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Screwfix launches new catalogue

Dylan Garton
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Screwfix launches new catalogue

Screwfix has released the latest edition of its catalogue, which features more ‘Trade Rated’ products than ever before – an independent accolade, showing they are rated highly by other trade customers.

All products ordered via the catalogue are available for next day delivery seven days a week, or via its Click & Collect service, which allows goods to be picked-up in over 490 stores nationwide.

The catalogue includes brands such as, Makita, DeWalt and Bosch.

Highlights include:

Makita 18V LXT Combi Drill – Powerful, versatile and compact

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The Makita 18V LXT Combi Drill offers 16 torque settings with hammer, drill, screwdriver and percussion modes. The cordless drill also has a two speed variable, fan-cooled motor with an ergonomically designed rubberised soft grip handle. Complete with two 3.0 AH Li-Ion batteries and one year guarantee. £129.99.

Larger toolsets for less

Makita 18V LXT 4 Piece Kit

The Makita 18V LXT 4 Piece Kit includes an 18V Combi Drill, Impact Driver, Circular Saw, Jigsaw, 3 x 18V 4.0Ah Li-Ion LXT Batteries and one 36 minute charger, all complete in one LXT carry bag. This comprehensive set of tools is £499.99.

Savings on LED lamps

GLS LED lamps

Working to the same capacity as traditional halogen lamps, GLS LED lamps provide the same look and feel and are energy efficient. The LAP 5-pack is only £9.99, with each lamp producing 9kWh/1000h with a life length of 15,000 hours per pack, which ensures practicality and durability.

Practical and stylish workwear

Nevis Rigger Safety Boots

Mixing style and functionality in every design, the latest catalogue features high quality workwear and footwear

The Nevis Rigger Safety Boots from Hyena are waterproof and breathable, making them ideal for extended wear in the harshest of conditions. They feature full grain leather and a durable polyester upper with TPU outer shell for additional protection and a hardwearing, dual density sole. £39.99.

Collect in store on download the app

Customers can collect their free copy of the all new Screwfix catalogue from over 490 Screwfix stores or download the Screwfix catalogue app to their Apple, Windows or Android smartphone, or tablet.

All of the new ranges are available from Screwfix.com for next day home delivery or collection from any branches. The Click & Collect service enables customers to order their selected products online or by phone and pick up their items in as little as one minute at their chosen store. Screwfix stores are open from 7am on weekdays and Saturday and between 10am and 4pm on Sundays. Screwfix offers next day delivery, seven days a week.

For even quicker ordering in store, Screwfix has launched the brand new Screwfix Card. With this, customers can link their account to their card and can easily keep track of their order history in one place. Simply visit a store to sign-up for the Screwfix Card or key fob.  The Screwfix QuickShop app is also available for tradespeople looking to speed-up the time spent in store by enabling them to build a digital shopping list.

www.screwfix.com

Roofing contractor fined for failing to protect workers

Dylan Garton
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Roofing contractor fined for failing to protect workers

A roofing contractor has been fined after putting the lives of two employees at risk while working at height without protection against falls.

The employees of MW Roofing (NW) Ltd where removing a chimney on a two storey house, at the site on Bertha Road, Rochdale, when they were seen accessing the roof via a cat ladder. While waste material was being removed by buckets carried down the ladder. The company had not put in place any safety measures to prevent people falling off the roof.

Manchester City Magistrates heard that despite having previously received warnings from the Health and Safety Executive about their unsafe working at height practice the company still continued to work in a dangerous manner.

MW Roofing (NW) Ltd of Bury Road, Bamford, Rochdale pleaded guilty to two breaches, Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,440.60.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector David Argument said “you cannot ignore the dangers of working at height, it remains the main cause of death and serious injury in the workplace, particularly in the construction industry. Simple measures, such as providing guard rails can prevent death and serious injury”.

For further information on working at height please go to: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/roofwork.htm

Skill Builder meets Checkatrade

Dylan Garton
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Skill Builder meets Checkatrade

Skill Builder meets Kevin Byrne founder of  Checkatrade to find out what makes his organisation tick.

The number of  initiatives introduced to curtail the activities of  rogue building trades over the years has been plentiful. It seems like the beast that will not die. Selsey based Checkatrade stands among the few that, have not only stayed the course, but, appear to be gaining public trust. So our first question to Kevin Byrne was “How have you succeeded where so many have failed?”

Expecting him to reply with words such as ‘determination and staying power’, the conversation took an unexpectedly philosophical turn. He spoke, not just about overcoming physical obstacles, but psychological barriers and the importance of investing in people rather than just building a business to make money. He also observed that the most successful businesses and products are those that solve a problem; find the problem, work out how to solve it and the money will follow.

We are now used to the idea of consumers giving feedback but when Kevin started with his initial local group of  reliable trades it was unheard of

As with many businesses the point where they become noticeable to the general public is really the tip of the iceberg and it is all too easy to see this as overnight success. Most of the hard work and preparation takes place unseen and for Kevin that was happening over several years in a garden shed while he held down three jobs.

Cowboys and tornadoes

Kevin’s initial involvement came when he was trying to drum up a bit of business for his own small business in Bognor-Regis which he attempted to do by publishing a local directory of reliable tradespeople. It seems commonplace now but he says back then Thompsons and Yellow Pages had things sewn up but nobody knew which businesses they could trust. Around that time a tornado hit the town, which might seem like a freak event but Bognor has seen two tornadoes. On both occasions the misery brought by the event was compounded by a number of unscrupulous tradesmen who descended on the area to find easy pickings among the beleaguered population.

So at that point Kevin’s  focus shifted from drumming up business for small traders to helping tornado victims avoid the cowboys. The more he looked at it the more he realised that, tornadoes aside, there was no really effective way of people finding a  reliable tradesperson. To provide one now seems like a simple enough proposition but achieving it is a lot more complex, because the customer and the members need to have equal confidence in it. If an organisation set up to avoid cowboys becomes their domain it will achieve the opposite effect. This means that trades need to be properly vetted and, having been vetted,  continuously monitored and reviewed.

Of course we are now used to the idea of consumers giving feedback but when Kevin started with his initial local group of  reliable trades it was unheard of. It was also viewed with hostility by the trades because they felt, perhaps with some justification, that such an organisation was giving a platform to what we might now call ‘cowboy customers’, whose real objective was to gain a reduction in the bill.

Checkatrade was initially viewed with hostility by the trades because they felt, perhaps with some justification, that such an organisation was giving a platform to what we might now call ‘cowboy customers’, whose real objective was to gain a reduction in the bill.

So he realised that protecting the consumer was only ever going to be possible if he also gave fair representation to the tradesperson, something that consumer programmes on the television rarely, if ever, do. Given that it is the members rather than the customers who pay Checkatrade this was also a matter of commercial survival. If a tradesperson receives negative feedback they have the opportunity to respond and resolve the matter. If the customer doesn’t accept this and insists on posting negative feedback then the tradesperson must take this as part of the process. Hopefully they will manage to raise their average score by getting higher marks on subsequent jobs. The ultimate sanction is being removed from Checkatrade.

Kevin realised that protecting the consumer was only ever going to be possible if he also gave fair representation to the tradesperson, something that consumer programmes on the television rarely, if ever, do

Who checks Checkatrade?

There was also the question of  who checks Checkatrade? To solve this one he went to Trading Standards and by paying them to come in once a month and spend a day going through his activities, which means checking new members and also looking at the handling of any disputes, he has been given their approval.

All this activity is voluntary and, of course, costly and it follows that anyone setting up such a body to make a quick buck is never going to go to this trouble. Making the public aware of just how much work goes into making sure that Checkatrade members deliver the right results is not easy.

There are tradespeople (criminals) who put the logo on the side of their van and don’t even bother registering so the message to the customer has to be check the website to make sure the person that claims to be a Checkatrade member is one.

The other principle that applies in all business is that bad news travels faster than good news.

Two separate disgruntled customer took their grievance to the BBC’s Watchdog and, in true Watchdog style, they produced a damming report which, according to Kevin, was completely unjustified. The disputes had been settled long before any television involvement but Watchdog still  claimed a scalp.

It is doubtful that it would ever be possible to produce a list of tradespeople that have had a 100% success rate. The building industry is far too complex and variable for it ever to be dispute free.

This is not to say that Checkatrade has no blemish on its record but it is a small percentage of complaints. It is doubtful that it would ever be possible to produce a list of tradespeople that have had a 100% success rate. The building industry is far too complex and variable for it ever to be dispute free. What matters is how disputes are dealt with and, once again, Trading Standards scrutiny provides reassurance. Checkatrade like all such organisations relies on members fees and they have a vested interest in not getting rid of members, but they also have to make sure that they only retain people who enhance their brand.

Partnering with Local Authorities

An important part of that is not letting them join in the first place so the vetting procedure must be robust. To this end Checkatrade is now partnering with Local Authorities who are performing a vetting process for the company. This is a significant cost for Checkatrade but with access to police records and other documents the Local Authorities can consider an additional 7 criteria which includes Trading Standards Intelligence checks. In counties where Checkatrade has a Local Authority Trading Standards partnership in place the final decision of who can join and be listed on Checkatrade and label their company as Trading Standards Approved is in the hands of the Trading Standards officers in the local authority.

This is all part of Kevin’s drive to have the best trades on board. With experience of how damaging the slightest indescrepancy can be and in the face of increasing competition Kevin is trying to steer the organisations towards a position where they can provide a guarantee for their members’ work. He admits that he doesn’t know quite what this model will look like yet but he firmly believes this is the future of schemes such as Checkatrade.

Kevin tells us that being a member of Checkatrade is worth an average of  £100,000 per year and for many the inclusion in the local Checkatrade directory brings in all the work they can handle. This may be a sales line but his membership is growing so whatever the figures there is a growing band of  people who believe they can get a good return on the membership fee. Of course in an ideal world we would probably ask friends for recommendations but these days people tend to move around more than they did and they also now rely upon the internet to find goods and services so the need for a reliable list of people you can trust to do a good job is even more valuable than ever and the need to look after that list is the key to continuing growth.

www.checkatrade.com

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Kemper System provides solution for Chester Zoo’s Monsoon Forest

Dylan Garton
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Kemper System provides solution for Chester Zoo’s Monsoon Forest

Waterproofing specialist, Kemper System, has provided the roofing solution for a hot and humid environment in the heart of leafy Cheshire at Chester Zoo’s £40m ‘Islands’ development.

The company’s solvent-free Kemperol 2K-PUR cold liquid-applied waterproofing membrane has been used for the roof of the ‘Tree House’, which will form a covered walkway for visitors under a giant polymer dome – called Monsoon Forest.

Designed by Dan Pearlman, the exhibit forms part of the largest zoo development in UK history, Islands, comprising six South East Asian island environments which visitors can explore on foot or by boat to discover native plants and wildlife from the region.

Within Islands is Monsoon Forest which will be home to numerous species including Sulawesi macaques and orangutans, and the tree house – which mimics a field research centre – will enable visitors to walk through the enclosure along a raised walkway.

Roofing contractor, K. Pendlebury Roofing, met with the client at the zoo to discuss specification for the job, which had to take into account the habitat’s changing climate, the water mist that is used to create humidity and, the behaviour of the animals.

Explains Neilan Symondson from K. Pendlebury Roofing: “There is adjacent netting along the side of the tree house roof and the orangutans can move freely within their enclosure, which means that they could throw things onto the roof, pick at the surface with their fingers or even urinate on it.

“Kemperol 2K-PUR provided a robust, flexible solution that will not crack or soften at high temperatures and will provide excellent resistance to humidity, puncturing and uric acid; and roughly 80% of the resins in the Kemperol 2K-PUR are obtained from the seeds of the tropical castor plant which is a renewable resource.”

The walkway with its shaped surfaces and the high temperatures proved challenging whilst working on the project. K. Pendlebury Roofing taped the seams of the 200m2 plywood surface to prevent any resin from seeping through the joints during the application process.

Following application of a primer mixed with quartz sand to provide a key, the cold-liquid Kemperol 2K-PUR resin was then applied directly onto the roof.  The installation team then laid Kemper System’s 165gsm flexible reinforcement fleece, which is cut to size and shape on site, directly into the wet resin, using rollers to remove any creases or air bubbles before immediately applying more resin to fully saturate the fleece. The system was applied in a single wet-on-wet process and allowed to cure, providing a seamless, monolithic membrane that bonds directly to the substrate, which is permanently elastic and cannot delaminate.

“Kemperol 2K-PUR is an environmentally responsible waterproofing solution that helps us deliver that remit while ensuring a safe and durable environment for both visitors and the orangutans.”

www.kemper-system.com/UK/eng

Construction products market continues to grow

Dylan Garton
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Construction products market continues to grow

Sales in the UK construction products manufacturing market continued to climb for a consecutive fifteenth quarter in Q4 of 2016, according to figures published in the Construction Product Association’s latest State of Trade Survey.

The construction products manufacturing industry has an annual turnover of £55 billion, directly providing jobs for 288,000 people across 22,000 companies. Products range from ‘heavy side’ materials such as steel, bricks, timber and concrete to ‘light side’ products such as insulation, boilers, glass and lighting.

On an annual basis, 78% of heavy side firms reported that sales had increased in Q4, whilst on the light side, 75% of firms reported that sales were higher than a year earlier, which was the highest balance since 2014 Q3.

However, as uncertainty intensifies and cost pressures from the fall in Sterling post-Referendum hit this year, the industry may struggle to experience similar growth. Among heavy side manufacturers only 6% on balance anticipate a rise in sales over 2017 Q1, and 29% on balance of light side manufacturers anticipate a rise during the same period.

Rebecca Larkin, CPA Senior Economist said: “Construction product manufacturers ended 2016 on a strong note, with half of manufacturers on both the heavy and light side reporting an increase in sales in Q4, marking not only a fifteenth consecutive quarter of growth, but also the highest balances for the year.

“Unsurprisingly, manufacturers’ expectations for 2017 appear to have been tempered by the uncertainty surrounding the economic and political outlook. Heavy side manufacturers appeared most exposed to the effects of Sterling’s depreciation during the second half of 2016. In Q4, two-thirds of firms reported an increase in costs, the highest in five years, and a further 89% anticipate an increase over the next year. Rising costs of imported raw materials continue to be a primary driver of cost inflation, but there is now an indication that currency weakness is filtering through to higher energy and fuel costs too.

“The impact of Brexit on the construction industry is, as yet, unclear, but it is unlikely this year will be as buoyant as last unless government is able to provide greater certainty and the industry is able to manage cost pressures.”

Key survey findings include:

  • On an annual basis, sales rose for 78% of heavy side firms and 75% of firms on the light side, on balance
  • A balance of 50% of heavy and light side firms reported that construction product sales rose in the fourth quarter of 2016 compared with Q3
  • On balance, 6% of heavy side manufacturers anticipated a rise in sales in 2017 Q1, worsening from a balance of 45% in Q3
  • On the light side, 29% of firms expected an increase in product sales in the next quarter, compared to a balance of 67% in Q3
  • Annual cost increases were reported by 78% of heavy side manufacturers and 71% of those on the light side
  • Raw materials costs rose according to 78% of heavy side manufacturers and 88% of those on the light side
  • Fuel and energy costs rose for 71% and 61% of heavy side manufacturers respectively.

www.constructionproducts.org.uk

Cyclone Paint Mixer/Stirrer review

Roger Bisby
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Cyclone Paint Mixer/Stirrer review

Roger Bisby regrets not having used  the Cyclone Paint Stirrer earlier.

This little stainless steel stirrer has been sitting in my goods in bay for a few months now and, even though I have used quite a lot of paint  in that time I have not thought to use it.  To be honest I was thinking “It’s a stirrer, put it on the back burner, what can be that different about a stirrer?”

Cyclone Paint Mixer/Stirrer review

Having finally put it into an 18 volt cordless drill and given it a spin I am kicking myself for not having used it earlier.  I am amazed at just how good this little device is at doing the job. It is a complete revelation. The inventors have obviously put a lot of thought into the design. They made their device because they found that so many out there just didn’t do the job, leaving areas around the edge of the can where the stirrer couldn’t reach. It isn’t complicated, the shape of the blade is designed to make sure it can get into the bottom of the tin and importantly right to the edges so that nothing is left  unstirred. Also that little circular bit on the bottom that makes it look like the London Transport sign has a function. It allows the stirrer to sit on the bottom and spin. It is so much more efficient than a balloon shaped whisk that I wonder is has not been adopted by the food blender makers.

The inventors made this device because they found that so many out there just didn’t do the job, leaving areas around the edge of the can where the stirrer couldn’t reach

There is more to this than a simple flat paddle, the  tapered holes through the middle of the blade are wider on one side than the other creating a whirlpool effect. The liquid is drawn down through the middle and up around the edges.  The cyclone effect is  so powerful it can spin the paint can so you must be aware of this if you increase speed on your drill. Hang onto that can.

The manufacturers say it is suitable for plaster and tile adhesive but I am not sure it is large enough for serious amounts.  I have no doubt that it is tough enough but  just not big enough to deal with larger volumes.  Maybe they are working on a larger version for plasterers and it will be interesting to see how it works but if you are a painter/decorator or jobbing builder this is a tool that will last a very long time, or at least until somebody steals it.

www.cyklone.co.uk

70% of Builders Reporting Material Price Hikes

Dylan Garton
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70% of Builders Reporting Material Price Hikes

70% of UK builders have seen an increase in material prices due to the depreciation of the pound, new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has revealed.

Sarah McMonagle, Director of External Affairs at the FMB, said: “Thousands of smaller building firms are grappling with the rising cost of materials caused by the depreciation of sterling since the EU referendum. More than 70% of smaller building firms have experienced increased costs as a result of the weakened currency, with additional increases of 10 to 15% expected as the new year unfolds.

Anecdotally, construction SMEs are already reporting an increase of 22% in Spanish slate and 20% increase in timber

“Anecdotally, construction SMEs are already reporting an increase of 22% in Spanish slate and 20% increase in timber. A quarter of all materials used by the UK construction industry are imported – this is significant and underlines the vulnerability of the industry to sudden fluctuations in the strength of our currency. The combined pressure of higher material prices and the rising cost of skilled labour represents a serious challenge to builders.”

The combined pressure of higher material prices and the rising cost of skilled labour represents a serious challenge to builders

McMonagle concluded: “What this means is that home owners could start to see the cost of their building projects increase. It also means that consumer choice may be reduced as some home owners face having to compromise on aspects of their project due to the fact that certain materials have become too expensive. There is also an added headache for the builder, as material price rises can come at short notice and if they are mid-project, the original costing is no longer accurate. This makes pricing jobs problematic and leads to construction SMEs having to cover themselves against sudden price swings. Some builders are attempting to mitigate this by introducing larger contingency funds when pricing for a job, or by stipulating in the contract that the overall contract price will change in the case of material price hikes, making client budgeting more tricky.”

Kier secures £42m affordable housing fund

Dylan Garton
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Kier secures £42m affordable housing fund

Kier Living has secured one of the largest allocations of funds from the Housing and Communities Agency with an allocation of £41.9 million to build just over 1,700 new shared ownership homes in England over the next four years.

The contract is a part of a £1.28bn first round allocation from the Shared Ownership and Affordable Homes Programme 2016 to 2021 (SOAHP 2016 to 2021), which is now worth £7bn in total, having received a £1.4bn boost in the Autumn Statement in November.

SOAHP now supports the building of more ‘shared ownership’ homes, offering access to home ownership for those struggling with affordability, as well as new ‘rent to buy’ homes, enabling first time buyers to save for a deposit to buy whilst renting at discounted rates, and ’affordable rental’ homes for those renting in the private sector.

Kier is one of the country’s leading public sector housing developers, having launched a range of funding and delivery innovations designed to stimulate and facilitate public sector house building.  Over the last 12 months this has ranged from the launch of the £1bn New Communities Partnership fund, through to the creation of several major joint ventures with leading housing associations, through the Northern Ventures model.

John Anderson, Executive Director at Kier Living, said, “Kier Group has been operating in the multi-tenure housing market for over 70 years and this allocation of grant is testament to the leading role we now play in public sector housing delivery.

“This success is not only built on an enduring commitment to the sector and our public sector partners, but also on our continual investment in innovation and market stimulus; unlocking new ways to build new homes.  For example last year we announced our collaboration with Cheyne Capital and the Housing Growth Partnership to develop the £1bn New Communities Partnership with and end to end turnkey solution for local authorities.

“We welcome the opportunities that this first allocation of SOAHP brings.  It is an encouraging indicator of what we may look forward to in the Housing White paper over the coming weeks.”

tiliahomes.co.uk

How to: Fix your leaking stopcock – repair dripping water

Roger Bisby
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How to: Fix your leaking stopcock – repair dripping water

In this episode Roger repairs an old leaky stopcock with some PTFE tape. A simple solution to one of the most common problems any plumber will encounter.

Fix that dripping mains stopcock in under 5 minutes.

Man-up Key review

Roger Bisby
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Man-up Key review

Roger Bisby takes a look at the Man-Up Key, a new tool that is designed to allow manholes to be safely lifted by one person without the need for chiseling or hammering.

Man-Up Key, what a great name for a manhole lifter, unless of course you subscribe to the gender neutral version which is a person hole but person-up is never going to work.

Man-up Key review

The name aside this is a clever little device that uses kinetic force to hammer up the manhole cover. It is a slide action on the shaft that produces a succession of small shocks. It’s basically the same as you would achieve by hammering around the edges but the fact that it lifts the manhole cover a few millimetre every time means that any debris falls downwards to act as a wedge and the cover moves up bit by bit to the point where it is free.

This is so much better than attacking the edges of the manhole with a hammer and chisel or screwdriver. The problem still remains that you have to lift it. A domestic cover is fine but some of those deep section heavy duty road covers are a two man job if you want to avoid back injury.

In my days as drain unblocker supreme I have struggled with many a manhole and I usually found that I needed some sort of lever to help.

Not only are they heavy but the deep section means that you need to do a straight lift up and that is just about the worst move you can make in terms of lower back injury.  In my days as drain unblocker supreme I have struggled with many a manhole and I usually found that I needed some sort of lever to help. As Archimedes pointed out  there is no weight that can’t be lifted with a long enough lever. That said the tags or straps on the manhole are often just not up to the job so the little shock effects of this Man-Up Key are perfect even if you do end up using something else to make the final lift.

There are no Knighthoods to be had for inventing such a device but hopefully the Welsh  inventors of the Man-Up Key will win some kind of award from the Welsh Development Agency for services to man and his holes

All this  makes me realise that even with a simple things such as a manhole you need a bit of  joined up thinking. There are no Knighthoods to be had for inventing such a device, it will never be sexy but hopefully the Welsh  inventors of the Man-Up Key will win some kind of award from the Welsh Development Agency for services to man and his holes , because it is a clever and uplifting device.

Man-up Key review

manupkey.eu

Dutch firm introduces customisable smart thermostat

Dylan Garton
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0
Dutch firm introduces customisable smart thermostat

With a focus on ease of use, a clean high-tech design and the possibility for customisastion, ThermoSmart has give Google Nest and Tado a run for their money.

According to the company ThermoSmart allows the end consumer to control the temperature in their homes easily. The gadget like thermostat can be operated through an app, at home or remotely, using any smartphone, Apple Watch, tablet or computer, both on Android and iOS.

Recent studies shows that 75 percent of households are heating their houses while nobody is home, they can save up to 20 percent of their gas-consumption by smartly programming and remotely operating the thermostat.

The Thermo-Art program allows users to fully personalise and integrate the thermostat and adjust its design to the colours of the interior or the design of the wall paper. ThermoSmart is currently working with  brands like IFTTT making it an integral part of home automation. In the near future voice control will be integrated.

Recent studies shows that 75 percent of households are heating their houses while nobody is home

The demand for home automation is growing as is the increase supply of smart devices which are connected through the Internet of Things. Market research experts expect the market for smart thermostats to expand by 65 percent in 2017 and 2018. The Dutch team behind ThermoSmart is taking advantage of this trend. Online operated thermostats often are the first device through which people get in touch with home automation.

“The market is exploding and we are going to conquer that market,” says co-founder and CEO Hans Kouwenhoven of ThermoSmart.

Market research experts expect the market for smart thermostats to expand by 65 percent in 2017 and 2018

ThermoSmart is supported by InnoEnergy, the largest accelerator in Europe specialised in innovations in the energy sector. Recently ThermoSmart raised a new round of funding. For PR purposes this investment round was partially crowdfunded reaching its target within one week. The money raised is allocated for the international expansion plans starting with the UK and German markets.

www.thermosmart.com

Patent pending technology brings cost of solar down by 30%

Roger Bisby
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0
Patent pending technology brings cost of solar down by 30%

Boly Inc, a global high-tech company headquartered in Silicon Valley, has announced its latest patent-pending technology for renewable energy at the Consumer Electronics Show 2017 (CES 2017) in Las Vegas.

BolySolar is an evolving set of solar system technologies designed to revolutionise the energy industry. At CES 2017, Boly Inc. is announcing its fourth and fifth renewable energy products — BolySolar Enhancer and BolySolar Doubler.

The patent-pending solutions utilise mirrors or reflective Fresnel lens technology to concentrate light into the focal area, which can be mounted directly to a solar panel. Both solutions are constructed to enhance current technology solar panel solutions.

With the current price of solar panels declining, Boly Inc says its solution will bring costs down by a further 30% or more, and make higher-efficiency panels more economically attractive. This makes utility-scale solar power plants immediately more economical than fossil fuel power plants

BolySolar Enhancer has the following characteristics:

  • It can be applied to existing installations to increase power generation, so as to recover investments costs sooner.
  • Peak density is 1.3 times higher than existing fixed PV installations.
  • It can generate 1.4 times more electricity than existing fixed PV installations annually.
  • It can attach to existing fixed PV installations, with no need to re-arrange the panel layout.
  • It is designed to be an aftermarket consumer product for utility and single panel solutions.

BolySolar Doubler, more powerful than the Enhancer, provides:

  • A solution that will typically double the electricity output of a PV panel with flanking reflective Fresnel lens and mirrors
  • 1.8-2 times annual electricity output boost for fixed PV installations
  • Flexibility to attach to any solar panel, with or without a single axis tracking
  • Option for low-cost single axis tracker with self-cleaning technology

According to Boly Inc these products will reduce costs by 20-30% and increase power production by 1.4-2.0 times. “With the current price of solar panels declining, our solution will bring costs down by a further 30% or more, and make higher-efficiency panels more economically attractive. This makes utility-scale solar power plants immediately more economical than fossil fuel power plants,” said Dr. Xiaoping Hu, CEO of Bolymedia Holdings Co. Ltd.

Construction company fined after contractor suffers brain injury

Dylan Garton
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0
Construction company fined after contractor suffers brain injury

A Lincoln based Construction Company, specialising in fitting mezzanine floors was prosecuted after a contractor fell onto a concrete floor.

Guildford Crown Court heard that M & L Installers Ltd were contracted to install a mezzanine floor at a factory in Sunbury on Thames, Surrey. The design included a hole in the mezzanine floor where a lift was due to be installed.

A contractor who was working on the floor fell just over 3.5 meters and suffered life threatening injuries, when he stepped backwards through the hole, on 13 January 2015. He was hospitalised for 2-months after receiving a server brain injury any has not been able to work since.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that the company failed to guard the hole for the lift or board it up preventing anyone from falling through.

M & L Installers Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of the Work at Height Regulations, Regulation 6(3) and were fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £9165.56 costs.

HSE Inspector, Amanda Huff, commented after the hearing “The contractors injuries were life changing and he could have easily have been killed. This serious incident and devastation could have been avoided if basic safe guards had been put in place”.

Let SME builders deliver Starter Homes, urges FMB

Dylan Garton
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0
Let SME builders deliver Starter Homes, urges FMB

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has welcomed this week’s Government announcement, which gives the green light for the construction of thousands of Starter Homes, but has urged that SME builders should be given greater opportunities to deliver the homes.

The Starter Homes will be built exclusively for first-time buyers between 23 and 40 years old at a discount of at least 20% below market value.

The first wave of 30 local authority partnerships – selected on the basis of their potential for early delivery – will spearhead schemes. These partnerships have been established under the government’s £1.2 billion Starter Homes Land Fund which supports the development of starter homes on sites across England.

Construction to start this year

The first places will begin construction later this year along with sites supported by the Homes and Communities Agency.

The Starter Homes Land Fund was set up to prepare suitable land for quality starter home developments which can be built on by developers or through accelerated construction by 2020.

In addition, the Homes and Communities Agency has issued a call seeking expressions of interest from local authorities who are interested in using their land to deliver homes at pace through the £1.7 billion accelerated construction recently announced. This will see up to 15,000 homes started on surplus public sector land this Parliament.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “It’s great to see the Housing Minister kick off 2017 by giving the green light to the first Starter Homes. These homes will help some first time buyers get a foot on the housing ladder, and our small house builders are enthusiastic about delivering on that vision, but starter homes will not be a panacea. A wider set of measures aimed at increasing the capacity of the house building industry are needed to overturn the long-term under-supply of new homes. Central to this must be getting small and medium-sized (SME) builders delivering more new homes. For instance, the announcement of 14 ‘garden villages’ and more garden towns needs to be backed up by implementation plans which provide opportunities to SME builders as well as the large companies.”

Central to this must be getting small and medium-sized (SME) builders delivering more new homes.

Berry concluded: “These are positive messages to start the year with and they show that the Government is putting house building at the front and centre of its ambitions for 2017. With a Housing White Paper expected in the next few weeks this will be an important year for housing policy and its success or failure will be a key part of the new PM’s legacy.”

What’s happening with Skill Builder in 2017?

Dylan Garton
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What’s happening with Skill Builder in 2017?

Grab a cup of coffee and join us as we look at some of our highlights of 2016 and discuss what’s in store for 2017.

We’re looking forward to introducing you to lots of interesting products and concepts in 2017 as well as providing coverage of key product launches from some of the biggest brands in the industry.

Keep telling us what you like and don’t like and what you want to see more of. We’re still deciding the subject of our next big tool comparison test so keep the suggestions coming.

Equally if you have a product that you think might be of interest to the Skill Builder audience please get in touch.

A very Happy New Year.

Skill Builder’s top videos of 2016

Dylan Garton
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Skill Builder’s top videos of 2016

There’s been lots happening on the Skill Builder YouTube channel in 2016; here’s a few highlights.

Power tools

In January 2016 we published the first part of the new 18v drill test which was first published in 2014. This time we split it into three parts looking at: Part 1 – batteries; Part 2 – flat bits; Part 3 – final results.

We took models from: Milwaukee, Hitachi, Bosch, DeWalt, Metabo, Festool, Panasonic and Makita and put them through their paces. See a chart summarising our findings here. The test continues to spark lots of debate among professional power tool users and thankfully lots of praise too with some calling it the best drill test on YouTube and lots of speculation over what we should compare next. Impact drivers are topping the request list currently – let us know if you have any other ideas in the comments below.

Elsewhere on the power tool front our Festool TS 55 REQ Plunge Track Saw review has proved popular since it was published in August and the good news is we have lots more Festool reviews planned for 2017. Due to popular demand there will also be more coverage of Hilti’s products on the Skill Builder channel in 2017. First up will be Hilti’s new 24 volt combi drill.

2016 also saw the launch of our  roadshow series bringing you live recordings directly from the premises of leading power tool manufacturers. We kicked the series off with a visit to Bosch and gave away a Bosch cordless 18v drill to say thanks for watching. We’ll be revealing our next destination very soon and there will be more tools to win.

We also recently gave away the Fein Supercut 18v tested in this video.

How-Tos

We have a growing library of How-To videos and articles on our YouTube channel and website with notable additions in 2016 including:

How to lay Karndean Vinyl looselay flooring.

How to use Self Levelling (screed) Compound with Bostik.

How to fit a wall hung WC & basin with Abacus Bathrooms.

We will be expanding this library in 2017 with a whole series of How-To’s being brought to you in association with Abacus Bathrooms, and that’s just for starters.

Product launches

At Skill Builder we love finding out about new products that can make tradespeople and self builders more efficient and 2016 was no exception. Five of the top new products we covered in 2016 were:

Readymix airless spray plaster from Knauf.

Redland innofix clip

The Cladmad One Man Cladding Device

Jigtech Pro Smart Door Handle Fitting.

Atlas Bolt Samac Boron Steel Fixings

Health & Safety

On a more sombre note, one of our most watched videos in 2016 was a video covering the topic of ladder safety which we published at the end of 2015 following a death on a site we had been working on. It caused us to reflect on the serious issue of height safety and how the smallest of accidents can have the most grave consequences and the message seemed to resonate with many viewers too. Health & Safety can be a hard sell but most tradespeople have had some serious near misses in their time so it’s an issue which warrants all of our attention.

We touched on some health and safety products in 2016, such as the Polyco gloves in this video, but along with workwear this is another area where we plan to bring you lots more content in 2017.

Thank you

Thanks for subscribing to our YouTube channel, subscribing to our email newsletter, watching, following, commenting, liking and sharing in 2016. We’re constantly evolving and striving to make better content so your feedback is invaluable and we always love hearing about the times we’ve informed or even inspired you.

Paying the bills

If you’re interested in working with us in 2017, please don’t hesitate to get in touch via our contact us page – we’ve worked with more than one company who has told us that a Skill Builder video was the single most effective piece of marketing they ever undertook.

Follow us on YouTube here.

Happy New Year.

Construction industry predictions for 2017

Roger Bisby
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Construction industry predictions for 2017

Ian Anfield, Managing Director for construction audit and contract provider, Hudson Contract, provides his predictions for the industry in 2017.

“There’s no escaping the fact that Brexit will dominate the news and political agenda in 2017 and will have a massive impact on UK construction. This is primarily because we rely so heavily on EU labour to man our construction sites. Possible trade tariffs and US protectionism could shake up the materials markets in 2017, as well as the weakening of the pound increasing the cost of imported goods.

“Government policy around planning, the funding of infrastructure enhancements around new residential developments, social housing schemes, building on green belts, and penalties for land banking by the major house builders will have far more impact on house building outside the M25 than Brexit. The arm wrestle between the major house builders and the Government will continue into 2017, but let’s hope that smaller developers are not forgotten.

“The London property bubble did not burst in 2016, but it definitely lost a bit of air. 2017 could see the pressure continue to fall. However, instability in other European nations triggered by elections in France, Germany and Italy, and the fact that foreign investors now get more for their money, could soon see London return to bursting point in the next 12 months.

“2017 will be dominated by discussion about when all this will bite, and potentially, there could be a big name casualty if investors lose confidence in the UK market.

The rates commanded by self-employed tradespeople have increased 12% in the last 3 years, so a further 3% increase in 2017 would be a sensible forecast.

“There is already talk of skills shortages – downgraded from a skills crisis. My prediction is that whichever language you use, for 2017 we may see inflation in pay rates, but building schemes will not be shelved due to a lack of labour. The rates commanded by self-employed tradespeople have increased 12% in the last 3 years, so a further 3% increase in 2017 would be a sensible forecast.

“2017 also sees the merger between UNITE and UCATT, following the financial collapse under falling membership of construction’s only dedicated union UCATT. UNITE is already flexing its muscles on Crossrail which is dogged by disputes over bonuses, and how far workers are expected to walk before they find a portaloo. It will no doubt also be targeting the next batch of major infrastructure projects such as HS2, on which £900 million of enabling works starts in spring.

“The next 12 months may also herald the end of another institution – The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The Chief Executive Adrian Belton resigned in December whilst the organisation fights to prove it still has a place in a modern industry, 50 years after it was created and given levy raising powers. The Department for Education could well decide the CITB’s fate when it publishes a review in April, or it could be left to the industry itself when it is due to be given a vote on levy raising powers in August.

“One of the major obstacles for the CITB is the Government’s Apprenticeship Levy which from April 2017 will gather a new levy to fund 3 million apprenticeships. Firms which have a payroll of more than £3 million per year will contribute through their RTI HMRC submissions, and the money will be dished out to anyone who takes on an apprentice – levy payer or not – through the Skills Funding Agency.

“There are some potential dark clouds on the horizon, which hopefully will pass us all by. But when all said and done there are still plenty of reasons for builders, engineers, surveyors and architects to be optimistic about 2017.”

www.hudsoncontract.co.uk

Give This Man a Round of Applause

Dylan Garton
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Give This Man a Round of Applause

Anyone who tuned into the Band of Builders facebook live auction last Saturday evening, 17th December, which was broadcast via the Band of Builders and Builders Talk group facebook pages, could be forgiven for thinking the event’s organiser Addam Smith was going to take the rest of the year off. (If you haven’t heard Addam and the Band of Builders (BoB) story yet, you can read more here.)

Saturday’s event was a huge success, raising over £8,500 towards the purchase of Keith Ellick’s house, but organising, promoting and running the auction was no small task and by the end of it most people would have been ready to put their feet up.

But not Addam. This week Addam has been busy with his final task of the year, creating the #IliftedKeith video which features images of tradespeople and companies up and down the country showing how they have contributed to lifting Keith – whether it’s by buying a BoB hoodie or simply by sending a message of support.

Addam is planning to release the video at 10.00am on Boxing Day via Thunderclap, a crowdspeaking platform which allows a single message to be shared via multiple social media accounts flash mob-style – a bit like a virtual round of applause.

Addam hopes this will make the video and the BoB cause go viral but it’s also a chance for Addam to recognise those who have helped him out along the way. After all this is not just Keith and Addam’s story but it is also the British building industry’s, with the campaign’s success reflecting a generosity of spirit that is something for everyone involved to be proud of. As has become the BoB tagline: “Anything is possible when builders get together.”

www.bandofbuilders.com

Have you subscribed to the Skill Builder YouTube channel yet? We provide How-To, Product Reviews, Safety Videos, Giveaways & much more.

Essex companies fined after employees exposed to asbestos

Roger Bisby
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Essex companies fined after employees exposed to asbestos

Two Essex-based companies have been fined after exposing workers to potentially deadly asbestos over a period of years, despite knowing of its presence, in units that they occupied in Manor Road Trading Estate, Benfleet.

Basildon Magistrates heard that asbestos had been found in poor condition when Connect Packaging Ltd moved into the Benfleet premises in 2007, but that it failed to act on the findings. As a result, its employees were exposed to asbestos fibres.

When Connect Packaging Ltd moved out of the units in January 2009, it sublet them to Creo Retail Marketing Ltd, another company within its group, but continued to carry out maintenance and repair.  In 2014, following the appointment of a new health and safety officer, Creo Retail Marketing Ltd undertook its own asbestos survey.  This confirmed the ongoing presence of asbestos.

Despite this, workers remained exposed to risk while the two companies argued about who was responsible for its removal.

The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation, having been alerted by concerned employees. Its scientists found asbestos fibres at the workers’ clocking-in point, in the stationary cupboard and on rafters above their heads.

When asbestos fibres become airborne, they can be breathed in.  Asbestos is known to cause respiratory diseases and cancers, which can be fatal.   Workers at both companies were exposed to these risks over an extended period of time.

Connect Packaging Ltd was fined £65,000 and ordered to pay £8,150.23 in costs after pleading guilty to one breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations, both the 2006 and 2012 regulations.

Creo Retail Marketing Ltd was fined £150,000 and ordered to pay £8,149.63 in costs after pleading guilty to two breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations, both the 2006 and 2012 regulations.

After the hearing HSE Inspector Nikki Hughes said: “Although Connect Packaging is now under new ownership, whilst it held the lease on the units, it had a legal duty to manage asbestos within the non-domestic premises along with Creo Retail Marketing Ltd; both companies should have controlled the potentially lethal risk.  Asbestos-related disease has a long latency period so it’s impossible to predict what consequences the companies’ failure to manage asbestos may have on workers’ health.

This prosecution should act as a reminder, to all persons in control of the repair and maintenance of non-domestic premises, of the need to ensure that the correct control measures are put in place to prevent exposure to asbestos, so far as is reasonably practicable.”

For further information on asbestos visit: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/

Win a New York City break with CCF

Dylan Garton
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Win a New York City break with CCF

Insulation and interior building products distributor CCF, is on the lookout for trade superheroes to win a trip to go to New York City in May 2017.

The competition, which invites trade professionals to share what makes them a superhero, runs until 28 February 2017.

The competition has been launched as part of a campaign with top insulation suppliers Celotex, Isover, Kingspan, Knauf Insulation and Rockwool – to bring the best insulation support, products and expertise to market.

Tessa Cocksedge, CCF Marketing  Manager, said: “This campaign promotes our  superhero worthy insulation products, support as well as expertise, and as part of this we felt it was also time to celebrate the great work of trade professionals up and down the country. This is why we are inviting them to share their photos and stories of why they are a superhero in their every day jobs to win this fantastic trip to New York City”.

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