Chimney stacks, flues and fireplaces
The pitfalls, weaknesses and characteristics of chimneys and what to do about repairing and removing them…
To read the whole article, click here.
Back by popular demand…
Category: In case you missed it…
In case you missed it…..
Romanian man has his entire house stolen and replaced with a field of crops
If you’re in the market for a holiday home it may be wise to avoid purchasing on the Danube Delta in Romania, after one unlucky owner returned to his, only to find it had been stolen and replaced with a field of ready-to-harvest crops…
To read the whole article, click here.
In case you missed it…..
Woman moves house 56 times in 13 years
For many, moving house is a stressful ordeal to be avoided wherever possible. The 
average Brit opts to move house a total of around 8 times in his or her lifetime but for one woman, stress is evidently no obstacle as she’s racked up 56 house moves in just 13 years.
In case you missed it…..
In case you missed it: Two Stars anger neighbours by carrying out works that are often regarded as needing no planning permission.
Planning permission is often misconstrued as only being associated with buildings and houses, but as an ex-Bond girl and current England footballer found out it can include the felling of trees and play areas for kids…
To read the whole article, click here.
Have you heard about Smart Cities? Set to be a £400bn industry by 2020 and a big part of all urban lives
A new report published in October values the smart cities industry at more than $400 billion globally by 2020, with the UK expected to gain a 10% share ($40 billion). This comes as the Government announces the creation of a Smart Cities Forum.
A smart city uses intelligent technology to enhance our quality of life in urban environments. Cities can use the data in a variety of ways; to save money, minimise waste, measure domestic water usage and manage transport routes. An upcoming computer game – Watchdogs – will explore the possibilities of a software integrated city, with wifi provided free in every location and software programmes operating everything from traffic lights to crime prediction systems.
Foxes, hares and rabbits all in decline – but deers boom
Despite frequent tales of the deviance and destruction wrought by urban foxes and a strong media presence concerned with explaining, educating and protecting against their impact, a new study in the European Journal of Wildlife Research has shown that numbers in the UK are actually down by 20% in the last two decades.
This is despite the hunting ban of 2004 . Deer numbers, on the other hand, are exploding – with 181% growth for Reeve’s muntjac and 89% for fallow deer.
A Property Owning Democracy?
What was Thatcher’s True Property Legacy?
On the day of her public funeral, we issued a special, single-article edition of our newsletter, analysing through editorial comment the legacy the late Baroness Thatcher leaves to the UK property market.
Baroness Margaret Thatcher’s death has prompted vigorous debate on the matter of her controversial political legacy. In the wake of the passing of a woman described as “the most admired, most hated, most idolised and most vilified public figure of the second half of the 20th centuryâ€, we analyse the indelible mark she left on the British property market…
Read the rest of this popular article at this link.
Derby and Nottingham highways deal up for Bidding
Derby and Nottingham City Councils’ four-year joint highways deal up for tender
The framework will be split into 14 separate lots with a total estimated framework value for both councils of £100m and a potential for the framework to be used by other Midland Highway Alliance members with an estimated value of a further £25m.
In case you missed it…What have you got in your barn or garage?
In an intriguing story this month, an Aston Martin bought for just £1,500 in the 1970s looks set to sell for around £150,000 when it goes to auction in May, after being discovered in a barn.
The 1964 DB5 Sports Saloon has covered just 48,000 miles and, after 10 years of driving, was parked in a garage in Newport Pagnell, near Milton Keynes, and left for 30 years.
Salford Council goes extra mile for disabled child
salfordsurveyors.co.uk – Salford Council have used part of their £3.5m a year ‘home adaptations programme’ to assist a mother and child in their area, by building an inedible extension. The child suffers from rare disorder ‘Pica Disorder’ which means he has an appetite for non-edible substances.
If you are building an extension, with special requirements or not, contact your local surveyor here.