News

Rising tool theft is having consequences for young van drivers

​​​​​​​A young tradie’s average policy now exceeds £2,026 – nearly four times the £520 paid by drivers aged 45-64

Checkatrade Labs launches Business Loans to power trade growth

​​​​​​​Trade companies can explore loan options from a panel of over 100 lenders and borrow from £25,000 up to £10 million

AUDIO NEWS: Young van drivers face massive hike in insurance costs and plasterer gets kick out of Dubai

Van drivers between 17-and-24-years old face 248% increase in insurance premiums, UK's Best Heating Installer crowned, and plaster kicked out of Dubai due to facial tattoos

Data Centre boom fuelling building services growth

​​​​​​​Data centres represented “the boom segment of 2024” with the value of planning applications almost doubling from the previous year to £2.6bn

Leeds College of Building Apprentice wins Guild of Bricklayers National Trophy 

Ellis Smith, an apprentice with Hirst Developments, secured a spot at the finals after winning first place at the Yorkshire Region Brickwork Competition in April

Tips on how to avoid overspending on van insurance

​​​​​​​Insurance expert Kara Gammell offers tips on how to get a great deal on insurance coverage and reduce payments

AUDIO NEWS: Rogue traders are undermining the heat pump market and a scaffolder wins £11.5 million

Rogue traders and poor industry regulation are blamed for undermining the heat pump market, construction insolvencies drop nearly 14% and scaffolder wins £11.5 million from a £1.5 bet

AUDIO NEWS: Labour shuts down changes to anti tool theft bill and industry needs another 239,000 workers

Labour shuts down several amendments to its Tool Theft (Sentencing) Bill, construction industry needs another 239,000 workers in the next five years and a painter searches for lost artist

CITB forecasts UK construction workforce to grow to 2.75 million by 2029

​​​​​​​CITB recently published its Construction Workforce Outlook 2025-29, which predicts that construction output in the UK will grow by 1.6% in 2025

Bats, newts and environmental regulation delays development: NFB

According to NFB, analysing appeals is a flawed justification for whether these and other species delay development because they ignore the most essential part of a planning application

AUDIO NEWS: Number of SME builders in Scotland plummets and Installer Show opens today....

Number of small and medium sized builders falls to its lowest level in 20 years, Installer Show opens today, and man gets convicted and fined for abusing a builder

RAC welcomes new National Parking Platform

​​​​​​​The platform allows drivers to choose to use one of six mobile parking payment apps, simplifying parking

Over 500,000 homes to be built through new National Housing Bank

​​​​​​​£16bn of new public investment will help build over 500,000 new homes, unlocking over £53bn of private investment, as part of the government’s Plan for Change

Do you know your worth as a tradesperson? 

John Cruickshank joins Andy Cam and Dave Smith to discuss the importance of knowing your value and not undercutting oneself and the ones around you

Another record month for certified small-scale renewables

​​​​​​​There were over 5,100 certified heat pump installations in May, as households continue to transition to low-carbon heating

AUDIO NEWS: £4 billion lost due to cowboy builders and tool thief gets convicted

UK homeowners have lost £4 billion to dodgy tradespeople, London's planning authorities are bias towards large projects and tool thief gets three years

AUDIO NEWS: Government sets up housing bank and more plumbers needed for Future Homes Standard

Government sets up National Housing Bank, CIPHE issues urgent skills warning ahead of the introduction of the Future Homes Standard, and a painter has a bright rugby career ahead of him

Petrol price drops for third consecutive month to near four-year low

​​​​​​​A full petrol fill-up now costs £72.74 for a 55-litre tank vehicle, while diesel is £76.13

Toolstation launches bucket hat to raise funds charity

​​​​​​​Retailing at £9.98, £1 from every sale will be donated directly to Macmillan Cancer Support

Breaking barriers: women reveal what it’s like working in a male-dominated sector

​​​​​​​Robin Clevett is joined by women from the trade in the UK who are undoubtedly trailblazing their way into a male-dominated industry and having tremendous success doing so