| By Leonard GildarieLast week we spoke of the need to utilize space effectively…space not only improves the look of the home, but ultimately gives you that sense of comfort and eases the aches of cleaning.But using space effectively is not confined to buying or building the right size furniture. It has to do with proper planning from the initial stages. But we have, I think, covered that issue quite ably in past articles.We have managed to grab hold of an example of a turn-step that was specifically built to save space. It took about quarter of the space needed for those long steps that fall so inconveniently in the middle of the home. More folks should start thinking of building an internal turn-step structure.However, this week I want to discuss a critical issue that is bugging all the new housing schemes in Guyana. Government has been grappling with it, but they are fighting a losing battle.I have been receiving numerous calls and emails of break-ins and construction material being stolen in the dead of night.Now, this is not going to stop in a hurry. The people that do it are career criminals. They are in every village and new housing schemes, and there are suspicions that hardware suppliers (the smaller ones that are springing up like crazy) are buying the stolen material. But there is also a ready market from new home builders and even contractors.It is one of the biggest problems besetting the housing drive and creating headaches for new home owners.Grills are only part of the total defence system that homeowners can use to protect their property…and they are not foolproof.So what are the answers? How do you solve it?There must first be an acknowledgment that there is not much that police can do.Secondly, the answers will lie in improved security that has to be from the initial stages of building. You can either buy your initial building material in stages and have the contractor finish with these before more is purchased, or buy all at once and pray to God.Thirdly, many contractors in the beginning stages of foundation and perimeter beams and columns would build a camp and some workers would stay in. The drawbacks are that there have been cases where even these workers would make a hustle, selling out the material.The contractors have not been without their pains as well. Many of them at the end of a hard day’s work and living miles away would stash their prized tools like electrical saws and drills in unfinished ceilings or under some material. It is gone when they return the next day.In La Parfait Harmonie,Samir Nasri Manchester City Jersey, West Bank Demerara, where we have our home, in three streets alone there have been six reported break-ins over the last year. And these are both finished and unfinished homes.The situation has become so bad that one top-ranking policeman was waylaid last year as he was about to enter his home one night. His guards were rendered helpless and he was reportedly taken into his home and robbed. It was never reported in the news because of the implications, but everybody knew.One of my good friends, an actor, has built a lovely home in the area. He was moving his possessions a little at a time. He had finished painting it and was awaiting a few minor installations of kitchen cabinets and other fixtures. He left around 19:00hrs one day, a few weeks back. The next day, family discovered the back door wide open and jewels and other items gone. Now two things happened there. That feeling of security and the innocence of moving into a new home is forever gone. It is a terrible feeling to have. In that case, someone small, believed to be a teenager, used the bushes as cover and shinnied up some plumbing works and entered through a small bathroom window. The lesson here is not to move in anything until you are ready to live.Another neighbour called me last week. Two teenagers were one moment fishing in the drain. The next thing was that neighbours were chasing them away for attempting in broad daylight to break into one of those storage sheds that a homeowner had built.The list of incidents is too many to highlight.But there are a few deterrents to reduce the number of losses.In the first instance, buy what you absolutely need, because storage may because an issue if your workers are not there.Secondly, for a more mid- to long-term solution, budget for a fence in your estimate.It does two things. It will provide the first line of defence and secondly it stops wandering animals from entering and damaging the yard.In my area,Blank Argentina Jersey, animals are a big problem. Recently, I complained to the NDC in La Grange about the cattle problem…they told me it is the problem of the police. But the police,Marouane Fellaini Jersey, although now equipped with impounding trucks and workers to take the animals off the roads,Hugo Sanchez Mexico Jersey, are not yet here.The cattle owners, on the other hand, tell you point blank that you can “do what the hell you want to do” or simply ignore you.One man even raised his cutlass threateningly. The government says that cattle are the main cause for broken water mains, especially in the West Demerara area.The second line of defence for your new home is grills. I hate them. I would love to open my windows at night and leave my doors unlocked in the days. But the reality dictates otherwise.Homeowners are now embedding the grills via bolts into the concrete walls. They would round the bolt’s head to deter would-be burglars.But the burglars are getting wiser. I know of a few cases where a car jack was used to prise the grills from the walls. But there is an even more simple method being employed. Nippers are now the choice tool for burglars. The bigger the nipper, the easier it is to cut through the grills. Snap, snap, and it’s all gone.I would also recommend placing bars on the doors. Dead-bolts and normal locks are no longer enough. Place some brackets at the bottom and top of the frame of the doorway. Use a 2×4 piece of wood in the brackets to further protect the doors…it can’t be easily kicked open.Utilizing space in the optimum manner can work in your favour as is evidenced from this style of internal turn-step. The owners have been able to build a storage cupboard beneath it. But above all,Toronto FC Shirts, I think the best prevention is to move in when your home has a roof and windows. While many will cringe at this, thinking of the inconvenience, I say to you…it is your money. You will be on hand to oversee the finishing work,Alex Bono Toronto Shirts, which is always the most expensive and time-consuming part.Then there is an expensive option that will only work if you have money and are in proximity to a security firm. I am speaking specifically about an alarm system. I am not sure of the effectiveness of this if you are living in Parika and the security company has its offices in the city.There are other pricey options like remote monitoring. You could be in any part of the world and see what is happening down at home. A worksite under progress without internet access…not sure how that will work or the feasibility of it.In the meantime, don’t forget to call or write us at [email protected] |
