Mullins who sold his business Pimlico Plumbers in 2021 for £145 million plans to divest all his UK assets and shift the money to investments in Spain and Dubai.

Despite his exit plans, Mullins still intends to launch WeFix, a new London-based plumbing business branded “the Harrods of the handyman world.” 

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Select has joined the growing chorus of trade bodies calling for greater industry regulation in the wake of the Grenfell tragedy. 

The managing director of the trade association Alan Wilson endorsed the idea of an industry-wide regulator that was recommended by inquiry chair Sir Martin Moore-Bick 

Wilson added: “We have been calling for similar measures for more than a decade but despite significant cross-party support, our pleas have so far fallen on deaf ears.”

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Brick deliveries, a useful indicator of the number house building starts, leapt by nearly 20% in July compared to the previous month.

A rise in deliveries and house starts was expected as housing market sentiment picked up following a slight fall in mortgage rates since Spring.

Noble Francis, economics director with Construction Products Association predicted that the market would continue to gradually improve into 2025.

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To listen to the construction news please click below

Established in 1984, Parker Building Supplies unveiled its bespoke radio channel for customers and staff as part of its 40-year anniversary celebrations.  Parker’s in-branch radio aims to highlight key initiatives such as its ongoing charitable endeavours as well as covering local customer stories plus events and news of interest to customers.

The celebrations kicked off Thursday 5, September with a customer and supplier event at the Moy Avenue branch in Eastbourne offering food, music from the Fix Street team, special offers and lots of freebies, plus donations to Teenage Cancer Trust encouraged.

 Branch Manager, Matt Jenner (pictured cutting the ribbon) said: “Parker Building Supplies has been established since 1984, and now four decades on we know our customers really well. Our new in-branch radio channel helps celebrate this milestone while providing a novel way of entertaining and communicating news with all our staff, customers and suppliers.  We were delighted to welcome customers to our celebrations and raise even more funds for Teenage Cancer Trust too.”

Tom Parker established the builders merchants in 1984. Since 2018 Parker Building Supplies is owned by the Independent Builders Merchant Group ( IBMG) and is one of the largest independent builder’s merchants in the South East with more than 450 colleagues working across 20+ locations.

Here are some inspiring ideas to transform your home into a welcoming haven for your family:

1. Open Plan Living Spaces

Embrace open-plan living to foster a sense of togetherness. Removing walls between the
kitchen, dining room, and living area not only creates a more interactive space but also
improves the flow and makes it easier to keep an eye on children while cooking or doing
other tasks.

Incorporate flexible seating arrangements with comfortable sofas and movable chairs to
accommodate family gatherings and activities.

2. Dedicated Activity Zones

Allocate specific areas for various activities that your family enjoys. Create a cosy reading
nook with ample shelving and comfortable seating, a game area with storage for board
games and video consoles, or a craft corner with organised supplies for arts and crafts.

These dedicated zones encourage spending quality time together or pursuing individual
hobbies in shared spaces.

3. Family Gallery Wall

Celebrate your family’s memories and milestones with a gallery wall. Mix photographs, kids’
artwork, and other memorable pieces like tickets from a family trip or handwritten notes.

This not only personalises your space but also makes it a living story of your family’s
adventures and achievements.

4. Functional Kitchen Upgrades

Since the kitchen is often the heart of the home, make it more functional and family-friendly.
Consider a kitchen island with seating to encourage kids to interact while meals are
prepared.

Install durable, easy-to-clean surfaces, and ensure that storage is accessible to all family
members, including lower drawers for children so they can help set the table or assist with
meal prep.

Don’t forget the flooring either, it should be hard wearing to cope with all the feet that pass
through, so look for something stylish from mystonefloor.com.

5. Multi-Functional Furniture

Opt for furniture that serves multiple purposes to maximise space and functionality. Storage
ottomans, sleeper sofas, and extendable dining tables are great examples.

These pieces accommodate different activities and adapt to changing needs without
cluttering up space.

6. Inviting Outdoor Spaces

Transform your backyard or patio into an extension of your home with areas for dining,
relaxation, and play. Install a durable family-sized table for outdoor meals, a hammock or
swing for lounging, and a sandbox or play area for the kids.

Consider a vegetable or flower garden that the whole family can tend to together.

7. Bright and Cheerful Colours

Incorporate bright and cheerful colours through paint, wallpaper, or accessories to create a
lively atmosphere. Let children choose the colours for their rooms or have a family vote on
common area colour schemes.

Vibrant colours stimulate happiness and creativity, making the home a more delightful place
to live.

8. Educational Spaces

Create an area specifically for learning and homework. Equip it with a sturdy desk,
comfortable seating, good lighting, and organised shelving. This promotes a structured
environment for studying and can help keep schoolwork from spilling into other living areas.

9. Safety First

In a family-centric home, safety is paramount. Ensure that your home is child-proofed with
safe furniture corners, secure windows, and gates on stairs. For elder safety, consider non-
slip mats and adequate handrails in critical areas.

10. Shared Master Suite

Consider incorporating a small sitting area in the master suite where the family can gather
for quiet storytime or discussion. This helps parents maintain a private retreat while still
promoting closeness and communication within the family.

These ideas can help transform your home into a more functional, joyful, and cohesive
space that nurtures family life.

The key is to design with everyone’s needs in mind, creating environments that are not only
beautiful but also support the dynamics of your family’s daily life.

A happy employee is a productive employee. While getting the balance right can be tricky for your business, there are numerous ways to boost morale and promote wellbeing. One way is to create an inviting outdoor area. 

An outdoor space offers a refreshing break from your work's indoor environment. It serves as a venue built for relaxation, socialising, and even informal meetings. At least, that's the case when this space is designed with the right care and attention. 

Here are five points to consider when setting up a great outdoor area for your employees. 

Comfortable Seating 

For a welcoming outdoor area, there's only one place to start with the foundation: comfortable, durable seating. 

Invest in high-quality outdoor furniture that can withstand various weather conditions. If you have the space, it's also wise to opt for a mix of seating options. Benches, picnic tables, lounge chairs, even hammocks – by catering to different preferences and situations, your employees can remain comfortable while outdoors. For instance, the use of tables allows them to have lunch, work, or better interact with their coworkers. 

Greenery and Landscaping 

To significantly enhance your outdoor area's ambiance and aesthetic appeal, you should always look to incorporate greenery into this space. Potted plants, flower beds, shrubs, and trees add beauty while contributing to a calm, refreshing environment. 

Think about adding a variety of plants that bloom in different seasons to ensure the area remains attractive year-round. If possible, incorporate elements like a small garden or water feature to include that extra touch of tranquillity. 

Shaded and Sheltered Areas 

For the few days of hot weather experienced by the UK each year, it is important to deliver shaded areas for comfort. The likes of pergolas or large umbrellas can be used to create shaded spots where employees can relax without being exposed to direct sunlight. 

More importantly, you'll want to create a sheltered area for protection against rain and harsher climates. A gazebo or small pavilion can offer full protection from the elements. This results in your company's outdoor space remaining functional and comfortable throughout the year, encouraging more frequent use by employees. 

Smoking Shelters 

Extending on from the previous point, you should accommodate smokers and vapers in a considerate manner. This is essential for achieving harmony and inclusivity in the workplace. Begin by designating a specific area away from the main outdoor seating for smokers. Then, select a suitable smoking shelter, like those available via seton.co.uk, for your space that offers adequate protection. Comfortable seating and bins for waste disposal can complement this. 

By supplying a designated area for smokers and vapers, you can create a more pleasant, smoke-free environment for non-smokers – while also respecting the needs of all employees. 

Outdoor Amenities  

Want to make your outdoor area more engaging and enjoyable? Consider adding amenities that cater to a variety of interests. You can set up a BBQ grill for occasional team lunches, for example, or choose an outdoor game like table tennis for fun and exercise during breaks. Additionally, a sound system for playing ambient music can create a more relaxing atmosphere. 

Effective construction site management is crucial for the success of any project. It involves coordinating various tasks, managing resources, and ensuring safety and quality standards are met. With the right strategies in place, you can transform a chaotic construction site into a well-oiled machine. 

Plan Ahead

Effective planning is the foundation of any successful construction project. Before breaking ground, ensure every aspect of the project is meticulously planned. Create a detailed schedule outlining each phase, task, and deadline. This helps you stay organised and reduces the risk of delays. Consider all aspects, from material procurement to workforce allocation, to ensure nothing is overlooked.

Regularly update your schedule to reflect any changes and keep all stakeholders informed. This proactive approach ensures everyone knows their responsibilities and timelines, leading to smoother operations on site. A well-thought-out plan acts as a roadmap, guiding the project towards its successful completion while minimising risks and uncertainties.

Utilise Technology

Leveraging technology can significantly enhance site management. Project management software allows you to track progress, manage resources, and communicate with your team efficiently. Drones and 3D modelling can also provide valuable insights and improve accuracy in planning and execution. These tools help in visualising the project, identifying potential issues early, and making data-driven decisions.

Investing in the right tools and software can streamline your workflow, reduce errors, and increase productivity. Ensure your team is trained to use these technologies effectively to maximise their benefits. Embracing technological advancements not only improves efficiency but also gives you a competitive edge in the construction industry.

Maintain Clear Communication

Clear communication is essential for efficient construction site management. Establish regular meetings and updates to keep everyone on the same page. Use communication tools like emails, messaging apps, and project management platforms to facilitate real-time information sharing. 

Encourage an open-door policy where team members can voice concerns and suggestions. This fosters a collaborative environment where everyone feels valued and heard. Clear and transparent communication channels help in building trust and promoting a positive work culture, leading to better team performance and project outcomes.

Prioritise Safety

Safety should always be a top priority on any construction site. Implement strict safety protocols and ensure all workers are trained in safety procedures. Regularly inspect the site for hazards and address them promptly. A safe work environment not only protects your team but also boosts morale and productivity. Make sure that all safety signs are visible and that emergency procedures are clearly communicated to all workers.

Providing personal protective equipment (PPE) and enforcing its use can prevent accidents and injuries. Conduct regular safety drills and keep updated records of any incidents to analyse and improve safety measures continuously. A proactive approach to safety management demonstrates your commitment to your team's well-being and sets a standard for industry best practices.

Organise Your Documents

Keeping your documents organised is crucial for efficient site management. Use digital tools to store and manage documents, making them easily accessible to your team. Regularly update and back up files to avoid data loss. Organised documentation ensures that important information is readily available when needed, facilitating smooth operations and decision-making.

One useful tool to manage your documents is SmallPDF. With SmallPDF’s tool, you can easily compress your PDF, making file sharing more efficient and saving storage space. This helps keep your documentation streamlined and readily available when needed. Proper document management also aids in compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, reducing the risk of penalties and disputes.

Monitor Progress Regularly

Regularly monitoring progress ensures your project stays on track. Conduct frequent site inspections and compare the actual progress with the planned schedule. Identify any deviations and address them promptly to avoid delays. Monitoring tools and software can provide real-time updates, helping you make informed decisions.

Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure productivity, quality, and safety. Regular monitoring helps you stay informed about the project's status and make necessary adjustments to keep everything running smoothly. This continuous oversight allows for timely interventions and ensures that the project meets its milestones and deadlines.

Efficient Resource Management

Efficient resource management is vital for a successful construction project. Ensure you have the right materials, equipment, and workforce available when needed. Plan your resource allocation carefully to avoid shortages or excesses. Proper resource planning helps in maintaining a balanced workflow and prevents project delays.

Track resource usage and costs to stay within budget. Implementing inventory management systems can help monitor material usage and prevent wastage. Efficient resource management helps you optimise productivity and avoid unnecessary expenses, ensuring your project is completed on time and within budget.

Foster Team Collaboration

A collaborative team is more productive and efficient. Encourage teamwork by fostering a positive work environment where everyone feels valued and respected. Organise team-building activities and create opportunities for team members to interact and bond. 

When everyone works together towards a common goal, it leads to better project outcomes and a more enjoyable work experience for your team. Regularly seek feedback from your team and involve them in decision-making processes. This inclusive approach motivates your team and enhances their commitment to the project.

Manage Subcontractors Effectively

Managing subcontractors is a critical aspect of construction site management. Choose reliable subcontractors with a proven track record. Clearly define their roles, responsibilities, and timelines to avoid any misunderstandings. A well-defined contract and regular communication can help maintain a good working relationship with subcontractors.

Maintain regular communication with subcontractors and monitor their progress closely. Effective subcontractor management ensures that their work aligns with the project's overall schedule and quality standards.

Stay Adaptable

Flexibility is key in construction site management. Projects often face unexpected challenges and changes. Being adaptable allows you to respond quickly and effectively to any issues that arise. Encourage your team to be flexible and open to new ideas and solutions. An adaptable approach ensures that you can navigate obstacles and keep the project moving forward.

Regularly review and adjust your plans based on the project's progress and any new developments. Staying adaptable helps you manage risks better and seize opportunities that arise during the project. This dynamic approach ensures that you can maintain momentum and achieve project goals despite any unforeseen circumstances.

Emphasise Quality Control

Quality control is a cornerstone of successful construction projects. Establish clear quality standards and ensure that all team members are aware of them. Regularly inspect work at various stages to ensure it meets the required standards. Quality control prevents rework, which can be costly and time-consuming.

Implement a robust quality assurance process that includes regular audits and feedback loops. Encourage your team to take pride in their work and strive for excellence. High-quality work enhances your reputation and leads to greater client satisfaction, paving the way for future projects and business growth.

Implement Lean Construction Principles

Lean construction principles focus on maximising value while minimising waste. Apply these principles by streamlining processes, improving efficiency, and reducing non-value-adding activities. Identify areas where resources are wasted and find ways to eliminate or reduce this waste.

Encourage a culture of continuous improvement among your team. Regularly review processes and seek input from team members on how to make improvements. By adopting lean construction practices, you can enhance productivity, reduce costs, and deliver projects more efficiently. This approach not only benefits the current project but also builds a foundation for ongoing improvement in future projects.

Conclusion

Efficient construction site management requires a combination of careful planning, effective communication, and the right tools and strategies. By implementing these ten tips, you can streamline your workflow, improve productivity, and ensure the successful completion of your construction projects. Remember, a well-managed site is a productive and safe site, leading to better outcomes for everyone involved.

It carries your tools, equipment, and sometimes, your reputation. With such a significant role in your business, ensuring your van has the right type of insurance isn't just a regulatory necessity—it's a cornerstone of your professional security.

Commercial van insurance is designed to meet the unique needs of tradesmen who depend on their vehicles for more than just transportation. 

Unlike standard vehicle insurance, which covers personal use, commercial insurance accounts for the risks associated with business use.

Vehicle protection
One of the primary aspects of commercial van insurance is vehicle protection. This coverage ensures that your van is either repaired or replaced in the event of an accident, theft, or damage. This is critical because any time your van is out of commission, it directly impacts your ability to work and earn.

Liability for third-party damages
Equally important is liability coverage, which protects you if your van causes damage to another person's property or injures someone. This aspect of commercial van insurance is essential for protecting yourself against potential legal claims, which can be financially crippling without adequate coverage.

Legal expenses
In the event of a dispute or claim, commercial van insurance often includes coverage for legal costs. This can be invaluable when navigating the complexities of work vehicle accidents, helping ensure your business can continue operating without the burden of unexpected legal fees.

Personal accident cover
Another crucial element is personal accident cover, which compensates if you or a passenger are seriously injured while using your work van. This coverage is particularly important for tradesmen, whose work environment often involves significant physical risk.

Breakdown assistance
Finally, breakdown cover in commercial van insurance policies provides crucial support if your van breaks down. Whether stranded on the side of the road or unable to start your workday, having immediate access to breakdown assistance means less downtime and disruption to your business.

Tailoring your policy to fit your trade
As a tradesman, the exact coverage you choose should reflect your profession's specific risks and needs. For example, a florist delivering flowers will have different insurance needs than a builder transporting heavy equipment.

It is vital to discuss your specific circumstances with an insurance provider who understands the nuances of commercial van insurance for tradesmen.

In conclusion, the right commercial van insurance does more than just comply with legal requirements—it provides a safety net that allows you to operate confidently, knowing that your business assets and personal welfare are protected. 

For tradesmen whose livelihood depends on their van, choosing the right insurance coverage isn't just a business decision; it's a foundational aspect of their professional life. 

When selecting your van insurance, review your policy options carefully and consider all aspects of your business operations.

But that appears to be just about the only thing that anybody can agree on.

The idea of regulation is often floated as the best way to stamp out cowboy builders and rough tradies that do substandard work, leave angry customers in their wake, and cause headlines in the tabloids. But there isn’t any consensus of what form that would take. 

Should it be self-regulating, likely a voluntary scheme managed by a trade body or something bigger, backed by the government and encompassing multiple aspects of the trade?

Or should the whole issue be left to the open market, where Google, social media platforms and directory websites give customers the opportunity to ‘feedback’ about a tradesperson’s work.

Last week’s British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom and Bathroom Installation (BIKBBI) annual conference highlighted the issue of ‘rough installers’, and the reputational damage they cause.

The trade body's CEO, Damian Walters argued for some form of regulation complaining that “there are no barriers to entry”, so literally anybody can start work in the industry.

Highlighting the size of the problem, a retail brand also at the event said they had stopped using 450 installers in the last year due to concerns about the quality of their work.

According to Walters, many of those same installers will move on to another retailer where similar problems will happen again.

Whether industry regulation for kitchen, bedroom or bathroom installers ever gets off the ground will probably boil down to who is going to pay.

The current government has shown little appetite to tackle cowboy builders with additional laws. For now it appears happy to let Trading Standards take the lead, rather than invest in an expensive regulation scheme.

How big an appetite retailers and builders merchants have to invest in an independent regulator for the installer community is unknown. It would in theory provide them with a way to measure the quality of subcontractors that they use.

However, so would shifting away from using subcontractors entirely, and taking the installation process in-house. 

But again, it’s a cost issue. Having an in-house army of installers might ensure quality, but’s a hell of a lot more expensive than using subbies.

Speaking to an experienced carpenter a few days later, and he was quite clear where he saw the problem. Most of the subcontracting work doesn't pay well enough to attract quality tradespeople. 

So does the industry need to invest in skilled tradespeople (or developing skilled tradespeople) or in regulation? I love to think it would do both, but evidence would suggest that is unlikely.

I suspect most tradespeople would say people.

What’s not to like, it’s a law and order bill that looks to prevent the theft and resale of equipment and tools used by “tradespeople, agricultural and other businesses for connected purposes.”

To vote against it would be like voting FOR crime.

It’s worth noting how the bill got this far. Despite all the angst and hollerin’ from the trade about tool theft in recent years, nothing’s really happened. Nobody really paid any attention - not the general public, or the politicians, or the police.

The Equipment Theft bill sprung into life because Tory MP, Greg Smith constituents in Buckingham, a lot of whom I imagine are farmers and/or landowners, moaned and bitched because their quad-bikes were being nicked all the time. 

(By all accounts quad bikes are really to steal - who knew.)

Not really because of anything that tradespeople did.

And this brings me to my point - why are so many tradespeople passive on the issue? Heck, the trades are so passive that according to some stats, anywhere between 25 and 75% of tradespeople don’t even insure their tools.

And we know the problem is huge. A report by Simply Business and On The Tools published last year estimated that four out of five tradespeople have been hit by tool thieves. 

Forty percent of tradespeople have been hit twice.

And these are probably conservative numbers. What about all those incidents of tool theft that don’t get reported either because the tradesperson isn’t insured or they are completely apathetic to the situation.

At the very least, we need to report tool theft incidents to the police. I can hear you now: ‘Why? They won’t do anything, it’s not like I will see my tools again!’ 

You’re quite right, your tools are probably long gone and your options are limited. 

But reporting the theft is perhaps one of the few proactive things you can do.

Those reports contribute to crime stats and spiking crime stats, generate publicity, which can spur action.

Imagine your crime report is a pebble, being added to a huge pile of stones. But maybe your crime report is the one that turns the pile into an avalanche.

What have you got to lose?

Listen to The Clive Holland Show podcast below.

Speaking on The Painting & Decorating Show PDA chief executive Neil Ogilvie, said that one of the most common mistakes made by tradespeople was agreeing work verbally, or “on the back of a cigarette packet”. If there are problems on the job there is no paper trail to show what has been agreed by both parties.

Ogilvie advised decorators to prepare detailed quotes, preferably on company letterhead, sign and date it, and send it to the client.

Make sure when you are doing the quotation it is on headed notepaper, you’ve signed it, you’ve dated it, and it is accepted,” explained Ogilvie.

“If you have both signed and dated it, then if problems arise at least, you have some clarity and cover,” he added.

With materials prices changing rapidly, Ogilvie recommended that painters and decorators should also double check the costs before sending over a quote to the client, particularly if a long period of time has passed since providing the initial quote and setting a date to start work.

Show host Joel Bardall prefers to provide clients with an estimate on the work, rather than a full quote, in part because it gives him greater flexibility to incorporate things like price increases into the final price.

Regardless of whether you’re getting the client to agree on a final quote or a price estimate, the key thing is to “always get it in writing”, said Ogilvie.

Neil Ogilvie returns next week to discuss snagging and difficult customers.

To listen to the full show, click below.

The analogy isn’t strictly accurate, but it shows the importance of having money saved to pay for the unexpected. 

Last week’s Heating & Plumbing Show, with host Andy Cam and show regular Todd Glister offered practical advice on managing cashflow, paying the building merchant, and investing for the future.

Here are some key tips from our show hosts.

1 – Protect your cashflow: Don’t use your money to finance somebody else’s project. Covering the cost of a boiler for a week is fine, but don’t buy all materials upfront with your cash. Secure a payment from your client.

 2 – Keep track of costs: Everybody underestimates how much they owe the building merchant. Even experienced tradespeople. Try and keep accurate records so you have an idea of how much you owe. Then add 15-20% on top.

3 – Plan for the worst: Nobody ever thinks they’re going to get injured at work. But tradespeople often are, and they all say: ‘'I'm glad that I had money put aside to tide me over.’

“You have to have something, just in case something bad happens,” said Todd Glister.

4 – Find partners: Partners help grow your business, particularly when you are starting out. Many plumbing and heating engineers sign up with local builders or kitchen installers because they bring in regular work, meaning you don’t have to advertise, or source your own jobs. 

But you need to be clear what you need to be paid, and when. “Once the payment stops, just stop work. Don’t let them dangle that carrot, because sometimes you can end up in hot water,” said Andy Cam.

5 – Invest in property: So, once you’ve made a bit of money, what should you do with it? Well, like Monopoly, invest in property. Both Andy Cam and Todd Glister have built or renovated investment properties.

“It is utilising your skills to your advantage,” said Glister.

“Even though I can't do all of it, I have been in the trade long enough to know bricklayers, roofers. It is a lot easier for us tradespeople to do [it] than a normal person,” he added.

For the full show, click below.

“Could I start a business?”

“Would I make a good boss?”

These are common questions thought by an inquisitive and budding entrepreneur. But what's your brain telling you?

How do you stop your inside voice from putting you off from finally being your own boss? 

The doubts usually pick out all the “what-ifs” and the worst-case scenarios; it’s too hard, it’ll be too stressful, I won’t be able to afford to live.

That’s why you need to hear from people just like you, who have been there, done that, and got the business!

Where to start with getting your trade business off the ground 

First, get your facts straight about starting your own trade business. It’s not for everyone, but if you’ve got the drive, then the best place to start is by learning from successful business owners.

Which is why, the free ‘Become the Boss’ series by Checkatrade might just be what you need to get cracking.

‘Become the Boss’ is a free series that offers you advice on starting your own trade business.

The best part about it is you will get 7 emails with information and actionable steps for you to get started up. And along the way, you’ll hear from real tradespeople who decided to go it alone and are now killing it with their business. 

The tradespeople you'll hear from are Checkatrade members, Richie, Cathy and Mark.

Here’s a little taster.

With the government trying to reduce spending to combat inflation, tradespeople are on their own. Over the last six months, The Clive Holland Show and Fix Radio’s series of trade shows have discussed the recession, the impact for sole traders and construction related businesses, and given advice on getting through the next year. 

(Here’s what Chris Frediani had to say about it just last week.) 

As we edge into the new year here is a quick summary of the basics.

1 – Look at your numbers: You can’t understand how your business is performing until you’re familiar with the underlying numbers – what are your outgoings? And what are your revenues? Some tradespeople like to look at these numbers monthly, others break these down into a daily figure, that way they know how much money they need day-by-day to cover their costs.

2 – Speaking of your costs: Once you are familiar with your business revenues, you can start making judgement calls on your cost base. You don’t have to start making cuts immediately, (nobody has a clear picture about the market next year), but it makes sense to know where you could make cuts. If you are leasing a business unit, look at your lease, and ask yourself, ‘do you need it and how much money could you save if you got rid of it?’

3 – Cash flow: Once you know your costs, start squirrelling away a cash reserve (if you haven’t already done so) and pay strict attention to cash flow. Now is not the time to finance a client’s project so get a deposit for booking work and depending on the size of the job, to cover your initial materials cost. 

The deposit needs to be large enough to make a client reconsider cancelling but be flexible. You don’t want to scare customers off.

4 – Pricing: A lot of tradespeople are already reporting that customers (whether they are domestic clients, or bigger contractors) are pushing down prices. 

This is where experience counts.

While it is tempting to drop prices to win business, nobody whether you’re a plumber, a painter or a sparkie wants to be in a ‘the lowest bid wins’ market. 

Yes, there will be pressure to reduce prices, but with high fuel, energy, material and labour prices persisting in 2023, wiggle room on prices is limited.

Again, you need to know your cost base, and what you want to take home for your own time and effort. That will guide you in your pricing strategy.

5 – Marketing: It may sound counter initiative but if anything, marketing is more important in a recession.

Most tradespeople rely on ‘word of mouth’ recommendations to win business. That is great while there is demand in the market, but when that drops off you need another customer pipeline. 

With tools like Google or Facebook ads can cost effectively put your trade brand in front of a new audience.

At the bare minimum open social media accounts for your business and use them to showcase your work, even if it’s simple before and after pictures of your work. 

Frequent, personality driven content will encourage customers to invest in you.

To find out more listen to Jon Mears on The Painting & Decorating Show.

6 – Get it in writing: In a recession, a customer’s conditions can change very quickly, so more than ever, you need to make sure you have everything in writing, particularly around the scope of work and payment terms. Now is not the time to rely on handshakes and good faith.

Do not be vague about these things – be upfront, straightforward, and polite. 

It is best to get an idea sooner, rather than later about whether your customer is jittery about payment, at least that way you’re limiting your exposure. For more listen to this episode of The Heating & Plumbing Show.

7 – What else can you do with your business: If business slows down, it’s worth considering what other services you can offer, or markets you can approach. If you’re working in plumbing, can you switch into heat pumps and insulation? Working mainly on domestic projects, then does a switch to commercial work offer steadier work?

The bottom line is you need to be flexible and be prepared to change. 

Hear what Clive had to say about the forthcoming recession below.

At the start of this year, having put COVID in the rear-view mirror, there was optimism that better times lay ahead. Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out that way. A war in Ukraine, and an international energy crisis set the scene for one domestic crisis after another.

This time last year, we suggested seven great ideas for the construction sector to get cracking with this year. After 12 months the only thing that really improved was the reduction in COVID cases. The pandemic now seems so remote, even Matt Hancock has felt it safe to return to public life. 

Speaking of government, the Tories’ brand of comedy politics resulted in no progress being made on the industry’s skills shortage, van and tool theft, cowboy-builders, or improving sustainability in the building sector.

We had hoped that the then construction minister, Lee Rowley would remain in situ until the end of the year. As it is, we’re on our fourth construction minister this year, and third prime minister. 

As for mental health, the ONS figures released in December showed an increase in suicides in 2021. Of the 507 people working in construction occupations who took their lives, 503 were male. 

At least the materials market started to normalise – up to a point. Items that require large amounts of energy to make, (such as bricks, glass, steel) or need microprocessors all remain expensive and at the mercy of further price increases.

But what now for 2023? In all likelihood tradespeople face a tough year as the cost-of-living crisis, double-digit inflation, sky-high fuel and food prices and, and high mortgage rates stall demand for home renovation, improvement and maintenance work, and the new housing market slows.

Given the gloomy economic outlook, here are some of the predictions for next year.

1 – Skills: If there is a bright side, it’s that you’re a skilled worker at a time when there is a global shortage of tradespeople. You’re in a strong position to find work, but don’t be surprised if you have to travel further, or if you have to go subbin’.

Despite the government’s renewed commitment to vocational education in the recent autumn budget statement, there is unlikely to be an improvement in the short to near term figures of young people entering the trades. If anything, during a recession, training roles are cut.

Try to remember that good apprentices help you to grow your business.

2 – Energy costs drive home improvement market: High energy costs will push wealthy consumers to invest in insulation, low-carbon heating systems and solar PV, as they try to reduce bills.

After a slow start, the Boiler Upgrade scheme is working – more people are switching to heat pumps. 

This programme has just scratched the surface. The UK has the most energy inefficient buildings in Europe and it needs fixing if the country is to meet its net zero carbon ambitions. That presents an opportunity for tradespeople with the right skills. How quickly that market emerges is debatable.

3 – Mental health: Superficially at least there appears to be much greater awareness around mental health in the building sector, but there is a long way to go. Speaking on The Clive Holland Show earlier this year, Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Charity estimated that 90% of the workers it saw on-site as part of its Make It Visible campaign were unaware of the charity and the scale of the problem. 

As this year will probably be tough for many in the trades, let’s all make a concerted effort to keep an eye on our friends and co-workers. (See our Mental Health Week).

4 – Van and tool theft: The problem continues to be overlooked by lawmakers and the police alike. A couple of positive points – the police are recruiting another 20,000 officers; and the government has given itself a 20% crime reduction target. 

But on the ground the situation hasn’t changed and it’s probably best to assume it won’t. The best approach to protect your van, tools and livelihood is to invest in additional security and insurance. (See Anti-Tool Theft Week). 

5 – The construction minister: The construction minister is supposed to act as a bridge between the industry and the government, but for the last six months the role has been effectively empty.

The construction sector makes up nearly 10% of this country’s GDP and plays a vital role keeping the wheels of the wider economy turning, so you hope the current incumbent, Nusrat Ghani sits up, takes notice, engages the industry and decides she can make an impact.

Over to you Ms Ghani.

Unfortunately, there were few reasons for optimism.

Incidents of tool and van theft are on the rise. The response from law enforcement and politicians, appears to be indifference. Tool theft seems to sit below B&E and slightly above vandalism for most police forces. 

Being blunt, nobody died, no major headlines were created, and so the problem lingers at the bottom of the law and order agenda for both police and politicians.

The response by van and tool manufacturers is a mixed bag. There have been some security improvements, but it is hard to argue that any of them see combatting tool theft as a priority or improved security as a selling point, (which seems odd).

Here are some of the key takeaways from Anti-Tool Theft Week on Fix Radio.

1 - Tool theft is easy. It is easy to break into vans, it is easy to sell the tools online or at the local car boot sale, and a low conviction rate for tool theft indicates, it is highly unlikely that anybody will be caught or prosecuted for turning over a tradesperson’s van.

Basically nobody should be suprised that tool theft is a growing problem.

A survey by the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles released two months ago estimated that a third of van owners had been a victim of tool theft - up from 25% last year. The same survey claimed that UK tradespeople spent £4.4 billion replacing tools.

Another report, by On the Tools and Simply Business, claimed an even higher percentage of tradespeople - four out of five or 78%- had been raided by tool thieves. 

Some 59% of respondents said they had been hit in the last year alone.

The same report estimated nearly 40% of tradies had been by tool thieves twice. 

Puzzlingly, the same report said that over half of tradespeople do not have tool theft insurance.

Basically, the situation is miserable.

This is what some tradespeople had to say on the matter.

View this post on Instagram

2 - Last year, Tory MP Greg Smith tabled a bill to force online adverts for second hand tools to include the tool serial numbers in searchable text. It wasn’t a bad idea, but ultimately, it went nowhere. Since then, there has been nothing - not even a flicker of recognition from the Houses of Parliament about the tool theft issue.

Given the UK’s state of ‘permacrisis’ things are unlikely to change in the near future.

3 - Police across the country have been coming under increasing pressure in the last year, as any number of scandals have come to light. Home Office figures published in August highlighted just how ineffective the police is at securing charges in burglaries and thefts.

With the police attempting to recruit 20,000 new officers, and the Tory government committed to a 20% reduction in crime, we could (perhaps) hold out hope that the cavalry is about to arrive. 

Appearing on The Clive Holland Show during Anti-Tool Theft Week, Jim Talyor, detective chief superintendent, head of Unit, OPAL, said that, “forces are going to be put under a great deal of scrutiny around our detection rates and bringing crime down.”

We will have to wait and see.

4 - Tool theft wouldn’t be as popular if it wasn’t so easy to break into vans. According to the OTT report, 39% of tools were taken from vans, while they sat outside their homes. 

(Only 20% reported having tools taken at work.)

Speaking on The Clive Holland Show, security expert Jeff Scott from Sussex Installations said, while security on vans had improved in the last year, he still commonly sees shocking security lapses on brand new vehicles.

As one listener suggested, van manufacturers should hire ex-thieves to point out the security flaws in their vehicles before they are released. (Even then, due to the long design and manufacturing times for vehicles it could be two years before those improvements are integrated into the production line for vans.) Still, not a bad idea.

In the meantime, DIY van security is becoming a big thing. Whether it is fitting plates to shield the lock yourself, adding shed bolts and alarms, or even putting a baby monitor into the van at night, enterprising tradespeople are increasingly doing it for themselves.

5 - The big question is how do we get other people to care about tool theft? Tradespeople get passionate about people nicking their tools and damaging their vans, but to get sufficient momentum we need ‘Joe Public’ to sit-up and take notice.

In the meantime, it is “down to us” as social media influencer, PB Plumber put it when he appeared during the week.

“We are on our own, and if you want to protect your tools then it is down to you to do it.

There are other companies that do things like insurance and some tool manufacturers have systems in place, but at the end of the day it is your responsibility and no-one is going to help you,” he said.

Read last year's summary here.

Here Joel Bardall get angry about tool theft here.

Listen to The Clive Holland Show podcast below.

Of course, we now know that not only was it Kwasi Kwarteng’s first but remarkably, also his last fiscal statement. When the mini budget was announced, some economists called it the ‘biggest political roll of the dice in decades.’ Rather abruptly we were reminded, that the key markets are highly averse to big, unfunded surprises.

As we moved through October we saw the installation of a new Chancellor, U turns on virtually every signature mini budget proposal that wasn’t already going through Parliament, and a PM’s resignation. There still, of course, the prospect of further important changes in the weeks and months ahead, under new PM Rishi Sunak.

It’s worth noting that while ECA generally welcomed the business-related interventions in September’s mini budget, we were critical of the initial proposal to reverse the recent IR35 reforms. This was because many member businesses tell us that they really do not need see-sawing business policies, and even less so when they have invested in the policy change already.

Astonishingly, by mid-October we all learned that the IR35 reforms will stay after all. Elsewhere in what else remains of the mini budget – at least for now – ECA supports bringing onshore wind consents and planning ‘in line with other infrastructure to allow easier deployment in England’. Even so, recent government smoke signals about making it harder to deploy solar on hitherto PV-suitable farmland were not encouraging for those advocating clean energy.

Remarkably, PV installers found an unexpected ally in former Business Secretary Jacob Rees Mogg who apparently rejected telling farmers what they can and cannot do with their land. But continual political, policy and economic turbulence is only the backdrop to the day-to-day reality of conducting an engineering services business, of whatever size.

But as we know, our industry is also faced with persistent and underlying business and supply chain challenges. ECA members tell us they are very concerned about the long-term outlook, as businesses struggle with rising costs, and with recruiting skilled labour.

Over the past 12 months inflation in the engineering services marketplace was caused mainly by demand exceeding pre-pandemic levels. The sector worked hard to recover from the impact of the pandemic and to meet customer needs. However, global pressures are firmly behind UK and international inflation. While the pound moves around in periods of financial uncertainty, a sustained depreciation would further increase many material prices in a sector that has already experienced well over 20% price inflation.

Directly, the price of imported construction products (such as steel, copper, aluminium, and anything using semi-conductors) would undergo further price increases. In addition, attempts to switch to UK product sourcing, though laudable, may be ineffective if these products rely on overseas materials and components which may in turn be expensive or in short supply. On a global level fuel and energy is often priced in USD and a depreciating pound would add further to already sky-high operational energy prices that are affecting everyone.

Sharp rises in interest rates affect lending costs and mortgages when, due to inflation, real household income is falling. The market is said to expect interest rates to rise to around 6%. The result is rising finance costs and inflation, reducing demand in the housing market (both prices and transactions), and house building (the largest construction sector). Various published forecasts predict that national house prices may fall by 8% or so in 2023.

A fall in demand for housebuilding may be extremely hard and sharp. As household incomes struggle to cope with rising energy bills and stagnated real income due to double digit inflation, the domestic repair, maintenance and improvement sector (the 2nd largest market in construction) will struggle. Output has been falling since March and noting output in the sector in July 2022 was still 15.5 per cent higher than pre-pandemic, it may have a long way further to fall.

Commercial (offices, retail, leisure, the 4th largest construction sector) is reliant on large, upfront investment (often from international investors) for a long-term rate of return that is now under threat. Investors have become risk-averse to major investment in commercial towers when costs are also spiralling. So, we can reasonably expect that various projects will be paused (for repricing), pushed back, or cancelled. Theoretically, infrastructure should be the least affected as the key finance (central government/local authorities and regulated sector firms) is more stable.

However, sharp cost rises mean that, with constraints in November 2021’s 3-year Spending Review and 5-year spending plans for regulated sectors, we should expect expenditure but a fall in volume. In the medium-term, we might see projects pushed back into the next spending round, due to lack of finance. Meanwhile, local authorities, already financially constrained, may well see cutting new projects as a way to divert finances towards rising operational, repair and maintenance costs.

None of this will help to realise the current UK mantra of achieving growth. Nor does it bode well for the pipeline of work for the construction and maintenance sectors. Much of what happens next will be driven by global factors in addition to the government’s latest fiscal strategy, but the actions of government, will still be highly significant for our sector.

ECA continues its considerable representational efforts with government and our key industry stakeholders on behalf of our sector. In addition, we provide all Members with access to free, experienced and highly relevant operational information and advice. If you’d like to know more about what we can do to help your business to plot a course through the challenges ahead, contact C&C@eca.co.uk.

Here are five things we learned throughout the week.

 1 – Some good news, and some not so good news

There is some good news. With the limited data we have, it seems that awareness and support to the sector’s mental wellbeing crisis is increasing.

Appearing during Mental Health Week, Daisie Rees-Evans, policy and public affairs officer, at the Chartered Institute of Building, said that research from August suggested that “more than half” of those surveyed had seen an increase in mental health support since the start of the pandemic.

But unfortunately, increased support hasn’t reduced the industry’s suicide rate. 

Still two people working in the construction industry commit suicide every working day in the UK.

Construction workers are three times more likely to end their own life than workers in other industries.

So, there is still loads of work to be done.

2 – Raising awareness is still the biggest issue

You would have thought everybody has got the message, right? Apparently not.

On the first day of Mental Health Week, Bill Hill, CEO of Lighthouse Club said that after visiting building sites across the UK in the summer with the Make it Visible campaign, they were just scratching the surface of the problem. 

Despite all the discussion, media coverage and fundraising, 90% of those they saw onsite hadn’t heard of the construction charity and weren’t aware of its services. 

That is a pretty good indicator of the scale of the problem and how much work still needs to be done.

3 – Concern of losing work stops people opening-up about mental health

A 2019 report by the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) estimated that 56% of construction workers were employed by companies without mental health policies.

Superficially, at least there is evidence that the pandemic has accelerated the introduction of mental welling support.

But for many construction workers, particularly the agency hires, self-employed or zero-contract workers that make up 56% of the industry’s workforce, there is a real fear they’ll lose work if they open-up about mental health to colleagues and employers.

Employees (regardless of employment status) need confidence to come forward and discuss the issue. This starts and ends with the people running construction companies.

4 – Staying active can help your mental wellbeing

Everybody needs to find what works for them. 

During the week there were a lot of people contacting Fix Radio talking about how exercise helps them manage their mental wellbeing.

A few had completed the coast-to-coast walk. Some go running. Others help run the local football team. Mark Crossley, ex-Nottingham Forest goalkeeper, goes walking.

It’s all endorphins and getting them flowing can really help manage your mental health.

5 – Talking about your problems is the first step to solving them

When you run out of materials on a job, you make a phone call. When the drawings are wrong, you talk to somebody.

As an industry, it is central to what you do.  

When we’re all talking and communicating, the industry builds amazing things – skyscrapers, bridges, homes, roads.

It’s the same with mental health – talking about it is the first step to managing and solving the issue.

So, if somebody is not quite on form on-site, reach out and check they are OK.

And then check again.

For The Clive Holland Show podcast on Mental Health Week click below.

According to VCA, more than a third of van drivers reported incidents of tool theft in the last year, up from a quarter only a year ago. 

The van manufacturer estimated that tradespeople were paying an astonishing £4.4 billion a year to replace nicked tools.

The On the Tools report painted a similarly dire picture, with four in five tradies saying they have been victims of tool theft. Well over a third of tradespeople surveyed for the report had had their tools stolen twice.

The report put the cost of tool theft at £2.8 billion, predominantly affecting self-employed tradespeople.

Historically, London has been the nation’s capital of tool and van theft. Not much appears to have changed on that front, but the VCV report noted a “huge surge” of tool theft incidents across Scotland and the North East and West of England.

Volkswagen’s research is borne out by multiple news stories about tool and van theft in Coventry and parts of Yorkshire.

Despite what is clearly a growing problem, the police appear powerless to respond. Home Office figures released in August show that just 3.7% of burglaries and 4.2% of thefts resulted in a charge. Chief Inspector of Constabulary Andy Cooke said victims “aren’t getting the justice they deserve.”

He added that low charging rates were damaging confidence in the police.

If tradespeople were looking for help from Westminster, they'd be disappointed. 

In the year since Fix Radio initially hosted Anti-Tool Theft Week, there has been no attempt to table legislation either about preventing tool theft, introducing stronger sentencing for convicted tool thieves or clamping down on the sale of ‘second-hand’ tools.

So, at this point, it’s fair to argue, we’re on our own.

Undeterred, Fix Radio is hosting Anti-Tool Theft Week again between 24-28th October.

We’re going to bring tradespeople, van manufacturers, tool makers, social media influencers, law enforcement professionals, insurance companies and even politicians together to outline a way forward for the industry. 

Get involved and have your say! Email greg@fixradio.co.uk

Don’t get me wrong, of course we need to raise awareness of the issues, but for us, its world suicide prevention day every day.  

Working in construction can be extremely rewarding but also has its challenges.

Over 87% of the workforce is male and over 50% of the sector is made up of self employed, agency staff or on zero-hour contract workers. This means that it’s not always easy to get the message of support to those that need it the most. That was supported by our research with Caledeonian University published last July.

The research identified that the number of suicides in construction rose from 26 to 29 per 100,000 in the four years to 2019 and there was no change in the fact that those in the construction industry were three times more likely to take their own life compared to other sectors.

But the findings also showed differences between certain occupational groups.

Those working in non-manual occupations, such as managers and professionals, had lower rates of suicide compared to the unskilled workforce such as labourers.

More worrying was that the statistics only went up to the end of 2019. We are now interrogating the data up to the end of 2021 to identify any shifts against our previous findings. Sadly, with the impact of the Covid pandemic as a backdrop, I’m not optimistic that the rates will have dropped.

That said, the research findings galvanised our efforts to make sure we reach those who are most vulnerable. We’re already providing a huge range of proactive and reactive resources that can be accessed free of charge by any worker or their family employed in construction or allied trades, this includes the self employed, subcontractors or agency workers.

But we’re always looking for ways to improve and extend our support and that has seen the introduction of our text support service and we’ve increased our network of Lighthouse Beacons that offer a safe space for people to share issues.

In response to the need to ensure we reach the ‘boots on the ground’ our Help Inside the Hard Hat campaign has recently taken to the road and so far we’ve visited over 70 construction sites and builders’ trade outlets across the country with many more in the diary. This helps us reach some of our most vulnerable workers, including the trades and contractors who have nowhere else to turn to for support.

It’s vitally important that we get our message in at grass roots level, so we made a conscious decision to ensure that our team are from the trades and they are able to share their lived experiences with poor mental health in a down to earth and relatable way. 

We know that by simply having a conversation with people, our team are making a life changing impact.

We have spoken with 20 workers who said that they were on the verge of taking their own lives, but as a result of opening up to our team they have been given immediate and life saving support. That’s 20 lives saved along with preventing all the grief and heartache experienced by the family, friends and colleagues of those who feel that they have no other option but to permanently check out of life.

To raise awareness of the difficult subject of suicide we’re launching our new Suicide Awareness Courses on 9^thSeptember. The courses will provide attendees with a greater understanding of the common reasons and causes of suicide and the signs to look out for. It will also help to develop the skills and confidence needed to approach and start a conversation with a suicidal person.

All our hard work as a charity, together with companies in the industry to improve our workforce wellbeing really is making a difference.

We published our 2021 Impact Report last month and we know that we helped 2,777 families, an increase of 23% on the previous year. That support ranged from emotional and physical wellbeing through to requests for financial assistance to help feed families and pay bills.

But whatever the ‘problem’, we can be certain that bubbling right under the surface is a huge amount of anxiety, stress and worry which can spiral out of control – 31% of calls handled by our case workers directly mentioned a mental health problem and 233 families were provided with professional counselling.

However, I don’t see this as a negative, it means that people are actually reaching out for support rather than suffering in silence and this is a positive change in behaviour.

I can’t stress enough that the emphasis needs to be very much on collaborative working to ensure welfare and wellbeing is central to cultural change within our industry so that the stigma of poor mental health is eradicated.

There is no doubt that there is still much work to be done and as well as a legal responsibility, we all have a collective moral responsibility to ensure that mental health in our industry is treated with the same importance and respect as physical safety for both our current and future generations.

If you or anyone you know is struggling, you can reach out for free and confidential support now call our 24/7 hour construction industry helplines: 0345 605 1956, (UK) 1800 939 122 (ROI)

Text HARDHAT to 85258 (UK) 50808 (ROI)

Or visit our site.

Or register for Suicide Awareness Courses here.

And that is certainly true of carbon neutrality in the construction industry, often labelled “greenwash” by social media warriors. If you could see through the layers of our sector, you would find a myriad of ecological challenges in every labyrinth – from transport to materials to projects to suppliers to the operation and life of buildings. Unwinding and resolving those layers is a colossal task to which many of us in the sector are fully committed.

Our sector is on a journey to decarbonise business as usual, but we need a deeper understanding of the issue – and we need to support each other in achieving our environmental aims. Instead of negative armchair activism, let’s use social media as a platform to share best practice across the sector and enact positive change to outdated procurement and operational approaches.

As part of its carbon neutrality programme, Beard Construction purchased a 180-acre woodland on the edge of Bristol to offset some of its environmental impact with carbon sequestration. Woodland is considered one of the best forms of sequestration as it stores twice as much carbon as it emits. Caring for and further developing this carbon stock will help compensate residual emissions as we transition towards a state of net zero. Despite that, similar purchases have received criticism on social media as “grade-A greenwash”.

Frankly, I would agree with that view – if purchases like this were all that our sector were doing. But the truth is that few traditional industrial sectors are as focused on how to minimise their environmental impact as construction.

Initiatives like BREEAM assessments, for example, apply rigorous measures to assess best practice in sustainable building design, construction and operation, while Passivhaus is a leading international design standard, slashing energy use from buildings and delivering high standards of comfort and health.

And the UK Green Building Council’s (UKGBC) Whole Life Carbon Roadmap has created a common vision and agreed actions for achieving net zero carbon in the construction, operation and demolition of buildings and infrastructure.

These initiatives are more than just industry virtue-signalling – they translate into real environmental actions on real projects. Like Beard’s redevelopment for Commercial Estates Group (CEG) of Aztec 1000, for example, which will be the South-west’s first net zero carbon development, in line with UKGBC’s framework.

On this project, our environmental responsibility began with carefully preserving the original structure of the building. Repurposing the 1980s steel framework will mean significant embodied carbon savings during the build. Once in operation, the building will target net zero carbon and be powered by renewable energy via an array of photovoltaic units on the roof, as well as using energy-efficient heating, cooling and lighting systems. The building will meet BREEAM Excellent and EPC A standards.

Beyond individual projects, Beard’s commitment to sustainable, low carbon construction is mandated by the board and we have pledged to achieve net zero by 2050, in line with the UN’s Net Zero Coalition. That target is, however, likely to be achieved much sooner for us.

Over the last two years, we have achieved a 9% reduction in carbon intensity and are well on our way to reducing it by 25% by 2025. We have realised this through various green initiatives including electric vehicles, reducing unnecessary travel, energy generation and other efficiencies. Most importantly, any environmental plans we make will be scientifically validated.

And we’re not alone in making these commitments. Many other firms in our sector are similarly focused on minimising their environmental impact in ways that are genuine and sustainable.

It won’t be an easy process. And it will take time. That is the reality of the size and complexity of the challenge we face to accomplish carbon neutrality. But armchair activists should be in no doubt of our sector’s resolve to achieve it.

This article was first published on Building.

Mike Hedges is a director of Beard Construction

The electrical supply in the UK comes from the grid as three phase and, while commercial and industrial buildings often have a three-phase mains supply, the majority of UK homes only receive a single-phase mains supply.

However, forward thinking builders and developers are now starting to install three-phase power supply in domestic properties, and this opens up significant opportunities for more effective and, most importantly, better balanced EV charging.

If a property has a three-phase power supply, then a three-phase EV charger can be installed. This is highly beneficial, because it ensures that all three phases of the power supply are being used equally, which helps to balance load on the system.

It is of course possible to install a single-phase charger on a three-phase supply, but it is not best practice. This is because you essentially make one of the phases busier than the rest, which puts strain on the cables and isn’t good for power companies, or for the national grid in general.

It’s a bit like three trains pulling into the station, all going to the same destination at the same time, but everyone jumps on the closest train to the barrier. All three trains leave the station and reach their destination at the same time, but the full train is overworked, has more wear on it and uses more power than the two empty trains. It would be far better if the passengers were spread out across the three trains, as the fully loaded train is less likely to break down and there’s less crowding on the train and at the platform. Now imagine that same journey being taken all day, every day, and you get an idea of how a single-phase charger on a three-phase supply can put unnecessary strain on the system!

Already, around 70% of the EVs on the roads can accept three phase charging. Vehicles that can’t accept three-phase charge can still plug into a three-phase charger, and the car will limit the power being drawn to single phase.

A three-phase 11kW or 22kW charger has the capacity to charge a vehicle faster than a 7.4kW single-phase charger, although the EV will limit the charge it draws in, usually to 11kW and in some cases to 7kWs or less. The growing number of households with more than one EV can also benefit from the higher capacity offered by three-phase chargers. For example, two EVs plugged into a CTEK Chargestorm Connected 2 (CC2) dual socket 22kW charger can share the load so, when the first car plugs in, it will charge at up to 22kW – then when the second car plugs in, both cars will charge at up to 11kW.

The installation of three-phase chargers is an important part of the solution in the development of a robust, future-proofed EV charging network. And with more house builders and DNO’s (distribution network operators) installing three-phase power in homes, there is a real opportunity to design balanced load, three-phase power systems for new build properties. CTEK’s CC2 three-phase chargers offer a viable option, when looking to create balanced power networks incorporating EV charging.

For single and three-phase systems, CTEK’s Nanogrid also offers a smart load balancing solution, preventing overload and balancing the power going to your EV charger (or chargers) against the power being used by everything else on your local power network.

On a wider scale, electric motoring and the installation of a robust, efficient EV network is an integral part of our transition to a sustainable, fossil free society. For forward thinking developers, power companies and property owners, there are also opportunities to power EV chargers from renewable energy sources which will help to further reduce greenhouse emissions and strain on the grid. This way, EV charging becomes an integral part of a wider ecosystem that supports the UK’s environmental goals, and wider global sustainability goals in general.

The pair chatted about day rates, materials, modular building and building standards.

Major take away? Norwegian homes are built to a higher standard, but there is more banter on a UK building site.

To listen to the full interview, click below.

Whether it’s the sector’s track record on diversity, the need to do something – anything – about the built environment’s carbon footprint, adopting tech to boost productivity, or solving the skills deficit, whatever the challenge, the sector it seems has made little or no progress.

We’re stuck in perpetual Groundhog Day – but unlike Bill Murray, the construction sector doesn’t appear to be learning much by repeating its mistakes.

While some are happy staggering towards retirement, holding off change, external pressures are mounting, making the need for different attitudes irresistible.

We could look at any number of issues at this point, but let’s take a look at the skills crisis. Currently, the sector is looking at a shortfall of somewhere in the region of 42,000 skilled-people. 

That isn't great, but according to the Construction Skills Network Report it’s likely to get much worse: by 2026 the industry will need another quarter of million people.

The authors of the report pointed out that with unemployment at its lowest point in 50 years, and job vacancies at a record high, that “building a highly skilled workforce”, is the single biggest challenge facing contractors.

How the industry got to this point is a source of endless debate, but largely pointless. What we need now is a different approach, one that has a uniform realisation that the current plan to solve the skills crisis isn’t working.

Rather than repeat those mistakes, we need to realise that young people want different things from their careers. For the most part they have more options, and higher expectations. As a result the construction sector has to work much harder to attract talent and retain talent

Assuming that there’s a surplus of young kids interested in entering the trades because they’re not doing A-levels or going to university isn’t good enough. 

To compete for resources, the industry has to be open to change. This is not a time for ‘builder says no’ thinking.

A recent story in the press suggested that the reason there was a skills shortage was that the youth of today don’t like getting up at 7am.

That’s not an unpopular thought with many builders, but then most people don’t like getting up at 7am in the morning. That’s why, as their boss you have to make it worth their while. Giving apprentices a job that challenges them, where they can learn, and earn decent money will go a long way to changing attitudes.

Unfortunately, just changing industry opening hours won’t fix the skill crisis. 

The industry must work closer with schools and higher education, there needs to be more government funding and training for small businesses and solo tradespeople to enable them to develop talent. 

Apprenticeships need to be available to more people – regardless of their age or sex – from different backgrounds. 

The key here is selling the industry; that means talking up the opportunities and making the industry more appealing. The onus is on the industry to solve the problem – yes, the industry needs government help – but we also have to change attitudes to make the industry more welcoming to work in.

Meanwhile, British Land also announced in May that it expects tender price inflation to reach 10 percent.  At the same time, Landsec highlighted that its tier one contractors were raising their tender margins by up to 9 percent on project bids.

However, there are many in our industry who feel that these figures don’t reflect the reality of costing products for construction projects. The latest figures put the inflation rate in the construction industry nearer to 25 percent, which is tending towards ‘hyperinflation’.

Figures from the latest survey of members of the Electrical Distributors’ Association (EDA) point to rising product costs as one of their top concerns, with price increases compounded by continued shipping delays. The latter has recently become a more severe issue as lockdowns in China continue on top of the squeeze, caused by the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, on the global movement of goods.

Competent staffing is also another area of concern for the electrical contracting sector. Although the JIB National Collective Agreement is in place to help stabilise pay rates, this does not reduce the cost-inflation of hiring agency or self-employed electricians. This is something that more projects are doing as the number of qualified personnel in our field is still tightly squeezed.

However, even without increasing pay rates, employers are facing added NI and professional indemnity insurance (PII) costs as well as reverse charge VAT which impacts cash flow. For owners of all sizes of business, this is a time of unparalleled challenge.

Yet because many of our industry’s problems are being felt across the whole economy this, at least, has high level government attention. At a recent meeting of the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), then Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak admitted: “The economic situation is extremely serious. A perfect storm of global supply shocks is rolling through our economy simultaneously.”

Many engineering services contractors will be considering what they can do to ride out this wave of hyperinflation.

The most important step is to focus on reducing risk. This should begin early, at the bidding stage. If manufacturers and wholesalers are re-fixing prices on a weekly basis, and a contract may be over a period of two-years, then a contractor fixing their rates at or even near today’s prices is taking a significant gamble.

The best approach is to talk openly to your clients. It can be an awkward conversation, but it’s better to say, “We can’t sustain prices fixed today for nine to eighteen months”, than to take a considerable loss in a year’s time.

Sharing the risk with clients when this level of inflation has not been seen for decades is better for both parties, and this is what smart contractors are looking to do already.

There are already options for setting up this form of agreement in the JCT contract, for example. Prices can be index-linked to the Building Costs Information Service from RICS (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors). The contract can then account for fluctuations in the cost of products and labour (or even changes in legislation).

Index-linking contracts is normal in the facilities management world, where business relationships tend to be over many years and more strategic than in most mainstream construction. However, there is no outstanding reason why we cannot revive this 1970s and 1980s practice in our sector.

The most important message for contractors is not to be tempted to buy into problems for the future.  The construction industry is currently experiencing a high level of work, with many industry economists saying that we are above pre-pandemic levels of activity. This means that it’s relatively easy to turn down work for clients who are not prepared to engage with the risks of higher prices.

However, when the level of activity slows, it may be tempting to price projects at today’s costs may to keep work in the business pipeline. However, hyperinflation will quickly wipe out any profit margin, or worse.

The governments of Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland have recognised the problem of rapidly rising costs. As large clients of the construction sector, they have already issued ‘Share the Risk’ guidance for working with the construction sector.

In England, the government has yet to adopt such a policy (at time of writing), although the potential impact of rising construction costs on projects such as HS2 has been noted by the Public Accounts Committee.

ECA’s Legal and Commercial team gives Members up-to-the-minute guidance and advice on all business-related matters. To contact the team and learn more about the benefits of being an ECA Member, visit eca.co.uk.

Andrew Eldred, ECA Director of Workforce and Public Affairs, on the landscape for apprentices:

Although the business environment for our industry is tough, it’s good to note that we are attracting high numbers of apprentices. By the first quarter of 2022 we saw 6,900 registered just in England, which is more than we have normally see recruited across a whole academic year. But we need to keep growing that number with the aim of achieving 10,000 apprentices joining the sector each year in England, plus another 2000 or so in the rest of the UK, for sustainable business success.

In challenging times it can seem easy to reduce apprenticeships in a business, but our sector must continue to train new people to meet the growing demands for safe and sustainable buildings. Our sector has proved itself to be highly resilient over the past few years, but we need to key an eye to the future of our industry, while dealing with the present.

I addressed the Fire Safety Event in May 2022 talk about the impact the of changes. There was significant attendance at these presentations, and I could see people are waking up to a world where everyone must provide suitable evidence that they can do the job properly, and where grandfather rights will become a thing of the past.

The Building Safety Act is stage one of major legislative change. Phase two will bring in a raft of secondary legislation, such as the less than snappily titled Building (Appointment of Persons, Industry Competence and Duty-holders) (England) Regulation (2021). Many of us may come to know this key piece of legislation simply as the ‘Dutyholder Regulations’.

Under these 2021 regulations, ‘duty-holders’ will carry far more responsibility to ensure building safety.  They must ensure that anyone appointing a ‘principal designer’, ‘principal contractor’ or other person who carries out building or design work, will take all reasonable steps to ensure the appointee meets competency requirements. Furthermore, appointees are under a duty to inform the client if they no longer satisfy a competency requirement.

In a nutshell, the duty-holder regulations impose a general competency requirement to ensure anyone carrying out building or design work has the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours necessary. I agree with Dame Judith Hackitt who said recently, industry should deliver this because it’s the right thing to do, not because its being legislated for.

In a recent search of electrical companies, of some 1,200 who carry out fire alarm and detection work, only 200 of these listed ‘third party approval’ for fire systems. So, are these businesses, and the people within them, competent to design, install and commission fire systems?

The British Standard BS 5839 (fire detection and alarm systems) states that a competent person working to this Standard is a:

Person with the relevant current training and experience, and with access to the requisite tools, equipment and information, and capable of carrying out a defined task.  (Competent person clause 3.12)

When we updated the competency clause 3.12 in the standard in 2013, we discussed in detail the implication of the above statement.  We agreed ‘relevant current training ’means training to the current standard (BS 5839-1:2017); training and knowledge of the equipment you are working with; correct experience of working on the said equipment; and supervised by a person who has such experience.  Finally, operatives need the requisite tools and equipment to carry out the task.  For example, smoke test equipment specified by the manufacturer.

With the above in mind, a key question I want to pose is ‘does the electrician, with a normal electrical training, have the competency required above?’. An electrician may have completed the electrical City & Guilds, 18^th edition and their AM 2, but very rarely does this include training to a key Standard such as BS 5839?  However, Clause 560.10 in BS 7671 states “fire alarm and detection systems shall comply with the relevant parts of BS 5839”.

In short, I find that too often I find the answer to the question above is, regrettably, no. With the advent of the Building Safety Act and all that’s set to follow, the time is now for electrical contractors to gain the necessary training and qualifications to show competence when planning and installing fire alarm and detection.

To learn more about the FSA and membership, click here.

That’s why Ironmongery Direct has partnered with Carolyn Hobdey, award-winning Human Resources professional and author, to share expert advice on how to deal with the 10 most annoying customer habits, as revealed by recent research.

1) Watching you closely while you workc

“I’d start by politely asking them if there is a problem or if they have a question about what you’re doing. If they still don’t leave or keep coming back, I’d state that it would be most useful if you could have some space to do the work and that you’ll call them to join you if you have any queries or when you’re finished.”

2) Constantly checking your progress

“State that you like to focus in order to do a good job, then ask if it would be ok if you just let them know once you’re done. If they come back, remind them by repeating the same statement.”

3) Asking you to do extra little jobs while you’re there

“Depending on the size and number of the additional jobs (the odd one might be reasonable), state that the extras weren’t included in the original quote or the time you have allocated to the work. Plus, mention that it would involve you keeping other customers waiting, which isn’t fair or professional. Say you’d be happy to quote for and allocate time to the other jobs if they’d like and leave that option with them.”

4) Asking for a discount

Our sister company ElectricalDirect recently found that discounts and mates’ rates cost tradespeople hundreds of pounds every year, so it’s no wonder that workers find it frustrating.

Carolyn says: “It depends on the size of the job and your usual discount policy, but if you have discounted or priced the work as advantageously as you can, then say that you have already given the best price that you possibly can. Don’t apologise - if your work is fairly priced then there is no need to be sorry.”

5) Not paying on time

We recently conducted some research and revealed that tradespeople face an average of two payment disputes with customers every year, which can be a major frustration.

Carolyn says: “Make the payment terms clear to start with - use an online invoice tool with payment reminders if possible. Text or email in the first instance so you have a record of chasing for payment. If you still don't get a response, wait a reasonable amount of time (3-5 working days) and then call directly, or pop round to enquire about an update on payment. Then choose whether you want them as a customer again in the future.”

6) Making suggestions or instructing you how to do your job

“Thank them for their suggestions - good manners cost nothing - in the first instance. If they, do it again, remind them that they are parting with their hard-earned money for your expertise and that they get more value for money by letting you do the work as that expert.”

7) Calling outside of working hours

“This is about your discipline, not theirs. You need to set a boundary. Either switch your phone off, onto silent, or text them and remind them of your business hours (maybe have some standard wording you copy and paste into a message). State that you’ll contact them again the next time you’re available within those hours. This one is within your control.”

8) Insisting a job is urgent when it’s not

“Have a set list of criteria/questions that you ask every time to help you make an objective assessment of the work’s urgency. E.g. Does anyone in the household have a current medical condition? Is anyone’s health at risk from this situation? Then inform them of the outcome of your objective assessment and where that sits versus other work priorities you have. If they 'cry wolf’ with you, call them out about it and tell them that next time you won’t believe them when it may be urgent.”

9) Not offering you a drink

“If they can get you a drink - remember that might be tricky for some, and some might be cautious in a Covid world - then start by asking for a glass of water for your dry throat. See what they offer you from there. If you want to be bold, go straight in with “shall we get that kettle on?” and a winning smile.”

10) Not being in when you arrive so you can’t get to the job

“Again, this is about boundaries. If they’ve told you to call when you arrive and they’ll come and let you in, then fair enough. If you have agreed a set time, you need to determine how long you are prepared to wait for, and then stick to it. Call them or send a text and inform them that you have arrived and are prepared to wait ‘X’ minutes, then message them again after that amount of time to advise that you have gone to the next job. Show the customer how you expect to be treated.”

In 2020, Brexit caused supply delays for the UK, which were quickly compounded by the global pandemic that resulted in a virtual shutdown of the global logistics industry. More recently, as the world looked to regain a semblance of normality, freight was displaced and China’s industries changed gear, creating huge regional demand for raw materials that drew supplies away from other markets.

Further delays in the Suez Canal and other ports compounded these problems and made it easy to see just how fragile the interconnections of our world can be – and how their interruption can leave us with shortages and rising materials prices.

Further economic shock came earlier this year when Russia invaded Ukraine. In these deeply troubling times, our thoughts are first and foremost with the Ukrainian people.

If we consider the further supply chain disruption caused by this sad turn of events, the economic landscape for construction contractors looks even tougher to navigate.

Against this backdrop, demand in the construction industry has, perhaps surprisingly, returned to above pre-pandemic levels and ECA Members are reporting healthy order books.

But this rising activity level hides peril for anyone caught out by ongoing materials shortages and rising prices. It is vital that contractors who are quoting work now continue to account for anticipated price inflation for materials and labour over the next year at least.

Because although general inflation in the UK economy is around 5.5% (March 2022), that does not give a true reflection of what’s happening in our sector. A survey by the Electrical Distributor’s Association (EDA) at the end of 2021 showed that 80% of respondents saw inflation above 10% on materials. The other 20% mentioned material cost inflation of between 5% and 10%.

Yet another factor to take into consideration is the introduction of the UK Conformity Assessment (UKCA) certification which will be required on electrical products from January 2023. Manufacturers have already noted that testing their products to comply with the new certification will take time. If UKCA marking rules proceed, then as 2023 approaches we can expect even more constrained product supplies and delays.

The industry has had extra time to prepare for the UKCA introduction, since it was delayed by government for a year. It seems unlikely that further delays will be offered though, so contractors must be prepared.

For any work that is due to start several months in the future and last for many months, basing a quote on today’s prices is almost certain to lead to squeezed profits, or even losses. This means planning ahead is crucial. The worst approach would be to win work now, only to find that you have bought problems for your business next year because your pricing was a year and half off-pace.

ECA works within the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) to raise awareness of these major issues. As a result of its joint work, the governments of Wales and Northern Ireland have already issued guidance advising public sector procurers to share the risk on delays and price volatility. We would certainly advise that if contractors are to survive, they take the same proactive approach with all their clients.

In principle, there are already mechanisms in most standard contracts linking materials to inflation. This means that, unlike trying to accommodate the contractual impact of Covid-19, the industry has some precedent (dating back to the 1970s/80s economic turbulence) for future price changes that could apply here.

The critical message is that good client communication is key, so talk to your clients about what’s coming and work together. Some clients are already working with contractors to identify materials at high risk of price rises and agreeing to pay the price at the date of procurement. Whatever the solution, make sure you are considering materials cost inflation in our sector, not just the general economy.

Although the issues we face in the 2020s are daunting, the overall picture is an industry that is better prepared for challenges than ever. Some of the major difficulties can anticipated, and their impacts are understood. Knowing the problems in advance and planning accordingly will reduce their impact on your business.

ECA Members have exclusive access to a wide range of discounts, specialised software, technical bulletins, guidance notes, access to our helplines, and much more. Learn more about membership at click here.

It hasn’t been pleasant, but I’m lucky my experience of the illness has been limited to a cough and a headache.

It has changed my life in other ways – I’ve moved country, changed jobs and bought a house. Nearly two and a half years after the pandemic started, I am older, wiser and poorer. But overall, I got away lightly.

For those working in the building trades, the pandemic has been a doubled edged sword. When people found themselves trapped in lockdown, they invested in their properties, fuelling a boom in repair, maintenance and improvement work that continues even now.

But the abundance of work after the initial lockdown has brought other challenges – spiralling materials costs, salary inflation and longer lead times have played havoc with project timelines and cash flow.

Some tradespeople have sailed through, but others have struggled and the toll on mental health of many small business owners is only becoming apparent now.

According to research from Simply Business, a massive 78% of self-employed people say that the pandemic has had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing.

A third of respondents say the impact has been severe.

It’s not just one survey saying this – there are several. Fix Radio’s own research found that 38% of UK tradespeople believed the level of stress and anxiety they were experiencing was at its highest level ever.

The high proportion of self-employed people in the building trade partly explains the industry’s mental health crisis. The thought that if ‘you’re not working, you’re not earning’ drives tradespeople to work long hours on-site and head out to quote for future jobs on the evening and weekends. 

The pressure is relentless, particularly if you’re supporting a family and growing your business.

“People become self-employed because they think they are going to have more time on their hands, but really being self-employed you’re going to be busier than all your mates,” said Dan Brown of the Job and Knock podcast, when appearing on The Clive Holland Show this week.

“Is it a good time to go self-employed? It is a big decision because it does have a big effect on your mental health,” he added.

Many tradespeople trying to grow their business are held back by their lack of skills. Just because you’re a skilled tradesperson, doesn’t necessarily make you a great businessperson. In the Fix Radio survey, nearly a third of respondents said they found discussing money with clients the hardest part of the job.

Nearly 40% said the biggest aid to their business would be education around “client interaction”.

With Mental Health Awareness Week drawing to a close, it is worth noting that the most important statistic that hasn’t improved in the last two years – the number of suicides among construction workers. Two people every working day take their own lives across the building business, and that rate shows little sign of slowing down.

On Friday, Fix Radio joins other radio broadcasters airing a minute-long message from the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, part of the Mental Health Minute initiative.

If you want to help its a simple case of reaching out and checking on your colleagues on-site. Asking if someone is OK can have a transformative effect.

“We’re all in the same boat,” as Dan Brown summarised it earlier this week.

Digging into urban streets is difficult and potentially dangerous work. And it seems that it’s becoming riskier. The Energy Networks Association reports electric cable strikes have increased 46% since the end of lockdown. On average, 70 people each year are seriously injured because of contact with underground electricity cables.

These are not the only potential hazards under our streets. There are gas and water pipes as well as telecommunications cables to be aware of when undertaking these projects. The problems are exacerbated when working somewhere like the City of London where there are narrow streets and heavy traffic.

There is guidance on how to approach these projects safely. HSG47 Avoiding danger from underground services from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) outlines three important stages of safe work during excavation:

* Planning the work

* Locating and identifying buried services

* Safe excavation

But not everyone is following the guidance. Figures show that around a third of construction workers fail to check for underground electricity cables when digging on site.

A project that involves digging into city streets should start with careful research. Designing the preferred route includes making a request for statutory drawings for utilities. It’s also crucial to take the time to walk the route because this will provide a clear view of any potential physical challenges in the area. A visit to the site can help to identify risks in the work location that may not be marked on the drawings. This is far more common than many people realise, as the drawings rarely keep pace with the addition of road layout, new street furniture, pipes and cables. More worrying, there are rogue contractors who lay cables and services without regard to safety of others who may have to work in the area next.

Although we can use a CAT 4 Plus scanner to track electrical cables, it does not provide accurate depths. If cables have been laid incorrectly this can be very dangerous to anyone working on the project. We have seen high voltage cables laid at 180mm when the depth should be 750mm. Planning and checking literally save lives. In theory, it might be possible using modern technology such as ground penetrating radar to map the cables and pipes under London’s streets. But, leaving aside the cost of that project, the map would also soon be out-of-date as things change almost on a weekly basis. So we rely on everyone in our sector working safely and keeping good records, which is not always the case.

We’re all aware that our projects are increasingly time-pressed. Working anywhere in London is challenging because permissions to access roads may have to come from more than one Local Authority and involve Transport for London (TfL). None of these bodies wants to close city roads for very long. As a result, it’s likely that the excavation contractor has limited time and space to get the work done, and that’s often when safety takes a back seat.

For example, the permitted area for digging may be very restricted on a busy road. Ideally, the contractor should work 500mm either side of a cable to avoid contact. But if a cable lies very close the edge of the allocated work area, it could be tempting to lift the tarmac, ‘just to see what’s there’.  

This is when accidents can happen. It’s vital to take the time to stop work and assess how to proceed to undertake the work safely (extending the work zone, or extending the permit even if that seems counterintuitive).  Planning ahead means that decisions are not left to a time-pressed site foreman who may make a bad decision with the best intentions.

Pre-planning and assessing proposed routes can highlight the danger areas and these potential problems can be controlled by instructing the excavation teams on how to investigate (no dig zones). These clear instructions reduce the risk of a bad decision being made for the best of intentions due to perceived pressure by the excavation teams.

The need to excavate in our city streets is growing. As new buildings are constructed, they require the utilities that are vital for modern life. What’s more, government is driving the development of low-carbon district heating systems in urban areas, which will add to the challenge as more pipes are laid.

As electrical contractors, we know the importance of prioritising safety for ourselves and our clients. With accidents on the rise in excavation projects, it’s time to put that same focus on ensuring that contractors adopt robust safety standards out on the city streets.

The rise of rogue trading

Pre-pandemic, rogue trading was already a major concern across the heating and plumbing industry. To make matters worse, the tough economic conditions brought about by COVID-19 saw the digital world inundated with unscrupulous trainers and fast-track courses. In turn, this led many more individuals into the sector without the necessary levels of training and practical experience.

Evidence of the severity of this can be seen in the CIPHE’s own statistics, with an increase of over 100% in the number of complaints received about the work of non-members in 2021. Such findings give rise to serious concern that the pandemic enabled rogue traders to operate more freely.

An incorrectly installed or maintained heating and hot water system has the potential to cause numerous problems, including Legionnaires’ disease, scalding and burning, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Along with the physical health and safety implications, the survey findings revealed the financial impact experienced by those unfortunate enough to hire a rogue trader. On average, homeowners had to pay £1,833 for additional work to rectify system issues. It’s for this reason that the CIPHE is campaigning to emphasise professionalism and eradicate the threat of rogue traders in the UK. 

Peace of mind in proficiency

Considering the impacts of poor workmanship, it’s no surprise that 62% of homeowners say they would pay more for a plumbing and heating engineer who could prove their professionalism. CIPHE membership is a way for traders to showcase their proficiency and skillset – granting homeowners peace of mind. We asked a number of our members for their views on both the topic of rogue traders and the value of being a professional.

Roger Mawson, managing director at South West Plumbing Services, commented: “Unfortunately, we often see the after-effects of poor installation work, and spend time rectifying issues for customers who have lost trust in the previous person they employed. We always try to educate our customers and explain to them how important it is to make sure whoever they employ is a professional and to not go on price alone.

“Being a member of the CIPHE is important to demonstrate our commitment to delivering safe, reliable, and quality plumbing and heating works. We are very vocal as a company about how we are proud to be a professional.”

In response to the prevalence of rogue trading, homeowners are making concerted efforts to find true specialists. So much so that individuals spend more than an hour, on average, choosing a plumbing and heating engineer. In this respect, highlighting competency is especially pertinent, and homeowners are duly encouraged to check the credentials of those they employ. 

Maintaining professionalism

We spoke with Paul Clark, Bespoke Heating Engineer at Concept Plumbing & Heating, about the importance of ongoing training. He told HVP Mag: “The point is that learning never really stops, it is important at every stage of your career. It is vital that you choose reputable courses, especially as there has been a surge in online qualifications due to the pandemic.

“In some cases, an online course may not be run by qualified trainers, especially if it promises too much or claims to provide qualifications over a very short timeframe. Even with reputable online courses, as plumbing and heating is a practical skill it won’t always be suitable at all times.”

It’s clear that ongoing advice, support, and training guidance are paramount for any heating and plumbing engineer. As a CIPHE member, these resources are readily available to resolve any training concerns. By providing such services, the presence of rogue traders can be mitigated and the industry will be able to build trust with consumers for preserving the safety of all involved.

Although the EV Infrastructure Strategy is bursting at the seams with good intentions, it lacks detail. It’s one thing to say you want 300,000 public charge points; it is another to develop a coherent plan to install them.

Concerns over the strategy breakdown into two areas – a ‘market-led approach’ and the role of local authorities in shaping network infrastructure.

ECA, the electrotechnical and engineering services trade body, has voiced fears that a market-led approach would spark a race to the bottom, where work is awarded based on cost and not competence.

“This will inevitably compromise the efficiency and safety of what gets installed,” warned Andrew Eldred, ECA director of workforce and public affairs.

The ‘efficiency and safety’ of what gets installed was highlighted by a leaked audit report from the Department of Transport, that found almost a fifth of household EV charge points inspected could be dangerous for users.

Just 32% of the charge points were recorded as being satisfactory.

Admittedly, it was a small sample size, but it’s a valid warning – installing charge points isn’t easy. It also implies that the idea of trying to build a public charging point network using the ‘cheapest’ contractor, at a time of huge skills shortages, and rapidly changing safety regs is asking for trouble.

A likely scenario with a market-led approach was suggested by Paul Meenan on a recent edition of Fix Radio’s Electrical Show. Rather than electrical contractors being hired for the work, groundwork contractors could take the lion’s share of installation work.

Installing the EV charging network needs close partnership between groundworks and electrical contractors, but he sees “civils boys doing all of it and paying the spark a day rate to test – which is wrong,” said Meenan.

“I would like to say there is going to be synergy. Hopefully a good electrical contractor will engage with a subcontractor, unfortunately I don’t see that,” he added.

The other area of concern is the role of local authorities, which have been left to implement the EV infrastructure. The local councils, (which by their nature are geographically and politically aligned fiefdoms with different services and policies), are an odd choice to build a national EV infrastructure.

A national network needs agreed standards and technology and must be capable of delivering charge points in the right places and in the right numbers. Local councils are ill-equipped to understand the logistical challenges or technology required to build a coherent network.

Research by ECA showed that last year EV infrastructure wasn't even being considered by most local councils.

In the survey almost two thirds of local authorities in England and Wales had no real plans to install public EV charge points and over half didn't have funding earmarked for EV infrastructure.

Arguably as important is that local councils lack a national perspective. There are already some calls for a country-wide regulator to fill this role.

In fairness to local councils, it appears that the government has thrown the issue at them, and they have been told to make it work.

The EV Infrastructure Strategy is indicative of a ‘half-baked’ approach to a number of construction-related issues that the government seems to take. Wildly optimistic heat pump installation targets are another example where a complex issue is distilled to a singular point, and then pushed through with a market-led approach.

On this occasion the government risks funding the creation of a disjointed, and non-standardised EV public charging point network.

Consecutive governments and industry leadership have been happy to sacrifice market regulation for speed of action. But with 2050 and carbon net zero targets looming the government runs the risk of hobbling its 'green' infrastructure plan with a lack of detail and a conviction that the cheapest installer, is the best installer.

(Something no tradesperson would agree with).

To hear the full show, click below.