Could Shipping Containers Really be the Answer to Urban Housing Crisis?

Shipping containers can offer a solution to Britain’s urban housing crisis!

The containers, shipped over from China and used just once or twice can be converted cheaply and quickly into high specification, affordable spaces up to 9 storeys high.

How often have we heard on the news about the problems faced by young couples wanting to get on the housing ladder but finding it too expensive? shipping containers could provide a durable, ransportable and cheap solution.

Containers manufactured for industrial use are extremely strong structurally and are typically 20′ or 40′ long, 8′ wide and 8′6″ high. They can be connected to one another to create a series of rooms and can be stacked on top of one another to create lofts and two storied units, as well as multi-storied, high rise buildings. Ceilings are typically 8′ in homes so shipping containers are the perfect height for a modular unit.

The shipping containers do not even have to look like shipping containers! They can be clad in a huge variety of materials to suit the location or the elements.

Examples of successful projects can be seen all over the world. In the UK the developers Urban Space Management commissioned architects Nicholas Lacey & Partners to build a Container City to be located at Trinity Buoy Wharf, right in the centre of London’s Docklands. It was completed in less than 5 months, with the actual installation time being 4 days, in 2001. Extremely cost effective it is also environmentally friendly as over 80% of the buildings are created from recycled material.

So successful was it that a second phase was undertaken in 2002 using further storage containers and connecting to the original development by a series bridges, a new lift and full disabled access.

Shipping containers have been converted into accommodation, offices, studios, and even emergency housing.

They will last 20-25 years and when at the end of their useful life, the very fact that they were built for ease of transportation means that it is easy for them to be loaded up and taken away.

The Sunday Times quotes “Containers can be transformed into stylish modern homes that are expandable, and the space that you get is much the same as in many swanky developments” and Grand Designs sees container developments as “Funky, sustainable and cheap”.

Imagine then, housing that can be assembled quickly and cheaply on brown field sites near to schools, hospitals and existing communities and provide durable, transportable, adaptable, reusable housing for whoever needs it. Housing that can use the existing infra-structure by the very fact that it can be slotted in amongst existing development where it is needed.

Sounds like the answer for the urban housing crisis? Could be a way of giving accommodation to nurses, teachers, firemen, social workers near to where they are needed at prices they can afford? Absolutely… So what are we waiting for?

P.S. More practical tips about estate improvement - read how to install suspended ceiling info.

As we get older as a society we forget that we are not as young as we used to be. Our bodies do not respond like thy used to. Let me explain more. Every one remembers the day when they hurt themselves by doing a strenuous activity. Our bodies do not have the ability to recover like they once did. The exciting horseplay we did as kids are quickly replaced by ice packs, ibuprofen, and long relaxing stays on the couch. Let me tell you the story on how the piano dolly became my new best friend.

I can remember my phone ringing. On the line was a buddy who was in the process of moving into a new larger home. He was a friend that I knew since grade school. We had play on a lot of sports teams together. We were very close. He felt like family to me. He had called to ask me if I would help move a couple of the larger items that he owned before the professional movers came and moved a majority of his family’s possession.

His pride and joy was a very large and very heavy baby grand piano. It was a family heirloom. It was given to him after the death of his father. You can imagine it was very special to him. As I looked around the room I noticed that there was not a piano dolly in sight. Knowing my friend I knew that he did want to hire a piano mover and have the extra expense. I knew that it was up to us to move this grand piano.

The problem with moving a very large piano is that the piano is very awkward. The piano can easily weigh over a half of a ton. It can very easily be a back breaker. The large design of the grand piano makes the move hard to navigate. It can be very difficult to move over uneven surfaces. A mover must be careful not break one of the pianos legs and have the unit crashing down and causing serious injuries. Smaller openings like doorways can create quite a challenge. One of two things will happen. I knew we would either scratch the pianos wood surface or damage the walls. Spackling and sanding were soon to follow. I was try to think of any way not to have to move this grand piano.

To my surprise there was a ring at the door bell; at the door were 2 more helpers. That is when I got to meet my new best friend. It was a piano dolly. The piano moving equipment sturdy design made the move a lot easier. The grand piano was easily moved to the new location. I inquired of the cost of the piano dolly. The average price is around $400. It was money well spent. It is a lot cheaper than a visit to the chiropractor. If you are looking to move across town or to the next room, remember to use a piano dolly. A set of piano dollies will easily become your best friend too!

Bathroom Remodeling

More Remodeling for Your Bathroom

Many homeowners choose to remodel their bathrooms for many different reasons. There is a difference between remodeling and repairing. Remodeling is changing the entire look of a bathroom, and repairing is fixing something that is damaged. There are plenty more remodeling ideas for your bathroom.

For instance, if your bathroom is small and you want to change it to make it look larger, there are some ideas that can do just that. First take all the furniture out of the bathroom that you possibly can, then paint it using a soft pastel color for the main color and a brighter pastel for the fixtures, it will not only make your bathroom look larger, but it will also give the bathroom a more cozy feeling. You can also lay down darker pastel colored bath set; the darker color will highlight the softer colors in the bathroom.

Bathroom Toilet Repair

For a small amount of money you could make some changes to your bathroom sink by adding a wall to wall counter, and install shelves under the counter. This will add more space to store your necessities such as towels, wash clothes, soaps, and extra toilet tissue. You can also measure about 8 to 10 inches up from the bathroom sink and install a shelf for cosmetics and shaving creams. Then right above that you can purchase a mirror with lights around it to add more lighting at the bathroom sink. Also to make the bathroom seem larger you can install a larger mirror on a wall, to reflect the light that is already in the bathroom.

How To Bathroom Remodeling

Also by purchasing a two or a four space saver shelf set that installs over the commode, will allow even more space. You can store more shower towels on them and anything else you might want to put near the shower.

For the bathtub area you can install a few corner shelves on the two sides of the bathtub, and some hooks to hang scrubbies on. You can also install a plastic shelf midway of the bathtub wall for more storage.

If the shower still needs to have some extra light, you might decide to put a lamp on back of the commode. This is what I had to do to my bathroom. I am one of those people that have had to remodel my bathroom to make it look larger than it actually is.

You can also take advantage of the corners by adding corner shelves in the bathroom such as the corners of the new sink counter that you just installed. By adding some green plants, whether they are real or artificial will also add coziness to your bathroom.

The type of shower curtain that you choose to install will help the illusion of having a larger bathroom, as well as putting four inch or larger contact boarder around the ceiling and the middle, and bottom of the walls.

These are some of my favorite ideas for you bathroom that do not cost a lot of money and can definitely make your bathroom something to be proud of, and you can enjoy bragging about doing it yourself to your friends and neighbors.

In this day and age, people are not known to conform to the norm. We are always on the lookout for unique table lamps that is unique and beautiful at the same time, which are exactly the words used to describe Tiffany style lamps. Though these types of lamps are no stranger to the world, they have just begun to rise in their popularity. Tiffany style lamps were once very popular in the 19th
century, but that popularity waned until recently.

When you are looking for a lamp that is stylish, beautiful, unique, and elegant, you need look no further. These lamps have the ability to accent almost any home décor and provide a warmth and welcoming feeling to any room in which it is placed. The designs are unmatched, though many have tried. Tiffany style lamps
always include colors that are both rich and deep. The unique stained glass used to create the lamps create a very inviting color and lighting to any room.

What is great about wall sconces is that they come available in many different styles, sizes, and designs. You will have no problems finding something that fits your own style and taste. To add to its versatility, Tiffany lamps can be the perfect fit in almost any room. Do you need some ideas? Here
are some that you can use.

Many of these lamps can make great decorations depending on the season; this is especially useful for people who like their home to depict the weather outside or by season. For the fall season, why not place one of the many fall-like Tiffany lamps within any room. Some great lamps for the fall season include the
Turning Leaf Lamps or the Autumn Leaf Table Lamp.

If Mother Nature is more your style, you might want to try Tiffany style lamps such as the beautiful and bright Peacock Feather Table Lamps. You might even enjoy one of the many styles surrounding that of the dragonfly, such as the Dragonfly Cone Lamp, Mosaic Dragonfly Table Lamp, or the Hanginghead Dragonfly
Lamp.

Flowers and trees are extremely popular aspects of the Tiffany lamp designs as well. You have a wide variety of choices when it comes to flower or tree designs. For example, the Rose Garden Table lamp or the Flowering Lotus Accent
Lamp.

The great thing about Tiffany style lamps is that you will have no trouble finding something in your own personal style and taste. There are so many to choose from, you might even have trouble deciding which one is for you. We can help there as well.

When choosing a Tiffany lamp for your home, take a moment to think about the surroundings. First, look at the décor already in place in the specific rooms. Unless you intend to change the décor, you should find the right lamp to fit in well with that look. Not only do you want to consider the overall design of the
room, but also the colors as well. When it comes time to choose your Tiffany style lamp, choose one that works well with the theme and matches in color as well. Of course, it does not have to be the same colors, but a group of colors that works well with the existing colors is a good idea. Where should you put your Tiffany style lamps? Another great thing about these
lamps is that they are very versatile and will work almost anywhere. It really depends on the type of Tiffany lamp you choose. Some places to consider might be:

• Night Stands

• End Tables

• Coffee Table

• Buffet

• Desk

• Bath

• Hallway

Again, you have a wide variety of choices in tiffany floor lamps. Choose from table lamps, wall sconces, floor lamps, chandeliers, and ceiling lights. Whichever you choose, you are guaranteed a beautiful, elegant, and unique look when it comes to both style and lighting.