Looking For Timber Flooring In Perth – Here Are Your Options Are you searching for timber flooring in Perth? Are you aware of the various options available today? Do you want a long-lasting timber floor? Here is everything you need to know about choosing the right timber flooring in Perth.
Finding And Choosing Right Plumbers In Perth Whether you’re facing a plumbing emergency or you are searching for plumbers in Perth for regular plumbing work, you would want to hire the services of a reliable, experienced and reputable company. You shouldn’t choose the first plumber you can find even though
The key to maintaining a healthy drainage system can be put into one word only – prevention. A draining system problem should be addressed before it’s noticeable to anyone but the plumber working on the pipes. This approach isn’t only a better way to go when it comes to making
Construction companies big and small are set to reap the rewards of faster, more efficient ordering following the launch of a new digital purchase ordering tool. The tool – known as ONSO – promises to modernise the interaction between site, office and supplier, enabling orders to be requested, approved and
Leanne Wood, Diversity Creative Interiors Design Director, discusses how focusing on the design detail can help you to avoid building regulations pitfalls in commercial spaces. A beautiful new office space with great furniture, stylish lighting and state-of-the-art equipment can be an inspiring place to work – boosting staff creativity, productivity
There are a number of drainage myths which have been circulating as to what is, or isn’t suitable for going down the drain. Some of these myths are founded on a bedrock of understanding as to what may or may not clog or damage drains, however, to simplify things for
Looking For Timber Flooring In Perth – Here Are Your Options Are you searching for timber flooring in Perth? Are you aware of the various options available today? Do you want a long-lasting timber floor? Here is everything you need to know about choosing the right timber flooring in Perth. Timber floors have that natural timeless elegance that isn’t matched by any other flooring material. Timber floors can be extremely durable when maintained properly and can last generations. You also have a wide range of species available for flooring such as Spotted Gum, Black Butt, Jarrah, American oak or Bamboo among others. Types of Timber Flooring 1. Solid Timber Flooring Hardwood flooring is one of the most popular options for builders and families in Perth. It offers a durable surface and brings a level of sophistication and natural warmth to a home. Some of the common species of hardwood include Rose Gum, Red Mahogany, Iron Bark, Brush Box, Blue Gum, Spotted Gum and various others. It offers excellent value and is environmentally sustainable. Your solid timber floor can be resurfaced and polished many times to maintain that classic look. It’s also available in a wide range of styles, colours and species. 2. Engineered Flooring It’s a solid alternative to hardwood floors. It is generally recommended for areas where solid hardwoods can’t be used. It is made from multiple sheets of wood bonded together to create a single board. Engineered floors offer excellent resistance to shrinkage and expansion as well as temperature and moisture variations. These can be glued or floated. 3. Bamboo Flooring Bamboo flooring has the advantage of being harder than most Australian woods. It is an excellent choice for families who are environmentally conscious as it is sustainable, durable and brings that unique elegance to a home. 4. Laminated Flooring Laminate floors provide the class and texture of wood at an affordable price. These boards are made from high density fibre with a high quality timber image at the top. There is a protective layer that provides scratch and stain resistance. Laminate floors are a popular choice if you want a low maintenance floor. It doesn’t need any polishing, varnishing or sanding. It is also resistant to stains, discolouration, scratches and fading and you can install it over almost any flat surface. Choosing the Right Timber Flooring in Perth Now that you are aware of different options of timber flooring, here’s a list of important parameters to consider in order to choose the right timber floor for your home or business establishment in Perth. Durability Consider the amount of foot traffic a particular area in your home is likely to receive to choose the right timber floor for that particular area. For example, areas around the kitchen, main hallway and front door experience a lot of foot traffic and you would want a board capable of withstanding such high foot traffic in the long term. Sunlight Exposure and Humidity If a particular area of your home is exposed to sun for extended periods of time, you would want a timber floor that is resistant to shrinkage or discolouration. Standard timber floors shrink and lose colour when consistently exposed to sunlight. Similarly, humidity levels in particular areas of your home will also affect the durability of timber flooring. Discuss these things with your installer before choosing a particular board for these areas. Supplier and Installer Choose an experienced and reputed supplier and installer for your timber floor. Make sure they have the necessary experience to advise you on choosing the right flooring type. Keep in mind that timber floors can be installed in a variety of ways such as floated installation, plank on ply installation or direct installation. The choice of installation method will depend on the choice of board as well as conditions in your home. An experienced contractor will help you choose the right flooring type and installation method to ensure a long-lasting timber floor. Conclusion Overall, there are a number of options for timber flooring. Carefully consider the pros and cons of different options for different areas of your home, and choose an experienced installer to get a long-lasting and perfectly installed timber floor.
Finding And Choosing Right Plumbers In Perth Whether you’re facing a plumbing emergency or you are searching for plumbers in Perth for regular plumbing work, you would want to hire the services of a reliable, experienced and reputable company. You shouldn’t choose the first plumber you can find even though it seems the easiest thing to do in a plumbing emergency. The thing is anyone can start a plumbing company and start offering their services at a cheaper price just to get a foot in. It’s up to you to do your homework and research to ensure hiring of a reliable and experienced plumber. Here’s what you need to do in order to make the right choice when hiring a plumber. 1. Finding Plumbers There are several sources. Ask your friends and family members for recommendations or ask a neighbour if they have used the services of a plumber in the recent past. Use your favourite search engine or online directory to discover plumbers near your location. Plumbing companies also tend to advertise in local newspapers. Check local newspapers to find plumbing companies. 2. Check Their Licensing Before you think of giving them a call, make sure they are properly licensed. Keep in mind that you might be on the hook for damages in case an unlicensed individual tinkers with the plumbing system and causes problems for you or for your neighbours. So, make sure to check their licensing information. Ideally, this information should be available on their website. If the plumber doesn’t have a website or this information is unavailable there, ask them politely. Experienced Perth Plumbers understand the importance of sharing license information when customers ask for it. 3. Check Their Insurance All licensed and professional plumbing companies maintain proper insurance. It is important to have necessary insurance as without insurance they might be on the hook for damages caused by a person working in their company. However, you should never take their word for it and ask them to share it politely. They should never shy away from providing the required information when you ask them politely. 4. Check their Experience Plumbers are known as tradesmen as they learn most of the things while on the job. There is some theory to learn but most of the plumbing knowledge comes from practical experience. Check the website of the plumbing company to find their experience, especially the experience of the person who will work on your property. If the experience isn’t available on their website, ask them politely about it. Don’t hire a plumber who does not have many years of experience in the industry as plumbing can’t simply be learned from the books. 5. Reviews All plumbers use the same tools and techniques but still, there’s a lot of difference in the level of service performed by different plumbers. This difference in their service levels is reflected in customer reviews online. Fortunately, you can now check reviews from real customers for all kinds of services and a plumbing company is no exception. Use your favourite search engine to discover forums and review websites where users from Perth share information about plumbers in Perth. Go through the reviews and make sure the plumbing company you are considering has mostly positive reviews. Don’t be deterred by a few negative reviews as nobody can keep everyone happy. 6. Pricing Transparency One of the most common problems people have with plumbers is hidden charges. They will quote one price when you call them and describe the plumbing issue but when you get the final invoice, the numbers are completely different. You do not want to work with a company that is not clear on their pricing. If you’re not in a plumbing emergency, ask for estimates from at least 3 different plumbing companies who have years of experience and are known to be reliable, before choosing one. It will help you in getting the best value for your money. Conclusion To summarise, hiring a plumber without proper research is inviting trouble into your home. Follow the above tips and make sure you check their experience, license and insurance before allowing them to work on your property.
The key to maintaining a healthy drainage system can be put into one word only – prevention. A draining system problem should be addressed before it’s noticeable to anyone but the plumber working on the pipes. This approach isn’t only a better way to go when it comes to making sure your draining system works, it’s also a less costly one. Most of the maintenance work can be done by the homeowner, but it’s best to hire a plumber to help you out every once in a while, at least in the form of guidance. Installing drain guards Drain guards are small plastic or sometimes even metal instruments that are attached to drains to reduce the amount of waste that goes through them. It won’t eliminate the need for cleaning the drains but it will make it less frequent. These could be purchased at most plumbing equipment stores and you could install and replace them on your own. Have in mind that there are items that shouldn’t be washed down the drain even with a guard. These include cooking fat and coffee grounds. Drain cleaners It’s also useful to use drain cleaners every now and then. They can be used when you notice that the drains are clogged or just as a precaution, regardless of the state of the drains. The cleaners are poured down the drains and left to do their job. It’s important to choose the cleaners with special attention to their impact both on the environment and your own health. Healthy and natural cleaners will usually be more costly, but it’s a cost that you should bear as a homeowner since there’s no price you can put on your family’s safety. Inspections Large problems with the drains are usually not noticeable right away. They become an issue only when there’s a leak or a clogging problem. It’s best to hire experts from Super Drains, for example, to inspect your drainage system on a regular basis. This isn’t that costly, especially if they don’t find any major issue that would require a repair. If there are repairs to be paid they will be much less costly if they are caught early on. These inspections are best done seasonally since the pipes might be affected by the changes in weather. Water pressure One of the ways to pay attention to your pipes is to be mindful of the water pressure. Slow water pressure could be a problem with the water distribution system itself and then there’s nothing you can do about it. However, if the pressure is low only in your home or parts of it, then it means that it’s a drainage issue. The drains are blocked and that’s what’s causing the problems with the water flowing through them. There are instruments for measuring water pressure if you want to invest in one, but if the problem is noticeable without them, it means it’s time to address it. Sewer systems The homes that are attached to the sewer system have an additional set of pipes to worry about. This is mostly the case with remote and older homes and it will require additional care when it comes to the drains. It’s usually the roots and sprouts that cause problems with the sever system since they can lift the pipes of the ground or even grow right through them and make them burst. It will simply take patience to review these pipes and notice when there’s a leak or a large root near one. A drainage system is an important part of your property and it needs to be treated with care. This will save you a lot of time on repairs as well as quite a bit of money in the long run. For the most part, the goal is to notice the problem with the pipes before it becomes too expensive to fix. It’s useful to have a professional plumber on your side for this task. They will mostly review the state of the pipes and suggest when it’s time for large and more costly repairs.
Construction companies big and small are set to reap the rewards of faster, more efficient ordering following the launch of a new digital purchase ordering tool. The tool – known as ONSO – promises to modernise the interaction between site, office and supplier, enabling orders to be requested, approved and submitted in three easy steps using a smart phone, tablet or laptop. Short for ‘Onsite Orders’, ONSO has been designed to be easy to use and quick to set up. Chris Murphy, Managing Director of ONSO, said: “In construction, if the right part isn’t there at the right time, the job simply can’t move forward. I’ve been working on building sites for more than ten years, and in my experience the process of buying supplies and parts can often be complicated and slow. “We wanted to build something simple to use so when you’re out on site, you can place an order on your phone and have it approved and off to the supplier in seconds, with an accurate record of what the order was.” A subscription to ONSO also includes access to built-in analytics tools, which its creators say can help businesses to better understand their purchases, including recognising the source of any overspends and identifying areas for improvement. Chris adds: “In my experience, there are still areas of the British construction industry which are yet to unlock the full potential of technology. We believe that tools like ONSO have a real part to play in helping UK businesses stay competitive post-Brexit.” Tim Dawson, director of drainage company DASA, was among the site’s first users: “We were up and running in no time and are already seeing the benefits. ONSO has helped to enhance and streamline our ordering processes and the integration with Sage compliments our invoicing. DASA has had a really busy year, so it’s helped to minimise human error and ensured that projects can run smoothly. I would recommend it to businesses like ours that want to keep on top of their orders and ensure their systems are robust.” Find out more ONSO is free to use until the end of January 2019, after which users can choose the package that best suits the needs and size of their business. To find out more and get started, visit onso.co.uk.
Leanne Wood, Diversity Creative Interiors Design Director, discusses how focusing on the design detail can help you to avoid building regulations pitfalls in commercial spaces. A beautiful new office space with great furniture, stylish lighting and state-of-the-art equipment can be an inspiring place to work – boosting staff creativity, productivity and not least the feel-good factor. However, renovation is a time-consuming and costly business and companies always aim to keep staff downtime and disruption to an absolute minimum. The last thing the manager of a busy workplace needs to hear once their staff are settled at shiny new workstations is that the business is in breach of building regulations. As well as having to start from scratch, you could face a fine or even prosecution. So, what can you do to ensure you don’t run into any problems? Keep reading to find out more. Make building regulations a key part of the design process Building regulations are minimum standards for the design, construction or alteration of almost any building. They are designed to ensure the health and safety of people in and around buildings. Diversity Creative Interiors work with clients from the very beginning of any refurbishment or renovation project to ensure this crucial aspect of design detail is spot on. Planning permission and compliance with building regulations are always given absolute priority in the design process. Leanne says: “Getting the basics right at the very start of a project is fundamental to its success. Cutting corners to race ahead and save money can be false economy and have disastrous implications longer term.” “We work on the client’s behalf to ensure that renovation plans adhere to building regulations from the offset. At Diversity Creative Interiors we manage the whole process from start to finish, working closely with local authorities. This gives our clients peace of mind that their project has the building regulations stamp of approval.” Having worked in the industry for eight years, Leanne finds that the same stumbling blocks come up time after time when clients want to renovate a commercial space. For example, building stud walls are great for partitioning and re-allocation of space, but they can create building regulations problems. The fitter must consider a raft of issues such as ventilation – as you are creating a new room you must take into account the need for adequate ventilation in the new space you have created. Fire safety and soundproofing are also frequently overlooked when constructing a stud wall. For example, it is important to use fire-resistant plasterboard, and you must ensure there are suitable escape routes and that the new wall does not block access. The other issue with building new stud walls is overcrowding the space with too many desks and too much furniture. Leanne adds: “You may have a beautiful new office, but the space may not be functional or safe. And, it might not meet building regulations or work effectively for the staff actually using the space.” Disabled access and fire safety are often overlooked in renovations Appropriate access for disabled users is another area this is often overlooked at the start of the design process. Designs often fail to allow for the 1500mm turning circle required for wheelchairs, and there must be room for movement between corridors, desks with chairs pulled out, and also within disabled toilets and doors. Additionally, if someone using a wheelchair is working at first floor level, having enough fire doors between a fire and where the person is located is critical. Provision must be made to ensure the person can wait safely until the fire brigade can extinguish the fire or help the person get out of the building. General fire safety is often not given enough consideration, despite being a key part of building regulations. Renovators must design in signage, extinguishers and correctly-located smoke alarms as well as clearly indicating exit routes. Protect period detail in older properties Older properties are most often in need of renovation. And, if you’re working on the renovation of an older property, attention needs to be paid to preserving and protecting the building’s period details. Removing period details can destroy the character and the market value of a property. In period property refurbishments it is worth observing the techniques and materials used in the building’s original construction. Always try and repair, or replace sympathetically, on a like-for-like basis. If you do this, conservation is both cost-efficient and environmentally-friendly. If they are still intact, you can preserve internal original doors, floorboards, fireplaces and plaster mouldings. It is also important to remember that features are not always purely decorative, but often have a practical and structural purpose. Removal may only necessitate an alternative solution. You should also keep in mind that work involving drainage, heat-producing appliances, cavity wall insulation and electrics generally requires approval. So, for your peace of mind, to ensure the wellbeing of your workforce, and to keep on the right side of building regulations, Diversity Creative Interiors advise that you start with the basics. If you’re embarking on a renovation project in a commercial space, build on these common sense and solid foundations. For further advice or to discuss you project visit www.diversitycreativeinteriors.co.uk or call 0115 967 3767.
There are a number of drainage myths which have been circulating as to what is, or isn’t suitable for going down the drain. Some of these myths are founded on a bedrock of understanding as to what may or may not clog or damage drains, however, to simplify things for the average user, Lanes Group has recently published a study to highlight the dos and do nots for drains. In the study, it is explained in a simplified manner that anything beyond human waste, toilet paper and water should not be going down our drains whatsoever. The report, which incorporated involvement of over one thousand adults in the UK, looks to highlight what people think is OK to go down the drains, and convey feedback on the actual suitability of such items. Overall, it was Birmingham which has been reported to have the worst understanding of what can, or cannot go down the drains, sporting a startling 87% of items which are flushed down the drains, actually not being suitable for those drains. Of course, some of this can be attributed to incorrect labelling on products, with items such as “flushable wipes” actually not being suitable for down drains, as well as other common bathroom products such as cotton pads, buds, balls and more. And while it may seem that the very nature of the report is highlighting a concern which many individuals don’t see as important, the relevance comes from the sheer impact of improper drainage use when looking at maintenance and cleaning costs incurred. In total, some £15m is spent each year on cleaning and maintaining drainage networks. Of this, up to ¾ of the blockages caused over the course of the year are actually caused by oils, grease and fat which have then subsequently been emptied down the drains.
