Category: General (Page 18 of 29)

How Much Does an Architect Cost?

August 26, 2014 / barros / 3 Comments

Before you continue on reading, you will find no answer for your specific project in this article. This is because an Architect’s charge depends on the requirements and complexity of each individual project and the scope of services required.

Charges can be calculated in different ways, for example as a:

Quoted percentage of the total construction cost (typically between 8 and 15%);
Agreed lump sum based on the anticipated work involved;
Time charge (hourly or daily) based on the estimated time of a project.

In order to find out how much does an Architect cost you will need to discuss with the Architect your specific requirements. This is usually done in the first meeting with your Architect. Each project is different and for this reason, there is no set or standard charge. And very few Architects (if any) will give you quotes over the phone.

Check out our Secret Guide to Deal with Architects – Take 2 – Fee Proposals.

Get Creative

August 15, 2014 / barros / 2 Comments

We love the idea of recycling and reusing materials!

We found out about “ReCreate” and we are delighted with this idea. They source end of line, remaindered, surplus and unwanted materials, and make them available to their members.

“ReCreate” works with local businesses to collect unwanted and surplus items, for use in early childhood education, schools, colleges arts & community centres. They also cater for Artists and Craftspeople, Art teachers and Creative facilitators, Community artists, students, hobbyists and anyone interested in creative expression or with a love for make and do.

“ReCreate” stocks a huge range of materials. We found a number of materials that can be used in interior design or decoration/renovation projects. All you need is to use you Creativity!

“ReCreate” operates on a membership model. There is a wide range of membership fees starting at €60/year. Members are able to access a treasure trove of materials in their Superstore in Ballymount, Dublin.

Find out more about “ReCreate” here and start creating right now!

My Colouring Pencils

July 10, 2014 / barros / 7 Comments

This is not JUST about an ordinary colouring pencil set.

This is the colouring pencil set I waited 6 years for.

How many children these days have to wait 6 years to get a set like this?

Well, back in 1986 that is what happened to me. I was in secondary school when the need to have ‘proper’ colouring pencils started.

My mother couldn’t afford to buy what I needed. So I had to manage to work with rubbish colouring pencils, most of them leftovers from primary school.

Sometimes I would borrow one or two pencils from the colleagues that had nice big sets.

It was tough.

But the years went by and that didn’t stop me to be creative and have good marks.

It was much later in the Christmas of 1992 that I got this Caran D’Ache metal box set.

It was all I had wished for! …It came too late but it felt like a dream come true. I am not sure if my brother realised how important his present was to me.

I recently got reunited with this set after some 12 years without seeing it. It still holds a special meaning. Just as in life, we cannot always have everything we want when we want or need but it’s important to BELIEVE that dreams can be made true and on the way to pursuing them we will grow and learn a lot about ourselves. We just cannot give up!

When was the last time you waited 6 years for a dream to come true?

Isabel

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Useless facts about my colouring pencils:

13 of these pencils were hardly used and never sharpened. As I said, they came too late when I was using less colours and more graphite, charcoal and ink pens.

There were 2 pencils missing in this set and one that was not the original. I was able to retrieve all the originals (I had brought them with me when I came to Ireland in 2002) and the set is now as it was originally.

I don’t colour that much these days but in the last few years I was able to survive with a set of 12 Faber- Castell pencils and a set of 24 Derwent pencils. I am now the proud owner of some 76 decent colouring pencils 🙂

The colours I most use are blue, red, yellow, white and black. Mondrian style… But I use them to convey my ideas and differentiate volumes, materials or textures, nothing too exciting…