Archive for March, 2011

Your Questions About Building A Shed Plans

Thursday, March 31st, 2011 at 11:20 pm  
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Mandy asks…

do i need planning for a block shed?

im thinking of building a block shed size 20ft x 7ft with a flat roof on it so it will be no higher than 9ft do i need planning permission?

Phillip answers:

Depends on the area you live in. Ask your local council, it would be a shame to have to tear it down if somebody objects.

Laura asks…

building a nature garden?

i live with my folks (due to lack of money, not out of want!) and they have quite a reasonable sized garden. however, they are planning to pave most of it, and what areas they don't pave are going to build sheds and pergolas etc on. i'm getting into nature photography quite heavily, and wanted to attract alot of UK wildlife into our garden, but i'm having trouble finding a way to do this seeing as they're going to be wiping out most of the nature from our garden!! does anyone have any tips on bringing animals into a garden such as this?

Phillip answers:

Thought you'd like this video from the BBC about planting flowers to attract birds, butterflies & wildlife. Most flowers that attract birds also attract butterflies & insects:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/gardening/tv_and_radio/gw2006_js_wildlifeborder?size=16x9&bgc=AFD8D0&nbram=1&bbram=1

Native wildflowers that birds are attracted to are berry-bearing plants in winter, such as cotoneasters, holly, pyracantha and skimmia. Also favourites with birds are natives like crab apples, hawthorn, honeysuckle, rowan, and sunflowers."
The BBC recommends : Guelder rose (Viburnum opulus), Globe thistle (Echinops ritro), Butterfly bush (Buddleja davidii), Honeysuckle (Lonicera periclymenum), Marigold (Calendula officinalis), Primrose (Primula vulgaris,) Ivy (Hedera helix) - which provides shelter for birds, nectar in winter and berries in spring.

Http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/basics/techniques/organic_wildgardens2.shtml

The daisy family contains many plants that are exceptionally good for wildlife, either attracting insects for nectar or birds and small mammals for seeds.
Ways to attract wildlife & Garden Habitats:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/wildlifegarden/

Plant list (click on each name for more info):

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/wildlifegarden/plants.asp

Besides providing native, colorful, nectar filled flowers & berry bushes & nut trees ... Make certain that there is always fresh water available for drinking as well as for bathing. Wildlife like birds need sunnny areas and they especially need shady areas to perch as well as to build their nests.
Put bird-feeders or bird tables where cats can't reach. Provide nesting boxes for birds & even bats. These will substitutes for the holes in old trees. Let some of your plants go to seed. Other wildlife will also show up if they have a cozy place to nest along with greens, seeds, berries & water.

Good luck!!! Hope this helps.

Lizzie asks…

what height can you build a brick shed in your garden do you need planning permission can neighbours complain

if its to high
well i asked the local council and they said the people can put a concrete shed up to 13ft high thats disgusting and i cant even put a higher fence up to disguise the eye sore
what a cheek i cant win either way

Phillip answers:

I did just give a really consise answer, but only to be informed that yahoo answers were taking a break! I am a Chartered Town Planner - if you need any advice please drop me a line at info@aspireplanning.co.uk.

Daniel asks…

what height can you build a brick shed in the garden is there a law on how high it can be

do you need planning permission to build a brick shed , i know for a wooden shed you can just put them up
im sure ther must be a height limit ie 6ft anyone know
i will have to phone the council as the shed the people on the back of me is alfull and must be 12ft high and it stands out like a sore thumb ,its so hard when its neighbours as i dont want to fall out with them but i dont really want to look at a 12ft shed while im in the garden

Phillip answers:

I have reproduced an answer I gave to a question posted shortly after yours that will give you some idea:

"In England and Wales you can fill half your garden area with outbuildings without the need for planning permission subject to certain restrictions. In outline they are:

Must be more than 5 metres away from the nearest part of the house or they are classed as extensions.

They must not be nearer to a highway than the house, i.e. Not in the front garden or in the side garden if you are on a corner plot.

No higher than 4 metres with a ridged roof or 3 metres in any other case.

They must be used for a purpose "ancilliary" to the main house, i.e. For domestic purposes.

You must check whether these rights have been previously removed by the council (rare but can happen) and that there are no restrictive covenants on your deeds.

If you rent the property you must get the consent of the landlord."

If your neighbour has complied with the above then no planning permission would be required whether it is built of wood or brick.

It is possible that they would need Building Regulations approval but some outbuildings are exempt - you would have to check with your Council.

Ruth asks…

Do I have the potential to be a future architect?

I plan on going to Virginia Tech to become an architect. I already know a lot about it most of my family are carpenters. I'm 14 years old and my grand pa gave me the job of creating and building our new shed. I have all the plans laid out already. Whould I probably be a good architect?
Would sorry. And I've had straight A's in Math Science and English so I should be ok.
Would sorry. And I've had straight A's in Math Science and English so I should be ok.

Phillip answers:

Of course you have the potential to be an architect. At 14 you're really just starting to discover your passion in life. I would say go for it and find out for yourself. One thing very important about choosing an architectural school is to find out what their program encompasses. Remember that it is your duty to find the school that suits your personality (design sense) and not vice versa. Do not select a school due to convenience to your home. If you are not sure of whether the field is right for you, I would recommend you to go to a 4+2 program. That means you earn a unprofessional degree, then you have to go to Graduate School for two years after. The reason I say this is because the 4+2 program offers more flexibility in the required courses should you decide to go to a different major. If you do go to a 4+2 program, I would recommend you to work for 1-2 years after graduation before you go to Graduate School, it will give you a much better appreciation of school and it will allow you to take the ARE immediately after you finish Graduate School.

Maria asks…

any ideas of something to build for a new house?

were moving into a new house we've already planned on building a pond like the One we have now putting up a wooden fence building a shed i want a dog house and a mini back porch for the grill and other ideas?

Phillip answers:

Gazebo's are nice

Joseph asks…

Do you think I have the potential the become an architect?

I plan on going to Virginia Tech to become an architect. I already know a lot about it most of my family are carpenters. I'm 14 years old and my grand pa gave me the job of creating and building our new shed. I have all the plans laid out already. Would I probably be a good architect?

Phillip answers:

You will be good at whatever you choose to be good at. You have a lot of family support, I would guess, but you apptitude is based on what YOU want. If you really wanted to be a singer on Broadway, you could do that, too.

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Basic Home Improvements : How to Cut Laminate Wood Flooring

Thursday, March 31st, 2011 at 9:47 pm  
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When cutting laminate wood flooring to size, be sure to leave at least a 3/8-inch gap between the wood and the edge of the wall. Create a perfectly fitting wood floor with tips from a licensed remodeling contractor in this free video on home improvements. Expert: Tim Gipson Bio: Tim Gipson is a home repair specialist and remodeling contractor in Nashville, Tenn. Filmmaker: Tim Brown

The Advantages of Using Wireless Security Alarms

Thursday, March 31st, 2011 at 7:19 pm  
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Deciding to protect your home or your business with wireless security alarms could easily be one of the best decisions you will ever make. Wherever you live, wherever your business is, crime is always a constant danger. Having an alarm system will give you an edge in deterring crime. It will act as your first line of defense against people with ill intentions. First and foremost, if criminals know that you have this system in your property, they would most probably not risk entering your property at all. These people aim for easy targets and a home with these safety measures is not an easy target since it increases the risk of them getting caught.

How do wireless security alarms work? These work by creating a system of electrical circuits placed on the entry points of your home or building. Components of the system are installed on doors, windows, ventilation systems, and other parts of the property that a burglar might use to enter the premises. The electrical circuit is opened when someone disturbs it by entering through one of these entry points, thus triggering the alarm. The alarm would immediately alert the company then they would dispatch the proper authorities.

What is the main difference between wired and wireless security alarms? With wired alarm systems, the power and electrical signals are sent and received through cables. A wireless system on the other hand works in the same way as their wired counterparts do but instead of cables, they use radio signals in order to communicate with the different components of the system and with the control panel. Because of this, you are presented with several advantages when using wireless security alarms.

The first and most obvious advantage of having wireless security alarms instead of a wired one is the fact that you are given more freedom when installing the system. You do not need to think about how long of a cable or cord you will use for certain components. You no longer need to create ways to pass cables through your walls and/or ceilings. You are not limited by where you will be able to place these components; thus giving you wider coverage compared to a wired alarm system. Another advantage of having wireless security alarms is that you prevent clutter of wires in your home or business which is a common problem with their wired counterparts.

Another one of the advantages of having wireless home security alarms over wired ones is that criminals or burglars will have less options of deactivating your whole system. If they see cables running through your home then they can simply study this in order to deactivate the alarm or find a different entry point which does not have an alarm. Other advantages of wireless security alarms are that they are cheaper to install since you can do it on your own within a few minutes. They are also more resistant to damage. Plus, since they do not use cables, you can move them around and redo your setup from time to time. Wireless security alarms overall, provide better security compared to their wired counterparts.

Garden Shed Plans – How to build a garden shed

Thursday, March 31st, 2011 at 5:02 pm  
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www.easyshedbuilding.info - Get 1200 Shed Plans NOW! http So your thinking of getting some garden shed plans but the question is do you actually need them? Well the answer is yes and no, you could go out and buy a prebuilt shed all you have to do is go to your diy store pick out a shed you like arrange for delivery and pay for installation. The trouble with that option is first of all cost. You have to consider the cost of the shed and then delivery plus the cost of the labour to build the thing. After all the cost and hassle of a premade shed you don't quite get the same finish and quality as a hand built garden shed. www.easyshedbuilding.info So we have come to the conclusion that building your own will produce a better result plus it is actually quite fun and very addictive when you start building your own. There is also a great sense of achievement once your garden shed is completed. So the next thing we need to consider is that not all garden shed plans are equal. When looking at garden shed plans you want to avoid plans with limited designs and sizes because everybody's shed needs are different from the size to the design. http Your best option is to buy a pack of garden shed plans with loads of designs and sizes to chose from. If you want over 1200 shed plans as well as other plans such as garden gazebos and garden furniture for one small price Click Here. www.easyshedbuilding.info

Magnetic Energy Is Growing Successful Almost Everywhere

Thursday, March 31st, 2011 at 4:53 pm  
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Energy expenses have never ever been as high and lots of families are researching ways to save money on their monthly electrical power expenses. There are many ways that you can conserve cash on your own electrical power bills however why not take into consideration acquiring your own electrical power from elsewhere aside from your existing supplier. Have you thought to generate a portion of your home electrical power your self?

I am just certain you have read about solar powered energy yet you might not know that this is an incredibly popular renewable home power source. If you live someplace that has a pretty sun-drenched environment, home solar technology can help decrease your month-to-month expenses. The point that puts a lot of people off is actually the initial expenditure of getting the solar power systems installed. There are additional more affordable options though and it is really rather easy to create home solar panels alone and independently.

Another option that is becoming increasingly well-known is actually permanent magnetic energy. Lots of people are turning to homemade magnetic energy generation devices to supply their own homes. Unlike solar power, a permanent magnetic generator can actually power your whole house if you build it big enough. This is the only catch with a magnetic electricity generator for the reason that you must basically make one on your own because they are not freely accessible to buy in the local Diy store! For those who have fundamental Do-it-yourself experience then you will be capable of making one however.

As you can tell there are numerous alternatives readily available for you if you wish to make use of alternative energy for the home. A single magnetic generator is regarded as the viable option despite the fact that wind power or solar powered energy could suit you too depending on the varying weather conditions in your area. Irrespective of whether or not you select a magnetic electricty generator or even another alternative energy,you will certainly save yourself a bundle of money!