Government action needed to stave off construction recession

Demand for building work

A significant programme of capital investment by the Government is now needed to tackle the threat of a construction recession – as revealed this week by the latest statistics from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “The construction industry has grown steadily over the past …

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How to install the clever Keylite loft ladder

Keylite loft ladder

Roger demonstrates the clever Keylite loft ladder which is designed to ensure simple, fast installation and ease of use. With pre-installed Flick-Fit brackets, allowing installation from below the loft, and with a unique detachable ladder which enables one-person installation, the Keylite Loft Ladder is designed to make your life easier. Features – Flick-Fit installation – Pre-installed brackets for installation from …

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Hand-made clay roof tiles installed on Scandia-Hus residence

Hand-made clay roof tiles

Nearly fifty thousand Brookhurst hand-made plain clay roofing tiles have been installed on a stylish Scandia-Hus residence in West Sussex. Brookhurst tiles are made from the highest quality clay material using traditional hand moulding and coal firing techniques. The Sussex residence is located on a former orchard site acquired with a small cottage which was demolished.  Planners approved the elegant …

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Worker trapped by three tonne road roller

Construction boss jailed

An exhibitions and displays company has been fined for safety breaches after a labourer was crushed by a road roller. The incident occurred in November 2015 at Quantum Exhibitions & Displays Ltd in Hipperholme. The 26-year-old injured worker sustained several breaks to his right leg tibia and fibula bones along with burns to his right hand and an open fracture …

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FMB launches TV advert

cowboy builders

The Federation of Master Builders has launched a TV advert using its members to promote Master Builders as the ‘go to’ professionals in the industry. The FMB advert is being aired on a variety of channels including Sky News, ITVBe, Home, & More 4 and is being accompanied by radio and online advertising to encourage homeowners to ask for a …

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Concrete Block Shortage Causing Construction Delays

Concrete block shortage

Construction sites across the UK are being hit by a concrete block shortage as pressure on raw materials means manufacturers are struggling to keep up with demand. PFA – a by-product of coal-fired power generation is a key material in the manufacture of most concrete blocks but a move towards alternative forms of energy generation such as gas, nuclear or …

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Essex school fined after refurbishment disturbs asbestos

Construction boss jailed

An Essex school has been fined after poorly-planned and managed refurbishment and maintenance activities exposed school staff and others to asbestos. Chelmsford Crown Court heard that managers at The Boswells School, Chelmsford, decided to convert an old boiler room at the school into a cleaning store. During the course of this work, asbestos residue on the walls was disturbed and …

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Irwin Mitchell planning team to advise on £180 million mixed use scheme in Lewes

North Street Quarter development

Work to develop a 15- acre brownfield site in Lewes, East Sussex is to begin following the completion of final legal requirements. Planning for the North Street Quarter development was approved in December 2015 by the South Downs National Park’s planning committee. Permission was granted in May 2016 and the judicial review period has just concluded. The way is now …

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Construction company fined after service riser shaft fall

Construction boss jailed

A construction company in Gateshead has been fined after a worker suffered injury when he fell down a service riser shaft. Newcastle upon Tyne Magistrates’ Court heard how Meldrum Construction Services Limited (MCS) was the principal contractor for refurbishment work at premises in Percy Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne. MCS failed to plan for the requirement for temporary platforms to be …

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Developer chooses Mumford & Wood for personal development in Poole

Timber Conservation windows and doors

Timber Conservation windows and doors by Mumford & Wood have been specified by a building developer for his own residential property in Poole, Dorset.  This large coastal town, once a maritime trade hub, has attracted tourists and visitors to its beaches and landscapes for many decades and is an established area of beauty. The 1950s cottage-style property was purchased by …

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Electricians pay rise agreed

Electricians pay rise

The electrical contracting industry has agreed a wage deal which will amount to a 10.25% pay rise over four years to take effect from January 2017. This is the first time that an agreement spanning four years has been determined between trade union Unite and the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA). Some of the key changes to be implemented include: Wage …

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D-MAX Arctic Trucks AT35 to go on sale

D-MAX Arctic Trucks AT35

From the 25th July the all-new Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 will be available to order in the UK. The pick-up truck which is based on the D-Max model, is the result of close technical collaboration between Isuzu and Arctic Trucks, a company with a 25 year history in Iceland and Scandinavia as a developer of 4×4 vehicles. Isuzu describes …

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Senco compressed air range review

Senco SLP 20XP 18 gauge brad nailer

Roger Bisby looks at some products from the Senco compressed air tool range including the Senco SLP 20XP 18 gauge brad nailer. Every time I review an air tool I start by making the case for using compressed air. In the U.K it is an under valued resource but elsewhere it is a major player. I have been on American …

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Thousands to be made from sharing homes, parking spaces and power tools

Rent my Items

Households could be generating an extra £3,000 per year by sharing their homes, cars, parking spaces and even power tools according to online parking marketplace  YourParkingSpace and Rent my Items. YourParkingSpace, which enables homeowners to rent out their spare parking spaces and driveways has reported that 1 in 3 adults are already using digital sharing economy platforms to make money …

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May wrong to “cut green crap”

Green Homes Grant Installer

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) had said Theresa May’s decision to scrap the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is alarming as it signals that improving the energy efficiency of our existing buildings has been pushed ever-further down the list of Government priorities. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Three years ago Cameron told his officials to …

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For efficient and fast insulation

PAROC Hvac Bend AluCoat T

To make it easier for builders to design and construct complex HVAC systems, Paroc has developed PAROC Hvac Bend AluCoat T – high-quality, factory produced bends for efficient and fast insulation. PAROC Hvac Bend AluCoat T is a non-combustible stone wool pipe section bend for thermal and condensation insulation of pipework in buildings and ships. Coming with a prefabricated layer of …

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Snickers Next Generation work trousers

Snickers Next Generation work trousers

Roger Bisby takes a closer look at the Next Generation Trousers from Snickers. When you look at the huge range of styles and sizes that Snickers currently offers you might reasonably ask why they need to produce a whole new Next Generation Trouser range. Fashion undoubtedly plays a part, even for a builder who declares himself to be totally uninterested …

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Construction worker crushed by excavator on school demolition site

Construction boss jailed

A construction company has been sentenced after a worker suffered crush injuries when he was hit and then run over by an excavator. Complete Demolition Ltd had been contracted to demolish a school on the site at Stanney Lane, Ellesmere Port to make way for a new leisure centre when the incident occurred. The firm was prosecuted by The Health …

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British Gyspsum Habito review: Roger Bisby gets the Habito

British Gyspsum Habito review

Everyone in the building industry knows that fixing things to plasterboard can be a bit hit and miss. If the plasterboard is on a stud wall you might strike lucky. Or you may not. Sometimes you may be able to position the item, i.e. kitchen wall cupboard to fix across two studs but nothing is guaranteed. There is of course …

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