Skill Builder Guides & reviews for building and construction

Roger Bisby tests the Hitachi DH25 DAL cordless SDS hammer drill. Hitachi is a power tool manufacturer that often gets overlooked for hammer drills.  I see their  saws out on site and they  do well with the cordless combis but from that evidence alone they don’t seem to have the same share of the hammer market.   When you compare the …

The ICS Diamond Chainsaw cuts through both skins of a cavity wall which is something you can’t achieve with a cut-off saw or angle grinder.

Roger Bisby puts Medite Tricoya Extreme to the test, a waterproof outdoor quality MDF from Medite Tricoya. The potential applications for Medite Tricoya Extreme are far ranging  particularly in environments where humidity and weather are usually concerns. It is possible to imagine Medite Tricoya Extreme used virtually anywhere, including: Façade cladding/siding Fascia and soffit panels and other secondary exterior applications …

Ernie Cook, the master bricklayer, who I had the pleasure of working for in my teens used to say “The worst thing that has happened to the building industry is cement”. It was a bit of an exaggeration but we spent a lot of time travelling around London and the South East putting right the work of bricklayers who were …

In this video Skill Builder brings you a demonstration of the CT1 Sealant & Adhesive, a sealant and construction adhesive that replaces numerous products from just one tube. CT1 provides unique adhesion on virtually any material in most applications without the need for additional fixings. CT1 is marketed as the ultimate solution for sealing. CT1 will bond: Metals (including lead) …

The Tale Of The Shower Tray Crack - Roger is working on a shower room but not everything is going to plan..

Roger talks about ladder safety after a recent tragedy on a site he was working at In this episode we see Roger using the Youngman Fibreglass Stepladder, and the versatile Hunter Ladder from Ladder Safety Devices. We also see his neat ladder seat which sadly isn’t available anymore, so you’ll have to borrow Roger’s. “A few weeks ago I was …

After 25 years of Stihl, Roger gets to grips with his first chainsaw from Makita, the Makita DCS5121 18" 50cc. The petrol chainsaw features Easy Start, Spring-Assisted Starter for Quick Starting with Less Force and a number of other unique features. Watch the product test to see Roger's verdict.

The Vario PRO underfloor heating system combines Thermogroup UK's TwistedTwin electric underfloor heating cable with Vario ProMat uncoupling membrane for the ultimate fast-track floor preparation with a buildup of just 5.5mm.

Builder demolishes work: Builder Nigel Gray got so fed up waiting to be paid £15,000 for a construction job at a council owned property in Shoreham he decided to destroy his own handiwork. The tennant, Anita Dovey, who had been given permission by the council to make the changes to the property, was given several chances to pay the bill …

SuperCove lightweight coving is available from many good builders merchants and DIY stores throughout the UK and Ireland, in various length options up to 4 metres. With super-light SuperCove, you can fix coving quickly and easily – adding value to your home with the minimum of effort. Roger shows you just how easy it is to cut and fit coving using SuperCove.

This is an instantaneous thermostatic electric shower that’s designed to be easy to fit. It’s a modern-looking case, and it’s designed to cover over existing footprints of showers, so if you’re replacing an electric shower, then hopefully this will cover over all the screw holes; you won’t get involved in any retiling. But here’s the other thing; they make it …

How do impact drivers work? Roger visits Triton and finds out how impact drivers manage to punch way above their weight. “Impact drivers seem to be the future – when you’re out on site you hear them everywhere. “Triton have got their 20V model out which as Steve Hewson, Triton’s product manager explains is particularly aimed at the trade buyer …