The Sunday News
Real Estate issues with Jonathan Thompson
A home has two main purposes, and that is security and shelter. A house provides security by keeping its occupants and their possessions safe from others.
A home protects you while you sleep, and keeps your material items safe while you are asleep or while you are away from the property. A home also provides shelter from the elements.
In some countries, you need to be protected from extreme cold, ice and snow. In other countries, you need shade and protection from the sun. Everyone needs to be shielded from rain and moisture.
The most secure wall would be solid, without any openings. Obviously, this would be very impractical for a home. We add doors and windows by creating holes through the walls.
These holes create security and sheltering issues. We need the doors to gain access to the home. Windows are necessary to create light and ventilation.
Access, light and ventilation are essential to creating a comfortable home. The issue is that by creating a place for windows and doors, we compromise the integrity of the wall.
Solid doors, strong hinges, and locks are used to maintain the security of a doorway. Windows have latches, burglar bars, and other features to keep a home secure. We must also ensure that the weather, especially rain, does not enter the home through these openings.
Contractors will use flashing, seals, and slanted sills to prevent moisture from breaching the walls.
To maintain the wall integrity, it is vitally important that quality materials and workmanship are used.
Often people end up being more concerned about the aesthetics, and they end up sacrificing function. Balance is always needed.
Walls are essential to the safety and sheltering aspects of a home. They also give a structural foundation for the roof. Walls must be strong enough to support themselves, as well as all of the ceilings, roof structures, and the roof.
The walls in Zimbabwe are generally built out of ceramic brick, concrete brick, concrete block, or stone.
These materials are readily available, and are reasonably priced. They offer structural support and tend to be resistant to insect damage. In other parts of the world, builders may use wood or steel frames. These houses are constructed far more quickly, than a brick home.
When buying a home, an inspection of the walls can reveal many problems with a house. One should look for cracks and/or moisture. Both of these issues can indicate major problems in a building. This should be taken into consideration prior to making an offer on any property.
A good home needs to have strong foundations and walls. It should provide shelter and security to the family. There is a famous saying that says, “A man’s home is his castle.” This is true in so many ways.
Jonathan Thompson is a Registered Real Estate Agent who works in Bulawayo. He has more than ten years of experience in Real Estate in the USA, and in Bulawayo.
He is the founder and the Managing Director of Thompson Properties (Pvt) Ltd.
