Shed Plan: Where Are The Right Sources?

Suzana Mikolova
May 20, 2022
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Shed Plan: Where Are The Right Sources?

The Best Sources For A Shed Plan

Often, when people are planning their first utility shed, the first question they ask is: Where can I go to get the best shed plan so that I can build the right utility shed for my backyard?

Today, there are a myriad of right answers to this question as the sources of available plans have literally mushroomed.

For starters, you might want to look at your local library. Libraries, more than ever today, are becoming much more than just book repositories. They are becoming resource centers with full Internet access, DVD capability and even eBook reader capability. You can use the libraries array of resources to find the right plan.

If you have personal access to the Internet at home, then you don’t even have to leave your home office or easy chair as you can go online to sites like Popular to find great plans for just about any project, including your shed plan. Their plans, by the way, include not only the blueprints and specifications, but also suggest the proper materials and tools.

If you want to see what a shed may look like after you have purchased the shed plan and have built it, you can go to one of the big box supply stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. These stores not only have the plan you need, but also the tools you need to use and the materials you will need to use. Often, they run building classes for beginners who are just starting into home project building.

You can, of course, contact a contractor for a professional installation. With a contractor, of course, all of the load except finding the money to pay and signing the checks is on the contractor to do the job correctly and it is his responsibility to ensure that the plan is executed as it should be and that the proper materials should be used.

Shed Plan Sources Conclusion

The proper materials includes properly prepared pressure-treated wood that is also chemically prepared to withstand invasion by pests such as carpenter ants and termites; the cement pad is properly poured and cured (this should be less than a yard of concrete), and that the proper building techniques are used, including the proper paint or stain to protect your shed for our climate. Ensure your shed plan outlines all of this before you purchase it and begin your building project as you want to ensure you have all the materials needed. Nothing is worse than driving back and forth to the hardware store because the plan did not include all the required material in it.…

Suzana Mikolova
May 19, 2022
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Rented Self Storage Facilities Could Help Lead the UK’s Fight Back From Recession

New-build British houses often don’t have enough space for storage, to entertain friends or for children to play according to the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment.

47% of those surveyed said their homes couldn’t accommodate all their furniture and 35% said their kitchens had no room for even appliances like toasters.

Although nowadays rented self-storage facilities are becoming more visible on the edges of UK towns and cities they have not reached levels of use that exist in the USA, where one in seven US households rents space. In the UK the figure is one in 100.

More men than women use them. 56% of customers are make while 38% are female and of customers around 60% of them use rented self-storage for house moves. Soldiers account for 4% of US self storage customers because they tend to store their belongings while deployed overseas, although there are no comparable figures for the UK.

People using rented self storage also tend to be fairly youthful. A large proportion of storage renters are 20-plus people trying to pay off student loans and get on the career track before getting tied down with a mortgage. But there’s a growing trend to customers renting storage units to carry out their businesses.

As the global recession grinds on and many people lose their jobs some of them turn hobbies into businesses or start up a business based on an idea they have had for some years but not developed because they were already employed.

Most small traders and entrepreneurs will initially run their new business from home. But when the business outgrows the garage or the spare bedroom the option of renting in a purpose-built business unit may be too costly at this stage so many turn to using a unit in a self-store rental facility.

It’s much cheaper than office space, it’s clean, aired, dry and well-lit and the premises are secure. If you don’t mind a lack of windows it’s a useful interim location while building a business, whether it is one that requires desk, chair, telephone and computer only, or one where space is needed for small-scale manufacture or a repairs business.

And of course, once the business outgrows the space the office function can move on while the rented storage can still be used for stock, parts or machinery.

Starting in the 1990s the trend has developed to the point where now, in 2010, it accounts for around a third of the UK industry’s rented storage space.

Among those enterprises the writer has come across that are taking advantage of self store units are a man who has turned his hobby breeding budgies into a fill-scale business selling bird fancying equipment.

We also found a ballerina based in London who could not afford to rent a practice studio at £30 per hour, so set up her practice barre in a self-store unit.

There are units being used to run martial arts classes and in Southampton an enterprising group of wheelchair users uses its unit for repairing rusty, broken and otherwise damaged wheelchairs for other users.

Other possibilities are bicycle repairs or component assembly. Small scale industries that don’t use any toxic materials but ones that are clean and non-perishable could use rented storage space for a start-up.

The writer consulted staff at a Suffolk, UK, self store facility and discovered that there is nothing in the general contract to prevent people from using their units for such purposes.

They are cheap, clean, well-ventilated and secure.

Since the onset of the global economic recession it has been said repeatedly that the UK is less well-placed to recover because its industrial and manufacturing base has been allowed to shrink to just 16% of the country’s economy in comparison to the financial and other services that make up the majority of UK business.

Currently it is also becoming clear that raising the finance for a new business or innovative idea is a lot harder than it was and likely to remain so. Anything that can keep costs down is therefore welcome and who knows, perhaps the rental self-store industry will one day prove to have been instrumental in helping the country’s industrial and manufacturing base to grow again.

Suzana Mikolova
May 18, 2022
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Common Storage Types

With people moving around a lot more today than before, storage places to store furniture, appliances or other personal belongings, are getting more popular. One can find public storage facilities as well self-storage facilities with the latter becoming increasingly popular. In the past, train stations, airports and bus terminals often had public storage facilities. The only thing about these was that they were not privately stored and thus privacy was not ensured.

This meant that management could open these storage places to inspect the items if they were suspicious about the contents or found cause to do so. In addition, you could only store or retrieve items when they were open and you could not enter the premises after closing. Also, at one time, some people started using public storage places to store illegal items or as a drop-off zone for illegal money and this led the management of these places to either shut down these storage facilities or to monitor them very thoroughly.

People started being reluctant to then store their belongings in these places for fear that authorities or management might check their belongings thus reducing the privacy factor. Of course, this does not imply that these places was routinely used for illegal activities, but that the storage places was likely to be searched far more easily than a self-storage facility. The other option as far as storage facilities are concerned is the self-storage facility. The users of these facilities are usually given their own locks and keys. These storage facilities also have an added advantage in that they typically have an earlier and a later closing time. It is also quite unusual for those in management to enter these storage facilities unless there is a pressing reason, which typically might be non-payment of the rent of these storage places.

You could keep just about everything you wish in these units and no one would know the contents. Self-storage units are also usually quite larger than public storage units. Individuals as well as small business owners could store their items or goods in these places quite conveniently. An added advantage was that business owners could avoid having to lease space in a warehouse or lease larger units or several smaller units in a public storage facility. The added convenience or versatility of these self-storage places or units is that they are available in various sizes.

This allows individuals as well as businesses to use them according to their requirements for the amount and size of the items they want to store. Most of these self-storage places are set up in such a way that you could even drive a vehicle right up to the entrance of the storage place to store or retrieve your items. Many people see this as an enhanced convenience to self-storage units. Although public storage units in places like train stations are convenient for smaller items, self-storage units are used by people who need to store used or old furniture, appliances or as a temporary measure whilst moving from one residence to another.…

Suzana Mikolova
May 15, 2022
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Metal Storage Sheds – My Cousin’s Tale

Cheap garden sheds were everywhere this last season.

Did you notice that? In the neighbors’ backyards little metal storage sheds seemed to be everywhere. Or am I just noticing them for the first time?

Certainly a little shed is a great help to keeping your backyard tidy and clean. Not to mention keeping your garage clear of clutter!

In the past wooden storage sheds were the only option home owners had, and because they were heavy and hard to make small, they tended to be bigger, lumbering, more obtrusive structures.

Certainly the one in the backyard where I grew up with my sister was like this. It held bikes (five of them I think), all the gardening tools, chicken feed, our father’s carpentry tools and the old bench that ran along one side was piled high with the boxes and bits and pieces that a family accumulates over the years.

So when my cousin recently replaced her small metal storage shed with another one, I couldn’t help notice how convenient the size was. And add to that the way she and her husband put it up with a screwdriver in a very short time. It was so easy.

But already it is full. I can’t see them being able to store boxes and larger items long term in their shed. And while it is stronger than the plastic storage sheds or the vinyl sheds you will find in some yards, it is not as sturdy as wood. Actually, the earlier one had rusted away, since my cousin lives near the sea. So we can be sure of what the future holds for this current metal shed. Even vinyl storage sheds would have a shelf-life, I think, in spite of being durable and sturdy.

No, there is a place for wooden storage, even if they are a little big. They can be maintained for years and you can quickly add shelves or benches with simple tools and some nails.…

Suzana Mikolova
May 13, 2022
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Decorative Storage Boxes – Pretty and Functional

A room where everything is strewn all over a place can be quite an eyesore not just to the visitor but to the residents as well. If you find yourself having the need to tidy up the place every time you see this mess, then perhaps your old method of home organization and adornment does not suffice anymore. So, how should you address the problem? Have that much awaited trip to the decor store and get those pretty storage boxes that everyone seems to favor nowadays.

The demand for these boxes stems from the fact that they can be quite a versatile and functional way to store stuff that need not contribute to the overall interior of the room. On the other hand, the logic behind their somewhat sophisticated and overly creative design is simply just to suit and enhance the aesthetic value of the place where they will be stored. If you are going to maximize the use of your room, might as well make it pleasing to the eyes, isn’t that right? Instead of your usual ornaments and decorative furniture that does not contribute to your organizational needs, these decorative stacking boxes give a different flair of elegance due to their minimalist use of space and dimensions. You can just simply stack them to the side of the room or have them stand out as at the center as another makeshift table or chair.

Those two reasons aside, you may also consider the portability of these boxes as a bonus to your recent purchase. Unlike other storage units, such as your closets and cabinets, they are definitely easier to move around. Packing and redecorating will never be much of a problem because you can effortlessly haul them to their next position or have them neatly piled up at your trunk without the worry that their content will spill over.

There is nothing that can go wrong with these decorative storage boxes. You will definitely have functionality, versatility, and portability literally all in one box.…

Suzana Mikolova
May 13, 2022
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Seller’s Checklist: The First Impression

The seller’s checklist, has been developed to assist seller’s prepare their home so it would sell. I have been dealing in real estate since the 1990’s and I have yet to find the perfect marketing plan or special ad campaign that will guarantee that your house will sell in any set amount of time, it is just not out there. It takes work from both the Realtor and the sellers to successfully sell a home. Over the years I found that sellers who follow this checklist will have their home ready to sell and normally will get a higher price for their home. It will also sell quicker and for a much higher price than those who don’t follow this checklist. The reason is quite simple, buyers are more willing to pay a higher price for a home that is in immaculate condition over a house that is clean but it is obvious the sellers have not taken the time to do the little things to make the house more attractive. Have you ever been to a parade of homes? If not, here is what you have missed. You will be instructed to put on special slippers before you are allowed to enter any of the homes. There are no dust balls floating around the floor, you can see yourself in the all of the floors that are not carpeted and there is Nothing out of place. These homes will sell so quickly and the sellers get top dollar. That is what you will try and do with your home. Even though your home may not be fancy or full of the latest trends and it is probably several years old, the idea is to have It be spotless, without the dust bunnies and leaving any buyer who comes to view your home, impressed with how well the home has been taken care of.

The Yard: The yard is the first impression people have about your home, it should be mowed and trimmed constantly (two or three times per week), there should be no liter, leaves or pet droppings, all bushes and hedges are to be neatly trimmed with all the dead leaves and trash from underneath bushes and hedges cleaned up. Try planting some extra flowers to add color to your yard and remove any dead branches from trees. Every day pick up fallen fruit from under fruit trees and keep the driveway and sidewalks clean and in good repair. Every week check the fences for any damage and repair as needed and keep all lawn equipment neatly stored away.

Outside of house: Wash the outside walls of the house if you have siding, if house is painted, inspect all of the outside to see if any of the paint is peeling, blistering or bare spots and repaint as needed. The house numbers need to be clearly visible, if not they need to be repaired, replaced or painted. If its needed paint or replace the mailbox or newspaper box (nothing is more degrading to a first impression as seeing a broken mailbox or newspaper holder). Take a ladder and clean debris from roof and gutters, repair or replace gutters that are broken, damaged or not hung properly and inspect roof for any damaged roof tiles, shingles or flashings. You really need to repair or replace and damaged screens and broken windows. Make sure to check that the door bells work and is in good repair, check that all outside lights work (especially any lights in an entrance) and put a 100 watt light bulb in all of the outside fixtures.

Garage and Storage sheds: Clean out the clutter in the garage and any storage sheds you may have. Look to see if garage and storage sheds look full, if they do, rent a storage unit and pack away all the clutter, keep only what you use weekly in the garage or storage sheds. You will probably need to buy some garage floor cleaner to clean up any oil spots from garage floor. I hope you understand the importance of the first impression and how critical it is in selling your home. The curb appeal, first impression or what ever you want to call it, has a great deal of influence on the buyers. I have experienced the embarrassment of trying to show a home and the yard is a mess or the outside of the house is not kept in good repair and the buyers decide not to even get out of the car and view the inside of a home. Several appraisers that I work with told me on several occasions that part of their evaluation of a property was based on how the outside of the house appeared. If the yard and …

Suzana Mikolova
May 11, 2022
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Self Storage Business Owners – Manage Your Online Reputation

The rising use of services like Google Places, Google Maps, and social networks have made it more important than ever to concern yourself with online reputation management. There are an increasingly larger number of consumers posting reviews on various customer satisfaction sites like Yelp, Google Places, and Yahoo! Local and their integration with social networks like Facebook and Twitter make it easy for customers to share their bad business experiences. Add in the soaring number of blogger-written reviews influencing thousands of readers, demonstrating the supreme importance of controlling your online reputation.

Review sites and their user-created content often appear on the first page of search engine results, making them a significant target for online reputation management. Positive comments are always welcome but a negative comment can wreak havoc on your business. Being proactive about online reputation management protects your bottom line. For more detailed information, a detailed two-step process of implementation and best management practices is presented below.

Listen To Your Customer Base

As a business owner, you are busy and perhaps do not have time to peruse every review site, social network, and blog that mentions or reviews your business. However, monitoring what is being said online is the only way to listen to your business. There are a few tools available to help you streamline the monitoring process.

Set up Google Alerts. Google Alerts offers a simple and free way to find out what is being said about you online. Have your managers sign up, pick pertinent keywords, like your business name or that of your competitor, decide how often you wish to receive the alert, what types of content to search, and Google sends an email when the keywords are mentioned in a blog, news article, or other web content.

Buy software or enroll with a management service. Many software programs available for purchase offer a more in-depth method to track what is being said about your self storage business online. Additionally, there are reputation management applications and tools you can use for managing and overseeing social media mentions. Software services and reputation management tools are both designed to cultivate customer interactions, track engagement across various platforms, and provide feedback on where improved management is needed.

Respond and Engage

A fast, professional response to online remarks about your self-storage business impacts whether you end up with good PR or a negative PR experience. Engaging and connecting with individual tenants where they are online is the most direct and effective response.

The tone you respond with is just as critical to the timeliness with which you respond to negative reviews. Avoid further alienating your tenants with overtly defensive responses or obvious self-serving marketing or sales-driven pitches.

As the amount of online social sharing increases, managing your online reputation is an important aspect of your online presence. Having guidelines for engagement and responses in place help make sure your self-storage business reflects your company values online.…