Skill Builder Guides & reviews for building and construction

Travis Perkins, the UK distributor of building materials to the trade, construction and home improvement markets, and British Military Fitness (BMF), the provider of outdoor fitness classes, are celebrating a year-long partnership. The partnership, which forms part of Travis Perkins’s commitment to employees’ health and wellbeing, has run 120 dedicated BMF lunchtime sessions with Travis Perkins and plc brand Wickes …

Jail for plumbers at a firm that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims and charged rates of up to £672 per hour to unblock a toilet.

J G Hale Construction Ltd based in South Wales has been fined £100,000 for running an unsafe timber-frame construction site. Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court heard that HSE launched an investigation on 27 July after making an unannounced visit to inspect Hale’s site in the centre of Blaenavon. Fifty-four timber-frame houses were under construction, which carry a serious fire risk if not …

Scottish Hydro Electric Transmission has been fined following the electrocution death of a worker serves as a reminder of the importance of training

Bosch has launched a range of compact orbital sanders which includes what is said to be the world’s first cordless 18 V orbital sander. Intended for small preparatory sanding work, the range comprises the GSS 18 V-10 Professional and three corded tools: The GSS 140-1 A Professional, the GSS 160-1 A Professional and the GSS 160 Multi Professional. These orbital …

Roger Bisby tries out the new Starlock range. It is fairly unusual to see rival power-tool companies collaborating in research and development but Bosch and Fein linked up to develop the Starlock system for their oscillating tools. It is an attempt to do what the SDS drill bit did for hammer drills, in other words a simple click lock system …

Nilfisk has launched a range of mid-range hot water pressure washers which feature a four wheel design which makes them easier to pull or push on uneven surfaces such as construction sites. The low centre of gravity of the MH 3M & MH 4M models is enabled by the internal distribution of components making the manoevrable units easy to tip …

A Hertfordshire-based home improvement company has been fined after the unsafe removal of asbestos material from a domestic property. St Albans Magistrates’ Court heard how Ace of Hearts Home Improvement Limited (AOH) removed asbestos containing materials (ACM) from a domestic property in St Albans. Asbestos damage The Asbestos Insulation Board (AIB) soffits surrounding the underside of the guttering around the …

ForgeFix, one of the UK’s leading suppliers of fixings, fasteners and associated products, has developed a new range of screws which the company says has exceptional performance characteristics. The best screws on the market? In independent tests, the new screws outperformed most other premium screws on the market in areas such as drive-speed, cam-out reduction, corrosion resistance, shear prevention and …

Concerns over pushing up material costs could be exacerbated by a weakening currency following the EU referendum result, the FMB has warned.

Roger Bisby takes a look at the Wale Tale (sic), a device designed to minimise the spread of dust when mixing construction powders. Dust and the related health issues are a ticking time bomb in the building industry. Everyone knows about asbestos and most intelligent people do everything they can to avoid exposure to it but dust doesn’t begin and …

A Bristol based manufacturer of concrete products has been fined after a worker’s arm was torn off when it was pulled into the rotating tail pulley of a conveyor belt. Bristol Crown Court heard the injured man was making adjustments to a misaligned conveyor belt at Concrete Fabrications Ltd plant in Henbury, Bristol on 18 May 2015. The court heard …

Volkswagen has revealed the design of its 2017 Crafter panel van which promises good functionality for a vehicle of its size along with a host of safety technology thanks to the addition of electric power steering, a first for a panel van of this size. All-new EU 6 engines and new exterior design give the model the lowest consumption and …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 …