Business

How to run a building site efficiently and effectively.

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A building site of any size needs to be organised, efficient and effective for it to run smoothly, contractors, suppliers, labourers, and the site manager have to communicate well together on a daily basis.  Having a professional company like https://www.tc-consult.co.uk/service/quantity-surveying/ on your team will certainly make your lives much easier as they are one of only just a few elite specialist Quantity Surveying Companies.  Keeping communications open and honest between all the teams is essential and an experienced Quantity Surveyor will have a wealth of experience behind them in order to ensure these crucial talks are conducted effectively.

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A building site can potentially be a fatal place to work with all the building machinery and equipment as well as labourers possibly working at incredible heights. The most common injury to occur on any building site is a fall and these accidents make up 35% of all construction injuries.  Falling from scaffolds, roofs, ladders or chimneys, it depends on the height from which the fall occurs as to the possible severity of the accident.  Having a well organised, well-run site will certainly reduce the potential for any unfortunate accidents.

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An honest, down-to-earth, practical approach from your professional Quantity Surveyor means that all the way from the first feasibility study until the final hand-over at the end of the building project the day to day working of the site will be smooth and the success of the build will be guaranteed.

Home Improvement

Who is responsible for repairing and maintaining drains and sewer pipes?

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Problems with drains and sewer pipes can cause headaches, not only due to the inconvenience that results, but also from trying to work out who is responsible for fixing the issue. To try and minimise your stress, let’s take a look at who is responsible for what, ensuring that you’re in the know if future problems arise. Continue reading Who is responsible for repairing and maintaining drains and sewer pipes? →

Lifestyle

Ruislip Lido is a beautiful, sandy beach on the Piccadilly Line in West London

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Living and working in London can be incredibly hectic, with thousands of people travelling around the busy city for work and leisure. Having a stunning sandy beach on your doorstep at the Ruislip Lido and the seven-hundred-acre nature reserve and woodland to go to and unwind certainly helps the lucky locals and inhabitants of London. The beach may be artificial but the beauty of the landscape with the magnificent trees, sandy beach and wonderful natural environment is real.  If you are lucky enough to live near this area you will know that the lakes were used during the second World War for training Aircrew in survival techniques.

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Being a local to this beautiful part of London you will also know that there are professional, locally based companies like http://www.theboyswhosew.co.uk who are specialist Curtain Makers London, who can provide you, your family and friends with quality, bespoke fabrics and curtains for your homes.  Living near the city and working in a busy business environment, you want your home to reflect a warmth and calmness that encapsulates your family dynamics. Quality fabrics used to make your individually designed window coverings that keep in the warmth in the cold winter months but allow the air to circulate throughout the hot summer.

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Tasteful designs that reflect your families style and taste and made from quality, practical fabrics that will stand the test of time, just like the beach, woodland and nature reserve on your doorstep.

Home Improvement

Choosing the Right Flooring for Each Room of Your Home

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There are so many flooring choices nowadays, and making the right decision is a big part of making sure that your home is not only practical and suited to your needs, but also that it looks good and fits in with your own personal style.

When you are deciding on flooring, both of these things play a big part in the decision that you make, and it can often be easier to think on a room by room basis, working out what you need from each room and also fitting the choice of flooring in with the decoration and style of that room.

Here are some of the main rooms in the home to consider, and what to think about when you are making the decision…

Kitchen – This flooring needs to be practical and durable. A hard flooring that is easy to clean is always best for the kitchen. You can get a professional clean done on hard flooring by someone like this hard floor cleaning Cheltenham based company intocleaning.co.uk/services/hard-floor-cleaning-gloucestershire/Cheltenham to keep the kitchen floor looking its best.

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Hallway – The most wear and tear on a floor comes through the front door and into the hallway. This means that you are going to need to prioritise durability of the flooring and also choose something that is resistant to scuffs and dents.

Bathroom – A bathroom floor needs to be able to deal with a lot of moisture, so this should be the first thing that you prioritise when you are choosing a floor for your bathroom. As well as this, you might want to use underfloor heating in the bathroom to keep the floor warm, so have a look into the types of flooring that work best with this type of flooring.

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Bedroom – In the bedroom, you want a floor that promotes the feeling of comfort. Carpet is a popular choice, but you don’t have to go for carpet. A bedroom with wooden flooring and some soft rugs can be equally cosy.

Living Room – The way that you use your living room and the layout of the room are two things that you need to consider when choosing flooring for this room. If you gather in the kitchen or family room, or you have a living room that is part of an open plan design, then your choice for this room may be different to if you have a room that is used less frequently.

Business

Using Marketing and Branding to Help your Business Grow and Succeed

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To grow a small business, you need to make sure that you get your name out there. Marketing is essential, whether you have a business that is large or small – however, before you start, you firstly need to have a strong brand.

Branding a business is something that requires a lot of thought. A brand is more than a company logo, or uniform – you need to get across a message about your business, your values and what makes you stand out. A strong brand is something that people become familiar with, building a relationship of trust.

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There is a lot that goes into creating a brand – from using the right colours to thinking about your brand values. Once you have the right branding, you can then go forward and start to think about how you will market your company effectively.

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Online marketing should not be ignored in this day and age – for a small business, local SEO can be really beneficial. Get in touch with a professional like this SEO services provider https://www.rycomarketing.ie/seo-services/ who will be able to help you to target the area that you want and help you be found online.

Social media is also something that many businesses, both large and small make the most of in regards to marketing. Different social media platforms can be really beneficial, helping you connect to other local businesses and also to target your particular market for your business.

Reviews

Brexit – The Best or Worst Decision?

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One of the most divisive things to happen in the UK in the last decade – something that will go down in history as the best or the worst big decision made by the UK (depending on which side you are on) is Brexit.

With many public figures and politicians taking a side and arguing their point vehemently, the decision to leave the EU was huge news, and changed the way that the UK would go forward, breaking apart from Europe and going it alone.

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The weeks in the lead up to Britain were unusual and often fraught – with bizarre scenes such as Bob Geldof chasing Nigel Farage on a boat down the Thames, to the now infamous Brexit bus, touring the country offering the princely sum of 350 million pounds to go to funding the National Health Service.

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This frenzy of activity and high feelings and strong opinions boiled over when the MP Jo Cox, the Labour MP for Batley and Spen, was killed by an ardent Brexit supporter, shocking a nation that was seemingly in the grip of a civil war.

As the day of the referendum arrived, the stock markets at least seemed confident that the result would swing in favour of remain – however, by a small margin, it was in fact leave that took the highest share of the votes, starting a series of events that saw Britain start making plans to leave the EU.

The former advisor to Tony Blair, and mental health campaigner, Alastair Campbell, is someone who was passionately against the decision – the Editor for the New European https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/contributor/alastair-campbell/ he has made no secret of the fact that he believes Brexit to be the worst decision made in his lifetime by the UK.

In June 2023, we will be seven years on from that deciding day, and with both remain and leave sides still divided, it looks like it is still something that stirs up some strong feelings.

Business Studies

Evacuating a business or site in a timely manner

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No matter what business you are in or if you are running a leisure or Recreation site there is a  vital need to have an evacuation procedure in place should the worst happen.   The most common occurrence with such things is usually a fire risk.  Should the fire alarm be activated it is essential that everybody is evacuated as soon as possible and that everyone is accounted for who is on site or in the building.  This is why many businesses look to use a Visitor sign in system, like those from suppliers like https://www.ofec.co.uk/visitor-management-system-uk. These systems allow staff and Fire officers the ability to know that  all of the members of staff and public have been successfully evacuated from the property safely.

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With this system it means that safety is of paramount importance and will act as a protection for incoming fire service members.  The last thing that they will need to do is have to enter the building to ensure that everyone is out safe.

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If this means that you will need to work with your staff to create evacuation points outside of the building so that people can be accounted for when they reach them.  The best way to do this is to allocate space to different departments and teams so that everyone is organised into small manageable groups to be counted.  It also means that teams and staff have a location to head for.

Home Improvement

Six predictions for the residential sector this year

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Last year, house prices dipped at their fastest level since 2008, whilst the cost of borrowing spiralled. Many are hoping that 2023 will bring more stability to a volatile property market. So what have the experts predicted for 2023?

Ageing population

The 2021 census confirmed there were over 11 million people, accounting for 18.6% of the total population, who were aged 65 years or older. With an ageing UK population, this will lead to an increased demand for retirement homes and investment in the sector. Experts predict that there will be an increase in the number of retirement homes available on the property market.

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Co-Living Accommodation

As the cost of living continues to rise and disposable incomes are under pressure, there will be an increase in demand for co-living accommodation. In recent years this has become a popular choice, and 2023 will see more people choosing to live in shared accommodation to keep costs down. Competition will be fierce, so it may be advisable to go with a no sale no fee conveyancing service when you find your property.

Second Homes

During the pandemic, we collectively experienced different ways of working. Many staff are still working from home or have hybrid work arrangements. With an increase in flexible working and re-evaluation of life priorities, there has been an increased demand for second homes, with more people investing in property in rural locations. Competition for second homes will increase. Being in a position to make an offer quickly will be important, and choosing a no sale no fee conveyancing service such as that seen here: https://www.samconveyancing.co.uk/news/conveyancing/no-sale-no-fee-conveyancing-153 will avoid any unnecessary costs if the purchase falls through.

Property Investors

As the market becomes increasingly favourable for buyers, property investors are on the lookout for development opportunities, particularly as demand for affordable housing far outstrips the supply. Unfortunately, as the cost of living increases and with many people struggling, affordable housing will be needed more than ever. A number of social housing properties, in addition to an increasing percentage of cheaper private rental properties will be snapped up in 2023.

Bad news for first time buyers

Unfortunately, first time buyers will not have an easy ride in 2023. The cost of living means that many who are trying to get onto the property ladder will be competing with others who already have sizable deposits readily available, making the first time buyers market highly competitive. The average age of the first time buyer is likely to increase, predicted to be at around the 30 to 35 mark.

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Lenders will diversify

As the property market picks up, lenders are more likely to offer more competitive rates on mortgages. The lending market will be tough, however. Back in 2008, lenders who diversified seemed best set to survive, and this is likely to be the case in 2023.

Although 2023 is likely to offer more stability in the housing market and bring in much-needed investment, competition will be tough for buyers.

Business

Methods of Employee Training

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To keep your employees motivated and productive, you will likely invest in training, and there are many ways to keep your employees learning and developing their skills.

On the Job

One employee can instruct another in a new skill or supervise them in undertaking a project in a new area. Success can depend on the quality of the trainer, and when someone is regularly training new starters or members of their team, they should be trained in how to prepare and coach to get the best out of them.

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Off the Job

A trainee will have to take time away from their day-to-day work to attend a course, seminar, or lecture which teaches them something new. Conference attendance is another off-the-job training employers invest in for their team members.

Online

Online training courses can be a great way to grow your business’s skills because employees can fit online training modules into their working patterns. They can complete the training when they feel most comfortable. Find out about Train The Trainer Courses by visiting collegeofpublicspeaking.co.uk/courses/train-the-trainer-courses

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Apprenticeships

A combination of gaining practical knowledge working on the job and learning theory in a classroom, apprenticeships are something that most employers are required to invest in. An apprenticeship can last four or five years and be completed while working when the employer consents their employees to take time out of their regular work to study.

Training Centres

Instructors can give training on new equipment and unique processes on machines in training centres, where a worker can learn how to use them without the pressure of everyday work happening around them.

Combining some of these training methods can mean you have a rich and personalised employee training and development programme which adds value to your business in the long term.

Home Improvement

Installing a Television Aerial in your New Build Property

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Buying a new build house is advantageous in many ways. They are a good way to get onto the property ladder as there are lots of schemes in place to help people to own their own home, and also the fact is that a new build house is unlikely to have any problems with it and will not need a survey to be done as it has just been built!

Another reason why people like new build homes is the fact that they are guaranteed for ten years, so if anything does go wrong you can have it put right by the developer at no cost to you, and that is great for giving you peace of mind.

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Something that you are likely to find with a new build house is that there is unlikely to be an aerial installed. This is something worth asking the developer about when you buy it, as it may also not have the cabling in place for one either (although the majority of new build homes will have this). In fact, if you have purchased the property before it is finished, you may also be able to have a say in where the wiring is and where the sockets will go – this is always something worth asking about.

When it comes to having an aerial installed on your new build property it is always best to get a professional like this TV aerial installation Gloucester based company to do it for you. When doing this it is also a good idea to check if there are any restrictions in the area that say where an aerial can be placed.

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It is also worth letting your aerial installer know how many televisions you will have in the property. This is because you may need to have splitters and amplifiers put in to ensure that all televisions can get a good signal in the property. By getting a professional to do this you can also ensure that the wires are not unsightly, especially if you want the television to be wall mounted, and also that they are connected safely. Additionally, the wrong fittings may actually make the signal worse.