During a recession, house prices are lower and it's more difficult to get a mortgage, therefore people are less inclined to move house, this means even for the households who are unaffected, there are far less properties available for them to move into, so they tend to extend or improve what they already have.

Whilst building and extension can add significant value to a property, it's also very disruptive and costly. I know this first hand, as when I moved we had the back of the house extended and moved the kitchen into the new bit, leaving a nice space to open up as a dining room, however, this meant walls coming down, walls going up, plasterers, electricians, plumbers and double glazing fitters, all in all total disruption for a few months. This was of course made more difficult by kids and dogs running through what was the muddy building site at the back of the house.

So bearing this in mind people are starting to opt for less intrusive home improvements, the type of thing which improves the value of a property, but also enhances their lifestyle, thinks like big outward openings on the property which look down the garden, with multislide or bifolding doors, which can be opened up in nice weather to almost make the room become part of the garden.

Multislide doors are the ones which slide back on themselves and leave a few thicknesses of glass at each end, while bifold doors are the ones which fold up on themselves and can leave the opening completely clear of glazing when fully folded back. They come in a wide range of glazing finishes and can have UPVC, wood or aluminium frames, so can be designed to fit in with the existing architecture of the property. They are usually also made to order, so can be fitted in pretty much any opening.

Of course there is always some disruption, as a large section of your wall will need to come down to fit the doors and an RSJ will probably need to be fitted to support the wall above. But all that said, even considering the time needed for building control to come in and inspect the work, it should all be done and dusted inside a week and you could be redecorating around your new sliding or bifold doors by the weekend.

Obtaining a Degree in Law

Becoming a solicitor or barrister in the UK means you first need to get qualified.  This means studying law at university level.  These courses will usually take three years and can be followed at most of the universities in the UK.

Choosing to be a Solicitor or Barrister

Once you have completed your law degree, you need to decide whether you want to be a solicitor and undertake the Legal Practice Course, or a barrister, in which case you need to undertake the Bar Vocational Course.  These courses are mandatory for you to be able to practice law.

Obtaining a Training Contract/Pupillage

A requirement for the UK Law Society/Bar Council is that you obtain a training agreement from an existing law firm to train as a solicitor or a pupillage if you want to train to become a barrister.  This is comparable to an apprenticeship.  Pupillages last one year and you will be able to handle your own cases after six months.  Training contracts last two years.

Costs and Time

As shown, depending on whether you want to become a barrister or a solicitor, the length of time you will be training varies from five to six years.  The costs are quite high, particularly in this day and age where tuition fees have increased in price.  The Legal Practice Course and Bar Vocational Course cost between £10,000 and £15,000.  This is just one of the many reasons why you are encouraged to really think hard about your decision to choose law as a profession.  It is also advised to start when you are young, as training contracts and pupillages become harder to find the older you get.

Salary

One of the great benefits of practicing law in the UK is that it is the 9th best paid job to have.  The average salary currently stands at £51,911 per year.  Newly qualified solicitors usually start around £28,000, ranging to £96,000.  Starting salaries for barristers range between £25,000 and £75,000.  Remember though, that during your pupillage or training contract, your salary will be substantially lower.

So, there are many things to consider if you want to become a lawyer in the UK, regardless if you want to specialise in no win no fee, corporate or criminal law.  Firstly you need to decide whether the career is right and achievable for you.  This is truer than for any other profession in the UK, with the exception perhaps of medical studies.  You then need to decide whether you want to become a solicitor or a barrister and ensure you get either a training contract or pupillage.  Although extremely hard work overall, you also need to remember that practicing law is a fantastic opportunity to change the world for the better and if the profession is right for you, it is a truly amazing career.

Law is a growing business, you may as a construction company, require a law firm due to a personal injury claim, debt problems, or many other claims related to the building industry.  Rest assured that there is a law firm in the UK that will best suit your needs.

Top 5 Law Firms in the UK Based on Annual Turn Over

If we look at the financial side of things only, the top 5 law firms in the UK are:

1.    Clifford Chance
2.    Linklaters
3.    Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer
4.    Allen & Overy
5.    DLP Piper International

However, these law firms are all based in London, where costs of law are higher.  Looking purely at annual turnover is hence perhaps not the best way to gauge what the best law firm in the UK actually is.

Top 5 Law Firms in the UK Based on Popularity

1.    Injury Lawyers 4U
2.    Fentons Solicitors
3.    National Accident Helpline
4.    First 4 Lawyers
5.    The Injury Lawyers

It is perhaps not surprising that when looking at popularity, the top 5 consists solely of injury lawyers.  This is a big trend in current society, where people are hoping to receive compensation for injuries they have received through no fault of their own.

Top 5 Law Firms in the South West of the UK

Another added difficulty of determining which law firm is the most popular in the UK is due to the size of the country and the different difficulties faced in the different areas of the UK.  Also, there are so many different kinds of law and it is hard to compare a family law firm to an employment law firm for example.

As an example, the top 5 law firms in the South West of the UK are:

1.    Burges Salmon LLP
2.    Osborne Clarke
3.    TLT LLP
4.    Ashfords LLP
5.    Beachcroft LLP

Determining true popularity is best done by researching the type of law firm you require, whether it is injury, family, criminal, insolvency, etc...  It would also be of no use to you to know a law firm in London is the best in its particular field when you need a law firm in the North West of the country.  A better way to determine popularity would be to speak to people who have used a law firm in the past who have similar needs to you and following some of their advice.  Word of mouth is the best form of advertisement.  Also, trust your own judgement!  Contact a few of the law firms you have found and trust your instinct on how you feel about their level of customer service, their explanation of processes and systems, the costs involved, the transparency of their service, etc...

If you need a no win no fee solicitor, it's worth looking locally, so try to find a no win no fee solicitor Swindon or if you live in Cheltenham, a no win no fee solicitor Cheltenham, for those who live in Oxfordshire find a no win no fee solicitor oxford, you should find someone to specialise in negligence claims or personal injury as appropriate for the specific case

One place you could also look for if you are looking for advice on the best law firm to use is the Legal 500, which will give you information on the best law firms in many different countries.

Overall this has meant that many sub-contractors have had a very difficult time of late, a very high number of them  have gone into liquidation during 2009 and 2010 with many more tendering for work at around break even levels just to keep cash-flow moving and employees in work. Some of the hardest hit have been dry lining, plastering and bricklaying.

On a slightly more positive note, this has meant that to remain in the game, builders of all sizes have has to sharpen up on business, sales and customer service levels as only those who are offering high levels of service at competitive rates will remain in work, as although the recession stopped some months ago, recovery has not been as fast as anticipated and th industry is still very slow.  Those who can make it through these lean times will come out the other end a leaner more efficient business, ready to succeed and grow again once spending recovers.

One way many construction companies are streamlining their business is to invest in software which can help them to manage internal processes and manage job costs more accurately. There are products available from many vendors such as Coins and SAP for the larger companies, but there are solutions available from Sage, Pegasus and Redsky for the small to mid-sized sub-contractor.  These packages typically integrate an accounts and payroll system into what is otherwise a product for contractors and quantity surveyors.

A popular choice with many UK companies is Sage 50 Construction, this is the newer name for what has been called Construct Advanced for many years, although since being bought by Sage UK around 8 years ago it has been re-branded along with many of their other popular Sage 50 Accounting products, they have planted themselves firmly in the industry with construction software to suit even larger companies now with the more recent acquisition of a Microsoft partner and their offering evision.

Insolvency specialist Bishop Fleming, which has been appointed to manage the liquidation process for Blight & Scoble, issued a statement saying: "Due to difficult trading conditions the company ceased to trade on 26 August 2010, and all employees were made redundant at that time.

Operating from purpose built premises at Buckfastleigh, mid-way between Exeter and Plymouth, the Company’s primary activities are building contracting and development, including a wide variety of housing, commercial, office and industrial projects.

Minor works, refurbishments and maintenance also play an important part, and every aspect of work – from the smallest repair job to the most prestigious £1.5 million contract – is carried out by local craftsmen employing traditional building skills.

Contract Blight & Scoble Ltd soon for an informal discussion and quotation.

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