PLESURE THAT INCREASES REAL ESTATE VALUE

Far behind us are times when private swimming-pools were considered a big luxury, distant dream and just a wish.

Building a pool in your court yard or inside the object today is practical project in any size, and at the same time it is the way to increase total property or object value.

Financially, pool building can form and adjust to owner's requests and desires in any way. There are many types of swimming-pools and many ways of building it. Rule is that installation pools are the cheapest and concrete pools are the most expensive ones. Concrete pools have the highest quality. Somewhere in between are polyester and „liner“ pools.

The least demanding to construct are installation and polyester pools that set up quickly. Installation pool can be done in few hours. Liner or concrete pools demand more work and knowledge. You need to adjust construction method and pool type to every example, watching for available space, wishes and possibilities.

No matter what's the construction method, before you decide to build a pool, the best is to inform about adventages and disadventages with experts and companies involved in this business.

If we want to take the building time to minimum, the best solution is finished pool installation that delivers in components and sets up at spot and you often don't need a construction permit. If you dig a pit, it's wise to inform your neighbour about it and find out if you need construction permit (depending on size and local regulations).

Installation pools We devide installation pools to the cheapest „free-standing“ pools which can be built in „do it your self“ way, and installation pools with pool equipment which you need professional help for. „Free-standing“ pools are made of tin wall and foil coating from inside. You can set installation pools up on sand, grass or concrete foundation. With pool setting you also get water puryfier and ladder. Polyester pools Polyester pool is made of artificial mass, it looks atractive and has smooth round corners. You can simply install and mantain it and has a long duration time. In spite of higher price, polyester pool sale increases constantly. Liner pool Liner pools are „news“, but they are selling quickly. Walls can be made of different materials, with different technique and can be built on concrete foundation. Wooden constructions, concrete or baked blocks, metal elements (from 2 mm sheet metal and plastic constructions which we simply strenghten with concrete) are some of the possible solutions. Concrete pools Concrete pools have the highest quality and can be made in any shape you like. Usually they are coated with tiles or have coat of special pool paint. They are the best (and the most expensive ones), although every mistake made in project and during construction is expensive. Prerequisite is the project with static calculation and good constructor.

What's important in building a pool? 1. We can't build a pool in a „do it yourself“ way! 2. A hole in ground represents nothing...Prerequisite is excavation with prepared foundations. 3. A pool in shadow, sheltered from the sun could spoil total look . 4. We shouldn't set a pool below the broadleaf trees. 5. A pool must not be directly exposed to the wind. 6. We can't forget simplicity of cleaning... 7. We must have pool cover. 8. We must install safety holders, steps into the pool and hand-hold. 9. Consider about pool size. Most of the private pools are 8 x 4 m large and 1,35 to 1,60 m deep. Two person can relax comfortly in these pools.

Aquilus pools Big news in branch is appearance of French brand Aquilus Pools at Croatian market. Signing an exclusive contract, local Pap Promet has become a part of international specialized Aquilus store chain.

Waterair pools Waterair pools is one of the leading swimming-pool company at the market with branch offices in 35 countries. Sales consultants and Vojta-plan designers are authorized for Croatian market and they can help you to make solid budget without surprises.

HIDDEN FROM THE SUN

Every year we wait for the first sun rays to come out. Then, we get angry and close our curtains to prevent summer heat get inside our home.

Maybe we can't control seasons and climate changes, but we can choose how to protect from the sun. Windows are as much important for interior look as for exterior. So take a look at them from the street; during the day and at night. Before you decide to purchase, first check: * if day light is bothering you in the bedroom, do you need to darken your windows? * if you care for calm atmosphere and intamacy more or a nice view through the window? * have you decided how to protect from the sun? There are different sorts of practical curtains, venetian blinds... * how will windows look like from the street if you cover them with different materials and in different ways? A new generation of venetian blinds is covered with sun protection so the colour won't fade. So feel free to choose bright colours; yellow, orange, red, green – or all together. Panel-curtains are excellent solution for minimal decorated spaces. It can combine with all types of materials such as flax, cotton... Ribbon curtains are classical combination of functional and decorative arrangements – it protects from sun rays and keep your privacy.

CONSTRUCTION GUIDE

Step by step construction . . .

Sometimes, starting a construction procedure can seem impossible to people. But, you can save a lot of time, nerves and money with correct planning and job organisation at the building-site. In short, we will remind you of the most important items during construction and try to put them in order. Every building-site must satisfy determined conditions – arranged building-site with available and regulated documentation. Building-site must be fenced off in order to prevent unauthorized access. But putting a fence near public surfaces is forbidden if it endangeres traffic and strollers in any way, and larger building-sites near roads must also have proper traffic signals. Constructor is under obligation to procure a permit from authorized district if he is temporary building on public traffic surface.

AT BUILDING-SITE CONSTRUCTOR MUST HAVE:

1 – juridical registration resolution, 2 – act of responsible person appointment, 3 – construction permit with major project and location permit with ideological project, 4 – final project including all changes and additions, 5 – construction diary, 6 – documentation of testing used construction products and equipment according to testing program from project, that is usage evidence; article 16., Construction Law 7 – structure report made by registrated person according to regulation Remark: In case constructor is building for personal needs – a family house, secondary building, fence or hay-loft, he doesn't have to have documentation at number 1, 2, 5 and 6.

- Construction work are classified in different categories, and you will also need skilled workmen for some of your work. In short, we will try to demonstrate what to expect and what sequence to follow (in order to deal with things).

1. LAND WORK

- Taking off humpy(humus)
- Ground excavation
- Taking soil away on waste area
- Gravel strewing /BATUDA/ and ramming
- pit filling with soil
- humpy alluvion and putting grass on surface

2. REINFORCE-CONCRETE WORK

- Construction and setting armature
- Foundation concrete
- AB board concrete
- AB piers concrete
- AB walls concrete
- AB arcade concrete
- AB wreath concrete
- AB steps concrete
- roof board concrete

3. CARPENTER WORK

- One-sided paneling, support walls and canal construction
- Two-sided paneling, foundation and wall construction
- Three-sided paneling, board and steps construction
- Four-sided or circle paneling and pier construction
- Taking off the paneling
- Constructing all types of roof structures

4. HYDRO-ISOLATION WORK

- Horizontal isolation, floor, ceiling and roof construction
- Vertical isolation, walls, piers and steps cnstruction

5. BRICKLAYING

- Raising brick walls, partition and support walls
- Raising block walls, partition and support walls
- Raising facade brick walls
- Building chimney and ventilation canals
- Inside and outside cement glaze setting

6. ISOLATION WORK

- Thermal isolation, walls, ceiling, floor, roof
- Sound isolation, walls, ceiling, floor, roof

7. ELECTRIC INSTALLATION

- Design and setting of strong and week power installation

8. WATER INSTALLATION

- Supply and discharge pipe setting, connecting to waterwork

9. WINDOW CONSTRUCTION

- Making and installation of window construction, wood, wood-aluminium

10. PLASTER

- Exterior wall plaster
- Interior wall plaster
- Ceiling plaster
- Pier, beam and window arcade plaster

11. CERAMIC WORK

- Floor and wall ceramic setting
- Sanitary setting, bathroom equipment

12. PARQUET WORK

- Parquet setting

13. FINAL CONSTRUCTION WORK

- Carpenter work
- Locksmith work
- Tinsmith work
- Dropped ceilings
- Plaster work
- House-painter work

Following is interior decoration which will be even more complex to many of you than this raw construction work.

WHAT DO REAL ESTATE AGENCIES SERVE FOR?

A little over six months ago I was trying to buy a flat and I was watching advertisements in magazines and at the internet. So far I didn't succeed and one of the reasons is my choice not to communicate with real estate agencies.

Unfortunately, most of the selling adds are published by agencies. Although my friends are talking me into calling one of the agencies, I consider it's just giving a big commision for nothing. Do you think their fee is justified? Since there are too much of them, is it possible to set a certain quotas and let just serious ones to operate?

-A lot of people often think like you : “Why would I give money for something I can do by myself?“ Unfortunately, they don't think about this – buying or selling real estate is relatively simple, but also very risky procedure and for it's implementation wide knowledge is needed. A good agency, that is a good real estate agent, must understand all lows; construction regulation, architectonic styles, must know basic methods of real estate value calculation and procedures related with cadastre and land-registry.

Educated agent can estimate real estate objectively because he knows the market. In case of construction land, he can perceive space plan accurately and determine what is the possible purpose of future building and what are the urban rules and procedures. We often forget that real estates are the biggest value we own and mistakes we make, are large and expensive ones.

Often buyers or flat sellers don't distinguish cadastre and land-registry. Good real estate agent can help you with registration checking, legality of buying or selling. Important is to know what's cash advance, how to composit a sale contract, who's paying tax and how much.

It happens a buyer or seller composits a contract alone to save money, and usually leaves out some of the important parts of contract that makes it unacceptable to registration. Educated agent should know if contract is composited correctly and in complex cases every good agency cooperates with a lawyer who is doing a legal part of work.

It is expected a new Law will be adopted which could regulate agency problems, education and conditions required for performing this work. Then, every agency could ensure itself from mistake risk and their clients will be fully protected.

So far it's important to choose agency from your town, with educated participants and that accepts service price-list and ethical codex as a mediator. I recommend good mediator services because when you think of mistakes you can make acting alone, fee is acceptable cost.