Should You Do It Yourself (DIY) ?

do-it-yourself
noun, often attributive

Definition of do-it-yourself
the activity of doing or making something without professional training or assistance broadly
an activity in which one does something oneself or on one’s own initiative

First Known use of do-it-yourself 1952,

So, What Does DIY Actually Even Mean?
Obviously “do it yourself” — but is that all?

Do-it-yourself (DIY) projects can be a great way to save money.

The Internet makes projects of all types and complexity seem accessible thanks to a seemingly infinite selection of instructional videos and blog posts. Everything from making a tufted headboard to building a deck seems easy, cheap, and doable.

The truth is that DIY projects aren’t always easy or cheap, and they may involve technical work that’s best left to the professionals.

While there’s nothing quite like the pride of being able to show off something you did yourself, or the satisfaction of knowing you may have saved a significant amount over retail, there are some factors to consider before deciding to do it yourself.

1. You Can’t Replicate the Quality of a Store-Bought Item
2. The Materials & Equipment Cost More Than Buying Pre-Made
3. It Would Take Too Much Time to Make the Cost Savings Worth It
4. It Would Cause You Too Much Stress
5. It’s Something That Should Really Be Done by a Pro

When It Does Make Sense to DIY

1. It Really Does Save Money
2. The Project Is Doable & You Will Enjoy It
3. You Want Something Custom or Heartfelt

In the end, there are far more factors to consider when deciding to do a DIY project than whether it might save you money. While money is certainly a factor, just as important can be your time, enjoyment, and skill level. Next time you’re considering a DIY project, make sure to weigh all the pros and cons.

Are you a DIYer? What projects have you done or are you considering? Are there any projects you’ve regretted taking on?


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About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

Sustainable Lifestyle Tips

posted in: General 1

sustainable
/səˈsteɪnəb(ə)l/
adjective: sustainable
1.
able to be maintained at a certain rate or level.
“sustainable economic growth”
conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of natural resources.
“our fundamental commitment to sustainable development”
2.
able to be upheld or defended.
“sustainable definitions of good educational practice”

Sustainability is a buzzword nowadays.

Reduce-Reuse-Recycle mantra, may feel retro, but it’s just as important today as when the phrase was first coined.

It might be a trend, but it’s not one that will go out of fashion.

Living sustainably means adapting our lives so that we avoid further depletion of the earth’s natural resources. From conserving water and improving air quality, to taking care of the natural world so that forests can soak up carbon dioxide and wildlife can thrive, there is so much we can help with.

Everything you do in your day-to-day life has an impact on the planet, from the food you eat to the car you drive. This doesn’t mean you should only eat vegetables and start riding a bike everywhere. Although, you could try consuming less meat and only driving when necessary.

It’s small changes like these which could help you to lessen your environmental impact.

Here are a few sustainable lifestyle tips:

  • Save energy. By using less energy, you can help to reduce carbon emissions
  • Eat less meat
  • Use reusable alternatives
  • Go paperless
  • Use renewable energy
  • Recycle and reuse
  • Plant seeds
  • Grow your own produce
  • Donate unused items

Living a more sustainable life means leaving a few conveniences behind, but it’s so worth it in the long run. Eventually, you’ll adjust to the new way of life and be able to sleep better at night, knowing you’re making a positive change for the planet you call home.

Source: The Common Wanderer


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I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

Staff Spotlight: Chantelle Naude

CN STAFF SPOTLIGHT - doc

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How Drought and lack of Water effects Construction in the Western Cape

A drought happens when a region receives less than average rainfall. Unlike the simplicity of this definition, the actual scenario is devastating.

Droughts don’t just affect the plants or livestock of a region, but they also pose a great threat to human lives. It is regarded as a natural disaster considering the damage it does to the entire ecosystem. Climate change has been a major factor in the creation of droughts in several parts of the world. As the earth is heating up, many regions of the world are experiencing less precipitation and droughts are becoming more common than ever before.

In some regions, such as the Western Cape, the country’s second-largest province in terms of economic contribution, the drought continued into 2017. These droughts are associated with climate change – the effect of human behaviour on the planet’s temperature. Whether from external sources (rain, groundwater, flash flooding, etc.) or internal sources (water escape or fluid release), water damage has a significant impact on a construction project. In addition to the physical loss, water damage usually impacts the project schedule. In this era of increasing deductibles, accelerated schedules, and contract penalties, even relatively small water incidents can result in large losses. Although higher deductibles generally reduce insurance premiums, contractors may face an unexpected expense when water damage occurs. Water damage incidents may also harm the contractor’s ability to obtain repeat business from an unhappy owner.

So, what can you do about it? It’s all about prevention. The best protection against water loss is proactive measures to avoid water damage.

Water is health, Water is life

 

Sources:
Business Tech
Green Cape


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I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

How to Go Green without Breaking the Bank

posted in: General 0

How to go green without breaking the bank does not necessarily mean smoke and fly.

Going green means being environmentally responsible, eco-friendly and can be affordable.

You do not need to drastically change your lifestyle right away. You can start gradually by doing just a few things and adding more as time goes on. Depending on what you do, your actions will help the environment in many different ways, but they will all add up to help reduce the impact of climate change.

1. The home set-up
Your home should be set-up in a way that saves energy.

  • Plug home electronics into power strips; turn the power strips off when the equipment is not in use.
  • Install low-flow showerheads.
  • Use Energy Star-qualified CFL and LED bulbs.
  • Install outdoor solar lights
  • Make your own detergents.

2. Food options

  • Consider turning your backyard into a miniature garden.
  • Make your own compost.

3. Thrifting everyday purchases

  • Spend a weekend thrifting or even visiting vintage shops to find cheaper and green alternatives.

4. Selling and donating unwanted items

  • No matter how organized you say you are, everyone has some level of clutter.
  • Start by taking a look in your closet, picking and packing the items that you have not worn for ages.

5. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

6. Plant a tree

7. Use Less Water

8. Bring bags to the grocery store

9. Check out Freecycle

  • One man’s trash is another man’s treasure is the cliche behind Freecycle
  • Check your local board on the site to search for household items, from furniture to technology, that other people want to give away. The site is also perfect for getting rid of your own useless junk. Freecycle is free to join (naturally), and it’s a win for both you and the environment.

10. Ditch your car.

  • If you can get to work without driving, why not do it? You’ll get some exercise, save some cash and help the environment. Even better, it will make you happier and generally more satisfied with life.
  • Carpooling.

 

Earth day – 22 April

Sources:
Isotherm
SmallfootprintFamily

 


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About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

Awesome Internet Facts

Awesome Internet Facts

I’ve heard you love fun facts!

Well, here are some of the best! – I hope you will have as much fun reading through them and learning something new as I did while researching materials for this post.

1. A little over forty years ago the internet was invented in a beer garden. In fact, it was founded on August 27, 1976 on a picnic table at Rossotti’s (or Zott’s) Alpine Inn Bear Garden – who says the best ideas don’t come over a drink 😉

2. The name Google was created accidentally. A spelling error was made by the original founders who were under the impression they were going for Googol.

3. The first computer mouse was invented by Doug Engelbrecht and it was carved from wood First Computer Mouse

4. As of 1st January 2018, the total internet users across the world was 4,156,932,140 (that’s over 4 billion users). While the average internet speed across the globe is 5.6Mbps, in the USA it is 18.8Mbps.
The country with the fastest internet speed is South Korea with an average Internet speed of 26.7Mbps!


5. Google is the most popular website in the world. YouTube is second and Facebook is third.

6. The first tweet was sent on March 21, 2006 by Jack Dorsey:


7. Mark Zuckerberg’s original Facebook profile number ID is 4 – https://www.facebook.com/zuck – The first three Facebook accounts were for testing.

8. The first YouTube video was uploaded April 23, 2005. It’s called Me at the Zoo

9. The GIF format was invented by Steve Wilke, an engineer at Compuserve in 1987.

10. Today, the Internet is 10,753 days old. Check How old is the Internet

11. This is what Google looked like in 2004:


12. Google rents out Goats to help cut down the weeds and brush at Google HQ – Google Blogspot

13. The first smiley appeared in 1979, when Kevin McKenzie tried to express his emotions by electronic means. First it look like this -) Three years later, Scott Fahlman added a colon : -) and it took the form we are used to.

14. The first AOL Instant Message was sent by Ted Leonsis to his wife on Jan. 6, 1993. It read, “Don’t be scared … it is me. Love you and miss you.” His wife replied, “Wow … this is so cool!” Leonsis later became AOL’s Vice Chairman.

15. The first sentence uttered on Skype was in Estonian in April 2003 by a member of the development team. It was ‘Tere, kas sa kuuled mind?’ or “Hello, can you hear me?” in English.

16. The very first domain name registered was www.symbolics.com on the 15th March 1958.

17. Domain name registrations were free till 1995.

18. Anthony Greco was the first man ever arrested for sending spam messages in 2005.

19. The first picture ever uploaded on the web was posted by Tim Burners Lee (inventor of the World Wide Web) on behalf of a comedy band called Les Horrible Cernettes.


20. The world’s first website is still online – Info.cern

21. The first webcam was deployed at Cambridge University computer lab – its sole purpose to monitor a particular coffee maker and avoid wasted trips to an empty pot.

22. The Internet took just 4 years to reach its first 50 Million Users.

 

It’s amazing how little we know about something we use for more than 10 hours a day! – We’re just scraping the surface when it comes to incredible facts about the Internet, but now you can go and dazzle your friends with your new-found knowledge.

 

Do you know of any other fun and interesting facts about the Internet? If so, let us know about them in the comments!

 

Sources:
Life Hacks
Buzz Feed News
The Fact Site

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About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

Common Security Myths

Common Security Myths

Myth (noun) – An unproved or false collective belief that is used to justify a social institution

Use strong passwords and don’t go to sketchy websites, and you’ll protect yourself online, right? Well… That’s a good start. But it’s not quite that simple.
The internet is evolving and so too is cybercrime.

Myth vs Reality:

Myth 1: Firewall + antivirus = total protection
Reality: Antivirus software and a firewall make it difficult for an intruder to get their hands on your information, but you also need to take protective measures. Free only offers basic antivirus and doesn’t have antispam, web filtering and behaviour analysis. Keep your software up to date and patched against vulnerabilities. Combining these technologies with good security habits is the best way to reduce your risk. Remember to lock or log off your computer when leaving your desk, even for a moment.

MYTH 2: Private browsing” is always private
Reality: Surfing the web in private (or incognito) mode prevents the browser — like Chrome, Firefox, and Internet Explorer — from collecting data about your activities. But it doesn’t hide your browsing from your internet service provider and the websites you visit. It also doesn’t hide your IP addresses from web servers and online snoops. Private hides your history from other users on the same computer but it will be tied to your computer.

 

 

 

 

MYTH 3: Infected computers display nasty messages and are very slow.
Reality: The most dangerous hacker is not the one who wants to put a joke or a skull on your screen; it’s the one who stealthily works to take control of your computer and cause damage to your equipment or steal information they can use for their benefit. This type of hacker works to ensure that their activities are not noticed by you.

MYTH 4: I don’t go to dangerous sites, and I check my links, so I’m safe.
Reality: Your browser is the biggest vulnerability. Most recent attacks take advantage of weaknesses in browser-related technologies to compromise your system. By simply visiting a compromised website may be sufficient to allow an attacker to gain control of your system. As if this weren’t bad enough, many legitimate sites are compromised and become sources of infection. Avoid accessing the web from protected systems behind your firewall.

Myth 5: Cyber security? Just leave it to the IT department

Reality: Cyber security is a business risk, not just an IT problem. Setting up the proper technology tools to provide cybersecurity protection are necessary. Organizations, management and staff need to adopt and extend these policies to establish a unified security posture. Staff need to be trained, educated and aware of security risks. Implementing appropriate technical controls to safeguard the information that an organisation holds is the first line of defence against security threats.

Myth 6: My Wi-Fi is unhackable if I hide it
Reality: Most routers give you the option of making your network ‘invisible’. This leaves people believing that since no-one can see their network, no-one on the outside can hack their connection. If someone wants to hack your Wi-Fi, it is quite likely that they have the technical competence to know that most networks are hidden and the know-how to make them visible even though you have hidden the network name. Keep older routers up to date, use strong passwords and check your routers manual to learn how to enable WPA2 wireless encryption on your router.

 

Conclusion

The bottom line is IT security must be a priority for your business, no matter the size of your operation. Based on your industry and security needs, you can work with professionals to customize the appropriate level of coverage for your company. It’s important to remember to apply patches and upgrades and upgrade in a timely manner, but that will only carry you so far. The weakest link in security is still the human element.

Sources:

 

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About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

L2B Blog: Give your competitors the chills: Heating and cooling tips

posted in: General 0

When it comes to Heating and Cooling systems, size matters.

It may not matter for some things, but for one’s well-being and wallet, it is critical.

Air conditioning is now almost seen as a standard piece of equipment in most homes and businesses. We don’t necessarily think about it because some of us are fortunate enough to live in a home with a cooling system and most businesses have air conditioning.

Cooling technology has advanced to improve our comfort and health.

Before air conditioning, our homes and work places were very hot in the summer. In the heat of the summer, homes and offices, even large warehouses and the like were not the comfortable, cool sanctuary they are today. To catch a cool breeze was not very easy as most (if not all) closed-up homes were too hot and uncomfortable. Windows were opened as much as possible to provide some ventilation to the building.

Air conditioning was first installed residentially in 1914. The unit was 7 feet high, 6 feet wide and 20 feet long! Obviously, the size of the system was quite costly and only could be installed where space was ample. Wealthy people with large homes were really the only ones who could access it.

Early air conditioners were loud, the efficiency was poor and were expensive to operate.

Air conditioning manufacturers have taken great strides to develop efficient cooling technology and convenience with seemingly endless equipment choices.

Air conditioning has also become more environmentally friendly as research has shown that Freon is linked to ozone depletion, currently, the R-22 refrigerant is being phased out and environmentally-friendly R401A refrigerant is the new standard.

Air conditioning systems have become much more affordable over the years, leading to their widespread use in the world all over. Today, more than 80 percent of homes and businesses in the world have an air conditioning system. The addition of the air conditioner has changed architecture, making it possible to have windowless buildings and dwellings without patios.

Keep cool and thank an HVAC Tech!

Below are some Heating and Cooling tips:
  • Keep your AC lower at night
  • Use portable units e.g. fans and heaters – costs less too and circulates the air
  • Close off vents
  • Keep your ducts in a row – make sure the areas where your ducts run through are properly insulated
  • Try 22 degrees – leave the thermostat alone – nice and steady there she goes
  • Keep your AC in the shade
  • Insulation is a cost effective barrier to heat loss and gain in your home
  • Windows, doors and skylights – if well designed can significantly improve energy efficiency and comfort
  • Seal air leaks and beef up insulation
  • Prevent heat loss – close windows and doors
  • Draft stoppers – seal gaps under doorways.
  • Heat and Cool only the rooms that are being used
  • Timers – for when and how long you need it.
  • Close doors of rooms that are not being used

Life is so much easier when we chill out! So with that in mind:

Husband: How long has the AC not been working?
Wife: 2 weeks
Husband: Why did you wait 2 weeks to have it fixed?
Wife: Your parents were here, planning to stay for the month!

Remember HVAC Tech Day 22 June.

 

Sources:

Many thanks to Werner Egerer from Superway Construction (Pty) Ltd for his assistance and insight.

L2B Blog: Fresh ideas about airconditioning

About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.

Time to contact your contractor?

posted in: How To 0

Time to contact your Contractor

 

 

Have you ever wondered how a contractor chooses who he awards contracts to or how to get a contractor to notice you?

 

We went in search of possible answers from some of the industry leaders as to what they look for in a vendor and what the winning factor for them could be.

 

Construction moves fast!

 

It’s a fast paced industry in terms of carrying out the building works and having deadlines met.

 

Buyers don’t chase after vendors!

 

Contractors don’t like to be pestered. They don’t have time to sift through superfluous information. Have your documents together and ready to get the ball rolling. Contractors don’t become contractors because they love to communicate. They have more experience doing things a certain way and in a timeous manner.

 

No delays! If you are going to say that you will do something then do it!

 

If you state that you have priced or are going to price, send your prices through and make sure that they are sent on time. A contractor won’t stay in business unless he prices competitively. If your price is too high in comparison to the current market, he will get another quote for comparison.

 

It’s all about establishing good, trustworthy relationships with contractors and having the capacity to perform.

 

Contractors, yes as vendors know, have a preferred list but it’s NOT limited. Contractors DO try to blend in new blood. A contractor will look at past experiences to determine how companies and vendors market themselves, their quality of work, competence of staff and whether one can cope with regards to work volumes and requirements.

 

Just as we, as people, try to market ourselves for a new career, what candidate to vote for in an election, choose a life partner, it all involves a list – a list of various factors, criteria and considerations, which will benefit you, your company and your decisions in life in general.

 

Many thanks to Neels van Staden from Stefanutti Stocks Building for his assistance and insight.

About Chantélle Naudé

I have been with Leads 2 Business for 9 years, working in the Leads 2 Quotes department. Mother to two beautiful daughters.