A U.K. man will be spending the next 12 months behind bars for care-taking a commercial cannabis grow that is estimated to be worth about a half-million pounds.

A judge recently sentenced Flavio Picaku after he pleaded guilty to producing a controlled Class B drug, according to ITV News.

The plan seemed solid: grow scads of weed plants, 608 in all, in The Commercial Hotel in Pontypridd, which is in the process of being renovated.

But the entrepreneur missed an important detail, namely the intense smell of weed generated by the grow in the four-storey hotel. Nosy neighbours noticed, prompting complaints and a subsequent visit by police on May 31, ITV News reports.

There they found Picaku who was living in the hotel sans permission from building owners in one of the seven rooms that filled with 608 cannabis plants. But first officers had to use their feet to break through a glass panel and gain access.

The man was arrested. The plants, 16 to 52 kilograms of weed worth an estimated 638,400 and hydroponic equipment were seized.

Picaku reported to police that he was unable to find work, having illegally emigrated to the U.K. / Photo: Twitter, South Wales Police/ Photo: Twitter, New South Wales Police

Picaku reported to police that he was unable to find work after illegally emigrating to the U.K. from Albania. He said he accepted an offer to feed and water the plants in the already established grow-op.

Picakus defence barrister described him as paid gardener in the illegal enterprise, according to ITV News. But the sentencing judge noted he must have known it was a commercial operation given the number of plants involved.

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A man who house-sat nearly 640,000 of weed in a hotel under renovation is going to jail - The GrowthOp

To woo research scholars from across the world, Islamic seminary Darul Uloom of Deoband is working on restoring over 1500 rare manuscripts, some as old as 800 years, placed in its 150-year-old library.

These manuscripts are on various topics such as Unani medicines, law, history, religion, culture and Sufism.

They are very rare. A few are perhaps so rare that one will not be able to find another copy of them anywhere in the world. They can be a treasure trove for research scholars, said librarian Mohammad Shafeeq Qasmi.

The collection includes more than 100 manuscripts on Sufism, a handwritten Quran by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, a huge Quran and a 750-year-old Manuscript written by author Imauddin Zakaria about animals, said Qasmi, who took the degree of Fazil from Darul Uloom before joining as librarian here in 2015.

He said the idea of restoration of these manuscripts came from seminarys deputy vice chancellor Maulana Abdul Khalik Madrasi.

These were our heritage and a treasure for research scholars who could serve the society and the religion by incorporating knowledge of our forefathers and great visionaries in their research work, Maulana Khalik had said while ordering the restoration process.

Shafeeq and Maulana Madrasi then visited the National Archives of India to seek their assistance in restoring the manuscripts.

It was followed by Shafeeq and three other members of the library attending a seminar on conservation and restoration in Jammu.

The seminary then approached the Iran Culture House in Delhi, which is considered as an expert on restoration of such manuscripts.

They agreed to extend help but we refused to accept their condition of taking one copy of the restored manuscripts, said Shafeeq.

Seminary then hired some professionals to speed up restoration work and till now 50,000 pages have been restored.

A dedicated team is engaged in the process of restoring 150 to 200 pages every day, said seminarys vice chancellor Mufti Abul Qasim Nomani.

Seminarys media incharge Ashraf Usmani said more than 300 manuscripts got damaged over the period of time and we are hopeful that all these valuable manuscripts would be available for research scholars after restoration.

There are many libraries across the world with great collection of books but they rarely match the unique collection of books that we have. Research scholars come here from different countries, including England, middle east countries and almost every nook and corner of India because they can get valuable references from our unique collection of books and manuscripts, said Usmani while hoping the restoration of manuscripts would indeed be a great help for such scholars.

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A treasure house of manuscripts, Darul Uloom busy restoring them - Hindustan Times

The total revenue was down 8% YoY to 1,354.8 crore during the period. The companys board has recommended a dividend of 0.30 per equity share.

This time along with the coronavirus crisis, the prolonged monsoons and floods in different states impacted decorative paints adding to woes of the paint maker. Yet, the stocks have ridden a wave of hope over in the last one month.

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According to Statista, Berger Paints owns a little over 12% of the paint market share in India.

Indias sanitiser market is expected to touch 500-crore mark this year all thanks to the coronavirus woes. In the times of new normal, paint companies are expecting a good demand for the health and hygiene ranges. Berger paints also introduced its antimicrobial powder coatings for usage in the medical industry to restrict the spread of infection as much as possible.

SEE ALSO: Asian Paints and Bergers earnings will show if people will risk renovators inside their homes until then its sanitisers to the rescue

Asian Paints shareholders had a fear that Goldman Sachs just confirmed Indians will not rush to do up their homesAdvertisement

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Berger Paints just put out the dullest quarter in a long time and that didn't include the worst of the lockd - Business Insider India

Tonight's (June 17) episode of 'Property Brothers: Forever Home' featured Bruce and Patricia. Their lives were turned upside down a year ago by a tragic event, the passing of their brother. This incident changed everything for them overnight as they decided to adopt their late brother's children - Mary and John. Their house was a good enough space for them and their son Logan and they now wanted it to be functional enough for a family of five. Jonathan and Drew Scott were tasked with giving this couple with a big heart, a home renovation of their dreams.

The house had three bedrooms before the renovations - the master bedroom for the couple with a crib for their adopted son John, a room for their adopted daughter Mary and their son Logan's room. The basement housed Patricia's "lady lounge" where she retreated for her "me time". The kitchen was a good size but the couple wanted a space wherein all of them could sit and dine together, an island kind of a setting was what they wanted. The kitchen was also closed off from the rest of the house and the couple wanted it to change since they now had very young kids in the house. They also wanted wide plank flooring, a feature wall, two-tone cabinets in the kitchen, a nursery for their son John along with a family-sized island in the kitchen, and an open-space plan across the house.

The couples had a total of $155,000 spared for this renovation and Jonathan and Andrew immediately set out to work. Apart from ticking all the requirements off the couple's wishlist, they added a few more touches to the house personalized to the family's needs. For eg they added a soccer stadium mural to Logan's bedroom and new wallpapers in the house. They also renovated their backyard deck and customized it in a way that all of the five members of the family along with their guests could gather without worrying about space. All of this was within the budget. Also seen making an appearance on this episode of 'Forever Home' was Jonathan and Drew's elder brother JD Scott. He was brought in specially to bond with Logan who was seemingly overwhelmed with a sudden change in his life that turned him into an elder brother, almost overnight.

'Property Brothers: Forever Home' airs Wednesday nights at 9 pm ET only on HGTV.

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'Property Brothers: Forever Home': Big-hearted couple Bruce and Patricia get a home renovation of their dreams - MEAWW

This time along with the coronavirus crisis, the prolonged monsoons and floods in different states impacted decorative paints adding to woes of the paint makers. Yet, the two stocks have ridden a wave of hope over in the last one month.

The green-zone volumes picked up in the first week after lockdown, but it shrank once pending work was completed, according to a dealer volume check by B&K Securities.

According to Statista, Asian Paints own about 38.87% of the paint market share in India, whereas Berger Paints own a little over 12%.

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Indias sanitiser market is expected to touch 500-crore mark this year all thanks to the coronavirus woes. In the times of new normal, paint companies are expecting a good demand for the health and hygiene ranges. Berger paints also introduced its antimicrobial powder coatings for usage in the medical industry to restrict the spread of infection as much as possible.

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SEE ALSO: No layoffs, Asian Paints will give salary increments to boost employees morale

Asian Paints shareholders had a fear that Goldman Sachs just confirmed Indians will not rush to do up their homes

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Asian Paints and Bergers earnings will show if people will risk renovators inside their homes until then it - Business Insider India

She has been staying with her parents for more than two months after renovation work at her flat was suspended.

This was after the circuit breaker was imposed on April 7.

Thousands of home renovations have also stalled until recently, affecting home owners such as Ms Alisya Fatin, 24, a customer support officer.

But even as the country entered phase two, she is still stuck in limbo with no completion date in sight.

The Building and Construction Authority had said on June 13 that more than 19,000 suspended home renovation projects can now resume work. But it would depend on the availability of manpower and supplies.

Ms Alisya married Mr Muhd Fairuz, 29, on June 13, and they were supposed to move into their four-room resale flat in Pasir Ris in mid-June.

Renovation had started in mid-March, but now the flat is mostly empty, with only hacking work done and construction tools lying around.

Ms Alisya, who bought the flat for $400,000, said she spent another $25,000 on renovation, excluding the cost of furniture which she has yet to buy.

She said the contractor company she engaged has been trying to get its workers back from Malaysia but they were unable to return to Singapore for work due to travel restrictions.

She said: "I am sad but there is nothing much I can do but wait. I kept asking when construction can continue again, but eventually I stopped because I didn't want to seem pushy or irritating."

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The couple has been staying with her parents in a five-room flat, together with three of her siblings aged 18 to 29.

She added: "I am disappointed but I know I am not the only one who is facing this. The silver lining is spending more time with my family."

Another frustrated home owner is a civil servant who wanted to be known only as Ms Png, 36. She was supposed to move into her five-room condominium in Serangoon in April.

Most of the project's construction workers are Malaysians who need to be approved for work.

The mother of two preschoolers said the wait has been almost three months, with no completion date in sight.

Ms Png , who has been staying at her in-laws' four-room Housing board flat, said: "It is inconvenient that my family of four is squeezed in a room and have to sleep on a mattress on the floor."

Mr Edward Seet, principal designer of Arche Interior, told TNP he has 20 affected clients whose renovations have been halted due to the circuit breaker.

Mr Seet, 34, said he could resume four of his suspended projects earlier this month but was limited to only about three workers a day.

He added that although the shortage in manpower has not led to price hikes yet, more potential stringent tests and measures implemented might affect the cost for renovation contractors. He said: "Renovation during this period is fraught with uncertainties. It is important to expect delays and keep an open mind on changes to work deliveries."

This article was first published in The New Paper. Permission required for reproduction.

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New home owners still stuck in limbo, unclear when renovation works will be completed - AsiaOne

Nearly four in five homeowners admitted theyve noticed home improvement projects they need to take care of while in quarantine, according to new research.

Some 78% have discovered new projects to be completed, and the to-do list appears to be growing as the weeks go on.

The survey of 2,000 homeowners found the average respondent has six repairs or updates theyd like to make.

But not all the desired projects will get done in one go - since the average person would need 545 to complete their top three repairs.

Updated kitchen

The research found the most common updates homeowners are dreaming of include updated kitchen countertops and cabinets (65%) and smart home technology (63%).

Three in five (61%) think their lighting, switches and outlets need an upgrade (61%), while the same number think their bathroom fixtures could use a refresh, too.

However, making home improvements are not always trouble-free, especially when doing the updates yourself.

Of the respondents, 59% have attempted a repair or renovation on their own, in the past, and of those, nearly seven in ten confessed their projects never turned out how they imagined.

Renovation mishaps

Those with home improvement experience revealed the average repair has three things go wrong, with the most common mishap being incorrect assembly (51%).

Other home setbacks were buying the wrong pieces (49%), injuries to the respondent or someone else (42%) or the end result not looking as planned (36%).

One in ten of those confessed the finished project looked even worse than before the respondent started.

Here are the reasons why improvement projects pile up:

Not having the tools - 31%

I cant decide how to proceed - 19%

Two-thirds (65%) of respondents think their home lighting isnt how theyd like it, which could be frustrating as 78% think bad lighting can severely affect the mood of a room.

Highlighting issues

These are the main lighting issues:

Not enough lighting in space - 37%

Flickering or buzzing lights - 36%

Cannot find compatible lighting for space - 26%

Two in five respondents have dimmers to help control the lighting in their home. Respondents dont just want the perfect setting, they also care about being energy-efficient.

Four in five think its important to have energy-efficient LED bulbs in their homes, but many are at a loss when it comes to installation compatibility with LED bulbs and dimmers.

If ever unsure about lighting set-up or installation, consult with an electrician.

Bill Grande, senior director of product management for lighting company Leviton, who commissioned the study, said: As many of us are spending more time at home, it makes sense that we are looking to take on projects to improve the aesthetic, safety and functionality of our homes.

Now is the perfect time to make easy DIY upgrades to your lighting and lighting controls as these things truly determine the overall look and feel of your home.

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Here's what tops the home improvements wishlist - Morpeth Herald

Do you like Huey Lewis and The News?

Um, nevermind. Anyway, usually when you see a house in need of some TLC, rarely is it a house like this. You know, usually, a house in need of TLC is a dilapidated hybrid of an early '90s ranch with sponge-painted walls in a vile array of Southwestern pastels, complete with chunky brass fixtures, plush wall-to-wall carpeting that absolutely does not have beautiful hardwood underneath, and mirrors mirrors everywhere. Not to mention bad plumbing, electrical, and a foundation that is crumbling faster than that of America's many oppressive systemic beliefs. Zing!

This architecturally significant home, designed by late Ohio architect and urban-design advocate David Niland, is not lost to time just yet, but by the looks of these photos, its next owner may want to put some energy into restoring it to its former glory. With four bedrooms and three-and-a-half baths, this 3,286 square-foot home which has recently been reduced by $50,000 sits on private and wooded half-acre. In addition to some restoration, whoever buys this home might want to consider an accent wall because this place is whiter than an intro to a lettuce wrap recipe. Bam!

The white exterior is offset by oak hardwood floors and ample sunlight, which is partially credited to the central feature of the home, a solarium with a brick heated floor, so heated, in fact, that it's hotter than... oh, nevermind. Just buy this house and invite us over to watch some videotapes, would ya?

This home is listed by Pat Durston of Reinhart Realtors.

Excerpt from:
This architecturally significant home in Ann Arbor needs some love or a Patrick Bateman and it's just been reduced by $50k - Detroit Metro Times

Soffit and fascia are the names of the horizontal and vertical parts of roof overhang. Applying aluminum to these surfaces is one of the best ways to keep them looking good. Steve Maxwell

When it comes to home ownership, there are a few recurring traps that continue to catch the inexperienced. Maintaining outdoor wood is one of them. Unless youve tried to keep outdoor wood looking more refined than barn board over the long haul, you probably have no idea how much ongoing work finishing and refinishing can be. This is true for soffit (the underside of roof overhang) and especially true for fascia (the vertical edge of a roof). The combination of sun, moisture and ladder-only access means that maintaining wooden soffit and fascia is exceptionally challenging. This is why, even for a purist like me, I still love aluminum soffit and fascia on a house. Did you know that its also surprisingly easy to install yourself?

Every building supply outlet offers pre-shaped, factory-finished aluminum soffit and fascia material. This material is inexpensive, easy to cut and bend, and the factory finish lasts for many decades without deterioration. Its also easier to install than you might think. Sure, theres the challenge of working safely at height on a ladder, but the actual task of installing your own soffit and fascia is simpler than other DIY tasks that are more common. Let me try to convince you with three installation facts.

Fact 1: Its Easy to Cut

Tin snips are the generic term for scissor-like tools made to cut sheet metal, and tin snips do a very good job cutting aluminum soffit and fascia to length. The thing is, aluminum is so soft that you can also cut this stuff with a pair of heavy scissors. Got a big, square cut to make right across some soffit and fascia? Any woodworking chop saw can cut this stuff very quickly and easily using an ordinary carbide tooth blade of the sort thats used with wood all the time. Be sure to wear safety glasses (bits of aluminum fly around) and hearing protection (its noisier than cutting wood).

Fact 2: Fascia Expands A Lot

Everything in the universe expands and contracts with changes in temperature, and aluminum soffit and fascia is certainly one of them. If you take a 10-foot long piece of dark brown aluminum fascia from the cool shade and put it into full sun on a summer day, that piece will grow in length by almost a quarter of an inch. Why does this matter? Buckling and waviness.

If you install fascia on a cold, cloudy day, and you secure that fascia firmly, I guarantee that when it warms up and the sun comes out, your fascia will develop unsightly waves and buckles. This is especially true with dark colours. It looks terrible because the undulations are magnified by the shadows that form on the vertical surfaces. The solution? There are two. The first is to install fascia on a hot, sunny day whenever possible. Theres no problem with fascia shrinking after installation. The other solution is coming up.

Fact 3: Fastening Loosely Is Key

Installing lengths of fascia when its warmest and longest is a great approach, but you need to do more. You also need to secure the fascia so its free to expand and contract freely while also being held to your house. How? Oversized nail holes. All fascia must only be held in two places. First, the top edge tucks underneath the metal drip edge where the shingles stop at the edge of the roof. The bottom edge of the fascia is held with nails driven up through the bottom edge of the fascia and into the roof frame. Drill oversized holes through the fascia to allow side-to-side movement while still being held by the head of the nail. Never drive a nail into the face of fascia because it will prevent expansion and trigger buckling and waviness.

Visit baileylineroad.com/8691 for a detailed free tutorial on DIY soffit and fascia installation (Link for online layout: https://baileylineroad.com/installing-hassle-free-aluminum-soffit-and-fascia. Anchor text: soffit and fascia installation).

Steve Maxwell is always amazed at how much better a building looks when you install soffit and fascia properly. Visit Steve online at BaileyLineRoad.com and join 31,000 people who look forward to his free Saturday morning newsletter each week.

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Maxwell: DIY soffit and fascia installation - The Sudbury Star

Forget beach home renovationsHGTV's new show, Renovation Island, follows a family of six as they renovate an entire resort on a tropical island.

In the new show, home renovation experts Bryan and Sarah Baeumler move to The Bahamas with their four children to restore a rundown beachfront resort. The backstory? Three years ago, Bryan, a licensed contractor, and Sarah, a design expert, took a trip to the small island of South Andros. They spotted an abandoned 1960s-era resort and dreamed of renovating it into world-class island getaway. Everyone said we were crazy, Sarah said in a statement. But our hearts said yesthis is the right thing to do.

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Spanning 10 acres, the resort, which has been on the market for 10 years, is huge. In the show, the Baeumler family works to transform the spacious property into an oasis with 18 luxury hotel rooms and 22 oceanfront villas. With a small staff, the couple tackles a bunch of renovation projects within a tight six-month timeline. Along with the rooms and villas, they also build and restore and a bunch of resort amenities, including a restaurant, club house, spa, bar, and in-ground pool.

In the first episode, which premiered on Sunday, the Baeumler family says goodbye to their home and travels to South Andros Island. As they start to renovate the 50-year-old property, they uncover major termite damage. Throughout the season, they face other unexpected issues like extensive rust, a maxed budget, and a threat of a hurricane.

Want to follow the Baeumler's journey? You can catch Renovation Island Sundays at 8 p.m. EST on HGTV.

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This New HGTV Show Follows a Family of Six as They Restore an Abandoned Resort in The Bahamas - HouseBeautiful.com