The recent budget announced by the chancellor, Philip Hammond, raised a number of points that are of importance to the construction industry. Some of these will have a positive influence, whereas others will put further pressure on businesses in this sector. Here we look at the key points of interest to the industry and discuss what effect they may have.

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Infrastructure and housing

The government showed that it was committed to revising the National Infrastructure Pipeline and the National Infrastructure Delivery Plan, which will improve long-term confidence and shows the planned investment in infrastructure by the public and private sectors.

In the short term, however, net investment by the public sector is expected to drop between 2019/22 and 2022/25 as a proportion of the GDP; therefore, private sector investment will be vital to maintain the flow of work.

There were no big housing announcements made in the budget; however, the Lifetime ISA was introduced, which will eventually take over from the Help to Buy ISA launched at the end of last year.

The budget also included headline notes on planning reforms, which will include speeding up planning decisions, making land ownership more transparent and permission in principle. Planning problems are one of the main issues for SMEs looking to extend their business and these changes could be a massive benefit to companies that are now working with Tensile Fabric structures, such as https://www.spatialstructures.com/

Stamp duty changes

Changes that were confirmed to the stamp duty rates could also impact on the house building industry. An increase by three percentage points on stamp duty for additional properties comes into force on 1 April this year and this is expected to have a significant impact on the buy-to-let market, especially as large-scale investors will not now be exempt.

The number of investors buying properties has increased in the past few months ahead of the changes, pushing demand in February to its highest level in 12 years; however, we could now see lower levels of investment in the sector, which could be a risk for the build-to-rent market.

The budget did not really bring anything of true significance for the construction industry; on the other hand, there was nothing significant taken away and the sector is not hugely worse off than it was before. Nothing significant initially could be significant for the long term future of the construction industry as it relies on consistency with budgets.

Designing a website, whether it’s handled in-house or outsourced to an agency, is something that every business must do in order to succeed.

But the type of design which worked just a few years ago should not be seen as a perpetual asset to an organisation. It is instead sensible to make an ongoing commitment to update a site so that it is aligned with ever-changing user expectations. A Web design Gloucester agency such as  http://digi-tel.co.uk/gloucestershire-website-design/wordpress-web-design/ can assist a business in updating their website design appropriately. A major benefit of going with a web design specialist is they will be able to understand and adapt to the ever-changing customer desires and requests.

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Successful web design is defined by a number of things in 2019, with mobility in particular being a major influence that should not be ignored.

In fact, figures suggest that businesses are behind the curve when it comes to adapting their sites to cater to smartphone users and also in terms of how they communicate with employees about how devices can be used and what services can be accessed.

Search Supremacy

Even with social media increasing its grip on internet users’ attention, many businesses still rely on search engines to provide them with traffic and exposure, especially in the early days of a website’s existence.

Because of this, the design of a site must take into account the factors which are used to assign it a rank by Google’s automated algorithms. And this is where mobile-friendliness comes into play today.

Google is constantly making alterations to its search engine, and it is adding a test to assess the mobile-friendliness of sites directly so that there is no ambiguity about whether or not a particular site is up to scratch. It is even working on further changes to its mobile SERPs which could see thumbnail images return to the fray.

Because of this, the best advice is to invest in a responsive site that is not designed with one platform in mind but many. Every web design agency worth its salt will be able to help a business build a responsive site, which is crucial as mobile optimisation becomes a necessity.

Expanding into Other Ecosystems

A business site is a good jumping-off point for firms wanting to ensure that their online presence is being broadened effectively. But a site cannot exist in a bubble, and you need to think about the other ecosystems that are out there, ready to engage audiences and boost sales.

One aspect of this is the mobile app market, where businesses can create standalone software for customers and clients to download, keeping them in a more controlled environment and helping to increase the number of conversions.

Ensuring that apps are well designed and also placing links to them on the website so that they can be found will be sensible. Meanwhile, apps must also complement the online experience and feed into the success of a site, ensuring mutual expansion is possible.

Whichever country or region you live in, you will find that the materials used to construct houses, apartments and buildings are often reasonably priced and readily available. The abundance of certain raw materials will often direct the local construction industries’ end product; for example, an area filled with forests and an abundance of trees equates to timber abodes. The same applies to desert and frozen environments, where both sand-based structures and igloos can be found.

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Why does the UK love its bricks?

Clay is in abundance in the UK. As a key element in bricks, it is also the dominating factor when it comes to the construction of buildings. This creates uniformity, with the cladding often used in older homes to conform to these social expectations. This is especially important, as research shows that timber is prone to damp in addition to being a fire risk.

What is brick cladding?

Cladding is a component that is attached to a primary structure and forms a non-structural surface. Unlike a solid building, the cladding cannot stand on its own and does not increase the building’s stability; however, it does play a structural role and has numerous advantages:

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– It can provide openings for ventilation, daylight and access.
– It generates an increasingly airtight envelope.
– It prevents the spread of fire.
– It creates a uniform external façade.
– It provides thermal insulation.
– It is effective to prevent sound transmission.
– It adds an extra layer of security and privacy.
– It protects the building from external elements.
– It is lightweight and therefore easy to manipulate and handle during installation.
– It is very stylish and attractive and hides ugly and worn structures beautifully.

Well-designed, high-quality and properly installed cladding helps to reduce the need for continuous electrical and mechanical maintenance. It effectively improves energy, thereby lowering running costs.

The structural role that comes into play when using curtain wall, lumber or even brick cladding a building is the transference of wind loads, snow loads and impact loads.

The quality of the cladding plays a big role in the effectiveness and longevity of the project. While you can purchase it in various forms and material types, it is often available in prefabricated panels. Some even have additional components such as roof lights, gutters, doors and windows.

What happens to your property, money and possessions after your death is a concern for many people, and the best way to ensure that your estate is disposed of in line with your wishes is to make a will.

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If circumstances change during your lifetime, you can also amend your will by adding a codicil or executing a new document.

Inheritance

By making a will, you can ensure that you pay the minimum Inheritance tax on your estate.

An outline of probate, wills and inheritance can be found at the government’s own website.

Although you can write your own will and get it formally witnessed and signed, your estate could be complex. If so, it is best to seek legal advice. Wherever you are located, Mayfair, Mansfield or Manchester solicitors who are equipped to advise you can be found at sites such as https://bridgelawsolicitors.co.uk/offices/wilmslow-manchester/.

Using a solicitor is a good idea if you share a property with someone who is not your wife, husband or civil partner, or if you wish to leave property or money to a dependent who cannot look after themselves.

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Wishes

Other issues may arise if there are family members who may challenge your will, such as a second spouse or children from a previous relationship. You may have assets overseas or a business, in which case getting a professional to draw up your will and advise on possible tax relief is recommended.

Your will should set out who the beneficiaries are, care for any children under 18, what happens if a beneficiary pre-deceases you, and who is to carry out your wishes and act as executor of the will.

You should also ensure you keep your will in a safe place, either with your solicitor or bank or in a will storage facility. Always ensure a third party, ideally the executor, knows where your will is kept.

Although people often do not want to think about events after death, it is vital not to delay in making a will once you begin to accumulate assets, including pension rights. Making a will means that you will save your family or partner unnecessary distress at what is already a difficult time for them.

Without a will, everything will be shared in a manner defined by law and may not reflect your wishes.

Cheltenham has lots to boast about, from stunning architecture to historic sights. Here are the town’s top iconic places to visit:

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1. Cheltenham Racecourse

This world-famous racecourse attracts 700,000 visitors annually. Since 1818, it has hosted some of the most famous races in the world.

2. Pittville Pump Room

One of the town’s most iconic sites, situated at the top of the park, this Grade I listed edifice is fringed by its magnificent colonnade. The breathtaking entrance and domed ceiling make the Pump Room an extraordinary sight.

3. Everyman Theatre

This gem has been welcoming audiences for 130 years and the inspirational auditorium was designed by Frank Matcham.

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4. The Rotunda

This Grade I listed building, resplendent with its colonnade and dome ceiling is now home to the Ivy Montpellier Brasserie, it also boasts a magnificent central bar.

5. Imperial Gardens

The gardens offer a most delightful setting for picnics as well as a landscaped area within the town setting. In the summer months, both the alfresco bar and bandstand entice throngs of visitors.

6. The Daffodil

This unique building is one of Cheltenham’s stars. Its period features include a sweeping staircase, distinctive chequered floor and impressive art-deco dining room.

7. Cheltenham Town Hall

This Grade II listed Town Hall boasts Baroque-style architecture, circled by Corinthian-style columns. Visitors can delight in the interiors, which includes the breathtaking coved ceiling.

8. Cheltenham Ladies College

The college’s renowned copper dome was originally built as an observatory at the end of the 19th century, designed to revolve to take in views of the night sky.

If you’re having a celebration in the town and are looking for a Cheltenham photographer, someone like https://www.stevemacphotography.co.uk can help.

9. Sandford Parks Lido

This historic lido has welcomed visitors for over 80 years. The town’s most esteemed summer spot, it offers the perfect day out for swimmers of all ages.

10. The Royal Crescent

Creating a breathtaking, sweeping arch in the town centre, these Georgian townhouses are a perfect example of Cheltenham’s period architecture – http://www.bbc.co.uk/gloucestershire/content/articles/2005/05/13/cheltenham_history_feature.shtml.

11. Pittville Park

First opened in 1825, Pittville Park is well known for its utopian lake, attracting everyone from nature lovers to families.

12. The Promenade

From prestigious shops and talked about cafes to the Neptune Fountain, this cosmopolitan spot is nestled in the heart of town.

Applying foundation and lipstick is quite straightforward compared to getting your eye makeup right. Here are six tricks you need to know in order to nail it.

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Choose the right tools

Your brush makes a real difference to applying eyeshadow well. A soft and fluffy brush will apply less colour than a firmer one, giving a much more natural look. If you are aiming to create a defined crease, a pointed, tapering brush will give you a soft and diffused line.

Choose the best shade of eyeshadow

Your natural eye colour defines which eyeshadow shades suit you best. People with hazel or brown eyes are fortunate because almost any colour will look good, but a greyish beige is always really flattering. If you have green eyes, warm shades that include a little red will emphasise the golden flecks, or you could opt for something neutral such as the Vanity Flare Nude Eyeshadow Palette from Benefit cosmetics. Blue eyes often look good with the peachy gold warmer shades of eyeshadow but as Marie Claire says, you should choose whatever you feel best with and never be afraid to take risks.

Apply eyeshadow to flatter your eye shape

If you aim to make your eyes look bigger, choose warmer tones and emphasise your eyes by taking it higher and lower than normal. To make round eyes appear more feline, blend the eyeshadow out and up towards the outer corner of your eye. People with hooded lids can use more colour because it is really only visible when your eye closes. A range of eye makeup is available from companies such as https://www.carapharmacy.com/en/Benefit/b-743.aspx.

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Try a subtle approach

If you want a more understated look, try using tinted eyeshadow primer to add a wash of colour to your eyelids. Primers are not unlike cream eyeshadows and you can add a little definition by running a brush along to define the crease.

Try a cut crease

Sharp cut creases do not suit everyone but you can compromise by applying a soft line of metallic colour in the crease that will not give a heavy look, but will define the shape of your eyes.

Clean up any mistakes

If you hold a fan brush under the eye while you are applying eyeshadow, any stray bits will drop on to the brush rather than on your foundation.

There will be times in all our lives when the National Grid lets us down. Many people alive today will remember frequent power cuts due to industrial action, brown outs in extended cold weather, days without power after floods and gales, and the occasional local disaster due to road excavations or sub-station burn-outs. Then add the many occasions when power fails due to shorts or overloads inside your own home.

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Mains supply is not a constant. Once upon a time, Britain relied upon its inexhaustible coal supplies, but today almost all sources of power are imported and therefore exposed to the many political instabilities looming on the horizon.

And what about those occasions when you need power too far from the mains supply? Perhaps you want to spend time literally off-grid. There are great property bargains to be had if you can supply your own power. When you only want to bridge the gap until mains power is connected, a generator rental will suffice. In other cases, you’ll want a permanent or backup supply.

Weather

Always plan in readiness for extreme weather, as it always happens. The floods of 2007, blizzards of 2009, and the Great Storm of 1987 left families without power for weeks. In winter, that’s a serious threat: your family may have to be evacuated, disrupting your job, damaging your income, and leaving your home unprotected.

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Generator rental

Rental is an option if you plan it in advance. Long term rentals are cheaper than short ones, so are an alternative to buying. Long-term planning means you can have infrastructure in place so that emergency power cuts in automatically in a power failure. Your appliances keep running without interruption. This is vital if you have hundreds of pounds of food in the freezer, a basement conversion that uses a pump to keep it dry, or a business that needs to stay open. Any generator rental professionals will be happy to advise you how this works.

If you’re thinking it makes sense to rent only after an emergency arises, remember that when the power fails across a wide area, it’s too late. Even if you can still get to a rental company, others might have got there before you.

A standby generator can be installed directly into your building’s electrical panel and will be powered by propane or diesel.b

The spring/summer collections for 2019 have hit the shops, and they’re hotter than ever. From noose hoodies to shackled models, there’s been a lot of controversy on the catwalk this winter as the summer clothes have been showcased. Which of these trends have hit the shops and which ones will we be wearing from spring?

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1. Utility Shorts

Those of us who prefer to keep the very upper echelons of our thighs covered up will be relieved to hear that functional, utility-style shorts are going to win over hot pants or tiny denim cutaways. This year’s shorts are looser and less fitted than in previous years, but they are likely to come in a wide range of patterns, colours and materials.

2. Tiny pleats

As the pleat trend evolves, they’re getting smaller. Tiny pleats were seen on both skirts and dresses on the catwalks. These micro pleats have the added bonus of aiding better movement than wider pleats and being more flattering.

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3. Fantastic flats

Every few years, flat shoes come back with a bang, and that’s because we all prefer being comfortable to having aching soles. This year’s flats have had a seriously fancy make-over, however. Flats with tassels, flats with feathers, flats with fake fur… there really is nowhere this trend can’t go. Expect to see shoes in the season’s top colours and patterns such as green, yellow, animal print and neon.

4. Tie-Dye

The fashion world has finally come back to the funkiness that is tie-dye. Seen on T-shirts, hoodies and maxi dresses (https://www.axparis.com/collections/maxi-dresses), tie-dye is the perfect laid-back summer choice. Want to go for a truly authentic look? Make your own tie-dye clothes at home!

5. Big hats

Whether you have a wedding to attend or you simply want to make a statement, an oversized hat is the perfect accessory for spring and summer 2019. This trend covers everything from wide-brimmed and beekeeper hats to straw hats, floppy hats and fab ’90s bucket hats. As with all the best fashion trends, oversized hats have a practical bonus: they’re good for protecting your face from the sun. They also look super sassy!

Will you be wearing any of these trends? Come back for five more trends for spring from the catwalks in our next fashion post.

When the nights draw in and stormy weather batters our homes, we all crave a roaring log fire, a soft blanket to hide under and a pair of fluffy slippers to relax in. The Danish phrase hygge (pronounced hoo-gah) refers to the unique native concept of intimacy and cosiness. It means enjoying the ordinary, soothing and inexpensive things in life.

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The trend has now spread globally. To create authentic hygge in your own dwelling, get yourself a warm drink, put on a chunky sweater, and follow the tips below.

1 Turn up the heat

A flickering fire will instantly bring intimacy to any space. If you lack a fireplace in your abode, create a cosy and warm vibe by creating clusters of candles of many shapes and sizes.

Kayleigh Tanner, chief of the UK-based blog Hello Hygge remarks that her favourites are Yankee Candles with scents like vanilla and cinnamon, but she says a collection of inexpensive tea lights will work just as well.

2 Foster the outdoors inside

Nature is inherently stress-busting and relaxing. Take a cue from the natural world and bring some greenery into your home. Do you have problems keeping plants alive? Use natural materials like stone, leather and wood in your rooms.

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3 Switch off the lights

Overhead lights are typically too bright to bring that homely feeling you crave to your room, unless you have got a dimmer. So switch off your overhead light and use table lamps as an alternative.

A metal log holder will make a stylish statement next to your hearth. For where to find a metal log holder, suppliers include https://www.themetaltree.co.uk/ metal log holders.

FamilyEducation also suggests some hints for introducing hygge to your abode: https://www.familyeducation.com/videos/9-ways-to-bring-hygge-into-your-home.

4 Streamline

Small spaces can be cosy, preferably when they are uncluttered. Kate Marengo, president of Interior Chicago, comments that people can’t relax in overwhelming spaces. So before you bring in your hygge touches (a throw, candles, books), follow declutterer Marie Kondo’s style and get rid of extraneous objects that don’t make you happy.

5 Embrace something soft

Hygge is all about texture, says Pia Edberg, author of The Cozy Life and based in Vancouver. She suggests arranging soft items around yourself such as fluffy pillows, knitted fleece throws, comfy furniture and shagpile rugs.