Whenever you read articles about home renovations, you get the standard ‘conservatory, garage, attic’ information. You’ll read all about the best ways that you should extend in these areas to add value to your home and make it a place that you want to be. The thing is, your home has so much more potential to be interesting and quirky and the best way to do it is to dig deep – go for a basement renovation instead. Basements are often neglected in the homes that already have them. It’s not because homeowners are lazy, it’s just that they take for granted what an awesome space they have. You’ll often see people use their basement as a dumping ground for boxes, old furniture and items in the home that they don’t want on display anymore. Basements are known to be slightly damp, slightly inhabited by spiders and they have less light than the rest of the house. However, with a little TLC, a consultation with contemporary architects and a lot of imagination, you can have a basement space that will rival the rest of the home for functionality and design. Don’t let your basement fall into a category of unused, because here are five reasons you should start planning your basement renovations right now:

Everyone loves an attic renovation. For many of us, it’s our best chance of creating more space in the home without moving. It can solve our storage problems, or provide space for a new room. As if that weren’t temptation enough, this could increase the value of your home. So, not only does it save you money, but it could earn for you, as well. With that in mind, you may well be bursting to get started. But, it’s crucial you take your time here. It may even be worth getting a surveyor to take a look at things before you start working. The downside to this is that you have to hold back for other people’s schedules. We know how frustrating that can be when you’re excited about a project. Still, your future self is sure to thank you for the time you take now. A surveyor can ensure any work you do will last in the long-term. Not convinced? Read on to consider why you can’t skip this step.

A surveyor can ensure that your attic is safe. That’ll go a long way towards making your efforts here worthwhile. Bear in mind that your attic likely contains your house insulation. Given that insulation could contain asbestos, the need for professionals is evident. A surveyor will fast be able to spot and warn you about problems like these. That would then free you up to research the asbestos removal cost and consider the way forward. Given that asbestos causes various forms of cancer, this isn’t something you want to miss. Equally, a surveyor will be able to spot any signs of infestation before you move yourself in. With fleas from rats also posing health risks, that simple survey could save your life twice over!

Getting a survey also allows you to check your attic foundations. Rotting wood foundations have doomed many a conversion. The fact is, not every attic is strong enough to withhold work like this. Weakened foundations would undoubtedly struggle to support a bed and other heavy furniture. What’s more, it’s unlikely you would notice issues like these if using your attic for storage. But, they would soon become clear if you started work. In fact, they could lead to significant structural issues for your house if you aren’t careful. To make sure that doesn’t happen, sign up for that survey already. That way, you’ll be aware of weaknesses and able to strengthen them before they give way altogether.
It’s also worth noting that any attic conversion needs planning permission. Skip this, and you would have to undo any work started before permissions were granted. You would also damage your chances of acceptance. Instead, then, you should make sure to take any conversion down the correct routes. While a survey doesn’t constitute as planning permission, a clean bill of health could certainly help your chances. When you look at it like that, what have you got to lose?

Freelance work definitely has its perks when compared to the office - you can set your own schedule, there’s no boss to report to, and you can work in your PJs if you want (though as a freelancer I personally don't recommend getting into that habit!) But before you make the leap, there are a few things you need to keep in mind.

When you are starting out in life, there are lots of things you have to start thinking about. What job will you get? Where will you live? Do you want to buy a house or rent a flat? Sometimes, all these big questions can get on top of you, but by sorting out the essentials of your life you will start to see the positive progression towards your aspirations and goals. One of these life essentials is learning to drive and having a car. Many young people are put off of driving because of the rising costs but having to rely on lifts from friends and family, or the unreliable public transport service will limit your freedom and the range of jobs you can apply for.

As mentioned above, driving is an essential of life that will open up many doors and lots of freedom to you, but there are also many other reasons to drive as a young person. For example, driving will offer you an unparalleled level of convenience, making tasks such as doing the weekly food shop and having it take twenty minutes rather than an hour round trip, or having to fork out for a taxi to ferry you to and from the supermarket if it is far away. Again, as briefly mentioned before, being able to drive a car means your job prospects will not only go up but shoot through the roof. As a young person, you will be looking not for a summer job to pass the time for pocket money but for a full-time position that can kick-start your career. Being able to drive and having a car can open up your job prospects.

Of course, you may be thinking that all this is well and good but doesn’t change the fact that learning to drive and buying your first car is an expensive business. However, one answer to this is to consider financing options, such as car credit, which will help you out enormously. Trying to finance your first car can be troublesome, and as a young adult, you may not have a credit history. Car credit can resolve this issue.

Of course, there is a slightly more fun side to all of this, and that is choosing your first ever car. You should never make this decision blind or simply based on how nice the car may look, so seeking out some helpful tips on how to choose your first car will help you out immensely. After all, you need to make an informed decision. One factor you should take into consideration, for example, is whether or not you want a new car or instead would opt for a used model, so you need to weigh up the pros and cons before putting down a deposit.

It is easier than ever to afford to get on the road and driving towards your dreams. There are many finance options available to young adults and those who have passed their test. Getting on the road has never been so simple.

If you're a fellow budding traveller and are looking for somewhere that you can experience as much in one place as you can, then Thailand should be the place on your mind. It is such a unique country within itself that can only be understood if you've been there to see it for yourself. If you aren't too sure where the best place to start is, there are even Thailand travel guides that take you to all the hottest spots. But if you're still not one hundred percent sold yet, here are some more reasons as to what makes Thailand such a special place to visit.

One thing that tends to hold a lot of people back from travelling, is the price. There is a lot to think about in terms of planning and budgeting, especially with all those hidden costs that float around. Thailand however, is a very cheap country, so essentially when you arrive, you're considered to be extremely wealthy to all the locals that live there, meaning you don't have to be so stressed about draining your bank account, because if anything it's half the price - if not more, than back home.

We all know how bad the weather can get in the UK, and we don't always get as lucky with our summers as we have this year, but you can guarantee that going to Thailand you will have your fair share of sunshine. So what better way to spend that time basking under the sun, than on one of Thailand's most beautiful golden beaches with silky sand and a sapphire sea that looks as if it's been crafted out of crystals?

One wonderful part of travelling is being able to meet so many people from all different types of backgrounds, and you may have never spoken to these individuals back home in your normal daily routine. Thailand is full of friendly locals that are always happy to show you the best-hidden gems, and friendly faces are very comforting especially when in a country that you're not familiar with. So don't be surprised if you end up getting invited back for a traditional family feast.

There’s a lot of decisions to make when you’re the head of a business. You’ve got to stock the right products, you’ve got to have a good customer service connection, you’ve got to design the office perfectly to maximise on productivity, and there’s so much more that goes on behind the scenes, and it’s all different depending on the kind of business you’re running! Running your own business is something not everyone is cut out for, of course, but more people can cope with it than you might think! So if you’ve got a business idea in mind, or you’ve got a small company on your side and you’re not feeling too hot about it, here’s a couple of tips to bolster your confidence and make your business better in every way.

Hopefully, this was because you believed in yourself and the product or service you wanted to offer. And when you take a couple of minutes out of your stressful day to remember this, you can reassure yourself that you’re up to the task. We never go into running a company blind after all, and you took the time to set the stage perfectly for your arrival when you were just first drafting your business plan!

Business is always run best when you’ve got some experience on your side, and hands on, technical know how is always going to push you further than sitting behind a desk and reading up on a few subjects. Of course, that doesn't mean reading isn’t a viable option, but make sure you’re diversifying your palate, and going in for different approaches to cover all your corporate bases. So take a course, and do it in your spare time, to take some weight off of your shoulders. And if you’re serious about learning, you can always look into taking an mba online, seeing as the accessibility will mean you can fit it into your already hectic schedule. Improve your business knowledge as you’re working at your business and watch it thrive under the tutelage.
Professional conduct always involves collaborating with others in your sector, and the investors who believed in you to put their money to good use. So if you’re worried, contact them! They’re not going to cast you out, and there’s always something salvageable when it comes to business relationships. There’s plenty of experts out there, and you should always turn them in your times of need. If you’ve got some great networking contacts on your side, and you know they could lay down some foundations in order to collaborate well with you, and you trust them, make sure you email them now for some tips and tricks. If you don’t know how to phrase the message, and you’re paranoid about coming off as whining, use templates you find online to help you out.

If you’re suffering with hair loss, there’s no doubt you’ve carried out your fair share of research on the topic - especially if you’re keen to find out how you can put a stop to your thinning tresses. However, as it’s pointed out in the ‘Talking Health’ emagazine from LloydsPharmacy Online Doctor, there is a lot of inaccurate information out there, so it’s important that you know what you should and shouldn’t believe when it comes to this aspect of your health. To debunk some of the most common hair loss myths, keep reading.

Some people believe that wearing hats too frequently can cause hair loss, but the good news is, this simply isn’t true. However, if you’re going to sport a stylish headpiece, make sure it’s not too tight. If the fit is too snug, it might cut off the circulation to the hair follicles, which can be bad news for your tresses.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no connection between hair loss and how often you decide to wash your tresses. In fact, hair products such as shampoo and conditioner go through rigorous testing to make sure that they are safe to use. So, no matter how many times you lather, rinse, repeat, you needn’t worry about doing your locks any harm.

It’s widely believed that testosterone - the male sex hormone - is to blame for hair loss, and that baldness is a sign of high testosterone levels. However, hair loss is actually caused by a genetic sensitivity to the hormone dihydrotestosterone.
You may have heard that chopping your locks can help them grow back thicker - but there is no evidence to support this. Taking the clippers to your hair is unlikely to make it grow more quickly either. Regardless of how regularly you get your tresses trimmed, you can expect your hair to grow around half an inch in length per month.

If your hair loss is getting you down, there is help available. For further advice, you should speak to your doctor to discuss the treatments available to you.