Clearsite Marketing

In short, the answer is likely no. As with most things however, there’s usually a BUT. There are certain regulations, requirements and conditions that must be met should a local Building Control Inspector pay your new conservatory a visit.

If you have extended your property in the past (regardless of what type of extension) first and foremost you may require planning permission due to using up your permitted development rights. In this case, seek out your Local Building Control officer and they will advise on a case by case basis.

The Local Authority dictates the rules enforced in your area. The rules mentioned below cover England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have variations which should be confirmed locally before proceeding with building a conservatory.

Conservatory Construction Check List

If you can say yes to all of the below, you stand in good chance of a passable conservatory build.

• A conservatory added to a side wall must be half of the width of the house, or less.
  

e.g. 4 metre wide house may have a 2 metre wide conservatory.

• Those living on “designated land” do not have the sidewall conservatory privilege. Designated land includes conservation areas, national parks and areas considered of outstanding natural beauty. All of the above areas are not permitted sidewall conservatories. If you reside in a listed property, you will also have additional obligations that you should check with your Local Authority before initiating conservatory construction works.

• A new conservatory (and any other extensions) must not take up more than 50% of your outdoor land. You should count sheds and other outhouses as part of this when working out the 50% rule.

e.g. If you have 10 metres2 of outside land, and you have a medium sized shed of 3 metres2, your conservatory would have to be a limiting 2 metres2 to comply!

• A single storey conservatory can have a maximum height of 4 metres. This applies whether it is attached to a rear wall or side wall.

e.g. A conservatory (with no upper floor) cannot be any taller than 4 metres. At this height it may well mean it could obstruct upstairs windows, but alas, 4 metres is the maximum height allowed.

• You cannot attach a conservatory to the front of your property if it is facing a highway.

e.g. If you live in a field then you could probably add a conservatory to the front of your property. On the other hand, if you live on a public street, you cannot.

• If you live in a detached house, a conservatory added to a rear wall must be no longer than 4 metres. Those in a semi-detached / terrace can have a maximum length of 3 metres.

• If there is not a 2 metre space between your conservatory and your boundary / fencing (this 2 metre rule is determined by the direction your conservatory protrudes from your building) then the guttering / eaves cannot exceed a height 3 metres.

e.g. A conservatory affixed to the rear wall of your property must have a gap of 2 metres between it and the bottom of the garden. If there is not a 2 metre space, the conservatory eaves (guttering level) cannot be set higher than 3 metres.

The UK’s self storage industry has come on leaps and bounds over the last few years and its simple concept has triumphed throughout the economic downturn. The industry’s business model has enticed commercial property investors and has become a low entry option for property investors.

Over the pond in the USA, Bloomberg has named self storage investment as the best real estate investment of the past decade, stating that the industry ‘produced the best risk-adjusted return among 10 U.S. real estate investment trust indexes.’

The Bloomberg Riskless Return Ranking also stated that ‘self storage investment had the highest total return and the third-lowest volatility, for a risk-adjusted gain of 10.6%’.

UK Self Storage Market

Mirroring the success of the US market, the popularity of self storage investment is also on the rise in the UK.  An increase of online presence has helped boost enquiries and bookings from end users, with one leading UK storage company stating that 80% of all its customers check websites before making contact.

The increased awareness of storage facilities has led to a rise in demand from consumers and businesses in the UK. Gone are the days where moving house or converting a loft space meant a clear out of personal possessions.  Easily accessible storage units have enabled people to store their much-loved items in a safe and secure unit with 24 hour security.

What’s more, low cost rentals and flexible tenancies have attracted businesses in need of storage, with many larger units used as warehouses to cut overhead costs.

London-based agent, Experience International is offering a UK self storage investment opportunity where investors will secure 10 net annual average returns. Managed by a well-known and experienced Management Company, investors can enter this commercial property investment from only £11,250.

Enabling investors to secure higher returns than more traditional investments, this fully-managed opportunity will enable investors to receive a 6 year secured income with income paid quarterly in advance.
Management Company
The Management Company behind Experience International’s storage investment has worked on improving visibility and presence to enhance its target marketing campaigns. Its methods include clear branding through signage, placards, billboards, mail drops and a focused online marketing campaign.

Focusing on both consumer and business markets, the Management Company has a substantial budget to push forward sales to achieve high occupancy levels, making this a high yielding self storage investment for investors.

For more information about self storage investment contact Experience International on 0207 321 5858 or email enquiries@experience-international.co.uk.

Article provided by Self Storage Investment

Have you found your dream home in sunny Spain, and plan to leave the rain in Britain behind? You might have found cheap flights to Scotland, or cheap flights to Australia?  Do you import and export for your business, and make regular foreign payments?  If so, then you probably know that getting a good foreign currency exchange rate is imperative.  Imagine for instance that you’re about to change £200,000 into euros.  Go to your bank, and you could receive a rate that leaves you thousands of pounds out of pocket compared to a foreign exchange broker.  That is of course a punch on the nose no one needs.  But how then do you sidestep the foreign exchange pitfalls?  How do you come out on top, and receive a rate that will help you start your life abroad best foot forward?  To give you a headstart, we’ve put together some helpful advice.  Read it through, and changing currencies the next time should be a breeze.

1. Plan ahead

One simple tip to get a top foreign exchange rate is to plan ahead.  If you think about it, this is something you would ordinarily do for most big purchases anyway.  For instance, picture a family planning a foreign holiday.  They decide that this year a two week break in New Zealand sounds fantastic.  But instead of booking the hotel and flights month in advance, they decide to turn up at the airport on the day.  Of course, they’re fleeced for every penny they have.  You wouldn’t do this, and it should be identical with your foreign exchange.  If you know you need to change currencies, call your foreign exchange broker as far in advance as possible.  This will enable you to talk through your circumstances, and arrange a transaction appropriate to you.  The alternative is waiting until the last minute, and being forced to accept whatever rate is available.

2. Beware the high street banks

Our second tip is to beware the high street banks.  This is because, as I mentioned, banks provide substantially inferior exchange rates that can leave you thousands of pounds out of pocket.  It’s a little like planning to purchase a new television, and finding two shops to choose between.  Each provides exactly the same model with the same guarantees.  One though is £50 more expensive.  It just doesn’t make sense to choose it!  In fact, in most cases foreign exchange brokers will guarantee to beat your high street bank.  So you can rest assured of a saving.

Whether you are looking for an effective organisational tool for storing small parts or bins from which to pull products that are ready to ship, choosing the right parts bins can save you time and money over the course of time. Begin choosing the best bin for the job by familiarizing yourself with common types of parts bins.

Shelving Bins

If the job calls for a large number of medium to large bins, a shelving unit with easy to pull bins provides a quick solution for products of different sizes. Personalize the unit by choosing different colored bins for each different sku series or type of product. Shelving units on wheels provided the added convenience of easy relocation.

Union Bins

Union bins are slotted to fit directly together with no need for assembly tools or shelving. This type of parts bins comes in multiple sizes and is best used for making short stacks of products. The higher the stack, the less stable the bins. The drawback of Union Bins over shelving bins is you have to take the bins apart if you just want to relocate one bin. With shelving units, you just pull the bin and go.

View Bins

View Bins look like clear drawers in a stationary case. The bins tilt out to allow for easy access to the contents. These bins are good for small items and many View Bins are available with a locking bar, which make them a great addition to a service van because the lock means you don’t have to worry about the bins falling open.

Corrugated Board Bins

Corrugated Board Bins are an economical bins solution for small to medium-sized products. While the bins are sturdy, they are ideal as a temporary organization solution only.

Steel Tote Bins

Made of steel, the Tote Bins are the ultimate in durability. Made of galvanized steel construction, these bins are made to withstand heavy products. Steel Tote Bins comes in a variety of sizes and configurations.

Drawer Units

Drawer Units are drawer bins with clear or semi-clear fronts. These units are designed from small items, and with the added full enclosure feature, better at keeping dust from sensitive products better than other options.

Before you buy parts bins, consider the long-term use of the bins, the budget available for the purchase and the size of the parts. You should buy the best durability bin that you can afford in the right size, and if you do that you may never have to replace them again.

Anyone who has travelled on the French Autoroute will have at some point experienced toll booths.  In France the Autoroute system is semi-privatised; with the government owning the road network, but companies having control of the administration.  In order to maintain the roads a toll system is in place, which is collected at booths along the distance of the Autoroute.  These toll booths can be prove both inconvenient and time consuming to motorists travelling in France.  This is where Télépéage technology can help.

How it works

The phrase Télépéage is a French one that relates to all automated toll payment systems.  Each company that has interests in the Autoroute system produces their own Télépéage tag that helps to speed up the process of passing through French tolls.  It should be noted that a tag sourced from one toll road company will allow payment on the whole of the Autoroute system; you don not require a separate tag for each section of road that is run by a different company.

The tag, which is fitted to your windscreen behind the rear-view mirror, contains a transponder which is detected by a beacon as you approach the toll booth.  The barrier then opens and allows you to pass through the toll station with minimal hassle.  Be aware that only special Télépéage traffic lanes are fitted with beacon detectors – they are always clearly marked.

The benefits

The first obvious benefit is that you won’t have to stop at the tolling booth to make your payment, which can save you valuable time.  You will have to slow down to 30kmph – however, the system works well and traffic keeps on rolling without queues forming.  Aside from saving time, there are other benefits and especially for British drivers.  Due to the fact that the French drive on the right-hand side of the road, the toll booth payment windows are located on the wrong side of the window for British cars.  Therefore you either have to get out and run round to make your payment or lean across the passenger seat.  In some instances it may be that your passenger is taking a nap and you don’t want to disturb them.  Even if you get out and walk round to make your payment; the slamming of the car door might be enough to wake your passenger or the kids in the back seat if you have any.  Utilising Télépéage technology results in a smooth and uninterrupted journey; providing your passengers with the opportunity to get some sleep.

Cost

When you register for a Télépéage tag you will have to provide your bank details.  The cost of each toll used will then be automatically deducted from your account.  Other charges for the running of your account are applicable, with the cost varying dependant on the company that you purchase from.  However, running costs are relatively low and outweighed by the convenience that Télépéage technology offers.

Wire baskets are a common site in all manner of retail outlets across the globe.  From supermarkets to clothes stores; they are a useful tool with which consumers are able to transport their chosen products around the store as they continue their shopping.  They play an important role in the retail sector and help businesses to maximise their profit capabilities.  However, an unsuitable wire basket can cause frustration within customers and potentially be harmful to the business.  Here we look at the key attributes that make a quality wire basket.

Durability

The nature of wire basket’s role means that they are likely to suffer some bumps and scrapes as they are negotiated around the shop.  Therefore it is essential that they are sturdy and won’t become misshapen when subjected to a bit of rough treatment.  Don’t try and save money by going for the cheapest options available to you as it is likely that they will end up costing you more in the long run as you have to replace them sooner.

The right size for the job

Not all retail outlets stock the same items and this should be taken into consideration when ordering wire baskets.  It is essential that you get the right sized option that will hold your stock in a suitable manner without causing frustration to your customers.  Whilst making your decision you should also consider the spacing of the mesh involved as too large a gap between the wire may result in smaller items slipping through the gap.

Considering safety

Health and safety is an important subject for all retailers and no business wants to be the subject to an accident claim.  Therefore if you stock larger items that won’t easily fit into hand held wire baskets you may want to consider shopping trolleys in addition to carried options.  This should help reduce the likelihood of trips and injuries caused by carrying heavy items.

The right image

The final attribute that you should be looking for in your wire baskets centres on aesthetics.  Baskets should always be placed at the entrance to the shop, meaning that they are one of the first things that your customers will see.  If they are greeted by an old rusty shopping basket they will instantly have a bad impression of your business.  So go for models that use materials that won’t rust over time.  Also be sure the replace them once them become worn in order to maintain the image of your shop.

The people of the UK are renowned across the globe as being ones that are great lovers of animals.  The reputation is well earned and this can be seen from the number of homeowners that regularly invest in garden bird food.  If you aren’t someone who chooses to purchase garden bird food, here is a list of the five key benefits that may make you change your mind.

Helping the local wildlife

By providing the birds with garden bird food you can go a long way to helping the local wildlife.  Whilst you may think that the birds around your home are doing fine on their own, they do sometimes need a helping hand.  This is especially the case during the winter months when food can be scarce and when birds are feeding young chicks.  If you provide garden bird food new parents are then able to give any live bugs and insects that they catch straight to their young, without going hungry themselves.

Great to watch

Sitting outside in the garden and enjoying the sun is a great way to relax and forget about the stresses of everyday life.  Being in a tranquil environment is essential if you are to relax properly and being able to watch the birds in your garden help to create a serene setting.

Soothing sounds

In addition to the joy of watching birds flutter around your garden, you can also take pleasure from the fantastic songs that many of them sing.  There are even special garden bird food options available that are focussed on attracting song birds.

Helping the garden

Whilst birds will certainly take advantage of any garden bird food that you leave out for them; they do need a balanced diet.  Therefore they will still look for other food options, such as bugs.  By attracting birds to your garden you increase the chances that they will eat any troublesome bugs that they find and therefore help your plants survive.

Educating the kids

Young children are often very interested in animals and will spend lots of time watching them.  If you have garden bird food in your garden then the presence of birds should entrain your children or grandchildren for many hours.  You also have the opportunity to teach them about the nature around them by providing them with information on the birds; helping them learn the names and how to differentiate one from another.

Anyone who has had the pleasure of moving home will understand the stresses that such an ordeal can cause.  It is difficult trying to deal with all the packed boxes, whilst chasing up the removal van and contacting the utility companies.  In some instances it may even be that you aren’t able to move into your new home right away and so have to stay with friends or family for a week or two.  Research has shown that moving house is in fact one of the very most stressful tasks that we ever undertake and is right up there with divorce and bereavement.  Here we consider how the use of self storage can greatly help you alleviate some of the stress involved in moving home.

A short term solution

If you are faced with having to move into the home of a friend or family member the main problem that you face is lack of space.  Not only will the sleeping arrangements be problematic; it is unlikely that there will be any room to store your larger furniture items.  Rather than trying to find space for it in the spare room or garage of those close to you, it is much easier to rent some self storage on a short term basis to store all of your gear.  This way, once you do finally get the keys to your new home you aren’t faced with the task of collecting items from many properties.  This can be a real blessing when you consider having to make your way through the busy streets, before finding a suitable parking spot.  With self storage you will be provided with plenty of space to park your vehicle and load up your items.

Bridging the gap

Any house move is stressful, however those over longer distances are more so.  If you are moving more than a few miles you don’t have the option of nipping back and forth between the properties.  You are also faced with the task of having to unload after a long journey.  If you rent some self storage space near to your new property you can actually begin moving your stuff before your moving in date.  By relocating your nonessential items you can greatly reduce the amount of stuff you have to transport on moving day.  This means that you have much less to transport on moving day which reduces the chances of forgetting anything.  You then have some breathing space to organise your new home and get it reasonably tidy, before collecting the rest of your belongings from the self storage depot.

With the engineering industry’s constantly advancing techniques and the wide variety of products now developed by machinery it’s perhaps unsurprising that specialist equipment has been designed to aid the processes.  Large robotic machines for building cars or computer programed cutting devices used to shape steel are becoming commonplace in factories, and even rotary tables are becoming a device that a growing number of people are aware of. If we dig a little deeper though, you might hear of chuck jaws, which are one of the unsung heroes of engineering. Here’s a look at chuck jaws and their ever growing number of uses.

What Are Chuck Jaws?

Before we can look at the applications for chuck jaws it is important to learn exactly what they are. In fact there is a very good chance you will have come into contact with chuck jaws before, whilst at home doing some DIY, using a hand or electric drill. Chuck jaws are the metal teeth located at the front of a drill, that bite down onto the drill bit, holding it firmly in place. Chuck jaws used in engineering are far larger than the small teeth in a domestic drill through, albeit the principal is the same. Used in industry, they are vastly larger and designed so they can be removed from the equipment they are housed in if damaged, worn or if a different type of chuck jaw is needed. They are often held in place by a retaining screw, although they can be held magnetically or via a pressure vacuum. They are often designed with quick release in mind, so as not to hold up development. Typically constructed from high strength metals, they have to bite the object they are holding firmly, in order for it not to slip and to be used efficiently. The chuck jaws themselves are normally fixed to a cylindrical platform in a tri-star shape, which is then wound tight around the item they are gripping. Although normally seen in a pattern of three, any number of chuck jaws can be used depending on their application.

What Do They Do?

Although briefly touching on their application as a device that holds something in place, it’s important to say that chuck jaws don’t just hold drill bits. In fact chuck jaws can hold any number of items, including unusual shaped pieces. Often the chuck jaws and the items they are holding spin, as in a drills application, although the jaws don’t always rotate and can be used to purely hold an item in place.
It’s interesting to learn about chuck jaws and how they are an integral, yet perhaps less well known engineering tool. Next time you’re doing some DIY at home perhaps you’ll think about chuck jaws when placing a new bit in the drill.

When we get the weather for it, the Brits love to spend their free time in the garden but what if there was a way you could spend time in the garden even when the weather isn’t so good? Well this article is here to inform you how a gazebo and a landscape supplies specialist can help you realise this dream and get you back outside whatever the weather.

Gazebos not only look great, they also offer protection from the elements. If the sun is scorching or if it starts to drizzle then you can simply retreat inside the gazebo rather than having to go straight back into the house. An unexpected shower will be a familiar situation to anyone who has tried to have a garden party in the UK. However now instead of a mass exodus into your house you can simply go into the gazebo and wait for it to pass.

If you are going to get a gazebo then you want to make sure that it is made of quality materials and is going to survive in perfect condition for years to come. A landscape supplies specialist can provide the materials and products that are designed especially for the weather conditions in the UK and look great to boot!

Gazebos come in all shapes and sizes; a landscape supplies specialist can suggest and provide the gazebo that best compliments the aesthetics of your house and garden. You might want modern and big or rustic and a bit smaller, the range really is massive and the choice is entirely up to you.

With the help of a landscape supplies specialist you can be well on your way to reclaiming your garden back from the elements with a fantastic gazebo.