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Average Tradesperson Earns £781 per Week

Dylan Garton
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Average Tradesperson Earns £781 per Week

Hudson Contract has revealed this year’s winners and losers across 10 regions and 17 trades in its annual Construction Pay Trends Index with plumbers enjoying biggest pay rise in 2017 while electricians have experienced a pay drop.

The index shows that self-employed builders in England and Wales have seen a year-on-year increase in average weekly earnings of 3.8% – with the biggest uplift experienced by those working in the East of England (3.8%).

The full national picture can be found in the Construction Pay Trends Index, which harnesses payroll data from more than 2,200 construction firms: www.hudsoncontract.co.uk

The interactive tool reveals weekly pay differences by region, age and trade sectors, providing builders, construction companies, building apprentices and other industry analysts with an insight into pay levels across the country. It also reveals the impact of weather, location and economic factors on earning potential.

Across the construction trades, plumbers experienced the highest increase in earnings (9.4%) followed by those working in demolition and wrecking (8.3%), and insulation (8.2%).  Electrical (-0.1%) and steel and timber frame erection (-4.5%) saw the biggest decreases in pay, year-on-year.

The biggest drop in average weekly pay was experienced in Wales which saw a 4.1% decrease in earnings, followed by a 0.3% decrease in London. Earnings for those in the West Midlands and South West remained the same year-on-year according to the figures.

The top 10 regions in terms of earning fluctuations were highlighted as:

East of England (+3.8%)
East Midlands (+3.3%)
Yorkshire and the Humber (+2.1%)
North West (+1.3%)
South East (+1.0%)
North East (+0.4%)
South West (no change)
West Midlands (no change)
London (-0.3%)
Wales (-4.1%)

Ian Anfield, Managing Director at Hudson Contract, said: “It’s been a year of uncertainty in the construction industry with the surprise General Election and the implications of Brexit remaining unclear.

Weather has also put a dampener on things on a few occasions, with storm Doris back in February and heavy rainfall throughout the summer months.

“However, it is encouraging to see that on a national level, sub-contractors have experienced an uplift of 3.8% in earnings despite these factors – highlighting confidence in the sector and a positive picture overall.

“Our Construction Pay Trends Index continues to provide insights into pay levels across the sector. Not only is it a resource for those working in the industry, but those looking to begin a career in the sector too.”

To access Hudson Contract’s Construction Pay Trends index, please visit:

www.hudsoncontract.co.uk/construction-pay-trends

Construction Industry Warns Against Brexit ‘Cliff Edge’ for EU Workers

Roger Bisby
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0
Construction Industry Warns Against Brexit ‘Cliff Edge’ for EU Workers

The construction sector has come together to warn the Government of the dangers of the industry facing a ‘cliff edge’ regarding access to EU workers.

In an unprecedented show of unity, seven of the construction industry’s major trade bodies have set out what they believe to be the sector’s responsibilities and requirements in a post-Brexit labour market.

The ‘Construction Industry Brexit Manifesto’ commits the sector to do much more to recruit and train additional UK workers to reduce its future reliance on migrant labour.

However, it makes clear that this will not be able to happen overnight and that, for some time, there will likely remain an ongoing need for significant levels of skilled EU workers.

The document sets down the industry’s key messages to the Government on what it will need from a post-Brexit immigration system in order to be able to deliver the Government’s strategic objectives for new housing and infrastructure:

  • The Government should agree a transition period of at least two years as soon as possible, during which time EU workers arriving in the UK should continue to have a path to settled status
  • The post-transitional migration system should be based on key occupations that are in short supply, rather than on arbitrary thresholds based on skill levels or income

The Manifesto comes with the support of seven major construction trade bodies: Federation of Master Builders, Association for Consultancy & Engineering, Build UK, Civil Engineering Contractors Association, Construction Products Association, Home Builders Federation, and National Federation of Builders

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “The construction industry has been criticised in the past for being too disparate but it has come together here with one voice and set of clear messages.

We know we need to step up as an industry and train more home-grown talent but we also have to be realistic about the future.

There will continue to be some ongoing need for migrant workers and our post-Brexit migration rules will need to be fit for purpose.”

Dr Nelson Ogunshakin OBE, CEO of the Association for Consultancy & Engineering, said: “Without the skills that many EU nationals bring to the industry, we could be facing severe setbacks to the UK’s national infrastructure pipeline.

ACE’s own surveys show that there is an increase in the number EU staff leaving the UK for jobs on the continent and this will only get worse if we do not bring certainty to EU workers’ residency rights.

This Manifesto provides a road map for both Government and industry to ensure that the UK can continue to access world-class talent to deliver world-class construction.”

Suzannah Nichol MBE, Chief Executive of Build UK, said: “Construction, like other major industry sectors, has substantial concerns over the impact of Brexit on its ability to recruit, train and retain talent.

It is essential that industry works together to present the need for an effective partnership between Government and industry, enabling us to deliver the UK’s infrastructure, homes and communities.”

Industry Against Brexit

Marie-Claude Hemming, Director of External Affairs at the Civil Engineering Contractors Association, said: “The UK’s decision to leave the EU will have a notable impact upon the ability of the infrastructure sector to source the skills needed for current and future projects.

But if we are to ensure that the UK remains an attractive place to live and work in a post-Brexit world, Government must maintain its focus on construction and infrastructure.

To this end industry has joined together to publish a skills manifesto which we believe will enable our sector to continue to drive future economic growth. It is vital that industry and Government work together to ensure the UK’s global competitiveness is not impacted upon by delay in the delivery of world-class construction projects.”

Prof. Noble Francis, Economics Director at the Construction Products Association, said: “Access to the right skills will be absolutely critical for the whole construction supply chain in the next few years if it is to help Government achieve its aims of building more affordable housing and improving the UK’s infrastructure, which will be vital for boosting UK productivity.”

John Slaughter, Director of External Affairs at the Home Builders Federation, said: “With the Budget having confirmed a target to deliver 300,000 homes a year by the mid-2020s, home builders will need to continue to bring more skilled people into the industry.

Companies are building on their existing investment through the successful work of the CITB-supported Home Building Skills Partnership and are committed to doing even more, but to deliver the national social and economic necessity of an improved housing supply we will also continue to need access to foreign workers under a manageable migration system.”

Richard Beresford, Chief Executive of the National Federation of Builders, said: “With the country facing a shortage of skilled workers and the most acute housing crisis in living memory, the Government needs to provide certainty to existing EU workers in the UK and enable construction SMEs to attract more home-grown talent into the industry.”

See more on Brexit with Skill Builder.

Bright idea: ProVan LED light review

Dylan Garton
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0
Bright idea: ProVan LED light review

Roger Bisby lets a lot more light into the black hole that was the back of his van.

There are few things more frustrating than rummaging around in the back of your van trying to find something and not having enough light to see. As winter draws in I find myself in this situation once again, I know it is in there somewhere but where?  The back of my van is a black hole that consumes matter. There is no other way to explain why I can never find items that I know are in there.

The back of my van is a black hole that consumes matter. There is no other way to explain why I can never find items that I know are in there

I am not the only one who struggles and it makes me wonder why van manufacturers still seem to attach so little importance to providing load areas in vans with decent lighting. It really isn’t that hard now that we have LED lights so why do they persist with old technology? LED is a game changer, no question,  because they are brighter, whiter and use less power.  The only thing that stops most of us taking out the original original equipment and upgrading it with a superior after market product is the hassle. We are simply too busy earning a living to start messing around with interior lighting rigs.

Now ProVan has taken the hassle out of changing your load area lighting by coming up with a direct replacement that simply plugs in to your wiring loom. There is no need to crimp or cut cables, just flick out the old fitting and pop in the new. It is plug and play. It took me less than 2 minutes to pop this Lab Gear Light into the socket and when I switched it on it was as if there just hadn’t been any lighting in there prior to this. The Cree LEDS are seven times brighter than the original lights and the light is more like daylight so you don’t get that colour washout.

The body is polycarbonate and you will notice on the back of the lighting unit that there is an aluminium heatsink similar to the kind you find on desktop computers. If there is a switch on your light then there is a switch on the replacement and all the major van makes and models are catered for. If you type your registration number into their website it automatically selects the right model.

provanled.com

Real Deals For You: Roughneck Gorilla Bar Junior Twin Set

Roger Bisby
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0
Real Deals For You: Roughneck Gorilla Bar Junior Twin Set

Skill Builder has once again teamed up with Real Deals for You to take a look at a selection of products from their Christmas campaign. 

In the sixth instalment of this series Roger Bisby tries out the Roughneck Gorilla Bar Junior Twin Set.

Real Deals for You is a year-round campaign run by one of Europe’s leading hand and power tool distributors, Toolbank, and created to support a network of participating retail outlets and trade merchants across the UK and Ireland.

Over 2,000 stockists throughout the UK and Ireland feature the Real Deals for You promotion, which is designed to provide significant savings on leading brand products while helping to support local trade.

www.realdealsforyou.com

Hitachi WH18DBDL2 Impact Driver Review – Roundup Part 2

Roger Bisby
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0
Hitachi WH18DBDL2 Impact Driver Review – Roundup Part 2

In the second part of the Skill Builder super impact driver roundup, we look at the Hitachi (rebranded to HiKOKI as of October 2017) WH18DBDL2 brushless 18v impact driver.

Hitachi WH18DBDL2/JX 18v 2×6.0ah Li-ion Brushless Impact Driver

The WH18DBDL2/JX 18v Brushless Impact Driver features a high power brushless motor with a selection for 4 speed modes: Soft Mode for delicate work, Normal mode, Power Mode for heavy work and Self Drilling mode for use with screws.

Features and Benefits 

– High power brushless motor with maximum tightening torque of 207Nm (hard)

– IP56 rating for dust resistance & waterproofing

– Triple hammer mechanism: three anvils for higher power and extended life

– Electric brake – 3 mode LED work light: always on/automatic/always off

– Soft grip handle

– Forward & reverse switch

– Side hook can be fitted on right or left

– Driver bit not included Technical Specification: No-Load Speed

– Soft Mode: 0-900 No-Load Speed

– Normal Mode: 0-2900 No-Load Speed

– Power Mode: 0-2900 No-Load Speed

– Self Drilling Mode: 0-2900 Full-Load Impact Rate

– Soft Mode: 0-1900 Full-Load Impact Rate

– Normal Mode: 0-4000 Full-Load Impact Rate

– Power Mode: 0-4000 Full-Load Impact Rate

– Self Drilling Mode: 0-2100 Max Torque: 207Nm (Hard) Drilling Capacity

– Screw: 4-10mm Drilling Capacity

– Bolt: M5-M18 Drilling Capacity

– HT Bolt: M5-M14 Drilling Capacity

– Self Drilling: 3.5-6 Overall Length: 124mm Weight: 1.6kg Supplied With: 1 x Hitachi WH18DBDL2/JX 18v 2×6.0ah Li-ion Brushless Impact Driver 2 x 6.0Ah Li-Ion batteries 1 x UC18YSL3 fast charger with USB output

Building an Extension Part 2 – Moving drains

Roger Bisby
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0
Building an Extension Part 2 – Moving drains

Roger Bisby shares the trials and tribulations of moving drains in the second episode of The Extension project.

Builders will often tell you that the hardest part of a job is the bit in the ground. In my case this was true. The ground was made up with rubble, there were two drain runs and manholes to be removed and relocated.

Thames Water won’t let you use indoor manholes because they need to get in there and pressure jet. The drains also have to be clay. I had to dig them out and build new manholes in a day so I could keep all the houses on the services.

Relocating the drains was the hardest day’s work I have done for ages and there was no time for filming so excuse the brevity of this video. I kick myself now but at the time I didn’t need any more complications.

I’m happy now we are out of the ground. I spent far too long thinking about how I was going to do that part of the job, even on holiday I was thinking about it and maybe that was a good thing because my plan went like clockwork.

For more information on relocating drains and relocating manholes in the UK, see: www.planningportal.co.uk

The following advice is particularly relevant:

Why do I need to think about underground drainage?

You may have to change your plans to suit the depth and location of the underground drain or sewer that you intend to connect to.

If you intend to build over or close to a public sewer, you will require written agreement from your sewerage undertaker, so you should consult the company at the earliest planning stage of your building work.

Building over an existing drain or sewer can damage pipes, so that they leak or block, potentially leading to odour nuisance, health problems and environmental damage. It also makes it more difficult, time consuming and expensive to clear blockages and repair or replace faulty drains. So if there is an existing drain below, or close to, your proposed extension, it may need to be moved or protected, which is likely to increase the cost of your project.

The route of the drain should avoid obstructions (eg. ponds or outbuildings) and keep away from foundations, so may need to be longer and have additional access chambers, rather than running in a straight line. Approved Document H gives guidance on additional measures needed where drains have to run close to foundations.

In order to carry the flow and to avoid blockages, the drain or sewer that you intend to connect to generally needs to be at least 0.8m lower than the ground floor level. If it is less than this, you should seek advice from a builder, architect or drainage engineer.

BMF Welcomes Commitment to Housebuilding

Dylan Garton
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BMF Welcomes Commitment to Housebuilding

Responding to the Budget, the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) has welcomed recognition by the Chancellor that housebuilding needs to be one of the Government’s main priorities.

John Newcomb, Chief Executive of the BMF said: “The BMF is pleased that the Chancellor acknowledges the profound need to deliver and build new homes”.

This needs to be an unflinching, unrelenting determination by government at all levels to narrow the gap between housing demand and supply.

We also want to see the Government press ahead with its proposals contained in the Housing White Paper, as this will bring a welcome boost to housebuilders.

“Access to finance, available land, more SME builders, sclerotic planning approval, slow build-out rates, over-stretched local authorities, brownfield versus greenfield, and residents’ resistance, must all be confronted and resolved”.

However, we welcome the new money that has been found for the Home Building Fund, for small sites, and for construction skills.

In addition, we are pleased to see the lifting of the cap on Housing Revenue Accounts for Local Authorities and the immediate scrappage of stamp duty for many first-time buyers.

“It is clear that we need to build many more homes, but these cannot be built without the materials and products that BMF members make, stock and deliver, on a daily basis, to where they are needed.

The BMF reminds Mrs May, Mr Hammond and the Conservatives that it is the customers of builders, plumbers and timber merchants that build new housing and improve existing homes, not government ministers.

“However, our members are ready to take on the challenge and provide the supplies and materials needed to make this happen if they receive the necessary support from government by considering all parts of the supply chain in building new homes”.

www.bmf.org.uk

Total Wipeout: Uniwipes review

Roger Bisby
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Total Wipeout: Uniwipes review

Roger Bisby tries out Uniwipes Ultra Grime. Are they going to give the competition sleepless nights?

I am a big fan of workwipes. Not only do they clean your hands up they also clean off surfaces so jobs such as siliconing around a shower have now been made a lot more manageable.

For me the the drawback with wipes is the tub. If you buy a dispenser holder and screw it onto your van racking that is fine but if you have the tub of wipes knocking about in the back of the van there are many occasions when the tub gets squashed and the lid pops off. Then when you go to use the wipes they have dried out. I would estimate that up to 25% of the wipes I have are wasted for this  sole reason. Not so bad if they are cheap but the best of them are well over a fiver a tub.  So why don’t I buy a dispenser? Good question.

For me the the drawback with wipes is the tub; if you have the tub of wipes knocking about in the back of the van there are many occasions when the tub gets squashed and the lid pops off

Uniwipes has recognised the dispenser issue and packs their extra large Ultra Grime wipes in a flat pack like baby wipes. This means they are less likely to be squashed. In fact I have the ideal place under the passenger seat of my van where I can keep them. The wipes are also a lot slower to dry out so even if you do leave the little flap door open on the top it will only be the first wipe that loses moisture and that won’t occur for several days. The dispenser also ensures that only one wipe is ever pulled out at a time.

The other unique thing about Uniwipes is that they are very big. Each wipe is nearly double the size of other wipes. To my mind this is not such a plus because I have never found ordinary wipes too small for the job: they absorb a lot more than their size suggests so the bottom line is “do Uniwipe’s Ultra Grime work as well as the market leaders or do you actually need a wipe twice as big to do the same job?”.
I put this to the test with the usual range of  sealants and adhesives including the dreaded polyurethane foam which is always a big test.

My conclusion is that they are not quite up there with the brand leaders. They do the job but are slower on the stubborn stains than the best wipes and, though they contain aloe vera, they don’t leave my hands feeling as smooth and soft as the more established brands. They have the packaging right and the size is nice, you also get a 100 wipes so if they improve their formula those well established brands such as Big Wipes and Wonder Wipes will start to take notice of this new kid on the block.

www.uniwipe.com

Delving deeper into the world of damp prevention & cure

Roger Bisby
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0
Delving deeper into the world of damp prevention & cure

Roger Bisby attends a one day damp-proofing course with Safeguard Europe where he learns about the different causes and types of damp in buildings and what can be done about them.

Applying the cement adhesive for the tanking membrane

I have been using DryRods from Safeguard Europe for a couple of years now. Before that I used the Dryzone cream. There is no doubt that the product works and it has recently been given the approval of a German organisation that preserves old buildings and monuments, in addition to its BBA certificate.

For those who don’t know the DryRod method is a cleaner more efficient chemical damp proof course. Instead of injecting silicone liquid under pressure the DryRod simply leaches silthane’siloxine into the mortar course

For those who don’t know the DryRod method is a cleaner more efficient chemical damp proof course. Instead of injecting silicone liquid under pressure the DryRod simply leaches silthane’siloxine into the mortar course. The compound is drawn out of the perforated tube by the same capillary action as rising damp and it follows exactly the same path lining the capillary pathways in the bricks and mortar to form an effective barrier against damp. It is a clever idea that has proved to be the kiss of death for the old hit and miss drill and pump method that wasted materials and made your house stink for weeks.

Injecting Dryzone cream

With a 12mm SDS drill bit and a box of tubes I have cured several rising damp problems but Safeguard has a lot more products than DryRods to shout about and I wanted to delve deeper into the wonderful world of damp prevention. I signed up for their one day damp-proofing course at their headquarters in Horsham, Sussex but they have other courses and hold them regionally. They are all popular courses and I was told the actual course I wanted was fully booked on that date but I persuaded them to squeeze me in and promised not to steal anyone’s lunch.

With a 12mm SDS drill bit and a box of tubes I have cured several rising damp problems but Safeguard has a lot more products than DryRods to shout about and I wanted to delve deeper into the wonderful world of damp prevention

So there we were all nicely slotted into their their tiny training room carved out of the corner of a warehouse. It made for a very intimate gathering and we were all soon chatting freely. This was both good and bad because our anecdotes and questions about damp problems made for a very interesting morning but they put the presentation way behind schedule and I felt a bit sorry for the course instructor Damien Wallace who tried to strike a balance between our enjoyment and the need to cover the material. Luckily he has a great sense of humour and the one thing you could hear coming from that training room all morning was laughter. I imagine the guys in the warehouse wondered how anyone could get so much fun out of damp.

On the course we dealt with the various causes of damp in buildings, how to identify the type of damp and what to do about it

On the course we dealt with the various causes of damp in buildings, how to identify the type of damp and what to do about it. So often there is misdiagnoses of damp and sometimes deliberately so because the surveryors are salesmen with targets. That said many people employ specialists rather than leaving their trusted builder to solve the problem simply because they want a piece of paper to keep the mortgage surveyor happy. The good news is that builders can now offer the same paper trail. Safeguard has an agreement with Specialist Building Guarantees, to provide cover for the work of contractors but it is not their insurance and they emphasise that this is an independent guarantee. This job by job insurance is available to anyone who has completed the course.

Call me strange but I have developed a liking for this branch of building renovation and there is no shortage of work. The next course I’m going to attend at Safeguard is Damp in Basements. I am fairly sure I know a lot of it but as I found with this first course there are things you know and things you think you know. Avoiding some basic errors and specifying the correct products can save you a lot of wasted effort and I feel a lot more confident to look at damp problems and come up with answers.

www.safeguardeurope.com

Real Deals For You: Faithfull 20cm/8″ Diamond Sharpening Kit

Roger Bisby
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0
Real Deals For You: Faithfull 20cm/8″ Diamond Sharpening Kit

Skill Builder has once again teamed up with Real Deals for You to take a look at a selection of products from their Christmas campaign. 

In the fifth instalment of this series Roger Bisby tries out the Faithfull 20cm/8″ Diamond Sharpening Kit.

Real Deals for You is a year-round campaign run by one of Europe’s leading hand and power tool distributors, Toolbank, and created to support a network of participating retail outlets and trade merchants across the UK and Ireland.

Over 2,000 stockists throughout the UK and Ireland feature the Real Deals for You promotion, which is designed to provide significant savings on leading brand products while helping to support local trade.

www.realdealsforyou.com

Dewalt DCF887 Impact Driver Review – Roundup Part 1

Roger Bisby
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0
Dewalt DCF887 Impact Driver Review – Roundup Part 1

Dewalt DCF887 Impact Driver Review: In the first part of the Skill Builder super impact driver roundup, we look at the Dewalt DCF887 3-speed 2nd generation brushless 18v impact driver.

Reviews of the Makita, Milwaukee, Bosch, Hilti, Metabo, Panasonic, and Hitachi are still to come with the conclusion being published at the end of the year.

Features

DEWALT built brushless motor and XR Lith-Ion batteries deliver more run time and capacity over standard units.

https://goo.gl/n35XvD

  • 3-speed settings for optimized application versatility
  • Precision drive in speed 1 for precision applications and added control
  • 3 LEDs with 20-second delay after trigger release, provide visibility without shadows
  • One-handed loading 1/4″ hex chuck with easy grip sleeve, accepts 1″ bit tips
  • Compact and lightweight design to fit into tight areas (6 mm shorter than the previous DCF886)

www.dewalt.co.uk

Jewson closes online store following data security breach

Dylan Garton
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Jewson closes online store following data security breach

Builders’ merchant Jewson has taken its online store www.jewson.co.uk offline amidst fears that customers’ data may have been stolen by hackers.

The breaches are believed to have taken place between 23 August, 2017, and 3 November, 2017.

Jewson notfied its customers of the breaches in a recent letter which stated: “As a Jewson Direct customers, we regrettably are writing to inform you that our website (www.jewsondirect.co.uk) has suffered a security breach and, as a result, your personal data including your credit/ debit card details may have been compromised.”

A spokesperson for the company told The Inquirer: “We confirm that the Jewson Direct website has been the target of a security breach. We have notified 1,659 customers whose data may have been compromised, and are offering free credit monitoring to all of those affected to help detect any potential misuse of data in the future.

“We have commissioned a forensic investigation into the breach using a specialist firm and the Jewson Direct website will remain offline until the investigation is complete. We sincerely apologise for the distress and inconvenience this security breach has caused to those customers affected.”

It is possible that names, location, billing address, password, email, phone number, payment details, card expiry dates and even CVV numbers “may” have fallen into the hands of an “unauthorised person”, according to the letter.

Jewson told cutomers: “At this stage we are aware that a foreign piece of code was encrypted into the Jewson Direct website.

“The code has been identified and removed, and we are investigating the breach of security and any related potential loss of information/personal data. No card data is stored by Jewson, however, until the investigation has been completed, customers have been informed of a potential breach of card data as an advisory measure.”

Only the Jewson Direct website was affected by the security breach. The company’s main website www.jewson.co.uk, their credit account customers, and transactions across their branch network, are said to remain unaffected by the security breach and are operating normally.

Choosing a house builder

Roger Bisby
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Choosing a house builder

Ryan Abell of building services company, Abbell Building Services, describes how working in a range of building trades has helped him to instantly recognise a house builder that is great to work with.  In this article, he explains what makes a house builder stand out.

Skills
Perhaps the most important attribute of an excellent builder is their level of skill.  As a builder, the best advice that I can give to others wanting to be successful in the trade is to take every opportunity to learn that is given to you.  The best builders have a mixture of skills – they’re not sat around waiting for scaffolding to be assembled or for something to be plastered.  Learning how to do these things for yourself saves you time and makes you money.

Skilled people are especially good to work with if they’re happy to take a moment to share their skill. If they teach the team around them to work as efficiently as them, then the whole team becomes more skilled and more effective.

Integrity
You won’t last long in the building trade if you don’t take what you do and how you do it seriously.  Getting a bad reputation for yourself is the worst thing that you can do. If this happens, you’ll find that you’re never the first builder people call and it will become harder and harder to get regular work.

Being honest about how long a job will take, how much it will cost and owning up to any mistakes if something goes wrong is vital to having a good relationship with customers.  Similarly, having respect for them and their homes goes a long way.  Make sure that you take your boots off at the door if you’re going in to use the toilet and clean up after yourself.  Your customer is paying you to do a job – if they have to clean up after you, then you’re making them work too.

Having respect for other tradespeople is also extremely important.  Understanding what others do and having an appreciation for their skillsets means that you’ll find it easier to work together on projects (and you might end up learning a thing or two).  Communicate well with everyone you come into contact with – you never know when your paths will cross again, so being flexible and helpful on one job will stand you in good stead for when you need a favour on another job in the future.

Attitude
When you’re working as part of a team, having someone use their initiative can be priceless on a busy job. If supplies aren’t available from the usual place or something goes wrong, having a member of the team say “don’t worry, I’ll sort it” can save a huge amount of hassle for the rest of the team.  Don’t panic or blame anyone else if things go wrong – just concentrate on fixing the problem and you’ll soon find out that you’re making yourself far more valuable than a team member who waits for someone else to resolve problems.

Another important attribution is pulling your weight.  Some jobs aren’t enjoyed by everyone, but whoever said that the best leaders lead by example is spot on.  Don’t get someone to do a job that you wouldn’t do yourself and if it’s a particularly difficult or annoying task, try to share responsibility for this, so that you’re working as a team and not just looking to do the things that you want to.

Professionalism
Of course, being safety conscious should be ingrained into any house builder, but having a team member who wanders off instead of holding onto a ladder or who leave cables lying around can be more of a burden than a blessing.  Not being professional when it comes to health and safety can very easily lose you your job, if not something far more serious.

Other aspects of professionalism include keeping good time and only using your phone for the right reasons.  Turning up to a job late can make the rest of your team look bad and you won’t get any thanks for standing around replying to messages or spending time on social media whilst you should be working.  Your phone should be used for two things whilst you’re working (unless you’re on a break) and those should be to let your team members know as soon as possible if you’re going to be late and to answer calls from customers.  Ignoring either will soon start losing you work, one way or another.

Organisation
There’s the saying that if you want something done, ask a busy person.  To some extent, this can be true with builders.  Being organised and prioritised means that you’re always busy because you’re getting a job done and then moving onto the next as soon as you can.

One crucial aspect of organisation in my experience, is planning the tools, equipment and materials you need for the week ahead, instead of sorting it out during the day and having to leave a job to collect more materials or any equipment left behind.  This is important when it comes to working with other trades too, so people are not held up or the job slowed down in any way.

Being organised means that you can keep things simple where possible, while ensuring that a job runs smoothly.  Sticking to a plan means that you and your team members don’t get stressed and being dedicated to getting the right tasks done in a sensible order and on time, means that you get the job done well and done properly – and who can say better than that?

www.abellbuildingservices.co.uk

Hilti DD-WMS 100 Water Management System

Roger Bisby
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Hilti DD-WMS 100 Water Management System

Roger meets Maximiliano Moreira to find out more about the Hilti DD-WMS 100 Water Management System, a single unit for the supply of cooling water as well as the collection and filtration of wastewater from diamond drilling systems.

The DD-WS-100 Water Management System collects the slurry at the moment that you’re drilling, it recycles it and provides water so you can drill the whole day without having to worry about water supply or slurry disposal.

The slurry is collected in a disposable filter bag and the water is filtered so it can be continually reused.

www.hilti.co.uk

See more on Hilti from Skill Builder.

Real Deals For You: Scan Xtremity Work Gloves

Roger Bisby
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Real Deals For You: Scan Xtremity Work Gloves

Skill Builder has once again teamed up with Real Deals for You to take a look at a selection of products from their Christmas campaign. 

In the fourth instalment of this series Roger Bisby takes a look at the Scan Xtremity Work Gloves.

Real Deals for You is a year-round campaign run by one of Europe’s leading hand and power tool distributors, Toolbank, and created to support a network of participating retail outlets and trade merchants across the UK and Ireland.

Over 2,000 stockists throughout the UK and Ireland feature the Real Deals for You promotion, which is designed to provide significant savings on leading brand products while helping to support local trade.

www.realdealsforyou.com

Excavation company fined after worker set on fire

Dylan Garton
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Excavation company fined after worker set on fire

A company undertaking excavation work has been fined for safety breaches, when a worker was burned after striking underground electrical cables.

Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard that in February 2016 an employee was excavating the ground at a site on Spare Lease Hill in Loughton, Essex. He struck an electrical cable and was set on fire. He received significant burns to his lower body, causing him to be hospitalised for one month and unable to work for six weeks.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to adequately plan, manage and monitor the construction work; failed to obtain drawings from the utility company detailing the position of underground cables, and did not re-scan the affected ground to a sufficient depth while excavation work was ongoing.

Both the injured person, and the employee responsible for scanning the ground did not receive training for their tasks, despite this being detailed in the company’s risk assessments and method statements.

Mason Construction (London) Limited of Railway Place, Hertford, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and has been fined £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3979.68.

After the hearing HSE inspector David King said: “The contractor’s injuries were very serious, and he could have easily been killed. This injury would have been prevented if the company had planned and implemented safe methods of working, and provided the necessary information and training to its workers.”

www.hse.gov.uk

Hultafors Tools Range of Hammers -Whack, Bang, Pound, Smash

Roger Bisby
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Hultafors Tools Range of Hammers -Whack, Bang, Pound, Smash

Whatever type of hammering jobs you have to do, the Hultafors Tools range of hammers is said to deliver all the power and precision you’ll need.

The new generation range features Ball Hammers, Carpenters’ Hammers, T-Block Hammers, Electrician’s Hammers, Sledge Hammers, Dead Blow Hammers and even Copper Hammers.

The tools are designed to handle the toughest work, delivering the best possible levels of precision, performance and safety.

https://goo.gl/n35XvD

The hammers are ergonomically designed for ease of use and with a range of sizes and a special grip technology and they have vibration damping features as well as reduced recoil and even an anti-sparking feature in one of the models.

www.hultafors.co.uk

Skill Builder launches Ask Skill Builder

Roger Bisby
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1
Skill Builder launches Ask Skill Builder

Skill Builder, the video and web resource for building professionals and enthusiasts, has launched a brand new video series giving viewers the opportunity to get their building and DIY questions answered.

The series, which is being aired on the Skill Builder YouTube channel, is hosted by Roger Bisby and Georgina Bisby. Roger Bisby is known for his expertise in the British building industry – as well as featuring on Watchdog and Rogue Traders, Roger has written a number of building-related books, provided product reviews and insight for Professional Builder magazine for over thirty years and hosted a fix-it phone in radio show so he knows only too well how hard it can sometimes be to get to the bottom of building problems. Georgina Bisby is a journalist and editor with extensive experience covering construction and industrial news and technology and a passion for investigative journalism.

Whether it’s a homeowner with a longstanding problem which no professionals seems to have been able to solve; a self builder looking for advice on where to get started with a project; or an issue encountered by a tradesperson which is proving elusive to solve, the Skill Builder team will endeavour to provide useful advice and help solve the unsolvable.

Roger Bisby says: “If we can’t help you we probably know someone who can and if you have some relevant knowledge or experience that you want to share we would be delighted to hear from you.”

“We also welcome the input of manufacturers with problem-solving products that they think can make a genuine contribution,” adds Georgina Bisby.

The first episode of Ask Skill Builder is out now and covers a mystery wetroom leak, an issue with water running too hot and trouble with yellowing paint.

Viewers are invited to send photographs, emails and video clips to info@skill-builder.uk

 

Wetroom Trouble & Yellowing Paint – ASB #1

Dylan Garton
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Wetroom Trouble & Yellowing Paint – ASB #1

SEND YOUR FILES TO: https://skill-builder.uk/send

Solving a viewer’s annoying wet room leak is first on the agenda in episode one of Ask Skill Builder.

Tap into the experience and knowledge of Skill Builder’s Roger Bisby and his friends and colleagues to solve your building and DIY problems. If we can’t help you we probably know someone who can and if you have some relevant knowledge or experience that you want to share use the comments below.

We also welcome the input of manufacturers with problem-solving products that they think can make a genuine contribution.

Aga hot water problems, a mystery leak and some yellowing white paint.

Company Fined After Exposing Electricians to Asbestos

Dylan Garton
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0
Company Fined After Exposing Electricians to Asbestos

A Paisley based utility services company has been fined for exposing electricians to asbestos during work at Anderson Tower in Motherwell in 2014.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard that four electricians employed by IQA Operations Group Ltd had been drilling through door transom panels to fit electric cables into each property within the tower block as part of the installation of a new low voltage distribution system.

The company had identified that an asbestos survey was carried out ahead of the works starting but did not include a survey of the transom panels above each flat entrance door.

The four electricians started work on the site on 23 June 2014 and drilled holes in the door transom panels in all 44 flats. The electricians were not aware that the panels contained asbestos so no measures were in place to control exposure to airborne asbestos fibres.

On 2 July 2017, a resident raised a concern that the panels were asbestos, work was stopped and the panels tested. The samples tested positive for asbestos.

Immediate action was taken to decontaminate the flats which involved the local council making arrangements for the residents to leave their properties while the work was being done.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that IQA Operations Group Ltd had failed to provide and maintain a safe system of work to identify the presence of asbestos in the transom panels and failed to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk to their employees from asbestos when carrying out cable routing work.

IQA Operations Group Ltd of 101 Abercorn Street, Paisley, has today been fined £6000 after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

Speaking after the hearing, Gerry Muir HM Inspector of Health and Safety said “This incident could have easily been avoided if the company had in place a system of work to ensure that the asbestos survey it requested to be carried out covered all of the intended work areas.

Failing to do this resulted in 44 asbestos panels being drilled into with no measures in place to control the risk of exposure to the resultant asbestos fibres.”

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