Category

A leading UK provider of wood burning stoves and biomass heating solutions has revealed the aspects of a home that Britons look for and find most appealing when property hunting. Findings revealed that exposed brick, a kitchen island and a wood burner/aga were the house features most likely to persuade respondents to buy a property. In a bid to discover the most appealing home aesthetics Briton’s look for when viewing properties for the first time, a new piece of research undertaken by a leading UK provider of wood heating solutions set out to unveil the elements attached to a property most likely to help it sell. The team at www.Euroheat.co.uk polled a total of 2,085 UK-based adults aged 30-65, all of whom were either …

Read more »

Mobile CAD Surveying the measured building specialists were recently asked to provide floor plans and elevational drawings of a large office building in Hounslow, c.113,000sq ft. They turned round their quote and started on site within 7 days, completing the full survey just over a week later. Most projects are a rush these days, but they didn’t realise that Galliard Homes, the developer was ready to launch and market the site immediately even though completion was still two years away. It turns out that they were very successful and sold all 228 apartments within 3 hours of the doors opening. Mobile CAD Surveying Solutions are proud to be associated with this development and happy that their efforts to turn the project around so fast helped the client achieve …

Read more »

London’s Whiteleys shopping centre is set to get a new lease of life after ambitious plans to restore the Grade II-listed building were submitted to Westminster Council. A joint venture between a Meyer Bergman-advised investment fund and Warrior Group is seeking to deliver a £1bn redevelopment of the once grand department store in Bayswater. The Foster + Partners designed mixed-use scheme, which will incorporate the iconic central dome, will see 500,000-plus sq ft built behind the existing 1911 facade. This will include construction of more than 100 homes, a mixture of apartments and townhouses. These will be arranged around an inner courtyard with new shops, a boutique hotel, gym and basement cinema. Exterior of the existing building will be retained although it will be extended up with two …

Read more »

Subcontractors and suppliers can pitch for work across the North West at a Meet the Buyer event at Haydock Park Racecourse tomorrow. Buyers already signed up to the event include contractors Wates and Seddon as well as clients like the University of Manchester, Bolton University, Highways England, Oldham Council and the North West Construction Hub. The University of Manchester will be looking for suppliers to work on a number of upcoming projects as part of the institution’s £1.2bn campus masterplan. There are also opportunities to deliver wider developments for the University that are currently in the pipeline, ranging from £1m to £10m across joinery, industrial kitchen installation, groundworks and security systems among many other trades. Olga Gough, client relationship manager at event organiser Constructionline, …

Read more »

New research by trade insurance specialist’s construcaquote.com has revealed that the average British construction worker will eat upwards of 1,500 calories more than the recommended daily intake. Despite this revelation, less than one fifth of workers polled considered themselves to be at all overweight.   As part of its ongoing research into insights and trends surrounding the construction industry, a constructatquote.com has investigated the eating habits and diets of a group of British construction workers, to look into how healthy they are compared to those with more stationary and less active jobs. Researchers at constructaquote.com polled a total of 2,193 male UK construction workers, all of whom were aged 18 or over. In order to keep the results as unbiased as possible, those taking part in the …

Read more »

8 Router Bits & Accessories for all DIYers Whether you are a seasoned DIYer, donning your tool belt or a novice who chooses their tool belt based on the cool logo it holds, there are some pieces of equipment that everyone who is worth their salt should know about. Working on the assumption that you already have the raw materials, we welcome new and experienced DIYers alike to our countdown of what bits you need to complete your tool box, from money saving essentials to the stuff that makes you look like a pro: Coming in at Number 8 Looking to make your money go the extra mile? This dry lubricant spray will increase your tool life, making your saw blade and cutters live on much longer than expected. Unlike…

Read more »

JCOP clarifies need for EN 54 fire alarm on construction sites If you work in the construction sector then the chances are that you have already heard of Joint Code of Practice (JCOP) or, to give it its full title; ‘The Joint Code of Practice on the protection from Fire on Construction Sites and Buildings Undergoing Renovation’. JCOP, as it is commonly referred to, for understandable reasons, has just been updated and is now available in its 9th edition. This edition applies to activities carried out prior to and during the procurement, construction and design process. JCOP is an important and useful document for construction professionals as it is often referred to in insurance contracts and is recognised as ‘best practice’, which means that it’s definitely worth …

Read more »

Main contractors will have to reveal where they are sourcing steelwork when bidding for major projects under emergency Government plans to level the playing field for the UK industry. The radical new measures are being introduced as concern grows that projects like HS2 will suck in huge amounts of cheap imported steel from China threatening the existence of UK steelwork fabricators and suppliers. New Government procurement guidelines also urge all public clients to look at the carbon footprint of steel supplies, including transport costs, when judging bids from main contractors. Procurement chiefs have also been told to take into account the social impacts of competing suppliers. Critcally, this includes the impact on jobs, protecting the health and safety of staff and the social integration of disadvantaged workers, …

Read more »

An interactive visual resource which showcases London’s finest and most-recognised architects and their respective buildings. London is gifted with a diverse range of architectural styles thanks in part to the age of the England’s capital but mostly owing to the talented pool of architects whose skills and creativity has helped shape the city’s skyline. To celebrate the collective talents of these architects and the ever-changing built landscape of London, Gregory Phillips has created a visual resource of iconic buildings called Architects of London. Visitors can navigate the guide using the left-hand side scrollable panel which features a choice selection of architects. Click on the architect to preview their iconic London building along with a concise summary of style, information on the architect and location …

Read more »

Starting a Construction Company – Guide for New Business  by AMA If you’ve ever thought about starting a construction company, we understand that turning your dream into reality can be tough. We’ve learnt some important lessons about business since we set up AMA, and wanted to share them with our readers. AMA Skip Hire has created a guide about how to start a building company, including important information about all parts of your business. The AMA Guide to Starting a Construction Company includes: Tips on writing your business plan The construction regulations you’ll need to know The benefits of joining the CCS Finding a base for your business Waste management options for businesses. Guide for New Business 

Read more »