A universal home design is a growing concept in house planning and construction that provides for changes that can occur in living such as disability issues, aging and general accessibility for everyone. Many homes today are built with the idea that no matter who the occupant is, the living spaces within as well as outside the home, should be readily used by just about anyone. A growing number of home designers, builders and contractors are embracing this concept as the baby boomer population ages and a new wave of disabled or elderly home occupants emerge.Here are some of the best benefits of a universal home design:Home valuesIf you decide to use a universal home design to build your new home, you can expect your house to be worth more at the outset than another home of similar square footage and amenities, but that is not built from a universal design. The reason is that a universally designed house is more appealing to all segments of the population because of its practicality and usability for everyone. Universally designed homes are easier to sell and acrue in value more readily.Good planning for the futureFor those who plan on living in their homes until they die, this type of house design is excellent because it will accommodate occupants in any change of life. If an occupant becomes suddenly disabled or eventually must have certain handicap amenities in areas like the bathroom due to aging issues, this design allows for changes in life that are bound to occur.Important design elementsThere are many elements of design that go into a universal home, but several of the most important are constructed into the bathroom area, kitchen, hallways and the construction level of the home. The bathroom is perhaps one of the most important areas of the home, as it is designed to be accessible by combining within the design some handicap requirements. Wider doorways for wheelchair accessiblity, nonslip flooring, wet room style spaciousness and open shower areas are just some of the common features for a handicap bath area that can be enjoyed by all.Other important aspects include choosing a design that keeps the house on one ground level and that does not include stairs or other common obstacles to those who are less mobile. If you are interested in the useful aspects of a universal home design, there are more and more designers and contractors available who are experienced at creating houses that are accessible for everyone.
We Predict You’ll Love Asset Financing Credit Facilities When Seeking Business Finance Loans
Making a prediction is a sometimes risky scenario, potentially damaging to your credibility, but we’re quite confident in saying that Canadian business owners will recognize non bank asset financing as credit facilities for business finance loans to be the best thing they every heard of when it comes to financing their business.Quite frankly we don’t think we exactly going out and making a stretch comment because, hundreds if not thousands of Canadian firms are investigating and utilizing this type of financing.As the Canadian business economy turns itself around going into 2011 most of are clients are finally focused on growth again.But how is that growth to be financing, since lending standards and criteria at institutions such as the banks don’t appear to have been liberalized at the same pace that your company hopes to grow at!That’s where our trend prediction comes in. Asset based lending focuses on your assets and growth opportunities – it doesn’t focus on rations, tangible equity in your company, rations, covenants, cash flow coverage, etc, etc, etc!So you are picking up on the opportunity, let’s see how things work. Asset based lenders keep it simple, they lend a very high value against your ongoing assets. What are the typical assets lent against – you can almost guess what they are. They are receivables, inventory, unencumbered equipment and real estate.The big mystery around asset based lending in Canada, based on conversations with our clients, is that business owners don’t really know or understand who these firms are. So we’ll tell you.They are specialized firms, both Canadian and U.S. based, that focus solely on providing credit facilities and business finance loans with your assets as security. They take the same security as a Canadian chartered bank would, and you manage your facility on a day to day basis, drawing down cash as you need it. Funds are wired into your account as you need them, based on… guess what… assets! That really is the one key difference that our clients pick up on, that the total focus of this type of assets financing is the collateral itself.We already know your next question… because we’ve heard it a hundred times before. Its’ how much can we get ‘… followed by what does it cost.
Speaking in general terms your receivables are financed at 90% of their value, and because of the nature and marketability of different types of inventory this type of collateral is margined anywhere from 25-75%. Recall we had noted that unencumbered equipment can be drawn against also. Typically an appraised current market or liquidation value is agreed upon with you and the asset financing provider.Costs vary around this type of financing. On occasion it is competitive with bank financing – and giving you twice the liquidity – but more often than not it’s more expensive. You offset those costs by greater access to credit facilities that will grow your business and profits.Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business financing advisor who can walk you through the Canadian landscape of business finance loans in the asset based lending area. You’ll quickly find, we think, that our prediction is becoming more true every day, asset based financing is hot! And here to stay.
Open Source Accounting Software
The rise of the internet has seen mass collaboration and proliferation of open source software. Accounting software has joined in the move to open source and has some high quality alternatives that are as good if not better than their overpriced commercial alternatives.More and more individuals and business are making the switch. While primarily the switch is due to cost reduction to avoid licensing fees or up grade costs, as the community grows the so does the quality of the product. The better the product gets the more people you get using and the cycle repeats. Eventually your open source accounting software will be superior as traditional accounting software providers can not keep up with innovation from the community.While I have been jumping on the open source band wagon it does have its draw backs. Before you decide on a open source product you evaluate what support is available for the product. Most traditional software providers will have a support line that you can call. Open source products do not provide this service. However the products do have community support through forums and online tutorials. The forums are usually very good however can be more time consuming than just giving somebody a call.Before you rush out their and pick an open source accounting software you need to take a step an evaluate your need. Some of the key question you need to be asking yourself are:
What type of business do you have? Services, manufacturing, property, non-profit, retail.
Do you need support for payroll? Does this need to be integrated into the software or will it be outsourced?
Do you manage inventory? Different accounting packages will have differing degrees of inventory management. They can range from none all the way to fully customizable.
Do you do quotes? Do you need to do job costing and workflow management?
Will you be doing the bookkeeping? Is the software easy to use?
Is the software compatible with your operating system? What operating system will you be running?
Will the software be able to grow and adept with your business?After you have assessed your needs your can start delving into the different options. There are two different categories of applications. Firstly there is accounting software that just manages the businesses financial information. The second type is of accounting software that is part of a companies enterprise resource planing (ERP) system. This looks after the internal and external resources of the business. Both types of applications have excellent open source options.The best free or open source independent accounting software applications include:
GnuCash is a free and open double-entry accounting software program for personal users and small business owners. It is a stand-alone desktop program running on GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. GnuCash provides multi-language versions for international users, including German, Japanese, Chinese, Dutch, etc.
Grisbi is a personal finance system that can manage multiple accounts, users and currencies. It is a stand-alone desktop program running on GNU/Linux and Windows.
HomeBank is a free financial accounting software program for personal users. It is a stand-alone desktop program running on GNU/Linux, BSD, Solaris, Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows.
Other free or open applications include JGnash, KMyMoney, LedgerSMB, PhreeBooks, Skrooge, and TurboCASH. Best Free Open Source ERP Accounting Software Download and ReviewThe top free and open source accounting software programs that are part of the ERP systems include:
Adempiere is a free and open source ERP software application. It provides accounting functions such as general ledger, accounts receivable, accounts payable, financial reporting, cash Management Budgeting, and VAT/TAX/IVA.
Other free or open source ERP accounting software applications include BlueErp, Compiere, Dolibarr,JFire, Apache OFBiz, Openbravo, OpenERP, PhreeBooks, Postbooks, Tryton, GNU Enterprise, and webERP. Details about Free Accounting Software Applications for Different Sectors