Posts Tagged ‘construction’

A Concise History Of The Introduction Of Window Tax In England And Scotland

May 11th, 2010

This article presents the historical facts about an old taxation system on windows in the United Kingdom. The window tax was introduced into Great Britain in 1696 by King William the third. In those days, the idea of civil liberty was different to that which exists today. In the prevailing climate, people felt that telling the king about their income was an unacceptable intrusion into their private business.

To find a way to tax them based on some sort of wealth measure, the King decided to tax his subjects depending on the size of house they inhabited. Each householder was to pay a flat rate of 2 shillings. Then in addition to this, each person with more than 10 windows in their dwelling would pay extra tax.

For a property of ten to twenty windows each person would pay more than the flat rate. They would have to pay four shillings more. And for a house with over twenty windows, the property owner would have to pay eight shillings more. This was later reduced to a house with 7 windows. In 1825, the minimum number of windows taxed would be changed to eight.

Poor subjects who were eligible for the church’s charity could claim an exemption. This was irrespective of the number of windows their dwelling contained.

In order to evade this tax, residents resorted to bricking up extra windows. This occurred mainly in the 17th and early 18th centuries. In Scotland, this tax was not introduced until the 1780s by William Pitt the Younger. Even here, residents painted over their windows black with white crosses. These became known as Pitt’s pictures. A visitor to Charlotte’s Square in Edinburgh can still see these windows on some of the houses.

It is thought that several of the richest families took this opportunity to commission huge houses with the largest possible number of windows. They even had windows installed over blank wall space to prove how rich they were.

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How To Find Construction Jobs In Dubai

December 23rd, 2009

There are many great opportunities waiting for you in Dubai. It is at the top of the list for fasting growing cities in the entire world. Therefore, many construction jobs in Dubai are available. A unique feature is that any income is not taxed and also over 75% of the population are foreigners working in temporary jobs. If you are not currently in the Dubai looking for construction work, then you may want to explore the possibilities of working with recruitment consultants or agents to help find new foreign workers to fill the jobs.

The migrant workers’ plight used to be really bleak without any minimum wage and living conditions that were not tolerable. Now the government has got involved and begun to pass laws.

During the summer months construction is not done between the hours of 12:30pm to 4:30pm when the day is its hottest, well over 100 degrees. Trade unions are being legalized and medical care has improved significantly. The construction industry has become a great industry to work in at Dubai.

In Dubai, besides the typical labourer construction jobs, there is also a storong call for consultant and skilled management workers. There are already plenty of employees working construction jobs, but there is a heavy need for those skilled in architecture, safety codes, and those that are able to do this type of high skilled work. Because of this, many of the consultants are brought in from foreign countries in order to work construction jobs in Dubai.

Most of the freelance or consulting positions are all made out of the city so you need to make contact with companies before arriving in Dubai as you are very unlikely to find a position by yourself after arriving in Dubai. Dubai will soon be home to the tallest building, largest airport, biggest entertainment park, biggest shopping mall and more. If you are looking for a job in construction or any part of construction then Dubai is an exciting place to be in the industry.

There are thousands of opportunities available to those who move fast. Here is a website with many more free resources to get you ahead of the competition. Make sure you are successful and start your search for construction jobs in Dubai now.

What Are the Advantages of a Basement Bathroom?

December 12th, 2009

Ask any property developer what trait is common among potential homeowners and most probably he will answer that they are very choosy. They certainly know what they want, from the planning up to the construction stage. This is totally logical. If you were in their place and you have worked long and hard in order to stash away a few thousand grand in the bank just so you can have enough cash to acquire a big house and lot, then you certainly want everything to be in perfect form. This rationale explains why contractors, architects and engineers are only chosen after a long deliberation process. Their job entails capturing the essence of what the owner says is his ideal abode.

All the rooms in the house must adhere to a certain style for a harmonious effect. It will make the house look gorgeous and stylish. If you have dreams of living in European countries, you may opt for a Mediterranean style. Now, if Asian places is more your type, buy Oriental inspired wares or decorations. You may also amplify the style factor of your house by utilizing the proper color scheme. Pastel hues are cool to the eyes so use them if you want a refreshing set up. For a warmer and cozier effect, earth shades like light brown, tan, beige, cream and taupe are the best choices.

Furniture must also be proportional to the size of the living space. There should also be decorative accents to highlight certain areas that are worth talking about such as the hallway or foyer.

If everything is almost perfect, then it should only follow that the bathroom is also up to the highest standards. Adding a bathroom in the basement is a good idea for a variety of reasons. Here are some of them.

First, it will increase the value of your home. An additional bathroom, wherever it may be located, offers ease, comfort and convenience to the users. It will certainly be something that you can brag about to visitors and guests who wants to stay overnight in your residence. Someday, if you are planning to sell your house for whatever reason, you may be happy to note that it will definitely be a crowd drawer.

Second, if you will have the misfortune of a defective plumbing and drainage system in one bathroom, you can always run to the other one. Even if there is flooding, you need not worry that you will be late for the office. Simply give the plumber a call so that he can immediately come over and fix the problem. This will save you from the hassle of panicking. Building an extra bathroom in the basement is a wonderful idea, isn’t it?

Third, a bathroom in the basement will give you more space in other parts of the house. You can use it to widen your library, den or bedroom. Just imagine the space it can offer. Instead of carefully making your way, you can freely move from one spot to another. This will encourage you to add another much needed couch or an innovative gadget that will make your work station much better.

After reading the three reasons of the benefits of a bathroom in the basement, may you be guided accordingly. Hopefully, they will be a great help in your planning process.

There are several important things that you need to consider before you begin planning your basement bathroom design. Two such things are the need for flush up toilets and the basement bathroom installation as a whole. Professional help is not needed but you must be careful that you know what you’re doing.