Category: General (Page 20 of 29)

Helping the Homeless in 2014 – Simon Open Door

April 16, 2014 / barros / 5 Comments

This year will be the fifth year that Isabel gives her time for free to the Simon Communities of Ireland.

The Simon Communities of Ireland work with people who experience homelessness and housing exclusion in Ireland. Simon has a vision of society where no one is homeless. All people who are homeless, or at risk of facing homelessness, are given every opportunity to realise their potential to live fulfilled lives in appropriate homes of their own.

The annual Simon Open Door event takes place over Saturday and Sunday, 10th and 11th May 2014. Members of the public can now book a consultation with a RIAI Registered Architect by signing up at www.simonopendoor.ie. The donation of €50.00 will go directly to the Simon Community of Ireland as all Architects are giving their time and expertise for free.

The Simon Communities of Ireland operate in a totally transparent manner. They confirm that there are no salary top up’s, pension top up’s or bonus payments and all Simon Communities produce annual audited accounts.

This year with rising levels of homelessness across the country, Simon more than ever needs support.

Monies raised through the Simon Open Door campaign will go directly to assist some of the most vulnerable people in our society, those without a place to call home.

2014 is the 10th anniversary of the RIAI Simon Open Door initiative. Over the past 10 years, almost €300,000 has been raised for the Simon Communities of Ireland, and over 5000 meetings between architects and members of the public were held.

Anyone can sign up and, in return for a €50 donation, sit down with a registered architect and get ideas for house extensions, new builds, office fit-outs, renovations, etc. From new builds to small extensions or houses that are not functional, the Architect has the most appropriate training and experience to help you with your building project.

You can sign up for an appointment with Isabel Barros Architects on Saturday 10th May directly here, or with other registered Architects at www.simonopendoor.ie. If for some reason these dates do not suit you, please book a time anyway and leave a note asking to have a different date.

Read Testimonials about the Simon Open Door.

Join Simon Open Door page in Facebook.

The Secret Guide to Deal with Architects – Take 5

January 10, 2014 / barros / 1 Comment

We are back with our 5th secret tip about how to deal with an Architect.

If you have just landed here do not miss our previous tips:

5. Be Honest

Be honest with your Architect, you do not need to tell a lower budget than what you really have. Architects will make the best they can with the budget you have. If you have a realistic budget (see Take 4) and you decide to reduce this so the Architect “does not spend it all”, you are fooling yourself and this is likely to have a pretty big impact on the overall design of your project.

Hot tip: Architects do not spend your money, you are the one spending the money for your own interest, your Architect will only guide you through the best way of spending this money. Architects are not builders and their estimates are often just that – an estimate. If you are really concerned about not overspending you should engage the services of a Quantity Surveyor as early as possible.

Go to Take 6 – Build Trust

Start from Take 1 – Stages

Home Renovation Incentive Scheme

December 31, 2013 / barros / 0 Comments

The Home Renovation Tax Incentive (HRI) scheme was announced in the Budget 2014 and will run from 25 October 2013 to 31 December 2015.

This incentive provides a tax relief by way of an income tax credit at 13.5% of qualifying expenditure on:

• repair

• renovation or

• improvement works.

This includes extensions, garages and attic conversions; the supply and fitting of kitchens, bathrooms and built-in wardrobes; fitting of windows; plumbing, tiling, rewiring and plastering.

To qualify for the HRI, you must be an owner-occupier and the work must be carried out on your principal private residence.

Any contractor you use must be registered for Value Added Tax (VAT) in Ireland and be tax-compliant. If several contractors, such as a builder, a plumber and an electrician, carry out qualifying work on your home, you can combine the cost of the works to make up the minimum qualifying amount.

Have a look at the table below to see some examples of the tax credit you can get.

The works must cost a minimum of €4,405 (before VAT), which will attract a credit of €595. Where the cost of the works exceeds €30,000 (before VAT), a maximum credit of €4,050 will apply.

Example 1

You hired a builder to carry out a bathroom renovation for €10,000 (before VAT at 13.5%). The work was carried out and paid for in April 2014. Your builder entered the details to the electronic HRI system.

You hired a painter to carry out internal and external painting for €2,000 (before VAT at 13.5%). The work was carried out and paid for in September 2014. Your painter entered the details to the electronic HRI system.

You claim your tax credit in January 2015. Your tax credit is €12,000 x 13.5% = €1,620. You receive your tax credit of €810 in 2015 and €810 in 2016.

Example 2

You paid €7,048 plus VAT (at 13.5%) of €952 = €8,000 for repair works and an insurance payment of €6,000 was received in respect of the repair works.

The qualifying expenditure of €8,000 will be reduced by €6,000.

Leaving €2,000 (€8,000 less €6,000) qualifying expenditure.

This €2,000 includes VAT of €238.

The tax credit can be claimed on the €2,000 less €238 = €1,762 (before VAT).

Example 3

€8,810 plus VAT (at 13.5%) of €1,190 = €10,000 was paid for external wall insulation.

€2,700 was received under the Better Energy Home scheme grant.

The €10,000 will be reduced by €8,100 (€2,700 x 3) leaving €1,900 (€10,000 less €8,100) qualifying expenditure.

This €1,900 includes VAT of €226.

The tax credit can be claimed on the €1,900 less €226 = €1,674 (before VAT).

Example 4

You paid €5,000 (before VAT) to a VAT registered and tax compliant electrician for rewiring your home, your tax credit is €5,000 x 13.5% = €675.

Example 5

You paid a VAT registered and tax compliant builder €40,000 (before VAT) for an extension on their home

The tax credit is €30,000 x 13.5% = €4,050.

Examples of repair, renovation or improvement works that qualify under the Incentive:

Painting and decorating
Rewiring
Tiling
Supply and fitting of kitchens
Extensions
Garages
Landscaping
Supply and fitting of solar panels
Conservatories
Plastering
Plumbing
Bathroom upgrades
Supply and fitting of windows
Attic conversions
Driveways
Septic tank repair or replacement
Central heating system repair or upgrade
Supply and fitting of built in wardrobes

The VAT rate on works carried out must be 13.5%.

Please note the above is not a complete list.

What type of home qualifies?

A qualifying home is:

A Homeowners main home, which the Homeowner must own and live in or
A second hand home, which the Homeowner has bought and will live in as the Homeowner’s main home after the works have been carried out. (A complete reconstruction of an uninhabitable house does not qualify).

Please check the Revenue website for more information.