Search Results for: build rent

Roofing contractors sentenced over unsafe roof work

MKM Fabrications Ltd

Two roofing contractors have been sentenced after putting their workers at risk of harm during roof replacement works in Oldham. MKM Fabrications Ltd had been employed as the principal contractor to carry out a roof replacement on one of the buildings at Valley Mills, Millgate, Delph, Oldham which is currently used for textile production. The company subcontracted part of the …

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Airport Closed

Airport closed

There are lessons to be learned for Britain from Sri Lanka’s infrastructure problems, says Roger Bisby after a recent trip to the South Asian island. Bandaranaike International airport was having a few problems. According to the official Sri Lankan Tourist Board statement it is closed during the day for runway resurfacing. Our taxi driver laughed; he had a slightly different …

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Yes, yes, yes! Clever cot simulates car journeys

cot simulates car journeys

Not strictly a trade product but given that we love any products that can make you more productive we had to share this for any builders with babies out there.  For many new parents, there is only one guaranteed solution to putting their baby down at the end of the day – a night-time drive that soothes, calms and eventually …

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Plentific announces instant booking service for home improvement jobs

book home improvement jobs

London startup Plentific.com, a growing home services marketplace, has announced a new feature that will allow customers to book home improvement jobs with just a few taps on their phone. This new service lets customers skip the process of searching for potential tradesmen, comparing quotes and haggling for a fair price just to book a minor home improvement job such …

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Day in the life: Kevin Skeith (Dickies UK worker of the year 2016)

kevin skeith

Skill Builder’s ‘Day in the life’ feature takes a look at a typical day in the life of different tradespeople. In this installment, we talk to the inspirational Kevin Skeith who, against all the odds, recovered from a serious motorcycle accident which threatened to leave him as a quadriplegic. He now runs a thriving flooring business and became Dickie’s UK …

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Are all plumbers rescuers at heart?

plumbers rescuers

Roger wrestles with his inner rescuer. I was visiting a manufacturer of safety equipment recently and went to use the gents and found the place flooded out. There was one guy with a mop trying to clear it up but he was like the Sorcerer’s apprentice, the loo just kept overflowing. As fast as he cleared it up more appeared. …

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UK construction industry could lose 8% of workforce post-Brexit

UK construction industry

New  figures from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reveal that the UK construction industry could lose almost 200,000 EU workers post-Brexit should Britain lose access to the single market, putting some of the country’s biggest infrastructure and construction projects under threat. RICS has cautioned that for Brexit to succeed, it is essential to secure continued access to the …

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Unite expresses concern over ‘dead-end’ construction courses

Workplace fatality figures

A freedom of information request by Unite, the union for construction workers, has uncovered that thousands of young people are being placed on so-called ‘dead-end’ classroom based construction courses. The figures obtained from the Government’s Skills Funding Agency, reveal the number of classroom based construction courses increased by 14 per cent last year, totally dwarfing the number of apprentices beginning …

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Redland invests millions in tile manufacture

tile manufacture

Redland, the UK manufacturer and supplier of pitched roof systems, has announced that it is to build a new manufacturing line for its plain-tile appearance product, DuoPlain, and large-format concrete tiles and slates. The multimillion-pound investment will help secure supply of these products into a UK market that is currently experiencing huge demand and extensive lead times. The new line, …

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Most in demand trades could see wages double

year for bricks

British construction must recruit over 400,000 people each and every year between now and 2021 – equivalent to one worker every 77 seconds – if it is to create the homes and infrastructure the nation needs, according to the latest report from Arcadis. Failure to address the skills gulf could even see the earnings of some tradespeople sky-rocketing inside a …

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Skanska to Trial Smart Hard Hat

Smart Helmets

Skanska UK is to trial the DAQRI Smart Hard Hat on-site – industrial grade wearable technology that provides users with instant and relevant information, overlaid on their line of sight. Skanska is the first UK contractor to become part of DAQRI’s early adopter programme, building on the relationship that has grown between Skanska and DAQRI over recent years. The DAQRI Smart …

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Westferry Printworks demolition begins in London’s Docklands

Westferry Printworks demolition

Westferry Printworks owner Northern & Shell and development manager Mace have this week started demolition of Westferry Printworks in London’s Docklands, paving the way for a new waterfront neighbourhood just minutes from Canary Wharf.  Richard Desmond, founder and owner of Northern & Shell, together with his wife Joy and son Valentine, were on site for the proceedings. The Westferry Printworks …

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The wearable technology revolution in working clothes

wearable technology revolution

Snickers Workwear has always been well-known for its modern designs, innovative functionality and market-leading fabric technology. Now its WorkTrousers are getting even ‘smarter’ with the integration of technology to improve performance and wellbeing at work. Wearable Technology is already woven into our daily lives through smartphones, fitness devices, sports clothing and accessories – to help monitor and improve performance. A …

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Day in the life: Robin Clevett

Robin Clevitt

Skill Builder’s ‘Day in the life’ feature takes a look at a typical day in the life of different tradespeople. In this installment we talk to Carpenter and Joiner Robin Clevett. Name: Robin Clevett Trade: Carpenter and Joiner What time does your day start? Usually around 6am. What gets you out of bed in the morning? My mortgage!!! What does …

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Carpenters & electricians to benefit from construction growth, says new report

jobs for carpenters

Construction is set for growth over the next five years with carpenters, electricans and insulators among those to benefit most according to a new forecast  from the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB). The Construction Skills Network (CSN) report, predicts growth of 1.7% over the next five years, with 179,000 jobs to be created – a better outlook than was predicted …

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Baxi partners with Expert Trades

expert trades

Baxi has joined forces with Expert Trades to try and make life easier for its installers, by helping them to win more business and spend less time on admin and paperwork. Expert Trades was set up in 2013 to provide tradespeople with business tools (accessible online and via an app) to help them manage and grow their businesses more effectively. …

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Order books open for all new Volkswagen Crafter van

Volkswagen Crafter van

Prices have been announced for the all-new Volkswagen Crafter, with UK Van Centres now taking orders ahead of the van’s launch in April. The all-new Crafter, International Van of the Year for 2017 is powered by a new 2.0-litre TDI (EU6) engine, developed specifically for commercial vehicles, which is available with four power outputs: 102, 122, 140 and 177 PS. …

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Cyclone Paint Mixer/Stirrer review

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 …

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