You know that if we’re doing more than one post on a topic, it’s something that we care about. Unfortunately, that’s an increasingly broad range of topics. As soon as the Victorian Foundation Repairs team learned that our work plays such an important role in the puzzle of your home, we scampered in all sorts of different directions, learning as much as we possibly could.

We treat learning in a variety of different ways, but the first word that comes to mind is ‘comprehensive’. That’s why, many a time, we need to give topics at least a couple of posts on the Victorian Foundation Repairs blog, so that you know that we’re so much more than underpinning, restumping and reblocking services. Recently, we talked about the fun and excitement of adding lights to the exterior of your home. Quick debrief – these are not just relevant during the holiday season (although we’re guessing that they’ll be even more fun and exciting this year), instead, they can be put up all year around. We covered off probably the most fun of the steps, the whole “brainstorming and planning” step. Now it’s on to the logistics:

Safety should always be a priority. Make sure that any extension cords you’re using are for outdoor use as well as indoor use – that could be a weather emergency before you realize it. All packaging should explain this. This is also why we recommended the gloves mentioned in the previous post.

Make sure that all of your purchases work. Hey, if those lights don’t turn on during a test inside or outside, they’re going straight back to the store and there are no issues there. Don’t try and pretend that it will be okay, lights that don’t work will just annoy you more over time. In the same vein, if you’ve bought multiple packages of lights, especially those that are supposed to look the same colour, give them a test by holding them side by side. Same thing goes for accessories like light clips. Some use things like clothespins or staples, but we recommend that this is an area in which you invest. Believe us, you’ll use them for other home renovation projects as well.

There are LED lights (which can hue one way) and incandescent light bulbs (which hue a totally different way). Have some fun as you organize which lights, you’d like to use on different parts of your home. Our biggest recommendation is that you keep like-typed lights together for a cohesive look. There are also different places on your home where styles of lights will look best – like icicle lights on your roof. But, insider knowledge… LED lights WILL save you money on your energy bills every month as they’re much better for the environment.

Once all of the work is complete, you’ll just want to ensure that it stays that way. That means choosing a timer or timing feature, so that you’re not hopping out of bed at hours far too early or late, wondering if your lights are still dazzling the street.

There’s something so magical about driving down the street and seeing a particular house well lit up. You can tell that someone put a lot of thought and effort into their property if they’re investing that much time and creativity. Because setting up lights outside a house is hard! And the Victorian Foundation Repairs team knows hard projects. Having been restumping, reblocking and underpinning homes as long as we have, we’ve pretty much seen it all. We wouldn’t call ourselves cynical, but we would say that there’s little that can phase or surprise us. Remember, that only benefits you. Especially because, as we get better and better at our craft, we learn more and more about homes at large. Full circle – let’s talk about a project that impacts your home at large!

SO; hanging lights outside on your home. It’s not just for the holidays, although we’ve seen some epic representations of festivity outside of different homes during the holiday season. We’ll touch on those in another month or so, giving you a chance to actually enjoy the current moment and season at hand. No, lights look great all year around and they can actually be a functional benefit too, especially if you’re coming or going when the sun isn’t out to guide you.

In order to properly prepare for this project, you’re going to need some tools and materials. Start with gloves, a tape measure (don’t take a chance on this one, best to have the correct measurements of your home as indicated on the tape measure), a ladder (unless you’re very, very tall), an extension cord and timer & lighting controls. Oh yes, and don’t forget about the lights themselves.

Perhaps the most fun part of the process is determining your design. Are you looking for a house that’s completely lit up and one that you can see from a mile away? Or are you looking for something that’s a bit more subtle? Either way, sketch out a general picture of your home or print a recent picture. Then you can plot exactly where you want the lights. Logistically it is important to think about surfaces and where outlets are, although the aforementioned extension cord will definitely come in handy if you’re planning on stretching your lights beyond a certain point.

You may have no idea where to start as far as where you want to hang the lights outside and that’s just fine. That’s where the Victorian Foundation Repairs blog comes in – your one-stop-shop of information. Here are some popular locations:

• Either inside or outside of your timber window boxes and planters
• Hanging along the eves or lines of your roof
• Decking any sort of landscaping you already have like trees or hedges
• Wound around pillars, posts or deck railings, especially if you have a verandah or portico outside
• Lining your windows, door frames, especially your front door and any other architectural features that you want to show off
• Near driveways and pathways, perhaps lining the driveway all of the way to the home or garage

We know that we’ve probably opened a Pandora’s Box of curiosity and maybe even a sense of motivation, which means you’ll just have to come back for our next post!