Category: Finance

A do-it-yourself wooden fence is one of the most budget options for fencing a country house, garden or summer cottage. Despite the large selection of building materials, wood is still very popular with private construction.

About wooden fences

Wooden fences differ in height, translucency, design of sections, type of construction. Sections are made with a height of 1.5 to 2.2 m. Depending on the filling of the spans, the translucency of the fence is in the range of 0% to 50%.

Fences are built on wooden or metal supports, on screw piles, less often on a concrete foundation with brick or stone pillars. The type of foundation depends on the wind load in the building area, the type and characteristics of the soil, and the construction budget.

If a classic picket fence can be installed on poles with driving or concreting, then a high solid fence with large windage will need a more solid foundation. In areas with subsidence or wet soil prone to frost heaving, it is recommended to place the sections on a pile foundation. A high solid wooden fence on metal poles is more suitable for a private house. Blind sections can only be placed on the front side of the yard. Between the sections, you will have to build a picket fence or other fence, the translucency of which is at least 30%. However, if you get the neighbours’ written consent, you can put a blank fence along the boundary.

It is better to install translucent fences that freely let in sunlight and do not interfere with natural air circulation in the country.

Benefits of wood fences

Wood is one of the most accessible materials. When compared with fences made of metal, brick, concrete or natural stone, wooden fences will be the most inexpensive. In addition to the affordable cost, a board fence has several advantages.

• Simple and fast installation. To put up such a fence, you only need a basic set of tools and the ability to use them. It takes 1-3 days to install a fence in a country house.
• Environmental friendliness. Wooden fences do not emit toxic compounds, do not affect the condition of the soil in any way, do not heat up under the direct rays of the sun, which is very important if flowers or berry bushes grow next to the fence.
• Large selection of design options. A country cottage or country house can be fenced with a picket fence, lattice or solid fence with wrought iron decorations.
• Maintainability. A wooden fence is easy to repair. You just need to dismantle the damaged boards and put new ones in their place.
• Saving. A light wooden structure does not need a massive foundation, like a brick or concrete fence, which means you can save on foundation materials, reduce labour intensity, and reduce construction time.

Cons of wooden fences:

• Wood has a short lifespan—rain, wind, snow. Gradually destroy the structure of the tree. The average service life of wooden fences is 10-12 years.
• Constructions made from natural materials require regular treatment with antiseptics and fire retardants. To protect the fence from woodworms, mould and fungus, it must be treated with protective compounds at least once every 3 years.

Poorly dried and treated wood deforms over time – it “leads” and twists from the sun’s direct rays and high humidity.

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Porch railings need to be designed with the following considerations in mind: what is the primary use of your porch, how much traffic will the steps and hand rails get, are there any special requirements (such as ADA compliance), and do you want something that goes well with your home’s architecture?

For a porch used primarily for seating or lounging, pick long-lasting materials such as wood or stone. For example, brick can be fitted in place around wooden posts or on top of a stone column. In some areas of the country, decks with built-in benches make good use of otherwise unused space. A pergola is like an open trellis that creates a shady area without walls and gives you the option of installing a variety of vines.

For areas that will get a lot of foot traffic, metal railings are durable and require less maintenance than wood or stone. Metal is also an excellent choice for coastal locations that are exposed to salt spray, as it can withstand the corrosive effects of salt air better than most other common porch materials. Other options include composite lumber (made from recycled plastic) and glass balusters surrounded by steel or aluminum components.

Follow your local building codes when deciding on a railing material. For example, metal balusters must be spaced at least 16″ apart in residential applications; many cities have stricter guidelines that increase the minimum spacing to 24″. Handrails should not project more than 4–6 inches above the top of the baluster.

Also, if you have wood stairs, be sure to install a metal rail on at least one side (and preferably two). This meets building codes in many areas for steps without handrails.

When choosing your railing design, make sure it complements the style of your home. You don’t want something that sticks out like a sore thumb or clashes with the other architectural elements surrounding it. For example, a traditional Victorian home would not look good with sleek modern-style slats and spindles , while contemporary homes usually do not go well with elaborate Victorian scrollwork . Match up paint colors and finish materials as well — like matching dark brown wooden posts with mahogany colored pickets instead of painted white pickets — and you’ll create a look that is uniform throughout your home.

If you have any special concerns — like if the steps will be used by someone with disabilities or if there are high winds or other weather conditions in your area — ask for help from professionals at local building supply stores. They can guide you through all of the available options, assess your needs and local codes, and recommend solutions that fit your budget. If they do not have an answer to a specific design question, this should be a red flag about working with them because it suggests they may not know their own products well enough to give you good advice on any number of issues.

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A good Construction Daily Report is essential for maintaining a record of progress on your project. Every day there are several duties carried out on the construction site, and they must remain documented. But when you’re dealing with sometimes hundreds if not thousands of individual tasks per day, it can be difficult to decide which ones to include in a Construction Daily Report, and how much detail to provide.

For example, you might be required by law or by your client to submit regular updates documenting all work carried out at the site, including demolition works; landscaping activities; cleaning tasks; fence building; painting & decorating jobs; waste management actions etc…

Before we get started it is worth mentioning that delivering accurate and detailed records will go a long way to helping you (and your client) avoid problems at a later stage in the project’s life cycle, specifically with regards to health & safety issues, and applications for building permits or planning permission; because by documenting all works from day one of the projects, you should have plenty of evidence to demonstrate that you have fulfilled all applicable legal requirements. This includes but is not limited to: receiving approval both for commencement of construction activities and completion thereof; having all necessary permits & licenses in place before starting work, and proving that adequate precautions have been taken to minimise any potential impact of construction activities during the project.

A lack of required paperwork or faulty records may lead to your client (or his insurance company) having to deal with a whole host of issues that could go on to cost them dear, so it is well worth taking some time out at the beginning of your project(s) to establish an efficient reporting process and then stick with it!

We’ll now look at each type of daily report in turn: Construction Daily Reports, Demolition-Only Works Forms, Fencing/Waste Management Daily Action Forms, Cleaning Tasks Report Forms etc… But first, we’ll tackle some generic tips for ensuring that reports are submitted on time, and correctly!

Do Not Overlook The Obvious When Checking & Submitting Your Construction Daily Reports Every Day

Just remember: How you write up your Construction Daily Report is just as important as the information it contains. So make sure to read through every document carefully before submitting it to anyone else. Because after all: anything which might be deemed incorrect or misleading will only give your client (and his insurer) grounds to claim against you; so it’s best to get things right from day one of a project!

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Any professional activity implies developing and implementing various projects: large, small, long-term, short-term, large-scale, and local. All types of projects have one thing in common: managing them consists of various tasks, which are most convenient to perform with the help of special programs.

What project management consists of

Work on a project can be divided into several stages. On each of them, performers will need different tools and functions included in special software.

1. Developing a plan. At this stage, as a rule, lists are drawn up: the main steps, the necessary materials. It is important here to work with any convenient document formats: text, multimedia, tables, etc.
2. Planning. The timing of the project is indicated, the exact amount of resources for it. Tasks are distributed among the participants. You can’t do without such a tool as a task scheduler.
3. Implementation. The performers proceed with the main steps based on the previously compiled lists and time frames.
4. During the main part of the work, it is important to systematize all the processes to see which steps have already been passed, which tasks have been completed, how much money has been spent. And, most importantly, does it bring the expected result. For this, various schemes, graphs, diagrams are used.
5. Suppose there are multiple people involved in a project. In that case, it is important to set up a schedule to ensure that they all have the same employment and speed up the implementation time by optimizing the participants’ activities. They must quickly communicate with each other and have access to all data. Therefore, the software must include a chat, messenger, or mail service. Also, synchronize documents in real-time, share them, and the ability collaborates on one file.
6. Also, so that no one has forgotten about important tasks, you need a calendar, the ability to set reminders, and send mass mailings of any important information.
7. Summarizing. When the project is completed, comparing the results with the original plan and analyzing all the steps taken will help evaluate the results. Automatic data analysis will make this step easier.

It is best to choose a program or package that will contain all of the above features for quick and convenient work.

Which software to choose

Conventionally, programs for project management can be divided into:

• free and paid (one-time purchase or monthly payment);
• single-user and multi-user;
• online and offline versions.

The choice largely depends on the specifics of the activity. For a large corporation, where dozens of people can work on one project, functional multi-user products with regular online access are needed. A freelancer will have enough software designed for one user with a smaller list of options.

Whichever software you choose, we always recommend purchasing only licensed products. This allows you to be confident incorrect operation, use all the advantages and functions, and receive timely technical support.

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The work loan is a loan that allows you to finance a renovation project or any other type of development linked to a property.

You should know that the credits called “work credits” you find on the net are trade names. Therefore, the work load is quite simply a consumer loan, the amount and repayment period adapted to a project of renovation or development of a property.

It is, most of the time, a personal loan without proof of use.

Affected credit

Affected credit is a loan taken out for a specific purchase. You start repaying your loan only after receiving your good or service. If you do not get the credit, the purchase is cancelled (if the credit request is stipulated when ordering) and vice versa.

This can limit your room for maneuver in your work since you will need to obtain approval from your organization each time before incurring the costs.

Revolving credit

It is a revolving reserve of money that you can use for your work.
This reserve is fed as you repay. An associated credit card usually accompanies this credit.

The revolving credit is often more expensive than others because its rate is higher. However, if you plan to do the work yourself, a credit card offered by a DIY chain can indeed be attractive if it additionally offers bonuses as you shop or discounts.

How much can you borrow with a work loan?

It all depends on the credit you choose. If you opt for the personal loan (consumer credit), you can borrow between 200 and 75,000 $ over a repayment period of at least 3 months.

If you need to do big jobs that require more than 75,000 $, you can use a home loan that will allow you to borrow larger sums of money over a longer repayment period.

Before you start looking for the most advantageous credit, you must also know what work you need to do and how much you need.

Therefore, first of all, start by listing your needs and setting up your renovation project.

You will need materials, but also probably professional services if you are not much of a handyman.

When you have calculated the total amount you will need for your renovation project, you can start looking for offers using our credit comparators.

This will allow you to compare offers more efficiently.

The benefits of credit for works depend on the credit chosen.

That if you opt for a personal loan, it will probably be easier to obtain than a mortgage, but it will be offered at a higher rate, which will cost you more in the end.

As for the credit allocated for works, you will understand:

Although you may negotiate a better rate, it will be less easy to obtain since the bank will ask you for quotes when a renovation project is complex and often accompanied by unforeseen circumstances.

If what you have announced is not carried out, the affected credit is automatically canceled, which is not really reassuring for such a project.

When it comes to revolving credit, it is only worth doing this if a large DIY store offers you a credit card with great perks like bonuses or discounts that can help your home improvement project.

In this case, you will pay a little more, but you will recover the difference between the bonuses and reductions while having great ease in managing your credit.

The downside is that you cannot exceed the maximum amount provided for in the revolving credit agreement you signed.

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