The Government has made the right decision to row back on its plan to hike up National Insurance Contributions for the self-employed, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said. Brian Berry, FMB Chief Executive, said: “At a time when we need to do everything we can to ensure economic stability, this would have been a destabilising tax increase which …

An Oldham based building firm has been fined for exposing its workers to dangerous work at height. An Inspector from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued an immediate Prohibition Notice ordering Select Quality Homes Ltd to stop work at a site at Newmarket Road, Ashton under Lyne until workers had protection against falling from height. Manchester City Magistrates Court …

A Manchester building contractor has been jailed following the death of a casual labourer who fell nearly seven metres through a fragile roof. The 45-year-old labourer from Manchester had been carrying out repair work at Witney Mill, Manchester when the incident occurred on 23 November 2013. Saleem Hussain had been engaged by the warehouse owner, who believed him to be …

A building supplies e-commerce start-up is taking on industry heavyweights B&Q, Travis Perkins, Selco, Jewson and Wickes to offer savings of 20-35%. Go Banana is said to be the UK’s first comparison website for building and DIY supplies. With 50,000 searchable products Go Banana provides an online platform for builders, tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts looking to purchase supplies quickly and …

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 …

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 …

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 …

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 – …

A building company and its director have been fined for breaching Gas Safety law after putting a childminder and children in her care at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning. Plastic and Wood Specialists Ltd built a structure, that the childminder used to shelter sleeping babies and young children, around the flue outlet for the boiler. A carbon monoxide alarm sounded …

A builder from Surrey has been prosecuted for the fall of a worker. Redhill Magistrates heard how the worker fell 3.2 m through an opening in a roof onto a concrete floor. He survived the fall but was left with broken ribs, swelling to his brain and nerve damage. An investigation found that he was part of the team building …

Baxi has welcomed and strongly supports the Government’s proposals on changes to Part L1b of the Building Regulations (Conservation of Fuel and Power in Existing Dwellings), outlined in a consultation document launched today (8 December 2016). Incremental changes to boiler installations are being proposed to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes, which will result in lower household energy bills …

Anyone who has followed Addam Smith and the Band of Builders story in 2016 will know he doesn’t do things by halves. When at the beginning of this year the landscape gardening business owner found out his employee Keith Ellick had been diagnosed with terminal cancer he recruited a team of volunteers (the Band of Builders) from the Builder’s Talk …

A real estate lettings company has been sentenced for safety breaches after a self- employed builder suffered 1st and 3rd degree burns to his face, hands, neck and chest. The injured worker, 50 year old Michael Phillips, suffered an electric shock in October 2015 when he was carrying out work for IPH Investments Ltd at an address in Station Parade …

Band of Builders help cancer-stricken Keith Ellick and hopes to ultimately turn the BOB initiative into a charity to support tradespeople in need.

Doncaster based Tembé DIY and Building Products has raised £11,000.00 for Children with Cancer UK, with the money going towards research into finding cures and providing care for children with cancer. For every promotional pack of HIPPO Heavy Duty Trade Wipes sold, Tembé donated 50p to Children with Cancer.   Guy Malam, Managing Director of Tembé DIY & Building Products …

A builder has been sentenced to 250 hours of community service for putting a home owner at risk following renovations to their house in Cardiff. Cardiff Crown Court heard that Brian James was hired to carry out renovations to a bungalow in Cardiff specifically to install new plumbing and heating, including a boiler. Brian James admitted in court that although …

Consumer demand for building work remained resilient in the three months following the vote for Brexit, new figures from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) have revealed. Commenting on the results of the first UK-wide survey of the SME construction sector post-referendum, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Ongoing workloads for construction SMEs remained remarkably resilient in the …

Trimaco will be showing its range of heavy-duty surface protection and dust containment products at The Build Show, taking place this week from 17th-20th October at Birmingham’s NEC where visitors to the company’s stand will have the chance to win a whole pallet of Floorshell.  These include: From the Heavy Duty E-Z Up Dust Containment Poles to the X•Board Surface …

A building contractor has been fined after a worker was killed when a load fell from a tower crane during a lifting operation in Colchester. Urban Summit Construction Ltd was the Principal Contractor on a construction site at King Edward Quay, Haven Road, Colchester, where 780 student accommodation apartments were being built. On 8 January 2014, during a lifting operation …