Category: Pollokshaws Living

Here in Scotland we are entering into phase 1 this week whereby some of the restrictions we have faced are to be eased. This includes meeting others who aren’t from your household, albeit in an outside setting.

For many of us, the past two months have been spent in the comfort of our own homes and away from some of the most common triggers of anxiety. We have been able to take stock, spend time with loved ones and take a step back from our usual work patterns.

With lockdown restrictions starting to tentatively lift, many of us could be feeling anxious about whether they will be able to readjust back to ‘normality’ and what their ‘new normal’ will look like.

A change in lifestyle may feel challenging and could lead to an increase in stress and anxiety. It’s understandable to worry about what life will be like after lockdown – including sending children to school, job security, finances or adjusting to an unfamiliar routine.

Here are some expert tips on how to cope after lockdown and during the transition.

Talk to friends and family

Talking to loved ones is important if you’re concerned about children going back to in August and speak to the school or local authority about what measures they have in place to make the transition easier. In addition, have an open conversation with employers about their plans for a phased return to normal. Whatever your concerns, talking to your friends and family can really help to ease the burden and let them know how you’re feeling in order to provide reassurance and support. You may also find that you’re not alone.

Plan things you enjoy

It may take time to get back to certain activities such as sports, shopping, holidays and more, but a simple way to tackle anxiety is to plan ahead and make a list of things that you can do – friends you want to see, places you can visit and restaurants or cafes you can dine at. Organising things like this with family and friends will give you something to look forward to.

Establish a routine

If you’ve been working from home and spending more time with people in your household, your daily life has probably settled into a more relaxed pattern. As we head towards lockdown being eased, try and get back to a routine to make the transition a little easier. Head to bed earlier, get up before you’d be due to leave for school and work, keep to regular mealtimes and set a routine for exercise.

Get moving

It’s well known that exercise can boost your mood, help you deal with stress, tackle depression and reduce anxiety. Whether you are going for a bike ride, doing an online class, a fitness DVD or even a brisk walk in the park, getting moving and increasing your endorphins is one of the best ways to help with post lockdown anxiety.

Try to limit your news intake

While it’s important to keep abreast of the news it’s also important to take a break from watching or reading about the Coronovirus pandemic. Turn to reliable resources, avoid fake news on social media and don’t read too many opinion pieces or speculation. You can also take a tech break a day a week to take a step back and get some perspective.

Instead try to do something that’s mood-boosting such as baking, drawing, reading, gardening or walking.

Are you a first-time buyer and wondering where to start?

When looking to buy your first property, the first thing you need to ask yourself is what you can afford. Buying a property is a long-term financial commitment so you need to consider how much you can put down on a home as a deposit as this will affect the mortgage deal you’re eligible for. The larger the deposit, the better the interest rate. You could use money from an existing property, savings, money that family is willing to gift you – and you’ll need to look at your monthly income and outgoings to determine if you can afford the commitment.

How much you can borrow?

Every lender has different lending criteria and ways of calculating how much they are willing to lend you if you are eligible for mortgage. They will look at your income, your deposit, regular outgoings and your credit rating. If you are buying jointly with a partner or family member, they will look at these for both applicants.

You can purchase a property with a 5% deposit, but lenders typically require 10 to 20% of the purchase price, and the higher the deposit the better the interest rate you will be offered. You can also use Help to Buy or the First Home Fund on first properties such as those offered by Urban Union. This means that you will receive government help with your deposit by way of an interest free loan.

Working out what you can afford

Start with your annual income before taxes along with your deposit amount. You can use a mortgage calculator to work out the mortgage you will be offered and what your monthly repayments will be. You’ll choose between a variable rate mortgage or a fixed-rate for 2, 3 or 5 years although you can also take out a 10-year fixed rate mortgage deal.

Other expenses will need to be taken into account including Stamp duty (LBTT here in Scotland) although you may not need to pay this if you are buying a property below the threshold. You’ll also need to consider buildings insurance, moving costs, estate agents fees (if selling a property), solicitor fees and mortgage arrangement fees – but these will vary depending on what sort of property you are buying.

When buying a home from Urban Union the price listed is the price you pay, with no ‘offers over’ or competition from other buyers. You simply need to go through the process and pay a reservation fee, which is deducted from your purchase price. Talk to us to find out more about the process.

Lastly, when calculating what you can afford remember that the unexpected can happen so it’s a good idea not to push yourself to your spending limit.

Take a look at the benefits of buying a newly built home.

Guidelines for letting tradespeople into your home

At this unprecedented time and with the situation changing daily, many people are wondering if it’s ok to allow tradespeople into their homes to make urgent or non-urgent repairs. The Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government Robert Jenrick has released the following guidance that you may find useful:

“Work carried out in people’s homes, for example by tradespeople carrying out repairs and maintenance, can continue, provided that the tradesperson is well and has no symptoms.

“Again, it will be important to ensure that Public Health England guidelines, including maintaining a two-metre distance from any household occupants, are followed to ensure everyone’s safety.

“No work should be carried out in any household which is isolating or where an individual is being shielded, unless it is to remedy a direct risk to the safety of the household, such as emergency plumbing or repairs, and where the tradesperson is willing to do so. In such cases, Public Health England can provide advice to tradespeople and households.

“No work should be carried out by a tradesperson who has coronavirus symptoms, however mild.”

This advice means is that if you require essential maintenance to your boiler or you experience a leak or emergency situation with doors or locks, you can go ahead as normal so long as you follow the guidelines. However, all non-essential work should be postponed including new kitchens, extensions and bathroom renovations. However, if you’re in the middle of these works it’s important to secure the area until you can continue.

We are living in a digital age and you may find that an electrician, plumber or gas engineer may be able to help solve your problem remotely. If you experience difficulties with your WiFi or television services and it can’t be fixed remotely, this isn’t deemed as essential work so you may have to wait until you can get someone to fix these issues.

If a tradesperson does visit your home follow these guidelines:
Keep your distance from anyone within your home.
Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your face.
When the tradesperson leaves, clean thoroughly.
Cover your mouth and nose if you cough and sneeze and dispose of any tissues straight away.
Clean all objects and surfaces including door handles, switch and anything else a tradesperson has come into contact with.

During this unusual time where we are advised to stay at home where possible, families are spending much more time together. As a result we are all using the internet at once in order to work, study and play. Here are some ways to maximise your internet speed:

Check your speed

A good broadband speed has never been more important, so the first thing to do is to check your speed. You can usually do this yourself using your broadband provider’s website. Check the speed you are paying for and check the speed you’re receiving. Sometimes there are quick fixes that your provider can carry out remotely to improve things.

Is your router in the correct position?

By placing your wireless router in the incorrect spot in your home can make a huge difference to its performance. If it is placed next to an electrical appliance, a window, a mirror, on the floor, in an extension or at the top of the property it can have significant interference and slow your speed right down.

Try and position your device near the centre of your home and close to the place that you rely on it the most – either close to your television or home office. Talk to your provider to make sure you have the latest model as this can also have an impact.

Don’t turn your router off

Make sure it’s on all the time unless you are going on holiday. If you keep turning it on and off you may find that it becomes slower because the local exchange will think your phone line is unstable and cannot deal with the high speeds.

Give it a kick start

If you find that it sometimes drops in speed, try turning it on and off again. It sounds obvious but this can make a difference.

Fit a microfilter

A microfilter is a small box that stops services interfering with each other – this is important if you use a home phone line.

Check your router settings

Talk to your Internet provider and find out how to remotely access your router settings. This will have settings that will enable you to make your router more efficient.

Change your username and password

Change your router name and password to something recognisable and memorable otherwise you could find it time consuming connecting to different devices throughout the home.

Make sure you’re on the fastest channel

Your wireless router will have several channels and some will be faster than others. If your neighbour has the same channel then you may find this slows yours down. Try different channels until you find one with a better speed – it’s trial and error with this one!

Use a booster

You can get hold of a wifi extender which boosts and carries your internet connection through your wiring and taking it to all corners of the home where the signal is otherwise weak. This is especially true for those with an extension. You can use these to create your very own wifi hotspot.

Use an ethernet cable

If you want a quick fix for a strong signal straight to your computer, use an ethernet cable from your router.

Check your data limit

A data cap limits your internet usage which can cause a slow-down in your broadband speed. To find out what this is and if you’re close to the limit, contact your broadband provider.

Check how many devices you’re using

Turn off any devices that aren’t being used as these can slow your internet speed considerably. Media pop ups can also be a culprit so make sure applications that aren’t being used are turned off.

The way we live and even shop for food has changed. We’ve all been advised to only go to the supermarket when absolutely essential and no more than once a week if you are only shopping for your household. This could throw up a few challenges and if you’re used to buying what you need when you need it, you might be interested in how to safely store your food.

There are lots of things that you can put straight in the freezer instead of the fridge and by being aware of how you can store certain foods, you may find that you enable your stocks to last much longer.

Meat, poultry, ready meals, pasta, cheese, butter and bread can be frozen for when you need them. Here’s what you can freeze:

Dairy

All milk can be put in the freezer and defrosted before use. Make sure it’s sealed properly as it can expand and when you defrost it and avoid using a microwave which can cause uneven temperatures and could spoil the milk faster once it’s defrosted. Place it in the fridge overnight and in the morning you should be able use it as normal.

Many hard cheeses freeze well and maintain their structure through the process. However, many hard cheeses such as Parmesan do last for quite a long time so it may not be necessary. You can also freeze grated cheese allowing you to use what you need in sauces and dishes.

Baked goods

Bread, rolls, flatbread and wraps can all be frozen and flat packed tortilla and sandwich wraps are very easy to store, taking up very little space compared to a loaf of bread. You can also freeze things like crumpets, bagels and buns. Bread can be toasted from frozen. If you bake cakes, these can also be frozen whole or in slices.

Pasta

Fresh pasta can be stored in the freezer to ensure it keeps for longer – with egg content it usually only has a shelf life of a week or two. It can be cooked straight away in hot water without the need to defrost. Just note that a packet of fresh pasta takes up much more room than it does in dried form.

Fruit

If you make smoothies – frozen fruit is an amazing item to have in your freezer. It can be mixed with juice and yoghurt giving you a fresh, cold and healthy smoothie. They can also be used for baking in pies or served with ice cream.

Freezing meals

If you make a large pot of stew, soup, chilli, bolognese or pie, try and make extra and freeze it for future meals. Just make sure you only freeze and defrost them once.

Follow guidelines

If you do freeze your food, make sure you follow the guidance on the packaging and only freeze items that haven’t already been frozen. Make sure that meat and fish aren’t left in the freezer for too long – they can still go off.

In the war against COVID-19, it’s not just our hands and surfaces that need to be cleaned properly. It’s also important to wash your clothes especially as, at present, there’s no solid evidence about how long the virus can live on fabrics.

We have all been advised to stay at home where possible, so if you’re not a key worker you will at home and limiting your contact with the world outside your household. The advice is to take one walk a day within walking distance of your home, shop for food just once a week and use deliveries to minimise contact with people.

This is having a serious impact on our daily life, so we thought we’d offer some advice on how to ensure your clothes are clear of all germs and bacteria to help you get through this difficult time without getting ill.

Clean everything

Make sure you thoroughly clean all bedding, towels, sportswear, soft furnishings and sportswear to be on the safe side. While it’s important to use high temperatures to kill germs, it’s not always necessary to use the highest temperature especially as this can be harmful to the environment. Tests have shown that washing your clothes at 60°C, with a good detergent, is sufficient.

Check the instructions carefully

Check the label to ensure clothes can be cleaned safely at 60-degrees otherwise you could cause damage or shrinkage. If they can’t be washed at 60-degrees in a washing machine, check guidance on the label of each item to be washed and make sure you use a good quality and quantity of laundry

Wash as you go

Make sure you regularly clean clothes without letting them pile up otherwise it’s tempting to use a quick wash and if you wash things straight away it’s better than having clothes with germs hanging around within the home.

Outerwear is just as important

Don’t forget outerwear, as these items can be neglected when it comes to washing and can still have germs present as they are usually worn every day. Make sure your hats, scarves, coats and jackets are cleaned regularly too. If items are dry clean only, use an antibacterial spray in the interim.

Our Response to COVID-19

In response to the current situation regarding COVID-19 we wanted to take this opportunity to reassure you that Urban Union is continuing with business as usual.

The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, customers, consultants, supply chain and those who come into contact with our business is of the utmost importance to us and we are complying with Government guidelines whilst ensuring that we continue to operate as normally as we can.

We wanted to share with you some of the steps that we are taking to ensure that we can continue to operate and deliver whilst managing any risk associated with COVID-19.

• Business Continuity Plans are in place for each part of our business
• All business-related travel has been put on hold; this includes travel to other locations within our business
• All meetings are being held via audio and video technology
• We are restricting the visitors to our premises
• All social functions and corporate entertaining have been suspended until further notice
• Home working has been enabled, with our office teams being split 50/50 with each alternating between a week home working and a week in the office
• Increased deep cleaning at all Urban Union premises as appropriate.
• Site activities are being staggered to eliminate large gatherings, this includes start, stop and break times
We are monitoring the situation daily and amending any current plans accordingly. If we feel that these will have an impact on the work that we are doing with you,we will notify you at the earliest opportunity.

Our teams are available on email and telephone as before and we look forward to continuing to work with you through this period of uncertainty.

Should you have any questions, please feel free to email info@urbanunionltd.co.uk

New Homes Week 2020 New Homes Week takes place this year from the 13th to 17th May and gives people an opportunity to find out more about the huge benefits of buying a brand new home as opposed to an existing home for sale on the open market. When you buy a new h read more

We are thrilled to have been named finalists in the 13th annual Scottish Home Awards!

These awards celebrate new build housing in Scotland and this year there was a record high volume of entries from 109 housebuilders, housing associations and support businesses across Scotland.

The awards aim to reward placemaking and the creation of new home communities in Scotland and the finalists were carefully chosen by a judging panel of experts during an all-day session in Edinburgh which took place in February.

Urban Union has been announced as finalists for three of the categories:

Community Contribution Award – Pennywell Living
Affordable Housing Development of the Year (private sale) – Laurieston Living
Housing Regeneration Project of the Year – Laurieston Living

Chair of the judging panel, Dan Macdonald, CEO of Macdonald Estates, commented;

“The Scottish Home Awards celebrates the massive contribution that our residential development industry makes to our national economy, our wealth, our self being and our future generations. The phenomenal growth in entries this year is testament to the health of the sector and the continued impact that it has in placemaking and the creation of new homes across Scotland. I would like to thank the judging panel for their contribution in debating the merits of each and every entry and I congratulate all of the worthy finalists in this year’s competition.”

Andrew Cunningham, Managing Director at Ross & Liddell and a judge on the panel, commented;

“It is encouraging to see the continued growth of the Scottish Home Awards competition. We have welcomed a record number of entries and firms this year which is testament to the credibility of this now well established and highly regarded awards programme. We are proud to continue our support of the programme and extend our congratulations to all the finalists for their achievements.”

The winners will be announced at the annual celebration and awards ceremony on Thursday 11th June 2020 at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in Glasgow. The awards are operated in support of ‘It’s Good 2 Give’ and The Ripple Retreat a luxury residential retreat on Loch Venacher in Loch Lomond. The award-winning respite home is gifted to young cancer patients and their families for short stay visits.

Find out more about Laurieston Living and Pennywell Living.

Some of Glasgow’s Hidden Gems!

It’s true that ‘people make Glasgow’ but as well as the people, the city has a serious amount to offer!

Scotland’s largest city is awash with culture from world-class museums and vibrant festivals to comedy and live music. It also boasts an array of restaurants, cafes and has an exceptional shopping scene. If you live and work in Glasgow or are considering a move to the city, check out these hidden gems that could be right on your doorstep.

Govan Old Parish Church

The church stands partly contained by its pear-shaped graveyard, just to the north of Govan Road in the centre of Govan. It ceased to be an active parish church in 2007, when the congregation became part of Govan and Linthouse Parish. Today the church is best known as the location of The Govan Stones, one of the best collections of early medieval sculpted stones in Scotland.

Ashton Lane

This picturesque West End cobbled street adorned with fairy lights is tucked away and easy to miss. It has some great restaurants and bars with a fantastic atmosphere all year round and features the famous Ubiquitous Chip and Grosvenor Cinema.

The Mitchell Library

This building is beautiful inside and out and is Scotland’s largest public reference library. It has an incredible array of resources including the world’s greatest collection of Burns manuscripts and a dedicated family history centre where you can trace your family tree. It has many events with authors throughout the year and hosts the Glasgow book festival.

Tchai-Ovna Tea of House

This is a fabulous tearoom selling over 80 kinds of tea as well as delicious vegetarian and vegan food. It’s a charming café housed in a former 19^th century stable tucked away in Glasgow’s West End. It also hosts music nights several times a week.

The University of Glasgow’s Museum

Glasgow University is one of the best universities in Scotland with its atmospheric cloisters attracting those who are interested in architecture or photography. Art history enthusiasts will enjoy the Hunterian Museum, which is dedicated to William Hunter. It’s the oldest museum in Scotland and alongside this museum you can also explore the Hunterian Art Gallery, the Mackintosh House, the Zoology Museum and the Anatomy Museum, all located in various buildings on the main campus of the University in the west end of Glasgow.

The Glasgow Police Museum

The Glasgow Police Museum illustrates the history of the Glasgow Police 1779 – 1975, through artifacts, stories and images. Its International Room has uniforms and insignia from EVERY country in the World.

The Necropolis

The Necropolis is inspired by the famous Père Lachaise in Paris. It is an incredible Victorian cemetery adorned with some 3,500 monuments. Amongst the most notable graves are a monument to Protestant Reformation leader John Knox, and a Celtic cross designed by influential Glaswegian architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh. You can take a guided tour to discover more.

The Game of Thrones Path

Lambhill Cemetery is located north of Glasgow city centre on the A879 road up to Milngavie. Next to main road and the WW1 memorial you’ll find a pathway that doesn’t look too dissimilar to the one used as a location on Game Of Thrones as a road to Kings Landing. The trees there perhaps planted as far back as 1881, when the cemetery opened.

Botanic Gardens

Winter or summer, this is a great place to visit and take a break from West End shopping! Kibble Place is a striking greenhouse designed by John Kibble and features fine marble statues surrounded by vivid flowers, tropical palms and the National Collection of Tree Ferns.

St Aloysius Church

St Aloysius’ Roman Catholic Church is one of the most impressive in Glasgow with an opulent Renaissance design based on the Church of the Gesù in Rome. It’s home to a copy of the famous Our Lady of Montserrat statue, one of only two outside Catalonia.

Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre

Founded by sculptor-mechanic Eduard Bersudsky and theatre director Tatyana Jakovskaya in St. Petersburg in 1989, Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre has been entertaining Glasgow audiences for two decades. It has enchanting performances with hundreds of carved figures controlled by steampunk-style machinery, combining with lights and music to tell haunting, beautiful stories.

Love Vintage Fashion?

In addition to the usual high street stores see up and down the country along with some designer boutiques, you can also find a wide range of vintage stores in Glasgow. Situated in King’s Court, Mr. Ben is a treasure trove of retro style, where you’ll find anything from antique wedding dresses to military uniforms.

If you think this city could be for you, take a look at our Pollokshaws and Laurieston Living developments. Help to Buy and First Home Fund available on some plots (Ts and Cs apply). See our developments.