Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The Level cafe by Simon Carey from geograph.org.uk

The cafe on The Level was built in 2013 as part of the award-winning revamp of the central Brighton park. Contractors Thomas Sinden said the cafe construction project was worth 1 million.

But earlier this year, the roof had to be replaced because it was leaking.

And according to a Freedom of Information request from a member of the public, the council has picked up the 77,000 cost of replacing it even though its still under warranty.

Its response appears to put the blame on the fact so many different companies were responsible for its installation, no one company is liable for the replacement.

When making his inquiry, resident Ted Newton said either the architect or the contractor should pay for the repair.

He told Brighton and Hove News: I have a gripe with the whole Level thing. Once you start getting money from the Heritage Lottery Fund its like free money and its thrown around willy nilly.

There used to be a little kiosk selling chips and those people had been there for years and they werent involved in anything to do with the Level revamp, they were simply told their lease was going to be ended.

That cafe just represents everything thats wrong with how Heritage Lottery Fund money is spent.

In its response to Mr Newtons FOI, Brighton and Hove City Council said: We used a standard form of contract with a commercial warranty.

However, it was decided that the costs of the legal proceedings against various parties, had no guarantee of success, due to the history of involvement of various parties, and that the costs we would have to bear outweighed what would be recovered.

In a subsequent response, it added: Even where successful, not all costs would be recoverable.

The council owns the building and is responsible for its upkeep. It first leased it to the Velo Cafe, run by Small Batch Coffee, and is now run by Tomato Dolce and Salato.

The work on the cafe is featured as a case study on websites of several of the contractors involved in its construction.

Organic Roofs, which also helped install the replacement roof, features the then Velo Cafe roof in a piece entitled Organic Roofs vs Cowboy Builders about their appearance on a Channel 5 TV show.

It said: Some of the multiple benefits Lee (Evans, company director] explained included the greatly extended lifespan of the waterproofing . . . and the magical figure of cost.

Overall the message was that everyone can do their bit, and the upfront investment is more than balanced by the life cycle savings.

Organic Roofs did not respond to a request for comment.

Hertalan, which manufactures the waterproof panels used by Organic Roofs, also featured the Level Cafe in an online case study.

It says: Our EPDM systems have a life span of more than 50 years (SKZ Study 2001).

Architects Knox Bhavan and contractors Thomas Sinden also feature the cafe on their websites. Neither responded to a request for comment.

Brighton and Hove City Council also failed to respond to a request for comment.

See the article here:
Council landed with 77k bill to replace leaky eco roof - Brighton and Hove News

Hollinger houses afteer 1936, when the peaked roofs were added, effectively adding a second storey to the four-room homes.(Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre)

When Noah Timmins founded the Hollinger gold mine, he needed housing for his workers. So in 1919, he built 150 four-room, tar paper houses on the avenues west of Mountjoy Street North then another 100 in 1922 and another 100 on Spruce, Balsam, Maple and Elm Streets.

Museum director-curator Karen Bachmann tells us that backyard privies were replaced by indoor bathrooms in the 1920s.

By 1936, these little homes are flat-topped roofs and again families are big, so we create the little peaked areas on them, creating some more space upstairs, she says.

Many of the Hollinger mine employees living in the houses were avid gardeners.(Timmins Museum: National Exhibition Centre)

Bachmann adds that when the mine closed in the late 1960s, employees living in the houses were given the opportunity to buy them.

There was some money available to renovate them, so they were more than glad to do that, she recounts. And the Hollinger houses have been a part of our community ever since.

See the original post:
When the Hollinger houses got indoor bathrooms and peaked roofs - My Timmins Now

BELOW are planning applications received by Somerset West and Taunton Council in the week up to June 4, 2020.

The applications and notifications have been received for consideration and can be inspected online at http://www.somersetwestandtaunton.gov.uk/planning.

BATHEALTON

03/20/0003/T: Notification to fell one Acer tree within Bathealton Conservation Area at Farriers Orchard, Bathealton

BRADFORD ON TONE

07/20/0013/T: Notification to fell one Acer, 6 dead trees (species unspecified) and to carry out management works to one Sumach within Bradford on Tone Conservation Area at The Old Rectory, Bradford on Tone

DURSTON

16/20/0002: Erection of a single storey extension to the side of Cogload Farm, The Olde Sheep Barn, Glastonbury Road, Durston

NORTH CURRY

24/20/0018: Variation of Condition No. 02 (approved plans), removal of Condition Nos. 3, 4, 6, 7 and 12, variation of Condition Nos. 5, 8, 9, 10 11 and 13 of application 24/16/0042 for residential development on land south of Knapp Lane, North Curry

OTTERFORD

29/20/0011: Erection of a general purpose agricultural building on land at Otterford

PITMINSTER

30/20/0019: Construction of raised deck area to the first floor of Old Smithy Cottage, Sellicks Green, Pitminster

WELLINGTON

43/20/0005: Erection of 1 No. detached dwelling with integral garage, parking and access arrangements in the garden to the rear of 78 Oaken Ground, Rockwell Green

43/20/0054: Replacement of lean-to roof with the erection of a single storey extension to the side and erection of porch to the front of Fourwinds, Bagley Road, Wellington

WIVELISCOMBE

49/20/0027: Erection of 1 No. detached dwelling with associated works in the garden adjacent to Chorleys Farmhouse, Blackwater Lane, Whitefield, Wiveliscombe

BRUSHFORD

3/04/20/005: Erection of two-storey extension on the south elevation: Ellesboro, Brushford, Dulverton, TA22 9AW

MINEHEAD

3/21/20/040: Erection of two storey side extension, loft conversion to include a dormer window to the rear and associated alterations. 30 Staunton Road, Alcombe, Minehead, TA24 6DX

NETTLECOMBE

3/24/20/001: Erection of a two storey side and rear extension and associated works (resubmission of 3/24/19/002). The Blade Mill, Woodford Road, Monksilver, TA4 4HW

STOGURSEY

3/32/20/011: Erection of a single storey extension to the side and rear. 14 Town Close, Stogursey, TA5 1RN

WILLITON

3/39/20/008: Outline planning application with all matters reserved, except for access, for the redevelopment of the site to provide a food store (A1), retail shops (A1), professional and financial services (A2), food and drink uses (A3), health services (D1), residential dwellings (C3), vehicle and pedestrian accesses, associated car parking and landscaping. Land off Bank Street with link to Fore Street, Williton

DECISIONS

BICKENHALL

04/20/0005: Erection of single storey extension to the rear of Barton Oaks, 2 The Old Dairy, Bickenhall Lane, Bickenhall. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

BISHOPS HULL

05/20/0015: Erection of single and two storey extensions, detached garage/gym building and creation of additional access at Highlane Manor, 51 Stonegallows, Taunton. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

BISHOPS LYDEARD

06/20/0020: Erection of single and two storey rear extension at 41 Hither Mead, Bishops Lydeard. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

HALSE

18/20/0005: Relocation of porch and removal of render on the front elevation to expose the traditional stone beneath and removal of part of stone boundary wall to improve visibility for vehicular access at The Cottage, Halse. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

18/20/0006: Erection of single storey extension to the rear elevation and replacement of timber windows with double glazed upvc windows at Culver End Cottage, Halse. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

KINGSTON ST MARY

20/20/0013: Replacement of garage and outbuildings with the erection of a carport and store with solar panels to roof at Greenbanks, Lodes Lane, Kingston St Mary. WITHDRAWN BY AGENT/APPLICANT

LANGFORD BUDVILLE

21/20/0005: Removal of Condition No. 03 (occupational tie) of application 70526 at Camberley, Wellisford Manor Road, Langford Budville, Wellington (resubmission of 21/19/0007). CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

NORTON FITZWARREN

25/20/0002/LB: Replacement of windows and doors at The Old Stables, Harnham Court, Wiveliscombe Road, Norton Fitzwarren. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

OTTERFORD

29/20/0007: Erection of a two storey extension to the rear, replacement of roof and windows with various internal alterations at 1 Ivy Cottages, Holman Clavel Road, Culmhead. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

PITMINSTER

30/19/0038: Change of use of land from agricultural to tourism with siting of 4 No. shepherd huts for use as holiday accommodation on land at Lower Woodram Farm, Woodram Lane, Pitminster. WITHDRAWN BY AGENT/APPLICANT

RUISHTON

31/20/0010: Replacement of coal shed and erection of single storey and two storey extension to rear of Littlemead, Ruishton (amended scheme 31/19/0020). CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

STAPLEGROVE

34/20/0007: Demolition of carport/garage with conversion of remaining structure and erection of a single storey extension to the side of 1 Drake Close, Taunton. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

TAUNTON

38/20/0080: Erection of single storey side and two storey rear extension at 50 William Street, Taunton. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

38/20/0113: Erection of first floor extension to the rear to create 1 No. flat at 24 Billet Street, Taunton. WITHDRAWN BY AGENT/APPLICANT

38/20/0114/LB: Replacement of failed render at Manor Farm Cottage, Woodland Road, Taunton. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

38/20/0116: Erection of a detached studio/hobby room in the rear garden of 60 Wood Street, Taunton. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

TRULL

42/20/0013: Erection of two storey rear extension and replacement single storey rear extension at 3 Fairview Terrace, Wild Oak Lane, Trull. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

42/20/0025: Construction of roof over slurry store Canonsgrove Farm, Little Canonsgrove Lane, Trull. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

42/20/0026: Construction of roofs over cattle feed yards at Canonsgrove Farm, Little Canonsgrove Lane, Trull. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

WELLINGTON

43/20/0039/T: Application to carry out management works to one Yew tree included in Taunton Deane Borough (Wellington No.1) Tree Preservation Order 1990 at Saxby, South Street, Wellington (TD488). SPLIT DECISION

WIVELISCOMBE

49/20/0008: Change of use of land from allotments to churchyard with erection of fencing at St Andrews Church, Church Street, Wiveliscombe. CONDITIONAL APPROVAL

DULVERTON

3/09/20/001: Erection of a single storey side extension. Fairview, 18 Battleton, Dulverton. GRANTED

Read more from the original source:
Planning applications in the Somerset West & Taunton area: June 4, 2020 - Somerset County Gazette

When faced with an emergency, growth stops and maintaining the status quo becomes everything. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, many projects and expansion plans expansion plans have been placed on hold, while the business of staying in business has become top priority.

Enabling remote access, virtualising applications, and keeping an eye on security at the same time have kept IT teams occupied in recent weeks.

Initially all anyone was concerned about from a business point of view in this pandemic was business continuity and keeping the lights on. People were trying to figure out how employees would access technology at home via laptops or other devices. Then there was an immediate focus on virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI), facilitating remote access and the scaling up and flexibility that this required, said Maeve Culloty, managing director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Ireland.

Some companies already had an idea about how to do these things and how to get from here to there, but others just didnt know how.

Companies that depended on on-premise infrastructure needed to know quickly how to use VDI as a service, using hyper converged solutions. Some companies, said Culloty, just didnt have the knowledge and expertise to be able to scale that out.

From an HPE point of view, we had many digital transformation projects stop cold as companies in sectors such as retail, construction and others just stopped. Those workloads were replaced by companies that needed to accelerate their virtual desktop infrastructure deployment, she said.

It could be Office 365 or whatever solution they were going with, but regardless they had to start making decisions about where that would sit. Would it sit on-premise and if so what infrastructure was required? Most did that on site, but some scaled into the public cloud as well.

Those that scaled using their own on-premises solutions with HPE were able to make use of the companys Greenlake VDI Lighthouse programme, a pay as you go system that allows users to control costs by paying per seat per month.

We had to deal with a lot of customers who wanted that sort of functionality immediately, not in several weeks time but now. They also needed their systems to be secure and reliable, to be able to take their office desktops off physical machines and make them accessible from anywhere, at a rate that was acceptable given the levels of connectivity and broadband that people had, said Culloty.

Prior to this, remote access was an add-on to many companys IT infrastructure, something that people could use if they werent in the office or were working from the road. While it was useful, it wasnt considered an essential service. That changed overnight suddenly there was a huge remote access issue and security became a big issue.

Companies needed to get access sorted but there is risk at a time like this that when a company moves quickly to certain new services, it can then find itself locked into a significant ongoing cost to deal with a short term problem, Culloty said.

At a practical level, companies that are able to help others manage the disruption that has been caused by the pandemic have rarely been busier. According to Marc ORegan, chief technology officer for Dell Technologies, few in that organisation have experienced a more busy time.

It has spent a significant amount of its time and resources helping its customers to reposition themselves to be able to deal with the challenges of having a remotely distributed workforce.

To begin with, everyone is using Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Skype as their communication and collaboration tools and internally, theyve allowed us to work and communicate at a global level. Lots of other companies are doing the same thing and tools like these have really helped in the pandemic because a lot the meetings we would normally have face to face just havent been possible, he said.

Using these remote collaboration tools, weve been able to educate our teams and help them adapt to the situations were all dealing with. Its not as good as being face to face in a workshop environment, where eye-to-eye contact and thinking can spark magic, but its a lot better than nothing.

Dell Technologies has used these tools to create collaborative spaces where employees can build what it calls bootcamps and give its customers one-to-one experiences.

Outside of our own internal experience, in wider industry were seeing a huge rate of some workloads going onto public cloud platforms, and a real cry for other workloads and services to be very quickly spun up and built on private or hybrid cloud platforms, said ORegan.

Interestingly we have also recently seen a massive spike in people heading for the public cloud for simple virtual machine utilisation. A big issue for many of the service providers is that some werent able to cope with the strain of this.

Cloud providers offer users the ability to scale their resources up and down as they need them. However if everyone tries to increase their capacity at the same time, that can place serious pressure on a provider.

Its like a run on the banks. Banking works fine as an idea unless everyone turns up at the same time looking for their money. Public cloud has been sold to the industry as this infinite pool of resources that can be just fired up in response to demand. All you have to do is hit the button and youre good to go, said ORegan.

But there was a percentage increase into the hundreds because of the pandemic and that really put that idea to the test. Its pretty widely known across the industry that the capability to do this for everyone at the same time just wasnt there. That was very interesting to see happen in real time.

For ORegan this was a real test case for the scalability of public cloud platforms and what happened as a result was that a lot of potential public cloud consumers were forced down other routes.

They were forced back into their own data centres or to those of partners to help them build these platforms themselves. Public cloud is extraordinarily powerful and useful, but nonetheless it was an interesting observation to see the system stress tested, he said.

According to Seamus Dunne, managing director of data centre specialist Interxion Ireland, many cloud-related projects have been shelved at the moment, but he anticipates a major pick up later in the year.

After the emergency phase is over, towards the end of the summer and into autumn I believe well see acceleration in change in IT. When it comes to things like digital transformation and prioritising digital projects, I think companies have now got it. The need for anything around digital transformation by which I mean application consolidation, cloud migration, data centre consolidation and infrastructure projects all the IT projects which are being driven in businesses will power ahead, he said.

There is absolute clarity now that these projects need to work and progress. In the short term, a lot of activity for companies is about maintaining things, avoiding disruption and doubling down on supporting what theyve got.

Dunne foresees a gearing up for the second half of the year and expects to see an acceleration of action into 2021.

There are three different levels of cloud infrastructure, platform and software as a service and most businesses in Ireland are still on a cloud journey. Only about 4 per cent of industry workloads are actually in the cloud, the rest are still on-premise and in peoples data centres, he said.

There are plenty of migration strategies out there but whats happened is that IT workloads and capacities during the Covid-19 pandemic have really expanded, hugely, driven by things like Zoom and Microsoft Teams. Its that sort of network traffic that accounts for most of it and its gone through the roof.

However larger cloud projects have slowed down for now. In the face of an emergency, preserving the status quo is more important than powering growth.

Many projects have been shelved until people can be deployed into data centres and can make changes manually. I believe what well see is that in the second half of the year, a lot of digital transformation projects which are very much centred on migration to the cloud will accelerate, he said.

Its all paused at the moment though. Things right now are about maintaining the IT thats there, not letting it go down and supporting network traffic. Our customers are asking us to maintain everything and help make sure nothing goes down.

According to Dunne, the cloud industry will be forever changed by the pandemic. It has accelerated adoption and changed perceptions.

Businesses understand that theyre in a digital economy now. Cloud has delivered a new economic model and its not just one built around lower cost. Yes, going to the cloud is a better financial proposition but the real benefits are speed, flexibility and agility for every business through IT, he said.

The cloud facilitates faster deployment of new applications to run your business and being able to scale them up and down, facilitated things like dev ops and containerisation. Look at operators like N26 and Revolut arriving in Ireland and the struggle that the banks are having to compete with them.

Similar genre-busting examples exist in all industries, as a general shift in perception is taking place. IT is not just considered a cost of doing business anymore, its considered a mechanism for growing a business. It can be a revenue generating centre rather than a cost centre.

Its a hard time to be a chief information officer because increasingly people in those roles are being asked to do more but without getting a bigger budget to make that happen. CIOs have to be able to move faster, be that by deploying apps or upgrading capabilities and applications are typically needed now, not in six months time, said Dunne.

Companies with a significant amount of infrastructure in a data centre can find that efforts to find a work-around to deal with the pandemic have hit significant problems due to lack of access. While a huge amount can be done remotely, for some things you really need a person to make manual adjustments.

This is where companies like Rubrik come in, offering advice on how to help those struggling to manage their data across a spread of private and public cloud.

Thats something were seeing a lot of at the moment and weve worked with a few customers that didnt have access to their own data centre or offices because of lock down. We were able to help by removing the need to manually intervene in the management of data, said John McCleverty, enterprise sales manager for Rubrik.

At the same time, were seeing a lot more requests for cloud native capabilities. There is big growth in customers that were previously running on-premise infrastructure and are now moving to the cloud. And theres no mystery why. The current challenges around the lockdown and Covid-19 pandemic faced by organisations have highlighted the importance of automation.

According to McCleverty, companies across Ireland have reported to him that they struggle to manage data spread across private cloud, public cloud and remote locations.

They dont want something like this to happen again. They want to future proof themselves to mitigate being hit as hard in future. As we come out of Covid, the big focus will be on planning for such events again and looking at issues like business continuity, he said.

Its still very early to predict what is going to happen in the market but Ireland is well placed. Customer confidence just needs to follow.

Rubrik stores its customers data in an immutable format, meaning that cyber attackers cant alter any of your backups.

This is an issue that many people have with regard to storing data in the cloud. Weve built our systems to reduce the risk of downtime, optimize cost, achieve operational efficiency and realize cloud modernisation, said McCleverty.

Lasting change or temporary swerve?

Companies of all different sizes have done their best to deal with the ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic, and for some that meant moving from having little to no online activities to depending entirely on an online offering.

Some companies we deal with that had very little online presence discovered quickly that the only way they could survive and get money in the door was by reinventing themselves at least partially or even fully online, said Michele Neylon of Blacknight Solutions.

Take Velvet Cloud, a client of ours. It makes fantastic sheeps milk products but its business was primarily working with distribution channels that focused on getting product to supermarkets and wholesalers it didnt sell direct to the public But then the pandemic hit and it had to reinvent itself really quickly as an online seller. Weve seen a lot of that over the last couple of months.

According to Neylon, there has been a large surge in internet traffic in general as more people are doing more communicating and shopping online. Those companies which have embraced that new reality have been able to better weather whats going on.

Weve seen a massive surge in people registering domain names and some of that is people looking for temporary solutions to allow them to deal with the lockdown, and some of it is people looking for ways to pivot and help other companies redesign their shops and offices to deal with social distancing, he said.

I cant see all this progress being lost. I dont think were going to see people going back to being as offline as they used to be. I think the pendulum has swung and people on both sides of the supply and demand equation are now comfortable with the technology.

According to Neylon, many companies that have traditionally been risk-averse when it comes to trying new ways of doing business have had their hands forced by the pandemic.

They basically thought things are fine as they are, and yeah, maybe we could do something online but could we be bothered? Theyve now had to embrace online and theres no going back from that. When the world returns to normal, theyll still have that capacity and theyll be dealing with a consumer market that will have grown used to the convenience, he said.

Cost savings not a significant factor in cloud adoption rates

One of the enduring ideas surrounding cloud adoption rates is that companies primarily do it to save money, to pay for infrastructure, platform or software using the as-a-service model.

The ability to shift costs from the capital expenditure column to the operating expenditure column of the balance sheet has often been cited as a major motivator powering cloud adoption. However it might be time to leave that idea in the past, according to Loman McCaffrey, head of practices at Logicalis.

His company recently carried out some research and among its findings was that of the 110 companies that responded, 43 per cent engage a technology partner to manage their cloud services because it simplifies management for them. Some 39 per cent do it to overcome a lack of in-house skills and only 18 per cent do so to achieve greater cost effectiveness.

Anecdotally this tallies with our experience, but as we all know its dangerous to form opinions based on what you think your customers priorities are so this research is really helpful, said McCaffrey.

So its our opinion that cost isnt really a motivating factor to people. A bigger barrier to adopting the cloud is that while companies do it, they typically dont wind down the on-premise infrastructure they already have and they end up managing both on and off premise solutions. The result is that complexity becomes a problem.

Moving workloads to the cloud multiplies complexity and that makes people wary of making big changes.

People dont live in a world where their in-house environment is everything they want it to be. Its not always as well patched as it could be, as resilient as it could be and so on. The vast majority of people running IT systems spend at least some of their time putting out fires, said McCaffrey.

If people can get a managed offering, getting access to the so-called -ilities, the flexibility, the agility, the scalability and so on but without increasing the complexity, thats great. That will overcome some of their concerns.

See the rest here:
Cloud traffic through the roof in pandemic - Business Post

Every decade brings forth a new change. 2020 is no different. Want to get a headstart on your design inspiration? Heres a piece of good news if you plan to start remodeling your home. These will define home trends in 2020.

One of the biggest trends to come out of 2020 is the emergence of non-white kitchens. Two-tone kitchens, as well as colored cabinets, have seen a rise in popularity. All-white kitchens had dominated the market for a while, but with this new decade, were seeing a pattern of diminishing in its use.

For the modern homeowner, bathrooms are not just about utility anymore. More and more homeowners are converting their bathrooms into a sanctuary. While you may not need a full-blown spa, a sitting arrangement or two can do the job, as well.

Out with the old, in with the new. This seems to be the mantra for 2020 trends. Floating vanities are practical, save space, and give your bathroom a more contemporary look.

The popularity of the floating vanities is also due to the rise of a minimalistic aesthetic. While this trend may still be sinking in, it is undoubtedly a favorite for 2020.

In previous years, powder rooms have been nothing more than a formality. However, the new decade is shifting attention to this underrated room.

Homeowners are increasingly choosing to go the extra mile when it comes to remodeling their powder room. It includes elaborate wallpapers, accented hardware, and quirky themes, as well.

Most of us had assumed that formal dining rooms were pretty much on the verge of extinction. However, the new decade has brought a revival of sorts.

Homeowners are accepting the old with a hint of new. Not just that, they arent afraid to pull all the stops to go as extravagant as they want to highlight the importance of the dining area.

The word sustainable has been making its presence known in recent times. The world is moving towards an environmentally aware state and home trends are not an exception.

Homeowners have been taking the environmental impact of their purchasing decision into consideration. From using upcycled materials to sticking to an earthy theme for their design, sustainability is the name of the game.

From bright-colored cabinets to quirky decor, every design element in 2020 comes down to one thing: Personality. The biggest trend in 2020 is to show your personality rather than shy away from it.

Homeowners are embracing breaking rules and trends. Drifting away from popular trends and staying true to your personality is the biggest trend of this decade.

2020 has seen a rise in very familiar, yet unique trends. Those are here to stay. If you want to get an edge on your remodeling plans, its a good idea to keep them handy.

*This article is posted by and in partnership with GBC Kitchen and Bath, a kitchen and bathroom remodeling store in Alexandria, VA and Rockville, MD.

Read the rest here:
Trends That Will Define Home Trends in 2020 - The DC Post

Mamas Place: These are the times that try men's souls

Over the course of the past week, a long-forgotten phrase Mama often quoted gradually came together in my mind. Thomas Paine wrote in 1776, These are the times that try mens souls. It was quite a week. In fact, it has been quite a year. Last summer I decided to stop talking about moving back into midtown Fort Smith and start packing. But ... before packing, I sorted every closet, cabinet and dresser drawer, weeding out treasures I could tear myself away from. Two friends came and worked two full days helping pack items for storage and doing touch-up painting. I must say that my CRV made many trips to the Salvation Army. I also participated in the neighborhood garage sale. (For the record, Avon bottles are no longer a hot item.)

Property in my south Fort Smith neighborhood was selling fast, great motivation for staging and listing my house. After the purge, strong young neighbors moved half of my furniture into the garage. My realtors goal was to create open spaciousness to allow prospective buyers to visualize their things in my house. From friends reaction coming for a private showing, we were successful in creating open spaciousness. One exclaimed, Its so bare. Another wailed, Oh, I miss all of your pretty things.

My house was listed the third week of July. The market stood still. Literally. Two other neighbors listed homes, both relocating for work. As they walked by my house most days, the question was, Anyone looking at your house? The answer was, No. Eventually, the two husbands moved to begin work elsewhere, leaving both wives to sell the houses. Finally, one wife moved to be with her husband, leaving her house empty.

As summer turned to fall, I continued to scout for houses or lots in my preferred area, finding absolutely nothing. One Sunday in early October I noticed in the Times Record a real estate auction to be held later that month. Making a mental note, I planned to drive by and take a look; however, I was busy and forgot about the auction until three days before its scheduled date, when I passed the sign pointing down a side street. On a whim, I turned left onto the street and three houses down saw a rather quirky, red brick house with new architectural shingles and white shutters. I parked, walked around to the fenced backyard and saw a covered porch with wide overhang and brick elevated surround for hanging and setting plants. I liked this place and called the number on the sign out front.

Many times since that call, I have asked myself, What was I thinking? After three friends inspected the house, I bought the place at auction on a dreary, rainy Thursday morning. For the record, I did not get a deal. In fact, I paid more than it would have brought on the open market. Do not ask why. I do not know why. I just know that I have learned a lot about myself, about the construction trade, about the goodness of people (I have dealt with a few bad apples), and about the power of prayer.

As with typical auctions, I made a down payment on the day of sale and closed in 30 days. Until the day of closing, I considered every way to avoid closing. I closed and plowed ahead into what the contractor called a rather major remodel. Indeed. Right away a friend noticed a slight dip in the garage roof, and upon inspecting the attic, discovered inferior framing, as well as a broken rafter. My contractor was chosen because as a former framer, he explained how he could bring the roof up to proper standards.

The listing on my home expired Dec. 31. I planned to have the remodel finished when I relisted and sold in the spring. Old carpet was ripped out, aging drapes trashed, upper kitchen cabinets removed, furr down ripped out, partial walls removed, openings widened, circuit breaker replaced fuses, entire inside repainted and original hardwood floors were refinished to look new. Remember I said, I planned to have remodel finished when my house sold.

My house was relisted March 1, sold March 13, and closed the morning of April 7. The plan was for my daughter to come from Chicagoland March 20 during spring break to help pack. The coronavirus hit Chicago in full force. Lee Anna was isolated at home. Before the virus isolated us, a Tulsa cousin came for two days and packed fragiles that required careful attention. I packed the rest, while dealing with delays and frustrations at the remodel, which was not complete when my furniture was moved on April 6. Movers returned to finish moving my boxes on April 7 as the new owner moved in.

Today is June 1, and the remodel is still incomplete. The electrician was delayed by illness. The floors took longer to dry because of rainy weather. The outside water faucet leaked and was replaced. Papa Gary was hospitalized for four days. A few weeks later he took an ambulance ride to the ER for severe back pain. With constant prayers from friends and family, virtual church services, Zoom meetings, and Facetime with grandchildren and their parents, I have remained calm and patient through most of these seven months of moving and remodeling during social isolation; however, this past week my stiff upper lip drooped a little.

I lay awake in the darkness unable to sleep, fretting over many unfinished details at the house and Papa Garys care with both children so far away, and knowing I must sleep in order to face the days tasks. And then cousin Randy called to say his mom, my dear Aunt Maxine, had just passed peacefully at 91 to her eternal rest. I told Randy how much I loved Max and that I would not attend her service because of the virus, that my present chaotic reality required me to stay well. He texted back to me, I know that Ive learned to be still among the chaos and then God speaks to me.

These are times that try our souls, and then God speaks through the words of a cousin who speaks from experience, from friends who help paint cabinet frames, or reassemble a crystal chandelier, or move boxes in garage to clear space for car, or clean oven racks, or wash loads of cover cloths, or bring food, or call with encouragement.

Be still among the chaos and God will speak. Mama knew.

Louise Owens Finney is a retired secondary teacher and part-time minister in Fort Smith. She can be reached at LouiseOFinney@gmail.com.

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Mamas Place: These are the times that try mens souls - Times Record

Many businesses have faced financial hardships during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The home improvement industry, much of which is considered essential business, is faring far better.

Michael DeMarco, owner of On The Spot Home Improvements in Saddle Brook,said his sales have increased about 25% since the pandemic hit. On The Spot does emergency home repairs, as well as roofing, kitchen and bathroom remodeling, deck installation, power washing and gutter installation, repair and cleaning.

"Theres a lot of people staying home," said DeMarco. "People have called us saying their home is going to be their office for the foreseeable future, and they want to make it nice."

According to DeMarco, many of his clients rerouted the money from their canceled vacations to finance repairs andadditions to their homes.

Real estate: NJ could see increase in people moving from the cities to the suburbs after coronavirus

Social distancing rules have made homethe safest place to be. With parks packed, backyards and front porches have becomethe ideal place to get some sun and let the kids burn off some energy which means On The Spot Home Improvements and other landscaping, contracting and home improvement businesses are experiencing a rise in sales.

Swing Set & Toy Warehouse, which has locations in Upper Saddle River, Freehold, Fleming and East Hanover, has seen a 50% increase in business, said Sue Williams, a sales representative for the company for the past 30 years.

"Ive never seen anything like it," said Williams. Trampolines, basketball hoops and swing sets, specifically, are being ordered nonstop.

"Usually families decide to buy swing sets when their children are age-appropriate. But now, Im seeing even people with very young kids buying this year," she added. Why? Because being outside eases stress, said Williams, especially in a time when entire families are cooped up at home.

The phones at Jacobsen Landscape Design in Midland Park, which designs landscaping for pools and patios andinstalls irrigation systems and outdoor landscape lighting, have been ringing off the hook, as customers yearn for more put-together homes.

Of course, things in the home improvement industry have changed since the pandemic. DeMarco says his staff members wear masks and get their temperatures taken at the door. They keep 6 feet apart from each other and clients. The office building and trucks are constantly being sanitized.

DeMarco predicts the home improvement boomwill continue for the next year, even as businesses and entertainment venues open up. As expensive vacations will likely have to be canceled for the rest of the year, he thinks that money will instead go to building a new cabana in the backyard, installing a pool, or finally building that dream deck.

5 easy home improvement ideas

Cleanhard-to-reach places, such as vents and the tops of fans. This is the perfect time to take care ofspots that usually get neglected. Use the brush attachment on your vacuum or a microfiber cloth to wipe away grime. Add a fresh coat of paint to a room. Yes, this task may seem a bit daunting, but repainting even one accent wall can completely transform a room. We've never had more time to tape, tarp and paint. When's the last time you power washed your house? The weather is getting warm, which means the time is right to impress your neighbors by giving the exterior of your home a scrub. Create a gallery wall with your favorite photos. Gallery wallsare very trendy right now, and printing out and framing pictures of friends and family can make the days in quarantine seem less lonely, while also adding a striking element to your home. Outdoor furniture can get grubby over the years. Perhaps set aside some time to give them a scrub -- Lysol wipes and soapy water work great.

Rebecca King is a food writer for NorthJersey.com. For more on where to dine and drink, please subscribe today and sign up forour North Jersey Eats newsletter.

Email: kingr@northjersey.com Twitter: @rebeccakingnj Instagram: @northjerseyeats

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Rebuilding America: Home improvement companies thrive as pandemic keeps North Jersey shut in

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Rebuilding America: Home improvement companies thrive as pandemic keeps North Jersey shut in - New Jersey Herald

For Sale/Rent

Live large in these 800 square feet, nestled along Worcester Square.

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

18 Worcester Square #3, BostonPrice: $709,000Size: 788 square feetBedrooms: 1Baths: 1

This one-bedroom condo is all about scale: Tall windows, 12-foot ceilings, and even the heavy double door you walk through to enter the unit. Which is to say nothing of the homes crown jewel, a massive chandelier dripping down into the center of the large living area. Situated on the second floor of a brick bow-front building bordering Worcester Square park, the homes age is another part of its grand appeal. The light pine floors, dotted with dark nail heads, date back to 1900 and the baroque crown molding is thought to be original, too.

Off the main hall, there are three smaller rooms: A narrow kitchen with stainless appliances, a bath with painted tile floors, and an incredibly stylish bedroom. Push through a pair of pocket doors with frosted glass panes to kick up your feet in the latter, which showcases somehow even more embellished molding than the rest of the unit. A starburst-style light fixture and cool gray walls modernize the 20th century glamor, and on the other side of a glass door is a truly timeless featurea roomy balcony where your plants can get some sun, and you can lounge in the shade.

For information, contact Jennifer Gelfand, Keller Williams Realty, jennifergelfand.com.

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

Photo by Dan St. John, Lightshed Photography Studio

The Boston Home team has curated a list of the best home design and home remodeling professionals in Boston, including architects, builders, kitchen and bath experts, lighting designers, and more. Get the help you need with FindIt/Boston's guide to home renovation pros.

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On the Market: A Swanky One-Bedroom Condo in the South End - Boston magazine

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When youre on the hunt for startup office space, the number of factors surrounding the search for a suitable working environment can make the process daunting.

You need to satisfy your startup business current needs while also looking to the future, making sure that wherever you choose is cost-effective and good for team morale, as well as accurately reflecting your brand image.

A good location helps build trust with your clients and enhances your brand image.

Choose a spot that stands out for positive reasons like attractive surroundings, accessibility and commute time.

You want to leave a good impression on visitors and offer a good daily experience for employees. Consider the state of roads and traffic flows, security and access to other facilities like restaurants and fitness centers and the availability of adequate parking.

Unfortunately, a lot of times some of the older properties which might be very nice physically, they can be under parked,'' said Mark Bentley, managing director and principal broker for Colliers International Arkansas. So thats an issue. Youve always got to have ample parking to provide for your employees.

Location can be dictated by the needs of your company. For example, you may also be setting up a distribution center or some other off-site facility and will want your main office close.

Maybe a business owner wants the location to be near him, since hes making all the decisions, or maybe he wants it near where the majority of his employees live for their convenience.

Theres a laundry list of things to be considered there, but location is one of those decisions you really want to make thinking long term, said John Martin, principal and vice president of brokerage for real estate firm Newmark Moses Tucker Partners.

Naturally, youll need to provide employees with access to basic welfare facilities but there are other factors.

Sufficient parking, including wheelchair accessible spots, or an adequate number of power outlets, can play a major role in employee happiness.

If your company has a lot of meetings make sure you have conference space to spare. If you intend to use your office to meet with clients, you will want a comfortable waiting or reception area.

Do a head count and consider how many bathrooms would be adequate. Think about a comfortable kitchen setup and breakroom and space that can be used for company functions that enhance unity.

Make a list of must-have items versus a list of those youd like to have.

Consider not just if the space is adequate now but if it is flexible enough to accommodate growth. Maybe 1,500 SF is enough now, but a successful young business might find it needs 3,000 SF in just a couple years, Bentley said.

I often look for opportunities for them to grow with the building were moving them into, Bentley said.

Of course the price has to be right. You dont want to bankrupt your business before you start with a weighty lease. Make sure that terms dont slow your businesss growth in other areas.

Think about costs like parking, internet access, utilities, furniture, potential maintenance and other bills hidden in the operation.

Avoiding calculating cost per person and focus on how much youre willing to spend overall on a monthly basis.

Remember price, availability and variety of available spaces vary depending on your location needs. Plan at least three to four months before making a move. Being deliberate can keep you from jumping into a space that looks good up front only to learn its inadequate later.

Its your companys home, so make sure your office suits your companys culture.

Your office should have the space to accommodate breaks and group activities while also making a positive impression on visiting clients. Appearances do matter.

What is the nature of your business? Does your office need to accommodate any heavy equipment? Is there room to stock essential supplies and provisions?

You dont want to end up with cramped spaces, inadequate lighting or substandard break space and facilities that can harm productivity. Find space that motivates your staff and embrace the image and reputation you want to build when choosing your office.

Dont rush to sign a lease even after inspecting the space and confirming it is a good fit for your business. As much as you desire the place, dont sign before reading all the terms and clarifying any cost implications of each clause and beware of hidden charges hidden in the fine print.

Finding representation and expert help for this process is a smart move, if feasible, Martin said.

Having an accountant, having an attorney, having a realtor, people who have been through it, done it, understand it, so when those types of things are presented to you youre not sitting there wondering what all this means, Martin said.

Consider the lease period. Moving your business from one place to another can negatively affect profits over time, Bentley said.

Calculate the total costs of moving your business to the new space and factor in the cost of renovations and installations. If at all possible, work a tenant remodel allowance into the deal, Bentley said.

What they find is not going to be perfect and theyre going to need to do some remodeling, he said. Each tenant really needs to produce a nice remodel allowance from the building landlords, otherwise you cant get done what you need done to the space.

As the traditional, cubicle-and-desk setups give way to more organic, versatile and free flowing spaces, communication, collaboration and harmony become just as important as schedules and resources.

When considering your dream office, consider the primary factors your employees feel are most important. One size office space does not fit all.

Its fluid, Martin said. The environments always changing. So now were kind of more in the environment of open office spaces, particularly on the corporate side.

Think about the value of open space to collaboration, flexible space to accommodate teleworking, hoteling allocating certain office space to certain employees during certain times of the week and activity-based design that allows space to be set aside for specific uses via private enclaves, shared desk spaces, open tables, conference spaces and cafes.

Originally posted here:
Setting Up Shop: What to Consider When Choosing Your Office - Arkansas Business Online

Wildfire season is not going to wait for the COVID-19 pandemic to subside. After a winter of lackluster rainfall, Northern California is facing a worse-than-average outlook.

Preparing for these inevitable fires is extra important right now. First responders and emergency managers this year will not only have to cope with the already difficult task of addressing wildfires that have burned increasingly out of control in the age of climate change, but also do it in the midst of a public health emergency the nation has not seen the likes of in 100 years

In a sign of the increasing difficulty that fire protection now poses, Cal Fire is asking people to self-certify their compliance with defensible space requirements. "With COVID-19 restrictions limiting Cal Fires ability to conduct annual defensible space inspections this year, property owners are urged to conduct a Defensible Space Self-Assessment," the agency said in a press release.

Anthony Gossner, chief of the Santa Rosa Fire Department, during a virtual town hall stressed the importance of self-sufficiency. He said that during emergencies residents should not assume local governments can handle all their needs, because there's just not enough of us to do it. So we really rely on folks to be in a position to help their neighbors and help themselves... ."

Fire preparedness is multifaceted. Here are some guidelines and advice to get you ready.

Prepare the Outside of Your Home

If you live in a fire-prone area, sometimes called the wildland urban interface, creating whats called defensible space is an important way to slow the spread of fires, increasing the chance of your homes survival. Think of defensible space as a buffer zone, free of anything likely to catch fire.

Cal Fire asks homeowners to think about two zones of defensible space. The first extends 30 feet from homes, outbuildings and decks:

Zone 2 extends from the end of Zone 1 to 100 feet out from your home, structures and deck:

Find detailed instructions at Readyforwildfire.org.

One thing people don't think about a lot is to make sure their home address is clearly visible. You should; that way, if you call for emergency help, responders can find you.

Harden Your Home Against Wildfire

Many homes that burn in a wildfire are never in the path of flames but ignite from flying embers and firebrands that can accumulate in eaves or drift into vents. Hardening homes against fire can be as inexpensive as installing screens over vents and as pricey as installing new windows, roofing or siding.

Find detailed information here, including a low-cost retrofit list.

Proposed legislation from Assemblyman Jim Wood, D-Santa Rosa, aims to provide financial assistance for home hardening by establishing a $1 billion fund to distribute rebates and low-cost loans to Californians for home retrofits. But Gov. Gavin Newsom has not committed to the measure.

Have a Go Bag Ready

There are three reasons people tend to put off preparing for a disaster, says Karen Baker, co-chair of the Listos California Emergency Preparedness Campaign. "They either find it scary, expensive, and/or time consuming," she said.

Listos tries to overcome those qualms with a simple readiness guide, available in English and Spanish.

The organization recommends packing up some items in advance so you can get out of the house quickly if you need to. If cost is a concern, you can assemble the kits over time.

Recommended items to pack beforehand:

To grab on your way out the door:

Create a plan for your household in the event of a wildfire emergency. (See CalFire's wildfire action plan checklist.) And be sure youre signed up to receive emergency alerts for your area. You can sign up here.

Expect Smoky Days

With fire comes smoke. That's a special concern this year as air pollution has been associated with an increased risk of death from COVID-19.

You can get smoke advisories, forecasts and current fire conditions through the federal governments AirNow website.

How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke:

These devices can be a few hundred dollars and hard to obtain during bad fires, so think about buying one in advance of fire season. In California, few resources exist to help low-income people afford these devices, other than an asthma intervention program in Fresno, which provides enrollees with air cleaners for a year. In years past, some counties have set up clean air shelters during smoky days, and this year those have to take into account social distancing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance for clean air shelters with the prevention of COVID-19 transmission in mind, but youll probably find it easiest if you can shelter at home.

People Power

One theme running through the advice of fire and emergency officials this year: Your social network is one of your most important safety tools. "Really, when it comes down to a no-notice' event, like a fast-running wildland fire through your neighborhood, it really is neighbor helping neighbor, said Santa Rosa Fire Chief Gossner.

211CA.orgDial 211 for evacuation routes, shelters.

CalAlerts.orgSign up to get your Countys alerts.

Earthquake.ca.govGet MyShake earthquake warning app.

Response.ca.govReal-time wildfire & shelter news.

Ready.govResources to prepare for any disaster.

That means its time to think about who in your neighborhood might need help getting ready for fire season. Maybe they're elderly and could use some help trimming vegetation. During an evacuation order, who will you check on and who will check on you? Write down their names and contact information, pack the list in your go bag, and share it with others for back up. At least one person on your list should live outside your area to ensure youre not relying on someone who also might be affected by the fire.

Even if this feels overwhelming or scary, the time to do it is now. Every step you can take toward preparedness makes you, your family, and your community a little bit safer.

See original here:
And Now Fire Season. This Year, It's Especially Important to Prepare. Here's How - KQED