Professional Builder October 19

Professional BUILDING ■ FLOORING ■ PLUMBING ■ ROOFING ■ CARPENTRY ■ PAINTING AND DECORATING ■ THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR THE BUILDING INDUSTRY

OCTOBER 2019

TOOLS, FIXINGS & WORKWEAR TALKING THE TORQUE!

DRAINAGE & WATER MANAGEMENT MOVING IN THE RIGHT CHANNELS! BREAKING NEW GROUND IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE, THE MILWAUKEE M18 FUEL ONE KEY 8KG SDS MAX DRILLING/BREAKER HAMMERS HOME ITS ADVANTAGE EVERY TIME

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Total Average Net Distribution 119,884 1 January 2018 – 31 June 2018

OCTOBER 2019 VOL. 41 NO.9 @PB_mag

Professional Builder, Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts, WD24 4YF.

www.youtube.com/protrademags

pb@hamerville.co.uk

REGULARS 9 11 16 18

Editor’s Viewpoint News Letters Fighting Tool Theft: RAM Tracking 27 Right On Course: Ardex Training NEW!

32 39 40 112 115

FMB Festool Free-for-All The Doctor’s Advice Wise Howell

94 55

FREE FOR ALL!

PRODUCTS & BUILDING MATERIALS

In it to win it... page 40 see

SPECIAL REPORTS

TOOLS, FIXINGS & WORKWEAR 44 A Brief History of British Toolmaking 47 Hyde: Helping You Work Faster 51 Bahco: Combatting Falling Tools 55 Makita: Reducing Vibration 59 Festool: Creating a Better Work Site 62 Van Vault: Protect Your Tools 65 Tibby Tests Out Bosch’s Hammer Drill 66 Hultafors’ Laser Guides the Way for Tibby 69 Snickers Workwear Review 71 Scruffs: Choosing the Right Workwear 72 Dr Martens: Designing Boots for Female Workers 73 Engel Workwear: The Importance of Proper Laundry 74 Dickies’ Makers Campaign 75 Win with HB42 76 NEW PRODUCTS

14 Professional Builder Live Show Preview 21 Meet the Bookish Builder 24 For Old Times’ Sake: Building with Oak 30 Concrete Block Association: Improving Energy Efficiency 35 Copronet: Making Trade Easier

DRAINAGE & WATER MANAGEMENT 78 Polypipe: Keeping Pipes Clean 81 Marley Alutec’s Rainwater Systems 84 Flex Seal 86 Aco Drainage 88 Wavin’s Alternative Trap Design 91 NEW PRODUCTS

93 94 96 98 99 106 108 109 110 111 113

General Building Products Rockwool: Loft Conversions BWF: Staircase Safety XL Joinery: Tips for Hanging Doors Macpherson: Win Some Trade Paint Marley: Traditional Pantiles The History of BMI In the Boardroom with Norbord Safeguard: Basement Waterproofing Quickslide: Choosing the Right Frame Trade Media

104 BUILDERS’ VEHICLES

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101 Honest John: Buying a Used Sprinter 102 Meet the New Renault Master 104 The Latest Vauxhall Vivaro Launched

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 3

MANAGING EDITOR TERRY SMITH EMAIL: tsmith@hamerville.co.uk DEPUTY EDITOR LEE JONES EMAIL: ljones@hamerville.co.uk ASSISTANT EDITOR KIERAN NEE EMAIL: pb@hamerville.co.uk GROUP ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER CRAIG JOWSEY TEL: 07900 248102 EMAIL: craig@hamerville.co.uk NORTHERN ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER IAN DUFF MOBILE: 07810 353525 EMAIL: ian@hamerville.co.uk REGIONAL ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER SAM SHANNON TINSLEY MOBILE: 07554 013302 EMAIL: stinsley@hamerville.co.uk GRAPHIC DESIGNER DONNA BOOTH GROUP PRODUCTION MANAGER CAROL PADGETT PRODUCTION ASSISTANT CLAIRE SWENDELL DIGITAL MANAGER LUCY DIXON EMAIL: ldixon@hamerville.co.uk DIGITAL ASSISTANT JASMINE SMITH EMAIL: jsmith@hamerville.co.uk DISTRIBUTION MANAGER KARL CLARK PUBLISHER BRYAN SHANNON PRINTED BY WALSTEAD PETERBOROUGH PUBLISHED BY HAMERVILLE MEDIA GROUP Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts WD24 4YF Tel: (01923) 237799 Fax: (01923) 246901 Email: pb@hamerville.co.uk

Professional Builder is a business magazine for firms and individuals involved in all aspects of the building industry. It is available nationally – free to the trade through leading builders’ merchant outlets. © 2019 To be removed from this magazine’s circulation, please call 01923 237799 or email circulation@hamerville.co.uk.

Subscriptions to Professional Builder are available at the following rates: UK: 1 year (11 issues) – £30.00 post paid Europe & Overseas: 1 year (11 issues) – £50.00 post paid Airmail: 1 year (11 issues) – £65.00 post paid

viewpoint A damning indictment!

It’s not within our usual remit of construction-related stories, of course, but, as a magazine interested in all things building, we couldn’t help but get immersed in the recent nerve shredding dramas unfolding at the Whaley Bridge Dam. Thanks, in no small part, to the quick response of the emergency services it all ended happily, but one of the most striking things for us was not how quickly things can seriously unravel but how much faith we continue to place in such intrinsic parts of our infrastructure, which are almost two hundred years old.

This great monolith, and hundreds more like it around the UK, is actually a remarkable testimony to the engineering and building skills of our Victorian forebears. And yet their extraordinary longevity is generally taken for granted by those responsible for their upkeep, consistently failing to properly maintain or upgrade structures which are part and parcel of an otherwise rapidly changing modern skyline.

By all accounts even the vast majority of the “The Victorians left us one inhabitants of Whaley Bridge were largely of the world’s greatest oblivious to the potential dangers of three hundred million gallons of water stored at the building legacies which we end of their high street, and the implications which a sudden collapse could have had on neglect at our peril.” both lives and livelihoods. The sheer scale of the dam only truly became apparent when a Chinook helicopter was deployed to place hundreds of one tonne bags of aggregate into a gaping great hole. At times it appeared to be, quite literally, like a drop in the ocean. One clearly ill-informed commentator had the audacity to imply that the damaged overspill was the result of Victorian building practices, whereby they simply used thousands of tonnes of clay to form the structure, completely missing the point that it had stood the test of time very well since its opening in 1831. A subsequent picture released from a few months’ earlier, showing weeds growing within the cement point work, suggests that routine maintenance was not high on the list of priorities.

Repairs to this particular dam are now likely to extend to several years, with all the disruption to local life and businesses that will almost certainly entail.

Those in positions of responsibility will point no doubt to freakish natural circumstances, once in a lifetime events, but there is no escaping the fact that we have become complacent in assuming these centuries old institutions will keep performing tasks for which they were never really intended in a modern, rapidly changing society. If climate change, as the experts predict, is going to produce more of these extreme weather conditions then it stands to reason that dams and other still vital yet ancient structures, such as bridges and tunnels, up and down the country, are going to come under enormous new pressures.

The same basic logic also applies to those other great Victorian inspirations, such as the London Underground network, which now handles more than five million passengers a day, and the mind boggling network of sewers created to cope with the ablutions of tens rather than hundreds of thousands of city dwellers. Going back even further, who could ever have anticipated the loss of vast swathes of the UK canal network, once the lifeblood of our transport system but without proper sustained investment was condemned to disappear down its own plughole? Now, thanks to the physical and cash raising efforts of thousands of local volunteers, restoration work is re-establishing some long forgotten stretches to their former glories, but why is it that only when we seem to be in danger of losing something so fundamental to our social history, that action is taken?

Could it be possible that we will be having these same conversations about the Channel Tunnel and the likes of Crossrail in a hundred years’ time? Or will the lessons have been learnt that a sustained programme of regular maintenance and investment is much more preferable than a total replacement?

The Victorians unconditionally deserve their place alongside the Egyptians, Greeks and Romans in the pantheon of the greatest historical builders, but their legacy will only continue to flourish if we properly nurture what we have had the immense good fortune to have inherited.

As the great patrician herself may have remarked, currently “we are not amused.”

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 9

News Professional Builder

email your news to us at pb@hamerville.co.uk Tel 01923 237799

Lighting the Way

Industry Figures

Lighthouse Charity publishes annual Impact Report.

NFB: Working with industry is the only way to meet the 2050 zero carbon target.

The Lighthouse Construction Charity has published its third annual impact report.

The report communicates to the industry, supporters and stakeholders, the impact that the charity is making and how it is helping to make a difference to the lives of our construction workforce and their families. The report reveals the total spent on charitable services was £1.482m, which includes £1,229.288 on the charity’s 24/7 helpline, which dealt with 1,662 cases, £228,882 on education and training and £19,740 on health and safety innovation.

Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said: “Demand in our charitable services continues to grow, but by delivering proactive resources and training at the front end we are helping organisations and individuals to prevent situations reaching crisis point.” www.rdr.link/BI087

The National Federation of Builders welcomes the report from the Science and Technology Committee, highlighting key areas the Government should be focussing on to meet the 2050 zero carbon target, but is frustrated at the lack of focus on successes and barriers.

New homes, for example, are incredibly energy efficient and air tight, to the point that air quality and overheating have become design challenges. The solutions, often championed using passivhaus standards, are to add more technology to a building, consequently requiring more electricity and maintenance.

This seems counterproductive.

The NFB believes it would be more effective to focus on older housing, which is the real elephant in the room. The Government could, for example, consult on allowing councils to use section 106 funding

FAMILY AFFAIR Research reveals more than half of construction SMEs are family businesses.

The construction sector has the highest number of family businesses in the UK. That’s according to a new analysis commissioned by specialist lender Cynergy Bank. 574,275 family firms out of a total of 1,007,500 private construction businesses have two or more family members in management positions.

Family run businesses are instrumental to the stability of the UK economy. They contribute about £460 billion to UK GDP and employ around 12 million people. www.rdr.link/BI086

to insulate older properties, or reform planning to ensure homes with cavityless single brick walls have permission to install external cladding.

If the Government really wants to meet its zero carbon commitment, it must work with the industry to understand why progress can be so hard to achieve. We would also encourage those making recommendations to the Government to do the same.

Rico Wojtulewicz, head of housing and planning policy at the NFB, said: “Localism is a huge barrier in making sure we’re able to meet the 2050 zero carbon commitment and politician’s needs to be honest about that. In the short term, the Government must act quickly and focus all efforts on fixing old leaky housing, not new homes which many say can be heated by a lightbulb.” www.rdr.link/BI084

Going for Glory Team UK triumphs at Skills Olympics.

Team UK – the UK’s top young students & apprentices – flew home from Russia recently covered in gold and glory. The 37 women and men won a total of 19 medals – two gold, one silver and one bronze medal and 15 medallions of excellence (achieving world class standard) at the ‘Skills Olympics’. The impressive results represent an amazing success for WorldSkills UK, which selects and trains the team and works to mainstream excellence in education and industry.

baywatch Van drivers in the UK have been hit with fines worth £1.7 million in the last three years for incorrectly parking or stopping in a loading bay, according to research by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. Councils have issued an average of 13,000 parking fines a year since 2015, with figures rising by 10% year-on-year – highlighting how the rules around loading bays are increasingly unclear for van drivers.

The majority of loading bays can be used to collect pre-ordered goods or unload goods that require a vehicle to transport them. If a vehicle is left unattended, it needs to be clear (through the use of hazards for example) that goods are being loaded and unloaded.

Additionally, drivers are not permitted to stop in a loading bay without loading or unloading or to use it to wait for parking. It is also always important to check the time restrictions within each loading bay as these vary from council to council.

Loading bays cannot be used for collecting or dropping off passengers. www.rdr.link/BI085

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 11

Professional Builder

News

STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS... STOP PRESS...

After concerted pressure from within the industry, the Government has taken the decision to delay by one year the implementation of potentially damaging VAT changes for construction companies. Common sense prevails for once!

Place of Work

Good Sport

Best places in the UK for tradespeople revealed.

Manufacturer celebrates second Queen’s Award.

The team at comparethemarket.com have looked at various factors for the 40 most populated UK cities to discover the top UK cities to become a tradesperson.

The UK’s top 10 best cities to be a tradesperson are: 1. Reading 2. Portsmouth 3. Middlesbrough 4. Peterborough 5. Oxford 6. Warrington 7. Norwich 8. Bolton 9. Aberdeen 10. Wolverhampton The south east looks like the place to be as a tradesperson.

Reading taking the top spot, with Portsmouth just slightly behind. The town is a major commercial centre and is even ranked the UK’s top area for economic success and wellbeing, according to factors such as health, income and skills. www.rdr.link/BI088

The Lord-Lieutenant of Gloucestershire, Edward Gillespie OBE, and Councillor Steve Jordan, Leader of Cheltenham Borough Council, were among the invited guests at a special event at Mira Showers in Cheltenham, to celebrate the company being awarded the prestigious Queen’s Award for Enterprise, for its innovative Mira Sport Max shower. The latest Award recognises the shower for its world-first design for electric showers, increasing water flow by up to 30 per cent, without using any more water. www.rdr.link/BI098

Tax Drive Tax explanation launched for LCV drivers.

To help you understand exactly what tax you’re expected to pay, Moneybarn has put together a tax guide for LCV users. Road tax – officially known as Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) – is the fee you pay to legally drive your van on public roads.

The amount of road tax you pay for an LCV, like a van or pickup, is charged at a flat rate and varies only by the vehicle’s age.

The 2019/2020 road tax rate for petrol and diesel vans is £260 for 12 months and applies to all vans built after 1st March 2001.

To read more, including details on Benefit-in-Kind tax, visit www.rdr.link/BI089

Police Back Up CEA looks forward to Police support of CESAR network.

The CEA has confirmed that it is looking forward to the formation of a new national police resource to co-ordinate the fight against plant theft, after the suspension of PANIU earlier this year. Rob Oliver, CEA: “We are working closely with insurance representatives and key national policing leads with the objective of forming a new national police resource. This is providing us with the opportunity to ensure there is an alignment of the work of the police, the CESAR Network, CITS and others dedicated to combating plant theft in all its forms”. www.rdr.link/BI091

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12 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

By George!

Winner of the Residential trophy at Johnstone’s Painter of the Year Awards announced.

When Ian Keenan Decorators was tasked with restoring an unoccupied Georgian building into a grand family home, they knew they needed to do it justice. Ian said: “It was a privilege to be asked to transform this neglected property and we couldn’t wait to get started.”

After extensive colour consultations with the client, the team used over 18 shades of paint to transform the rundown building into a visual masterpiece that was reminiscent of its past yet modern and fresh. The project won the praise of industry experts and decorating peers at Johnstone’s Painter of the Year Awards, taking home the top prize in the Residential category. www.rdr.link/BI090

Taking a Wrong Step Research reveals public’s lack of staircase knowledge.

People who wish to replace the balustrade on their staircase may find it difficult to source the correct part. This is because many of the public are incorrectly referring to it as a bannister, research shows. A survey carried out by stair part specialist Jackson Woodturners highlighted that only 15 per cent of the public are aware of the correct term. When shown a diagram of a balustrade, 68 per cent of respondents wrongly thought it was called a bannister. www.rdr.link/BI092

‘Rally’ good show!

Citroën gives its New Berlingo Van the World Rally treatment.

Fresh from winning International Van of the Year 2019 and What Van? LCV of the Year 2019, Citroën’s New Berlingo Van has been handed over to Citroën Total WRT pair Esapekka Lappi and Janne Ferm to put it through its paces.

The ‘Worker’ version was selected due to its suitability for rough terrain, including use on building sites and unmade country roads. It made for a stark change for the drivers, who are far more used to wrestling their Citroën C3 WRC around the world’s most challenging rally tracks.

In a WRC season that has seen the pair land two podiums (Rally Sweden and Rally Finland), the one-off bonus stage at Langley Park allowed Lappi and Ferm to demonstrate New Berlingo Van’s robust nature and enhanced occupant comfort.

Lappi commented: “I was surprised that the New Berlingo Van handled the rally stage so brilliantly. The van was strong, very comfortable to drive and managed the corners exceptionally well.”

To watch Lappi and Ferm testing out Citroën’s New Berlingo Van, visit: www.rdr.link/BI093

SOUNDS LIKE A CHALLENGE! Scot Free NFB: The Government is giving late payers another free pass.

The Government’s small business crown representative, Martin Traynor, has rolled back on previous commitments to clamp down on late payment by suggesting that companies can pay a quarter of their supply chain late in the previous two reporting periods, without consequence. Nick Sangwin, NFB national chair, said: “The Government has ignored pleas from 99 per cent of the construction industry to make the prompt payment code statutory and instead has made it easier to be a late payer.” www.rdr.link/BI094

One lucky builder was set on the road to Wembley courtesy of Professional Builder and English Rugby League sponsor, Ronseal.

Nottingham-based Chris Thurman of CT Property Maintenance was the lucky winner of a pair of tickets to Rugby League’s flagship event.

“Sam and I had a great time,” declares the Notts chippie. “Thanks very much to Ronseal and Professional Builder – it was brilliant!”

For further information on Ronseal visit www.rdr.link/BI095

Pole Position Scaffolding Association partners with charity to drive mental health awareness.

The Scaffolding Association became a supporter of Mates in Mind, joining a growing community of more than 270 other organisations across the UK, helping to tackle the important issue of mental health awareness in the sector. James Rudoni, Mates in Mind: “We are delighted that The Scaffolding Association has now joined us in raising awareness and understanding on this important issue. Mental illhealth is a widespread issue across UK workplaces.” www.rdr.link/BI096

Hitting the Airwaves A new podcast from the Painting and Decorating Association has been launched.

Hosted by the PDA’s Chief Executive, Neil Ogilvie – with Chris Kerfoot, of Chris Kerfoot Painter and Decorator, as the first star guest – the podcast gives an overview of a wide range of topics from across the sector.

Neil Ogilvie said: “It’s a great introduction to the sector, with Chris delving deep into the reasons why he joined the trade, discussing current trends and giving his top tips.” www.rdr.link/BI097

SHOW ONLY DEALS & GIVEAWAYS The exhibition halls will be packed with much-loved tool brands including HiKOKI, Milwaukee and Stanley, with exhibitors showcasing the latest additions to their ranges of hand tools and power tools.

We’ll also have workwear, van racking, building materials and services to help you run your trades business more effectively – and with lots of our exhibitors offering exclusive show-only deals and fantastic giveaways, it’s worth taking a day off the tools to make a visit to

Nothing beats a trade show for a chance to get hands-on with a whole host of the latest tools and kit, and Professional Builder Live has an exciting line-up of events planned for the trades in 2020.

PROFESSIONAL ELECTRICIAN

ELEXSHOW The Electricians’ Exhibition

PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

TOOLFAIR 2020

PLUMBEXPO

POWER TOOLS • HAND TOOLS • BUILDING EQUIPMENT

A free Professional Builder T -shirt Free entry ● Free parking ● A free bacon roll ● Tool Demos Exclusive special offers and giveaways ● Networking opportunities Free business -building workshops and seminars

PARTNERS DATES FOR YOUR DIARY Running alongside TOOLFAIR, ELEX and PLUMBEXPO, we’re starting the year at Alexandra Palace in London on 29th and 30th January, heading to EventCity in Manchester on 12th and 13th March and then finishing the tour in Harrogate on 13th and 14th May.

HANDS ON... TRY BEFORE YOU BUY The Professional Builder Tool DEMO ZONE will be back in 2020, with expert tradesmen and women putting the latest kit through its paces – giving you a chance to ask questions and see new power tools and hand tools from all your favourite brands, which should help when it comes to deciding what to buy.

WORKSHOPS NEW FOR 2020!

There will be a series of FREE workshops helping you run your business more effectively. There will be sessions on taking great photos of your work for social media, using Google and Facebook ads to get more customers, simple marketing ideas to grow your business, tips and tricks to make paperwork stress a thing of the past and sessions on looking after your mental health. The full programme will be published online, so make sure you check out our website and social media channels for updates.

EXHIBITORS INCULDE...

DeWALT, Trend, Makita, Tainer, Paslode, Panasonic, Toupret, Festool, Scruffs, Hexstone, Blaklader Workwear, CK Tools, Ardex, Armeg, Bosch, Leica, Checkatrade, Dart Tool, Dickie Dyer and LOADS MORE. Do check out the show’s social media feeds for all the latest information.

STAY UPDATED...

Check out probuilderlive.co.uk for the latest show news, and make sure you are following @ProBuilderLive on Twitter and facebook.com/ProBuilderLIVE/

YOUR LETTERS... @PB_mag

@probuildermag

...problems solved

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Professional Builder, Regal House, Regal Way, Watford, Herts, WD24 4YF. Through our extensive manufacturer network, Professional Builder has access to some of the best technical brains in the industry. If we don’t know the answer to a building-related problem ourselves, we almost certainly know someone who does.

If something is troubling you, or if you have any other comments on the world of building, let’s hear it.

AGE CONCERN Dear Professional Builder I have just finished building an extension for an elderly customer who I have worked for over the course of many years.

They wanted a downstairs bedroom with an en-suite. It was an urgent job, and I got the basics done, and then fitted it in as I could. Unfortunately, the customer has had another stroke, and now gone into a care home, and the family are going to sell the house to pay for his care.

The problem is that they say they can't now afford to pay my final bill until the house is sold. I didn't make a lot of profit on the extension, because I did it cheap, and a lot of the gear I put into the bathroom for disabled access was a lot more expensive than normal gear. The family tell me it will all have to come out before they sell the house because the extension needs to be made back into a living room. They want me to do the work and add it to the bill, but I won't get paid until the sale goes through. I am not looking for any answers here, because there is nothing anyone can do. There is no point in me taking the old fella to court, and he needs that money to pay his care bill until the house is sold, but I just want to warn other builders to think about these things. I went in a bit gung-ho and got my fingers burnt. ● Nigel Harmison, Eastbourne, Sussex PB: As you say there is nothing much you can do but wait but, having tried to help a good customer, you have ended up on the losing end of the deal. At the very least you should now be thinking of adding interest to the bill. It is one thing being compassionate but you are running a business.

SOME LIKE IT HOT Dear Professional Builder I have fitted an unvented hot water cylinder in my house, and I am told I have to notify Building Control. I am also told the same applies to a vented cylinder. Is this true? ● Derek Brodie, Whitehaven, Cumbria PB: Cylinder installations are notifiable, and so are lots of other plumbing and drainage jobs. It is a slightly complicated business to get the installation registered, and many people simply give up. Vented cylinders can be self-certified if the plumber belongs to one of the relevant trade organisations.

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16 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

MONEY IS POWER Dear Professional Builder It is all very well having cordless tools, but the batteries are a rip off. I don't know why they cost so much because they are very cheap to make. Also, they don't last very long. I have some tools I don't use that much and, when I get them out to check them, all the batteries were flat. I put them on charge and they are all duds, so that is about £300 worth down the drain. ● Chris Potterton, Plumstead, London SE2 PB: You are right to say the cost of replacement batteries is often disproportionately high. Manufacturers tell us that the profit margins on power tools are at an all-time low, due partly to the cheap imports of lesser brands.

Replacement batteries are one of the few opportunities to redress that balance, and get some money through the till. Before we get too aggrieved we must acknowledge that we are all in business to make money, and builders do much the same thing by winning contracts on a low price but hope to pick up some profit on the inevitable round of extras. We have also looked at after-market batteries imported from China, but they tend to last a much shorter time, and work out the same in the end, so perhaps there is no substitute for the real deal.

‘SILL’ STANDING Dear Professional Builder It’s alright for you soft southerners but up here this summer has been even worse than usual, a complete washout and I have lost tonnes of work and money because of the incessant downpours. Why don’t paint manufactures come up with some paints that can be put on when the rain is on its way? They all say conditions have to be dry. If they invented a paint which could go on in the wet, like patio pointing stuff you have featured in the past, then they would clean up. ● Hamish Macfadden, Inverness PB: The summer of 2019 won’t live long in the memory down here either, but it is a good point and no doubt the boffins will have their eureka moment soon. In the meantime quick drying paints are the best answer. You can’t put them on in the rain but if there is a small window of opportunity then you can get a coat on quickly, and it wont end up on the deck. That’s assuming, of course, the forecasters have done their job correctly... and that is another can of worms altogether!

Professional

Cam paign FIGHTING

TOOL THEF T

TOGETHER

Scott Chesworth, operations director at RAM Tracking, offers his advice on how to fight the good fight against van crime

On the right track A s a tradesman, vans and their contents are essential to a trademan’s ability to work.

However, vans can contain valuable tools and equipment, and thieves know this. When a vehicle is stolen, there are multiple impacts on businesses, from the sheer inconvenience of being unable to work, to the emotional toll it takes.

However, improvements in technology mean there are ways to prevent crimes and recover stolen property and vehicles.

Having a vehicle stolen can be a drain on time and money and affect your mental state. The insurance process can be a long-winded one. Finding all the relevant data that insurance companies require can waste valuable time that could be used more productively, and there’s also no guarantee the full amount will be awarded.

Smaller fleets can be heavily impacted by van crime, as it could lead to jobs being cancelled due to lack of vehicles and resources. Plus, if a small business does not receive the full insurance amount, purchasing a new vehicle and equipment carries a significant cost burden.

Overall, the experience is highly stressful. Especially if personal or sentimental items were kept in the van.

However, technology could be the

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answer to van crime woes.

Smart alarms are a form of technology that can help fight van crime through prevention. Unlike standard vehicle alarms, smart alarms are unbearably loud.

For thieves to stay in the vehicle without damaging their hearing they would need ear defenders. As well as this, once the alarm is triggered, a call comes through on mobile phones. Multiple numbers can be added to the device giving the best possible chance of alerting someone to the crime. The speed in which the call comes through allows van owners to

Have your say at probuildermag.co.uk

18 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

contact the police quickly, improving the chances of the criminal being caught.

Other innovative technologies include DNA marking tools. These are traceable liquids that act as taggants, helping with recovery of stolen vehicles. They are longlasting and contain unique identifiers, like DNA, that mark valuables, such as fleet vehicles and tools, as the property of an individual. When a thief touches the liquid, it transfers onto their hands and clothes, labelling them as the person specific to the crime. The liquid can only be seen under an ultraviolet black light, so thieves

#fightingtooltheft

Together, we can do our bit to fight tool theft!

Sponsored by...

The Armorgard

guide to preventing tool theft from vans

For your free copy visit www.armorgard.co.uk/guides @PB_mag

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are unable to avoid it. Advertising that vans and tools are covered with DNA marking tools can also act as a deterrent in itself, making them a preventative measure too.

Vehicle tracking itself is one of the best ways to recover vehicles. The GPS vehicle trackers fitted by many providers are discreet, meaning the thief may be completely unaware of the device. Therefore, tampering is not attempted, and no damage is caused to the vehicle. Being unaware that trackers are fitted also lulls criminals into a false sense of security, so they do not attempt to keep the vehicle in a secure location or away from their own property.

GPS technology within vehicle trackers can pinpoint a vehicle’s location to within a few metres, allowing police to accurately follow and locate the stolen goods before they are damaged or sold on. Many providers now offer mobile apps which give instant access to this information, even when on the go, as long as there is internet available. As a result, action can be taken to locate the vehicle as soon as it is reported missing, even if the owner is abroad.

Having a vehicle stolen can be highly detrimental to tradesmen. Without the vehicle, and the tools contained within it, day-to-day jobs cannot be carried out, impacting the business’ productivity levels and finances. It may be impossible to stop thefts altogether but investing in technology can go a long way towards prevention and recovery.

For further information on RAM Tracking online visit www.rdr.link/BI001

SPECIAL REPORT READERS’ LIVES

Walk of life ‘This Construction Life’ is a faithful depiction of one man’s years in the trades. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones talks to author, Patrick Butler about his newly published book.

T

he general public’s preconceived ideas about builders are often an occupational hazard for tradespeople, but who better to shed a more accurate light on the industry than a man who is descended from generations of construction professionals, and who has himself made it his life’s work?

‘This Construction Life’ is a memoir told through the building sites of Ireland, England and Eastern Europe, and it’s author Patrick Butler, charts all the highs and lows he has experienced along the way. “My main motivation in writing the book was to give the people in our industry more airtime,” explains the 45year-old project manager. “It’s hard work, but you’d be hard pressed to find a living where you could have more fun, and there are so many characters with extraordinary skills. It’s those people that I wanted to celebrate and reveal to a wider audience.”

Originally from Limerick in the west of Ireland, Patrick’s book begins with a vivid depiction of his life in that country as a child. His father – and his father before

him – had been in the trades from a very early age, so a destiny on the tools was already written but, with the impetus of the Celtic tiger, the family firm would ultimately grow to become a considerable enterprise. “My grandfather was a very strict man and I learnt all I needed from him about a work ethic,” he recalls, “but

Ireland in general was a very different society then from what it is today. When I first set out working on my father and grandfather’s sites there were families of proud tradesmen that amounted to four generations from great grandfather to great grand son. It was the order of the

day. There were heavy weekend drinkers too that requested “the sub” on a Monday from my grandfather to carry them through the week.

“At a different contractor I worked for in my late teens, there was a gang of pretty committed Poitin drinkers working on site. Whilst you wouldn’t recommend drinking a highly alcoholic (and illegal) beverage made from fermented potatoes on the job today, they maintained that they’d never taken a pill in their lives because of it. Those were the kinds of times we lived in – there were fewer rules and more colourful characters to exploit the ones that did exist.”

In the intervening years, Patrick would eventually qualify as a civil engineer, and his company would benefit from a considerable boom in building through much of the ‘90s and the turn of the century, building quality homes right across the emerald isle. When the inflated property prices of the Republic of Ireland in the

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 21

SPECIAL REPORT READERS’ LIVES

first decade of the millennium proved to be an illusion cruelly exposed by the credit crunch, his firm was just one amongst a legion of casualties. “At one stage I had 50 men working for me but, like many, I took a fairly heavy fall in 2008, and it was then that I came to England.”

“I was first living in a single room in Manchester where, for around a month, I

was taking work where I could. There were companies dropping like flies on both sides of the Irish Sea and they were dark days to be honest. I then migrated to the capital and secured work managing sites in central and east London. It was then that I started writing down my memories in notebooks and, whilst I’ve changed names and timeframes to protect the anonymity of individuals, everything in the book is a faithful depiction of what I have experienced. By confronting the difficult periods and looking back to the happier ones, I found it helped me get through that time.”

Still based in London, Patrick makes

his living providing project management services to construction companies, and we caught up with the newly published author at the renovation of a string of prestigious Victorian Manson Houses overlooking Hyde Park. With a busy and now successful career in England what was the motivation for taking on the considerable additional burden of writing a book? “Although I had reams of material it only recently occurred to me that this is something I could share with a wider audience. In addition to working in both Ireland and England, I’ve also spent some time renovating apartments in Poland, which gives me an insight into the experiences of immigration in this country as well, and the diversity of the industry in this country is something we should be applauding. I would hope that my book would appeal to people beyond the site gates,” he concludes, “because, whilst it might be a high pressure environment at times, it’s also a very rewarding one.”

If you would like to purchase a copy of This Construction Life then visit www.rdr.link/BI002

SPECIAL REPORT

NEWS FOR TODAY

VOL.1 NO.4

NEW SERIES

HEART OF OAK

IT IS ONE OF THE BUILDING INDUSTRY’S MOST ANCIENT ARTS AND ONE SUFFOLK TRADESMAN IS KEEPING ALIVE ITS TIME-HONOURED TECHNIQUES. PROFESSIONAL BUILDER’S LEE JONES TALKS TO RICK LEWIS OF TRADITIONAL OAK CARPENTRY ABOUT HIS WORK TO PRESERVE PERIOD PROPERTIES. Whilst it might not have been a revelation as significant as the road to Damascus it was certainly an ecclesiastical experience that would put carpenter Rick Lewis on a very different path in life. “As a young man, I was working as a chippie on some quite substantial new build sites when the company I worked for got a job renovating a church,” he recalls. “I already had an interest in history and working on a medieval structure opened up a whole new world of traditional building skills to me – and I’ve never looked back since.”

We caught up with the 53 year-old on a mid-sixteenth century property in Bungay, Suffolk – a project typical of the repairs Rick will undertake.

Here, elevated levels externally, and the addition of a concrete slab in the 1960s, has raised the floor levels inside the house, and left timbers subterranean, with the inevitable consequences for damp, fungal and insect damage.

As a consequence of the sole plate occupying a level below the floor it has decayed and reduced in size, whilst the framing above had dropped causing some damage to the infill panels. “How we choose to approach a renovation will depend on what we find when we get into the structure of the building, because

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24 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

there will inevitably be generations of alterations to contend with. One of the repairs we’ve undertaken here involved removing two courses of brickwork, sliding in a new section of sole plate, fixing it to the uprights with mortice and tenon joints – using traditional hand cleft pegs – then building the brickwork back in.”

Heritage building work has developed its own vocabulary of solutions, and one that Rick subscribes to is a modern take on a timber lath and plaster substrate in the form of Savolit wood wool boards, and it is this that has been utilised to repair those damaged panels. “It’s actually spiralised wood that’s bound together with ordinary Portland cement,” he explains. “That’s not a material you would ordinarily use on historic buildings but, because it’s full of holes, it still allows a structure to breath, which is critical for timber frame. The panels are available in various thicknesses, it’s flexible enough to deform to irregular surfaces, and simply screws on with plastic washers. Used as a lining internally, or a cladding externally, it will provide a good key for lime plasters, and will help to stiffen and strengthen the timbers to which it’s fixed.”

Any initial encounter with a historic building will involve some detective work, first as to its age, but then to what subsequent work has been undertaken. A queen post roof puts this Suffolk property in the 1500s, and it uses a scarf joint throughout that was common in that

century, but it’s been much modified since.

In addition to his practical skills, Rick is able to communicate all of that information, and much more, to his clients in a Carpentry Condition Report. “A prospective buyer can often encounter issues in period properties that might scare them, and talking to someone like me, who understands those concerns, can often save a lot of problems in the future. Evidence of wood boring insects, for example, can often terrify a homeowner, but in truth most timber buildings of any age will exhibit signs of some kind of an infestation at some period in their history.

What we can do is determine if it is an ongoing problem or past decay, and what action, if any, needs to be taken. Even if there is evidence of death watch beetle, for instance, it is invariably indicative of substantial levels of damp, and that is the issue that needs to be addressed first.”

Traditional Oak Carpentry specialises in the repair of structural timbers in old properties, whilst Rick’s company also commands a 5,000 sq ft workshop in Wetheringsett where they will fabricate high quality and bespoke timber frames for new builds. When it comes to that heritage work,

Savolit’s wood wool boards are a modern alternative to traditional timber laths

experience and a hugely diverse range of projects, has built a formidable level of expertise.

“Every period of history has its own styles which inform how they would have been built,” concludes the Suffolk carpenter.

“As well as that, there are substantial regional variations over a relatively small geographical area. We can encounter some very unusual joints in our work that site carpenters would simply not recognise.

That’s not to denigrate what other

carpenters might do, but there’s simply no need for them to know what a face bridled and edged scarf joint might be. Similarly, we’ve done a lot of work with historic tools, which are themselves antiques, because we’re not just repairing to make it look like it did previously, we’re often forensically and carefully employing the techniques that were used in that period. That’s why conservation is so fascinating, because it’s a subjective business that requires a case-bycase approach.”

Rick’s traditional approach includes hand cleft pegs for mortice and tenon joints

For further information on Traditional Oak Carpentry visit www.rdr.link/BI003 For further information on the range of wood wool building boards from Savolit visit www.rdr.link/BI004

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 25

TRAINING & UPSKILLING

t h g i R

C

ARDEX ACADEMY

NO.1 IN THE

SERIES

In a new regular series, Professional Builder showcases the training opportunities available to tradespeople.

ON

E S R OU

National Training Manager, Steve Davies, (Right) instructs a course attendee at the Ardex Academy

ACADEMY REWARDS This month, Professional Builder’s Lee Jones visits the Ardex Academy at Haverhill, Suffolk.

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f you think you have nothing to learn then the building industry will quickly teach you a lesson to the contrary.

Consumer trends, changing materials and technologies – not to mention regulatory requirements – all make change a part of the natural order, and it is here that training and upskilling will become your ally. Not only that but, at a time when so many trades are in short supply, ensuring your skillset is up-to-date is simply sensible business practice.

One company that already has an

enviable level of technical knowledge at its disposal is Ardex, and it is communicating that expertise to its customers through its Haverhill-based Academy. Combining both a seated theory and hands-on practical area in one flexible space, this modern facility allows for either demonstrations from instructors, or for builders themselves to take up their tools.

“The Ardex Academy as a concept has taken on the status of a brand in itself,” enthuses National Training Manager, Steve Davies. “We consider training to be a significant part of the service we provide our customers, and last year over

4,500 people attended one of our courses, whilst the target for 2019 is over 5,000.” Indeed, whilst the flooring and tiling specialist can boast 53 subsidiaries around the world, there are only five sites that have been awarded Academy status, with a stringent level of quality demanded to earn that standing from its international headquarters in Germany.

At present, the Suffolk site will host 2 – 3 classes a week, but the company also maintains four mobile vans that deliver on site instruction – in addition to site surveys and technical support – whilst there is a further Ardex training facility in Stoke-on-Trent.

Moreover, the manufacturer also supports a network of FE colleges around the country, and will conduct its own tuition at these, whilst additional convenient locations can be utilised if required.

Steve outlines exactly how builders can benefit: “We’re increasingly seeing people coming on our courses because they’re looking to multi-skill, and we cover a full range of flooring, tiling and building topics. As well as that, we need to react quickly to market trends by developing solutions tailored to the latest fashions, and our training needs to keep pace.”

In recent years, for instance, large format tiles have found favour, and, with sizes up to 2.5m now being supplied – often in materials that will diverge from the more customary stone or ceramic – they represent a specialist product. In

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 27

TRAINING & UPSKILLING ARDEX ACADEMY

response, Ardex has worked with tile makers to develop appropriate bonding technologies, whilst it also delivers a course to instruct tilers in their installation.

“Our Large Format Tiling Course is a good example of the comprehensive approach we take. They can effectively be panels rather than tiles, and getting them to stick on the walls is just one of the challenges. That’s why we’ll collaborate with other companies to make sure that tradespeople are fully conversant with how to cut them, as well

as addressing issues like safe transportation. Luxury vinyl tiles are equally very much in vogue, a subject which is covered in our Subfloor Preparation & LVT Installation Course.”

Talent Pool Whenever a major swimming pool project is undertaken it is Ardex that will get the call to supply not only product but expertise, and its Pool & Wet Leisure Tiling Course brings together all that technical proficiency. A Subfloor

Preparation & Introduction into Installing Safety Flooring in a Wet Room, will instruct in everything from moisture testing, to dealing with smoothing and levelling compounds. Adds Steve: “The vast majority of failures in flooring jobs are down to poor preparation, which makes this a very popular course for us, and one that even the most time served floor layer will find useful. Similarly, gypsum-based anhydrite screeds are still not very well understood, causing on site issues as a consequence, which is why we’re now delivering an Identification and Preparation of an Anhydrite/Calcium Sulphate Screed Course.

“Some of the professionals on our courses can be very experienced indeed, but they will tell us that they’ve learnt something new from attending,” concludes Steve, “and that is our real objective – to ensure that builders have the skills to get the most from our products.”

If you want to look at the full portfolio of training course available to tradespeople from Ardex then visit www.rdr.link/BI005

SPECIAL REPORT ENERGY EFFICIENCY IN HOMES

THE ENERGY GAP Chris Stanley, Housing Manager, at the Concrete Block Association examines how we can improve the energy efficiency of our homes

emissions globally, and residential buildings have a larger impact than all other buildings put together. In the UK structures are responsible for around 40 per cent of the country’s total carbon footprint, with heating alone making up about 10 per cent.

Consequently, energy efficiency has become an essential consideration for builders. Not only do we need to reduce energy consumption for the sake of the environment; energy efficiency affects everything from personal wellbeing to utility bill levels. We need to deliver homes that enhance the way we live in the long term, and the CBA is offering the industry guidance to achieve that.

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he ‘digital revolution’ is a term which has recently gathered much traction across all aspects of society, particularly in the construction industry. Nowhere is this more apparent than within the housebuilding sector.

Over the last decade, we’ve seen the introduction of smart homes, which include gadgets such as smart meters.

Likewise, low-carbon energy is no longer uncommon in a domestic setting. But these are far from the only development in energy use in the home. As recently highlighted by the Energy Saving Trust, the transformation in the last century has been huge.

An earlier survey, Connecting with homeowners: making energy efficiency relevant (2016) showed that public awareness of energy efficiency is growing. To put this into perspective, 90 per cent of those polled had completed a home improvement that included an energy efficiency upgrade.

Although the possibilities of tech are

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Pushing the envelope exciting and inspiring, we need to consider the impact of the building materials first. Before getting ahead of ourselves with futuristic gadgets, it’s essential we first understand the importance of the fabric of the building and the way materials are specified. A robust understanding of energy efficiency enables builders to select the most appropriate materials available for a particular build.

The built environment is one of the most significant contributors to CO2

OCOTBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

The first port of call when reducing a building’s reliance on heating or cooling is always a high-performing building envelope. Anyone involved in the trade will know what a difference appropriate insulation, glazing and windows, as well as airtight construction and minimisation of thermal bridges, all make. Although the shape and orientation of a house plays a role, being flexible with these is rarely straightforward, especially with smallscale projects.

Even so, balance is everything and you need a certain air change rate. An overly airtight home will result in poor air quality and lack of moisture control. We have to consider natural energy gains from people, appliances and the sun to rule out overheating, as the Energy Savings Trust piece concedes.

Next in line to be addressed is ventilation. High-performance controlled ventilation or mechanical heat recovery ventilation (MHRV) helps reduce energy thrown away with extracted air, therefore minimising energy wastage. The future will also see the introduction of smart ventilation controls to manage our systems of high performance controlled ventilation.

Crossing the thermal bridge Over the last 25 years, our new build housing stock has witnessed a sea change in terms of quality. Successive changes to Approved Document Part L, have made this possible, yet there is more room for improvement. Even with the leaps made in airtightness and insulation, thermal bridging remains a problem.

Thermal bridges occur along the lines of intersection between different building elements. The two most common instances are a break in insulation or an area where an element with a higher thermal conductivity penetrates the insulation.

A significant 30 per cent of a building’s heat loss can be caused by a thermal bridge. What’s more, the negative impact is heightened the better the insulation is elsewhere in the structure. Therefore, we must pay greater attention to this during the planning stage of a build if we are to build homes that serve us far into the future.

Naturally both client and builder will want to find the most costefficient way to comply with Part L. To help builders find the most economical way to deliver a project, many of our CBA members provide thermal bridging details and guidance.

Thermal bridging – (Psi) values have to be calculated for specific details. Armed with an understanding of this, builders will be able to select the right product. The details and corresponding independentlycalculated – values for masonry construction are available on the CBA website.

The crucial values So how do you ensure the building envelope is high-performance and a house energy efficient? Finding the

appropriate U-value (or thermal transmittance) is fundamental, and so is knowing how this can be achieved.

The necessary calculation is complex, however we have provided a tool to help: a simple, free-to-use online U-value calculator. We created this especially to assist those unfamiliar with how this crucial number can be identified. It’s highly accurate, and even if more detailed calculations become essential, this is the perfect place to start.

At the CBA, we’re always researching to find new solutions and tools to benefit builders and the wider construction industry. Our U-value calculator and thermal bridging details are just a few examples of our efforts to meet the ever-increasing demands on the trade across the UK.

For further information on the Concrete Block Association visit www.rdr.link/BI006

SPECIAL REPORT THE MASTER BUILDER AWARDS

No.4 in the Series

CARBON CAPTURE Ever wondered how the homes of the future will be built and what they will look like? A closer look at some of the ‘Highly Commended’ nominations in this year’s Master Builder Awards might reveal some trends.

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he Low Carbon category was jam-packed with homes of the future that are being built here and now. An eco-chalet nestled in the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains in Northern Ireland has transformed the life of a retired couple thanks to its low carbon credentials, and secured Regan Building Contractors with the recognition their efforts deserve.

Andrew Regan’s new build in the garden of the couple’s former home not only saves them money on their pension pot by reducing their energy bills, but it also freed up their former home to be rented out.

Working with a £120,000 budget, Andrew and his team incorporated the latest in sustainable technology to reduce the chalet’s carbon footprint. This included insulation, triple glazing, enhanced air tightness with heat recovery ventilation, and they even designed and manufactured their own cavity closers and thermal junction barriers to achieve the best possible efficiency.

This construction process was sustainable in every sense of the word.

“They encouraged us to use apprentices on the build,” explains Andrew. The team even built a treehouse for the

grandchildren to foster their interest in construction. “We formed one in the style of a tower crane to keep the flame alive”, continued Andrew. What’s more, the client prioritised local materials and struck a deal with the builder whereby their wood burning stove would be powered

by Regan Building Contractor’s waste wood, diverting six tonnes of woodcuttings from landfill and saving Andrew £1,000 on skip hire annually.

The Fox’s Hollow was also singled out, this time by award judges in Wales, as an eco-home with a luxury finish. MJ Construction worked with a meatier budget of £650,000, to deliver what Director, Michael Lewis describes as a “family home with sustainability and costeffectiveness in mind for the future.”

Energy efficient measures included rainwater harvesting tanks, solar photovoltaics, ground-source heat pumps,

insulation, an eco-lighting system and intelligent underfloor heating.

By name and nature, development at The Fox’s Hollow respected local biodiversity by protecting a nearby 500year-old oak tree throughout the construction process, and leaving an adjacent field untouched to create a sanctuary for wildlife.

MJ Construction brought together style and substance by delivering a Scandinavian aesthetic featuring timber cladding, extensive use of glass, and hand sculpted banisters.

Michael added that “80 per cent of the joinery used in this project was crafted on site by my skilled carpenters… It took a great team of skilled tradesmen of whom I’m very proud.”

The Master Builder Awards are organised by the Federation of Master Builders and they aim to recognise and celebrate the high-quality work and dedication of the SME construction sector throughout the UK.

For further information, on the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) visit www.rdr.link/BI007

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32 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS TRADES ONLINE

Return to ‘tender’ PB

Three years ago we urged our readers to “watch this space” following the launch of a new online construction platform to open up access to new work opportunities and improve transparency in the building industry. We understand that the original brand name Tenderspace and the business profile has recently undergone something of a transformation so it seems an appropriate time to bring us right up to date.

Yes, that was an exciting time for us, compiling a team with over 50 years’ experience in property development in response to what we regarded as an ever growing need to simplify and streamline many of the costly processes associated with property and construction projects of all sizes, not just for developers and project managers but also for the trades and the guys at the sharp end. We also recognised that it was important to protect a fledgling business while it grows and we added a credit risk rating tool as well to help tackle the scourge of late payment.

an enhanced offering, re-centred around the network tool, which allows our users to build their client base and teams and communicate more easily, we look forward to exciting times ahead.

to invite contractors to join a project and tender for the work.

PB

A

PB

All very worthy sentiments, of course, but we understand you have recently decided to rebrand as COPRONET. Can you tell us the thinking behind the switch and what is different about the new cloud based platform?

TenderSpace was a working title, which we came up with at the early development stage, but there was always a possibility that, as the business evolved, we would look at a name which was more representative of the overall package of benefits and encompassed our plans for future growth to all sectors of the construction business. The reasons behind the original launch are even more relevant today than back in 2016 and with

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© Adobe Stock/Budimir Jevtic

Professional Builder revisits a cloud based online construction platform which has recently undergone some blue sky thinking.

How do Professional Builder readers access the opportunities and tools on the site?

Registering with COPRONET is quick and simple and, most importantly, much of the functionality is free to use. You can choose to upgrade your subcription as and when you need more advanced features. All planning leads and public sector jobs across the UK are listed on the platform and are free to view.

Within the suite of tools there is a ‘Profile Builder’, an interpretation and simplification of the PAS91 PreQualification Questionnaire (PQQs). It saves a lot of time filling in forms (you just do this once) and allows tradesmen to show project managers their skills and expertise via a single link. Profile Builder provides an online web profile, just like a mini-website, and it’s the perfect solution for builders hoping to bid for smaller public sector projects under £100,000.

The Project Hub tool, allows everyone on a project to share and manage vital documentation, from start to finish.

Our designers have worked extremely hard to make the system a really easy platform to use, both for builders and the procurement professionals who want to collaborate with you.

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PB

How does COPRONET help builders to target work?

We focus on opportunities that are still ‘live’ and possibly still at the feasibility stage, allowing you to send expressions of interest to potential clients and employers at the earliest possible phase. Our competitors only inform users about new jobs once the procurement process has started and when key decisions have probably already been made. Our method gives builders the chance to develop business-generating relationships with people requiring their expertise earlier in the procurement process. COPRONET also allows public and private sector procurement managers

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PB

You mentioned tackling the dreaded late payment. How does this element work?

We know that late payment is a huge problem in the construction industry.

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 35

BUSINESS SOLUTIONS TRADES ONLINE USERS CAN FIND New connections using the network tools New projects New clients to work with USERS CAN MANAGE Their colleagues/team They can check the finances of any business that they are working with Communications Live collaboration on drawings Tasks and programmes Documentation and data In fact, the latest reports found that late payments in the construction industry rose by a staggering 30 per cent during 2018.

We want to help combat late or nonpayment issues, which is why we added the unique ability to check the credit rating of potential project partners, main contractors and supply companies using ‘Finance Checker’. COPRONET will also

notify you if there is any change to a credit rating, helping subscribers to protect their businesses.

There’s always a risk in taking on a new customer.

Unless you do a credit check, you just don’t know whether they’re capable of paying you.

Finance Checker produces Credit Risk Reports which allow a subscriber to determine the creditworthiness of your business partners in an instant. And if the financial situation changes in a company that you have carried out a Finance Check on, you will receive an alert instantly in to your inbox telling you this.

What about builders who only specialise in domestic work?

You can access smaller jobs – for example repairs, extensions and

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remedial works – from either the planning information or where people have posted a job on the Project Hub. The system allows your skills to be matched to jobs where people are looking for your particular expertise.

So what should readers do first?

It’s free and easy to register, so go to www.copronet.com and get started by creating a profile.

You can then create your personal and company profiles, search for work build your network and much more. There many free features but if you wanted to access all of the system, including Credit Reports, an annual subscription of the Pro Plan is only £30 per user, per month (plus VAT), with no contract or £300 p.a (plus VAT).

For more information on Copronet go to www.rdr.link/BI008

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36 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

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TECHNOLOGY

No.4 in the series

AT YOUR SERVICE

Festool showcases some of the technologies in its power tools

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cross the board power tool manufacturers are constantly innovating and developing new features to make tools better. Technology within the industry has enabled these tools to become smaller and more powerful, enabling tradespeople to work faster and effortlessly.

An example of this innovation is our own EC-TEC drive concept. It enables tools to deliver power much more effectively whilst reducing energy consumption at the same time. Running without carbon brushes means that the EC-TEC motor is wear-free – providing an additional benefit of a longer tool service life.

“Originally developed to optimise a range of cordless tools, EC-TEC combines more power with intelligence and service life,” explains Dr. Thomas Kunstfeld, ECTEC testing expert at Festool.

The sensors continuously check all the important parameters, such as the speed, the temperature and the actual position of the rotor. If the tool approaches a critical range, EC-TEC automatically reduces the power supply and output to protect it. ECTEC delivers an extraordinary amount of power while consuming extremely low amounts of energy. “The EC-TEC motor runs without carbon brushes too, making it wear-free, maintenance-free, extremely robust and highly reliable at the same

time,” emphasises Kunstfeld. “The special power electronics only ever generate enough energy for the relevant application. This not only saves energy but also results in a significantly longer performance from one battery charge.”

Using this technology in some of Festool’s corded tools has many advantages, as EC-TEC makes them lighter, more efficient and wear-free. The ETS EC 125 and ETS EC 150 random orbit sanders are good examples of this. With their powerful EC-TEC motor technology, the two sanders have a more compact and lightweight design than similar tools

with standard motors and carbon brushes.

The extremely lightweight and handy tools are ideal for working on vertical surfaces and above head height. The DURADRIVE DWC 18-250 drywall screwdriver achieves up to 40 per cent more screwdriving power per battery charge thanks to this new technology.

The stop-and-go function enables you to position a screw, apply pressure to it and then tighten it only using energy precisely when it is needed.

Furthermore, the tool is protected against theft for three years and Festool pledges to keep all spare parts in stock for at least ten years. To benefit from this service package, all customers have to do is register their new tool online within 30 days of purchase.

For further information on EC-TEC visit www.rdr.link/BI009

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 39

Professional

BUILDER’S

We give our verdict on new products in our unique site tests, but now we want to give you the chance to try them – AND KEEP THEM – for yourself! All you have to do to enter the free draws is simply just type in www.rdr.link followed by the unique code.

!

L L A R O F E FRE 2

CASES OF SCREWS

OPTIMAXX MIDI CASE The Optimaxx Midi Case is a seriously robust and compact storage solution for your Extreme Performance wood screws, with six removable compartments of two different sizes. Fear no more about breakage, the tough design means you can take the storage facility wherever you like with absolute confidence, plus the contents are secured by two strong metal clips. With a good selection of six Optimaxx screw sizes included inside, the Midi Case starter pack is an all-round convenient solution.

Push yourself to the ‘maxx’ this month with Professional Builder’s online giveaways, simply visit www.rdr.link/BI010

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GOODY BAGS

IRSAP IRSAP, manufacturer of designer radiators, is giving away goodie bags to 10 lucky readers.

The bag includes a branded pen, an IRSAP t-shirt, an airvent key and the most recent brochures, which details all the products and prices for the latest extensive, stylish ranges.

To enter visit www.rdr.link/BI011

Easy to Enter!

1

POCKET DOOR

ECLISSE SINGLE 8MM PLAIN SATIN GLASS POCKET DOOR The Eclisse 8mm Glass Pocket Doors are a perfect way to maximise natural light, save space and add a stylish addition to any home. Finish interiors off with a high quality, elegant glass pocket door including everything you need for a professional finish. Easy and quick to install, space saving and practical = the perfect solution. The door is available in two sizes (762mm x 1,981mm or 826mm x 2,040mm) with included Chrome Flush Pull Handle.

To be in with a chance of winning simply visit www.rdr.link/BI012 and enter your details.

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OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

re than ever befo It’s now easier titions on our mpe to enter the co e collected all th ve e’ W . te websi , ge pa one handy competitions on have to enter ly meaning you on s once! il ta de your ink/BI018 .l dr .r w ww

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T-SHIRTS

BOSCH PROFESSIONAL BOSCH 18V RANGE You can really look the business in one of these T-shirts, specially produced to celebrate the Bosch 18V Kit Revolution! Bosch has put together its largest ever range of Twin Packs and Combo Kits, making its huge catalogue of fully compatible products more affordable to buy and easier to carry. Wear something that shows you appreciate professional quality.

Get ready for summer with these great Tshirts. Simply visit www.rdr.link/BI013 and fill out your details.

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SAFETY KNIVES

HULTAFORS TOOLS HULTAFORS SNAP OFF KNIFE The SRP Snap-Off Knife is an ergonomic, robust knife, ideal for cutting materials like plasterboard, insulation, aqua panels and wood.

Designed with a rubberised grip to make it suitable for cutting materials that need more power, it’s also tapered for control, and a better view of the cutting area. It can hold a dispenser that takes three blades and is made of durable polycarbonate plastic with a steel core for added stability. There’s a 1mm thick blade rail for additional stability and its overall symmetric design makes it ideal for left or right-hand use. It also comes with a set of replacement blades.

If winning lots of free goodies sounds like a sharp idea to you, get over to our website where you can enter them all in one go. Simply visit www.rdr.link/BI014

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PAIR OF SAWHORSES

BORA SPEEDHORSE When you need to visit multiple worksites in one day, you need equipment that is fast and easy to set up, take down and transfer from one location to another. The ultimate upgrade for your jobsite, work space or work shop, the Bora Speedhorse takes just 1.6 seconds to set up, saving precious time so you can work faster and complete jobs more efficiently. Designed for flexibility in a wide range of environments the Bora Speedhorse is built to withstand the heaviest of projects, and able to bear weight up to 680kg (1,500lb) It’s a sure bet that you’ll be pleased by this fantastic prize if you’re the lucky winner. Enter at www.rdr.link/BI016

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FIBREGLASS LADDERS

DRAPER TOOLS FIBREGLASS 3 STEP LADDER Draper’s new Fibreglass 3 step ladder is the perfect tool for any hands-on tradesman. Fitted with deep ridged aluminium treads, you know you will be in safe hands providing extra grip for each step.

Manufactured to EN 131 professional standards, the non-slip rubber feet provide stability and comfort when working on the job with a maximum load of 150kg. As part of the Draper Expert range, this ladder was designed for the professional in mind, the high strength lightweight frame with a total weight of 6.1kg, allows you to transport effortlessly making it easier than ever to work on the go.

You could be winner – simply enter your details online at www.rdr.link/BI015

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IMPACT DRIVER ACCESSORY SET

MAKITA MAKITA IMPACT BLACK DRIVER ACCESSORIES Makita has launched its latest accessory series for its impact drivers – Impact Black. A high durability range suited for professional use, all components can be recognised by a unique black coating designed to prevent rusting and ensure longevity. The range includes 25mm screw bits, 50mm screw bits, and four 50mm magnetic nut setters with a ¼in. hex shank in sizes 6mm, 8mm, 10mm and 13mm.

Go for a drive with Professional Builder this month, simply visit www.rdr.link/BI017

OUGH THERE’S R-ALL’ WAS NOT EN FO ERE ‘F S R’ DE IL BU TIONS ON IF PROFESSIONAL AYS AND COMPETI AW VE GI E IV US CL ST OF EX ALSO A WHOLE HO O.UK FOR YOUR ROBUILDERMAG.C .P W W W T OU K EC YWHERE OUR WEBSITE – CH ON’T FIND THEM AN W U YO R BE EM M AND RE CHANCE TO WIN – WEBSITE. ELSE BUT ON OUR

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‘STEELING’ THE SHOW Professional Builder’s Kieran Nee takes a look at the history of British hand tool manufacture.

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hanks to the internet, certain hand tool brands have gained almost cult-like followings, with builders waxing lyrical about the build quality, ergonomic design and even their aesthetic value. Certain tools, it seems, press all the right buttons.

But it has been a long journey to get to this point, one which was faithfully documented by tool historian R A Salaman, whose Dictionary of Tools has gone down as the tool collector’s bible. I was lucky enough to be shown around the great man’s personal collection, carefully preserved by the St Albans Museum.

Hand tools have been around in various forms longer than humans themselves, however it was with the advent of iron and, later, steel, that hand tools began to take on the strength and precision we recognise today. In the UK, steel was synonymous with Sheffield, and naturally that is where the tool trade flourished.

As far back as the 14th Century, Sheffield was noted for its production of knives and by the 17th Century there was said to be one smith for every two houses. Indeed, the conditions for steel production were far from unique to Sheffield, but already having an established trade in metalwork meant that once steel tools were within reach, the northern city already had the skills and the infrastructure to seize upon them and

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become specialists in the field. Going forward, major developments in steel production would either emanate directly from Sheffield or be brought to the city to be put to use.

Crucible steel, invented by Benjamin Huntsman in 1740, proved to be key to Sheffield’s ultimate success, allowing it to pull away dramatically from the pack.

Huntsman’s innovation had a huge effect on the city, which in the space of 100 years went from producing 200 tonnes of steel per year to 80,000 tonnes. In 1856, a further leap forwards came in the form of Henry Bessemer’s converter process for the mass production of hard, durable steel.

Suddenly, cheap steel was readily available for workshops to make tools from.

tool until it wears down to something completely unusable has meant that few of them have lasted until the modern age.

Something that separates modern mass-produced tools from their forebears, besides quality, is the presence of the maker’s mark. Of course, modern tools have logos lasered onto them, but what appeals to the meticulous eye of the collector are the hyper-specific marks carefully left on each tool by their proud workshops. It was routine to include your Included in the RA Salaman collection was this device, listed as ‘unknown’. We’ve cracked it, but can you tell us what it is?

Make your mark The mark of a good tool was longevity and, properly maintained and serviced, a tool could benefit literally generations of workers. Ironically, the propensity to use a Special thanks goes to St. Alboans Museum for allowing us to take photos of the R A Salamon Collection.

name as part of the mark, but often even the address of your workshop was included. Of course, in a world before advertising, locality and reputation could make or break a tool maker. Having your tools associated with a particular area could infer a promise of quality.

However, tool makers weren’t above falsifying the company names and locations on their tools. Just as today a tool manufactured in China could wear the traditional branding of a longrespected UK tool brand, Victorian tools could easily refer to a non-existent company or claim to come from an entirely different part of the country from where it was made. Often this was a ruse on behalf of the workshop to distance themselves from lower quality lines.

With the improvement of the quality of steel, and the advent of roller pressed steel making the process faster and more uniform, tools gradually took on the appearance we are familiar with today. For instance, hand saws, for the first time, could be made both long and rigid enough for quick sawing. What’s more, a variety of saws could now be produced depending on what purpose they would serve. It’s with a certain sadness that some, more experienced, carpenters note the throwaway quality of modern hand saws, remembering fondly their weekly task as an apprentice of resharpening their masters’ saws.

Collections of antique tools inevitably contain many planes, of varying degrees of intricacy and aesthetic value. It makes sense that so many planes would survive the test of time when you consider they are mostly made from thick steel and must have cost a small fortune and were therefore kept in good condition. As an upwardly mobile society demanded refinement, the demand for planes must have been huge. Interestingly, planes were common in the Roman Empire, where refinement was the order of the day, but disappeared completely throughout the middle ages only to reappear sometime in the 1600s.

Drill seeker Drilling holes is something we take for granted, as fine, straight holes of any thickness can be achieved at the press of a button. Yet for centuries it remained an exhausting task, the completion of which correlated brutally closely to the expenditure of energy. In short, if you wanted a hole, you had to work for it. Advancements in drilling technology, such as the addition of gears and a crank, came quite late. Ironically, it is probably drilling which has since made the most progress. Unfortunately, it is France we have to thank for adding gears to drills.

Although one consolation is that Britain’s

own Rawlplug invented the hand-powered hammer drill, predating the current obsession with impact drivers by 90 years.

Once a huge importer of British-made hand tools, America eventually began producing its own wares and, indeed, began exporting them back to the UK. Many of the earliest tool makers in the US had cut their teeth, so to speak, in Sheffield and were simply taking their expertise directly to the market.

The advances in steel kept coming, and today Sheffield produces more steel than ever before. However, increasingly cheap imports and the general decline of manufacturing in the UK has meant the golden age of British toolmaking is behind us. Many would argue that the golden age of toolmaking in general is behind us. It must be pointed out, however, that there are still many small companies making hand tools the old way.

For more information on St Albans Museum online, go to www.rdr.link/BI021

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vibration free Pnu-Point pointing tool.

sales@pnupoint.co.uk

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TIME’S TICKING

How can the tools you use help you work faster and harder while not compromising on quality?

And how can you tell if a tool will really save you time and not turn out to be a marketing gimmick? John Dabb, Sales and Marketing Director at Hyde, takes a look.

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ot having enough hours in the day is a common complaint on the building site and when the project manager is determined to squeeze every inch out of them to get those deadlines met, it’s little wonder that builders can be left feeling under pressure and stressed out. When you are self-employed, time, or the lack of it, can feel even more of a burden, as time equals money, there’s no doubt about that.

Aside from some of the more obvious time burglars, such as delivery of materials being delayed, weather conditions halting work and cash flow, your tools and equipment can also have a huge bearing on things, serving either to slow you down or speed you up, and never really in equal measure. While the last thing you want to do is carry out any work in such a hurry that it ends up less than perfect, and at risk of a follow-up call out at best – tarnishing your reputation – working efficiently is a skill that builders do need within their arsenal, and having the right tools to hand undoubtedly helps.

Being organised is one sure-fire way of saving time – make sure your van is organised and your tool bag is tidy as a positive first step, as spending ages scrabbling around for that power drill you really need right now will just slow you down.

However, there are other very practical and hands-on ways that may be a little less obvious that can help save time on site and therefore, hopefully, stop you from pulling your hair out with stress too.

Many tools promise to change builders lives in terms of their time-saving innovations, yet it can be difficult to know which of these are genuine and which will leave you paying out for the promises on the packaging, but still short on time on

Shave precious time off site setup and teardown so you can get to work faster and complete jobs more efficiently with the Bora Speedhorse that deploys 30x faster than conventional sawhorses — just pull the release button in the middle of the frame.

site. The trick is to not fall for the marketing gimmicks at face value, but rather make some considered choices over where you really could do with saving wasted time during the day and then look for suitable solutions.

Bora Speedhorse Take the Bora Speedhorse as a good example. Incredibly, it takes less than two seconds to fully assembly this essential piece of kit and about the same again to take down. Quality isn’t compromised though and the legs won’t wobble, but it does mean an end to battling to put up a workhorse not knowing which bit goes where or which end to start on first. With the Bora Speedhorse teardown can start with either leg to really speed things up, particularly when, quite frankly, you have

better things to do.

Working conditions can also slow you up and even lead to calling it a day when really you need to be cracking on to meet those deadlines. Again, going in armed with some suitable tools for the job can really make all the difference when the clock is ticking, with the Stabila LED spirit level being a case in point. Its two integrated LED light sources ensure intense, balanced illumination for optimum readability of horizontal and vertical vials, even under poor visibility conditions, so no more squinting and scrabbling for the torch on your smartphone with one hand in order to take a dubious measurement.

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When levelling an object or marking out, poor lighting conditions can slow work down. Now the 196-2 LED from Stabila with its illuminated vials lets you take readings and keep working.

specification model, with a number of key features that ensure efficiency as well as accuracy, including a built-in digital camera, simple navigation and a handy built-in calculator that provides an easy estimating tool too.

Such solutions are just of the few of the many out there, that can leave you not only completing projects in a timely fashion, but even clocking off early to spend time down the pub or getting home to your family.

On the level

The Stabila LD520 laser distance measurer enables data to be transferred via Bluetooth to your smartphone or tablet and is the fast and efficient way to measure and calculate material or labour costs.

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Laser levels too, offer a super-fast, yet accurate, way of measuring up. These are a favourite tool among estate agents after all, and it’s well known that they are big on the time is money theory. The LD520, for example, is Stabila’s highest

For more information on any of the Brian Hyde brands mentioned in this feature use the appropriate link below Bora Speedhorse www.rdr.link/BI022 Stabila LED Spirit Level www.rdr.link/BI023 Stabila LD520 laser distance measurer www.rdr.link/BI024

tools, fixings & workwear

Bahco is a supporter of the DROPS training scheme, an initiative with the ambition to combat the risks associated with tools falling from height.

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ccording to the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) more than 10 million people are required to work at height during a typical year. Among them are builders and construction industry professionals well aware of the threat, and possible consequences, of hand tools or equipment falling or being dropped from height.

As well as creating a major risk to anyone working or passing below, falling tools can also cause serious damage and expensive down time to vital systems and machinery. Within the tool manufacturing sector, 200 industry organisations address the problem by supporting the global Dropped Object Prevention Scheme (DROPS).

Its members meet in regular forums or focus groups to consider how the threat of falling or dropped tools and equipment can be averted, sharing their findings and recommending best practice across numerous industries.

DROPS accredited training courses can be found at: www.rdr.link/BI082. You can call the DROPS campaign team, based near Aberdeen, tel: 01330-826510 or email them at: admin@dropsonline.org. Alternative courses are provided by other training organisations whose contact details can be found via the DROPS website.

Bahco, who pioneered anti-drop solutions to assist professionals working at height, is an active member of the DROPS initiative. All Bahco tools and safety equipment intended for use at height are approved according to DROPS practices.

Each safety solution for each type of tool is certified and the tool cannot be disassembled.

BREAKING THE FALL

The primary objective of the Health and Safety Executive’s strict guidelines for working at height has always been to prevent deaths or injuries.

Employers and anyone managing any work at height must by law ensure that the task is properly planned, supervised and carried out by competent people.

A hand tool such as a wrench or spanner falling 100m will accelerate to around 80mph

before it hits the ground, with a force of impact similar to that of a domestic washing machine being dropped from the same height.

Tethering tools to their users is one of the many precautions which companies require of those working at height. This demands a wide selection of tools which incorporate fixings to enable hand and power tools to be securely tethered to lanyards, tool bags, pouches and belts.

It’s not only ideal when using tools but also provides secure tool transportation to the workplace.

Fixings include safety chucks, Kevlar strings or Dyneema strings for screwdrivers, spring connections for wrenches, loops,

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eye bolts, shackles and safety pins for pliers, hammers and other tools.

Retractable lanyards should be certified, meeting international safety and quality standards. They must be quality tested in both static and dynamic tests in conditions more rigorous and demanding than any likely to be encountered. All lanyards should have universal attachments for tethering tools which do not have any integrated attachment point.

Several types of lanyard are available from specialist suppliers, including carabiner, fixed loop, exchangeable loop, retractable and wrist lanyards.

Carabiner lanyards, manufactured in high tenacity polyester, fully extendable to 120cm, will hold up to 3kg maximum tool weight (3 daN). Its carabiners are non-removable and their high strength webbing and self-retracting inner coils jointly absorb shock.

A wrist lanyard should extend to 60cm, hold up to 1kg in weight and feature an

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exchangeable loop with barrel lock.

Additional quick release connections are available but, for safety reasons, locking systems must be compatible only with the specific lanyard they are intended to be used with.

Backpacks allow users to move freely

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without carrying their tools or tool box by hand. Adjustable shoulder straps and quick release attachments add security.

Multiple inner compartments provide four or six hooks for loose connectors, with a maximum tool weight of 3kg per hook.

Designed to make life easier, as well as safer, tool pouches and belts are made from hardwearing 600x600d polyester to resist heavy duty wear and tear. They provide flexible safety solutions, with rings to attach lanyards and hooks to hold tools.

Tony Hudson, a Bahco industrial and trade tools specialist, comments: “No responsible trade professional wants to work at height, knowing all its challenges, without feeling confident they can always rely on their safety equipment to protect themselves and others, as well as safeguarding systems and machinery from damage.�

For further information on Bahco online, go to www.rdr.link/BI025

tools, fixings & workwear

No.2

SHAKE IT OFF All power tools produce some level of vibration when in use. This is typically much higher for tools such as reciprocating saws, rotary hammer drills and breakers where the nature of the machine’s action exposes the user to increased vibration. Frequent or prolonged exposure to high levels of vibration can cause a number of health issues including permanent bone damage and Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS), which encompasses conditions such as Vibration White Finger and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Sufferers commonly experience painful, tingling or numb fingers and hands as a result of damage to the nerves and blood vessels. It can also result in weakened muscles, lower grip strength and reduced dexterity, which can make day to day tasks increasingly difficult both in the workplace and in domestic and social environments.

Since July 2005, when the Physical Agents Directive became law, manufacturers had a duty to advise the users on the expected vibration emissions through the tool’s intended usage. This level and the usage time are then used to calculate the daily exposure (given in points) in line with the guidance given by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The Health and Safety Executive has set two levels, the Exposure Action Value (EAV) at 100 points and the Exposure Limit Value (ELV) at 400 points. For some tasks and tools just 15 or 30 minutes of trigger time in a day will place you above the EAV where steps need to be taken to reduce

New Series

In the latest part of our series on power tool technology, Charles Shaw at Makita looks at the dangers of vibration and the innovations that allow tradespeople to reduce their exposure.

the exposure to vibration and as little as an hour per day may exceed the ELV. However, to help address the risk, many modern power tools feature technology designed to significantly reduce vibration and so reduce the risk and improve performance and productivity from the tool usage. For example, tools within the Makita range feature Anti Vibration Technology (AVT), a combination of innovations that operate together to reduce vibration while, in many cases, increasing the effectiveness of the machine.

For example, in a rotary hammer, a piston within the machine is used to deliver the percussive force to assist with drilling into or chiselling masonry and concrete. Without measures to

in turn, pushes a counterbalance in the opposite direction to the piston. This cancels out the energy of the piston that would otherwise cause the vibration.

The AVT system also features a dampener spring, which absorbs the reaction force of the striker bolt impacting inside the machine. The final element of Makita’s AVT is the vibration absorbing housing. The connection point between the handles (both main and side handles) and the body of the machine have been engineered to

counteract this force it can produce high levels of vibration. The Active Dynamic Vibration Absorber mechanism found in Makita’s AVT rotary hammers works by transferring air around a series of chambers which,

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prevent the vibration being transferred to the user. Springs integrated into the handles, cushion the force and mean that the user is effectively isolated from the movement of the machine.

The Makita AVT breakers and demolition hammers feature similar technologies. The counterweight mechanism and vibration absorbing housing off-sets and isolates the force produced by the machine to reduce the damaging vibration. The ‘soft no load’ function also automatically lowers the motor speed when idling to reduce vibration of the tool body. This further decreases the amount of vibration transferred to the operator’s hands over the course of a day and helps minimise the deflection of the chisel bit from the aiming point when chipping.

A good example of how this innovative technology benefits the user can be seen in the new HR4013C. This rotary hammer incorporates the AVT technology, which reduces the vibration levels by 80 per cent compared to previous models to only 4.5m/s2 and increases impact energy by over 50 per cent. The Exposure Limit Value of the HR4013C is a staggering 9hrs 53mins of constant trigger time.

The dangers posed by vibration should not be underestimated, especially for those operating tools for extended periods of time. The risks can

To find out more about AVT from Makita visit www.rdr.link/BI026

be managed through a combination of reducing time on the tools, job rotation where possible and selecting tools that include features to lower the vibration levels. Ultimately, reducing the amount of vibration you are exposed to during the working day can help improve productivity as it increases the amount of time the tools can be operated safely.

If you want to access the Makita vibration calculator, designed to help users determine and manage the risks, visit www.rdr.link/BI027

tools, fixings & workwear

GETTING INTO GEAR Professional Builder’s Kieran Nee recently visited Festool in Germany, where a smoother, more efficient work life is the ultimate goal.

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ast, efficient, sturdy, effortlessly cool with a large following of devotees, in all, a true exponent of German engineering. Whilst that could easily be a description of the latest offering from Mercedes Benz, it’s actually the power tool manufacturer that Stuttgart’s Mercedes Benz museum played host to this autumn that interests us more. Amid an intense, Europe-wide heatwave, this particular pocket of south Germany remained cool under pressure, as journalists and builders from across the continent were shown just how easy a work day could be.

Nestled among the automotive gems that literally line the walls at the museum, Festool were displaying their own valuable wares. Unlike the precious stones, however, the sturdy tools are equally at home on the building site as they are being paraded on social media by their understandably proud owners.

Among many innovations, a number were focussed on mobility, storage and the ability to streamline your work day,

making your life easier and healthier.

At the heart of the drive towards an ergonomic work site is the new Systainer3 tool box. The new tool box, which was developed by Festool and Tanos, is designed for an organised workplace and safe transportation of tools and accessories – from the workshop to the construction site. The new boxes are even more compatible and handy than before, fitting in with your other tools and making life easier for you.

The system was developed in cooperation with Bott, the high-quality vehicle equipment specialist. All tools and consumables in the new Systainer³ can be perfectly integrated into the Bott vario3 vehicle equipment range, remaining clearly organised while stowed and always within easy reach, whether in the workshop, on the move or on site. At the same time, you can be on the move much more quickly, saving you time and money.

Highly organised The new Systainer³ Organiser for neat

and tidy storage of small parts is another new addition to the range. It is available in two different sizes and has a transparent cover so you can easily identify the contents. Festool offers a range of equipment for the Organiser, with a total of seven different sizes of small parts boxes. The box and the Organiser can be connected together, and with the established T-LOC one-handed operating element, both new products can easily dock onto another new product – the Systainer3 roll board. It comes with four handle options as well as practical feedthroughs for straps and, with its loadcarrying capacity of up to 100kg, is ideal for mobile use. The new system can also be connected to other Festool accessories, such as the mobile dust extractor.

“The Systainer has always been more than just a toolbox. It’s an important module in our Festool transport and storage system, which we are constantly expanding and further developing. But the new version is significantly more versatile in terms of application areas,” stresses Oliver Seeger, Product Manager at Festool. “With the help of the T-LOC operating element, the Systainer3 and many other system products – including the older generations – can be connected together. In addition, thanks to integrated mounting rails, it can now fit seamlessly into the new bott vario3 vehicle equipment. This not only means you save a lot of time on your journey from the workshop to the construction site and back, but you are also safe when you are travelling, as no unsecured items can fly around. Everything stays in its place, even in the event of an accident. Safety is the top priority for all of our products.”

The superscript number 3 not only indicates the third generation of ths

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handy system, which has been established in the professional trade sector since 1993, but also the three application areas: workshop, transport and construction site. With the standardised Systainer³ storage and transport system, everything can be stored neatly, perfectly organised and securely stowed, both in the stationary workshop and on the construction site.

Workshop on the go Also display was the firm’s MW 1000 mobile workshop. Ideal for transporting tools and, with its flexible worktop, the system creates optimum working conditions on construction sites and during assembly work. It can be set up individually and ensures that everything is put away neatly. Thanks to its flexibility and low weight, compact dimensions and ability to manoeuvre stairs, the mobile workshop is easy to transport and immediately ready to use – without timeconsuming set-up and disassembly.

The new system combines

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organisation and transport systems with semi-stationary work. “We have equipped the mobile workshop with a flexible worktop and secure transport and storage options for power tools, hand tools, accessories and consumables. The flexible system offers space for everything you might need for work or transport on construction sites or during assembly work,” Oliver Seeger, Product Manager at Festool, describes the new product.

Thanks to the large, fully rubber-lined and shock-resistant wheels, transporting the workshop up and down stairs is no longer a problem – no matter whether it is in a workshop, while loading it into a vehicle or on the construction site. Its compact dimensions and the effortless set-up and disassembly make the mobile

workshop convenient for daily use.

Rather than reinventing the wheel, it is perhaps small tweaks here and there that have characterised Festool’s reputation for high quality, well made tools. Unlike most manufacturers, Festool approaches the worksite holistically, offering a network of innovations to make the working day easier and smoother. A comfortable worker, after all, is a more productive, safer worker. Surrounded by the vintage hotrods of yesteryear, there was no shortage of motivation for wanting to do the job that bit better than before.

For further information on Festool’s Systainer3 online, go to www.rdr.link/BI028

tools, fixings & workwear

VAULT-PROOF SECURITY Van Vault has achieved the police-approved, Secured by Design standard. Professional Builder takes a closer look.

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s part of its drive to tackle tool theft crime, Van Vault’s new product range for 2019 is the result of 18 months of development work. Featuring eight new products, the portfolio – from the traditional box style containers to easy-touse drawer sliders – is designed to offer advanced protection for the secure storage of tools across a number of applications to suit the individual needs of different trade users.

In addition to the enhancements to the products themselves, the range has also been independently tested and certified by Sold Secure, an independent test house for security products owned by the Master Locksmith Association. All eight Van Vaults were subjected to six different levels of rigorous attack by trained professionals and were “all found to be impenetrable”.

Van Vault also lays claim to being the first vehicle storage product on the market to be accredited by Secured by Design – the UK’s police approved standard which promotes products that prevent crime.

Last year saw around 280,000 tool theft crimes across the UK. Research conducted by the company revealed that the average value of tools left in tradespeople’s vans was £2,880, serving to highlight the importance of helping protect tools and deter thieves with effective secure storage solutions.

With police figures suggesting that a break-in can take as little as 10 seconds, the new range has introduced enhancements which are said to be

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fundamental in making it much harder to steal valuable power tools and equipment. All of the key areas of attack have been strengthened, including a cross bar reinforced lid, whilst a new VaultLock locking system has been introduced, which offers added protection from drilling, picking and cutting. The products also now come with an anti-theft fixing kit to ensure they can be properly mounted to the vehicle floor.

In addition to the security enhancements, Van Vault says it has responded to customer demand to also improve other features.

For example, storage space and functionality has been addressed with the introduction of a ‘wide mouth drop front’ to the storage containers, providing greater access and visibility of the contents inside.

Deborah Hunt, Marketing Manager, said: “Tool theft is a massive issue facing tradespeople today and it’s on the rise – one in three tradesmen have had tools stolen. Innovation is key and with our new range, we have reacted to what customers really want – the best security, functionality and quality.

“The upgraded vehicle range underwent considerable research and rigorous testing, to ensure it provided customers with a product that helps secure tools and makes the working day of a tradesperson easier.”

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN!

GENEROUS TO A ‘VAULT!’ From all the tales of devastation and woe we have received these past few years, we categorically understand just how crucial your tools are to you and the absolute need to keep them safe and secure at all times to protect your livelihood.

The latest generation of purpose designed Van Vaults certainly go a long way to helping tradespeople to achieve those objectives but it got us to thinking about other everyday items which are equally precious to you and your family.

If push comes to shove, what personal item would you also want to put inside the vault, safe in the knowledge that it would always be there for posterity. It might be a family relic or antique, perhaps, a photo of your children or even a marriage certificate! In fact, anything that is deemed to be, in your mind, even more precious than that trusty old Makita Drill Driver, Bosch Hammer Drill, or Stihl Circular Saw.

Let us know at www.rdr.link/BI029 and we will open the vault to reveal a host of valuable prizes for the best suggestions.

Including the star prize for the best suggestion of a Van Vault itself.

For more information on Van Vault’s new range visit www.rdr.link/BI030

tools, fixings & workwear Tirbhavan “Tibby” Singh Chodha – www.TibbySingh.com

YOU KNOW THE DRILL! I remember the days when most of my power tools were corded, but cordless has taken the lead in the building trade and in this day and age there is no trade without them. Of course, one of the problems is finding a cordless drill that works just as well as a corded. Bosch claim that its new Professional GBH 18V-26D, with its Pro CORE 18V 8.0Ah battery, is as powerful as corded.

The first feature I noticed about this tool is that it has a soft grip D-Handle and, when it comes to drilling horizontally and vertically, it’s actually really comfortable.

Yes, it has all the three standard modes for drilling, hammer drilling and chiselling, forward and reverse rotation and SDSPlus Chuck for tool-free bit changing.

Additionally, however, it has something called a Vario-lock, which allows you to adjust the chisel to different positions rather than having to awkwardly rotate the drill. Given that it’s fairly large, even if you are in an unorthodox position you can still reach the trigger to turn it on. When it is turned on, thanks to its high performance brushless motor and outstanding 2.5 joules of impact energy, it comes with plenty of drive. It certainly has some bright features that wouldn’t be incorporated into a standard SDS drill –

It’s bish, bash, Bosch for Professional Builder’s Tibby Singh Chodha with the Professional GBH 18V-26D. including an LED light.

On top of all that functionality, this drill goes further, because it’s the world’s first D-handle rotary hammer with Kickback Control. I’m sure we’ve all experienced a drill suddenly kicking back and nearly taking your hands off.

Hand on heart, you won’t experience that again because it automatically shuts down to protect you against sudden tool

reactions, which is a great safety feature.

I think I’ve praised the drill enough but I should have mentioned that the new Pro CORE 18V 8Ah battery is also at the heart of its success. Its new cell design makes it 87 per cent more powerful compared to conventional batteries. It’s 100 per cent compatible with all the existing Bosch Professional 18V power tools. Finally it lasts 135 per cent longer compared to a standard battery thanks to the COOLPACK 2.0 technology, which prevents the battery from overheating.

Another hot product from Bosch is the GAL18V-160C. It’s not only the world’s fastest charger but also the world’s first charger with Bluetooth connectivity. This means you can keep an eye out on the remaining charging time, see the health of the battery and have an option of four different charging modes – from very gentle to super-fast. On top of all this it’s got what I call the beast mode or to be technically correct the ‘Power Boost’ Mode, which charges the battery in a few minutes.

For further information on the new Bosch Professional GBH 18V-26D visit www.rdr.link/BI031

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LEVEL BEST

Professional Builder’s Tibby Singh Chodha finds his level with Hultafors

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Tirbhavan “Tibby” Singh Chodha – www.TibbySingh.com

T

he Hultafors PXL Point & Cross-Line Laser Level is the first laser I’ve tested which has two vertical laser lines exactly 90˚ perpendicular to each other, a horizontal line and a plumb point too. This design feature means you’re able to simultaneously install two walls that are 90 degrees to one another, so those double red lines mean time and money will be saved – and accuracy increased.

Another useful feature is that the pendulum can be locked in place to project lines in any desired angle. To make visibility easier and clearer there’s a red laser target that enhances the red laser lines.

The case also contains a standard bracket that slides under the unit and can be attached to a tripod. It swivels 360 degrees, so there’s no need to keep moving the tripod. The wide range of accessories includes a standard magnetic holder, which is a universal bracket with magnets for easy mounting, or hanging on a screw or nail. Then there’s the option of the more advanced Hultafors universal holder, which is a sophisticated looking attachment that looks as though it should belong in a lab. Again it can be used alone, attached to the tripod and has a magnetic back to attach to beams on site.

Once the laser is screwed onto the universal holder its height can be adjusted up and down using the turning knobs on the sides. It addition to these, there’s another single turning knob at the front that allows you to finely swivel the level 360˚, with the degrees being marked on the rim for reference.

Usually tool manufacturers generically state that their laser levels are compatible to attach to most standard camera tripod stands. So I was pleasantly surprised to see Hultafors take the extra step to give the option of their own stand. It’s made from robust aluminum, maintaining its strength, yet keeping it light in weight and easy to transport as it folds up too. With

adjustable feet it can be placed and leveled using the bubble incorporated.

Standing at 42cm, it can be adjusted to extend up to 120cm, which is almost 4ft.

The receiver is nice and slim, and very simple to use. It makes it easier for reading the laser lines over long distances from 1 metre up to 80 metres. It works when the laser is in the pulse mode, which actually saves energy and

extends battery life by up to 60 per cent.

It has two accuracy settings you can switch between; rough (+/- 2mm) or fine (+/- 0.5mm). The volume can be adjusted between three levels, so you can still hear the signal even in noisy environments. If noise is a problem you have the option to work it mute. Then there is the back-lit display that’s on both the front and the back that tells you if you need to go up or down. This means you don’t have to awkwardly keep looking over the receiver when it’s attached to the receiver bracket, which can be mounted to a rod or even a length of timber.

Similar to the tripod stand, the receiver bracket has two vials to keep it straight in either vertical or horizontal directions.

This bracket has a spring loaded clamping system which allows you to quickly and efficiently adjust it and clamp it to the required thickness. To top it off there’s a magnet at the top of the receiver allowing it to be mounted to the object you’re trying to level off, meaning both of your hands are free.

For further information on the Hultafors Laser Level visit www.rdr.link/BI032

tools, fixings & workwear

WATER FEATURE Peter Dumigan, Managing Director of the Hultafors Group UK, owners of Snickers Workwear, is taking a rain check.

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t’s said that rain can affect your mood – it can definitely affect the way you work on site. It can also have a negative impact on your health and wellbeing and, if you haven’t got particularly effective rainwear, your mid-and base-layer clothes will get damp and uncomfortable.

Apart from your clothes getting heavy, you can also get a rash from simple irritation through friction, and then moving around becomes much more tiring.

Your body can also lose heat – probably faster than you can generate it to dry your clothes out. That’s fine if you’ve been drenched by a sun shower when it’s warm, but if it’s cooler, or even cold on site, your body temperature is going to drop.

Not only can stewing in your wet clothes chafe and irritate your skin, if you’re wearing damp or wet clothes for too long, bacteria and fungus from the air can multiply in the wet clothes and run rampant on your skin, causing rashes and irritation.

Stay dry in the rain Staying dry and comfortable on site is all about choosing the right type of rainwear for the job. Your choice depends on a variety of factors, from the type of rainfall to how intensely you’re working and how many hours you spend outside.

Here’s what to think about when dressing for wet weather work – not only jackets but trousers too: ● For 100 per cent waterproofness for a full day’s high-intensity work– choose a breathable waterproof garment with taped seams for maximum protection and breathability. ● For 100 per cent waterproofness in lowintensity work in pouring rain – choose a PU garment with welded seams. ● For basic protection against water – choose a garment that is waterrepellent. The garment will keep you

dry if it’s drizzling but still offers breathability. ● Don’t forget – that what you wear underneath your outer layer really matters.

For high intensity work, make sure your base- and mid-layer clothes can transport moisture. For low intensity work, or work in lower temperatures, you might need to add an extra layer to build warmth. There’s a big difference between ‘waterproof’ and ‘water-repellent’.

When it comes to ‘water protected’ workwear it’s important to know what’s behind each of the terms. They are different.

Peter says: “A waterproof garment – like our GORE-TEX jackets – is the most effective 100 per cent protection in rainy weather. This kind of waterproof fabric consists of an outer layer called the “face fabric”, usually made of polyester with a laminated membrane or a coating that prevents water penetration”.

It’s achieved by sealing the internal fabrics completely from external conditions. All seams and cut lines are taped or sealed to stop the water coming through the stitched areas of the fabric.

Water-repellent garments only offer basic protection against the effects of water, but at the same time provide great breathability to ventilate your body when you’re active.

Water-repellent protection is achieved by using a hydrophobic fabric, which means that the water is repelled on contact. The fabric is treated with a DWR (Durable Water Repellent) finish that causes the water to form drops on the surface of the fabric that run off or can be brushed off easily.

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 69

tools, fixings & workwear EN 343 Accreditation For Protection Against Foul Weather Choosing waterproof workwear.

“How wet are you likely to get on site?” asks Peter.

“Your answer will help you choose the right type of rainwear to wear. What does the weather forecast say? Is there a risk of heavy rain, showers or drizzle? Will your work be low-intensity or more active?”

“Finally, how long will you be exposed to the wet weather – minutes or hours?

Hence, longer shifts will put more demands on your working clothes and the waterproof technology used in the garments. That’s why you need to consider whether you should be wearing waterproof or water-repellent clothing”.

“So, for longer exposure or, if you need 100 per cent protection on site in the rain, look for our GORE-TEX jackets.

These highly technical garments are extremely durable with a membrane that has over 1.4 billion pores per square cm.

They’re waterproof to keep you dry,

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70 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

Look for the EN 343 mark on garment labels – this accreditation validates the garment’s performance in the rain and covers materials and seams on all our waterproof garments, specifically the stitching, and is divided into two sections: water penetration and resistance to water vapour.

For water penetration there are 3 classes, where Class 2 requires Wp (water pressure) ≥ 8000 Pa and Class 3 requires Wp ≥ 13000 Pa. Class 1 requires the same as Class 2, but without pre-treatment.

For resistance against water vapour, that is to say RET, (the lower the rating the greater the penetration) there are 3 classes: • Class 1: RET ≥ 40 • Class 2: 20 < RET ≤ 40 • Class 3: RET ≤ 20 Water penetration is noted at the top in the symbol and resistance to water vapour is at the bottom in the symbol. windproof to keep you warm, and breathable to keep you comfortable all day long”.

For quick and reliable protection when its raining or if your work is less active, choose our PU garments, which have EN 343 certification for Protection against Foul Weather. This accreditation validates the garment’s performance in the rain through independent testing.

Also, don’t forget about ventilation!

Your clothes’ breathability is as crucial for your comfort as the outer-layer protection against water, especially when you’re

working really hard. Clothes with good breathability transport sweat away from the skin.

So make it a habit of checking the breathability features of the garments you buy. Breathability comes in two ways.

Either the breathability of the fabric itself, such as our 37.5 sports fabric, or built-in ventilation functionality such as zippers or meshed fabric areas at the sides and back of the garments.

For further information on Snickers Workwear visit www.rdr.link/BI033

tools, fixings & workwear

WEARING THE TROUSERS!

Scruffs provide some expert advice on what to look for and how to buy your next pair of work trousers.

G

o into any builders’ merchant and you’ll likely see a wide range of trousers on display from 20 quid to over £150 – but what’s the difference?

Good work trousers should be durable, comfortable, and functional, and Scruffs has been creating innovative safety footwear and there are some key things you need workwear for tradespeople and skilled professionals since to look out for to make sure your 2003 and has launched its new extended trouser range. trousers are fit for the job.

What do you do in yours?

With work trousers what’s great for one trade could be totally wrong for another.

It’s important to review the basic features of any trousers to ensure they are right for the job you’re doing. Working indoors or out... in small spaces or not, need lots of pockets or tool holders? What do you want from your trousers?

If comfort is important look for technical materials with added stretch designed to give flexibility.

Get technical – what are they made from?

Hard wearing fabric is essential in all workwear, and with the ongoing development in fabric technology the choice of performance fabrics available is increasing with specific focus on comfort and flexibility.

High performance workwear with mechanical stretch improves both comfort

and flexibility without compromising on strength and durability.

The best mechanical stretch fabrics also have moisture wicking properties, which draw sweat away from the body to keep you cool and dry. Then there’s highend 4-way stretch with nylon, which is not only super flexible, it’s also lightweight and strong too.

Look out for CORDURA, which is specially designed to be highly durable and resistant to abrasions, tears and scuffs, which is why it’s often used on high wear areas such as the knees.

The right tools Do you need pockets, tool or hammer loops? Make sure you get trousers with the right number of pockets in the right place for the task at hand.

Hanging tools from holsters and tool loops can make trousers heavy. If that’s what you use them for make sure trousers

come with a sturdy belt, or one that can be added.

If you need access to a mobile phone on the job ensure that there’s a dedicated pocket for that purpose – which has to be handy and secure too.

Tested to the max Leading brands do real life wear trials to help with the design process, with users testing both the comfort and fit of the product, as well as the performance in use.

Scruffs works with a panel of tradespeople who rigorously test all new products in their everyday working environment so you can be confident your trousers are up to the job It’s a good idea to check out independent reviews for products to get an honest opinion from others in the trade.

For more information on Scruffs online, please visit www.rdr.link/BI034

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 71

tools, fixings & workwear

WHAT THE DR ORDERED

In 2018, Dr Martens launched its own industrial Women’s Collection, givi ng women a choice of protection, style and com fort with no compromise on quality or safety.

Footwear brand, Dr. Martens, talks to Professional Builder about its drive to bring more awareness to the lack of women’s PPE in the industry.

H

ow many women, out shopping for a new wardrobe for the office, would venture into a men’s shoe shop and settle for a pair of lace up brogues in a size small enough to fit their feet comfortably?

It sounds like a crazy scenario, when we know there are hundreds of fashion brands offering shoes that are designed and styled to suit and fit women’s feet.

This is an everyday experience for most women working in industry jobs where their feet need to be protected from possible injury. Rather than footwear designed to meet their size and shape, women are offered small size men’s clothing and footwear that is ill-fitting, uncomfortable and potentially hazardous.

Dr. Martens has recognised this as a serious issue for many working women.

Through a social media campaign with online publication for professional women in industry, Womanthology, Dr. Martens discovered that the issue of badly fitting Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) continues to be a real issue. Many readers tweeted their experiences of having to make serious adjustments to men’s size coveralls to prevent tripping up and stuffing tissue into the toes of their workboots in an attempt to get them to fit.

Shrink it and pink it Jon Marchant, Global Category Director at Dr. Martens, explains: “Manual work isn’t just a ‘man’ thing, it’s an ‘us’ thing, and we want to champion women in industry and offer them footwear that fits correctly and

keeps them safe at work. I’ve been shocked by the typical ‘shrink it and pink it’ approach to women’s fit PPE and the feedback we have from talking to many women is that they don’t want to be treated differently.”

As well as employers supplying female staff members appropriate footwear, Dr. Martens also wants to encourage advice and specialist tips at point of sale to women in industry on the types of work boots available to them.

To learn about the Women’s Industrial Collection from Dr. Martens, visit: www.rdr.link/BI035

tools, fixings & workwear

IT’LL ALL COME OUT IN THE WASH

Engel Workwear advises tradespeople on how to properly maintain their garments.

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ne of the primary purposes of workwear, no matter what type of work is involved, is of course to help protect the wearer from injury and reduce the risk of accidents in the workplace. But just wearing it is only half the battle; a fact which is very often overlooked is that it’s just as important to ensure workwear is properly maintained so it performs to its maximum efficiency at all times; and that means it is the duty of both the individual and employer to make sure all types of workwear are kept clean, hygienic and fit for purpose.

Cleanliness is vital as failing to wash all work garments properly can lead to the risk of infection for both the wearer and the people with whom he or she works; dirt, oil, grease and other substances, if ignored, can also lead to deterioration and a subsequent reduction in protective efficiency or worse, if not regularly inspected, actually cause accidents through stitching or fastenings becoming loose from gradual weakening.

But simply throwing dirty garments into

a domestic washing machine at home is not enough. The average temperature used at home is 48 degrees C, but bacteria can only be thoroughly destroyed when garments are boiled or washed at over 73 degrees C. It’s a common misconception to think that domestic washing of work clothes is sufficient; they may look clean and smell fragrant but will not necessarily be microbiologically hygienic.

What’s more, PPE that is washed at home might actually be damaged during each washing cycle, causing the slow erosion of protective qualities, such as within high-visual strips or infection-resistant fabric, resulting in non-compliance with health & safety or internal hygiene regulations. So employers in particular should be aware of the false economy of allowing home laundering or in using a nonspecialist contractor, as the integrity of every garment that is not correctly

Before

laundered and inspected can be put at risk with the resultant responsibility resting heavily on management’s own unprotected shoulders.

Danish company, Engel Workwear, is a prime example of an organisation that places great importance on the proper after-care of its products which conform to all relevant British and European standard regulations.

Sales Manager Gareth Bladen says: “We take enormous pride in our reputation for the comfort and long-term safety effectiveness of all of our workwear lines, and emphasise to our distributors that they should explain to all their customers the importance of correct washing and maintenance procedures. We maintain that if you have the best product its worth giving it the very best care”. An exception to the 73 degrees washing temperature rule is that with Engel’s ‘Safety’ High Visibility Collection, the company recommends that for best results it should only reach 60 degrees C.

After

For further information on Engel Workwear visit www.rdr.link/BI036

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 73

tools, fixings & workwear

CARVED IN STONE W

hether it’s the creativity of those who make a living with their hands or the dedication of tradespeople who are always looking for new ways to do what they do best, the campaign centres around a series of videos featuring people from a range of disciplines. This includes a stonemason and carpenter and each video explores their work and what they love about it.

“Ever since Dickies was first established in 1922, we’ve been making clothing and footwear to support people who work in a wide variety of trades – creating goods as hard-working as they are,” says James Whitaker, Marketing Director for Dickies.

“We know that across the trades we support, there are many people who are really passionate about their jobs and this campaign is a way to celebrate that. The people in our videos have an independent spirit, a strong focus and a love for their work that shines through.

They feel privileged to do what they love every day and can’t imagine doing anything else.”

The story of a stonemason The campaign kicks off with a video featuring Rob Maxfield, stonemason and founder of Rock Mallet Chisel in Congresbury.

Rob has worked as a stonemason since leaving school in 1988 and examples of his

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74 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

Workwear brand Dickies has launched a campaign celebrating the passion and skills of tradespeople who inspire others with their dedication and ingenuity.

After completing his formal apprenticeship with Linford Bridgeman, Rob took time out from the workshop to study for an HND in Figurative Design and Sculpture at Stafford Art College. On his return to practical stonemasonry, he quickly gained a reputation for high quality workmanship and decided to become self-employed, running a successful workshop in Bridgnorth Shropshire, undertaking a variety of work ranging from gargoyles, grotesques, garden walling, ornaments, tracery windows and bespoke fireplaces.

Inspiring others

craftsmanship can be seen above Shakespeare’s tomb in Stratford, on the famous three spires of Lichfield Cathedral and in the grounds of Tyntesfield near Bristol to name just a few examples.

“Restoring and conserving old buildings is something I feel really lucky and privileged to do,” says Rob. “I do stonemasonry because it’s different every day. Even if I’m working on the same mould on the same stone, it’s slightly different to the way the stone reacts to grinders and chisels because it’s a natural product.”

With three decades of experience behind him, Rob now hopes to pass on some of the skills he’s acquired. Alongside his work as a stonemason, he teaches classes to people interested in learning the craft, including the process of working stone and some of the centuries-old techniques that are still used today. All while allowing artistic talents to take free reign.

“When I first started doing these courses, I was so nervous because I’m a tradesman, not a lecturer,” Rob explains.

“But I’m so proud of the things they turn out. It’s about people walking out the door having learnt but also with a big grin on their face.”

You can watch Rob’s video and follow other stories from the series by going to www.rdr.link/BI037

tools, fixings & workwear

!

N IO T I T PE M CO

WIN!

SEAL THE DEAL

The cleaner, gree Ultimate HB ner 42 All-in-One package!

Professional Builder and HB42 have teamed up to give five readers the chance to win the Ultimate HB42 All-in-One ‘Eco-Foil’ package.

U

sing advanced hybrid polymer technology to give outstanding trade strength and adhesion, the HB42 All-in-One Sealant and Adhesive is now available in a more sustainable 400ml foil pack, removing the environmental problem of disposing of the single use plastic cartridge.

It is estimated that over two million single use plastic cartridges are put into landfill every week in the UK. The HB42 foils produce around 95 per cent less waste than one-use plastics and hold 400ml, whereas the plastic tubes holds 290ml – so you are getting 38 per cent more in the tube.

HB42 All-in-One seals, sticks and fills, is flexible up to 230 per cent, works in the wet, does not shrink and can be overpainted. It is also low in VOCs and

95%

less waste compared to plastic tubes

The prize: ● Case of 12 HB42 ‘Eco foils’ ● Exclusive PB and HB42 Foil gun (600ml Foil Gun can be used for foils and cartridges) ● Nozzle Pack ● HB42 T-Shirt ● HB42 refillable bottle

bonds to almost anything, is food safe and fully cures within 24 hours.

Hilton Banks called its range HB42, because as the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy once said, the number 42 is the answer to everything!

HOW TO ENTER For your chance to win, simply read the text and answer the following question online. Visit www.rdr.link/BI038 to enter.

Q: HOW MUCH WASTE PACKAGING DOES A HB42 ALL-IN-ONE ‘ECO FOIL’ SAVE COMPARED TO A SINGLE USE PLASTIC EQUIVALENT? A: 95% B: 0% C: 15% Deadline for entries is 31/10/19. Terms and conditions apply.

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 75

tools, fixings & workwear product round-up

PROTECTIVE JAW COVERS Knipex Protective Jaw Covers are designed for the manufacturer’s pliers in the 250mm length and enable tradespeople to grip tightly without causing damage. Made from plastic and with a soft, smooth gripping surface, the covers can be used on any delicate surface. According to the firm, the covers are easy to attach and remove by hand and will stay firmly fixed to the jaws with an internal latching hook. Coming in a pack of three sets of covers, these protective jaws will allow you to work without damaging surfaces prone to scratching.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI044

WORKWEAR Working clothes that meet on-site needs, but also look good in leisure activities – that’s how Dunderon is describing its range of jackets, trousers, tops, footwear and accessories. Two of the newest lines include the J56 Vantage Jacket, made of highly durable fabric, and featuring lightweight padding. The mid-layer S27 Polartec Jacket is designed to deliver moisture management and 4-way stretch. With handy front pockets and additional features like the phone pouch and thumb openings at the sleeve ends, it’s available in a black/brown and navy/orange colour combinations.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI040

SANDERS

HAND CLAMP

Two new direct driven random orbit sanders, the GET 55-125 Professional and GET 75-150 Professional, have been added to Bosch’s range of powered tools. With just one click, tradespeople can change from fine sanding to coarse sanding or polishing with the direct driven function. What’s more, the sanders are operated flexibly and comfortably in every application and position thanks to the ergonomically shaped palm rest with soft grip and narrow handle.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI042

The Pony Hand Clamp features a patented adjustment mechanism that allows users to adjust clamping pressure without any additional tools. They offer instant application and removal and the box-joint design prevents twisting, keeping the jaws square and straight. The clamp’s soft, pivoting jaw pads are suitable for holding delicate work and are riveted to the jaws, while the soft handles are ergonomically designed for comfortable use.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI043

MULTIPURPOSE SAW BLADES Makita has launched a new range of tungsten carbide tipped multipurpose saw blades, capable of cutting aluminium, MDF, PVC and laminated chipboard. The blades are available in fifteen variations, from 160mm x 60T to 355mm x 100T. The new range contains options that are suitable for both circular saws and mitre saws, with bores ranging from 20mm to 30mm. The blades are fitted with specialist Triple Chip Grind teeth which alternate between flat and trapezoidal teeth to provide the most effective cut.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI041

WOOD SCREWS Described as premium wood screws, Beaverscrews feature an improved shank which gives a fast insertion speed and better pull out resistance. The screws also features a double countersunk head, six nibs under head and a sharp point for fast pick up. The screws can be used in hardwood, softwood, chipboard, MDF, plastics and thin sheet metals.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI045

drainage & water management

Paul Jackson, Above Ground Drainage Product Manager at Polypipe, provides the inside track on additives provider BioCote and its product development with Polypipe.

A

s consumers become increasingly hygieneconscious, products with advanced hygiene attributes are more desirable. The products that are being introduced through an exclusive partnership between Polypipe and BioCote will offer the eventual end user – homeowners across the UK – with a proven and trusted anti-microbial technology that permanently protects against odour and staining causing bacteria, by reducing build-up by up to 99.99 per cent.

For more than twenty years BioCote has been synonymous with improved hygiene and anti-microbial performance.

The silver ion additives at the core of the technology have been introduced to a wide range of common materials with the aim of minimising microbial colonisation, providing a reduction in surface staining and the build-up of unpleasant odours.

This approach offers protected products with an increased functional life cycle, and the ability to stay cleaner for longer.

BioCote has previously partnered with international manufacturers to provide anti-microbial product integration in a diverse range of applications from paints to ceramics and fabrics to papers. In these applications, the products have demonstrated a proven ability to reduce the spread of bacteria, mould and even some viruses.

Whole Life Value Polypipe is constantly introducing new innovative features to its tried and tested products, with an emphasis on improving the whole-life value of drainage systems long after installation. There was a clear opportunity for collaboration to further develop one of the UK’s biggest ranges of domestic drainage systems.

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78 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

A NEW COTE OF ARMS! Polypipe’s highly experienced drainage technical team has been working with BioCote at its research and development laboratory to develop an exclusive range of anti-microbial traps, connectors and waste pipes with bacteriacombatting properties available for the domestic drainage market.

The benefits of using anti-microbial additives in plastic piping have already been established in many hygiene critical environments, particularly in healthcare and hospitality settings, but their use

within domestic systems required exploring as there are a number of common problems that anti microbial plastic plumbing could alleviate.

It is highly likely that traps installed in an average kitchen are likely to have food and drink remnants pass through them.

U-bends offer an ideal environment for bacteria and mould including aspergillus brasiliensis to accumulate. These build-ups can reduce water flow and cause damage to pipework to the point of causing material degradation and system failure.

MORE INFO Just type in www.rdr.link/ follow ed by the unique code shown to get straight to more info.

The partnership has established that even by using high quality additives at low addition rates to the polymers during manufacturing, this will produce finished components that have superior antimicrobial performance against a wide variety of common microbes including bacteria, mould, fungi and viruses including microbes such as MRSA, E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter, Listeria and those most often found in domestic systems.

By implementing the use of BioCote during the manufacturing process through incorporation at source rather than coating a finished component, the accumulation of bacteria can be managed more effectively in an extensive range of traps. The products that integrate BioCote have been independently proven to reduce more than 99 per cent of microbes.

This ensures that the waste trap allows water to flow through at its optimum velocity without the need for ongoing treatment or repairs. Systems stay fresh and unstained for longer, reducing odours, increasing the functional lifetime of the product.

As well as conducting tests in factorycontrolled conditions the company also simulated a real-life scenario within an independent testing facility in order to ensure that all testing was relevant to its application, allowing contractors to be confident that the products they stake their reputation on are fit-for-purpose.

Out of the Traps In these tests two near-identical waste traps were selected in a study designed to simulate real life conditions. One trap was made by Polypipe and protected by

BioCote with the other generic trap left unprotected.

The traps were placed in situ and subject to contamination for a period of time. As the selected images show, the results from swabbing each trap demonstrated remarkable differences, with the treated trap showing visible efficacy in microbe reduction.

Testing shows that products including this new technology can reduce microbes on the surface by over 80 per cent in as little as 15 minutes, as well as providing the range of domestic above ground drainage products with lasting, proven protection for up to 25 years.

What this level of detail means for the builder on site is added assurance and confidence that, if they are using Polypipe, they are using products that not only meet all British Standards and hold BSI Kitemarks, but have been developed to include active ingredients that resist, inhibit and prevent the growth of bacteria and mould long after the installation has been completed.

Use of protective additives are not the only developments in above ground drainage products. Polypipe has also introduced features such as finned seals and Fit-Rite technology across its domestic trap ranges, aiding the insertion and removal of system components, keeping installation for builders and contractors simple and reliable.

For more information on Polypipe online go to www.rdr.link/BI046

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 79

drainage & water management

As EASY as PVC Kevin Wallis, Category Manager for Eaves Solutions at Marley Alutec looks at the options available when looking to select a highquality rainwater system which is also quick and easy to install.

W

hen selecting a rainwater system, it can often be hard to combine a high-quality product with the desired aesthetic and a simple installation. As such, ease of installation often falls by the wayside in exchange for a particular look and feel or requirement, but that does not always have to be the case.

From the first rainwater systems brought to Britain by the Romans, guttering and downpipes have been made from a plethora of suitable and unsuitable materials, including lead, wood, iron, asbestos cement, zinc and more recently polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and aluminium.

In the present day, cast iron, aluminium and PVC rainwater systems are the most commonly installed, with cast iron being traditionally used for projects seeking a period or heritage look with an ornate finish, whilst PVC is known for being relatively cheaper and quick to install.

Aluminium, however, is capable of combining durability, ease of installation and aesthetic appeal. It is even capable of replicating the look of traditional cast iron pipework if required.

One of the most important factors in a simple installation is the weight of a product, particularly when working at height â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which is often the case with rainwater systems. According to Direct Line for Business, between 2012 and 2017, nearly 85,000 construction site injuries were as a result of handling, lifting or carrying equipment. With the worry of an injury causing a tradesperson to be out of work for months at a time, the specification of lightweight products is important.

Cast iron rainwater systems are notoriously very heavy and often require multiple installers to manoeuvre and hold products in position during installation, again a difficult process when working at

height. A lightweight solution like aluminium, however, can ensure that the risk of heavy lifting injuries is reduced, especially in comparison with cast iron systems. Typically, upwards of 10 kilograms per 1.8 metre length, a cast iron rainwater downpipe is approximately 65 per cent heavier than an aluminium alternative, a significant difference.

While PVC is another lightweight alternative, as a cheaper solution it often lacks longevity with regards to the quality of its appearance. PVC is also lacking in durability, typically lasting no longer than 10 years. Aluminium systems, on the other hand, are very robust, capable of lasting up to 50 years or more, with minimal maintenance required. This is because

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drainage & water management

aluminium, specifically high-quality marine grade, is naturally corrosion resistant due to a protective oxide layer, which reforms over the surface of the metal should it become damaged. With cast iron requiring cleaning and painting maintenance every 10 years or so to prevent degradation, aluminium provides a very low maintenance, fit-and-forget solution.

With regards to ease of install, PVC systems have always taken the lead when it comes to simplicity and time. However, there are aluminium rainwater systems on the market that can be installed just as quickly and easily as PVC and create the same aesthetic, with no specialist tools or skills required. Marley Alutecâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Evolve guttering range, for example, simply snaps into the fascia brackets, once they have been installed onto the fascia, with similar snap-on union clips for the gutter joints.

Marley Alutec offer fascia and soffit systems with H-section joints that perfectly mimic PVC fascia and soffit systems, making them just as easy to

install. The Evoke range can be installed without any specialist skills or tools, providing all the installation benefits of a simple PVC system with superior quality and durability.

When looking for a quick and easy to install rainwater system, quality and longevity is often over looked in exchange for a simple PVC system.

Where a traditional look and feel is desired, ease of install is side-lined for the sake of a heavy-duty cast iron system.

Aluminium offers the best of both worlds.

It is much lighter than cast iron, as easy as PVC to install, extremely durable and requires minimal maintenance. What is more, polyester powder coated aluminium systems can easily replicate the textured look of cast iron with all the benefits of modern performance.

For more information about Marley Alutec online go to www.rdr.link/BI047

drainage & water management

A ‘TWIN’ WIN SITUATION

Flexseal is reporting real sector changes and new purchasing trends in the form of “significant uplifts in the use of Twin Wall drainage pipes”.

Professional Builder reports.

PA Saddle installed onto Twin Wall pipe.

T

he construction industry is constantly adapting. Some changes stick and others fade away in a natural process, which ensures the industry continuously improves.

Accordingly, it is important for these changes to be recognised and tracked.

“We track lots of our own data, but we also work with all of the national merchants and most of the buying groups to get a real view of the direction the sector is moving in,” commented Ricky Hasprey, National Sales Manager for Flexseal.

Some of Flexseal’s customers have reported a significant increase in Twin Wall sales volumes over the past 12 months. The boost in Twin Wall is reported to be a result of a number of factors; firstly, the features and benefits of Twin Wall have captured the attention of contractors. Secondly, refurbishment and the need to connect into existing Twin Wall is reported to have increased.

Flexseal is reacting to this change in contractor behaviour by raising awareness of specialist Twin Wall jointing products. The company says that it designs and manufactures “many products designed specifically for Twin Wall pipes, including flexible couplings and lateral connections. Both of which, Flexseal says, “support the contractor’s need for quicker and easier installations.”

Connecting into existing drainage can be tricky

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84 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

work if not using products designed for refurbishment and this is where Flexseal says that its products specialise and add value.

To support the increased Twin Wall trends, the company is specifically raising awareness of its innovative range of lateral connection saddles for Twin Wall pipe, which provide several benefits when used to connect into new or existing drainage.

Ricky explained: “A saddle is basically a more flexible substitute product of a pipe junction. If you’re wanting to connect waste water from buildings, or surface water from gullies into the main systems, then a Flexseal saddle can be used to connect the lateral pipe into the main pipe.

Saddle Up! “Our saddles are a fraction of the cost of the equivalent pipe junction and come with an abundance of other benefits too, such as quicker and easier installations and reduced excavation time (no digging beneath the pipe). It’s a one person job as the saddles are small and lightweight, making them easier to transport and store, more flexible positioning (and it) can be combined with other Flexseal products to be made more universal.”

Flexseal’s Pipe Adaptor (PA) Saddle range is specifically designed for connecting lateral pipes into Twin Wall main pipes from DN300-600 (saddles for larger Twin Wall pipes are also available). One of the major benefits of using a saddle is that only the top part of an existing pipe is required to be excavated. From there a core hole can be drilled and the saddle can be installed. This benefit alone, Flexseal

says, significantly reduces the time taken to complete a lateral connection.

“For a merchant to pass on these material and labour-saving benefits makes them more competitive without needing to reduce profitability,” added Ricky. “The range of Flexseal PA Saddles is approved by WRc, a third party testing body which is recognised by water companies, so end-users have the confidence that the product is fit-forpurpose.”

“Customer service and support is at the core of everything we do — that’s why we’re reacting to market changes by offering opportunities to our customer base and the tools required to capitalise on those opportunities,” concludes Ricky.

MORE INFO Just type in www.rdr.link/ follow ed by the unique code shown to get straight to more info.

PA Saddle combined with PA Adaptor installed onto Twin Wall pipe.

For more information on Flexseal’s range of products and support services, visit www.rdr.link/BI048

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drainage & water management

Graham Barton, Key Accounts Manager at ACO Building + Landscape, dicusses how builders can deliver both style and function to outdoor projects using exterior drainage.

NO FLASH IN THE PAN! W

hile drainage may not be at the forefront of homeowner’s minds when designing a garden, it’s vital that effective surface water management is considered throughout the project.

Landscaping accessories are a valuable and profitable asset thanks to the increasing popularity of using a garden as an extension of the home entertainment space.

The torrential downpours during this typically British summer, for example, caused numerous flash floods throughout the UK. With this in mind, it goes without saying that we should be implementing effective exterior surface water management systems in order to ensure the longevity of garden spaces and buildings.

Careful consideration of drainage will prevent rainwater collecting and potentially causing damage to the structural integrity of a property, whilst also allowing gardens and patio areas to drain water freely to avoid long-term damage associated with excess standing water.

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Aesthetic ambition Desirable properties offer outdoor spaces where homeowners can entertain guests, or sit outside and enjoy being in an aesthetically-pleasing landscape. In fact, some figures suggest that a wellmaintained garden can increase a property’s value by up to 20 per cent.

Indeed, many housebuilders and homeowners are willing to treat it with the same aesthetic ambition as traditional entertainment spaces, such as the lounge, kitchen and dining room.

The range of aesthetic drainage solutions have vastly improved in recent years, and homeowners are quickly becoming aware of the options open to them.

The ‘Complete the Look’ offering from ACO is available in a variety of finishes, including Polished Stainless Steel, ATec coated Intercept and Mosaic cast iron, Stainless Steel Wedge Wire and Anthracite, all gratings are compatible with our HexDrain and RainDrain channels.

They can add an aesthetic finish to any garden or patio improvement project, and retain its professionally-finished look and feel for a number of years.

Further to the idea that homeowners are now keen to use gardens as an extra space for entertainment, there is a rise in demand for outdoor paving designs that consider appearance, such as porcelain patio tiles. Porcelain tiles provide a costeffective alternative to natural stone paving whilst still giving a trendy finish to an outdoor space.

Homeowners may assume that these tiles are easy to maintain, as they are marketed as durable and weatherresistant – however, without appropriate drainage this may not be the case. It’s important to ensure that porcelain tiles, for example, are fitted with an appropriate drainage solution to prevent damage from water pooling and keep surface runoff to a minimum.

New products, such as our Threshold Drain range, create a slimline doorway drainage system which is ideally suited for use around property entrances and patios, as it is both stylish and efficient.

The system can be easily fitted into any landscaping project thanks to its additional system connection and corner unit pieces, making it a great asset to any builder who may be working with unique garden layouts.

For more information on ACO’s range of domestic drainage solutions, enter the shortcode wwww.rdr.link/BI049

drainage & water mangaement

CAUGHT IN A TRAP?

Steve Skeldon, above ground product manager at Wavin’s Osma brand, discusses an alternative trap design that provides all the solutions.

I

n the past, water traps have come in all shapes and sizes and, since their invention in 1775, have remained a key plumbing tool, but their purpose has always remained the same: to create a water seal between the sewer and the living space. This protects kitchens and bathrooms from foul smells and sewer air, which might otherwise escape into the room from the drainage system below.

However, are we trapped in the past by only relying on traditional water traps?

Although effective, they can often take up a lot of space and reduce design freedom.

maintenance as blockages are common.

This in itself can be a very time consuming and, frankly, unpleasant task.

The benefits

Choosing the right trap for the job Many types of water trap are available depending on the requirements of the plumbing fixture in question. For example, in baths and shower trays, shallower traps are the most suitable design, as there is often limited space beneath the fixture. ‘P’ and ‘S’ traps are generally used beneath kitchen sinks, using bends in the pipework to create a water seal.

Alternatively, ‘bottle’ traps are favoured for pedestal-mounted washbasins, as they fit more easily in small areas.

While these traditional traps still have their place, and have served us well for centuries, they come with their own set of problems. Even with the most compact designs, the shape often means valuable space is taken up, causing difficulties for the bathroom and kitchen design. They also require regular

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88 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

opens and stays open until the flow stops. The membrane has been developed so that only a very small amount of water is required to open it, meaning it can also be used in condensate drainage and discharge from unvented hot water storage systems.

Choose innovation to avoid frustration As technology develops, plumbing and construction professionals are increasingly looking for alternative, more functional products. To avoid the drawbacks of a traditional water trap, more plumbers are turning to the waterless trap. First invented by Wavin 20 years ago, and now hailed as one of the best alternative solutions to the traditional trap, the HepvO uses a self-sealing elastomeric membrane, instead of a traditional water seal, to prevent sewer gases from escaping into an occupied space.

How does it work?

The self-sealing, elastomeric membrane creates a seal between the sewer and the building above. This means that as water enters the silicone valve, the membrane

With no need for a U-bend, the HepvO can be installed vertically or horizontally and can be used for a wide range of household plumbing applications, from showers to kitchen sinks. The straightthrough design also limits the build-up of waste material and ensures an outstanding flow, reducing the risk of blockages and the costly maintenance work required to resolve them.

In addition, as the silicone membrane within the trap admits air into the drainage system, there’s no need to add

MORE INFO Just type in www.rdr.link/ follow ed by the unique code shown to get straight to more info.

a 40mm air admittance valve for branch ventilation. Holiday homes in particular benefit from the attributes of the HepvO as they are especially suited to systems that go unused for a long time when compared with water traps which are prone to evaporation.

Finally, for homeowners, a pleasing aesthetic is often just as important as practicality and efficiency. To ensure customers are pleased with the end result, installers should bear this in mind when working on bathrooms and kitchens. HepvO is the answer to achieving this balance. Not only does it simplify maintenance requirements it also minimises the visual impact of drainpipes and discharge systems.

By understanding the benefits of waterless traps, you can achieve the desired result while providing the customer with value-added expertise and advice.

ABOUT WAVIN Wavin UK is a member of the Wavin Group. The plastic pipe systems offered include Osma above and below ground drainage and Hep2O hot and cold plumbing and underfloor heating, as well as a wide range of drainage and stormwater management solutions for all application areas.

For further information visit www.rdr.link/BI050

If you need guidance selecting the right waterless trap system for your projectâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s needs, visit www.rdr.link/BI051

drainage & water management product round-up

GO WITH THE FLOW

INSPECTION CHAMBERS

With almost a century of expertise in tank manufacturing, Premier Tech Aqua (PTA) UK is an industry leader in packaged water and wastewater solutions.

In light of increasing environmental pressures and regulatory changes – such as binding 2020 regulations informing the transition to an era where the direct discharge from a septic tank into a watercourse will no longer be permitted – the demand for increased resource efficiency and carbon neutral technologies has seen PTA develop its products and technologies to enable retrofitting or replacement of ‘old technologies’ with ease.

One such example is the pioneering Ecoflo Coco Filter, of which more than 100,000 are currently installed around the world.

PTA’s high performance, easy to integrate water and wastewater technologies span domestic, commercial and industrial sectors.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI052

Designed to meet the specific needs of groundwork contractors, Polypipe Building Products, has launched a range of 600mm diameter inspection chambers manufactured from high quality polypropylene. The IC600 range of inspection chambers are designed to be a safe, cost-effective solution for the maintenance and inspection of sewers and drains. The range has been designed for adoptable and non-adoptable drainage systems as an alternative to traditional concrete ring manholes.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI054

LINEAR DRAINAGE A new addition to ClarkDrain’s popular linear drainage range has arrived with Technodrain.

Designed for surface water management, the product is made from lightweight High Density Polyethylene. It encompasses all load classes (A15-F900) in accordance with European standard EN 1433, comprising an array of grating design options in ductile iron, galvanised steel and stainless steel. The system will be available in 100mm, 150mm, 200mm and 300mm internal widths.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI083

RAINWATER SYSTEM Brett Martin Plumbing and Drainage has launched a new colour option to the Cascade Cast Iron Style Rainwater and Soil Systems range, adding Chartwell Green to the mix of eight heritage colours. Designed with consideration to original features, dimensions and detailing, the pipework, fittings and hoppers aim to create a cast iron look for less. The system is lightweight, making it quicker, easier and safer to install. Furthermore, the product is also maintenance free and UV stabilised, thus resisting rusting or corrosion.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI055

THRESHOLD DRAIN SYSTEM Exterior drainage can now be extended from thresholds to patio edges thanks to ACO Building + Landscape’s portfolio of slimline doorway drainage systems, Threshold Drain. The range has been expanded and now includes system connection and corner unit pieces. The additional parts allow easy application of the system around the edge of landscaped patios and pavements.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI056

Did you know there is a new VAT change coming to the Industry on 1st October 2019 and it affects you!

You will now be subject to a new reverse charge scheme that will mean you may not receive the VAT from your Clients, who will now pay it directly to the HMRC.

Are you ready for this?

For help setting this up or for any other advice on VAT, payroll or any accounting services, contact info@libertywilliams.co.uk or call 0203 763 8500 quoting builder magazine.

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GENERAL BUILDING

MORE INFO Just type in www.rdr.link/ followed by the unique code shown to get str aight to more info.

VERGE BRACKET

TAPE

Ubbink’s new Dry Verge system features a batten bracket designed to eliminate the need to replace or extend existing battens when retrofitting the system. When installing other dry verge systems, the battens need to extend past the barge board by 30mm, to allow the verge units to be correctly fixed in place. The design not only removes the need to replace or extend the existing batten: it also streamlines the verge fixing process itself, with its blank face and ambi handed fixing screws.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI057

tesa 4621 is a pressure sensitive adhesive tape based on a polyethylene layer reinforced with a polyester fabric. More robust than most paper grades, this multi-purpose, outdoor cloth tape is 130µm thick and provides high initial adhesion on various surfaces, but can also be repositioned as required. Easy to write on, it is suitable as a repairing tape in most environments.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI061

GARAGE DOORS Comprised of 24 decorative colour finishes, Garador’s new Duragrain range is a new concept where a realistic timber, natural stone or metal illustration is printed onto the outside steel surface of the garage door. These new designs offer customers a more graphical alternative to the paint and timber effect finishes currently available on the market.

The doors are fully insulated with PU-foam at 42mm thick, making the door suitable for properties where the garage is used as a workshop or gym.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI058

CEMENT PACKAGING The tough paper packaging for Hanson’s Multicem has now turned blue to help customers differentiate between the paper and plastic bags on offer. The new blue paper bags are 50 per cent stronger than traditional paper cement bags, halving the risk of snags and tears and helping reduce mess and waste.

Multicem is an air-entrained packed cement suitable for use in concrete, mortar, render and screed, offering improved workability and resistance to frost.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI059

SHOWER WATERPROOFING KIT Designed to include everything required to allow tradesmen to waterproof a shower area, wet room or walk in shower area, Dunlop’s Shower Waterproofing Kit fully waterproofs the background behind the tiles to prevent water penetration up to 1.5metres high in a two-walled shower unit or 1metre high in a three-walled shower unit. As a result the kit prevents water saturating the whole area, reducing the risk of unsightly black mould forming, and of more serious issues, such as floor collapse.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI060

JOINT SEALANT Sealant specialist Geocel has changed the chemistry and improved the formulation of its joint sealant, 201. Now based on modern polymer technology, the sealant is an effective way of sealing expansion joints and perimeter sealing in glazing and other applications where a strong, durable seal is required. The one-part polymer sealant comes ready to use in standard 380ml cartridges.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI062

ROOF COATING Specifically formulated to deliver outstanding direct bond adhesion over most common roof substrates and membranes, Hydrosil from Cromar covers over one and a half times that of a standard PU coating. This fast curing 100 per cent silicone roof coating has been developed to form a durable, vapor permeable, watertight and weatherproof barrier that provides long term resistance to degradation from natural weathering.

For more details online, go to www.rdr.link/BI063

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INSULATION James Mills, Product Manager at stone wool insulation specialist, Rockwool, offers you some best practice insulation tips for loft conversions.

LOFTY EXPECTATIONS Loft conversions remain one of the most popular ways to renovate, add space and increase property values for UK homeowners. In a flat housing market, renovation is very attractive to homeowners.

There’s strong evidence to suggest that more and more people are staying put and improving or extending their home, rather than paying the hefty cost of moving. Adding an extra room in the roof can create up to 50 per cent more living space, and add approximately 20 per cent to the value, without losing any garden space like an extension. Recent changes to planning permission also now mean that work on the loft falls under “permitted development rule”, so homeowners can make changes to their loft space without permission, subject to a few limitations. In order to fully take advantage of this opportunity, and achieve a high-quality loft conversion, it is important to pay close attention to insulation.

One of the common challenges you’ll face when tackling a loft conversion is the lightweight mass of the overall structure.

This makes the loft space vulnerable to external noise, whether that’s from road, rail or air traffic, general urban street noise or the wet and windy British

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weather. Since the vast majority of loft spaces are converted into extra bedrooms, you’ll want to do something about noise, or you’re taking a big chance in risking an unhappy customer.

The good news is that there is plenty you can do with the right choice of insulation and you don’t have to lose any valuable headroom space either. This is because when carrying out a loft conversion you will likely need to re-roof as well. This involves removing the tiles as

well as changing the roof shape. At this point, we would recommend putting a layer of Rockwool Hardrock Multi-fix insulation board over the top of the roof, with tiles added above, this additional layer will provide significant acoustic benefits and ensure the optimum thermal performance is achieved. Internally, an effective solution to use is Sound Slab, fully filling the rafter depth. Because this is stone wool insulation, the fibres are matted in such a way that they trap sound waves and

No.2 in the Series deaden vibration very efficiently.

With this dual layer, warm roof approach, you’ll create a super-efficient acoustic insulation barrier both outside and inside the loft conversion that stops any external noise in its tracks. The highdensity layer on the roof reduces vibration-based sound whilst thicker insulation between the rafters addresses airborne sound.

You’ll also be efficient in meeting the U-value requirement of Building Regs.

Rockwool Sound Slab gives you a tight, friction fit between joists and around cables, pipes, sockets and services thanks to its patented ‘FLEXI’ edge. Add the continuous layer of insulation board on the outside of the conversion and you’re also minimising the problem of thermal bridging.

It’s not just about keeping the heat in.

Because Rockwool has a high thermal mass, it helps effective regulation of temperature on hot summer days, keeping the loft space comfortable and

giving your customer better, all yearround temperature control.

Insulating the floors and walls is also important, especially if you’re fitting wooden floors. You don’t want the people below or in the adjoining properties getting annoyed by footsteps or noises coming from your loft, nor do you want to hear music or voices from other rooms in the house or next door. Again, who wants to risk an unhappy customer?

We’d recommend you fit Sound Slab in between the floor joists, and a layer of Thermal Rockfloor, high density insulation over the top of that to cut out any risk of

unwanted noise transfer in the floor. We’d also suggest battening out from any solid walls to fit Sound Slab. This will reduce sound travelling between walls of adjoining properties and again minimise external noise coming into the loft conversion through an outside wall.

Another thing to think about is safety.

You’re adding a third storey to your customer’s house with a timber-framed loft conversion. You want to make sure that you’re creating a space that’s quiet and comfortable but also safe. Stone wool insulation is A1 non-combustible. It won’t burn or contribute to a fire. Importantly, it does not significantly contribute to the emission of toxic smoke either, which makes it the safe material to choose for insulating loft conversions.

Whichever way you look at it, taking this dual insulation approach to a loft conversion makes a lot of sense. If you want the quiet life – and want that for your customer too – then stone wool insulation inside and outside is the way to go.

For further information on Rockwool stone wool insulation visit www.rdr.link/BI064

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 95

CARPENTRY & JOINERY

STAIR CRAZY Kevin Underwood, Technical Director at the British Woodworking Federation (BWF) explains five key features of staircase safety

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A staircase is often a central feature of any new home. It can be one of the first things that catches the eye when walking into a property, adding character to the space. What the prospective homeowner wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t consider is whether the staircase is safe to use.

A badly designed staircase presents real safety issues through the risk of injury and death from slips, trips and falls.

According to BS 5395-1:2010, there are over 500 deaths each year in the UK from stair-related accidents in the home. It is estimated that a further 250,000 non-fatal accidents take place on the stairs each

year that are serious enough to result in a visit to the doctor or Accident & Emergency. This is equivalent to a domestic accident occurring on the stairs every two minutes.

The majority of stair accidents occur when the individual is coming down them, usually slipping backwards and injuring themselves on the nosings of the steps or when they hit the floor. Falling forwards often results in more serious injuries.

Going up the stairs, injuries are usually less severe as the individual tends to fall forwards onto the stairs. Carpets can reduce the impact while hard, sharp edges are more likely to cause injuries.

But how can installers of staircases in new builds further mitigate risks and ensure staircases are as safe as possible?

At the British Woodworking Federation, we advise builders to follow five key safety principles, which are summarised below.

1. Ensure there is a consistent rise Stairs need to be as consistent as possible. When going up or down a set of stairs, the human brain subconsciously determines the required movements of the legs and feet based on the first couple of steps. So if there are variations in the rise, this can lead to a person tripping or stumbling as they go. It is important to allow only small variations in the rise â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no more than plus or minus one per cent is recommended throughout.

2. Keep the going consistent too When a user places their foot on a step, the best support is provided when they can place most, if not all, of their foot on the tread. When the going falls below 250mm this is not always possible, and the user may begin to turn their feet to the side to get adequate support. This increases the risk of slipping on nosings, especially as the amount of the foot that overhangs the tread increases. Therefore, it is important to keep the going over 250mm wherever possible, and to keep it consistent to prevent surprises for the user as they go up or down.

3. Handrails are a great safety net Handrails can be an attractive feature to a staircase but they are an important extra safety support in the event of a person slipping. This is especially true for the elderly and physically frail. Having a handrail there to grab onto can prevent a person from losing their balance completely and having a serious fall. It is important that the handrail is within easy reach at all points. Stairs with a rise of over 600mm should have a handrail and where the stair width exceeds 1,000mm a handrail should be fitted on both sides 4. Keep your guarding up Another key risk in going up and down stairs is to fall over the side. That is why some form of barrier or guarding to protect people from falling is required for any height over 600mm. This could be in the form of a screen or balustrade and it must be high enough to prevent people falling over it and the materials used must be strong enough to withstand someone falling into it. The material used for the guarding should be strong enough to withstand someone falling into it and high enough to prevent anyone falling over it.

With children’s safety always a key issue to bear in mind, any gaps in the guarding should be less than 100mm to help prevent them falling through or from becoming trapped.

5. Pay attention to the surface finish The surface finish of a staircase can be a striking feature, making it impressive to the eye. Where the going of the stair is 300mm or more, users tend not to be affected too much by the slipperiness of the surface, but on stairs with treads of less than 300mm consideration should be given to a degree of slip resistance at the nosing. This is where first contact is made in descent and a slip resistant surface can help prevent a user falling. For stairs, BS 5395-1 advises that surfaces that are suitable for floors are generally also suitable for stairs – however it’s important to remember that some floorings can become unsafe if they are wet or dusty.

“To help builders and the wider construction industry, the British Woodworking Federation’s (BWF) Stair Scheme has published a number of best practice guides and factsheets.”

Step Ahead These are only five of many aspects that can influence the safety of a staircase, whether for use in the home, a commercial building or a public space. To help builders and the wider construction industry, the British Woodworking Federation’s (BWF) Stair Scheme has published a number of best practice guides and factsheets. The BWF Stair

Scheme is focused on promoting effective design, reliable manufacture, developing guidance and ensuring best practice advice is passed to installers. This reassures installers and homeowners that products made by BWF accredited stair manufacturers consistently meet the relevant performance requirements for design and structural integrity.

For further information on the British Woodworking Federation’s (BWF) Stair Scheme online, go to www.rdr.link/BI065

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 97

INTERNAL DOORS

XL marks the spot Carpenter and joiner Robin Clevett gives us a few of his tips on how to hang a door.

XL Joinery has a huge range of modern styles in its range but it hasn’t neglected the traditional classics, such as this four panel softwood Shaker style door.

Most people know that fire doors require three hinges, but what about nonfire rated doors? When I was at college we were taught that most internal doors could be hung quite happily with two hinges. The exceptions were where the finish was different on either side, or where there would be a difference in humidity or temperature. That would be a bathroom door for sure, and maybe a kitchen or utility room door. These doors required three hinges. Now I notice that it is becoming standard practice to fit three hinges. You might suspect that it is hinge manufacturers who are keen to increase their sales by 50 per cent, but the real reason is that three hinges helps prevent warping.

These days, with quick grown timber, it is doubly important that you keep the door wrapped until you are ready to hang it, and then when you do hang it that you don’t leave any bare timber. It might seem like over-kill but I always dab a bit of quick drying primer or sealer behind the hinges as well as on planed areas.

If you have to shoot a door in take the same amount from either side, rather than just trimming up one side. I use an electric planer for greater accuracy, but on the top and bottom I like to use my track saw across the end grain.

Cutting in Hinges When I was an apprentice, I used to do all the hinges with a chisel but now I route them in free hand. It is easy enough to keep the router on the line if you mark the hinge out with a Stanley knife or marking gauge because you can stop short of the line. The router gives you a perfectly flush hinge but sometimes you need to set them in ever so slightly deeper. I usually do a trial fit on flush and then, if I need to reset the router, I am good to go with the

rest of the doors.

One thing I have on my shopping list is a smaller router. If you are cutting in hinges freehand then a ¼in. router that is handheld is a better way to go. I am looking at a few cordless routers that are easy to use one-handed.

The handles and three hinges came from XL in door fitting packs, which is a really good way of selling all you need.

The tubular latch is included, but make sure you order the correct backset. The 65mm back set puts the handle nicely in the centre of the stile, with plenty of room to avoid knuckle graze.

One thing I could not do without these days is a pair of air wedges to pump the door up into position. The old-style door lifter was all well and good, but a little pump on each bag means you can dock it in precisely.

To be honest, I am so busy cutting in roofs for builders that I don’t do a lot of second fix work these days. There was a time when I would get set up and in a long day I could do a whole house – but not now. Still, I enjoyed myself doing these XL doors and it is good to keep my hand in.

The XL primed doors look good but they need painting with a couple of coats before they are finally fitted. I like to lay them flat and paint with a mini roller. Remember to apply the same number of coats to each side of the door and give it a light sand in between coats.

For further information on XL Joinery visit www.rdr.link/BI066

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] N O I IT T PE M O C [

‘PAINT’ NO WIN! STOPPING US NOW!

Over £1,800 worth must be won!

It’s time to get your coat with our Macpherson Trade Paint giveaway

M

acpherson Eclipse interior matt paint is the bestselling product in the Macpherson collection – which celebrates its 135 year anniversary this year.

Eclipse is water-based, which is better for the environment than solvent-based equivalents, and, as the product doesn’t have the lingering odour associated with solvent-based paint, makes for better working conditions.

The paint offers excellent opacity and a smooth matt finish, and as it has a high moisture permeability, it can be applied to new plaster before the drying process is complete: time is money, so decorators can save valuable hours without compromising on the quality of the finish.

Eclipse has a spreading rate of up to 16 square metres per litre, dependant on surface texture and porosity, and under normal conditions is touch dry after two

hours, and recoatable after four, meaning that under ideal conditions it is entirely possible to get two coats onto the wall in a single day. It can be applied with a roller, brush or spray as required.

The Macpherson Trade Paints collection is well known to the trades but decorators might not be aware that the paint has been around since 1884, when Donald Macpherson founded a paint, varnish and Chinese lacquer manufacturing business in Manchester.

Fast forward a few decades and the company was enjoying a period of rapid expansion, which saw it upgrade its premises to a former textile mill in Bury, Lancashire in the 1940s. The group continued to build its reputation for quality paint products and by the 1980s the manufacturer was the fourth largest coatings company in the UK. Since then the brand has come under the umbrella of some of the biggest names in the decorating industry, going on to become part of the Crown Paints family in 2008.

Both companies have an impressive heritage. Crown Paints can trace its history back as far as 1777 and is now part of the Hempel Group, a world leading coatings supplier for the decorative, protective and marine markets.

And under Crown Paints, the range has continued to develop, with the latest addition to the brand being its Durable Matt. This hardwearing matt paint is specially formulated to ensure that scuffs and stains can easily be washed away.

Durable Matt has built-in stain and moisture resistance, so walls look cleaner for longer. Available in over 7,000 colours, it is fast becoming yet another staple for professional decorators.

YOUR CHANCE TO WIN! To celebrate 135 years in business Macpherson Trade Paints is giving away over £1,800 worth of product to our ever fortunate readers. 13 winners will be painting the town with five 10 litre tins of Macpherson Eclipse each and all you have to do is answer the simple question below.

Q: IN WHAT YEAR WAS THE COMPANY FOUNDED? A: 1864 B: 1874 C: 1884 If you want to be one of these highly decorated builders then visit www.rdr.link/BI067 to enter.

Deadline for entries is 31/10/19. Terms and conditions apply.

For further information on Macpherson Trade Paint online, go to www.rdr.link/BI068

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 99

THE TRADESHOW BUILT FOR THE TRADE PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

TOOLFAIR 2019

POWER TOOLS

•

HAND TOOLS

•

BUILDING EQUIPMENT

All the latest tools, live demos, show specials – all under one roof!

NEXT SHOW Sandown Park, Surrey: Thursday 7th & Friday 8th November Featuring:

Register for free at www.toolfair.info

builders’ vehicles 씱

A

solid and dependable van, the MercedesBenz Sprinter is an attractive proposition for any builder in need of a large and practical workhorse.

The model (that we’re focussing on here) was launched in 2013, as part of a major revamp for the Sprinter range. As part of the extensive revisions, over the previous Sprinter, Mercedes-Benz improved economy and emissions, added new safety tech and mildly refreshed the van’s looks. This Sprinter would motor on until it was replaced with an all-new model in 2018.

The 2013 changes were instrumental in maintaining the success of the Sprinter, making it a strong seller against the Ford Transit, and winning plenty of awards in its life. Built in Dusseldorf, Germany, it’s worth noting that the Sprinter had a factory twin (not quite identical) wearing VW badges as the Volkswagen Crafter.

Payloads vary depending on model, ranging from 714kg through to 2,550kg.

Pricing The entry point currently to Sprinter ownership is around £4,000; at that price you’ll be looking at high mileage models, deep into the 100,000+ mile sphere with many having double that. Don’t rule them out as inexpensive workhorses, though, as high miles doesn’t necessarily relate to a tough, abused vehicle.

Spend £8,000 and above and you’ll get into newer, lower mileage vehicles, again the choice being expansive, though in every price point you’ll do well to find anything other than white examples.

Spend over £10,000 and the choice is newer still, with light use and excellent order throughout.

BEST BUY Looking for a used Sprinter? There are a few important things to look out for, says Dan Powell of Honest John Vans.

Engines The mainstay of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter engine line up is the 2.1-litre fourcylinder turbodiesel. The engine line up were badged the 210 CDI for 95PS, 213 CDI for 129PS, 216 CDI for 163PS, with the 190PS V6s getting 219 badging.

The ‘2’ on the badging denotes 3.0 tonne Gross Vehicle Weight changing that to ‘3’ signifying 3.5 tonne, ‘4’ for 4.6 tonne and ‘5’ for 5 tonne. From 2016 all EU Sprinters were switched to Euro VI emissions ratings.

and oil changes. These could be as much as 37,000 miles or two years.

From 2016 Mercedes-Benz introduced national service pricing in the UK, with a small ‘A’ service on the Sprinter costing just £130, right through to a comprehensive full service for £445. An approved used service plan, costing around £17 was offered to Sprinter owners, too. Independent garages offer a full service in the region of £250, with interim servicing costing about £140.

What to watch Maintenance All Sprinters were fitted with MercedesBenz’s ASSYST service computer, which brought flexible, needs-based servicing to the vehicle. It would assess usage and schedule services accordingly. For shortdrop vehicles service intervals would be shorter, while longer-haul users would have lengthier intervals between services

The paint on Sprinters has always been an issue, and while newer models don’t tend to suffer quite as much, always do a thorough inspection of the bodywork before buying. And try to have stone chips and any deep scratches in the paintwork repaired to prevent any corrosion.

Listen for any unusual puffing sounds from the engine, as the seals around the high pressure diesel injectors can leak. A full repair will be in the region of £500. Any wandering or knocking from the suspension points to worn bushes. Similarly, if there’s uneven tyre wear the suspension alignment is likely to need checking.

The propshaft – all Sprinters are rearwheel drive – can fail at around 100,000 miles. Have it checked, and listen for any rattling, particularly when pulling away.

For more used van buying advice visit www.rdr.link/BI069 I

PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 101

Portuguese vans of war!

There was a sting in the tail for anyone expecting Renault to rest on its most recent sales laurels with the launch of not one but two new LCVâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Lisbon recently.

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enault has been a key player in the van market for 120 years and in terms of LCV sales success, 2018 broke all records with an impressive 34 per cent growth on the previous 12 months. All of which, according to the company, confirms its status as the European leader in the van sector. Next stop, global domination, where it aims to almost double its sales to 2.5 million units a year, thanks to a new alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi. To get anywhere near that figure, however, the company is aware that it will have to up its game in one market in particular the UK â&#x20AC;&#x201C; where it wrestles with some longstanding and serious medium sized van competition, most notably from the likes of Ford, Vauxhall and Volkswagen.

As part of that ambitious new strategy,

and with a number of other significant refreshes in the offering, Renault has chosen 2019 to take an industrial sized scalpel to both the Trafic and its bigger brother the Master. Shared new features across the board include a new, more imposing modern design, new engines, bespoke cabin layouts for professionals, improved driving comfort and greater on board connectivity, plus the option of an attractive new urban grey paint finish.

In the case of the Trafic, which was launched in its present version 3 form back in 2014, the most notable difference is the front end, which has been cosmetically tidied up. However, it is under the metal where Renault have

Master

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102 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

invested most heavily, with a new 2.0litre dCi unit, which uses something called variable geometry turbocharging to develop more power and significantly better low gear pull under heavy loads.

Outputs are 120PS, 140PS or 175PS with the mid range expected to find most favour with UK users combining 350Nm of Torque with a predicted 52mpg, striking a useful balance between performance and economy. There is also the option of six speed manual or dual clutch six speed auto, which we found to be extremely smooth with good anticipation on the varied test route.

The sturdy cabin area has been upgraded with a new dashboard and

builders’ vehicles 씱 Prices for Trafic start at £23,550 ex VAT for 145dCI business van.

Prices for Master start at £26,350 for 135 business trim rising to £57,300 for the top spec, zero emission electric version.

firmer feeling seats, along with improved infotainment options, although we felt the storage options, and sat nav in particular, fell a little way short of some of its competitors.

With a good reputation for sharp handling and comfortable ride quality, steering and suspension have been carried over, as has the load area, which has the same smart load solutions, including the useful bulkhead hatch that extends the van’s maximum load length to 4.1 m. Again, the vehicle can be ordered in two lengths and two heights

with the largest carrying up to 8.5 cubic metres of space, although payloads remain in the distinctly average category for a Trafic vehicle of this size.

Nevertheless, with all the improvements it’s fair to say that there has never been a better time to quite literally be stuck in Trafic!

Of course, if you have a lot of materials to move on a daily basis then a Master may be a more viable option. It’s been around since 1980 and has sold around 2.4 million units in over 50 countries to establish itself as a really major player in the large van market.

With the last major refresh almost a decade ago its need for an update was even greater than its younger sibling. In terms of interior and exterior design

improvements read the same as Trafic but engine-wise it benefits from a new 2.3 dCi engine and is available in 91 different configurations of height, length and engines. It’s also very popular as the basis of numerous conversion options through the Renault Pro Accredited convertor programme. The chassis cabs are available in front and rear wheel drive options.

With up to 105 litres it claims the largest mobile office area in its category, a completely new dashboard as the centre piece of a fully revamped interior.

The driver also has with a multitude of driver safety aids at his disposal. A Master of all he surveys in more ways than one!

For more information on Renault’s range online, go to www.rdr.link/BI070

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 103

builders’ vehicles

CLEVER ‘VAUX’ Vauxhall is now Britain’s largest indigenous van manufacturer, and with the launch of the new Vivaro at its Luton home that is a position that it is set to maintain. Professional Builder’s Lee Jones reviews the latest model.

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t has been an avowed ambition of our business leaders in recent years to rebalance our economy in favour of manufacturing. Where once Britain was the workshop of the world, that sector’s share of the wider economy has been steadily shrinking, but there are, of course, those iconic stalwarts who have held firm on these shores.

Vauxhall, for instance, has seen vehicles roll from its Luton production line from as far back as 1905, and that is a tradition that is continuing with the third generation of the Vivaro, now one of the few remaining light commercial vehicles that can genuinely wear the ‘Made in Britain’ motto. Indeed, with a multi-million pound investment in a new assembly line, including enough robots to double as a scene in the next Terminator movie, this is a site that looks to remain secure for the foreseeable.

Whilst much has stayed the same there has also been great change, not least new owners, with this historic name in the UK automotive market now under the guardianship of PSA group. As a result, where previously the Vivaro shared a platform with Renault Trafic, today it finds its inspiration from the already very successful Citroen Dispatch, Peugeot Expert, and Toyota Proace.

The latest incarnation of a name that’s been steadily winning fans with van users since its initial launch in 2001 is actually

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slightly more compact than its predecessor, a feature that will no doubt find favour with tradespeople operating in our increasingly congested towns and cities. Vivaro is now available in two lengths, (L1H1 4.95m and L2H1 5.30m), and three trims, whilst body styles include panel van, double cab – for up to six occupants – and a platform chassis.

A leaner machine it may be but it still packs a punch in payload, with a maximum capacity in the business end of the vehicle of 1,458kg, up 200kg on the outgoing model. Similarly, towing weights have climbed 500kg to 2,500kg, whilst the factory-fitted tow bar option comes

104 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

standard with Trailer Stability Control (TSC). TSC uses an electronic stability programme to dampen the vibrations of the trailer as necessary. If severe vibrations are detected – which indicates an unsafe and unstable driving condition – then the system will slow the vehicle to a critical pace. Access to the cab is made more convenient with twin doors on either side, and there’s increased space between the wheel arches. If you’re looking to open those doors, and happen to have a sheet of 8x4 about your person at the time, then fear not, because a rather convenient feature has been added. Simply move your foot towards

the sensors on the vehicle and they will open automatically.

In their mission to achieve maximum cargo carrying capacity within a alarm, auto lights and wipers, acoustic manageable footprint, manufacturers are windscreen and thickened side glazing. increasingly looking to exploit every The top-of-the range Elite model available space, and that’s just what features the latest safety technology as Vivaro’s FlexCargo allows. If you happen standard, including Lane Departure to be carrying long items, such as pipes Warning, Speed Limit Information, Intelligent or lengths of guttering, for example, Speed Adaptation, Driver Attention Alert thanks to an optional flap under the front and Blind Spot Detection. The Head Up passenger seat objects up to 4.02m long Display, which provides information on can be stowed securely in the 5.30m speed limits without taking your eyes from version. Not only that, but the same the road, is a particularly useful function, system allows the back of the middle seat and overall, with a ride and handling that to fold down, transforming your cab into a few can rival, the Vivaro remains one of the mobile office, with a table for working on best driving experiences in the medium documents, a notebook or a tablet. panel van market.

Anyone who can remember the days Next year Vauxhall is promising the when electric windows on a commercial introduction of a purely electric vehicle were a novelty will know that the powertrain, but it is clean and efficient levels of comfort in the cab, not to diesel which presently holds sway, and mention recent innovations in driver assistance technology, have transformed the end user experience in a relatively short space of time. Today, the market is demanding continuous improvement and that’s what Vivaro hopes to deliver with three trim levels providing an upward scale of sophistication.

The aforementioned dual side sliding doors, driver/passenger PRICING AND SPECIFICATION airbags and cruise control with speed-limiter are all Edition – From £22,020 excluding VAT available as standard for the Sportive – From £24,270 excluding VAT first time, whilst Sportive Elite – From £26,370 excluding VAT includes body coloured mirrors, handles and body side moulds,

there’s an array of options under the Vivaro bonnet. The entry level 1.5D (100PS) engine, torque has been improved to 270Nm, and is also available in a 120PS version. The 2.0D Turbo D is available in either 150PS or 180PS, the latter equipped with an eight speed auto, whilst all other engine sizes utilise a sixspeed transmission.

The Vauxhall Vivaro is now the third most popular vehicle in its class and, with increased capacity at its Bedfordshire home, the ambition is to extend that market share still further. What’s more, with a vehicle that will favourably compare with any in its sector, Vauxhall can still proudly sport that Made in Britain emblem.

For further information on the Vauxhall Vivaro online visit www.rdr.link/BI071

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 105

TECHNICAL TEAM TIPS – NO 8 ROOFING

A New Eden If you have to install traditional pantiles, Stuart Nicholson, Roof Systems Director at Marley, says its new innovation could transform your roofing projects.

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raditional pantiles are an iconic part of British roofing, particularly in certain parts of the country such as Lincolnshire, East Anglia, Norfolk, Yorkshire, Humberside, the South West and some parts of Eastern Scotland. Yet, even though machine-made pantiles have been around since the 1700s, surprisingly there hasn’t been any significant developments in this area since then.

Over recent years, with ongoing time and skills pressures, modern clay interlocking pantiles, like our Lincoln, have become increasingly popular as a quicker, easier and more cost-effective way of achieving a rustic pantile appearance. However, on some projects, due to aesthetic preference or planning, roofers still need to use a traditional pantile but up until now, there hasn’t been an easy way of fixing these to the latest British Standards.

That’s why we are rewriting the book on clay pantiles by launching a groundbreaking new pantile, with a traditional profile but incorporating modern fixing methods for quicker and easier installation. The new Eden tile will transform pantile fitting, giving roofers an easy-to-fix, low pitch option when a traditional pantile is required for aesthetic or planning purposes.

Unlike anything else on the market, the Eden pantile combines a traditional appearance with time saving features previously only seen on our Lincoln interlocking tile, including a specially designed SoloFix channel to make BS 5534’s two point fixing easier, a flat back on the rear of the tile so it doesn’t rock

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“The Eden Tile is a joy to lay and very consistently manufactured, but not so much that it takes away the tile’s character.”

Matt Timby, Timby Traditional Roofing Avonside Roofing installing a test roof of the new Eden tile

during installation and an enlarged nib for easier nailing. It also has a low minimum pitch of just 22.5 degrees and comes in a weathered colour, so it is even suitable

106 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

for use on heritage and conservation projects. Crucially, it gives contractors a time saving, lower pitch, traditional option, where currently there isn’t one.

Traditional roofing specialist, Matt Timby, from contractor Timby Traditional Roofing in Gainsborough, installed a test roof for the Eden tile as part of the development stages and says: “Working in a traditional pantile area means we have years of experience of pantile installation. Eden is great because it brings a traditional pantile up to modern fixing specifications and standards.

“Not only does its uniform design make it easy to lay but it also uses a clever clipping system which is quick and easy to install. Some clipping systems can be quite intrusive on pantiles, affecting the way they lay, but this tile has been designed with a special channel, so the clips fit comfortably behind the tile below. There is also enough play in the clips to adjust the tiles slightly after installation, if required.

“The tiles were a joy to install and could easily be used for new or refurbishment projects. They look really good on the roof because of the very slight differences in profile which was an intentional part of the design. Traditional pans vary in shape and mimicking this gives an authentic appearance when comparing them to a standard machine-made tile, which can be so “perfect” they’re almost characterless. The really clever thing about this tile is, while achieving an authentic look, it retains its consistency in sizing, each laying to the correct gauge and cover width making it incredibly easy to lay. The Eden also has a soft leading edge which helps with the overall look of the finished roof.

“With a pitch of 22.5 degrees, as opposed to 30 degrees for some other machine-made pantiles, it does give roofers a traditional, rather than an interlocking, option for a lower pitch roof. To me personally, aesthetics are much more important than time saving and Eden certainly fits the bill as far as looks go. For roofers who are looking for a faster, easier way to install traditional pantiles, these new tiles could certainly save time because the clipping system is a much quicker way of installing to BS 5534.”

The new Eden tile is available in three colours, the traditional Natural Red, a weathered Rustic Red and Matt Black for the East Anglia market, with a full range of components and accessories to complement the tile, including dry fix systems or mortar-bedded security fixing kits. Eden can also be purchased as part of a full Marley roof system, including underlay, battens, fixings and accessories, backed up by technical support and a 15-year guarantee.

For more information on the Marley Eden pantile visit www.rdr.link/BI072

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 107

ROOFING

Under One Roof We continue our look at the history of BMI, encompassing the ‘Roaring Twenties’ and the post-war boom.

With BMI UK & Ireland’s iconic BMI Redland brand celebrating 100 years of concrete tile manufacture in the UK, making it the oldest concrete tile maker in the country; the company, ahead of its formal celebrations later in the year, continues to look back over its 180-year heritage.

While 1919 – when Redland was formed as the then Redhill Tile Company in Reigate, Surrey – was an important moment for pitched roofs in the UK, representing the start of domestic concrete tile manufacture; 1923 proved to be almost as important for flat roofing when Icopal, then known as D Anderson & Sons, relocated from Belfast to Stretford, Manchester.

At the time, Anderson was the first factory to make the area its home in what was then fields as far as the eye could see.

Today, the factory, which is still the company’s main manufacturing plant for its BMI Icopal ranges, is in the heart of Manchester’s Trafford industrial district – with other global names such as Kellogg’s, Adidas and L’Oréal for neighbours.

Some of the site’s original buildings remain and true to its reputation of creating roofs that last, one of the buildings features a rare engineered timber roof structure known as a Belfast Truss – designed, according to Construction History Vol. 17, by Anderson-founder David himself.

The industrial revolution brought about the need for clear span industrial buildings, which in turn inspired the development of a variety of timber truss types. And although so-called bowstring, barrel-form and other ‘chord and lattice’ truss roofs had been built since medieval times, the first “true” Belfast Truss – a clever laminated construction, designed to maximise the use of scrap timber – was fabricated by Anderson & Sons in Belfast in 1896.

A few years later, after Anderson’s Manchester move, the general strike struck in 1926 having a profound and positive impact on the popularity of concrete tiles – owing to a resulting shortage of clay tiles; yet not so profound an impact as the Second World War. While the WW2 blitz wrecked a large number of British

cities, it was London that bore the brunt with one million, of the total estimated loss of the two million, homes destroyed. The urgent need to replace these in the post-war period saw a huge surge in house-building and the Redland 49 medium-format interlocking cambered tile became the roof covering of choice. Launched in 1949, it was the first single-lap concrete tile and its use is still very widespread throughout the city.

In slightly less-pressured circumstances, 1950 saw the launch of the Redland 50 Double Roman. The first variable headlap tile, Double Romans hark back, as the name suggests, to the Roman invasion of Britain in 43 AD. The tiles are based on their imbrex and tegula tiles and modern Double Romans come as interlocking concrete tiles, mimicking the effect of the original ancient profile while being compatible with a wide range of fittings and accessories.

In 1954, Redland invested £6,000 in a small German company, Braas GmbH: a name that would become significant in the ultimate destiny of BMI’s much loved Redland brand. It was by now called Redland Tiles and, having purchased the Moorhouse Brick and Concrete Tile Product Company, near Westerham; was publicly floated and quoted on the London Stock Exchange in 1955.

As November’s concrete tile centenary approaches, BMI UK & Ireland will be highlighting more pitched and flat roofing key dates, innovation and achievements in its development, leading to the present day.

BMI UK & Ireland was recently established following the coming together of Icopal and Monier Redland. The company’s rich experience, traditions, expertise and market-leading brands mean that it is able to see a roof and the sector in terms of how support, service and roofing technologies integrate with the built environment; rather than just through the collection of products that protect a building.

The company is part of BMI Group, which has more than 11,000 employees worldwide in 40 countries and runs over 150 production facilities. With the group having made its home in central London, BMI UK & Ireland is settled in head office premises in Milton Keynes.

For more details of BMI UK & Ireland’s heritage and flat and pitched roofing solutions, visit www.rdr.link/BI073

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108 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

v ch id er

Da a n Con

Mark e Mana ting ger

Ki A l a n rk p a t ri c k

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NO. 5

THE BOARD

s ces Pro eer in Eng

This month, the technical team at Norbord look at installations that need extra muscle, with SterlingOSB Zero Strongfix panels.

Step-by-step installation instructions SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix is designed to be installed in standard metal C-stud walls with 600mm centres.

Step 1. Fit L-shaped steel to panels Cut L-shaped steel to the same length as the SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix panels to be fitted, and fix to the back of the nonrecessed side with a 1mm overlap (to allow for expansion). Using a minimum 25mm selftapping drywall screw, fix 10mm from top and bottom at 250mm centres maximum.

Step 2. Position panels in metal C-stud By angling the SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix panel, match the panelâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recess with the lip of the metal C-stud then swing the panel to align flush with the next metal C-stud. Slide the panel up or down the metal C-studs to the area of wall that is required to be strengthened.

Step 3. Fix panels in place Secure the panel in place, first by fixing the L-shaped steel to the metal C-stud with 13mm self-tapping metal drywall

screws at 250mm centres so that SterlingOSB Zero StrongFix is flush with the metal C-stud. Secondly, secure the recessed side by fixing directly through the metal C-stud into the panel using a minimum 25mm self-tapping drywall screw, fix 10mm from top and bottom and at 250mm centres maximum.

For more information on SterlingOSB Zero online, go to www.rdr.link/BI075

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 109

No.16

T O P T R UM P S GOING UNDERGROUND In the latest of its building defects Top Trumps series, Safeguard Europe looks at basement waterproofing failure which can lead to catastrophic and costly problems in buildings.

When the waterproofing component of an underground structure fails the damage can be highly destructive and expensive. Carrying out the appropriate repairs can also be costly and complicated to carry out.

There are two main reasons why a basement waterproofing system might fail. The first is inappropriate choice of design and the second is incorrect application of materials. In order to avoid failures, it is important to obtain expert design input and to use reputable contractors and materials during application.

Not as easy as ABC There are three main types of basement waterproofing system as set down in British Standard BS 8102:2009: Type A – A waterproofing system applied to the internal or external surface of an underground structure that resists groundwater pressure.

Type B – A waterproofing system that is integrated into the underground structure, ensuring that water is stopped by the structure itself.

Type C – A waterproofing system where the water is not actively resisted but allowed to enter the structure and then managed via drainage and discharged using pumps.

The choice of waterproofing system is often seen as an afterthought. Careful

consideration, however, needs to be put into the choice of basement waterproofing systems to ensure that the desired use of the basement can be achieved for the desired period of time.

Someone special A reputable supplier of basement waterproofing systems, such as Safeguard Europe, will have the technical knowledge and resources to give advice on the best general specifications and materials to use. They can also put you in contact with expert design specialists and qualified contractors.

It is necessary to get an independent waterproofing design specialist involved with the design as early as possible in the specification process. Every individual project will have different variables that may or may not suit outof-the-box specifications, and it is necessary for a qualified expert to

advise and, if necessary, create a bespoke solution.

Any waterproofing design specialist designing and specifying such waterproofing systems should be suitably insured and carry the waterproofing qualification of Certificated Surveyor in Structural Waterproofing (CSSW). In commercial installations, it may also be necessary to engage the services of a qualified structural engineer.

Application successful Once the specification has been finalised, it is imperative that any contractors carrying out the application are also correctly qualified with the CSSW qualification. Even if the specification is appropriate, considerable knowledge and skill is required to effectively carry out the installation.

It is also important to ensure that high-quality waterproofing materials are used in the installation. For example, if cavity drainage membranes are specified, it is best to use multi-layer membranes manufactured to ISO9001 & 14001 standards, such as Oldroyd XV or XV20. If cementitious waterproofing slurry is specified, a high-resistance and BBA approved slurry, such as Vandex BB75 should be used. A good specification may specifically name the materials to be applied.

Y OU R C H A N C E T O WI N !

Please contact Safeguard for waterproofing design specialist contacts, basement waterproofing technical queries or basement waterproofing training information.

Safeguard is also offering a pack of its new Building Defect cards to the first 50 readers to visit www.rdr.link/BI074.

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110 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

ADE’S TOP WINDOW & DOOR TIPS

! ’ L L A ‘C S ’ N A I R AD YOU’VE BEEN FRAMED!

No. 9

Adrian Barraclough runs Quickslide, one of Britain’s leading window & door manufacturers.

The choice of framing material has never been better says Ade, who helps you choose.

Forty-five or so years ago you found two choices of materials for original windows and doors in new houses: wood and steel. Many timber windows were rotten when they were installed, and steel frames left puddles of condensation on window sills in the morning. It was no surprise therefore that, despite being equipped initially with a limited choice of silver anodised aluminium windows, the ‘double glazing’ industry quickly went from zero to hero, providing affordable replacements to wood and steel frames that were not fit for purpose.

And then along came PVCu – and everything changed again.

Overnight the word spread: millions more home owners could enjoy lovely white ‘maintenance-free’ windows and doors, that opened and closed with ease, were draught-free, and significantly more energy efficient than even the aluminium replacements. But despite adding white powder coated alternatives, aluminium pretty much rolled over and left it to PVCu (as it became known), for the next 40 years or so. Timber remained the choice of builders for many years, but also fell under the PVCu spell eventually.

But now there is an amazing choice of PVCu, aluminium and timber frames, all of which offer style, performance and affordability. So what do you choose?

Well despite PVCu often being regarded as a cheap fix for the lower/medium sector, there is a distinct movement upmarket, with styles such as flush sash casements and ever improving vertical sliders, which do a thoroughly good job of mimicking their timber ancestors. And overall, there is no such thing as a bad PVCu window these days, with quality across the industry better than ever.

Every style of window can be manufactured in PVCu, and the growing trend towards painted and wood grained foiled finishes further enhances the base material. Thermal performance is still as good as it gets with A++ highly affordable. And, of course, whilst the claims of ‘maintenance-free’ were dropped by the industry a long time ago, the fit and finish should stay perfect for decades with minimal attention.

As a result of the ‘Grand Designs’ effect that has had homeowners

queuing up to install bi-folding doors, it was only a matter of time before matching frames were in demand.

Prices are generally higher than PVCu but the once long-lead times have come down significantly, with growing competition from a choice of excellent systems brands. Thermal performance is now excellent with a colour choice that tends towards architectural greys for most home installations.

Timber is making a comeback in home improvements, with a number of larger joinery suppliers realising that quality must be beyond question to win back and sustain homeowners’ trust. Prices tend towards the higher side for relatively conventional window styles, although it is still possible to pay huge prices for genuine Heritage replacements, especially box sashes, though usually from specialists.

The upshot is that PVCu, aluminium and timber can all be offered to your customers with confidence, in the knowledge that they will look great and give years of trouble-free service.

But as always, it’s the service that is often the difference – pick your supplier carefully!

For further information on Quickslide online, go to www.rdr.link/BI076

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 111

GOOD HEALTH PRESCRIPTION ............

Patient Name............................ ..........

Date of Birth ..............................

Address ....................................

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............

Date ..................

NO. 6 ............

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CANCER

IN A REGULAR COLUMN PRACTICING GP ALICE FITZGIBBON TACKLES SOME OF THE EVERYDAY HEALTH ISSUES WHICH MAY BE IMPACTING ON YOUR PERSONAL AND PROFESSIONAL LIVES. THIS MONTH, SHE’S FOCUSSING ON BOWEL CANCER.

BOWEL CANCER – the facts

Talking about bowel cancer means talking about your backside and poo – two things patients frequently apologise for! As a GP I can confirm I am happy to sit and talk all day long about both without being the slightest bit embarrassed. It is really important to talk about bowel health and to report any changes to your GP as it can be a sign of serious disease like cancer.

Bowel cancer affects both men and women and it is the 4th most common cancer in the UK according to Cancer Research UK1.

The risk of getting bowel cancer increases with age; other factors that may increase your risk include family history of bowel cancer, diet, being overweight and having a medical condition like inflammatory bowel disease. In some families, a genetic condition that causes the growth of polyps in the bowel may increase the risk of cancer.

So what should I look out for? The symptoms of bowel cancer can vary depending on where the tumour is in the bowel and how big it grows. Some of the symptoms of bowel cancer include: ● Change in bowel habit – often to diarrhoea or alternating diarrhoea and constipation ● Blood in the stools or on wiping ● Feeling like you still need to pass a motion even after you have finished ● Weight loss ● Abdominal pain ● Abdominal swelling ● Feeling tired or short of breath due to anaemia (low blood count)

To find out more about Bowel Cancer, visit www.rdr.link/BI081

I

If you have any of these symptoms it’s definitely worth a visit to see your doctor. We will examine your stomach and likely ask to do a digital rectal examination. This involves having a feel for any masses in the rectum (bottom of the bowel). Sometimes it is possible to feel a cancer here if it is low down.

This examination only takes a minute and should not be painful for the patient. Based on the findings, often the next step is for blood tests and a referral for a colonoscopy (camera test). Colonoscopy is a helpful procedure as it allows the doctor or nurse to

112 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

look at the lining of the bowel and take samples for further testing at the same time.

Of course, some people may have no symptoms of bowel cancer but still have the disease. We are lucky in the UK that we are all offered screening at regular intervals to try and track early cases of cancer so they can be diagnosed and treated. Depending on where you live might depend on what test you get offered – you might be invited to have a colonoscopy, or you might be sent a kit at home which analyses tiny pieces of poo to check for blood. Screening usually starts after the age of 50 as developing bowel cancer before this age is less likely (but not impossible so again, if you have symptoms – get it checked out!). I am always surprised by the number of people that don’t participate in bowel screening: the test is free and is sent to your home, all you have to do is poo – which you are probably doing anyway – and take a few minutes to complete the kit and send it back! Simple. Doing this might save your life.

The sample kits are then sent away to the lab and checked for blood. If it is positive, then you will be invited for a colonoscopy to look for cancer. Not all blood in poo is related to cancer though so sometimes tests are done which confirm a normal looking bowel or another cause for bleeding such as haemorrhoids.

Bowel cancer can be treated, and sometimes cured, if caught early. Early detection is important as the cancer can spread within the body. Sometimes it is possible to have an operation to remove it, or sometimes it might be treated with chemotherapy or radiotherapy or both. It would depend on the type of cancer.

If you are worried about any symptoms of bowel cancer, or want to know a little bit more about it, please visit your GP or have a look at the Cancer Research website: www.cancerresearchuk.org/aboutcancer/bowel-cancer. Please don’t be embarrassed about speaking to your GP – we are happy to help or investigate if something isn’t right.

1 https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/aboutcancer/bowel-cancer/about-bowel-cancer

wise howell

TRADE MEDIA NUANCE BROCHURE Builders looking for bathroom ideas will find a wealth of inspiration in the new 52page Nuance brochure from Bushboard.

The book showcases the new Designer and Acrylic bathroom wall surfaces in both striking roomsets and swatch layouts.

Nuance is an award winning and pattented waterproof bathroom wall panelling system that can transform bathrooms and, at the same time, offer savings in money and time. The panels are 100 per cent waterproof, and the postformed edges make external corners easy.

To request a copy, go to www.rdr.link/BI077

LAKES ROLLFOLD Lakes, the leading manufacturer of showering spaces, introduces a new 8-page rollfold to support the launch of its premium stone resin shower trays. The rollfold continues the lifestyle theme of Lakes’ main ‘Designed for Life’ brochure for consistency in look and impact.

Lakes Stone is a suite of stone resin trays available in a choice of four sizes and three on-trend colours to suit rectangular showering spaces across Lakes’ Island, Coastline and Classic Collections.

To visit online, go to www.rdr.link/BI078

AICO WEBSITE A new website has been launched by Aico, built around customer feedback, in order to enhance its customers’ experience. The firm spent time prior to designing the new site, speaking and listening to its customers about what currently works well for them and what they would like to see going forward. One of the key features of the website is being able to search for products via new, easy to use filters such as Series, Technology, Power Sources and any Accessories that may be needed, as well as a specific product search function.

To visit online, go to www.rdr.link/BI079

THE RADIATOR COMPANY BROCHURE The Radiator Company has released a new brochure containing a number of exciting new products. One of the company’s additions to the second brochure edition of 2019 is the Torre Designer Radiator, an easy to install, stylish designer radiator with a modern look. The ultra slim line extruded aluminium radiator is available for either horizontal or vertical installation, with four heights and six widths to choose from.

To request a copy, go to www.rdr.link/BI080 Use the FREE Readerlink service for the latest product information and prices!

Apparently, it is sixty years since the postcode was introduced. I should be just about old enough to remember this significant event, but I’m afraid I have no recollection of it at all.

Upon researching the subject I’m relieved to find that that’s because it was only a trial, in Norwich. The rest of the country didn’t get postcodes for their addresses until the 1970s.

When I was growing up in London, all the districts had their postal districts anyway, which dated back to the 1860s – N, S, E, W, NE, SE etc etc. So I suppose it’s no surprise that I don’t particularly recall a couple of extra letters being tagged onto the end of our address.

There is a marvellous scene in the Asterix in Britain comic book, where our Romano-Gallic heroes are walking down a street lined by identical mud huts, looking for a particular address - “... LV, LVI, LVII ... It’s a good job we’ve got the number”, says Obelix, “We might not have been able to tell the hut just from its description.” What a clever joke about the British living in rows of houses that all look the same.

So getting the address right is important, especially for builders. And not just so they know where to turn up for work in the morning.

Most postcodes in cities cover a stretch of ten houses.

Or more if it’s short street of, say, only 30 houses.

In the countryside, things are different. A postcode

covers a geographical area of around half a mile, and if there are only two houses in that half-mile then the house that comes first in the alphabet will get all the Sat Nav traffic.

Strange but true.

And, of course, postcodes have become even more important since the invention of Sat Navs.

When I started out in the building game, almost everything had to be collected from the Builders’ Merchants.

The boss was hardly ever on site (hooray!) because he was running a constant shuttle service in his van, picking up anything from 10 bags of cement to a single packet of brass screws, just to keep all the tradesmen on site working.

Now things are different. So much stuff is delivered direct to site. You can order that packet of brass screws on your swipey phone and get it dropped off the same afternoon, if you want to pay the premium.

That’s better than struggling through the school-run traffic to get to the suppliers and back before your chippie decides to call it a day and knock off early.

So the postcode anniversary – whenever it occurs – is one that is well worth celebrating.

Jeff Howell

E-mail Jeff via his website www.askjeff.co.uk

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PROFESSIONAL BUILDER OCTOBER 2019 113

Advertisement index Aanco UK Ltd ................................................(page 29) Aanco UK Ltd ................................................(page 31) ACO Technologies Plc ....................................(page 80) Andreas Stihl Ltd ............................................(page 46) BEA Fastening Systems Ltd ................................(page 52) Blakes Building Profiles Ltd .............................(page 111) Brian Hyde Ltd ...............................................(page 22) Buckler Boots Ltd ............................................(page 72) Build Aviator ....................................................(page 6) Carhartt B.V. .................................................(page 36) Dart Tool Group .............................................(page 56) Dickies .........................................................(page 67) Drew Brady & Co Ltd ......................................(page 76) Dunlop Adhesives........................................... (page 50) Easy Innovations........................................... (page 103) Eclisse UK ..................................................... (page 15) Elfin Kitchens ...............................................(page 111) ERA Home Security Ltd .................................... (page 26) Etex (Exteriors) UK Ltd ......................................(page 92) Ezgrip ..........................................................(page 60) F. Engel Workwear ......................................(page 105) Fakro GB Ltd .................................................(page 33) Fensa........................................................... (page 92) Festool UK Ltd ................................................(page 54) Fischer Fixings Ltd ........................................... (page 64) Ford Motor Co Ltd .......................................... (page 10) Garador .......................................................(page 19) Google Nest........................................... (pages 42,43) Hexstone Ltd/Owlett Jaton ...............................(page 58) Jeld-Wen UK Ltd ...................... (inside front cover gatefold) Jeld-Wen UK Ltd..............................................(page 77) Karndean Design Flooring ................................(page 38) Kingspan Insulation Ltd ....................................(page 17) Liberty Williams Acountancy Services ..................(page 91)

Makita (UK) Ltd ..............................................(page 68) Marley Ltd..................................................... (page 23) Mitsubishi Motors ........................................... (page 20) Muck Truck ................................................... (page 95) Norbord Europe Ltd ........................................ (page 57) Permaroof (UK) Ltd ..........................................(page 92) Plumb Partners Group Ltd .................................(page 13) Pnu-Point Ltd .................................................. (page 45) Polypipe plc ..................................................(page 87) Premier Tech Aqua Ltd..................................... (page 85) Quickslide ......................................................(page 7) RainClear Systems Ltd .....................................(page 95) Rocket Door Frames ........................................ (page 89) Rocket Door Frames ......................................(page 107) Royd UK/Optimaxx ........................................(page 28) Royd UK/Acer............................................... (page 82) RSS Tilemaster .............................................. (page 45) Safeguard Europe Ltd ......................................(page 34) SDV Roof Racks (Clitheroe) Ltd .......................(page 105) Sievin Jalkine OY ........................................... (page 70) Sika Everbuild ................................................(page 90) Simpson Strong Tie .........................................(page 48) Snickers Work Wear Ltd ....................................(page 8) Snug Solutions Ltd .........................................(page 103) Tarmac Cement & Lime Ltd ...............................(page 49) Toolfair Exhibition ........................................ (page 100) TuffX Processed Glass Ltd .................................(page 53) Vauxhall Motors Ltd ......................................(pages 4,5) Velux Co. Ltd .................................................(page 37) Wavin/Osma ............................................... (page 83) Wiha Tools Ltd .............................................. (page 61) Winn & Coales Denso Ltd ................................(page 61) Zarges UK Ltd................................................ (page 63)

CLASSIFIEDS

To advertise here please telephone Sam Shannon-Tinsley on 01923 237799

114 OCTOBER 2019 PROFESSIONAL BUILDER

NEXT SHOW: Sandown Park, Surrey: Thursday 7th & Friday 8th Nov 2019

WANT TO KNOW MORE? TO HELP YOU FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ANYTHING YOU’VE SEEN IN THIS ISSUE, WE’VE INTRODUCED A NEW DIGITAL INFORMATION SERVICE. RDR.LINK IS DESIGNED TO GET YOU FASTER ACCESS STRAIGHT TO THE EXACT ONLINE PLATFORM THAT HAS THE SPECIFIC INFORMATION YOU WANT. FROM VIDEOS TO TECHNICAL GUIDES, PDF’S TO PODCASTS – RDR.LINK WILL TAKE YOU STRAIGHT THERE.

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