Big builders sign up for Stop. Make a Change 2018

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 …

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Roofing top tips – What you need to know before you get a new roof

Roofing top tips

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 …

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Warning Signs for Construction as Output Drops

tax laws

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 …

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How to render exterior walls – rendering tips for beginners

How to render

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 …

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Capel Build Part 5 – Robin’s cladding vlog update

Cladding at Capel Build

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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The Extension Part 7: Setting out the roof wall plates

roof wall plates

The Extension project is now up to plate level so it’s time for Pythagoras’ theorem. “Plate level is the timber plate which is going to hold the roof structure including the roof joists, hips and roof rafters. “When you put this on you need to spend a lot of time getting this right because carpenters curse bricklayers like mad if …

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Testing Cheap Tools – Are Poundland Tools a Bargain?

Poundland tools

Ahead of the biggest DIY weekend of the year – the great Easter break – Skill Builder Editor, Georgina Bisby has been trying out some Poundland tools to see what you can get for your money. Georgina tries out a spirit level, hammer, screwdriver set, junior hacksaw and some tape measures to see which ones are a steal and which …

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Small builders are key to solving housing crisis and Government must act, says group of cross-party MPs

Small builders

A cross-party group of MPs has urged the Government to introduce a new ‘Dedicated Strategy for Small Housebuilders’ to reverse the decline in the number of new homes built by small builders, which has plummeted to just 2,500 today from 12,000 in 1998. Describing the new proposals, the MPs leading the report said: ‘We have many legitimate disagreements with each …

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How to install a rainwater harvesting system

Tank lowered in

Paul Gormley talks through the process of installing a rainwater harvesting system. A rainwater harvesting system collects water from a house’s roof to be used in the garden or for some domestic appliances. A rainwater harvesting system can be installed to save water, or planners may ask for a system to be installed to help with potential local flooding issues. …

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Keyless van theft increases in 2017 with Ford Transit still most stolen

van theft

According to recovery figures from TRACKER, 82% of Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) were stolen without the owner’s keys in 2017 –  up by nearly 100% compared to 2016 (44%).  The Ford Transit was again the most popular van stolen last year and are said to have accounted for over half of the LCV recoveries made by TRACKER. “Keyless entry technology …

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Builders Merchant worker loses finger when glove gets entangled in table saw

Construction boss jailed

Llanharan Concrete Co. Limited has been fined after a worker was injured when his glove got entangled with the moving blade of a table saw. Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard how the employee of the company was cutting wood with a table saw when his glove got entangled, pulling his finger into contact with it. The injured worker was rushed to …

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Ford Transit security: The problems & some solutions

Ford Transit security

As tool thefts from vans soar across the nation and there is increasing unrest among tradespeople whose livelihoods depend on their tools, Skill Builder returns to Sussex Installations to find out more about the specific issues associated with Ford Transits and find out what can be done about them. The problems associated with Ford Transits are well known with the …

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How to fix one cold radiator – Plumbing Tips

one cold radiator

Do you have one cold radiator that needs fixing? Would you like to try fixing it yourself? Roger Bisby troubleshoots that problem radiator. “If you have a radiator that isn’t getting hot there are a few things potentially happening. “Your central heating might be on and your other radiators are warm but you have one cold radiator. “If you feel …

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5 Warning Signs of Asbestos Poisoning

Asbestos Poisoning

OSCHR has compiled a list of five signs to watch out for that may indicate that you're suffering from an asbestos-related disease.

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Building an extension Part 6 – Installing joists and steels

Installing joists

In Part 6 of The Extension series, which follows the build of a side and rear extension, we see the joists and steels slotted into position in preparation for the removal of a load bearing wall at the back of the house. The wall is being knocked out to extend the existing kitchen and create a kitchen/diner on the ground …

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WIN a Snickers workwear bundle worth over £300: Competition closed

Snickers workwear

This competition is now closed. Skill Builder has teamed up with Snickers Workwear to give away a set of premium workwear from the company’s brand new high vis range as modelled by Roger in this video. The prize package which is worth over £300 includes: Allroundwork Insulated high vis jacket RuffWork Heater Hat Flexi Work  Wool ½ zip top Litework …

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Construction sites grind to a halt in snowy weather

construction sites

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) says work on many construction sites has ground to a halt as heavy snow continues to fall in parts of the country. Sarah McMonagle, Director of External Affairs at the FMB, said: “Heavy snow showers have led to many construction sites across the UK grinding to a halt. “Some construction bosses have told their …

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Prop Pal invention offers builders some support

Prop Pal

Bricklayer and general builder Stephen Cheshire is, like many builders, often faced with the prospect of trying to hide a steel beam in the ceiling. The problem, as you will no doubt know, is not hiding the beam but how to safely  prop the wall above the upstairs floor level so you leave the ceiling void clear to place the …

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How to Join Copper and Plastic Pipe – Plumbing Tips

join copper and plastic pipe

Roger visits his favourite local plumber’s merchant and shows you how to join copper and plastic pipe. There are two videos in this How to join pipes series – this, the first video, looks at how to join supply pipes – the second video will look at how to join waste pipes. For supply pipes and central heating pipes you …

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