Quotations for a standard silver package:

House type/size

Price

Studio apartment

Dh1,350

1-bedroom apartment

Dh1,650

2-bedroom apartment

Dh2,000

3-bedroom apartment

Dh3,000

4-bedroom apartment

Dh3,500

5-bedroom apartment

Dh4,000

1-bedroom villa

Dh1,900

2-bedroom villa

Dh2,700

3-bedroom villa

Dh3,850

4-bedroom villa

Dh4,800

5-bedroom villa

Dh6,200

* Mr Usta packages with five service providers

* Includes: yearly AC maintenance, checks of electrical fittings & plumbing units, minor repairs, 1 handyman service, 5 emergency call-outs, 10% discount on out-of-scope jobs

* +Dh250 for maids rooms in apartments and +Dh500 for maids rooms in villas

In the middle of the night last month, Dirar Abdallah found the kitchen and bathroom in his three-bedroom Dubai villa flooded with sewage. He had just signed up for an annual maintenance contract in December, spending around Dh5,000, and this was the first real test.

In the middle of the night, if you find someone who comes and does a perfect job for you, then you will not regret a single dirham that you paid for them.

Dirar Abdallah, Dubai homeowner

With emergency call-outs included in his package, he called the company and the team was on-site within 30 minutes. They opened up the main drain line, which was blocked, and after finishing they returned everything including the artificial grass as it was before in a very professional and efficient way, says Mr Abdallah.

Thats priceless for anyone, says the physician who has lived in the UAE for 10 years. In the middle of the night, if you find someone who comes and does a perfect job for you, then you will not regret a single dirham you paid for them ... even if you dont need them for the rest of the year.

When it comes to deciding between an annual contract or paying per visit, Mr Abdallah says there is no contest. In addition to emergency call-outs, his package covers AC cleaning four times a year, electrical and plumbing checks three times a year, pest control twice a year and water tank cleaning once a year.

Experts agree that signing up for an annual maintenance contract will save you money in the long run, as per-hour or per-time services can quickly add up.

You should definitely go for an annual maintenance contract because doing so would be much cheaper than paying for each of these services, says Bana Shomali, founder and chief executive of UAE online marketplace ServiceMarket.

Aside from the peace of mind that annual maintenance packages can give in times of emergency, preventive measures can help avoid future problems. Buying an annual maintenance contract for your home is a bit like regular servicing for your car. Perhaps your car is running smoothly, but you should still periodically change the oil and check everything from your engine to your brakes and tyres.

Annual maintenance contracts are the same, says Ibrahim Colak, founder and chief executive of UAE online service marketplace Mr Usta. Maybe there are very minor problems that can be fixed and you get it done, so you dont pay more later when it becomes a major problem.

Yet Mr Colak says less than 10 per cent of customers on the Mr Usta site which also offers maintenance, home improvement, moving, cleaning, car, business and insurance services buy an annual home maintenance package. The buyers are predominantly landlords who dont want to deal with headaches or owners who have experienced major problems in their homes.

Mainly people need to have a big problem to understand what an annual maintenance contract means, he says. When they dont see the problem coming, they dont want to invest. Its a long-term investment.

The prohibitive costs can be a barrier. Depending on the services included and the size of the apartment or villa, a package can range from Dh1,350 to as much as Dh12,000 a year, or even more.

It is therefore important to comparison shop, decide the services you actually need and work out the best deal before committing to an annual contract. Here we guide you through the process.

There are two ways to get quotes for an annual maintenance contract (AMC): directly from the service provider or through a marketplace such as Mr Usta or ServiceMarket. Both marketplaces were founded in 2013 and offer a variety of services on their websites.

Mr Usta works with five vetted companies to offer silver and gold annual contracts. These are smaller providers looking for extra business, rather than large companies who have their own databases of customers, says Mr Colak.

The companies are first given tier two status and are tested through basic jobs. We talk to customers. We check the jobs and the quality of the jobs, Mr Colak says. If the companies are rated positively by customers and pass tests by Mr Usta, they can get upgraded to tier one.

When we first started Mr Usta, we were an open marketplace and anyone could come to our platform and give a quotation, Mr Colak says. In the last two and a half years, we changed this model we only work with the service providers we are 100 per cent sure of their quality.

ServiceMarket has 18 AMC providers that are also vetted for quality. Customers can see the companies star ratings and reviews before selecting three to receive comparison quotations. Unlike Mr Usta, which offers the same price for the five companies, the providers on ServiceMarket offer their own quotes directly to the client to decide.

Customers can also request quotes from the companies themselves, either by email or phone. They must supply basic information, such as whether they live in an apartment or villa, the number of bedrooms and the number of AC units. They should also consider whether their community has its own service provider.

Mr Ustas packages start from Dh1,350 for a studio apartment silver package up to Dh12,000 for an eight-bedroom villa gold package.

The silver package, for example, includes yearly AC cleaning, preventive maintenance of plumbing units and electrical fittings, minor repairs, one handyman service and five emergency call-outs. The gold package doubles the number of preventive maintenance visits, handyman services and emergency call-outs, and adds on pest control.

ServiceMarket says its contracts range from Dh1,500 to Dh5,000, also depending on the size of the house and required services. The lower end standard package will usually include bi-annual AC cleaning, plumbing and electrical services, as well as emergency call-outs. More expensive packages may include pest control and water tank cleaning; some will even add in windows and pool cleaning.

When booking directly with a provider, the cost also depends on how established the company is.

The more high-end, top-tier maintenance companies that have more certifications, a larger workforce, etcetera will generally charge higher than smaller, newer ones, says Ms Shomali.

It is always worthwhile to ask for a discount and getting several quotes will make it easier to negotiate on price.

Call-out charges for companies outside a contract usually cost Dh150 to Dh200 per hour. That includes just coming to your home to diagnose a problem, which is usually then followed by a quotation for the cost to fix it. Typically, Dubai residents book handyman services six to eight times per year on ServiceMarket, says Ms Shomali.

Basic AC filter cleaning alone costs Dh150 to Dh200 per unit, while more extensive AC duct and coil cleaning costs Dh500 to Dh600 per unit, says Mr Colak. Pest control for a two-bedroom apartment costs around Dh200 to Dh300 and cleaning a small water tank approximately Dh500 while a medium tank costs Dh900.

For a two-bedroom apartment, if you get a silver package, its Dh2,000. If you clean the AC units two times per year, you will pay Dh2,000. But if you get an annual maintenance package, you will get electrical, plumbing, handyman and also 24-hour call-out service, Mr Colak says.

Some service providers offer expensive packages with AC servicing and preventive maintenance four times a year, which can be unnecessary. It is possible to customise packages and negotiate on price accordingly.

For example, a young couple in a small property may want to ask to reduce the number of handyman call-outs they can request in a year, compared to a family with kids in a bigger home, says Ms Shomali.

Air conditioning servicing is a must in the UAE one to two times a year, says Mr Colak. If you dont do it, the air quality will be very low in your home and it will affect your health, too. This is another cost, he adds.

Duct cleaning is more expensive, as it needs a special machine and sanitisation techniques, so it is often not included in annual maintenance packages. This, however, is recommended once a year.

Mr Colak says pest control should be done once or twice a year. Maybe you dont see those bugs, but they are there in the AC ducts or in the false ceiling, he says.

Preventive checks of electrical and plumbing units, as well as water tank cleaning, should be done once annually.

When signing up for an AMC, read the fine print for exclusions. Labour is usually included, but parts are not. The contract will include the scope of work which should list excluded services. For example, one companys proposal had 24 exclusions, such as: picture hanging, painting, home appliance repairs, internal leakages, carpet cleaning, broken window replacement and swimming pool repairs.

Mr Colak says many in the UAE dont sign up because they are betting they wont need all the services, such as pest control, for example. It also depends on the general market environment.

Lately, in the last one to two years, as people are changing their houses more or theyre worried about the economic situation they dont want to invest in a long-term contract, so they prefer to pay when they have the problem, he says.

Mr Abdallah, who signed up for a package as soon as the one-year warranty on his home finished, says he has a friend living nearby who does it the segmented way. But he thinks it is more of a hassle, especially because the provider needs to apply for a gate pass every time to access the community.

I believe always in preventive maintenance for anything in life, he says. To prevent something is better than to act on something after the problem happens.

Updated: February 10, 2020 03:04 PM

House type/size

Price

Studio apartment

Dh1,350

1-bedroom apartment

Dh1,650

2-bedroom apartment

Dh2,000

3-bedroom apartment

Dh3,000

4-bedroom apartment

Dh3,500

5-bedroom apartment

Dh4,000

1-bedroom villa

Dh1,900

2-bedroom villa

Dh2,700

3-bedroom villa

Dh3,850

4-bedroom villa

Dh4,800

5-bedroom villa

Dh6,200

* Mr Usta packages with five service providers

* Includes: yearly AC maintenance, checks of electrical fittings & plumbing units, minor repairs, 1 handyman service, 5 emergency call-outs, 10% discount on out-of-scope jobs

* +Dh250 for maids rooms in apartments and +Dh500 for maids rooms in villas

Read the original post:
How to get the best deal on an annual maintenance package for your UAE home - The National

Episode 3 "How bad is it really?" the Boss asks.

"It's bad." the PFY whispers with some urgency. "It's like the Y2K thing times 10!"

And given that the Y2K thing was a big fat zero, the PFY is technically correct.

"What are we looking at?" the Director asks.

"Well I don't think it's at the level of human sacrifice and dogs and cats living together yet, but it's bad," I say.

"I..." the Boss starts, then thinks the better of it. "What do we do?"

"I don't know. I mean obviously you're going to have to prepare for a world with different Paint and Minesweeper but the rest of it well it's anyone's guess."

"Paint and Minesweeper are gone?" the Boss blurts, no doubt wondering what he's going to be doing to fill in his day.

"Gone. Replaced with 'better' alternatives."

"Isn't there something you can do? Are they hidden somewhere or can they be downloaded?"

"No" I lie. "They'll be gone."

"Can't we just leave things as they are?" he whines.

"What, you mean without support, updates and security?" I gasp.

"I... suppose you're right. But what are we going to do?"

"Upgrades. We have to upgrade everything," the PFY says.

"The users won't like it."

"We're not worried about the users, we're worried about everything else!" I say.

"What... else?"

"The lift controller is a Windows 7 machine," the PFY says.

(It's not.)

"And the aircon that's got a Windows 7 controller."

(Nope.)

"Really?"

"Yep!" the PFY says. "Not to mention the security system, the BMS system, and the drinking water service controller computer."

(Nope, nope, and there isn't one.)

"So what are we going to have to do?"

"My priorities are the underlying infrastructure the users will have to come second in this instance," I say.

"Why did no one know anything about this?" our IT Director asks.

"We mentioned it multiple times. Your predecessors adopted the tried and true Climate Change methodology of ignoring impending disaster."

"What do we do NOW?" the Boss asks.

"For a start you'll need to pay that Windows 10 preparedness consultant's bill," the PFY says, no doubt contemplating the cheque he'll want made out to "Computer Assistance Service Helpline".

"Right," the Boss nods.

"Order these two new desktops >shuffle< to replace the ones that couldn't be upgraded."

"Uh, yes," he says, with a tinge of doubt in his voice, if I'm not mistaken.

"Order these graphics cards, monitors, keyboards and headsets."

"Uh... that's a little excessive isn't it?"

"Sorry?"

"It says here that you want a gaming headset, mouse and keyboard."

"Of course. Gaming gear's built for resiliency. You hardly want your lift crashing into the sub-basement 40 metres per second because a cheap keyboard switch didn't open at the right time."

"Oh... I.. but headsets? Why do those machines need headsets?"

"You mean why would I need a headset to Skype to the PFY to tell him how to reset the security system to let people out of the basement?"

"Oh, I see."

"And why are you getting them delivered to your homes?" the Director asks.

"It's simple" I explain, as if to an idiot "they'll require advanced configuration which needs to be done precisely and sequentially. We can't have people interrupting us when the installation is going on."

"What advanced configurations that?" the Boss asks.

"Hardware drivers, BIOS handshaking, flux capacitor decoupling. Miss one of those steps and you're left with an expensive pile of melted copper and a couple of 3ft beancounters at the bottom of a lift shaft with knees where their hips should be..."

"Ah."

"So obviously we'd do the complete install, swap the computers over after hours and it'll be so smooth it'll seem like nothing happened."

"And how would we KNOW that something had happened?" the Boss asks, the seeds of doubt sprouting blooms of suspicion.

"I guess I could drop the old machines off to you," I say.

"Yes, but how would we know that you didn't pick up a couple of dusty old relics at a car boot sale?" the Boss asks.

"Just tell your wife and sister-in-law not to go car-boot-sale-ing that weekend," the PFY chips in.

...

"I think maybe we should just take a couple of steps back here," the Director says, once the shouting has stopped and the ozone smell of the Boss's impromptu "sedation" has started to waft out the air-conditioning relief vents.

"Hmm.." the Boss says blankly.

"Look, it's simple," I say. "We replace those two desktop machines, then we start to roll out the rest of the infrastructure before moving on to the users."

"Yes, but how do we protect the users meantime?"

"Good point. I think that there's really only one way of protecting the company," I say.

"Replacing every desktop in the building?" the Director asks.

"No."

"Mmmmm mm mnnn?" The Boss drools.

"Probably not," I reply.

"Relying on the antivirus software, spam protection and firewall which already protects us?" the PFY asks.

"Yes but also."

"Oh, clicking on the 'Don't remind me again' text?"

"Precisely."

(See, and no one even had to mention moving to Linux and Libre office.)

Sponsored: Detecting cyber attacks as a small to medium business

Go here to read the rest:
BOFH: Darn Windows 7. It's totally why we need a 1k graphics card for a business computer - The Register

A new restaurant and micropub are among the new business expected to open in Durham city centre.

There have been a lot of changes to the city's outlets on Saddler Street, Elvet Bridge and Silver Street in recent years.

Marks and Spencer, Pret Manger and Kripsy Kreme have closed their doors, but TJ Hughes and M&Co have opened.

The Riverwalk is bringing new restaurants and bars to the city, as well as the North East's first Odeon Luxe cinema.

Here we look at four buildings in the heart of the city and what is happening with them.

Elvet Bridge

This former clothes shop and bank is currently being transformed into a new restaurant.

Located on Elvet Bridge, the 1920 Bar and Grill will operate over two floors and serve up breakfast, lunch and dinner, while there will be a pavement cafe outside.

Plan for the site were submitted by Cetin Koroglu, who also runs the Blue Eye bar, also on Elvet Bridge.

The business recently had an application to sell alcohol until 2.30am over the weekend rejected.

But it was granted a licence to serve alcohol until 1am on Friday, Saturdays and Sundays and midnight the rest of the week.

Saddler Street

This historic building is set to be turned into a micropub and student flats.

Plans were approved for the former shop on 34-35 Saddler Street in August last year.

Formerly known as the 'Estate House', the Grade II listed building dates back to the 17th century and has had a number of uses which includes a confectioner, gunmaker and pub.

Repairs will take place that will aim to enhance the centuries-old building.

There will be a revamped shop front, window replacement and roof works, with student facilities across four floors.

Saddler Street

This former betting shop is expected to be transformed into a bar.

Holmwood Commercial Properties Ltd lodged a change of use application that was approved in July last year.

An application to sell alcohol and food was submitted to Durham County Council at the end of 2019.

As well as selling alcohol, applicant Halil Olmez is also seeking permission to play music and sell late night refreshments.

Looking for the latest news in your postcode? We have launched a brand new website InYourArea.co.uk allowing you to stay up to date with what's happening near you. It also has an app.

Search the latest news, property listings, jobs, planning applications, public notices and more. To get breaking news sent to your phone, download the ChronicleLive app here.

Silver Street

Formerly Pret A Manger, the Silver Street shop was expected to become a charity shop.

Cats Protection lodged plans to turn the outlet into a charity shop last summer.

But, the charity says it will no longer being opening after negotiations with the landlord fell through.

The building has been empty since Pret announced it would be closing its doors in March 2018.

The closure was another blow for the high street after Marks and Spencer announced it would be shutting its Silver Street store.

See original here:
Micropub, bar and restaurant: This is what's happening to these vacant shops in Durham city - Chronicle Live

In California, there is this debate between market dynamics and the need to invest in some sort of subsidized housing, said Matt Schwartz, president and CEO of the California Housing Partnership, a San Francisco-based nonprofit createdby the legislature in 1988.

Twenty-eight states and Washington, D.C., last year passed a variety of legislation that addresses the housing affordability problem, from tax credits for developers to rental assistance and eviction protections for residents, said Sarah Scherer, a policy associate at the National Conference of State Legislatures, a nonprofit with offices in Denver and D.C.California, Washington and Hawaii passed the most laws.

This year, legislators in eight states pre-filed housing bills before their sessions began, Scherer said.

Both Democratic and Republican governors are calling for affordable housing fixes. In New Hampshire, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu backs a pair of bills filed by a bipartisan group of young lawmakers that would offer localities more planning assistance and tax incentives and require planning and zoning boards to streamline building approvals.

It really is an issue that affects everyone, but especially young people, said Republican state Rep. Joe Alexander, whos sponsoring one of the housing bills.

Among the diverse efforts, state zoning proposals have become a hot topic, said Flora Arabo, national senior director of state and local policy at Enterprise Community Partners, a housing nonprofit based in Columbia, Maryland. Ive only seen the conversation increasing.

In addition to Wieners bill in California, Democrats have put forward legislation that would allow the construction of accessory dwelling units also known as granny flats or duplexes and townhomes on single-family plots in Virginia, Maryland and Nebraska.

Oregon last year became the first state to require most cities to allow duplexes on single-family properties, and larger cities to allow townhouses, triplexes and fourplexes.

Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, filed legislation that would let cities and towns make zoning changes by a simple majority vote.

Its market economics, said Democratic Virginia state Del. Ibraheem Samirah, of his proposals to allow accessory dwelling units and duplexes on all single-family plots. Its a zero-cost solution.

A Georgia bill would copy North Carolina and Arkansas and ban cities from requiring most one- or two-family homes to have a particular aesthetic, such as a certain number of windows. Supporters of the bill argue that such requirements violate private property rights and can raise development costs.

I dont want the government to tell me what color my house has to be, said Georgia state Rep. Vance Smith, the bills Republican sponsor.

Wiener said his bill would increase the supply of both market-rate and affordable housing, and he recently announced amendments that would give cities more control over how they increase density.

But his critics arent satisfied. When Wiener held a news conference in Oakland this month to tout his Senate Bill 50, he was shouted down by members of an anti-homelessness group called Moms for Housing, who in an online statement argued that the bill would benefit real estate speculators.

Americans struggle to find affordable rental housing nationwide not just in expensive, coastal cities. Everybodys feeling the pinch, said Chris Herbert, managing director of the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University.

Nearly half of U.S. renters spend more than a third of their earnings on housing, according to the center, down 3 percentage points from 2011. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) counts people who spend that much on housing as cost-burdened.

However, the share of cost-burdened middle-class renters increased and the share among very-low-income renters stayed the same.

Inexpensive units $800 or less a month are disappearing, the center found. At least half of the low-cost units in metro areas such as Austin, Texas; Denver, Colorado; and Portland, Oregon, havegone since 2011. Most new housing these days is built for the high end of the market, the center found.

Fewer people are experiencing homelessness today than in 2011, but the number has ticked back up in recent years. Since 2015, the homeless population jumped by double-digit percentages in five Western states, led by California at 30%, according to HUD.

Housing experts say many factors are to blame for housing price increases. Land, labor and material costs have gone up in many jurisdictions. Developers have been slow to embrace cheaper production technologies, such as factory-built modular homes.

Local regulations and planning bureaucracy can restrict what can be built and slow projects down. City and state development fees and requirements add to building costs.

And as housing prices have risen, many peoples earnings havent kept pace.Increasing rents alone are not problematic, if wages can keep up, said Arabo, of Enterprise Community Partners. They just havent.

Meanwhile, inadequate congressional funding means only a quarter of very-low-income people get the federal housing vouchers they are eligible for.

The federal government stopped paying for new public housing decades ago, leaving cities and states to piece together money to subsidize units.

Housing affordability is particularly pressing in California, which is home to 12% of U.S. residents but, according to HUD, 27% of the nations homeless people.

Homebuilders and real estate agents there have championed efforts to roll back zoning regulations, such as Wieners plan to override single-family zoning rules near public transit and job centers.

In California, it can take 20 years to complete a development that in Texas would take a year or less, said Dan Dunmoyer, president and CEO of the Sacramento-based California Building Industry Association. Local fees can increase the price of a California home by hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Its cheaper to build three units as a triplex than it is to build three separate single-family houses, Dunmoyer said. You get some economies of scale.

Cities, however, oppose bills that would take away local control. We obviously have serious concerns about allowing developers to dictate land-use policy in our jurisdictions, said Jason Rhine, assistant legislative director for the League of California Cities, a Sacramento-based association.

The league opposes Senate Bill 50 and expects California lawmakers to put forward new bills this year that would override local rules, such as by allowing the construction of accessory dwelling units.

I dont know where were going to end up on those, Rhine said, but thats certainly been a hot topic among cities.

The league supports a bill that would give cities money for affordable housing and other development projects. But Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year vetoed a prior version, saying that a program costing $2 billion a year should be part of budget negotiations.

Zoning changes put a much smaller dent in the state budget. Legislativeanalysts projectedit would cost about $325,000 to administer Senate Bill 50.

Some affordable housing advocates worry that increasing the overall housing supply will accelerate gentrification and fail to create more homes for low-income people.

Were really interested in legislation that specifically targets families that are struggling the most, said David Zisser, associate director of Housing California, a Sacramento-based group advocating for people who are homeless or in need of affordable housing.

California lawmakers have introduced so many housing bills that they may end up passing a package that addresses land-use policy and money for affordable housing, he said. We need both.

Existing state law may prod city leaders to make zoning changes anyway, Rhine said.

Thats because California law requires cities to plan to house all residents and update their plans every eight years. Some cities are seeing big increases in housing need this planning cycle, Rhine said. Our cities are going to have to increase allowable densities, in all likelihood, in order to address those numbers.

Some governors this year have proposed big spending increases for affordable housing and combating homelessness. Minnesotas Democratic Gov. Tim Walz has called for investing $276 million in affordable housing. Newsom in California has proposed spending $1 billion to address homelessness.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige, a Democrat, wants to build 17,000 affordable rental units. And Floridas Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis has recommended spending $387 million to fully fund the states affordable housing programs.

Yet some activists say the federal government needs to step in. I dont see the states and the cities replacing the loss of federal funding, said Paul Boden, executive director of the Western Regional Advocacy Project, a San Francisco-based group that advocates for homeless people.

Boden said hes weary of state and local programs that fall short of building enough subsidized housing.Thats why hes backing a long-shot proposal from U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Minnesota Democrat, to spend $800 billion on 8.5 million new units of public housing.

Lets get freaking real, Boden said, lets pass Omars bill.

Sophie Quinton, Stateline

Go here to read the rest:
Single-Family Homes No Longer Sacred as States Turn to Zoning Laws to Lower Housing Costs - FlaglerLive.com

WHEN Lauren Harrison Short moved into a Hugg home at Chapel Riverside in Southampton following the breakdown of her marriage, the last thing she expected to find was love. But the she fell for neighbour Craig Lindley who was also renting there, and the couple now live together in Craigs Hugg.

The first pop-up housing scheme from Hugg Homes offers 22 high-spec modular mixed tenure homes. Private rents are below local market rates, making them an attractive alternative to over-crowded shared houses.

Lauren (pictured below with Craig), who works as an accountant for a cruise company in the centre of Southampton, needed an affordable place to live after separating from her husband.

She was looking for somewhere convenient and budget-friendly, so when she came across Chapel Riverside she knew straight away that it would be perfect.

Since moving into my Hugg, I have turned my life around, continues Lauren. I found an affordable place to live, which was an important factor given that I suddenly found myself living alone. The location, price and the fact that it was fully furnished all made it ideal.

It is spacious, high quality and a great design and all feels very well put together.

I have also just passed all my accountancy exams, and, most excitingly, I unexpectedly found love with Craig. I introduced myself to him in May last year and we met up for a drink with one of our other neighbours. We soon found that we had lots in common and we started dating. Craig is in a similar position, going through a divorce and living in a Hugg because of the great location and the reduced rent.

We decided to move in together when the contract on my Hugg came up. We both like the location and particularly love the great community atmosphere that has evolved here. Craig works as a health and safety manager, often commuting up the M3, and has two children who regularly stay over and enjoy sleeping in their bunk beds in the second bedroom.

Hugg homes are designed as a temporary, rather than a long-term, housing solution, and are erected on land thats lying dormant while going through the planning process.

Affordability is such a buzzword but the costs here are a significant saving on renting elsewhere in the locality, says Lauren. We are hoping to live here for the next year to 18 months, which will enable us to build up savings and then buy somewhere on our own. But for now it is perfect. We love our Hugg.

Hugg Homes is an innovative temporary solution to local housing needs, brought to the market by housebuilder Inland Homes. It aims to utilise land thats inactive while awaiting planning consent a process that can take years to create pop-up, developments for social and private rent in locations across the South and South East.

These are let in line with local housing allowance, offering low-income households accommodation that doesnt compromise on quality, space or design.

The developments consist of containerised modular units, which are manufactured to order, and arrive on site kitted out with kitchens, integrated appliances, tiled shower rooms, flooring and electric heating. The homes can be reused and moved easily.

A choice of one, two and three-bed Huggs means they can accommodate single occupants, couples and families, and some are let fully furnished. Each is carefully designed to maximise space. Residents also benefit from secure external storage and parking, and landscaped courtyards and play spaces. Rents start at 656 per month for the Southampton development, and Hugg Homes is working to deliver another 65 units across three new schemes in the next six months.

hugghomes.co.uk

Read the original post:
Lauren and Craig found more than just a bargain when they discovered their Hugg home - Metro Newspaper UK

Modular, recycled-shipping-container homes may be widely thought of as a practical and sustainable, but also temporary and often unattractive, living solution perhaps best suited for housing short-term workers or transitioning homeless people into long-term housing.

But this myth is being gradually busted, as such homes can be beautiful as well as extremely long-lasting, according to modular home company Honomobo.

The firms co-founder Daniel Engelman told Glacier Media in an interview, Its a new type of home, so theres still sometimes that psychological mindset that its a shipping container, so its meant to be shipped, its a temporary thing. But our clients no longer come to us with that mindset were past that. These homes are incredibly durable they can last hundreds of years, as opposed to the less-sustainable, 100-year lifespan of a typical wood-frame home.

Shipping-container homes represent a housing opportunity thats just as real as any house or condo, says Engelman, with banks willing to offer mortgages, and CMHC backing them as certified steel-framed modular homes. And, although this has not happened yet, Engelman says it will also be possible to resell the homes and the land they sit on in the usual way on the MLS.

Honomobo is only five years old, and interest in the company blew up about four years ago when it hit local media headlines for its innovation and flexible range of home models, and the story got picked up by some top architectural magazines. The interest from the public really hasnt let up since then, said Engelman.

The models range from the M-1 one-bedroom/one-module unit priced at $157,772 (not including land costs, consultation fees and construction fees) all the way up to the six-module/four-bedroom, 1,920-square-foot HO6 model, which has a base cost of $499,362. The M1 will be featured at the B.C. Home and Garden Show, along with a smaller studio unit that Engelman says is popular as a guest or office space.

There are a number of suppliers of shipping-container homes across North America, but Engelman says what makes Honomobo stand out is primarily the design. With the choice of one entire wall made up of glass, and two walls in the larger units, the homes look more like contemporary architecture than recycled shipping containers. And yet, says Engelman, the design of the home embraces its roots, with a minimalism and authenticity that he says is appropriate to the shipping container shell.

The glass wall also allows for indoor-outdoor living, and these huge windows can be upgraded to sliding doors which makes the homes live larger than they actually are, says Engelman.

As well as being durable, modular homes are extremely sustainable. These particular homes are highly energy-efficient and run 100 per cent off electricity, so they can be carbon-neutral if the owner runs it off solar power or hooks up to a green hydro supply.

Although Honomobo is based out of Edmonton, most of its customers are in B.C. and the Western United States. Engelman said there tends to be two kinds of customers. The first are those who choose smaller one- and two-module units as laneway homes (known in the States as accessory dwelling units or ADUs) placed in urban environments. The second are those who own land, often in somewhat more remote or island locations, and want an easy-to-build home for that site, either as a permanent residence or a vacation property.

Of the first type, Engelman said that most of his customers are in California, in pricey cities such as San Francisco, or in areas close to Metro Vancouver. He said, The smaller modules are often used by multi-generational families, where either the kids or the parents are moving into the ADU and the other part of the family is moving into the main house. It really helps with affordability and helps people stay in their neighbourhood, which in turn keeps neighbourhoods vibrant.

Engelman added that he was disappointed Honomobo has not yet been able to do this in the City of Vancouver, which has the same affordability issues as cities like San Francisco. The regulatory environment of Vancouver is really difficult to get anything done, so it just hasnt been possible for us yet, which is sad, he said. Instead weve done laneway homes in places such as Whistler, Squamish, and Port Coquitlam.

Also being featured at the B.C. Home and Garden Show is Honomobos Honomobar, which is a bar made out of part of a shipping container. Engelman says this "fun side project" has been a hit in areas where it has been placed as a pop-up bar in public plazas and in restaurant patios, and has prompted customers to order them for their own backyards or mini-businesses.

The B.C. Home and Garden Show runs from February 19-23 at B.C. Place Stadium. For more information, go to bchomeandgardenshow.com

More:
Shipping-container homes becoming a beautiful and permanent living solution - Vancouver Is Awesome

Thousands of Canadian veterans are homeless or without stable housing. Homes for Heroes, a charity, is trying to use construction and urban design to solve the problem.

The charity has begun building affordable urban villages in major cities across Canada where homeless veterans will be assisted in transitioning back into civilian life.

The villages consist of 15 to 25 individual tiny homes arranged in a park-like setting. All homes face inward to facilitate peer-to-peer support. Each home is less than 300 square feet in size, but fully equipped with all the features of a larger home. Each village also incorporates a central resource centre, counselling office, community garden and other amenities.

The charity completed its first village in Calgary last year and has a zoning application being processed for another one in Edmonton.

We saw this growing problem year after year, said David Howard, who co-founded Homes for Heroes with Calgary philanthropist Murray McCann. While its great to come up with an idea, we needed to make sure it is practical.

The team spent time meeting with more than 200 veterans living on the streets or in poverty. In doing that it really became clear that they want to be in a community of peers, said Howard. The barracks-style format really fits that. They can look out for one another while also having privacy.

Howard also explained that some who have lived on the street for a long time can feel a need to fill up a new space with possessions, leading to hoarding. He said this can impact their confidence and lead to further problems.

The whole program is to build a community and family of veterans who share the same experiences, and look out for one another, he said.

Howard noted that the groups first project in Calgary wouldnt have been possible without assistance from the construction community. ATCO a builder with expertise in designing, building delivering modular construction projects- built the 15-unitproject and donated $1.5 million to the charity.

These tiny homes showcase ATCOs urban design capabilities and will provide a home our military heroes will be proud to call their own a small gesture when measured against their herculean sacrifice, read a statement from the company.

Howard said the charity has also received massive support from PCL Construction and CP Rail. CP helped fundraise $900,000 for the charity and PCL has connected the project team with suppliers and contractors willing to donate or discount supplies and services.

Having those leaders in the construction industry is such a key to this success, said Howard.

Howard explained that modular construction allows the units to be prefabricated off-site while the site is being prepped. The method means a quick project delivery and minimal disruptions in the urban areas the charity plans to target.

In addition to assisting veterans, Howard sees the villages as opportunities to connect with the community and educate them about veterans. Veterans from the Calgary village are already out volunteering in the community. The village features park space that is open to the public and each unit is named after a fallen Canadian.

Howard explained that while the Canadian government estimates the country has 3,500 homeless veterans, he suspects the number is much higher. Those figures are from one-time counts done at homeless shelters where the respondents identify themselves as veterans something many veterans may not do for a variety of reasons. There are also many without homes who are only on the street part of the time or couch surf. He believes the number is closer to 5,000 or 6,000.

We are confident that a program like ours can end this issue in ten years, said Howard.

When veterans enter the village, a plan to transition back into housing and society is developed for their specific needs.

We are so grateful for Canadians and how they have shown respect for those who served, said Howard. Projects like this do not happen without their generosity.

Howard said the charity is currently in discussions to plan villages inB.C., Manitoba and Ontario.

View post:
Homes for Heroes tackling veteran homelessness with clever construction - Daily Commercial News

CertainTeed Corp. is targeting wood planks and the fast-growing fiber cement business for its new reinforced vinyl siding, Certaplank.

The vinyl cladding looks like hardwood, with a lightweight 7-inch slim profile that is rigid.

"Certaplank is the result of many years of research and product development," said Kara Radcliffe, director of vinyl siding product management at CertainTeed. "Fiber cement and wood planks are cumbersome and heavy, and they require special tools, extra crew and safety gear to install."

Ease of installation is a big issue on construction, and manufacturers of plastic building products are playing it up.

According to CertainTeed, because Certaplank is lighter and more flexible than fiber cement or natural wood siding, contractors can hand-unload the vinyl siding without any special equipment, storage or stacking requirements. Also, there are no restrictions from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on handling or cutting the material outdoors.

CertainTeed is offering Certaplank in 18 colors with a wood grain finish.

CertainTeed, based in Malvern, Pa., ranks No. 5 in the latest Plastics News ranking of pipe, profile and tubing extruders.

See the rest here:
CertainTeed eyes growth with reinforced vinyl siding - Plastics News

Published 11:00pm CST, Saturday, February 8, 2020

Renovation work has been completed on a HomeAid Houston project for Agape Development. HomeAid, a 501(c)(3) charity of the Greater Houston Builders Association (GHBA), partnered with custom builder and GHBA member Sandcastle Homes, to make improvements to Paris House, a 950-square-foot house that was converted into an office and counseling center for Agape Development. The enhancements will provide a more modern space for day-to-day operations and provide a place for work placement assistance and counseling for the young men and women working with Agape.

Sandcastle Homes, led by Nicole Keown and assisted by Steven Speer, project manager, spearheaded the work as part of their commitment to improving the lives of young men and women in the Third Ward. Keown and Speer began by handling much of the demolition themselves as they removed the exterior siding, gutted the interior and loaded trash in preparation for the upcoming improvements.

Additional work included removal of deteriorated materials inside and outside of the building for full restoration; replacing windows and drywall, installation of paneling, new trim and interior doors and cabinets, refinishing the interiors of a bathroom and breakroom, providing fixture replacements and new countertops. Work also included installing new flooring, new paint and hardware and replacing the fencing on the property.

Agape identifies existing properties that, in some cases, have been abandoned or are in total disrepair and refurbishes them. The houses provide stable housing for young adults who are in crisis or as in the Paris House, a place for education and life skills training. At the same time, these renovated houses revitalize the community.

With its location within Houstons historic Third Ward, the faith-based Agape Developments Gateway Houses are part of a residential program to help 18-25 year olds make the transition to healthy adulthood by assisting with housing, utilities, food and transportation while providing counseling, job preparation and guidance in continued education.

I really enjoyed the project and the overall outcome of the building, said Keown. This was one of the rare opportunities where I could roll up my sleeves and do some of the work myself. Steven Speer and I were inspired by the kids we saw, who were being helped through Agape. We were proud to work on this from the Sandcastle Home side and to represent HomeAid and their mission.

The following were companies who donated to the renovations: EC Contractors provided sheetrock, paint, exterior siding, and window replacement; Sandcastle Homes provided interior demoltion; Juan Hurtado donated carpentry; Houston Carpet Service provided the flooring; Western Pacific donated building materials. Other vendors included Kent Moore Cabinets; Rolando Delgado Landscaping; Coastal Plumbing, and Aztec Glass and Mirror.

HomeAid Houston has been building transformational housing for homeless care agencies throughout Houston and surrounding counties since 2003. For more information about HomeAid Houston, visit http://www.homeaidhouston.org or call 281-970-8970.

Read more from the original source:
Sandcastle Homes completes renovation of HomeAid project in the Third Ward - Chron.com

The Jan. 20 My View encouraging the populace to "Support regional wastewater treatment plant" was really an infomercial. But No Sale.

I urge readers to Google "Least costly passive nitrogen-reducing residential septic systems." There they will find a listing for Nitrex a proven system that reduces nitrogen levels between 87% and 97%, as tested on Cape Cod and in other parts of the country. A system for a three- to four-bedroom house with a life span of more than 50 years installed with a leaching field would cost between $22,000 and $30,000. It would also substantially reduce phosphorous and all other contaminants.

Then, Googling "Best residential wastewater treatment systems to eliminate nitrogen," one finds a listing for a Norweco system by A.J. Foss, with nitrogen reductions of 87% and costing about the same.

The writer noted that installing innovative alternative systems at each of the 10,000 homes causing much of Yarmouths pollution, at a cost of about $30,000 per home, would come to $300 million in one-time costs, good for at least 50 years. That's $100 million less than the $400 million initial estimate for the 40-year regional wastewater treatment plant planned for Yarmouth (a true savings).

Wouldn't it make more sense to take the 0% state loans and create a financing plan for home and business property owners to borrow, and/or to pay for residents living near, at or below the poverty line, to install near-lifetime backyard systems that take care of the pollutants infiltration problem better than a main batch plant could, and have almost every property converted within 10 years while having infiltration reduced with every conversion and pay as you go?

Or would we rather have: town water supply rates triple what they are now, as in Chatham? a sewer usage charge three times the water rate (as in the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority district around Boston)? a multithousand-dollar street sewer pipe connection fee? the cost of rerouting in-house waste pipe plumbing from going out to the backyard across the cellar floor to the street out front? the cost of capping over the old septic system out back or removing it entirely? praying till kingdom come that one town official's claim that "the project could be funded without raising property tax rates" pans out and holds true for 40-plus years? hoping the never-ending traffic tie-ups don't last long each time and that rescue teams can reach us in emergencies and get us to the hospital before it's too late?

Wouldn't it be far better to immediately reduce the pollutant infiltration upon the first year, and time the residential property backyard conversions, instead of taking 10 years to put the batch plant and main trunk lines in place, with any substantial reduction of pollutant levels and improvement of the above-ground water and ecology taking 20 to 30 years from start? Perhaps the business development around town is declining because property, rental and tax costs are already too high. With little manufacturing on Cape, we will kill the goose that laid the golden egg on Cape: real estate (retirees moving here, the home improvement market, summer rentals).

In 10 years we could be done, not 40; the waterways would clean and protected years sooner; housing would be more affordable for all residents (affordable towns and housing already being in short supply); and the ambiance and beauty of life on Cape would continue in an undisturbed, more affordable way. State lawsuit threats overboard home rule should apply in this case.

Otherwise, the "Ironshop Rules" still apply: "Can do!"; "where there's a will, there's a way"; "your job is to make things better, not worse"; "you're paid to think!"; "the Golden Rules apply"; "teamwork"; and "no excuses, just results get it done, now!"

Frank L. Montani, a former steelworker, lives in South Yarmouth. He has no financial stake in, or personal connection to, any of the systems mentioned.

See the article here:
A better way to treat waste and reduce nitrogen - Cape Cod Times