door that offers storage underneath, a bed frame with built-in shelves and drawers, and even storage chests that can double as tables.


Photo: Audrey Yap

Start Using those Nooks in Your Home

Does your home have an odd shaped nook or area that is pretty much just dead-space? There’s no reason it can’t be functional and act as the perfect place for a bookshelf, a small desk or workstation, or even a coat rack and umbrella stand. If you’ve got small kids, this could even be their designated toy corner. You can also make a window nook look bigger by adding flooring to ceiling curtains that make your ceiling look taller, and your windows longer.

Install Shelves on the Wall

For those looking to free up space in their home, shelves can be your very best friend. Think floating shelves that don’t take up any floor space but offer you spots to store items, collections, and even a place for your decor pieces.

What to Do with the Junk?

Now that you’ve gone through the house and reorganized and gathered up a pile of things you no longer want or need, it’s time to get rid of all that junk. Enviro Waste London can help by removing it for you. You won’t have to do any of the work and Enviro Waste will even re-use and recycle items where applicable.


Photo: Southern Living

Enjoy the Added Space

By taking these steps to reorganise your home, you will suddenly feel as though you’ve gained all kinds of valuable space. Not only that, you will find it’s much easier to locate items once they have been stored and placed in a more organised and uncluttered manner.

* Are you looking to purchase a new home? Take a look at Cache Valley Homes, you may find your dream place right here!: http://www.cachevalleyhomes.net/homes-for-sale-in-smithfield-ut



Infographic Provided By luxury apartments in Chicago , Downtown Apartment Company

Things to Put on Your Fall Maintenance List

Michelle from Modern Architecture Concept

Spruce up your home this fall season with some of our easy tips to make your home more cozy, beautiful and welcoming for the long holiday season to come! Plus learn some simple maintenance tips that will make a huge impact for your home!


Photo: Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

Fall is officially here, which means that the leaves are turning, people are gearing up for the holiday season, and it’s time to complete some last minute to do items before the temperature drops and fall turns to winter. Here are some chores you may want to include on your list to keep your home in beautiful condition as we ease into cooler weather.

Look Up

People often forget about their home’s roof, loft insulation, chimney, and gutters because they’re not at eye level. However, keeping these important pieces of your home is vital for its infrastructure and can help prevent water, ice, and other damage to your home. Start by cleaning your gutters of any leaves, twigs, or other debris that may have built up over the summer months. Gutters with a clear pathway allow water to flow freely away from your home, which protects your foundation from water damage. You should also spot check your roof for any cracks, holes, or tears that may be present. If you notice anything, have it repaired right away so winter weather doesn’t make it worse and cause leaks inside your home. A lot of repairs you can do on your own, and you can even order supplies online from stores like build4less.  If you plan to use your chimney throughout the winter, you may want to have someone come clean it out to keep it clear of debris, which can cause a chimney fire.


Photo: Rikki Snyder

Complete Final Lawn Maintenance

Once winter weather arrives, chances are you won’t be doing much lawn maintenance. Making one last lawn care effort should be on everyone’s fall home maintenance list, as it prepares your landscaping for the winter months. Decide what you want to do with your leaves. Some people rake and bag them while others choose to mulch them, which can provide your soil with extra nutrients.

[su_note note_color=”#b9e6a0″ text_color=”#000000″ radius=”0″]Tip: If you have trees or other plants with special lawn care needs, you may want to wrap them to keep them in good condition during the long winter months. You should also get rid of any weeds or other debris that may have built up in your yard, since they can serve as a home to many unwanted pests seeking shelter during colder months. Put away any yard furniture and lawn equipment so it isn’t exposed to the elements.[/su_note]


Photo: Mary Prince Photography

Insulate

Having a well-insulated home can not only help keep you and your family warm during cold weather months, but it can also save you money on your monthly utility bills by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat your home. Caulk and use weather stripping around your windows and doors to block out drafts. If you have energy-efficient windows, inspect them to ensure they’re still in good condition and don’t have any gaps. Head up to your attic to inspect your insulation. If you can see the joists in your attic, chances are you don’t have enough insulation and should add more.


Photo: Gil Walsh Interiors

Service Your Furnace

Fall is a great time to have your furnace inspected before you turn it on for the winter. Call an HVAC professional and request an inspection and cleaning. Regular servicing can keep your furnace running efficiently and help reduce your monthly heating bill and even help prolong the life of your unit.

[perfectpullquote align=”full” cite=”” link=”” color=”#eb8d09″ class=”” size=””]Tip: Make sure you have your filters replaced regularly as well to improve airflow, keep energy costs low, and keep your system running efficiently.[/perfectpullquote]

Check Your Plumbing

The last thing you want to happen is to have a water line freeze or burst in the middle of winter. Prep your pipes by wrapping them in insulation, which can not only provide peace of mind knowing your plumbing is protected, but can keep your plumbing running efficiently. If you have any hoses outside, detach and drain them so they don’t freeze and cause damage.

Maintaining a thorough fall maintenance checklist can help keep your home in great shape. Most of the tasks take a weekend to complete and can save you a lot of money in the long run in costly repairs.