Monthly Archives: December 2015

Timber Framing on a Budget

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Timber framing construction uses tenon and lap joints along with wooden dowels or pegs to create the frame structure of a home. This is a historic method of constructing the frame structure and can be expensive. One reason is that this type of construction is more advanced that stick frame construction. People like to use timber framing because it will continue to hole up the weight of the home long after the nails of stick frame construction has rusted and created the need for some major repairs. If you are building a new home and want to use this type of construction there are ways in which you can work this into your budget.

Use the local species of timbers

When using timber framing make sure that you use whatever tree is a native species of that area. It is expensive to ship timbers across the country. For example, if you love on the East coast two of their native species trees are oak and white pine but on the West coast it would be the Douglas fir. You also have to look at the cutting and material handling of the joinery. One of the harder ones to work with is oak because it is heavier so it would take more time to make the joints.

Choose a simple frame design

If you have a complex design in mind it will simply cost you more because of the board footage of food and number of joints you would need for the frame. Some companies that do timber framing will count how many joints will be used for the frame and will give you an estimate based on that information,

Find the best pricing

This includes not only the building material but also the contractors who are going to build your timber framing for your home. Make sure that you get at least three estimates because if you only get a couple you have just one to compare against another one. Make sure that you get a written estimate that lists the costs of materials, labor costs, and anything else that will figure into the cost of the home. Do not choose the lowest price because they may be using inferior timber. If possible ask to see the timber they will be using before you make your decision. You should also ask to see the results of their construction to make sure that they have the actual experience to construct your dream home. Ask for references and check them out. You and your family are going to be living in this home for a long while and you want to make sure that it well constructed.

Following these tips will allow you to have your dream home and stay within budget.

This article is penned by Lora Davis for Arrow Timber Framing. Arrow Timber Framing has worked hard to gain the experience necessary to streamline production. Timber framed homes are built with mortise and tenon joints connected with wooden pegs.

The Secret Privileges of The Evil Empire

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Do you remember that quaint Evil Empire that stretched across much of the world; the one where countless millions were enslaved, without opportunity or hope?

Well, I have news for you.

Those huddled masses weren’t completely hopeless, poor, or disadvantaged.

If you interview Russians who grew up during the age of Glasnost, you’ll learn many of them had it pretty good. Free health care, a living wage while they studied in universities, and a guaranteed job thereafter, if they excelled, were commonplace.

Indeed, many who have immigrated to the land of opportunity, America, simply cannot believe, for instance, the primitive state of our health care system.

Waiting in an Emergency Room, hour after hour while they bleed, they recall with wistfulness how hospitals were only mere blocks away, staffed to the gills with highly educated and competent physicians, not illiterate assistants, who couldn’t contain their enthusiasm about assisting them.

Doctors in the Russian Federation, I hear, still make house calls and prepare medicines and curatives on the spot. No visits to drug stores, by the sick and infirm or their time-strapped relatives, are required.

Having spent hour after hour with loved ones and friends while they have languished for want of treatment, I can’t help but wonder why America can’t fix its broken health care system.

When increasing amounts of our national wealth are sunk into health services each year, the output of this sector continues to worsen.

Isn’t it time to do what England, Canada, and even the Russian Federation have done, and declare this sector, and the health of their people so significant, that they cannot be left to the pharmaceutical companies and the medical education establishment to control?

Lester Thurow, the Dean of the Business School at The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), said when it comes to health care, “We’re all socialists.”

We don’t care if our fellow citizens receive the best care imaginable, as long as we share in the privilege.

What do you think?

Working on Home Improvement Projects

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Remodeling a house can be an expansive and complicated mess if the right precautions and measures are not taken before even beginning. Planning and developing ideas to the fullest extent may help to avoid many problems and errors that have become commonplace in the remodeling game. With the help of professional contractors, many homeowners are able to avoid these problems and plan their project to perfection so that things run smoothly and the homeowner is left with a beautiful house when all is said and done.

Home improvement projects often cause a great deal of agony to the homeowner. With so many different projects in a remodel, homeowners may begin to feel overwhelmed. That is where the importance of planning is most evident. With effective planning, homeowners will be able to keep their head above water and avoid feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of projects that are often part of these remodeling projects. With professional help and the right planning, homeowners can realize their dream of an efficient remodeling project that finishes on time.

The best home improvement projects are the ones that finish on time with little headaches to the homeowner. With little frustration to turn the experience into a negative one, homeowners will be pleased knowing they are getting quality work that will be completed on time. Taking advantage of the quality work of professionals is important if the homeowner wants to have a beautifully painted home with little hassle to them. With professionals handling the work, homeowners are often able to focus on other areas of the remodel. So hiring a professional often proves to have its perks in the planning aspect of the project and when it comes to physically painting the house and completing the project on time.

When to Hire a Company For Concrete Work

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It is getting to that time of year when everyone seems to begin thinking about all the various home repair and remodeling projects that they would like to have done around the house. Even though there seems to be a never-ending list for a lot of people, the best thing to do is to make sure that you are starting with the most critical projects that need to be handled by professionals.

One of the most common projects is having concrete work done.

If you’re planning on creating a fantastic outdoor space for your home, having a concrete patio created is an excellent option.  However, a concrete patio is not a job that a homeowner should tackle on their own. This is because concrete jobs that are not done correctly can cause problems down the road, and your guests will usually be able to tell whether or not the patio was done by a professional.

You may think that it’s more costly to hire a professional, but often times this isn’t the case.  On the contrary, by not hiring a professional, you may end up with a finished project that doesn’t meet your expectations.  The quality of the job might also be less than perfect, making your new patio unable to hold up during all types of weather.  These types of issues end up costing you more in the end when you have to get the project fixed.  That’s why it’s typically best to rely on a professional concrete expert to take care of these types of projects for you.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to spend a fortune.  You will need to make sure though that the company you call is offering good value for the money they charge. Do not feel afraid to research the company’s background or ask for references. Companies that take pride in their work and have nothing to hide will not feel worried about providing you with such information. Feel free to shop around for the best offer, but always remember that you sometimes get what you pay for and that the total package might be more important than just the bottom-line price. Just because a company is cheap does not mean that they are worth the risk. Likewise, just because a company is expensive doesn’t mean that they are the best company out there for concrete work.

Make sure that you are doing all of the research you need to do – and then go for it! You’ll be glad to see how quick your concrete project can be completed when professionals are doing it. Leave the job for the experienced and you will be able to enjoy your perfect concrete patio or sidewalk in no time at all. The little bit of extra money up front for the work is always worth it – especially when you know that you’ll be given excellent results and that you can trust the work to hold up over time.

Are Your Circumstances Suitable for a Collaborative Divorce?

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You may be suitable for a collaborative divorce if you seek:

  1. A dignified approach to handling your divorce
  2. A fair and non-aggressive resolution of issues based on the best interests of the family, not the individual
  3. Guidance, support and advice on legal issues without the threat of fighting in court.
  4. A chance to work through emotions and avoid misunderstandings to arrive at sound decisions
  5. To avoid the cost and emotional strain of court proceedings
  6. To keep your dispute and terms of your settlement confidential

How do I kick start the process?Contact a collaborative divorce lawyer. You must choose a lawyer trained in collaborative family law for the process to be effective. An experienced lawyer knows about the required documentation that can make process hassle free.

What happens when we reach agreement?

After you reach agreement, your lawyer can prepare divorce papers that the court is likely to approve.

What happens if the process breaks down?

You may explore other options such as mediation to avoid from going to court. However, if you do take your case to court, your collaborative lawyer cannot act on your behalf in court proceedings as they have signed an undertaking not to litigate.

What is the difference between the collaborative divorce process and court litigation?

Collaborative divorce is a voluntary process that gives divorcing parties control over the process, including the timetable. On the other hand, the litigation process is controlled by the judge and determined by court dates, and parties must comply with the court’s orders. Divorce Lawyers will facilitate direct negotiations between parties in collaborative divorce, working towards a common goal that is in the best interests of both parties and the family, and parties will be encouraged to consider short- and long-term impacts of their decisions. In litigation, both parties and lawyers are pitted against each other, and parties will bargain based on their own needs and rights. They will not be actively asked to think about the short- and long-term effects of their choices.

As can be seen, collaborative divorce allows the parties, instead of the judge, to make the final decisions. Due to this, however, there is no guaranteed settlement in collaborative divorce. If parties cannot reach a final decision, they will need to proceed with litigation. The process of collaborative divorce is confidential, but if parties enter into litigation, the records of Court proceedings will be publicly available.

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Houston Real Estate Market

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In order to analyze the larger picture, it is important to understand that real estate refers to residential as well as commercial property. Along with the land in question, it also includes fixtures, fences, and buildings that are lawfully built up on it. Apart from this, in case a piece of a land has natural resources within it, they are a part of the real estate. Located in Texas, the city of Houston boasts of a flourishing real estate market. The Houston real estate market thrives upon trade of real estate. This refers to the purchase, sale, lease, and rentals of commercial and residential real estate.

The Houston real estate market, similar to other cities, is a volatile and unpredictable business venture. An interesting factor that sets the real estate market noticeable from other trades is its fluctuating nature. Rather than being solely influenced by global recession and inflation, real estate price points are largely dependent upon local factors. Prices of immediate neighborhood properties and local events proportionately affect real estate prices instead of variations at the stock exchange. Improvements in the economy have increased purchase power, prompting a large number of people to buy real estate. Such deals could revolve around residential, commercial or investment property. Since real estate deals can revolve around financial commitments that cannot be borne all at once by clients, the lending attitude of various financial institutions affects the Houston real estate market.

In order to be at par with real estate dealings in other places, the Houston real estate market is also dependent upon appraisal services. This helps attain precise and up to date estimates of a certain piece of property and helps facilitate quick dealings. For those who wish to make a career in the Houston real estate market, can choose to enroll at real estate schools or work under the guidance of reputed firms and brokers.

Types of Custom Promotional Merchandise

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As a smaller business, you don’t have the unlimited budget of a large corporation when it comes to your custom promotional merchandise, which means you need to look for branded merchandise that is affordable and will work into your budget. Just because you are a smaller company, doesn’t mean you should ignore this amazing branding opportunity.

We have put a list of the top custom promotional merchandise options for the smaller business, that will work into your budget and provide clients with a branded item that they can use, boosting your brand visibility on a daily basis.

The first and probably the most popular of all the custom promotional merchandise that you can buy is T-Shirts. Ensure when you choose to brand t-shirts with your company logo that you choose a good quality garment, such as a polo shirt, which can be worn by men and women. Whether you are getting your team to wear the t-shirts to promote your business wherever they go or you are looking for promotional t-shirts you can give or sell to your clients, never ever compromise on quality.

Another great opportunity for the smaller business is branded pens. Everyone uses pens and they are cheap. You can buy a high volume of pens branded with your logo at a price that works into your budget and you can use them in-house and hand them out to clients, so that your company name is being seen throughout the day every day.

Further you may want to look at coffee mugs. Almost everyone has their own coffee mug at the office and drinks at least one cup of coffee while at work. The benefit of these mugs is that they are branded with your company name and logo, along with any other important information you want to put on them, what this means is every sip of coffee or tea your client takes, your name is seen and remembered, not only by them but the others in the office.

Key chains are another great branding opportunity when looking for affordable custom promotional merchandise. Have some key chains printed with your company name, logo, address and phone number. Clients can use the key chain on their keys and in the event they are lost, hopefully someone has contacted your company or dropped them off. In addition to branding these are a great opportunity to add a bit of added value to your service.

If you have a store, then you definitely want to look at reusable bags that your clients can take away from your store and use time and time again when they do their basic shopping. The great thing with reusable bags is that your clients can use them for anything and at any time and what that means is your company name is being seen by a variety of people every time your client leaves their home with your bag in hand.

If you are on a very tight budget, then take a look at lanyards. Lanyards hang around your neck, with your branding of course, but the benefit is that clients can use them to hang their access card for the office or even their keys to reduce the risk of losing them. They can be used for all types of applications, boosting your brand in the process.

Other options can include the credit card wallet, because these days with the number of credit cards, debit cards and loyalty cards you receive, they cannot all fit into your wallet easily. The credit card wallet can free up your clients purse or wallet, enabling them to keep all their cards in one handy place.

Brandz is a United Kingdom based company specializing in promotional products. This well-established company provides a complete turnkey service from the initial stages through to completion. They provide their customers with an experienced team who focus on helping their customers improve their branding with a range of promotional products to meet their requirements and marketing budget. Brandz offers a twenty four hour service, the highest quality products and affordable prices. Samples are available on request to help their customers identify the best promotional products to choose from based on the extensive range available on their easy to use and secure website.

All Important of Business Card

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Graphic Design for Small Businesses and organizations isn’t only offering a product or service and having cash in on it. Once you start a small business, there are several features, which have to have a personal and professional focus. One of those is promoting your brand. There are a few things too, which form the foundation of promoting and one of those is the business card. The principle function of promoting is to attract the target market. When accomplished in the correct way, it can yield wonderful results. Marketing experts and graphic designers, who specialize in graphic design for small businesses, have the knowledge and experience to attract your specific client or buyer through distinct marketing and promotional tactics. A business card (or minute card) should have every piece of information essential for someone to interact and conduct business with your company or organization. There are many styles of cards, and in fact, it is necessary to decide on the appropriate style for your firm. This is why hiring a professional whom specializes in graphic design for small businesses is so important.

The product or service themselves won’t always draw in buyers or clients when shown to individuals in a prepared way. To get to the customers who will use, buy or interact with your company, one of several methods used in promoting is choosing the right business card. A card with the very best graphics, typography and layout that connect emotionally with your perspective client is the key. Every single color and color combination possesses its own meaning. There are many benefits and consequences to the use of color when contemplating the feelings and emotions of the people you’re trying to attract. Which means, a hues participation in the overall design is an essential part in selecting the most appropriate appearance of your business card. Imagine if the colors (or hues) used in your card were actually repelling your target audience you are trying to attract.

The visuals that happen to be loved by people of a distinct audience change by age and gender as well. An example is flowers; if your business makes products that are devoted to girls, then introducing flowers as visual elements (graphics) of your card will most likely attract more buyers. If though, your target is a more mature female audience, the use of flowers could be conceived as contrived and repulse your buyers. Selecting the most appropriate graphics for the business card is about the mindset of the buyer and not the business owner. Let me repeat that so you truly get it. The look, feel and emotions tied to your business card are about the buyer, not you, the business owner. If your buyer connects a personal emotion with the artwork, or possibly a design and style, employed in the card, then almost absolutely that buyer will choose the firm utilizing that artwork, design or style. For this reason alone, it is very important to work with a professional that knows and understands graphic design for small businesses.

Why have a business card in the hands of everyone that works for you? A nicely manufactured card affirms the level professionalism regarding the organization. You need a business card that is designed well with accessibility to information for your customers to make contact with you. It must be styled to create a personal connection with the buyer as well. Your reputation is riding on your business card. The primary function of your business card is to get clients to call you. Your logo should be prominent to let people know who you are the minute they see your card. After this, your business card should clearly provide methods for the client to contact you. This can be a website, a smart phone or email but it is highly recommended to have all three. A marketing expert or graphic designer whom specializes in graphic design for small businesses can help point you in the right direction for the content for your particular niche or market. Business cards with the proper visuals, content and style can help you do this. Are you ready to secure a professionally designed business card right now?

How to Find a Reliable Tradesman

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There will come a time in every home owner’s life when he or she will find him/herself in need of hiring a tradesman.  Maybe the home owner will need his roof fixed.  Maybe she will need her heating and cooling systems repaired.  Tradesmen all over the United Kingdom are in high demand and it is important that home owners know how to hire someone who is reliable and will do the job correctly and efficiently.

Hiring a reliable tradesman is important because if the tradesman you hire is not reliable you could end up paying quite a large amount of money for work that is sub-par and that will need multiple repairs.  While it is important for home owners to understand that a tradesman needs to be reliable it is also important that home owners understand how to tell the difference between a reliable tradesman and one who is not.

When searching for a reliable tradesman here are some things a home owner should look into before signing any contracts:

*References:  References can be obtained in two ways.  The obvious way to get a Tradesman’s references is to ask for them outright.  Any Tradesman who is reliable will be able to provide you with a list of clients who are happy to act as references.

The other way to get references for a Tradesman is to simply ask your neighbors and your friends to find out who they (or someone they know) have used in the past.  You should make sure to ask whether or not the reference would hire the person again (and why or why not).

*Professional Organizations:  Check into the local business registry in your area to find out if your prospective Tradesman is a member of any professional organizations.  Is the Tradesman going through the application process for a professional organization? You should also check with local authorities to find out if any complaints have been lodged against the person you are considering hiring.

*Professional Organizations:  Is your prospective Tradesman up for membership at any local professional organizations?  Ask your local business center about the ratings for your prospective Tradesman.  You should also find out if any formal complaints have been filed against the person you are thinking of hiring.

Most Tradespeople are required to obtain specific certifications and join specific organizations.  Research the trade and find out what is required.  Then make sure that each prospective Tradesman you consider meets all of the requirements.

Legal Considerations for Raising Capital

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NOTE: THIS IS ARTICLE IS FOR INFORMATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO BE CONSTRUED AS LEGAL ADVICE.

There are numerous legal considerations every entrepreneur must face when starting a new business, and raising startup capital is one that can be fraught with danger. Hiring a qualified securities attorney is not a luxury; it’s a necessity for businesses seeking to raise capital from third parties. Some of the key general considerations are:

o Properly organizing the company as business entity under state law;

o Ensuring the company has issued enough authorized shares of stock of the same type that will be offered to investors;

o Make sure that any existing and potential legal problems are resolved before issuing stock to investors;

o Have an experienced securities attorney examine the federal securities laws, as well as the securities laws of any state in which stock may be offered to prospective investors, to make sure the company and its investment offer complies with those laws;

o Have your attorney explain in writing the potential personal liabilities of the company’s officers and directors if the company violates any federal or state securities laws in raising capital. Potential penalties can be very serious, ranging from civil fines to jail time;

o Make sure that your written investment prospectus contains all required state and federal disclosure language in the appropriate places;

o Your attorney should review the business plan and financial statements for possible untrue and/or misleading statements; and

o Obtain a written opinion from your attorney whether your particular investment opportunity is required to be registered with the appropriate regulatory agencies.

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