martinemartin.co.uk

Small Office IT Support

Small Office IT Support works for organisations of typically 5-10 users with a lower IT requirement than larger organisations. Typically, support is covered through a Telephone & Remote contract with engineer visits purchased on pay as you use basi.

Support advice and service levels are maintained with Small Office IT Support!

Contract Components

• 24×7 Telephone & Remote Support
• Regular Scheduled Onsite Engineer Visits
• Critical Server, Connection & Backup Monitoring
• Network & Data Security Audit
• Disaster Recovery Report & Planning
• Quarterly IT Strategy Reviews
• 99.9% SLAs
• Monthly Reporting

Visit our website for more info!

http://www.knowall.net/it-support/small-office-it-support/

How Environmentally Sustainable is Wooden Flooring?

If environmental sustainability is your goal, then wood is considered difficult to better with its low embodied energy, longevity and sustainability. This is all true but, as ever it is not the whole story. There is a huge amount of hardwood flooring available on the market of questionable or even downright illegal provenance. This type of uncertified timber is usually at the lower end of the market such as some cheaper Chinese grown Oaks and Walnuts, but many of the aspirational tropical hardwoods such as Brazilian or Burmese Teak, Merbau and certain African exotic hardwoods continue to be taken at an unsustainable rate from unmanaged mature forests in South America, Asia and Africa causing immense ecological and potential climatic damage.  Both Russia and China have been known to use clear cut practices and much damage has been done to the Boreal forests in Northern Russia and Siberia. Russian old growth forests are disappearing at a rate of 12 million hectares per year and up to 95% of these forests are reported to be subject to clear cutting practices to a greater or lesser extent.

So how can you be sure that your hardwood flooring purchase is not literally costing the earth? Well, you should try to purchase from sustainably managed forests through the FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) which is an independent certification system which follows the wood from tree to floor. All partners in the FSC supply chain have to get certified to maintain the chain of custody right through to the consumer. An alternative scheme from the EU is the PEFC (Pan European Forest Certificate) which, however, does not have the endorsement of the WWF as there are issues over member states being allowed to use forest practices WWF consider to be unsustainable. Interestingly, 80% of Canadian forests are still owned by the UK Crown Estate and are subject to very stringent forestry management controls, although much of the timber production from this region does not fall under the FSC or PEFC schemes. Not everything that isn’t certified is bad, but this does not particularly help to clarify the situation for the consumer!

The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ still pretty much holds true. Certified and sustainably managed timber costs more to produce so be wary of very cheap wooden floor products; apart from the forest management perspective these are more likely to have been produced using child or badly paid labour.

Finally, and probably most importantly, make sure that you ask the right questions about your timber flooring purchase. Get to know the company you are buying from, find out about their environmental policies and whether they really sell their wood with a clear conscience. Work with people who are as close to the source of the timber as possible, the more contacts in the supply chain the cloudier the provenance of the timber becomes.

It is possible to buy a beautiful, sustainable and environmentally positive hardwood floor if you know what to look for. A wooden floor is a beautiful addition to your home and you should be as proud of its origin as you are of the way it looks.

We have sourced some environmentally friendly floors.  Take a look at the following:

American Black Walnut Flooring

American Walnut

Black walnut

Engineered Walnut

Solid American Black Walnut

Help & Advice in Hiring a Marquee

Excellent advice whatever Marquee Hire company you choose!  

• Find out if the Marquee Hire company is available for your wedding date.

• Ensure that the company is willing to visit the location of where the marquee is to be erected.
• Clarify exactly what is included in the price and if there are any “after” charges.
• If the company offers other services such as catering, floristry and power generation, also find out whether these services are sub-contracted or can be provided by the Marquee Hire company.
• Does the company have experience with catering for wedding parties?
• Find out what arrangements are made with regards to clearing up and clarify in writing the state in which you should expect to find the grass once the marquee has been dismantled.
• Do they have lighting and heating facilities for the marquee?
• How much deposit is required to secure a booking?
• Testimonials (recent)

Below information(as much as possible) is required for a marquee hire London quotation

• Confirm guest numbers (approximately)
• Confirm delivery event date(s)
• Confirm furniture type and quantities (Allow for catering)
• Agree rough internal layout of marquee (dance floor, entrances etc.)
• Agree colours and style of interior decoration (any samples to colour match etc.)
• Confirm payment terms (deposit / vat etc.)

Safety Issues: Position of underground and overhead services (e.g. drains, gas pipes, etc.) if known. Ensure your power supply is adequate. Consider fire precautions, fire extinguishers?

General Help and Advice: Inform us if you need the marquee in place prior to the eve of the event Stagger the arrival of the various contractors, e.g. caterers are unable to set up before the roof lining is in place. Update marquee hire company of changes to guest numbers, dates etc. prior to the event.

THE URBAN HOME & GARDEN

How to bring the outside in & inside out

Urban gardens can be that extra room you are looking for, adding value in more ways than one.

London architects should inspire their clients to make the most of their indoor-outdoor space, however big or small, so that they can relax enjoy space, eat and entertain, inside or out.”

The featured project is a complete house refurbishment and extension for a private developer client in Bayswater, London, W2. The garden was opened up to the open-plan living-kitchen-dining room to the full width of the property with large sliding glass doors and a level threshold. The canopy incorporated in the design leads you gently to the outside room while giving some additional shading to the living area in the warmer months.

The building was carefully designed to ensure that, as well as the curtains, the sliding folding doors can be neatly tucked out of the way and lie flush with the side wall when fully opened. The threshold of the sliding doors is flush with the floor finish and the same floor levels continue throughout, visually merging the two spaces into one, making both inside and outside appear larger. This is accentuated by having the same or a similar surface finish to both living room and garden. In this case a ceramic tile with under-floor heating was used internally, which closely matches the stone in the garden, where you are able to see the depth of the finish.

Tips for discussions with your architect when extending into your garden or remodelling your home.

 When using glazed doors which slide back and give a large clear opening at any time of year, consider how they will look when fully or partially open and if you want to include any screening or curtains.

 Consider similar materials on both sides of the threshold.

 Drainage can detract from your look, so make sure your architect has this feature integrated into the design.

 Get your architect to suggest or consider a landscape designer, who will be able to suggest plants that will keep your garden looking good all year round.

 Consider the view to your garden at different times of the day and extending its use by incorporating lighting.

 Be sure to discuss furniture, fittings, lighting, sound, heating and irrigation, all of which need to be integrated to keep lines clean.

 Consider the colour and texture of your garden walls to accentuate architectural planting, maximising the light reflected back into the garden and making it look bigger.

Contact them on: 0207 610 9333

Web: www.dblo.co.uk

Claire Hale, dblo associates

‘ A well considered extension and garden layout can make your garden into an extension of your living room and a space you can use all year round’

Three, four or more

Starting a family is a dream come true for many couples, and they welcome the changes that come with the new territory of family life. Often this includes rearranging the finances to provide for your new bundle of joy, but this need not mean you have to miss out on a much needed holiday. The burgeoning field of holiday lets offers a very cost effective way of giving everyone a change from routine. A family room in a hotel might not seem very peaceful when you are crammed into one small space, especially with different bedtimes for all. But when you find flats for rent London or cottage there is room for everyone – often at the same cost as that hotel you used to book as a couple.

Spend only a matter of minutes online and you can find a wealth of flats for rent in London on offer, providing as much space as you need. You may give up on room service, but what you gain is a beautiful property with privacy and freedom from your to-do list. You have only to relax with your family knowing that the property is cared for by someone else. No DIY jobs screaming for your attention, no big cleaning work. Maybe dad can play with the kids while mum has that long soak in the tub, or mum can treat the kids to some afternoon baking while dad has that nap he’s always wanted. And of course, mum and dad can curl up together to watch that movie they’ve been putting off, once the little ones are fast asleep.

This is all even before you step outside your apartment to explore your new neighbourhood. It might be a stunning countryside location, with cliff walks and ice cream on the beach, or an exciting city bursting to be discovered. With endless activities available for children of all ages (including big ones…) you can plan days out around relaxing in your stress free home from home.

Whether remote or inner city, your holiday let property will provide a stable, spacious base for you and your family. The benefits of a change from routine are many and valuable. Rediscover your family in a new and relaxed setting, and why not make it a real event and invite the grandparents too???

Buty Guru Blog

Therapists will now be able to log online to get the expert advice from a new blog initiative, The Buty Guru. Set up by a leading brand of beauty salon London called Buty Salon, the site was created to help a broad range of professional therapists from those starting out within the beauty industry to small beauty business owners.

Practical tips will be updated twice monthly by therapist editors, Fenia Sukiennik and Ana Depczynska (originally Polish) based at the Buty Salon’s two premises – Hammersmith and Fulham. The beauty salon London has a 12 year reputation for training and cultivating quality beauty practitioners in the industry. Salon manager, Fenia has worked across a number of salons across the UK and Ireland before working her way up to her current role. She often gives the salon’s new therapists guidance and training during their first 12 months and has cultivated a loyal client following since her appointment.

Buty Salon assistant manager, Ana says “Over the years I watched a pattern of the general qualities needed to make a beauty salon a success which therapists don’t necessarily learn until years down the line when they have built up experience. Our Guru blog will help to bring these issues to the forefront”.

The gurus will offer their experience and advice through articles and a section dedicated to answering reader’s questions and queries.

Buty Guru Blog Launches to help Fellow Therapists, “Although therapists have good training from respected beauty colleges we tend to find that there are still major gaps in their skills and therefore need  further training on-site. We hope that the Buty Guru Blog will help to share and swap experiences and the tips a therapist needs to know to advance his/her career,” says therapist editor, Ana.

End of Tenancy Cleaning

Most tenancies are require to have an end of tenancy cleaning in order to receive your deposit back.  We find it’s best to do so yourself as your landlord or agent may charge more than necessary.  Our end of tenancy cleaning is carried out by dedicated mobile teams of cleaning operatives whose specialty are properties in need of a thorough deep clean either at the end of a tenancy or before the start of one.

Our teams are equipped with all the necessary chemicals, tools and equipment. We understand how important for you is to have the property professionally cleaned and checked. We have carried out thousands of end of tenancy cleaning in London and home counties and we are well aware of the requirements for inventory checkouts.

We have created an extensive checklist reflecting the cleanliness standards required by major national UK letting agents and which our cleaners use at all times. If you are moving in or out of your property and need a thorough deep clean why don’t you give us a ring and ask for our end of tenancy cleaning service.

Book this service with us and you can rest assured that every square inch of your property will be professionally cleaned and polished. Don’t forget that our service is fully guaranteed and insured – if you are not entirely happy with the job we’ve done then we’ll come back and re-do it free of charge.

Are you a tenant leaving, you want to ensure you receive your full deposit back? …We will 

• spot and report on any work that is likely to be required before the inventory clerk arrives
• we will be available when the inventory clerk arrives

You might require some of our other services at the end of your tenancy; we also offer:

Window Cleaning London

Flood & Fire Services

Upholstery Cleaning

So contact us now for any of your cleaning needs:   020 7731 8900

Industrial Blowers

Roots type blowers play a vital role in many processes. Applications range from pneumatic conveying of granules and powders to aeration of water and sewage. They are generally very reliable machines but when worked very hard they may breakdown.

At IBS we are very aware of the disruption caused by blower downtime. Our abilities to respond rapidly to a breakdown situation and repair/refurbish damaged machines using state-of-the-art technologies are unequalled in the UK. As part of our service, we can also offer hire equipment for temporary cover whilst your machine is in our workshop.

IBS offer new, reconditioned and service exchange machines. Unlike most manufacturers who specify an 8 to 16 week lead time for new blowers, IBS hold the largest range of new, reconditioned and service exchange blowers in stock ready for immediate despatch.

With an experienced team of professionals we are confident of providing the most cost-efficient solution to blower problems and requirements.

New Blowers

IBS offer new blowers from a wide range of leading manufacturers including Trinado blower, gma blower, Dresser roots blower, wade blower, ingersoll rand blower and drum blower. Bare shaft machines and blower sets are available.

Also, the complete range of SR Blowers (formerly represented in the UK by Adams Ricardo) are available through KPT for whom IBS are the UK agent.

Our flexibility allows us to supply and install any make and model of blower (including new innovations) for any form of contract including Framework Agreements, for example Atlas Copco ZB Centrifugal Blowers and ZS Rotary Screw Blowers.

Some of our other blowers include:

sutorbilt blower Tuthill Blower Radial Blower Peabody holmes blower

Reducing Energy Costs

Do you want to cut costs & help the environment by reducing your energy consumption?

If the answer is yes then you need a company who manages your utility bills and your carbon footprint by using energy management software.  Find one that have a team of dedicated energy account managers and data analysts to work with you in partnership to achieve maximum savings. 

Ask yourself these questions: 

• Do you have a utility bill of over £200,000?
• Are you getting a CCL rebate?
• Have you experienced a large rise in your energy bills?
• Are you interested in improving your bottom line for little capital outlay?
• Is Corporate Social Responsibility high on your agenda?
• Are you interested in carbon trading?
• Are you concerned about impending legislation regarding the CRC?
• Would you be interested in an ROI strategy of less than 6 months?
• Is capital expenditure a problem for you? 

If you answered Yes to any of the above questions then you need to find a company who can offer energy management solutions! By ensuring business energy reduction, your company could achieve double digit savings in less than one year, equating to hundreds of thousands off the bottom line! 

Adding value to clients

With today’s concerns about rising energy costs and environmental impact, companies need to ensure that they are doing as much as possible to cut energy costs and conform to all possible legal energy standards. 

Your worries can be eased: 

• Energy Management
• Climate Change Levy
• Waste Minimisation
• Corporate Social Responsibility
• Bill Verification
• Utility measurement

By outsourcing your energy management you can save on your utility bill as they have: 

• Exceptional knowledge of various sectors
• Dedicated energy account managers/data analysts to support you.
• A proven methodology which saves more than traditional aM&T approaches.
• A strategic approach.
• Excellent links with the Carbon Trust and other organisations to help secure grant/loan funding on a project by project basis and experience of carbon trading.

 This is done by having: 

• A unique and advanced .Net web management system.
• Advanced statistical process control & proactive alarming.
• Customisable reporting & visualisation.

Here are some of the products/services we offer:

• aM&T
• Energy Management Software
• Business energy reduction

So don’t hesitate, get your energy management solution now!

Tips & Advice for Renting Furniture

Are you looking for home furniture hire?  Be sure to use a supplier who specialises in providing full household packages of furniture and accessories.  That way you can choose any combination of items from their inventories, please note though that most suppliers do not supply one off items.

Some companies may even supply basic home packs if you don’t have time to select specific items (these are based on the size of your property).

Be sure to get a quotation for your residential furniture hire before going ahead with your order.  Ensure your quote includes the monthly rental cost, delivery & collection cost as well as a deposit.

Delivery

Check on the notice required for deliveries as most suppliers will need approximately 7-10 notice for deliveries.  Be sure to choose a supplier who delivers nationwide, however, please note that delivery charges usually depends on the destination.  Once you have agreed to the quote and arranged payment, delivery is set up on a date & time to suit you.  Deliveries and collections are only done on weekdays.  When you are ready for the furniture to be collected simply email or telephone and request a collection.  7 -10 working days notice are usually requested. 

Installation & Collection

When renting furniture you can install it yourself, however it’s best if the company you are renting from do it for you as they have a professional eye for what is aesthetically pleasing.  You do not need to be present in most cases as keys can be collected & returned afterwards.  The installation supervisor will ensure that your furniture is correctly installed, the kitchenware unpacked (and the beds made up if you have rented linens). All packaging from the furniture and accessories will be removed from the property by the delivery team.  On collection the supervisor will pack up the accessories and ensure your furniture is removed quickly and efficiently. The collection process will take around two to three hours depending on the size of property so please allow for this if you are having your own furniture delivered on the same day.

If you required emergency furniture hire and were to compare hiring furniture with staying in a mid priced hotel for a month while you wait for your own furniture to arrive, it would be six times cheaper to hire furniture.  The savings applies for long term relocation furniture rental as well.  A family relocating from the USA for a twelve month period would save as much as 60% when compared to the cost of shipping their furniture. 

Not only is furniture hire a savings, but it’s tax efficient as well.  Value Added Tax on rental charges is recoverable by UK registered companies. In addition, furniture rental payments are fully deductible as a business expense (UK Tax Act Section 74).

So what are you waiting for?  Hiring furniture is the answer to your empty rooms!

For more information, tips & advice visit our website: http://www.rentfurnitureuk.com/