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Topping out takes place at ground level when 16 metre steel truss is dropped into place A STEEL truss 16.2 metres tall that will be at the structural heart of the University of Huddersfield’s latest building was carefully lowered into place by a giant crane, guided by a team of construction workers.  But it took just a few turns of an Allen key for it to be secured by the trio of dignitaries called on to perform a special ceremony. The event was a variant on the traditional “topping out” that marks a crucial stage in construction projects.  It usually revolves around the installation of a final beam at the top of a structure.   On this occasion, however, the “topping out” took place at ground floor level as …

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New Property Renovation Calculator Gives Homeowners Estimated Cost of Home Improvements A brand new microsite has launched allowing people considering making home improvements to input information, such as the room they are looking to renovate, the size of the space and the region they live in, and then get an estimated cost for the work. Months of research have gone into making the home renovation calculator as accurate as possible. In a bid to help people understand the cost of home improvements before they start the work, the team at www.Web-Blinds.com has designed and built a home renovation calculator, based on months of research, to help users create the property of their dreams. The calculator initially asks users to choose the room they want …

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Investing in properties in order to sell can be a tricky game to play if the return on investment isn’t as high as you’d hope. Upgrades can sometimes cost more than the added value to the final market price of a property. We’ve listed some of the best home improvements according to experienced real estate experts and property selling and remodelling specialists. Surprisingly, a lot of the most rewarding remodelling projects are rather low maintenance and not too costly: you don’t need a labour intensive complete property overhaul to get the most bang for your bucks. Highest long-term Return On Investment: the entry door Replacing the entry door of a property provides a ROI of up to 98% according to data obtained by HouseLogic and is …

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‘Topping Off’ ceremony welcomes the High Sherriff to guide the trusses into position – at 12.30pm on Today Local firms help finish job AS an architecturally-innovative £27.5 million building at the University of Huddersfield takes shape, two giant steel trusses that will help lock the structure in place are to be installed in a special twist on the traditional ‘topping out’ ceremony. The ‘topping out’ ceremony usually commemorates the installation of a final beam at the top of a structure.  But the two herringbone pattern trusses – 16.2 metres tall – will extend vertically from the ground floor to the roof of the new Oastler Building at the University, four levels higher.  The trusses will act as a frame for the main entrance to the …

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When you have had a long day on the construction site, it’s time to switch out into more comfortable clothes. Depending on the job you’ve been doing, your clothes are all covered in soot. Maybe you’ve been plastering, perhaps you’ve been drywalling, roofing, or even putting up steel girders. No matter what job you have been working on, it’s safe to say you’d appreciate getting out of the job-site clothes and into something more relaxing. If you’ve got a date after a long day on the construction site, you definitely need to change out of your work clothes before meeting with your date. Be sure to check out some of the great outfits available at Boden for some of your options. Plus when you visit Groupon, …

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The UK’s largest contractor trade body, Build UK, has called on members to use British produced steel. The latest guidance to help support the constructional steel and rebar industries comes after the Government extended rules to encourage the use of British steel on all public sector contracts. Local MPs in Cardiff and Redcar are also writing to firms urging them to favour British-made steel in a bid to get the industry up and running again. Build UK, which represents major contractors and more than 30 specialist trade bodies, issued a statement yesterday saying its members were committed to providing opportunities for British-based steel producers to support local economies, create jobs, and reduce carbon emissions from transport. EU procurement rules require fair and open competition between member states and prevent public sector…

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Builder Pochin’s will start work this summer on the final phase of DeTrafford Estates housing scheme in Castlefield, Manchester. Castlefield City Gardens apartment scheme Planners have given the go-ahead to build the 11-storey City Gardens apartment building, which will provide 86 flats and commercial space on the groundfloor City Gardens will sit alongside two other DeTrafford developments, The Sky Gardens and The Roof Gardens, One Ellesmere Street and is part of a wider master plan for the area which could see the provision of 1,300 homes, a public square, courtyards and tree-lined walkways, together with 30,000 sq ft of commercial space. Work is already underway on phase one, The Roof Gardens, One Ellesmere Street, with all apartments and townhouses sold. Communal roof gardens on the eighth floor will include…

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The University of Central Lancashire has submitted plans for the first part of a major campus expansion in Preston. This flagship project will help produce the engineers our advanced manufacturing and aerospace companies in the region A planning application has been lodged for a planned £30m Engineering Innovation Centre that is hoped to reclaim Lancashire’s role as a national centre for advanced manufacturing. The project is backed by a client professional team including architects Simpson Haugh & Partners, project manger AA Projects and BDP as the mechanical and electrical and structural consultant. It is hoped work can start this year for completion in 2018. Rob Wallace, Dean, School of Engineering, said: “UCLan aims to close the skills gap by inspiring and shaping the next generation of engineering leaders, producing an extra 500 locally…

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Contractors involved in the construction blacklisting scandal have settled claims with another 180 workers. Campaigners claimed the latest payouts totalled “in the region of £15-20million plus legal costs.” The settlements come as the full blacklist trial looms at the High Court with the case set to start on May 9 and scheduled to run until July 31. The first tranche of payouts to 71 workers was agreed in February at a cost of £5.6m. Eight contractors – Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Costain, Kier, Laing O’Rourke, Sir Robert McAlpine, Skanska UK and Vinci PLC –  have set up The Construction Workers Compensation Scheme to try and settle with victims out of court. A spokeswoman for the contractors confirmed that 180 new settlements had been reached but declined to discuss payout figures…

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An HSE inspector ordered a site worker to immediately get out of a dangerous excavation during a safety visit to a London site. Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how RS Construction UK (London) Limited was working at a site on St Dionis Road, London.The inspector found there was an excavation directly behind the front door, which was the only entrance and exit for the site. The excavation was approximately 3.5 meters deep with no means of shoring to support the sides of the excavation and no edge protection around the top to stop anyone falling in. A worker in the bottom of the excavation was instructed to get out. An investigation by the HSE found that RS Construction had received previous enforcement action on similar risks on other…

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