Remote working is becoming increasingly popular in today’s economy. It saves employees travel time, while businesses save on the costs of office space. It suits those spared the commute, and it suits business profits. But, for those working from home, maintaining a healthy work-life balance is no easy feat. One of the biggest problems for remote workers is in preventing the home from looking like a workspace. When living space doubles as work space, it’s all too easy for work paraphernalia to encroach on any stylish home interior, and a desk stuck in the corner of the living room isn’t exactly sexy. Working from home takes discipline, and without the luxury of a separate den or home office, it can be difficult to establish a strict work zone and stick to set working hours. However, cleverly done, work and home can sit compatibly side by side, allowing homeworkers to effortlessly switch between grafting and downtime. With a little bit of thought, it doesn’t have to mean an extension, a loft conversion or the addition of a garden log cabin. If you are determined to keep your living space in stylish form, without giving away the fact that it’s also your office, here are some tips, ideas and awesome projects for inspiration. Interior design overhaul Starting from the bottom rung, if you are short of space and completely devoid of ideas, it’s probably time to consult an expert. A reputable interior designer, like Pfeiffer design for instance, have oodles of experience and creative ideas up their sleeves to make homes look beautiful and function effortlessly. Even if you have the luxury of a separate room in which to establish your office, you’ll still want it to fit in with the style of your home. There is nothing worse than having one room in the house that doesn’t fit in and is full of clutter. It’s important to keep your office bright and clutter-free. The LuxPad have some great ideas. Remember, a stylish office will help with your creative flow! The shut-away office space Ironically, with all this talk about keeping our workplace out of our living space, sometimes space prevents any other alternative. Even with a hidey-hole to park the office we can get too anal about keeping the home office hidden away. Dark, cramped and unappealing spaces could be harming your work rate and your mental health! It might be better to keep your basement for storage and the wine cellar you’ve been dreaming about! If your workspace needs to be part of the main living space, bespoke furnishing is an ideal solution. With shelving and desk space that can be shut away, you’ll find it easier to switch between worktime and relaxation. Pull-out desks, and shelving space with doors, allow you to set up in the morning as though you have arrived at the office, but shut everything away when it’s time to clock off. Zone the room If bespoke furnishing isn’t an option, you don’t have a spare room to jiggle, and space is a premium, the very least you can do is zone your room for dual function. Decorate the areas differently with a subtle colour change to divide the two spaces. Rugs, or even a screen, can help to distinguish work space from living quarters. Get into the zone by dressing for work, and then changing when it’s time to down tools. The biggest rule is to keep your workspace tidy. Try to go paperless and keep any office machinery, such as a printer, hidden away. A cute and tidy workspace in your living room doesn’t have to cramp your style. Then there’s the unusual! Egg Trading is a luxury clothing and accessories retailer. Set up in 1994 on a quiet Belgravia Street in London, this Independent fashion boutique developed their interior to double as both an outlet store and a living space. The minimalist approach across two floors of the small mews property enabled some simply stunning solutions. Instead of separating the living and workspace with an upstairs/downstairs divide, the live-work space is ingeniously designed to maximise use for both living and the business. A minimalist bespoke downstairs bathroom doubles as a meeting room with a delightful wooden tub topped off with a matching lid. Now that is genius!

Have you found the perfect property to buy, only to find that it is ‘subject to a flying freehold’? As if property conveyancing wasn’t complex enough for the layperson, you may well wonder what fresh hell is this? Thankfully, flying freeholds are few and far between but they can create problems for conveyancers, while mortgage companies may be nervous about lending on a property with a flying freehold element. I spoke to H&S Surveyors Ltd, established Chartered Surveyors in South Devon, for some advice and clarification regarding some of the issues surrounding such properties. What is a flying freehold? In English property law, if you hold a legal freehold title, you own the property including the land it is built on and the air above ‘all the way up to heaven and down to hell’. In this way, two freehold properties will not normally overlap. However, when it does, a flying freehold is invariably created. For a flying freehold to exist, one part of the freehold property must extend physically into or over land or a building that does not form part of the property. The flying part of the freehold will typically overhang or project out from underneath, but this does not need to be in mid air. Examples include properties where part of a bedroom lies above the lounge of a neighbouring property, or overhangs a common part. The most commonly seen example of a flying freehold is where there is a covered pathway or external passage running between two houses. If the passageway is owned by the property on the left but the upper floor of the right property extends over the passage, this is a flying freehold. What are the issues with a flying freehold? The trouble is that one person’s property depends on the neighbouring freehold owner for support and upkeep, and often the structural integrity of the building. From a conveyancing point of view, each property needs to have appropriate legal rights – the upper property must have the right of support from the lower one, while the lower property must have the right of shelter from the upper one. As a consequence, the flying freehold owner must be able to rely on the neighbour to maintain his property so that the flying freehold property is not damaged. What if the neighbour fails to maintain his part of the building? What about building neglect, storm damage, roof collapse or redevelopment? There are genuine concerns for the owner of the flying freehold property that must be considered and dealt with via a Conveyancing Solicitor. How easy is it to get a mortgage? Obtaining a mortgage for a property with a flying freehold element will depend on several factors, and the attitude of mortgage lenders can vary widely. The reluctance to accept a flying freehold as a security for a mortgage comes from the existing risk that the neighbouring property may not maintain or repair the property, which may damage or prejudice the integrity of the building structure. A mortgage lender is likely to want the flying freehold to have all required rights of support and protection, entry for repair and enforceable covenants that apply to the current owner (and any future owners) of the neighbouring building. Some mortgage companies will lend if the proportion of the flying freehold element is small, often no more than 15%. Some will require a flying freehold indemnity insurance and some will refuse outright to lend on flying freeholds. Whatever the situation, your Conveyancing Solicitor should be able to advise the best way forward. Even if you don’t require a mortgage to buy the property, dealing expertly with a flying freehold in the conveyancing process may well affect the property’s value and future saleability. What is flying freehold indemnity insurance? Flying freehold indemnity insurance is widely available and often required by mortgage lenders to cover the risk of any inadequate cross covenants and repairing obligations. If you do take out a policy, make sure that it provides for an increase in the indemnity limit in line with property price inflation. It is also worth noting that many policies exclude cover for structural alterations or change of use, effectively preventing redevelopment and major improvements. Importantly, having indemnity insurance in place does not give the flying freehold owner the rights to ensure that the neighbouring property is properly maintained. If all else fails and a neighbourly resolution cannot be achieved, the Access to Neighbouring Land Act 1992 may be used to obtain access to the other property to carry out repairs to one’s own property, although it does not give you the right to carry out works to the other owner’s property. What’s more, it’s an expensive solution by way of a court application, and with no guaranteed outcome. How to proceed Encountering a flying freehold property will throw up extra challenges in the conveyancing process, but it need not be a deal breaker if dealt with properly. Make sure that the survey and/or valuation carried out by your Chartered Surveyor prior to purchase takes account of the existence of a flying freehold so that proper advice and recommendations can be given. Research the mortgage market fully to find a suitable lender and work closely with an experienced Conveyancer to address any issues with the legal title.

Wouldn’t it be fabulous to go to bed every night feeling like you have just booked into a luxury hotel? When it comes to home makeovers many of us try to emulate the ultimate hotel experience in our bedroom, but it’s not always as easily achievable as you first think. For a start, your makeover more than likely doesn’t come with a maid to make your bed, ensure sheets are pristine and crisp, replace wet towels and re-stock the minibar! Without the luxury of a housemaid, you can still bring a touch of the ambience and elegance afforded by a chic hotel into your bedroom. Here are 7 ways you can upscale your sleeping area to make you feel like you’re in the lap of luxury every single night. Spare no expense and push the boat out for a lavish king-size bed and luxury mattress A huge, luxury bed is the crowning glory of any sophisticated hotel room. If you are serious about transforming and reorganizing your bedroom  at home to compare with the experience at a luxury hotel, your old bed with a sagging mattress absolutely has to go. For a comfortable and supportive mattress, with a bedframe to match, consult a bed expert, such as Snug Interiors. They’ll be able to advise you on everything bed-related to get you the perfect sleeping platform for you and your home. Splash out on some expensive bed linens Exquisite sheets are an absolute must. Don’t think thread count doesn’t matter; it does. Crisp, white sheets in a satin weave with a thread count of 420 will get you the indulgent feel of the sheets you would expect to find in a luxury hotel. Don’t go for a thread count less than 300, and be wary of sheets made from twisted or multiple-ply yarn, which have a rougher feel than single yarn. Satin weave also has a softer feel and an elegant sheen. Purchase two or three bedding sets so you always have a freshly laundered set of bed linen on hand, and change your sheets at least once every week. Invest in matching sconces for a warm and romantic glow Just because your bedroom isn’t on show to guests, don’t skimp on the extras like lighting. All too often a pre-loved light shade ends up in the bedroom. Nearly all hotel rooms have matching bed-side lamps or sconces to enable you to turn off the overhead light and create a cosy and romantic glow. Invest in some attractive sconces, and use lower wattage light bulbs to add to the ambience. Pick a plush carpet or a sumptuous rug Stepping out of bed in a luxury hotel is always a dream with plush carpet or a sumptuous rug underfoot. Don’t skimp on flooring in the bedroom. A plush carpet or luxurious rug will be bliss when you get up in the morning, especially during the winter. As the bedroom doesn’t have the problem of high footfall, you can choose a more delicate fabric, or a longer more luxurious pile. Splurge on a pair of indulgent bathrobes Plush, fluffy bathrobes are the boudoir signature of any luxe hotel. To bring back memories of your favourite posh hotel break, simply call up the hotel and ask if they can sell you a couple of their robes. Lots of luxury hotels let you take robes home with you and charge it to your room bill when you leave. Plan for the ultimate en suite If there’s one home improvement you should plan for, it’s to have a luxury en suite bathroom to go with your master bedroom. If you don’t have an en suite, see if there’s a way you can pinch a bit from another room to add one. If you already have an en suite be sure to give it a makeover to give it that luxury hotel feel. Just because your en suite isn’t going to be used by guests, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make the investment and make a stunning feature of it. Revamp your bathroom with a new suite, a rainfall shower, a heated towel rail, and if possible underfloor heating. Don’t forget to add luxury soaps, shampoos and huge fluffy towels. For a really striking and luxurious bathroom, consult a bathroom design specialist. Don’t forget to declutter No matter how much money you throw at your bedroom, if the room is filled with clutter you’ll never achieve the look and feel of a luxury hotel room. Make sure all clothes, jewellery, shoes and other bedroom paraphernalia are all neatly put away at the end of every day. Get rid of anything you don’t need, use or wear. A good declutter will bring you the neat and tidy bedroom and peaceful surroundings you are aiming for.

11 March 2016 | Jamie Harris G4S has seen revenues in the UK and Ireland fall 4.2 per cent to £1.52 billion for the year to 31 December 2015. Operating profit in the same region fell by 11.5 per cent to £115 million. Overall group revenue saw a slight fall to £6.86 billion, down less than half a percentage point from £6.89 billion, while group operating profit saw a sharp fall of 27 per cent to £183 million. G4S chief executive Ashley Almanza cited the management of “onerous legacy contracts” in the UK, which were entered into before 2013. He remained positive, however, stating that the business won new contracts with an annul value of over £1.3 billion. Last year’s UK contract wins included a 10-year, £80 million security deal with EDF Energy, an integrated FM contract with pharmaceutical company Bayer, a cleaning deal with Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, and a security contract to oversee guarding and technical services at London’s Thames Tideway Tunnel. Almanza said: “In the current economic environment we expect medium-term demand for our services to grow by around 4-6 per cent per annum.”     Source link

Delegates from over 150 countries meeting in Rwanda reached what was described as a “monumental” deal by agreeing an amendment to the Montreal protocol on the phase out of the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC), the gases used in air conditioning and refrigeration.   Commenting on the deal Julia Evans BSRIA’s chief executive said “This is excellent news and delivers a deal that is good for the planet. The phasing out of HFCs could help reduce climate change by 0.5C and has the potential to take 70 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by 2050”, Evans continued “for some nations the phasing out period for HFCs is long, which is of concern, but it is hoped that the phase out will develop momentum in the market which could see the transition happen over a reduced period. With active help of the industry, manufacturers of both refrigerants and products can accelerate the adoption of low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants. This is important; as an industry we have a key role to play so let’s act now”. The Montreal Protocol – International treaty designed to protect the environment against the impact of harmful substances – Created in 1987 following the discovery of a large hole in the Earth’s ozone layer over Antarctica – Came into force in 1989 with the main aim of ending the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) – CFCs replaced by hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) – Amendment proposed after scientists discovered, while they pose no threat to the ozone layer, HFCs contribute to global warming by trapping heat radiating off the Earth – The protocol has undergone a number of revisions since it was introduced and has been successful in eliminating more than 100 fluorinated gases”. Source link

Studio Tri, advised by Savills, has let offices in Westgate House, Cardiff to BCR Jobs. The recruitment company has agreed a new three-year lease on the third floor of the building totalling 1,509 sq ft (140 sq m) and will pay an annual rent of £17,500 pa, equating to £11.50 per sq ft (£124 sq m). The property is located in a prominent position opposite the Millennium Stadium on Westgate Street, opposite Cardiff Castle, and is ideally located for Cardiff’s amenities and retail areas, including St David’s Shopping Centre and John Lewis. It is also a short walk to Cardiff Central Railway Station. Occupiers in the vicinity include Lyons Davidson Solicitors, Box UK, RNIB and Otis Lifts.Sarah Boyle, director for BCR Jobs South Wales, says: “After several years in our current location we have been actively seeking an inspirational office space with enough room for our growing team.“Our new fully refurbished office space on Westgate Street offers us plenty of room for our current employees while allowing us to continue with our ambitious expansion plans” Gary Carver, office agency director at Savills Cardiff, comments: “Westgate House is  conveniently located and will enable BCR Jobs to expand within a community of quality occupiers. We are pleased to have secured a reputable tenant in BCR Jobs, who will no doubt benefit from everything Westgate House has to offer.” Source link

Category: Construction Industry Today | Subscribe to Construction Industry Today Feed Published Wed, Sep 14th 2016 Ingeny has teamed up with property developer Chartwell Land & New Homes to install a smart building solution at The Whispers Posted via Industry Today. Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Ingeny, a division of Interphone, has teamed up with property developer Chartwell Land & New Homes to install a smart building solution at a new luxury five-bedroom house in Oxted, Surrey. The Whispers, a prestigious development offering superior specification, required sophisticated home automation that could monitor and manage a wide range of systems to meet exact entertainment, communications, comfort and security requirements. The Ingeny solution will provide complete control from a dedicated touchscreen, as well as via an app on any smartphone or tablet, making it possible to access and use both in the home and remotely. It has been designed to integrate familiar technology, so complementary systems work seamlessly together. As a result, the new homeowner will be able to centrally-operate lighting, zoned heating, CCTV, entrance gate and garage doors throughout the house. Meanwhile, a distributed audio system with in-ceiling speakers has been installed throughout the ground floor and in the master suite to provide a multi-room sound system. The house has also been comprehensively pre-wired, so the home automation solution can be tailored to incorporate future requirements including expanded WIFI network, UHD video distribution and home cinema. Andrew Fenning, Design and Construction Manager at Chartwell Land & New Homes commented: “We pride ourselves on our attention to detail united by a desire to innovate and deliver the finest quality. With this in mind, we recognise the importance of incorporating the latest technology solutions into our properties to add value and exceed the expectations of the homebuyer. Utilising Ingeny’s longstanding expertise, we have installed a home automation solution that provides added simplicity, convenience and enjoyment to the everyday lives of any future residents of The Whispers.” Julian Synett, Managing Director of Interphone said: “We have created an advanced home automation system that delivers smart control throughout the house. It has been professionally designed and installed in line with Chartwell’s precise requirements, while possessing the flexibility and scalability to meet the personal tastes of prospective owners. By working closely with Chartwell at the concept and planning stage we have ensured that the home and building controls are part of a fully integrated system embedded in the building infrastructure.”  Contact information Source link