2010
02.08
COULD YOU BUILD YOUR HOME?

0 Comments | Sunday Mirror, Feb 7, 2010 | by KAREN ROCKETT

BUILDING your own home is a dream of many but most don’t get beyond sitting on the sofa watching re-runs of “Grand Designs” on TV. And if they do, then they soon discover that building a house from scratch – without any experience – can be fraught with problems, practically, financially and emotionally… so it pays to get trained up!

So we meet two successful self-build students and see how they have put what they learned during their course into practice… ‘I took a 5-day course..now I’m helping on my own site’ LANDSCAPE gardener Jacqui Prout, 42, has dreamed of building her own home since she was a girl.

And less than a year on from taking a course in self-building, Jacqui is well on the way to completing her chalet-style bungalow complete with gallery sitting room and roof terrace.

She said: “I learned a lot on the course – not so much the practical skills which, as a landscape gardener I have, but things like budgeting and planning permission.”

Jacqui paid pounds 82,000 for the plot, then cleared the whole site herself, dug up bushes, levelled the land and has been as “hands-on” as possible.

She plans to lay all the underfloor heating herself, all the internal woodwork – such as skirting boards and door frames – and some plumbing and electrics.

“Obviously I will have to get a qualified electrician in,” she says, “but I am prepared to work alongside them and have a crack at the wiring. I also plan to do all the decorating and tiling.”

Jacqui hopes to complete her house by spring. She says: “I am really looking forward to moving in to what will be a unique property and something that I can say is truly mine.”

w w. s p r o u t g a r d e n s . c o. u k specialises in small gardens, roof terraces and courtyards. The National Self Build and Renovation Centre, near Swindon run a series of courses on the management, planning and logistics of self-build. The dates of the next course are April 26-30, 2010, with further dates in October and November.

The complete course is pounds 345 or you can take an individual module at pounds 85.75.

If you can’t spare five days for the course, visit the Self Build and Renovation Show from Friday 26th February to Sunday February 28, where all the tutors and experts will be on hand to answer your questions.

For more information visit www.buildstore.co.uk/show or telephone 01506 409616.

‘I’m no good at DIY – but I ran the building site by myself’

WHEN accountant Mike Davies decided he wanted to build a house it was a case of all or nothing.

The 35-year-old from Leeds gave up his job so that he could spend every day on site.

Mike says: “I loved every minute of building my own home, but you can’t underestimate how much time and money it takes.”

Mike went on a three-day self-building course in Cambridge. He said: “I’m not even very good at DIY, so going on a course like this was really beneficial to me.

“The most important thing I learned was that thousands of people self-build every year and there was no reason why I shouldn’t do it myself.”

After the course in April 2008, Mike bought a 900 square metre sloping infill plot of land on a street overlooking the green belt in Leeds in November 2008.

“I project managed the whole thing, which can be stressful when you’re used to being told what to do in the corporate world.

“I did muck in where I could – mixing concrete, shifting tiles, general labouring and so on.”

Mike’s build, which he has just moved in to with girlfriend Kate, 34, is an impressive, four-bedroom, two-bathroom detached house with the main living areas on the first floor. Mike paid pounds 135,000 for the land and has spent a further pounds 300,000 building his dream home which is probably worth at least pounds 500,000 due to its unusual design and high specs.

Mike attended the Developing Skills self build course. The next course on April 21-22 covers plot finding and planning on the first day, and construction methods, contracts and costs on the second – pounds 115. For more info visit www.selfbuildcourses.co.uk, or call 01480 893833. Mike Brinkley’s book “The Housebuilder’s Bible” is in its 8th edition and is published by Ovolo Books
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2010
02.08

At Disneyland, you can make use of the Package Express Service which packages and keeps your purchases while you sample the delights Disneyland offers You should endeavor to go and collect it on time, to avoid waiting on a line to do so. At Disneyland, you can get a Fast Pass for the following rides; splash mountain, bit thunder mountain, Rogger rabbits cartoon spin, Autopia and Buzz light year. Disneyland is an experience that can be made especially more memorable if your money doesnt get missing. If you are the sort that cant see, to hold on to money without losing it, you can get a Disneyland Merchandise Card that is equivalent to a credit card which enables you to spend money on items you like with ease. At Disneyland, you get to mingle and interact with all your favourite Disney cartoon and film characters thanks to the Disneyland character meals. Disneyland offers you the opportunity to play the hero or the villain, depending on what ticks your fancy, thanks to their discover the Magic Disney Tour where magic comes alive under your own hands. Disneyland is a place that appeals to many because inspite of our bleary dreams or disillusioned fairytales, it tends to wake up the child in everyone who goes there and makes you believe that dreams can come true. They really do.
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2010
02.08

Online loans are not there to imprison you; they are there to help. However if you abuse or misuse them, you will only find yourself in uncomfortable hot water financially. One thing you cannot do is borrow more than you can repay comfortably; and another is that you don’t borrow when the interest on the loan is too high. Sometimes you want to no, need to spend some serious money, and you know that the money that is in your account right now will not pay for it. You know you need a loan, but you are not looking forward to hitting the road again after you have only just come in. Besides, the bank is on the other side of town, and you are not excited about traffic or the price of gas. This is the perfect scenario in which you can use an online loan. I say take it. Surfing the web is easy when you know what you are looking for. I can guarantee you that if you come there looking for an online loan, you can be done in less than thirty minutes. All it takes is a careful choice of online loan website to borrow from, and the filling in of all the details that they require. Once done, just sit back and await notification from your bank that your account has been credited. Online loans are applied for online, so you neednt worry about all the paperwork that often comes along with such things. Once you have access to the Web, you are bound to have no trouble with securing the loan. The only challenge then will be your credit worthiness; and I don’t suppose there is any problem with that, or is there?
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2010
02.07

Do you know

Do you know that auto accidents major up for more severe injuries than other accidents? It has been found that about 50 million people undergo injuries every year due to auto accidents. Hence as a traveler you should be very careful when using the road in foreign countries. When it comes to travels there are possibilities of something horrendous happening. Now you cant stop any of such things from happening. However, the only way to ensure your peace of mind is to buy a travel insurance. If you are obtaining travel insurance plans, you must take care about certain things that could affect your coverage. You will want to inquire from your insurance provider what you stand to benefit from the overall plan. Before you buy a travel insurance it is important to determine if the travel insurance you are taking will adequately care for your travel programs or not. Doing this will help you avoid disappointments that come with insufficient coverage. Having a gold credit card or a solid current account might mean you have ready travel insurance on hand. One thing you may not know about is that they may not cover travels that involve harmful recreations such as skiing, mountain climbing, diving and the like. This means you will need to take out a cover that protects this kind of trip.
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2010
02.07

First, the kind of health and vitality your baby gets is largely dependent on how much care you give to him or her; neglect your baby care needs and expect to have a baby that’s not healthy. Before everything else, don’t dilly-dally when you notice that your baby is not feeling fine; spend a little time checking what’s wrong, to see if you can do something about it; if not, see your pediatrician or doctor immediately. Baby care largely depends on the immunization you give your baby; he or she should be immunized against the different likely diseases so that the immune system will be able to deal with them if and when they show up. When your baby has nasal congestion, you can help him or her by using a humidifier in the house that will help to liquefy the baby’s nasal secretions. If your baby has diaper rash, remember to always change the diapers and start using ointments that have zinc oxide. If you are a working mum and needs to get back to work after giving birth to your baby, then get a child care provider that will take as much care of your baby as you would yourself; ensure it’s someone that has great love for children, not someone who is doing it only for the money. One of the major advantages to taking your baby to a normal full blown daycare center is that your baby will be exposed to a learning environment and get a chance to interact with other children his or her age. It’s more important to spend all the time necessary to take care of your baby than to spend money buying all your baby needs yet never been there for him or her. Many husbands are becoming as committed to taking care of their babies as their wives are. To finish, choosing a daycare center for your baby is one of the most important baby care decisions you have to make; so ensure you find the best daycare center within your immediate environment because your baby deserves the best to be healthy and grow strong each and everyday.
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2010
02.06

After 30 or 40

After 30 or 40 years in the mad rush of the corporate world, you should be happy taking a break. Retirement at this stage should come as a great relief rather than a pain. At least now you can afford to do those things you loved doing, but couldnt do because work did not permit you to. If you are looking for a way to keep your life busy after you retire, consider teaching in your local community. You could do these in churches, student societies and youth clubs. Sharing your work experience will certainly benefit a lot of people and at the same time keep you occupied. Indulging in a hobby is a great way to have a great life after retirement. This simply means creating something you love doing and holding dearly to it. It could be playing tennis, golf, or fishing. Whats important is NOT to always be idle just because you have retired. Dont allow boredom and loneliness to set in after retirement. You can have a whole lot of activities that can keep you busy during your retirement. For one you could choose to go out with friends and have a great time all the time, instead of just sitting in the house and doing nothing.
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2010
02.06

Naturally anger is part of a defense mechanism that enables you steer clear of danger. When anger exceeds its natural design of protection, it becomes a problem. Anger that isnt balanced can spell severe disaster and needs to get help before it goes out of control completely. More often than not, anger does not in any way contribute to your growth or development. Anger impedes true expression and can be an instrument of destruction if care is not taken. If you want to be someone in life, learn to curb your anger. That can be the beginning of control of your life and eventual success in every of your endeavors. Do you get aggressive when you get angry? If you do, you should know that aggression is a learned behavior and is not part of human behavior. Animals naturally get aggressive when they get angry. The fact of the matter is that aggression is not a natural human trait. Which is the more reason you should learn how to get rid of it in the first place. Some people erroneously assume that exploding all over the place in anger is much better than locking it all in. Whether you are being a nut case in a fit of anger or you are keeping it in, they are both wrong ways of expressions. Anger management classes can teach you the most acceptable ways to control your anger. The time of being teenagers is a period that is often fraught with a lot of tension and worry. Parents worry about their children more than they become teenagers because of behaviors that teenagers tend to exhibit. Sometimes teenage anger is born out of confusion over the changes taking place in the teenage body. If you identify that your teenager has a problem of anger, seek anger management help immediately.
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2010
02.06

An injury from a car accident could result in lost income from work, lost time at school, lost limb, or a lost life. These are serious issues that no legal process is going to be letting you off of very easy. What you need is a legal person, in the person of a car accident lawyer, to talk the talk for you and walk the walk with you. The help of a car accident lawyer in a car accident situation is invaluable. Without being urged, you should immediately call your lawyer, or hire one as soon as you can. There are just too many legal issues you need to be clearing out, but that you cannot do by yourself. You need their legal expertise. Injuries such as broken bones, lost limbs or damaged organs could happen in a car crash. These imply the need for medical attention, and someone has to be paying for that. But is that person you, the other person, or your insurance company? You would need your car accident lawyer to help you clear that up, along with a few other issues. It doesnt matter if a simple fender bender car accident leads to court. For a successful car accident trial, no questions asked, you need a good car accident lawyer. If you had had one at your beck and call, you would never have gotten to court in the first place, not for a simple fender bender. Well now that you have messed things up, let the car accident lawyer do the cleaning up. I wouldnt trifle with the chance to have a lawyer for a friend; a car accident lawyer, especially. These folks know things that can change your day for better or worse within seconds. Picture what they could do for you if you were caught with your pants down in a car accident.
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2010
02.05

Anyone with children should invest in timeshares. Imagine taken 5 of your children with you on vacation and staying in a hotel. Apart from the high cost of lodging them in the hotel rooms, they wont get the space and freedom to play around, as most children usually do. But with a timeshare, you spend less and they get a lot of extra space to play in. Make no mistakes about it timeshare investment arent for the uneducated. If you dont know what you are doing you will end up losing a lot of money investing in timeshares, instead of making money. So, if you intend to go into timeshare investment, learn all there is to know about how to make money with timeshare investment, before going into it. Renting your timeshare without the vital information at your disposal can make you lose money, rather than gain. Many people take the wrong steps towards renting their timeshares and end up not making any profit at all. With the right approach to renting your timeshare, you will never have cause to regret. Yes, with timeshare the statement is also true ignorance isnt bliss. Many reasons could push you to want to sell your timeshare vacation home. Selling a vacation home is not usually easy except you are able to convince someone. It takes more than merely putting your timeshare in the market to be able to sell. So, dont let anyone kid you otherwise that its very easy to sell timeshares. Transferring timeshare ownership is an essential task whether your desire is to buy or dispose of one. The resort legal department is better disposed to ensure that your timeshare ownership transfer is handled smoothly. Whether your aim is to buy or to sell, timeshare ownership must be transferred by ensuring that all the necessary paper work is completed.
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2010
02.05

You don’t want to drive

You don’t want to drive around town every day and come home only to find that you have to buy gas again. Do that each day of the week and you could be looking at a red bank account statement pretty soon. That is why you need to look at ways by which you can save gas. Saving gas takes common sense and practicality. If you had a good understanding of how your vehicle works, you can cut corners that will help you save. But if you think you cannot manage that, you may have to stop using the car for a while until you have had the chance to think about it. Really, thats all it takes to make the changes necessary. I know hybrid cars are expensive, but you know they save gas. Rather than purchase an Oldsmobile from yesteryears, you can get one of those next time you trade in. On the long run, youd be saving yourself a lot of money. I was in a third world country once and I got an on the job training in saving gas skills. There was a fuel crisis, and I saw the people driving to save gas. They turned off the engine in mid motion and let their vehicles just roll for long minutes without any engine activity. I don’t know how my eyes got back in their sockets or my tongue back in my mouth, but I do know that they popped out. But it works and now I do it all the time. I dropped from a gas tank refill everyday to a refill every three days or something. You have got to hand it to Africa, man. Those guys are like the kings of innovation. The internet is rife with ideas and tips on how to save gas. You should surf and learn for all you are worth. You know you need all that information just as much as the other girl because you do need to get about and you do not have that much money on you as it is. So, read up and learn, and in a few weeks you may actually be good at saving gas when you drive.
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