Future of Dubai Real Estate According to Fitch Rating

Fitch is an international rating agency which has recently predicted the future of Dubai real estate. According to it, real estate market in Dubai does not seem to be recovering until 2012 to 2013. The major reason daunting the recovery process, according to it, is oversupply of properties. On the other hand, banks are unable to increase demand by lowering their interest rates to the minimum due to significant refinancing risks faced by them. As a result sufficient amount of mortgage loans are unavailable and interest rates are increasing on them, keeping this sector under constant pressure.
Fitch predicted that the Dubai rental market will face a decline of 20% to 40% in the upcoming quarters of 2011. This decline is likely to continue in the next 12 to 18 months. This is because of the reason that many real estate developers continue lowering their rents to rent out their property on whatever price they get for it. They think to get little is better than to get nothing.
Fitch added that unavailability of mortgage loans and their high cost is forcing developers to sell their assets to complete their upcoming and halted projects and pay off credit liabilities. But this cannot continue in the long run. With out the interference of government and central bank of Dubai, developers cannot repay their liabilities for which maturities are falling near. That is why, they are currently relying more on short term maturity loans. The developers need support in the shape of lowering cost on mortgage loans and further relaxing of lending criteria.
Also, Fitch highlighted the current Dubai real estate market situation. According to the latest report, sales prices of the Dubai properties showed stagnant growth in first and second quarter of 2011. Apartments and commercial properties in Palm Jumeirah and DIFC still fall under high price brackets. When it comes to the condition of villas, their rental prices also showed stagnant growth except in the two places: "Meadows" and "The Springs" where 5% to 6% decline has been observed due to oversupply of units.
Also, the prices vary according to the level of facilities and amenities contained in the houses or apartments. Report also added that Palm Jumeirah remained the most expensive place to live in, in the first and second quarters of 2011. Fitch concluded Dubai real estate market is showing stagnant signs of stabilization so it will take some time till it recovers completely. This time seems to come in 2012 to 2013.

Steel Building Design

There are essentially no limits to the design capabilities of steel. The lightweight strength of steel has been utilized for decades in everything from backyard sheds to stadiums and skyscrapers. Chances are if you are looking into the design process you already have a general idea of the type of building you want, or at least what the function of the building will be.
First things first, you don't need to hire an architect or design specialist to design your pre-engineered steel building. The elite steel building providers are staffed with experienced workers with the design experience to help you turn your vision of a building into a set of plans to be sent off to manufacturing. If you know exactly what it is you are looking for many websites even have online design tools where you enter the building and frame type, the dimensions of the building, the pitch of the roof, the base conditions and Ta-Da, you've got yourself a building.

It's undeniable that these online tools are fun to play around with; but it's definitely worth the time to call a professional steel building company and speak to a specialist about the design. Professionals at leading companies can provide insight on design that can save you time and money. For instance, an experienced building designer from a trusted company can tell you what is necessary to create an energy efficient building that can best withstand your local weather conditions. This way your money is spent on a building that can carry on awarding you the highest returns on your investment, even when faced with heavy rains, scorching summer heat, heavy snow loads, or 120+ mph winds from hurricanes or tornadoes.
Fortunately today (probably thanks to the complaints about boring metal garage-esque steel buildings the past) there is so much more involved in the design of a steel building beyond the framing and dimensions. There are endless combinations of different options for doors, windows, framed openings, skylights, panel colors, siding options, and so much more that you could even disguise your garage to look like a wood cabin in the forest if you wanted to. If you want to test out the look of a design try soliciting the help of your building provider, often they will have an in-house design specialist who can create a digital mockup of your building to help you finalize your design decisions.
Designing your steel building should be the fun part. To make the process go as smooth as possible it's a good idea to brush up on the terms of the design dimensions and accessories that a building designer will be discussing with you. The online design tools are a good way to get a basic understanding of what is involved in the design process, but beyond that, be sure you ask questions. Truthfully, the design process stands as a pretty good test of the type of building company you will be purchasing from. The sales representatives should be well versed in all aspects of design and willing to help you understand and create the best building possible.

Ideas to Convert an Old Outbuilding

As most lovers of all things French know, one of the main advantages of French country houses is that they often come with an outbuilding or two. They could be anything from a shed, a barn, a garage, a workshop, a cowshed, a henhouse or a stable. Converting existing outbuildings into living space is something you may want to look into, whether to increase your living space or create a gite or guest accommodation. It is often a good step to take to secure an outbuilding anyway, as the older they are, the more likely to fall apart which can of course be dangerous: rotten beams, plenty of holes in the framework, bats and nests of wasps or hornets...
Problems with this type of conversion:
The major problem with this sort of conversion is that outbuildings were rarely designed for living in. Therefore they were not designed to stay particularly warm and dry. It's worth renovating an old building rather than building a new one, though VAT is not reclaimable against a renovation and restoration project, and it is for new builds.
Then, by insulating the walls, you can make sure the building is easier to heat and will thus retain the heat for longer. One efficient method is to put wooden battens around the wall then fix plasterboard to them, laying insulation material against the wall. This method would only work if you use your outbuilding for summer. It is all the more ideal if your outbuilding is well ventilated.
Original ideas for conversion:
I-Another habitable surface
-> Should your house be too small to host a summer party, an outbuilding is a pleasant area to do so. Sheltered from any bad weather, it also avoids you having to worry about tidying your home after the party. Use planks to set up trestle tables for the meal.
-> If you have young children, a games room could be ideal instead of spending their time in front of video games or the TV.
-> If you often host family and friends, why not convert your outbuilding into a studio or a guest house?
-> Finally, you can even convert your barn into a gite or a B&B. Two advantages could be highlighted:
- On the one hand, it can be a great source of additional income
- On the other hand, this activity enables you to meet all sorts of interesting people...
However, make sure you investigate local laws and consult with your regional government. Consider hiring a lawyer specializing in real estate to make the process easier. When dealing with local government officials, make sure you get everything in writing.
II-Farm activity
-> If you've always dreamt about developing a farm activity why not transform your outbuilding into a henhouse? It is a less expensive livestock to rear as you can easily find chickens, hens, turkeys or guinea fowls at your local market. Furthermore, your chickens would be well protected from any fox attacks as opposed to if they were only surrounded by a wire fence.
-> If you have good sized budget, you can transform your outbuilding into a stable for one or two horses, or a sheepfold. Obviously you'll also need plenty of land as these animals need grazing patches and spaces to roam.
Be careful: for an outbuilding, avoid ducks and geese who aren't used to living under a roof but near water, unless you have a pond or a river crossing your land or close enough to your outbuilding.
As you can see through these examples, possibilities to transform your old barn are endless...

Construction Site Management - Waste Management

The construction site is usually ridden with numerous forms of waste, all of which needs to be disposed of properly. Examples here include:
· Human waste: This is a universal concern and a requirement for sanitation. Depending on the scope of the project, and thus the number of workers available, this could range from a simple pit latrine to a whole lavatory block. Remote projects like road construction pose a unique challenge in that they cannot permit permanent washrooms. This will therefore call for provision of mobile toilets. To minimize costs and prevent duplication, a permanent septic tank for the project could be done initially and then be utilized by the workers as the project progresses.
· Excess excavated material: Dumping excessive or inappropriate excavated material is another headache in a construction site. Long haul routes will mean more costs, while unauthorized dumping will lead to prosecutions. Reusable material like red soil or murram should be sold off or given out to brokers of the same, which will lead to a saving in cost.
· Material and equipment wrappings: Wrappings range from biodegradable items to non-biodegradable ones, some are bulky and some are not. Some, like crates, are reusable and the same should be done, while others are worthless and should be burnt. Such burning should be such that it leads to minimum pollution.
· Used materials: Some materials like timber formwork and scaffolding can be easily reused for other works, including as firewood. Crushed stone for example during dressing, should be reused for road maintenance or as subbase material for parkings and pavings.
· Used vehicle and plant parts: depending on the material type, they should be reused or disposed of appropriately. For example, used tyres and oil filters are best incinerated in controlled environments to minimize pollution.
· Used water: Depending on the use it was put to, this can be directly recycled, allowed to run off or contained for further purification.
· Petroleum arisings: These are mostly found in parkings and garages and are laden with petroleum waste. Proper petrol disposal procedures should be followed.
It is important to note that at the point of construction project approval, waste management is one of the requirements to be planned for. There are statutory bodies charged with the responsibility of ensuring that proper waste management procedures are put in place and followed. This will minimize environmental disturbance as well as curb pollution. Workers welfare as well as that of the surrounding communities should be considered. Taking for example of effluent disposed in rivers, it will lead to the death of aquatic life.

Construction Site Management - Accessibility

Construction sites offer different challenges as far as accessibility is concerned. This follows the fact that there is a mass movement of men (labour) as well as material haulers. These range from pick up trucks to trailers. Depending on the items being moved, the weight is different and as such the capability of the route to and from site should match these requirements. There will also be visitors in light personal vehicles, especially consultants and prospective property buyers in case of commercial projects or prospective tenants in case of residential or other rental spaces. The available or provided access should well cater for these requirements as far as is possible. The different site conditions include;
· Virgin sites: This refers to a new site where no other construction activity has been done before. This means that there is no access to the specific point of construction. Where such route may be available, it may not be sufficient and might need improvement. This may include works like cutting down trees, cutting high sections and filling low ones, dumping murram or other appropriate material. It will also include compaction, wetting and curing of the dumped material. Being a new and sometimes temporary route, it will need maintenance. Where such access is to pass through other people's property, appropriate permissions should be sought. The local authorities must also be notified and provided with plans like ways of averting problems like ecological disturbance. It is usually wise to have the access route for construction being also the permanent access to the permanent route for accessing the completed facility.
· Existing sites: These are sites that have already been built upon previously. They may have existing access. The only hurdle would be where such access is still in use by others, as it will create an inconvenience and delivery use might be regulated to low peak periods only. There could also arise the need to provide alternative routes for the existing users. A good example here is road maintenance or improvement works, whereby diversions are created and maintained in good order during the construction period. Appropriate arrangements should be made to minimize inconvenience as well as prevent accidents.
· Tight Sites: These are unique sites in the fact that they have minimal space for maneuverability. Examples here are found in town centers or institutions. Regulation here is very strict and as such stringent measures should be put in place to follow such regulations. These sites are very difficult to manage as far as accessibility is concerned. An example is where concrete is to be delivered on site already mixed (In premix trucks). This presents the headache of timing as well as preventing inconvenience to other users.
The provision of access to sites should be a well thought out activity. Maintenance should be in top priority. The design of such access roads should also cater for the traffic envisaged for the said project. Road signage and other such furniture should be also be provided and well maintained.