When a property chain collapses, it’s bad news for all parties involved, from the house buyers and sellers to the developers. Fast property completion is essential for delivering the highest standards of customer service, maintaining a positive brand reputation and attracting new buyers. So how can property developers repair a
When you are planning to move home, it can often feel as if there are a million and one things that you need to keep your eye on. If you are moving with your family, it isn’t just yourself and your stuff that you have to worry about. Below are
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
Estate and Letting Agents in the UK are being urged to check that they are signed up with an approved redress scheme that covers the full remit of their work. The warning follows a recent tribunal that penalised a business that was signed up to a redress scheme for its
Owning your own home is one of the largest investments you will make in your life, as well as being a comfortable and relaxing space to live. The value of our homes, when the time comes to sell, will often have a large impact on our retirement plans, as a
Did you know that the biggest selling type of vehicle in USA are trucks? With over 17 million vehicles sold every year in America over 60% of them are a variation of truck. Yet so many body shops are still investing in old painting technology that doesn’t really cater for
Regardless of the size and price, buying a house is an expensive investment. Your financial health will be affected before, during, and after you make this purchase. For individuals who have limited budgets, they’ll likely have to save a lot of money and change their spending habits just to afford
Indoor allergies can be nothing short of miserable to deal with. Your symptoms can range from mildly bothersome to downright awful, affecting your ability to relax and enjoy your own home. And just like with outdoor allergies, your indoor ones can go through phases where they range from bad to
Interserve Group’s Chief Executive Officer Debbie White is set to leave the company at the end of the year. Debbie will step down from her role as of 31 December 2019. During her time at Interserve, she led the company through one of the most challenging periods of corporate restructuring
The average size of a block of land in Australia has been falling as time goes on. This means that if you want to build a large, spacious home to live in, you can’t just build out like previous generations would have. That’s why two-storey homes in Perth have become
When a property chain collapses, it’s bad news for all parties involved, from the house buyers and sellers to the developers. Fast property completion is essential for delivering the highest standards of customer service, maintaining a positive brand reputation and attracting new buyers. So how can property developers repair a broken property chain? Why Do Property Chains Collapse? Almost half of all property sales fell through in the final quarter of 2018. The most common reasons for a buyer to pull out of a sale include problems selling a property or securing a mortgage, the seller receiving a higher offer, issues highlighted in a survey, delays in the sale process and late demands for reductions in the price. If a sale falls through for any reason, this can prevent a buyer further down the chain completing on a property in your development. What Can Developers Do to Avoid a Broken Chain? While much lies in the control of the homeowners and buyers, there are steps building companies and property developers can take to repair a broken chain. Good Communication If problems arise for your buyer, good communication is the first step to resolving the issue without losing a sale. Make sure your company has an effective communication system in place and that customers know how to contact the right person to help them. If a problem is temporary and easily surmountable, there may be a compromise that can be reached to ensure the buyer does not lose their home and you do not miss out on a sale. Part-Exchange Offering customers a range of finance options is excellent customer service that will enhance the reputation of a company and increase the pool of potential buyers for your buildings. Buyers who have access to the right property purchase financing can move quickly towards completion without being impacted by broken property chains. Offering part-exchange (PX) to customers purchasing a new-build property is beneficial to property owners and buyers. Many people cannot complete on a new home until they have sold their existing property. If your buyers are struggling to sell their home or if their sale falls through, this could mean a lost sale for you. A PX scheme allows you to purchase a buyer’s current home at slightly less than the market value, in exchange for a reduced price on one of your properties. You can then sell on the property at a profit in addition to securing the sale on one of your new-build homes. In this way, PX can be used to avoid and repair a broken property chain. Chain Repair Companies If a chain collapses affecting the sale of one of your properties, a specialist chain repair service can be an effective and hassle-free way to save the sale. A chain repair company can shorten the property chain length, remove the need for a buyer to sell their property before they purchase yours and prevent delays to your development plans and a lost sale. How does it work? The company will send an agent to value your customer’s property and then send a cash offer, which you can extend to the client. If the offer is accepted and a sale date agreed, the buyer can proceed with purchasing the new property from you. If the client is amenable to this option, it’s an effective way to meet key deadlines despite property chain issues. Final Thoughts The success and profitability of property developments rest on hitting key milestones and deadlines. A broken property chain can result in lost sales and delays, which can seriously impact the bottom line. If your buyer encounters issues selling their home, communicate, be flexible and take proactive action to find a solution. Saving a sale already in progress is likely to consume fewer resources than starting from scratch searching for a new buyer.
When you are planning to move home, it can often feel as if there are a million and one things that you need to keep your eye on. If you are moving with your family, it isn’t just yourself and your stuff that you have to worry about. Below are four simple steps to a smooth house move. Book A Removal Business The sooner you sort a removal business out the better. No one wants to have to deal with the hassle of packing their entire life up into boxes on their own, not when there are businesses waiting to help. A removal business will do exactly what the name suggests, they will help you shift your possessions from your current home to your new one. You can also contact long distance movers Chicago or such other companies to ease the moving process. Before you speak to any removal businesses for a quote, it is a good idea to first go through the rest of this list and get everything ready for the big day. The more preparation work you do beforehand, the cheaper you will often find it to hire removal businesses. Once you have everything ready and you know how much stuff needs moving, you can speak to a business like Local Motion to make arrangements for the day of your move. Declutter Before You Move It makes sense that the less stuff you physically have to move, the easier it will be to move it all. For many of us, it isn’t until we move house that we come face-to-face with just how much clutter and rubbish we have in our lives. Why not take this as an opportunity to make a fresh start and get rid of all personal belongings that you’ve been accruing over the years but don’t actually need anymore? You might be surprised by just what a freeing experience it is to declutter and remove the excess baggage from your life. And that’s in addition to the benefits for your upcoming move. Start Packing As Early As Possible The sooner you begin packing, the sooner you can work out exactly which bits of furniture and possessions are going to cause you the most trouble during your move. Starting your packing early gives you a final chance to get ahead on any pieces that are missing and also leaves you plenty of time to work out how you are going to transport the more awkward things that you need to bring with you. For example, furniture that is particularly large or which needs to be broken down and reassembled should be dealt with first; you can worry about the easy stuff afterward. Volition Removals will help with all the hard work. Create An Inventory Of Everything You Will Be Bringing If you are worried about some items going missing or being damaged or separated from one another during transit, it might be a good idea here to make a checklist of your inventory before you leave. With a reputable removal business, you can be certain that your furniture and other items will be treated with the appropriate care and respect. However, if there are things that you are particularly worried about and you think that keeping track of them will put your mind at ease, then some homeowners find this helpful for keeping the stress to a minimum throughout the experience. Moving home doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. If you prepare properly and hire the services of a professional removal business, it should be easy.
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.
Estate and Letting Agents in the UK are being urged to check that they are signed up with an approved redress scheme that covers the full remit of their work. The warning follows a recent tribunal that penalised a business that was signed up to a redress scheme for its letting agency work but not for its property management work. In one of the first decisions of its kind, the Upper Tribunal* upheld a fine of £3000 against the business for its failure to belong to an approved redress scheme for property management. Its membership of the Property Ombudsman Scheme covered it for residential sales and lettings, commercial sales and lettings and some property management, but not for residential leasehold management. The decision has prompted National Trading Standards to issue guidance to Estate and Letting Agents across the country, focusing on agents ensuring their redress scheme covers all areas of their work, whether it’s sales, lettings or property management work. James Munro, Head of National Trading Standards Estate and Letting Agency Team, said: “We’re urging all estate and letting agents to double-check their redress scheme to ensure it covers the full breadth of their work. If you’re already signed up to a redress scheme, you may think your business is covered, but you should check that this covers the full breadth of your company’s activities. The recent tribunal decision shows businesses that are signed up to redress schemes for one area of their work but not for others may face hefty penalties in the courts.” Failure to be a member of a redress scheme, when legally required to do so, could result in a penalty notice being issued against the business. The two approved redress schemes are: Property Redress Scheme www.theprs.co.uk The Property Ombudsman www.tpos.co.uk Sean Hooker, Head of Redress at the Property Redress Scheme, said: “Whilst PRS membership covers most agents for all the work they do, they must tell us from the outset the areas they undertake work in so we can record this under their membership. Agents must also ensure that all their branches and offices are registered separately and the appropriate fee paid. If you are in any doubt whether you are fully compliant please contact us immediately” Katrine Sporle, Property Ombudsman, said: “TPO’s online membership and website provides detailed information about the categories of work TPO provides redress for, the options available, and clarity around the need to be registered for each category. Our membership team is on hand to give support and advice for new and existing members alike, so do please contact us if there is anything you are unsure about or need guidance on.” GUIDANCE FOR ESTATE AND LETTING AGENTS Make sure that your business is signed up with an approved redress scheme for the correct line of work (Sales, Lettings or Property Management Work). Review your existing terms of agreement/membership to ensure your redress scheme covers the full activities of the business. Check the terms of agreement/membership to confirm if your business is required to pay membership for individual branches. As of 1st April 2019, Letting and Property Management Agents in the private rented sector are required to belong to a Client Money Protection (CMP) scheme if holding client money. If you’re an Agent who is required to belong to a CMP scheme, you should be displaying a certificate of your membership at your premises and online. CMP schemes should all be providing certificates. If you’re having difficulty in obtaining a certificate, please contact CMPschemes@communities.gov.uk
Owning your own home is one of the largest investments you will make in your life, as well as being a comfortable and relaxing space to live. The value of our homes, when the time comes to sell, will often have a large impact on our retirement plans, as a lot of our financial future is tied to the value of our property. The profit you make from selling a home can often be the difference between a comfortable and early retirement, or having to downsize later in life and continuing to work in your retirement years. Making some smart improvements to your home can even return double their cost, making them a smarter place to invest your money than some savings accounts and investment schemes. Refinancing your mortgage to get a better rate and pay less each month is a possible way to save enough to make these improvements on your own over the course of a year. Here we have compiled the top three ways to improve your property’s curb appeal, so not only are you investing in your home for the future, but also making your property more attractive to potential buyers and giving you a more welcoming sight to come home to at the end of the day. Landscape Your Front Yard – Why Not Add a Theme? Any garden or yard is a great asset for a house to have, and is a feature that most house buyers will look for when they are searching for their next home. Having a well landscaped front yard or garden is a great way to invest in your property. It can be very cost effective to do, and you will likely see a marked improvement in your home’s resale value if you make some tasteful changes to your front yard’s landscape. You can even add a theme if you like, maybe one that shows off your property’s design to the fullest and makes your home stand out from the crowd in your neighborhood. Give Your Driveways and Paths a New Look Your home’s driveway and the path leading to your front door will often be the first thing people see of your property, so make the right first impression. Re-covering or re-paving your driveway is another cost-effective choice that can give your home some extra value and some visual impact to visitors. At Richfield Blacktop, you can enhance your driveway with some high-quality asphalt, giving your home a sleek and hard-wearing driveway that is also good for families who want to play sports like basketball in the front yard. This makes your driveway a feature for your home, and more attractive to families looking to move home. Take Some of the Inside Outside Many new and renovated homes are using their outside spaces to bring a little of their inside, outside, by adding an outdoor cooking or eating space. Having a functional kitchen in your garden or yard has become very popular and adds a lot of value and desirability to a home. Another popular choice is adding a dedicated living space in the yard that can be used for relaxing, sunbathing, or to pursue hobbies like art or pottery. The costs of these investments are easily returned in your home’s resale value. A home is more than just a place to live; it is an investment. If you want to retire comfortably and on your own terms, then you should consider making investments and improvements to your property to maximize its resale value.
Did you know that the biggest selling type of vehicle in USA are trucks? With over 17 million vehicles sold every year in America over 60% of them are a variation of truck. Yet so many body shops are still investing in old painting technology that doesn’t really cater for this growing market. So, the question becomes, why should you give yourself a competitive advantage? With Growing Concern Over Climate Change Big Vehicles Are Gone This is perhaps one of the biggest reasons that car painters offer for not needing to upgrade their booths to be able to cope with larger vehicles. Surely with the decrease in large cars and trucks any jobs that come in could just be handled manually. While small zippy cars are great for very short trips when there is just two of you, for anyone with children they simply aren’t big enough to cope with day to day activities. Around the world governments are increasingly stringent about the safety requirements for children traveling in vehicles. This means large, correctly fitted car seats are mandatory in most places – which in turn means that a teeny car isn’t going to fit those car seats. An even bigger issue comes when the children start to play team sports or want to travel anywhere with friends, as each child needs to be in their own car seat. So, for a family, trucks like the Toyota Rav4 or Nissan Rouge become the perfect mode of transportation. However, because families have no money (ask any parent), it isn’t just the need for extra room that is driving the purchase, but the fact that these vehicles are surprisingly economic to run. Hybrid vehicles are becoming more and more popular, making a larger option only marginally more expensive that a little two door shopping trolley. How Do Repair Shops Increase Their Revenue? Unless you have a specialist contract you are unlikely to need a paint booth that will be large enough to fit a bus (although this could be an untapped niche in your area, so don’t discard it immediately). However, distracted parents driving large SUVs do have fender-benders. Kids opening car doors in crowded carparks with an energy only achievable by an 8-year old, do cause a lot of damage. In fact, just living the average American family’s normal life is hectic enough to keep most paint businesses in work for years. Which is why you can increase your yearly turnover by investing in a large truck paint booth like one of these: https://www.paintbooth.com/truck-paint-booths/. A paint booth allows for a quicker turn around time, and a better finish, meaning that you will be able to get your customers’ back on the road faster. Of course, the ultimate result of this faster turnaround means that you can book more cars through, and your customers are going to be so excited by your work ethic and professionalism that they tell all their dent prone friends. Marketing Your Business & ROI Still on the theme of increasing your profit, marketing is a of course a key component to this. But to successfully market yourself you need to have a point of difference and a target market. A key reason to invest in a larger booth is that this allows you to focus on who your target audience is. While you may decide that you do not really want to get all the business from every single soccer mom in your area, perhaps you would rather work with RV owners, truck firms or specialist equipment. If you are in an area with manufacturing start-ups, a little investigation will likely yield a lot of information about their needs for powder coating and how you could work with them to increase your business and get theirs off the ground. To ensure that any investment in equipment, particularly large investments, are going to pay off you will need to do your homework, looking at your current business, where the source of current clients come from, then consider the opportunities that may be available. Bear in mind that investing in a larger operation will not prevent you from being able to work with smaller units, but it will give you scope to expand your business if you can develop the opportunities. You will also need to ask yourself if this investment in equipment is going to be the best use of your funds. Will other options increase your turnover? Do you need to multiphase plan to increase and grow your revenue? What Type Of Paint Booth Should I Get? This is a technical question that will certainly require research. There are a variety of options, but things to think about are: how large can you physically fit in your current space? How longer will it need to be to comfortably fit the largest vehicle you want to work on What is the air flow like? Will it meet your businesses worker safety protocols (see here) What are the maintenance and delivery/installation costs like in comparable models? Cross draft or side downdraft or downdraft? What sort of filters are used, are they going to be adequate for your needs? There are a variety of options that will fit into most current auto shop setups, you just need to make sure that you get the right one. It is a large investment, but if you talk to the right supplier, it is an investment that could pay for itself, and then some, very quickly.
Regardless of the size and price, buying a house is an expensive investment. Your financial health will be affected before, during, and after you make this purchase. For individuals who have limited budgets, they’ll likely have to save a lot of money and change their spending habits just to afford to buy a house. You might even think to sell my mobile home to earn money for a new house. Paying for a house is one of the most expensive investments you’ll make in your life, but this doesn’t mean that you should live or keep it forever. There are situations in life when selling your home to a we-buy-houses company such as Element Homebuyers can provide more benefits than actually holding on to this investment long-term. To help you decide whether or not it’s time to sell your home, look for the following signs: 1. Your Family Is Growing As the number of your family increases, expect that everyone in the household will have different needs. The house that perfectly provides comfort and safety to you and your partner might not have the same efficacy when you welcome new members in the family. How can you let your kids play if your home isn’t spacious enough for a play area? Can you guarantee your kids’ safety in your current house? If your home has bedrooms enough for you and your kids, how can you accommodate a guest? If you notice that your house is too cramped to accommodate all the members of your family, consider selling your house to a we-buy-houses company such as Fair Cash Deal. A growing family is one of the most obvious signs that you’re ready to sell your house. Although convenient and cheap, choosing to live in a house that no longer fits the size and lifestyle of your family can result in inconvenience and stress. Choosing to live in a small house if you already have kids can even impair their development and growth. 2. You Have Savings Selling your home is a great way to earn money. Since the value of real estate investments will increase over time, selling your home allows you to earn bigger money from the amount you spent in buying it. Selling a home can be financially rewarding, but don’t expect that you’ll incur zero costs during the process. Contrary to popular belief, selling your home isn’t cheap. In order to haul in buyers fast and sell your home at the best price, you’ll have to: Hire the services of a real estate agent to help you properly hold open houses. You need their professional services to know what you should and shouldn’t to ensure that your open houses will be successful. Pet owners will also have to board their pets, so potential buyers aren’t disturbed by frequent barking or purring. Pets are adorable, but not everyone likes the idea of having a furry friend in their properties. Think about homeowners who have sensitive skin or allergies. Since you’ll have to move out the moment you decide your home, you’ll also have to pay for movers and the down payment of your new house. Expect to pay bigger moving expenses if you’re relocating to another country. If you’re confident that you can pay for all of these costs, go ahead and sell your home. Having enough savings is vital for you to successfully sell your home and transition to a new neighborhood. Moving is already stressful, and not having enough money can make the entire move more taxing. 3. You’re Ready To Cut Emotional Ties It’s common for homeowners to become emotionally attached to their homes. Aside from the money that you’ll have to shell out when buying a home, you’ll also be living in this space for years. You’ll have memories with your friends and family in different areas of the home, which is why selling the house and letting go of these memories can be tough. But if you’re ready to cut emotional ties with your home, choosing to sell it might be an easy decision to make for you. Once you’re emotionally prepared to sell your home, removing your family photos from your living area, or putting your favorite seating furniture in the storage area won’t be a heartbreaking experience. Instead of being unhappy with the changes made to your home, you’ll likely see these as opportunities to sell your home fast and earn the most profit from it. Decide How To Sell Once you’ve ticked any signs in this article, decide how you’re going to sell your home. Are you going to do it through a we-buy-houses company? Or are you planning to dramatically reduce your selling price? Scheduling open houses and renovating certain areas of your house can also help when you’re selling your house. However, to ensure that you’re going to sell your home fast, compare all of your available options and choose one that suits your schedule, and financial goals.
Indoor allergies can be nothing short of miserable to deal with. Your symptoms can range from mildly bothersome to downright awful, affecting your ability to relax and enjoy your own home. And just like with outdoor allergies, your indoor ones can go through phases where they range from bad to really bad. So, what can you do about it? Is the solution to take allergy medicine around the clock just to cope with your symptoms? While allergy medicine can certainly offer relief, ideally, you want to try to identify your triggers and limit or even eliminate them from the home. Here’s a look at some of the best ways to keep your indoor allergies in check and keeping your symptoms more manageable. Change Your Furnace Filter Regularly One of the best tips for those who suffer from allergies is to make sure you change your furnace filter on a regular basis. Your furnace filter is busy capturing all that pollen, dust, and even mold from the house, so you want to be sure it is able to operate efficiently. If you wait too long between replacements, it will end up getting so dirty and clogged that it can no longer do a good job. It’s best to check the filter every 30 days to see how it looks, and then most likely change it out every three months. Discount Filter Store makes it easy for you to order furnace and air purifier filters online at a discounted price, so you’ve always got one on-hand and ready to go. Wash Bedding in Hot Water Today, you’ll find plenty of laundry soaps that make it possible to wash your clothing in cold water, which is great for energy savings. The problem is that they are not able to get rid of allergens such as dust mites. Washing your bedding once a week in water that is at least 130 F will ensure you kill off all the allergens. It’s also a good idea to use dust mite-proof pillowcases and mattress covers to help protect them. These covers can also be laundered weekly. Hard Surface Flooring is Easier on Allergy Sufferers If you have a lot of carpeting in your home, and the budget allows, tearing it out and replacing it with a hard surface such as hardwood, tile, or laminate will be much easier on your allergies. These hard surfaces won’t trap the allergens in them, so you can get a better clean when you vacuum. Get Rid of Excess Clutter in the Home Excess clutter is prone to being dust collectors in the home. The more clutter you have, the harder it is to clean, and the more dust is going to build on all the surfaces. Try to keep things simple and basic without clutter. Hang Washable Window Coverings Window coverings such as drapes and blinds can also be dust collectors and aren’t so easy to clean. The best tip is usually to hang drapes that can easily be laundered, again in hot water, allowing you to get rid of the buildup of allergens. Each of these tips will help you to create a space that won’t be as tough on your indoor allergies and make you a whole lot more comfortable.
Interserve Group’s Chief Executive Officer Debbie White is set to leave the company at the end of the year. Debbie will step down from her role as of 31 December 2019. During her time at Interserve, she led the company through one of the most challenging periods of corporate restructuring in its history. During this period, she was instrumental in maintaining strong relationships with the Group’s customers, from private enterprises to the UK Government. Debbie led the delivery of the Group-wide transformation programme and ‘Fit for Growth’ initiative, which delivered material cost savings of £20m in 2018 and improvements in operating margin performance. Since March 2019, she has worked in partnership with Interserve Group Limited’s new shareholders to strengthen the leadership across the Group and ensure it has the right mix of experience across the Board and Executive Team to continue its growth as a privately held company. Alan Lovell, Chairman of Interserve Group Limited, said: “Debbie leaves Interserve with the greatest respect of the Board. In her time here, she has worked tirelessly to turn the business around and has steered the Group through a period of unprecedented uncertainty, which included securing a critical refinancing. She led the Group’s ‘Fit for Growth’ initiative, transforming Interserve into a more agile business, with reduced costs and a more competitive value proposition. On behalf of the Board and all at Interserve, I would like to thank her for the huge contribution that she has made through such a critical and challenging period for the business.” Debbie White, Chief Executive Officer of Interserve Group Limited added: “The past two years at Interserve have been the most demanding of my professional career. As a management team, we fought to deliver a stronger financial platform for the business from which it can move forward. Whilst we were ultimately unable to secure sufficient shareholder support for the proposed deleveraging plan, under new ownership, we were able to reduce the Group’s debt which alongside the successful delivery of the company wide transformation programme, was critical to securing the future of the Group. “I am grateful for the support of our customers, suppliers and the UK Government during this period. Most importantly, I am grateful to the many fantastic people I have worked alongside at Interserve, and I wish them every success in the future.” Interserve also announced it will be strengthening its leadership capabilities in each of its three business divisions. As a result, the key operational responsibilities of the Chief Executive’s Office will in part be devolved to the business divisions, with Mark Morris, currently Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer, assuming the role overseeing all Group functions.
The average size of a block of land in Australia has been falling as time goes on. This means that if you want to build a large, spacious home to live in, you can’t just build out like previous generations would have. That’s why two-storey homes in Perth have become increasingly popular in recent years. They allow you to make much more efficient use of your land. Stuck choosing between a roomy house or a back yard? Well, choose to build up instead of out and you might not have to! While it’s definitely an attractive option that can help you make the most out of your land, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to make sure you get the absolute most out of your two-storey home build. If you’re thinking of going down this route, make sure you check out the following list of things to consider when building a two-storey home. Plan Your Layout Carefully Everyone’s family and lifestyles are different, so it’s important to carefully plan your layout so that you end up with a comfortable, practical and convenient home that you’ll adore living in. For example, if you like cooking and entertaining, you don’t want to put your kitchen on a different floor to your dining room, do you? A two-storey home allows you the luxury of completely separating your living and entertaining spaces from your bedrooms, so planning a layout to maximise your privacy (especially if you have children) is always a good idea. A smaller footprint may also allow you to maximise your outdoor space and alfresco area, or you might be able to take advantage of a great view from the second floor (which can help to boost the value of your property), so these are the kind of things that you should take into consideration when planning your home’s layout. Make The Most Of Your Stairs Stairs are a necessity in a two-storey home, so why not look at them as a great opportunity to create an impressive design feature? Consider the rest of your interior design and ask yourself questions like: What materials will it be made of? What kind of balustrade will you go for? Do you want to incorporate timber, glass or steel (or a combination of all three)? Space under the stairs can also be used for extra storage (especially for your wine collection), or even as a cute little study nook, so make sure you get as much functionality out of your stairs as well. Opt For Open Plan Living Open plan living is one of the top interior trends of 2019, so it makes a lot of sense to incorporate it into the design of your two-storey home. Rather than having separate rooms for the kitchen, dining and living area, an open plan layout will help to make that floor of your two-storey home look and feel a lot more spacious and open. Opening up this combined kitchen/dining/living space onto an alfresco entertaining area can also be a great way of helping your home to flow seamlessly from inside to out. Don’t Lose Your Cool Hot air rises. This is a fact that you need to consider when planning the climate control of your two-storey home, as getting it wrong can make your house uncomfortable to live in an extremely expensive to heat and cool. Adding insulation between the ground and first floor can be a great way of reducing energy loss and helping to keep your home at a constant temperature. Floor joist heights can also be adjusted to allow for central air-conditioning ducts. Building a two-storey home can be a great way of taking the challenge of building on a smaller block and turning it into an advantage. It can also be a fantastic way of making the most out of your views to increase the value of your property. If you want to make sure that your two-storey home building project results in a comfortable, stylish and practical house that your whole family will love, make sure you pay attention to the considerations that we’ve just outlined.