GA PDM

Charente Garden Services

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Gardening Services – Paying More for Less?

Minimalist garden styles may demand active garden maintenance services if a low maintenance garden approach had not been designed.

As for property design management services, if a simple approach has not been adopted, then maintenance costs may increase with a decrease in return on investment.  Therefore, if you are designing your rental income property or considering a refurbishment of an existing investment property, then do not forget to include the design of a low maintenance garden.

There are some several low maintenance garden concepts from which to plan a garden to attract paying guests to your property.

 

Natural Garden Planting Design

Meadow-effect long wispy Gaura creates a natural feel to a garden design and requires minimal garden services management.  Gaura requires pruning between late winter and early spring to encourage long summer season white or pink flowering.

Herbs are attractive as well as aromatic and worthy of consideration for a low maintenance garden design.  In addition, if you are providing a Chambre d’hote, bed and breakfast or une table d’hôte service, then the growing of fruit, vegetables and herbs will be important in order to cut cost and maximise your return.

Rosemary is another aromatic herb, late flowering, which has fragrant leaves and added to roasted vegetables and meat dishes. Rosemary’s light blue ground flowers may also be used to flavour custards and cream along with sugar.  The herb requires low maintenance care and it is attractive to bees due to its great source of nectar. It has many benefits to offer to an income generating property.

Lavender although may not be of low maintenance, the herb is a good all year plant. The plant bears fragrant flowers, stems and leaves and is ideal for its fragrance in the guest bed linen.  As for Rosemary, the herb has many benefits to offer the investment property and its guests.  In addition, it provides a valuable source of nectar for bees.

Remember . . .

Minimal gardens may cost more for less, so design environmentally and economically.

 

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Property Management Services – Charente Weather Alert

Property Management Services in Adverse Weather Conditions for Week Starting Monday 26 February 2018

La Charente is currently experiencing extreme day time temperatures ranging from 0°C to -4°C, although the real feel temperature will range from -6°C to -11°C.  However, together with the wind chill factor, the overnight temperature may be as low as a real feel of -20°C for the earlier part of this week.

Wednesday 28 February 2018 may bring the potential for heavy snow.  Consider access to and from your property and plan ahead for snow clearance and laying grit and salt to avoid slips and falls of staying guests and occupiers.

 

Gîte Property Management Check List

If you have an unattended gîte or holiday home in La Charente area, then ensure that your property is protected from this week’s weather damage.

Taps

  • Turn off the water to any outside garden taps.  If it is not possible to turn off the water, then lag the tap with insulation material.

Solar Lights

  • Remove and store garden solar lighting and solar-powered water pumps.

Plants, Shrubs and Trees

  • Remove terracotta plant pots and containers from outside spaces and store in a sheltered place.  If the pots and containers cannot be moved, then protect with insulation material.
  • Young plants, delicate shrubs and ornamental trees should be covered with winter fleece, breathable weed matting or warm plant jackets.  Alternatives may be bubble and straw to protect the tops of plants.

Wooden Shutters and Gates

  • Check wooden window shutters are closed to protect window panes
  • Check that the wooden window shutters are not swollen pushing against hinges
  • Check for swollen wood on gates preventing entry and exit from the property

 

Remember to avoid or to minimize any loss.  If you cannot take steps to protect your property from this week’s adverse weather conditions, then contact your property manager or arrange for an emergency property check.

 

 

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Gardening Services . . . More or Less?

Garden maintenance services are essential for your gîte and its holiday rental income growth. 

However, a finely manicured minimalist lawn upon which your gîte may sit poised in readiness for this summer season’s marketing photos may come at a price if poorly managed.  Minimal garden design and conservative soft landscaping does not necessarily equate to low cost maintenance care-free gardening.  Indeed, the ‘Less is More’ approach in spacious garden design requires specialised care.

The easiest way to provide that special care is to invest in regular garden management services to ensure the maintenance of your garden design throughout the year, even out of season.  January and February may portray garden dormancy, but these winter months are important if your garden is to flourish in quality condition for your guests from early to late high season.

With the security of this summer’s holiday rental income firmly in mind, our winter garden maintenance and management task lists may assist:

 

Soil preparation

January and February are the months to prepare the garden’s soil for the year ahead.  If the ground is unfrozen, then fertilize the soil throughout.  Organic fertilizer is environmentally best and economically cost-effective.  If you have been diligently training last year’s guests to fill the garden’s compost bin, it should now be well rotted and ready to mulch into the soil.  If your garden design has been minimalised to design out a compost bin, then purchase a bag of good quality horse manure.  The latter will, of course, reduce your annual gîte yield, therefore, financially plan ahead in purchasing a compost bin with the aim to compost-train your forthcoming guests.

 

Grass

The ‘Grass it all!’ for low maintenance is the inadvertent ‘More for Less’ garden design.  High on active input management, high on increased cost and effective on lowering annual yield.

Grass requires specialised care. From weeding, aerating and conditioning to frequent watering and mowing from spring to late high season, the garden lawn is labour-intensive and cost-ineffective.  Winter guidance for lawns?  Try not to walk on the lawn if the grass is frozen.  Damaged grass will increase cost.

 

Natural Garden Planting Design will feature on our next post.

 

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Property Management Services – Charente France

Property Maintenance Services
Gardening Services
And . . .

We would say ‘More’!

But, ‘Less is More’ so how does our approach differ from other property services.  Easy!

The art, or should we say the business model, is in the design.  Let us explain . . .

Your property means business – you need maximum return on your investment.  The return is by putting your property to work, probably through paying guests.  However, keeping on top of your property and ensuring that it looks polished and well groomed takes time and money which will eat into your return on investment – your ROI, for short.  But, a well thought out design and property maintenance services plan will accommodate high traffic at affordable cost allowing you to ring fence severe depletion of your ROI. This is where we are different from the others.

As graduates in Architectural Design (the Royal Institute of British Architects), Construction and RICS (the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors) property valuation coupled with experience in finance, conveyancing, construction, landlord and tenant law, prestigious landed estates property and facilities management, as well as practising property investors, we have fine tuned our acumen which allows us, and you, to benefit from minimal property design styling of a quality.  For example, how could you maximise occupancy with the spaces that you have?  How can you cut the cost of garden services, yet still retain an aesthetic appeal?  How can you prevent gîte wear and tear?

When property means business, a different mindset is needed from that of the owner-occupier.  It is for these reasons that we are different.  Yes, of course, we carry out gardening services in cutting, trimming, weeding and property maintenance in plastering, pointing and plumbing etc, but so do the others.  But most others do not straddle both fields – we do and that is where you will benefit from more for less.

That’s why we say . . .

‘Less is More!’

 

 

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Swimming Pools . . .

When is a Swimming Pool not a Swimming Pool . . .
When it is green!

“Pool care“, you may say?  But, surprisingly, there is little difference between a green swimming pool and a blue swimming pool.

“What then”, I hear you say, “is the difference?”

Algae

If your swimming pool has turned a distinct shade of green, then it is likely to have been overwhelmed by this tiny little terror who could drain the profits from your gîte and bank account as quickly as pulling the plug!

So, what is the cure?

Your pool may requiring cleaning at least once a day, depending on the severity of the algae build-up.  Be prepared to clean your swimming pool up to four times per day, if the water is so green that you cannot see the bottom.  Obviously, this may not be practical if your guests are in occupation and, more worrisome, if they have paid for use of your swimming pool.

Where to begin

Clean all the debris from the pool.  Add your ‘Chemical Shock’ Chlorine, daily and remember to regularly check the PH levels.  An optimum PH level should be between 7.2 and 7.6.  Once again, ensure to check the pool’s PH level each day.

Be prepared to wait between four to five days before any improvement can be seen following the shock treatment.   During this watchful waiting period, backwash your filtration system three to four times daily, rinsing for about 10 seconds before going back onto filter.  Carry out this action frequently while the pool is being cleaned.

In addition, completely scrub the swimming pool surround as algae is inclined to stick to the pool liner.  Moreover, it is important to thoroughly clean the pool’s surround to prevent slips and falls due to slippery algae encroachment and to prevent any potential claims.

Hoovering 

Slowly vacuum clean the bottom of your pool.  If you vacuum too quickly, then you may stir-up the debris which may reduce cleanliness and allow algae to proliferate.

Filtration

If after this period of time, and despite your meticulous efforts, the pool stubbornly remains green, then we suggest that you check your filtration system.  Your filtration system requires regular attention with a twice per week clean when the pool is in normal use.

Still Green!

Many cultures consider green to be unlucky, and it is certainly unlucky if the green algae inhabiting your swimming pool starts you to suffer financial loss!

Sand.  When was the last time your swimming pool’s sand was changed?  The sand may have come to the end of its filtering life, if it has managed to be overwhelmed by algae.  Therefore, be prepared to change the sand.  Remember to make a note of the sand change date in order to be better prepared to carry out your next sand change in five to seven years’ time outside of the high season.

Prevent is better than cure . . .

Swimming pools attract guests, guests represent revenue.

Your holiday home or gîte is a business, and all property-based businesses require ongoing maintenance whether due to wear and tear or environmental conditions.  Ask your property manager to undertake a regular pool care maintenance programme to avoid loss of revenue and loss of quality accommodation status.

Good luck with your pool!