Shelter is one of the most important needs of humans today. This can be shelter for habitation or for business purposes. Putting up an adequate shelter has however never been the easiest or most affordable project that anyone can take up. The cost, time and other factors that come into
Ultimate collaboration across supply chains to be recognised with highest honours by Considerate Constructors Scheme The UK’s best-performing Ultra Sites will be honoured at the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s National Ultra Site Awards on 18 July. The overall objective for Ultra Sites is to achieve ever greater integration of a contractor’s
Consumers are paying the price for residential developers’ historic lack of investment in digital connectivity, according to new research from real estate connectivity certifications provider WiredScore and the HomeOwners Alliance. 85% of British renters and homeowners still face connectivity issues and failing services, forcing them to use an additional 2.5GB of extra mobile
While home renovations are often the first thing that people start to look at when they feel their home needs an upgrade, before you start to rip out your kitchen or look at pricing up a new bathroom, have a look at your interior coloring. Repainting your house interior can
Shelter is one of the most important needs of humans today. This can be shelter for habitation or for business purposes. Putting up an adequate shelter has however never been the easiest or most affordable project that anyone can take up. The cost, time and other factors that come into play during this process has made it difficult for many to setup a suitable structure for their habitation, business or other activities. In this article, we are going to review a structural option that is making it easier for folks to have the kind of structures they need for their businesses and other functions. Canvas or fabric covered buildings are also known by a lot of other names. Some examples include Tension Fabric Building, Fabric Tent Structure, Fabric Shelters, Clear-Span Fabric Buildings, Tension Membrane Structures, Cover-All Buildings and other such names. Whenever you come across any of these names, they all refer to the same thing. You can learn more about it here. Benefits Why exactly are we taking the time to look at this option for setting up buildings? There are a number of benefits that this option offers. This will explain why it is steadily increasing in popularity. Let us quickly enumerate a few benefits that it offers. Hopefully these will explain why many individuals and companies alike are turning to it for their structural needs. Versatility These structural solutions have a wide range of applications. Some of these include: commercial activities, event centers and venues, sports facilities, fairs, rallies, churches, warehousing, airplane hangars, emergency shelters, storage units and many other such uses. There is hardly any type of structural use that it cannot be adapted to. This versatility makes it perfect for a wide range of industries, locations and applications. Quick and Easy Setup Building a brick and mortar structure will take a pretty long time when compared to this. The relative ease and speed with which these structures can be setup make them perfect for emergency situations where brick and mortar structures cannot be put up. Aside from the speed, the cost for setting it up is also lower. You therefore get a structure that can be setup faster, more easily and at a more affordable rate. It’s an all-round win. Low Operational and Maintenance Cost After setting up, there is the issue of operational and maintenance cost. This option drastically reduces both costs. For example, using a clear-span fabric allows natural light to shine into the structure, removing the need for artificial lighting which would have otherwise meant additional energy costs. For maintenance, with no walls and other surfaces that may require regular attention, maintenance costs are restricted to ensuring the continued integrity of the frame and fabric. This also drastically reduces the cost that would have been accumulated as a result of sundry maintenance processes in a regular building. Mobility This is another major benefit that this structural option offers. Permanent or brick and mortar structures cannot be moved from one location to another. Once an operation relocates, new facilities have to be built or rented to accommodate the operations at its new location. With fabric covered buildings, the facility can be deconstructed, transported to the new location and then reconstructed on the new site. This no doubt is a massive cost saver as the only costs that will be incurred will be for the purchase or hiring of a new site, deconstruction, transportation and reconstruction of the structure. These costs can in no way compare to having to erect a totally new facility with new materials in a new location. Eco-Friendly For those who are very concerned about the environment (as we all should), a lot of the materials used for the fabrics are usually recyclable. With some of these fabrics lasting for up to 20 to 30 years and then being recycled, the impact of their use on the environment is totally negligible. How to Set One Up How exactly can one go about setting up fabric covered buildings? Local Building Codes The very first thing you need to do is find out the local laws regarding the setting up such a structure. Each locality prepares regulations to guide the erection of any kind of structure based on their unique weather and climatic conditions. Knowing and abiding by these codes will increase the safety of your building while also keeping you from contravening the laws of the locality. Adequate Foundation Next, you need to build the right foundation to hold what you are about to setup. The type of foundation you will require will depend on the type and size of structure you are planning on putting up. It will also depend on the use to which you want to put the structure. The foundation must be adequate to support its type, size and use. Choosing the Right Fabric The fabric you choose to lay over your building’s frame is very important. Your choice of fabric should among other things be based on your location, the size of the structure and the proposed length of use. Some fabrics are better suited for very short term use while others are better for long use as well as use in strong winds and difficult weather. If you do not choose the right fabric, you may find yourself staring at the open heavens if conditions the fabric can’t handle hits it. Working with Professionals This is probably one of the most important factors to consider. Working with professionals practically ensures that every other thing listed above is adhered to. A professional will likely ensure that the right foundation is built, the right fabric is chosen and the proper setup procedures are observed. If you also do not know where or how to get the right materials, a professional will likely help you out. It may therefore be in your best interest to actually begin the process by talking to a professional or company that has the experience and capacity to handle these kinds of
Ultimate collaboration across supply chains to be recognised with highest honours by Considerate Constructors Scheme The UK’s best-performing Ultra Sites will be honoured at the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s National Ultra Site Awards on 18 July. The overall objective for Ultra Sites is to achieve ever greater integration of a contractor’s supply chain to meet and exceed the Scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice. Being the highest level of attainment in consideration and best practice, they are the pinnacle of excellence across the construction industry. It is the second dedicated awards programme for Ultra Sites, following the success of the inaugural awards in 2018. This year, there will be nine award categories and, for the first time, the top-performing supplier within six award of the categories (see those marked *) will also be eligible for an individual recognition award. The Award categories are: Client Recognition Award Collaboration Award* Community Engagement Award* Constructions First Impressions Award Environmental Best Practice Award* Fairness, Inclusion and Respect Award* Future Constructors Award* Workforce Wellbeing Award* Innovation of the Year Award One Award winner from the nine categories will also be recognised with the highest honour, receiving the prestigious title of ‘Ultra Site of the Year’. The awards will take place at Plaisterers’ Hall in central London and will be presented by Ann Bentley, the Construction Leadership Council’s lead on Supply Chain and Business Models. Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy said: “This year’s Ultra Site Awards represent an exciting development in the evolution of Ultra Sites as the way to engage in raising standards of considerate construction across the entire supply chain. The realisation by leaders across our industry in both large scale and small scale projects shows how more than ever before we can work together more effectively and efficiency to drive forward best practice and greater collaboration across the industry. Ultra Sites achieves this goal and we’re incredibly excited to be honouring the very highest-performing at the upcoming awards ceremony in July.” Ann Bentley, the Construction Leadership Council’s lead on supply chain and business model added: “I’m thrilled to be presenting the Considerate Constructors Scheme’s 2019 Ultra Site Awards. Ultra Sites are an essential way for our industry to collaborate and realise the benefits of working together, and I look forward to presenting the very best Ultra Sites with their national accolade. “People often say that nothing ever changes in the construction industry, but in my working career the Considerate Constructors Scheme has made a tangible difference to the way that sites are operated and the public’s perception of our industry. I am excited to see the continued development of the Scheme.” Click here for more information about Ultra Sites, and here to find out the winners from the 2018 Ultra Site Awards.
Consumers are paying the price for residential developers’ historic lack of investment in digital connectivity, according to new research from real estate connectivity certifications provider WiredScore and the HomeOwners Alliance. 85% of British renters and homeowners still face connectivity issues and failing services, forcing them to use an additional 2.5GB of extra mobile data each month to compensate for their poor WiFi – this additional cost totals £2.2bn across the nation. Despite consumers paying an average of £312 for their home internet service, this additional cost is being incurred by users trying to overcome regular connectivity issues and failing services – typically totalling 20 service breakdowns per month. It’s perhaps no surprise that over a quarter of British homeowners and renters (28%) would not have moved into their property if they’d known about the connectivity issues they face. However, the new report launching today ‘Poor Foundations: the state of UK residential connectivity’ has revealed that the residential developers are now waking up to the dire state of the UK’s connectivity infrastructure and the potential gains of delivering higher-quality service. The research has been commissioned as part of the launch of WiredScore Home, the latest certification from global digital connectivity rating company WiredScore that focuses on residential property. WiredScore Home builds on the immense success ofthe commercial real estate certification, which has certified more than 500 million sq. ft. across six countries impacting six million office workers since its launch in 2013. Better designed buildings The certification will support developers looking to improve the design of the connectivity services for new buildings to prevent the need for expensive retrofits. It will also introduce critical transparency to the residential market, enabling landlords and sellers to demonstrate the higher quality service in their buildings. There are clear commercial benefits of good digital connectivity services: Two-thirds (61%) of residential developers report they can rent their properties at a higher price and/or with a greater yield Two-fifths (40%) see an increased demand for their properties More than half (56%) report they can rent their properties for longer, due to the improved in-home experience Nearly half (47%) stated that it enabled them to sell their properties for a greater price Sixty per cent of developers have already improved their current planning applications in line with the new National Planning Policy Framework, to support next-generation cellular coverage (5G) and full fibre connections, with a further 29% resolved to improve future applications. Full fibre connections are now a greater priority, with three-quarters of developers reporting some of their current projects will have full fibre and 19% reporting all will have fibre to the premise. This will result in a significant boost to the current 6% of UK properties with full fibre. With many traditional building materials (including treated glass, steel frames and metalised insulation) negatively impacting cellular coverage, 59% of residential developers report that they are adopting different building techniques. Over half are also undertaking RF surveys, to understand the connectivity service in their building, and installing connectivity technologies to boost in-building signal, including DAS and small cells (55% and 54% respectively). More guidance required While it appears that residential developers have made the critical mindset shift towards appreciating connectivity, all survey respondents indicated they want more guidance around improving the digital connectivity services of their existing or future developments. Specifically, three-quarters (77%) would like to better understand the current digital connectivity level of their developments and have guidance on how to improve it, while 57% want guidance on how they can implement the highest levels of digital infrastructure into their developments.
While home renovations are often the first thing that people start to look at when they feel their home needs an upgrade, before you start to rip out your kitchen or look at pricing up a new bathroom, have a look at your interior coloring. Repainting your house interior can be one of the easiest things you can do to give your home a complete makeover, but you need to make sure that you aren’t dating yourself with your color choices and decorating style. Just like you can often tell where a house is located based on its exterior style, you can also tell where a house is by its interior color scheme. From more modern styles and trends in the west to more traditional styles and coloring in the east, and if you’re in the mountainous beauty of Boulder in the Southwest you can easily get the best of all worlds by talking with your local Boulder painters to discover which trends and tones will best suit your interior. Interior Decorator, Interior Designer or Interior Painter? When you have decided that interior repaint is the way to go, you then need to decide how to go about it. How do you choose which colors and which paint types or finishes? There are several different professionals that you can call to help you get the best look for your home, and sometimes you can find teams that work together. However, you will generally find that while most of the interior specialists are independent, they will often have recommendations for who you can speak to if you need other services. So, first you will need to work out which professional you really need. Interior Decorator There can be some overlap between an interior decorator and an interior designer, but generally you’d call in an interior decorator to help you work out the best colors, art and soft furnishings to create the space that you desire. These are the people that you can say “I want my bedroom to feel like a relaxing beach holiday”, or “I want my lounge to be a place for vibrant conversations” and they can help you choose the colors and effects that will create the desired result. You can hire an interior decorator to arrange everything for you, to work with you, or to simply give you ideas or suggestions, leaving you to make all the final decisions and purchases yourself. If you have an eye for detail doing it yourself will save you money, but the first time you do your room makeover it probably won’t end up quite the way you envisioned. However, practice makes perfect, and you can always try again in another room or in the same room in a few years. As long as you haven’t moved any walls nothing is permanent. Interior Designer Although the terms Interior Designer and Interior Decorator are often used interchangeably, to call yourself an interior designer generally requires a degree qualification in interior design (see here). Interior designers are professionals who create useable spaces based on how they will be used. This means that they are the perfect professionals to call in if you are going to rip out your kitchen or want to remodel your bathroom. They are trained to analysis the space, and how it is used by the occupants, and then come up with solutions to make the area more usable. Sometimes their suggestions will be radical, whereas sometimes they will only make subtle changes, but you will generally find that an interior designer will be able to make your space just right for you. This may mean ideas like dropping a kitchen bench down 2 inches for a shorter user, adding pull out steps to reach high cupboards, moving a doorway to create better flow between rooms, or replacing a step with a ramp for increased ease of access. An interior designer might work with an interior decorator to create the right feel to a room, as although some interior designers may be good with colors and soft furnishings, this is generally not their specialty. Interior Painter There is less confusion around what an interior painter does – they paint the rooms inside your house. However, there is more to an interior painter than just this. Although they will paint whatever colors you want, wherever you want, if you ask, they often can make very helpful suggestions on a practical level. They are also the professional to speak to about what sort of paint to use in each location. Gloss, semi-gloss, matt, satin – there are a number of types of finishes and types of paint, each has pros and cons depending on the area they are being using. For a family home, for example, you will often want a paint that is easy to clean, however if you have an older home with uneven walls the high gloss that provides the easiest wipe off surface also is the worst for showing up every blemish in your walls. So, talk to your painter and listen to their advice. Experienced painters have encountered almost any circumstance imaginable when it comes to house decorating, they have seen the before and after effects of different types of paint and different colors and effects used to create a new space. You can use this knowledge to save yourself a lot of problems if you are designing the space yourself. Ask their opinion on if the color you are thinking of will make the space darker or lighter, help hold the suns heat or make the room feel cold or make a room look like it has never been cleaned – something particularly important in a bathroom or kitchen. Doing It Yourself Of course, you can do the entire remodel yourself. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/home/pro-or-no-what-to-consider-before-hiring-out-a-home-painting-job/2017/09/04/d97a3ffa-5b87-11e7-a9f6-7c3296387341_story.html Consulting with Pinterest for ideas and watching YouTube videos to learn how to prepare the area and paint appropriately. If you go this route, ensure that you speak to your paint supplier and
