Too many people sit down with a real estate agent and share a string of adjectives that are difficult to define. Terms like luxury, cute, comfortable, spacious, and efficient don’t give your real estate agent as much information to work on as you may think. Let’s outline what you must
So, what are the top characteristics of the best realtors in San Antonio? What separates the top realtors in the city from the rest? What do they offer to their clients? Detailed Local Knowledge The top realtors in San Antonio offer detailed knowledge of the real estate market. It isn’t
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has welcomed new commitments from the UK government to accelerate building safety improvements – and calls for “visible and tangible action” to now be taken. This week Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced new measures to improve building safety in the UK. The
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Arc Partnership, on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, to build a new primary school near Edwalton, Nottingham. The £8 million project to provide 315 new pupil places for the area, together with a 26-place nursery, is being undertaken on a challenging site and
A planning application has now been submitted for The Wall of Answered Prayer, a national landmark to sit at the heart of the nation on land in Coleshill near Birmingham. The monumental piece of public art to consist of one million bricks, with each brick representing an answered prayer, was
Network Rail has announced that it will be completing maintenance and renewal work on the West Coast Mainline over 10 weekends between April and June in 2020. Engineers will refurbish or renew more than 17 kilometres of the track at 20 locations along the line, between Carstairs and the Scottish
Sector authority, Chuck J. Lewis, has joined multi award winning Smoke & Fire Curtains Ltd as their new CEO. Mr Lewis, who took up the position within the Fire Curtains Group in early November brings with him an abundance of more than three decades of direct experience from the smoke
J Tomlinson has handed over a new £5.2m industrial park in Market Harborough, which is set to create more than 200 jobs. Airfield Business Park – developed by Leicestershire County Council – will boost business and employment opportunities in the town and the local economy. A range of high-spec industrial
When you want to renovate your house, you need to accept the fact that there is no specific timeline as anything can come up to lengthen the process. From plumbing issues to needing to re-paint a section of a wall, renovation projects can take longer than expected. Some renovations can
If you want to move your belongings across the country, truck rental is your best option. Although you will save a lot of money, driving a rental truck is a huge responsibility. You may find it intimidating to figure out how to drive a 12 foot or longer truck with
Too many people sit down with a real estate agent and share a string of adjectives that are difficult to define. Terms like luxury, cute, comfortable, spacious, and efficient don’t give your real estate agent as much information to work on as you may think. Let’s outline what you must tell your real estate agent in order to find the right home for the best price as soon as possible. Your Budget Whether you’re looking for a starter home or luxury homes for sale in Calabasas, CA, discuss your budget with your real estate agent. How much money can you put down on the property? How much can you afford to borrow? If you clearly communicate your financial situation to the realtor, you won’t be shown homes that are beyond your budget. This will both save you time and heartache, such as when you’re shown a perfect home that’s 30K more than you can afford. Discuss your ability to pay carrying costs like insurance, property taxes, homeowner’s association dues, and so forth with the realtor. If these costs are an issue, the realtor won’t show you a property that comes with great amenities paid for by steep HOA dues you can’t afford. It would be a good idea to use the Zilculator real estate analysis on the property you want to purchase to get a better idea of whether it’s a smart investment or not. Your Ideal Home Size Simplify life for everyone and tell your real estate agent how many bedrooms you consider an acceptable minimum. Would you be happy with a two-bedroom condo? Do you need at least four bedrooms to give your family enough space? How large is large enough? This saves you from trips to properties that are too small for your needs or your tastes. And how large is too large? Some people want a smaller home to reduce the required upkeep though they could afford something larger. This is why sales of McMansions have stalled. Do you want a 1500 square foot luxury home or a basic 3000 square foot property? Your Timeframe Be upfront about your time frame with real estate agents. Let them know that you want to close on a property before school starts to minimize disruption for the kids. Tell them when you need to close on a property on your one or two visits to the area before you move there permanently. Let them know when you do have several weeks to renovate or repair a property before you move in, since this may make modest fixer-uppers a possibility. Tell them when you will put a premium on move-in ready properties so that they only show you properties that fit your needs. Your Preferences What do you want in your new home? And what do you want to avoid? Do you consider a swimming pool a pro or a con? Do you want a chef grade kitchen and entertaining spaces in your new home? Would you be willing to trade a home in the suburbs for a massive zero lot property in downtown? Would you like to be able to age in place in a home that’s already accessible? Do you want to have the ability to add a mother-in-law suite? Give the realtor a list of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and deal-breakers so that they can winnow the list of properties to show you to only those that are a perfect fit.
So, what are the top characteristics of the best realtors in San Antonio? What separates the top realtors in the city from the rest? What do they offer to their clients? Detailed Local Knowledge The top realtors in San Antonio offer detailed knowledge of the real estate market. It isn’t enough to say that a neighborhood is affordable, desirable, or up-and-coming. They know which neighborhoods provide a fast commute to downtown or are the lowest cost homes assigned to a top school. They have detailed knowledge about specific property markets, whether you’re looking for a condo or luxury single family home. Note that this means a realtor who specializes in luxury properties may not be of much assistance when you’re looking for an affordable family home, and someone who is knowledgeable about downtown may not able to give much advice about the San Antonio suburbs. Attention to Detail The best realtors in San Antonio have an eye for detail. They find issues with the property that can be used to lower the price. For example, they may be able to bring up the HOA dues owed or upcoming neighboring development that affects the property’s value. They find overlooked properties that may be available at a bargain. They can advise clients on legal matters and their own unique situation instead of giving canned advice. Negotiating Skills Great realtors don’t just set or offer a good price for a home. They’ll negotiate the value of the home. And they’ll negotiate other aspects of the deal such as property repairs, cash toward home renovations, and associated closing costs. Note that negotiating skills are very different from listening skills, but a realtor who won’t listen to you won’t be able to adequately argue your case. Nor will they be able to find the right property for you. Speed Real estate is a classic example of Pareto’s law. The top 20 percent of realtors sell 80 percent of the homes. The best realtors are able to move real estate far faster than everyone else. They’ll sell your home in weeks, not months. They’ll home in on the perfect property for you based on your budget, desired amenities, and personal requirements. You don’t waste time touring thirty homes while debating which of the four mediocre candidates are good enough. Instead, your checklist is compared against a massive inventory, and you’re shown two to four properties that are all perfect. The realtor has a team working to maximize efficiency. This means you are shown the best homes for your situation so that you can close on it as quickly as possible. Honesty and Integrity Real estate is the largest single purchase any of us make. You can’t afford to make a mistake. Attention to detail can reduce the odds of accidents, but it won’t make up for fraud or deceptive marketing. This is why the best realtors have honesty and integrity. They’ll admit when they don’t know something before referring you to someone who can answer your questions.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has welcomed new commitments from the UK government to accelerate building safety improvements – and calls for “visible and tangible action” to now be taken. This week Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick announced new measures to improve building safety in the UK. The announcement includes the immediate establishment of a new Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as well as a proposal to extend the existing combustible cladding ban and accelerate its removal from buildings across the country. Richard Jones, Head of Policy and Regulatory Engagement at IOSH, said: “While it’s positive to hear the new government declare it won’t tolerate the slow pace of improvement to building safety in the UK, which IOSH and others have raised concern over, we now need to see visible and tangible action, with these announcements just the start of an extensive and active delivery-programme. “Working with the HSE will be reassuring for many, given it’s a world-class regulator that secures near universal praise nationally. It has successful experience of co-regulation, as well as of operating permissioning and safety-case regimes and enforcing the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, so should be ideally placed for such a role. However, it will be vital that it’s properly resourced for taking on this substantial additional responsibility and workload for this new regime, which we understand will be fully chargeable. “In IOSH’s response to the combustible cladding ban consultation, we emphasised the need to remove it from all high-rises in both residential and non-residential buildings. We are pleased that the government is now reconsidering its position and have clarified its guidance for building-owners. “We also look forward to further government action on sprinkler requirements and to the Fire Safety Bill and its clarification of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.” Last month, IOSH urged the government to “get health and safety done” and pushed for urgent progress on all the key occupational safety and health public-policy areas, including national ‘post-Grenfell’ reforms on building regulation and fire safety. Last month, IOSH urged the government to “get health and safety done” and pushed for urgent progress on all the key occupational safety and health public-policy areas, including national ‘post-Grenfell’ reforms on building regulation and fire safety.
Morgan Sindall Construction has been appointed by Arc Partnership, on behalf of Nottinghamshire County Council, to build a new primary school near Edwalton, Nottingham. The £8 million project to provide 315 new pupil places for the area, together with a 26-place nursery, is being undertaken on a challenging site and includes the provision of a temporary mobile village, to enable the school to open in September 2020. The contract was procured through the four-year Scape Regional Construction Framework (RCF), through which £1.1 billion of work is expected to be tenured. Morgan Sindall Construction will celebrate two years on the framework in February 2020. Following enabling works, which have taken place over the last two months, construction is now underway on the main building. The site is near to existing housing development projects currently being built as part of the Edwalton Strategic Development Allocation. A two-storey, 22,066 square foot main building is at the heart of the plan. Inside will be nine general purpose classrooms, offices, a hall and a kitchen. There will also be a library and a nurture room, which provides alternate learning space for children with specific needs. Four outdoor sports pitches will feature alongside a soft play area, tarmac playground, and a garden for nursery pupils. Parents and staff will also benefit from a new car park with 35 spaces; including two for disabled usage and two for electric vehicle charging. Construction is expected to complete by late 2020. In order for the school to open in September, at the start of the academic year, steel framed modular units will be used as temporary accommodation until construction is completed. Rob Cant, framework director at Morgan Sindall Construction, said: “We are incredibly pleased to have begun work with Arc Partnership on the new primary school, delivering a modern learning environment to Edwalton that is fit for 21st century education. “We are also proud to be celebrating nearly two years on Scape’s Regional Construction Framework, which has proved many times over that cost-efficient procurement and early contractor engagement can produce great results.” “Temporary modular units are a great interim solution to allow the school to start teaching on the site before the main building is completed, allowing students to continue their education without disruption.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, commented: “As our communities grow, it is vital that they are provided with enough school places to ensure that education standards do not drop. It is reassuring that Nottingham County Council, in their planning of the Edwalton Strategic Development Allocation are not only planning for infrastructure, homes and facilities but also for the education of the new residents. Nottingham County Council can be confident that by procuring Rosecliffe Spencer Academy via the Regional Construction framework the project will be delivered with efficiency and socio-economic benefits at heart.” Daniel Maher, Arc Partnership Managing Director, commented, “I am proud to have Morgan Sindall Construction delivering this project on behalf of Arc Partnership. Through early and continuing contractor engagement we have created a truly collaborative working partnership.”
A planning application has now been submitted for The Wall of Answered Prayer, a national landmark to sit at the heart of the nation on land in Coleshill near Birmingham. The monumental piece of public art to consist of one million bricks, with each brick representing an answered prayer, was designed by Southampton-based architectural practice Snug Architects. Their interpretation of The Wall depicted as a Mobius strip (a non-orientable surface which seemingly has no beginning and no end) won top spot in a global competition launched by the Royal Institute of British Architects in 2016. Beating a field of 133 entries from 25 countries, the Snug winning concept was first finalised in a field of five, before being selected as the stand-out design in May 2019 by a judging panel of industry experts and national influencers. Application for the huge landmark structure was submitted to North Warwickshire Borough Council which validated the submission in early January. The documents outline the project’s associated visitor centre and public open space, including a car park and landscaped gardens, where visitors will be welcome to relax and reflect on the relevance and power of prayer. With construction due to be complete in 2022, The Wall of Answered Prayer will sit close to both the M6 and M42 and rise 50 metres into the skyline, to be seen by an estimated 500,000 journeys each week across the two motorways, the new HS2, and flight paths in and out of Birmingham airport. The massive architectural sculpture will celebrate and preserve the UK’s rich Christian heritage and be a holding home for testimonies of answered prayers not only submitted by people from around the country, but also discovered by historians, highlighting answered prayer going back as far as thirteen centuries ago in 600 AD. CEO Richard Gamble, who first had the idea for The Wall in 2004 is absolutely thrilled with the design and how the project has progressed to this next stage: “This building has been my dream for many years,” he says. “It’s phenomenal to see it all finally fleshed out by Snug in such a beautiful and elegant design. “We want to celebrate and remember all the prayers that God has answered for individuals throughout our nation’s history. Our hope is that this will be a piece of art that provokes discussion, and that when people visit The Wall of Answered Prayer and interact with the one million testimonies, they will see a small glimpse of God’s character. We expect that this will have a significant impact on our nation. “Since the RIBA competition ended, I’ve been able to work more closely with Snug on a more detailed brief, and the team has taken the design to the next level. I couldn’t be more pleased.” Paul Bulkeley is Head Architect for The Wall of Answered Prayer and is founding director of Snug Architects. He says: “We are all very excited to see this impressive project a step closer to reality. It’s a structure of national significance and we are honoured to have played a part in the vision and the team that brings such a large-scale monument to the heart of the UK.” Carl Brookes, Director – Engineering Simulation at Ramboll says: “It is not often that opportunities to work on such ground-breaking architecture occur, and so we are absolutely delighted to be working with Snug and The Wall of Answered Prayer team on delivering this national monument. To develop the engineering required to make the truly radical and gravity defying form of the Mobius strip reality will be both challenging and thrilling. Undoubtedly this will be an inspirational, thought-provoking and iconic structure for generations to see and visit.” Renato Benedetti, Director of Benedetti Architects was the Chair of the RIBA judging panel, and comments: “It was clear to me from the beginning that this was the stand-out proposal. It’s soaring sculptural form, meaningful elegant variety of spaces and clever use of the site, had the inspiring wow-factor to engage and enthral visitors. “It’s a privilege to be involved throughout and a joy to see the design mature and progress to the planning application. Well done everyone!” Construction for The Wall of Answered Prayer is due to start in December 2020. The link to the planning application submitted to North Warwickshire Borough Council can be found here:
Network Rail has announced that it will be completing maintenance and renewal work on the West Coast Mainline over 10 weekends between April and June in 2020. Engineers will refurbish or renew more than 17 kilometres of the track at 20 locations along the line, between Carstairs and the Scottish border. A bridge near Beattock will also be replaced. Due to the amount of engineering work taking place, this will mean the short term closure of the railway. Buses will replace trains between Carlisle and both Glasgow and Edinburgh on weekends between Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, June 7. On most weekends, the closures will affect trains from mid-morning on Saturdays until the start of service on the following Monday. Over Easter and some weekends in May the closures will extend for longer, with buses replacing trains on Monday, April 13 and Mondays May 4 and 25.
Sector authority, Chuck J. Lewis, has joined multi award winning Smoke & Fire Curtains Ltd as their new CEO. Mr Lewis, who took up the position within the Fire Curtains Group in early November brings with him an abundance of more than three decades of direct experience from the smoke and fire curtain sector having previously worked with Coopers Fire and latterly the IFC Group at both Management and Director level. Mr Lewis was a co-author of both PAS 121:2007 and BS 8524:2013 series, and became the recipient of UK’s prestigious inaugural Passive Fire Protection Award for Member Contribution in 2018, awarded by the Association for Specialist Fire Protection who cited ‘consistently excelling in his chairmanship of Technical Task Group 7 (Active Fire Curtains) and going over and above the normal duties required for this role’. Speaking on his appointment Mr Lewis said, “I have watched the Fire Curtains Group and, in particular, Smoke & Fire Curtains Ltd with interest. Their Managing Director, Simona Pillay, represented on Technical Task Group 7, introduced me to Arthur Calow, Chairman of the Group, where they discussed their growth and development ambitions for their Group and, specifically, Smoke & Fire Curtains Ltd. “I’m excited for this new challenge in my career and the plans set in motion that Simona and Arthur shared with me over the course of our discussions, which were interesting and come at an extremely important time for the sector. “I’m very much looking forward to leading Smoke & Fire Ltd into this new decade and contributing to the growth and development of the company and, indeed, the Group as a whole.” This news follows on from the purchase of Intumescent Chemicals – a specialist in indicative fire-resistant testing and the research and development of intumescent liquid flame retardants (LFRs) – by Fire Curtains Group at the end of 2019.
J Tomlinson has handed over a new £5.2m industrial park in Market Harborough, which is set to create more than 200 jobs. Airfield Business Park – developed by Leicestershire County Council – will boost business and employment opportunities in the town and the local economy. A range of high-spec industrial units ranging from 1,570 to 33,360 sq. ft (145 to 3,099 sq. m.) has been built. Darroch Baker, construction managing director at J Tomlinson, said: “It has been a pleasure to be involved in the creation of this exciting new business park in partnership with Leicestershire County Council. “It is great to see the high level of interest in these high-spec, energy efficient units, and we hope this becomes a thriving business hub in which the tenants enjoy their new premises.” The first business to sign up and move into one of the units is Fasten-It Ltd, which supplies products for the UPVC roofline, door and window fitting industry. Byron Rhodes, deputy county council leader, said: “It is great to see this venture complete and ready for new and existing businesses. Supporting businesses is important; it helps boost our local economy and creates jobs. Investing in property also enables us to generate extra income which we can then plough back into frontline services.” The site also features 692 solar panels, which are part of the council’s ongoing commitment to become carbon neutral by 2030. Several other companies have already shown an interest in renting the units, with six of the 12 units reserved by prospective tenants. J Tomlinson, based at Beeston near Nottingham, operates primarily across the East Midlands, West Midlands and Yorkshire. For more information visit www.jtomlinson.co.uk
When you want to renovate your house, you need to accept the fact that there is no specific timeline as anything can come up to lengthen the process. From plumbing issues to needing to re-paint a section of a wall, renovation projects can take longer than expected. Some renovations can take a week, a few weeks, or even months. Thus, the right answer for such a question is it “depends.” Having strangers and everything turning out to be dusty can feel like an eternity for you. That is why it is essential to know how long it can take to complete a project. Read through to find out the average time it takes to complete some common home renovations. 1) Kitchen Remodel The timeline of renovating a kitchen will depend on various things, such as if you want to replace cabinets, appliances, countertops, flooring, lighting, and if you are only making improvements such as cabinet refinishing. According to the Auckland renovation timeline, it might take at least 6-8 months to renovate a kitchen. However, you should know that the designing phase is not in this timeline. 2) Home Addition Project If you are planning to do this type of project, it might take an average of 3-4 months. However, you should note that the three months are only for construction. If you include planning and designing, it might take a bit longer to complete. The good thing about this project is that it is in a new space, so the existing part will not be torn out. Furthermore, at the end of the project, you will have a bigger house. You should know that this is a bigger project, and your contractors will spend more time at your place. Therefore, you need to have a good relationship with the contractors for the project to run smoothly. 3) Bathroom Remodel If you have a single bathroom and you plan to remodel it, you should prepare yourself for some disruption. You might need to change your bathing routine and look for an alternative for a call of nature. To remodel your bathroom can take an average of 2-3 weeks. However, if you are planning to move the toilet, it can increase the time it takes to complete. 4) New Roof Sometimes you might be forced to replace a new roof in your house. Getting a new roof is one of the most significant decisions that you might need to make. Whether you replace, recover, or repair the roof, you need to decide on the type of roof your house may need. You need to know that this project will be noisy and you may need to be out of the house during working hours. On average, it may take 3-5 days to replace roofing. However, you should know that your timeline might be affected by the complexity of the job, weather, and the size of your house. 5) Basement Remodel This project takes an average of 7-6 weeks. The reason why remodeling a basement takes long is that there may be some toys in there, theaters, gym, and removing windows. If you plan to do some home renovations, these are some of the timelines that it can take. For the smooth running of the projects, you should find a reliable contractor and provide them with all the things they may need.
If you want to move your belongings across the country, truck rental is your best option. Although you will save a lot of money, driving a rental truck is a huge responsibility. You may find it intimidating to figure out how to drive a 12 foot or longer truck with your loved ones and belongings on board. This feeling will also double if you have never driven a large vehicle before. However, it is not all that different from driving a car. Although you will have to figure out where all the blinkers, blind spots, and buttons are, you likely to be fine if you are used to driving a standard car. Read to discover the first time driving tips of a truck rental. Inspection. You do not want to start your journey only to burst your tire in the middle of nowhere and realize that you do not have a spare one. Do a thorough inspection before you pick the truck from the rental company. Check the lights, oil, signals, and even the mirrors to ensure that the truck is in good shape. Request and insist on the rental company to get you the newest truck in their parking lot. Check for any damages both in the interior and exterior to ensure that they do not blame you when you return the truck. Safe Distance. Trucks are often more massive, and they take longer to come to a complete stop. Always keep a safe distance from other cars so that you can brake on time in case of an emergency. You can keep double the distance you would keep if you were driving your regular car. Take it Slow. Most truck rental companies do not specify their speed limit. However, always follow the speed limits you will find on the road. The speed limit may also vary from state to state. As such, make sure you are aware of these regulations. You can also opt to drive at half the speed of a regular car to be on the safe side. Rest. If you drive for a long distance, make sure that your shift does not exceed ten hours. a professional truck driver drives for eleven hours a day. Rental companies recommend that you drive for ten hours. Take several breaks to keep fresh. Make sure that each break is about thirty minutes long after the first eight hours of driving. Breaks will help you keep your energy and sharpen your senses. Navigating Through Mountains. Nobody will ever teach you how to navigate a truck through mountains. Such roads may be challenging since they may not allow you to rest. As such, ensure you learn your route in advance and plan for these long and slow stretches. Remember that mountain curves are dangerous, and they require undivided attention. Now, you are well prepared to rent a truck and drive it across the country. Be safe and follow all the traffic rules.