A Darlington man has been jailed for carrying out illegal gas work on three occasions. Teeside Magistrates’ Court heard Neil Simon McKimm (trading as Macs Plumbing Services) carried out gas work including servicing boilers. McKimm used the alias of a legitimate gas engineer to deceive his customers. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Neil McKimm …
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Makita saw review: Tungsten Carbide Tipped Holesaw
In this Makita saw video Skill Builder reviews the Makita D-51297 9 Piece TCT Universal Holesaw Kit. The Makita saw kit can be used to cut a wide variety of materials including, vitrified ceramic, bricks, plaster board, plastics, melamine, hard woods, chipboard and MDF. It is robust and durable with strong TCT teeth which produce excellent results. Features include: The …
Read More »Plumbing tips – an easy way of air testing pipe work
In this video Roger Bisby demonstrates a cheap easy way of testing for leaks in your plumbing. Plumbers often test pipes by puttting water in them which can be a bit of a disaster. Roger suggests an alternative method of air testing pipe work using a schrader valve and an ordinary foot pump. There are now kits available for air …
Read More »The Cladman One Man Cladding Device
Roger Bisby meets James Gibbons, from Sitebuddyz, suppliers of a device called the Cladman which turns the job of putting up sidings or claddings from a two man job into a one man job. With one person cutting and one person fixing, Sitbuddyz estimates you can complete jobs at three times the speed it normally takes. Acting as a second …
Read More »Kingspan Tribune Xe Indirect Cylinder Installation
Pre-plumbed cylinders are usually the choice for new build where they have plenty of people to move the units into the airing cupboards before fitting the doors but I like the look of them and I had already decided that on my next cylinder installation I was going to try a pre-plumbed unit. It isn’t that I find it difficult …
Read More »Retecflex Re 14-5-115 review
Roger Bisby grinds it out with the Retecflex from Flex. In essence this Retecflex grinder and sander is an angle grinder with a fancy dust extractor attachment permanently attached to its side but it is no ordinary angle grinder. It is a 1400 watt German built angle grinder with electronic speed control, soft start and restart protection so it doesn’t …
Read More »Klober Permo Air Open Underlay Used on Loseley Park Manor
Klober Permo Air has been installed on Loseley Park a Grade 1 listed manor house as part of a full roof refurbishment.
Read More »How to: Lay Knauf Brio dry screed boards
Roger Bisby lays some Knauf Brio dry screed flooring. Although it is perfectly possible to use warm water underfloor heating with timber and floating floors it is generally acknowledged that there is a loss of thermal transmission compared to pipe buried in sand and cement screeds. Knauf Brio dry screed board bring thermal transmission comparable with wet screed system in …
Read More »Daylight Robbery – How Many Windows Can You Have?
Roger Bisby discusses the history of the window in building design and considers how modern property developers and homeowners can satisfy their lust for light. The window tax was the not so bright idea of William III aka William of Orange. It was introduced in 1696 and, despite being a very unpopular tax, remained in force until 1851. Those who could …
Read More »Widespread van overloading undermining tech advances, says SMMT
Advances in van safety technology could be undermined by dangerous van overloading, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has warned today. Almost nine in 10 (88.5%) of the 2,381 vans weighed last year by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) were found to be overloaded, a worse record than the previous year in which 84% of the …
Read More »Prices released for new Peugeot Expert van
The UK range and prices for the all-new PEUGEOT Expert van have been released today (Tuesday 26 April), ahead of its worldwide launch at the 2016 Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC. The all-new PEUGEOT Expert will be available to order from June 2016 ahead of going on sale in September. In the UK, the all-new PEUGEOT Expert will be …
Read More »How to: Hide tv cables in the wall
In this video Roger Bisby explains how to hide unsightly HDMI cables behind a wall using a product from Super Rod. Nobody wants to see AV cables hanging from a wall mounted television which is where the Polymer rods from Super Rod come in. Super Rod’s Polymer rods are thin and flexible helping them to reach the parts other rods …
Read More »Suspended prison sentence for fraudulent gaswork
A businessman who illegally carried out annual gas safety checks at tenanted properties despite not being a registered gas engineer has received a suspended prison sentence. Sven Biesterfeldt, who was formally based in Cornwall and uses a number of other names including Tom Williams, potentially put tenant’s lives at risk by carrying out the safety checks and fraudulently filled out …
Read More »Barman sentenced for illegally installing gas pipework
A pub worker has been sentenced for illegally installing gas pipework and a gas boiler at a flat in Torquay. Geoffrey Voss, aged 59, who works as a barman at a pub in Torquay, installed the gas pipework and gas boiler at a flat on Old Torwood Road, Torquay despite him holding no competencies in gas work and despite him …
Read More »Company fined after worker falls five metres from flat roof
A signage company based in Sheffield, has been fined after a worker fell five metres from a flat roof. Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard how Warburton Signs Limited were contracted to erect a large sign to the gable end of an industrial building. Three fitters accessed a neighbouring flat roof to fit the sign when one worker fell from the roof. …
Read More »Construction company fined after worker trips on boot and falls through void
A Derbyshire based construction company has been fined after a worker was seriously injured when he fell through a void. Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how a worker employed by a sub-contractor working for Bowmer and Kirkland Limited, was contracted to pour concrete onto the first floor of a building that was under construction at Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, Edinburgh. The …
Read More »DeWalt launches smartphone
DeWalt has launched an Android-powered smartphone meeting demand among trade professionals for handsets that will withstand the rigours of life on a construction site. The £379 DeWalt MD501 is waterproof, dustproof and weatherproof and is built to withstand drops from two metres onto concrete, extreme temperatures and barometric pressures as well as being resistant to chemical spillages and vibrations. The …
Read More »FIAT pick-up truck makes UK debut
FIAT Professional is launching its all-new Fullback pick-up truck to the UK market at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show held at Birmingham’s NEC (26-28 April, 2016). The new medium-duty pick-up will join the award-winning FIAT Professional range in June 2016, along with the new Talento and Fiorino, and will be available with a practical double cab body style configuration in …
Read More »Two companies fined after disturbing asbestos at flat conversion
Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how two employees of 24-Hour Maintenance Services Limited disturbed asbestos insulating board (AIB) whilst they were doing refurbishment work at a former commercial premises undergoing conversion into flats, in Romford, London. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred between mid-July 2014 and 11 August 2014 found that the client …
Read More »Bad Weather Tops the List of Builders’ Woes
Travis Perkins has revealed the industry’s biggest headaches as part of its pledge to support customers by promoting and encouraging innovation. After speaking to contractors, housebuilders, manufacturers and staff, a number of common industry-wide problems became clear. The UK weather was a shared frustration, with high levels of rain blamed for construction delays, muddy working environments and the reduced effectiveness …
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