Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

A self-employed plumber had tools stolen from his van during a spree of attacks on vans in the Droitwich area this week.

Kevin Boult's van was parked at his home in Newland Road when the thieves struck, taking a number of power and battery tools worth more than 1,500.

Mr Boult, whose company is KK Domestic Plumbing Services, didn't realise the uninsured tools were missing until he turned at a customer's house to complete a job in the morning.

He said: "I need those tools for work so it's effected what I can do, but luckily friends have been kind enough to lend me tools in the mean time.

"I will still need to replace them eventually, and it's a lot of money so will be a big loss for the business which will take some to recover.

"I was absolutely livid when I realised what they had done, I couldn't believe it. They just don't care.

"The fact they came onto my property and did it makes me even angrier."

The thieves gained access to the van by by drilling a small hole in the door and opening it after they accessed the door's cables.

Three vans were targeted between Tuesday and Wednesday this week, in Worcester Road in Wychbold and the other in Yew Tree Hill, also in Droitwich.

Police confirmed Mr Boult's van was attacked between 5.30pm on Tuesday and 8.30am on Wednesday.

Read more:
Plumber's tools taken during spate of van attacks

Published: 5 Dec 2014 11:30

A NEW centre set up to help autistic children and their families has come under attack from cruel vandals.

A centre volunteer inspects the damage at the centre in Ratho Street.

Reach for Autism volunteers were devastated to discover that patio doors had been smashed at their Ratho Street premises.

The hard-working group have spent thousands of pounds turning the building into a specialist centre for people with autism.

They are now stepping up security to try and prevent any more incidents.

Since opening earlier this year Reach for Autism has claimed awards for its work helping dozens of families every week.

Director Margaret McGowan said: We have put our heart and soul into getting this place set up and making it perfect.

It is devastating to come in and find that someone has just taken a brick and thrown it at our patio doors.

The charity hopes to organise a couple of fundraisers in the run-up to Christmas to help cover the cost of the repairs.

Continued here:
Anger as Greenock autism centre is attacked by vandals

Comments(0)

This house onMount Hill Road, Hanham,works on many levels as a family home, a great entertaining space and as property that can make its owners money on account of the annexe.

Its been altered and extended upwards and outwards, but the core of the property is still packed with period features, from original stained glass, to ceiling roses and enormous bay windows that flood the principal rooms with light.

There are four such floor-to-ceiling bays the two on the ground floor dominating the living and dining rooms, which can be merged into one huge space (perfect for parties) when panelled bifolding doors are pulled back.

Brass chandeliers add a touch of class in each room, while in the living room a fireplace with decorative wooden mantelpiece and marble hearth houses an electric fire (theres also a gas supply). A chimney breast remains in the dining room, but without a fireplace, though it could be reinstated.

In the kitchen/breakfast room theres no shortage of storage space among the pale, wooden cupboards, which are topped with granite work surfaces, including over the central breakfast bar. Appliances include a five-ring gas hob, double oven, steamer and microwave, dishwasher and American-style fridge-freezer with ice maker and filtered water. Wooden glazed doors open to the rear garden and theres also access to a utility room.

Also at the rear of the house on the ground floor is the study, or fifth bedroom, which has extensive glazing and patio doors. It is linked both to the annexe and the hallway, which contains the original staircase and an under- stairs toilet with grey suite.

Upstairs, occupants of the two biggest bedrooms get to enjoy those bay windows, which afford great views. The master suite, meanwhile, currently houses a four-poster bed (available by separate negotiation) and an en suite bathroom.

A third bedroom has fitted wardrobes and the main bathroom is fitted with a Champagne-coloured suite.

In a loft conversion, stretching for more than 6m and reached via a spiral staircase from the main landing, are two Velux windows, a shower room, extensive storage under the eaves and a sauna cabin.

Read the original here:
The Bristol Post published Large house in Hanham has potential for income

REGINA MEDINA, Daily News Staff Writer medinar@phillynews.com, 215-854-5985 Posted: Friday, December 5, 2014, 3:01 AM

EMPLOYEES AT Olney Charter School are questioning the payment of thousands of dollars to a contractor hired to paint the school because they say they do not recollect that a contractor ever did work at Olney.

According to invoices from the school, ASPIRA Inc. of Pennsylvania, the North Philadelphia charter-school operator that manages Olney, paid $163,365 to Lyon Contracting Inc. to paint the school in 2011. But employees who recently learned of the payments say school janitors and building maintenance workers performed the work.

The Daily News interviewed 10 current and former employees who worked at Olney or ASPIRA around the time Lyon billed for the work. Each recounted what happened inside the school on the condition that their names not be published, citing fear of retaliation from ASPIRA.

Almost "everything in that place got done by us. Every single thing," said one Olney staffer. "I never see anyone rolling no brush but us. It was always me and the crew."

Added another employee who worked at Olney in 2011: "I have never seen a paint company here."

The employees said that among the areas they painted were the cafeteria, hallways, staircases and gym - the same areas Lyon billed for between Aug. 26 and Nov. 21, 2011 for work on unspecified dates.

ASPIRA controller Orlando Rendon Jr. denied any suggestion that Lyon did not do the work.

"That's inaccurate," he said when told of the claims. "I saw them painting."

See the article here:
Questions over charter school payments to contractor

New York, NY (PRWEB) December 05, 2014

From the construction of power plants, refineries and bridges to the repair and restoration of historic buildings, scaffolding contractors benefit from widespread demand across many markets. Nonetheless, the collapse of the housing market and the subsequent recession brought construction activity in most markets to a near halt, significantly hurting the industry's performance. With the recovery of these markets, however, demand for industry services underwent a resurgence, according to IBISWorld Industry Analyst Edward Rivera. Consequently, industry revenue is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 2.2% to $2.2 billion in the five years to 2014.

During the five-year period, residential construction slumped to historic lows, only to regain steam after 2011. As a result, the value of residential construction fell 21.2% in 2009 and another 2.5% in 2010 before growing 13.5% and 11.9% in 2012 and 2013, respectively. Nonresidential construction, the industry's largest revenue generator, also declined between the years 2009 and 2010 before returning to moderate growth in 2011 and robust growth in 2012.

The industry experienced its steepest decline in 2010, with an 8.7% drop in revenue. During the past five years, the industry battled a difficult economic environment characterized by stalled or canceled spending on new construction projects in the private and public sectors. Companies increasingly relied on solid working relationships with past clients in order to keep crews busy and maintain profit margins, says Rivera.

When the overall economy began its recovery, backlogged projects commenced, which increased demand for industry services. This recovery began in 2011, and has gained momentum since. Industry revenue is expected to grow in 2014, boosted by a resurgence in construction activity, primarily from residential markets. Continued recovery in downstream construction markets will help the industry accelerate growth in the next five-year period.

For more information, visit IBISWorlds Scaffolding Contractors in the US industry report page.

Follow IBISWorld on Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/IBISWorld Friend IBISWorld on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/IBISWorld/121347533189

IBISWorld industry Report Key Topics

This industry leases, erects and dismantles scaffolding equipment. Scaffolding equipment can be used during construction, painting, exterior remodeling and other construction-related activities that require workers to operate above ground level.

Industry Performance Executive Summary Key External Drivers Current Performance Industry Outlook Industry Life Cycle Products & Markets Supply Chain Products & Services Major Markets Globalization & Trade Business Locations Competitive Landscape Market Share Concentration Key Success Factors Cost Structure Benchmarks Barriers to Entry Major Companies Operating Conditions Capital Intensity Key Statistics Industry Data Annual Change Key Ratios

Read the original post:
Scaffolding Contractors in the US Industry Market Research Report from IBISWorld Has Been Updated

LIGHTIFY Gardenspot Mini RGB from OSRAM
Your outdoor lighting effects can now begin. Illuminate your garden with millions of colors! The LIGHTIFY Gardenspot Mini RGB garden luminaire from OSRAM ena...

By: OSRAM

See more here:
LIGHTIFY Gardenspot Mini RGB from OSRAM - Video

Maid Services In Simpsonville SC | House Cleaning
http://acemaidservices.com Contact Ace Maid Services today, 864-483-0061 Maid services in Simpsonville SC House cleaning services in Simpsonville SC Concierg...

By: Ace Carpet Cleaning

Read more from the original source:
Maid Services In Simpsonville SC | House Cleaning - Video

In this photo taken Monday Sept. 8, 2014, former Gov.Arnold Schwarzenegger stands next to his official portrait, done by Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwin, after it was unveiled at the Capitol in Sacramento, Calif. The portrait of the two-term Republican governor ... more >

By Judy Lin - Associated Press - Friday, December 5, 2014

SACRAMENTO, Calif. The official portrait of former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has been hung alongside past governors at the state Capitol after getting a touch-up on the spot where his wifes image was removed.

Capitol curator Koren Benoit said Friday that Austrian artist Gottfried Helnwein smoothed out a smudge over the spot that once featured a lapel button showing the face of Maria Shriver.

That part had been noticeably painted over when the portrait was unveiled in September.

The two separated after embarrassing revelations emerged about an affair Schwarzenegger had with his maid that produced a son.

The painting of the two-term Republican governor was hung Friday on the Capitols third floor. The realist-style portrait features a steel frame and captures a youthful Schwarzenegger standing in front of the state seal.

Read this article:
Arnold Schwarzenegger portrait gets hung in state Capitol

The U.S. Supreme Court is grappling with how employers should treat pregnant workers like Peggy Young, who sued UPS after the parcel company forced her to take unpaid leave rather than accommodate a doctors recommendation that Young lift no more than 20 pounds.

Its a question many other countries settled long ago.

Take Germany. And a law called Mutterschutz Gesetz, or The Maternity Protection Act.

It works like this: As soon as a woman discovers shes pregnant, she tells her employer. The employer automatically modifies the workers job duties so she can continue to work without harming herself or her pregnancy. Women in physical jobs may be transferred to desk jobs for the during of their pregnancies, for instance, or prohibited from lifting heavy loads.

Then, six weeks before the due date, the pregnant worker goes out on paid leave. That paid leave extends eight weeks after delivery. The worker cannot be fired during her pregnancy and up to four months after delivery. She continues to accrue vacation time during paid leave. And, when shes ready to return to work, her employer must guarantee her her same job, or a similar one at the same pay.

Peggy Young, meet Berit Rougier.

Rougier, 46, is a physical therapist and the mother of four children who lives in Trebur, just outside of Frankfurt. When she became pregnant with her first child in 1993, she told her employer as soon as she herself found out, at about six weeks. (Many American workers dont disclose their pregnancy until their third month.)

Her employer modified her work duties, asking that she not work with heavier patients. Rougier voluntarily continued to do so until her belly got in the way, she said.

If I worked for UPS in Germany, they would have had to give me another job where I wouldnt have to lift heavy things. Or theyd have had to give me paid leave, said Rougier, whos been following Peggy Youngs case, said in a Skype interview. I think its sad that people are under such pressure, and they cant enjoy being pregnant and having a family, and having a job.

During another pregnancy, Rougier worked part-time doing administrative work for Mitsubishi Motors, but received all the benefits of a full-time worker. Though she didnt need work accommodations, she said her bosses continually told her she could go home with pay anytime she wasnt feeling well which she never did and called to ask how she was feeling after the baby was born.

Read more from the original source:
Whats fair treatment for pregnant workers? The U.S. isnt sure. Other countries are

Running Cedar Garden Dialogue
The 2014 Garden Dialogue season was exceptionally rich. The capstone of the year was a dialogue on the Virginia estate Running Cedar between landscape archit...

By: tclfsteward

Link:
Running Cedar Garden Dialogue - Video