Skill Builder Guides & reviews for building and construction
The Canon EOS M50 is a good option if you're thinking about starting vlogging because it's a decent camera that doesn't cost the earth.
Read More »Small builders waiting over a year for bricks as material prices rocket
More than half of small building firms say that rising material prices are squeezing their margins and the same percentage have had to pass these price increases onto consumers, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Small and medium-sized (SME) building firms were asked which materials are in shortest supply and have the longest wait …
Read More »Light & Flexible One GTX Safety Shoe
The One GTX from Solid Gear is said to be a superbly constructed safety shoe with seven integrated layers to deliver excellent comfort and protection.
Read More »Professional Hoodie Range
Snickers has released a new range of knitted hoodies for professional craftsmen and women. The range includes ‘Full Zip’ and ‘Over-Head’ options and they’re the ideal combination with Snickers’ First and Second Layer Undergarments and can comfortably be worn under a jacket on chilly days. With a contemporary design, four colour options and a double-lined hood for extra warmth, these …
Read More »Snickers Solid Gear Lagoon safety shoe – first look
In this video Skill Builder Editor Georgina Bisby takes a first look at the Solid Gear Lagoon female safety footwear offering from Snickers. This is Snickers first safety shoe for women and prioritises comfort as well as safety. “I was really impressed with how light the shoe was as well as the flexible sole. I will provide an update once …
Read More »Kitchen sink drama – Plumbers with rescuer syndrome
I was working on a roof trying to get it done, I had no plumbing tools on board and suddenly I was plumbing. Uni had tried to sort out her plumbing problem, good luck to her but one look at it told me she was in too deep and… she had people coming to dinner. What are you going to …
Read More »Decking ideas – the surprising benefits of composite decking
Skill Builder Editor Georgina Bisby shares her findings about developments in composite decking products. Like many man-made products the look and feel of composite decking has come a long way in recent years. Until now I had always seen composite decking as a compromise; sacrifice the look of timber decking for the convenience of a composite product but this …
Read More »Construction slave-owner jailed for seven years
A Romanian man who enslaved up to 15 men, offering demolition work and then using violence to trap them, has been jailed for seven years. David Lupu, 29, promised the men £50 per day as well as accommodation, but instead paid them just a fraction of the wage, housed them in cramped conditions and confiscated their ID papers. Metropolitan Police …
Read More »Baxi IFOS In Flue Outdoor Sensor
Baxi has officially launched the pioneering Baxi IFOS In Flue Outdoor Sensor, which is designed to help make Boiler Plus compliance simple.
Read More »Surveyor fined after failing to detect asbestos
A specialist asbestos company has been fined after failing to detect asbestos at a demolition site. Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how EAS Asbestos Limited were commissioned to conduct refurbishment and demolition surveys by Mercer Brother Limited, a construction company who were contracted to demolish garages for Hyndburn Homes. EAS Asbestos stated in their surveys that asbestos was only present …
Read More »PROJECT SERIES: Extending 35A Part 4 – Roof timbers
Extending 35A is our third project series on Skill Builder and looks back at a single storey extension that Roger worked on many years ago. In Part 4 of our 35A Extension series, we see a young Robin Clevett go to work on the roof timbers in his first appearance with the Skill Builder team.
Read More »Building contractor jailed after house collapse in Brighton
A building contractor has been sentenced following an incident in February 2015 in which a house in Brighton partially collapsed. Hove Crown Court heard how builder Glen Peters (trading as Brow Builders) undermined the structural integrity of the house by digging out the basement. He then failed to act on the advice of a structural engineer on how to remedy …
Read More »The Capel Building Project Series #7 – Walls & Roof Assembly
The Capel Building Project series follows the renovation and extension of an unusual property designed by architect Michael Newberry in Surrey. Carpenter and Builder Robin Clevett is taking the first glass and steel house in the UK which was built in 1957 and extending it and refurbishing it, including the addition of a pool house, while paying homage to its …
Read More »SKILL BUILDER PROJECT: How to build an extension
In this series of videos, building industry journalist and expert, Roger Bisby provides an insight into how to build an extension by taking viewers through the build of a side and rear extension on a semi-detached property in the South East of England. In the latest episode – Episode 9 – Roger tries out a rapid drying screeding product on …
Read More »How to Replace a Central Heating Pump – Plumbing DIY
Spoiler alert – not all jobs go according to plan and this one had Roger on the ropes. Replacing a central heating pump is a simple enough DIY job, but years of plumbing experience come in very handy when the job gets too wet. The old broken pump goes out to be replaced by a brand new Grundfos UPS2.
Read More »Big builders sign up for Stop. Make a Change 2018
Some of the UK’s biggest building companies have signed up to take part in the country’s largest construction health & safety stand down. Wates, McLaren and Seddon are among new faces that will take part in Stop. Make a Change in 2018. The initiative was launched in 2017 to bring the industry together to improve health and safety performance. In …
Read More »Roofing top tips – What you need to know before you get a new roof
Georgina Bisby, Editor of skill-builder.uk, shares some top tips home owners should consider when having a new roof installed. Roofing shortcuts can lead to future problems such as leaking roofs, roof tiles falling off and poor insulation so it’s worth being armed with enough information to check your roofer is doing the job right. Also, not all roofers keep up …
Read More »Warning Signs for Construction as Output Drops
Snowy weather, rising costs and uncertainty relating to Brexit are to blame for the sharp drop in construction output, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said in response to the latest PMI data. The March 2018 PMI data revealed a fall from 51.4 in February to 47.0 in March, against the neutral reading of 50.0. March 2018’s figure was …
Read More »How to render exterior walls – rendering tips for beginners
Roger revisits a topic that Skill Builder covered many years ago. Skill Builder’s original how to render video has been one of the channel’s most popular videos but some professionals responded to say that they prefer alternative techniques. Roger Bisby considers some of the points raised in response to the first video and shares some details about how to render …
Read More »Capel Build Part 5 – Robin’s cladding vlog update
In this fifth video from the Capel Build series Robin Clevett gives us a solo update vlog while Roger is away on holiday and we take a look at his approach to cladding. Robin is currently doing the exterior cladding for the summer house. Robin explains the importance of ventilation and airspace when assembling your tongue and groove cladding. Lots …
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