Roger Bisby tries out a dynamic duo from fischer fixings. I am always interested in looking at new fixings. It seems to be one of those Dragon’s Den type products that every Tom Dick and Harry thinks they can improve and in the end most of these bright ideas seem to be variations on the same theme rather than radical …

Two South West based companies have been fined after a 44-year old woman was struck by scaffolding. Weymouth Magistrates’ Court heard how employees of Carter Training Ltd were using a mobile crane on the building project in Queen Mothers Square, Poundbury, Dorchester when the attachment holding 500 scaffolding fittings weighing 2kg each was turned on its side emptying all contents …

Roger Bisby visits Marley Eternit HQ in Burton on Trent to try the Marley Eternit Universal Dry Verge Fixing System.

Ten of the country’s best roofing apprentices are gearing up for the two-day final that will see one of them awarded the title of Redland Apprentice of the Year.

Roger Bisby tries out British Gypsum’s Thistle Bonding 60 that is designed to dry in one hour and accept any type of finish you care to use. You have to hand it to British Gypsum they keep going after new markets for their bagged plasters. The latest target in their sights is the making good and small repair market. This …

Roger Bisby tries out a few Knipex grips and laments a life of losing tools. Having spent a great deal of my working life as a plumber/builder Knipex is a brand I know very well and it seems I’m not alone. When I recently used a pair of inferior slip joint grips in a plumbing demonstration and struggled, the calls …

DeWalt has extended its XR FLEXVOLT range to include a Mitre Saw as well as the SDS Max and Plus Hammers. Advantages of the XR FLEXVOLT system which was launched in 2016 include: ·        Sustained all day operation for onsite heavy duty construction application, without cable inconvenience ·        Wide range of 54V power tools to suit any job ·        Cross-compatible …

Norbord CaberBoard flooring range is the UK’s best-selling chipboard flooring product, its handy dimensions allowing ease of handling.

In response to criticism from Unite the Union about a letter sent to some operatives regarding the use of dust masks and beards.

A Glasgow based construction company has been fined after the death of an 83-year old man in Kirkcaldy.

Two Rudridge employees are gearing up for the challenge of a lifetime to raise cash in memory of a much-missed colleague. Paul Duke and Peter Burrell, from the civil and engineering groundwork specialists, will cycle from Paris to Geneva this September to raise money for the Stroke Association. Their route, which covers over 320 miles, will include hairpin bends and …

A new report from Satsuma titled ‘Room for Improvement’ has revealed how much potential home-buyers are reducing their offers by, due to specific features, such as dated kitchens and overrun gardens. Gloucester and Belfast have been found to have the most features which would put a potential viewer off from renting/buying – sellers in both cities are potentially losing over …

Olympia Tools, the company behind the Roughneck brand of hand tools and workwear, says it has seen a surge in demand for its products thanks to social media. Two of the distributor’s products featured in posts that subsequently went viral, attracting interest from a global audience. The first product to prove a social media success was the Roughneck Tri Vice; …

The Green Party’s plans for retrofitting insulation in nine million existing homes are welcomed by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) at the launch of the ‘Green Guarantee’ manifesto.

What do builders and plumbers commonly get wrong when applying silicone sealant? Roger Bisby ponders this question while trying out some of the latest offerings from the HB42 range. The building industry has been using silicone sealants for years now but a surprising number of tradespeople don’t know the difference between high and low modulus or neutral curing. I may …

Research conducted by housing charity Shelter has revealed that hundreds of renters – including those living in bigger, urban areas – are living in slum-like conditions due to damp, mould, infestation and electrical issues. The report, from Shelter and YouGov, took statements from 300 tenants across the Manchester region. The majority expressed concern about ongoing struggles with damp and mould …