Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

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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.

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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."

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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

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Scaffolding Contractors in the US Industry Market Research Report from IBISWorld Has Been Updated

LIGHTIFY Gardenspot Mini RGB from OSRAM
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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.

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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.

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Whats fair treatment for pregnant workers? The U.S. isnt sure. Other countries are

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Seven years ago on a cold January night, landscape architect Charles Birnbaum urged local leaders to restore Mellon Square, the modernist jewel of a park that opened in 1955 in Downtown Pittsburgh.

As president and founder of The Cultural Landscape Foundation in Washington, D.C., Mr. Birnbaum championed the project because he knew of other significant landscapes that had already disappeared from cities and parks.

Six months later, in June 2007, Meg Cheever, president and chief executive officer of the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, took Susan Rademacher on a tour of the citys historic parks Frick, Schenley, Riverview and Highland plus the Hill District.

It was not my first visit to Pittsburgh, said Ms. Rademacher, who had visited as a consultant to the parks conservancy. But until then, I didnt have a sense of the rich landscape, history and opportunities.

On Thursday night at Carnegie Museum of Art, Mr. Birnbaum spoke about the creation and recent $10 million renovation of the park. Ms. Rademacher then signed copies of her book, Mellon Square: Discovering a Modern Masterpiece.An initiative of Mr. Birnbaums foundation, the book was published by Princeton Architectural Press.

Key players in the projects history were financier Richard King Mellon and Mayor David Lawrence, who seized the chance to remake smoky Downtown Pittsburgh after World War II by spending $4 million to buildMellon Square on top of a parking garage. The architects were James Mitchell and Dahlen Ritchey; the landscape architects were John Ormsbee Simonds and his brother, Philip.

Mr. Mellons sister, Sarah Mellon Scaife, played an unexpected role in the parks final design. Shehad just returned from Italy when she saw preliminary design documents for the square.

She questioned the paving pattern. It was a rectilinear concrete pavement, Ms. Rademacher said.She thought it was boring, and she had just been dazzled in Venice in St. Marks Square, which has a very elaborate pavement pattern. She challenged them.

John [Simonds] rose to the challenge and developed the amazing harlequin pattern, which his partner, Phil, detailed, Ms. Rademacher said.

Phil Simonds created paving made from unpolished marble chips, calling itrustic Venetian terrazzo. Narrow bronze strips between the pavment form interlocking triangles.

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Restoration of Mellon Square inspires book about the modernist landmark

Landscape architect John Tikotsky

Hermosa Beach cut the ribbon on a new Community Center garden last week, just a few days after a city backhoe removed a privately maintained garden across the street on the city Greenbelt.

The Community Center garden replaces 2,000 square feet of the block long lawn that covers the north and east grounds of the former junior high school.

Celebrating the completion of the Hermosa Beach Community Centers new native plant garden last Wednesday are Surfriders Craig Cadwalder, councilman Hany Fangary, West Basins Ron Wildermuth, California Water Services Rob Olsen and Susan Cordone, Surfriders Beth Crosse, West Basin trustee Carol Kwan, mayor Pete Tucker and landscape architect John Tikotsky . Photo by Kevin Cody

The garden the city removed was planted with city permission 13 years ago by Karen Bruns, who lives in the Marine Mobile Home Park, across from the Greenbelt.

All of the Community Centers new plants are drought tolerant, California natives. Rainwater collected from the Community Center roof and gray water from the citys purple water main provide the irrigation.

Hermosa Beach Mayor Pete Tucker and West Basin Water District board member Carol Kwan.

The garden is a model for residents and represents Hermosas leadership in environmental sustainability, Mayor Pete Tucker said at last Wednesdays ribbon cutting.

The $30,000 garden was largely funded by the West Basin Water District, whose board member Michelle Kwan noted that she has reduced her water bill to $35 a month by replacing the lawns at her Manhattan Beach home with California native plants.

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Greenbelt garden removed