Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

By HANNAH MCDONALD, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER Published: 09:53, 26 March 2023 | Updated: 12:42, 26 March 2023 Some bricklayers are now earning over £125,000 due to shortages as industry bosses fear the government’s target of 300,000 new homes a year will be missed unless more bricklayers are trained.Bosses say the training surge is needed as there are now just 70,000 bricklayers.Hodgkinson Builders boss Ian Hodgkinson, 59, said there needs to be more emphasis on training and encouragement on choosing bricklaying as a career.’I started as an apprentice and worked my way up,’ Mr Hodgkinson, who runs the Derby-based business, added. ‘Now I…

Far away, beyond the snow, and nestled in a perfect nook you’ll find a town called Christmas…  Clementine dreams of a place where gingerbread houses glow under twinkling fairy-lights, and chocolate coins are currency. Where the streets are filled with snow-ball fights, and laughter hangs like baubles in the air! The happiest place on Earth.  Or at least it used to be… Buckle in for a rollercoaster of magic, music, and mayhem as our hero crash-lands in a crumbling town where only the long-forgotten fables, a cantankerous caretaker and a glitching robot remain! Can they save the day, and the town…

The government has announced plans to establish a single construction regulator and has launched a consultation to seek industry feedback. Proposals to bring together oversight of buildings, materials and professionals from across the built environment were one of the key recommendations of the Grenfell Inquiry’s final report, which was published in September last year. The plan aims to reduce fragmentation and unnecessary complexity in the way the construction of buildings is regulated in order to improve public safety. It will include strengthened regulation of professions across the built environment which will be set out in a long-term strategy in spring…

The government platform created to help firms navigate UK trade in light of Brexit will be supported by a new tech supplier, following a procurement process to replace incumbent Fujitsu HM Revenue and Customs has picked Danish tech outfit Netcompany as its chosen partner for the digital service enabling trade between Great Britain and Northern Ireland – replacing Fujitsu as the platform’s core provider Newly published commercial information reveals that, on 16 December, the department entered into an initial five-year agreement with Netcompany to serve as the “service provider for the Trader Support Service (TSS)”. The deal – which is valued…

Handyman Scott Flint, who has worked as an appliance repair technician for 30 years, has revealed why it’s a bad idea for people to put their bath mats in the washing machine – and it could cost you up to £40016:09, 31 Mar 2022Updated 16:10, 31 Mar 2022A handyman has warned why you shouldn’t put bath mats in the washing machine(Image: Getty Images)When we step out of a steamy shower feeling clean, warm and on top of the world, nothing brings us back down to earth quite as quickly as putting our feet down on a sodden bath mat.So it…

More than three quarters (78%) of UK homes have mains gas central heating, according to a 2022 report from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy. It is currently the most cost-effective option for many homes, but is responsible for a large part of your carbon footprint.Gas central heating is a ‘wet system’, which means a gas-fired boiler heats water to provide central heating through radiators and hot water from your taps.If you need to replace your current gas boiler, it’s worth making sure that your new system is as efficient as possible. Plus it’s a good time to improve…

HOPING York Street Kitchen invited The Press to a Christmas dinner on Sunday afternoon (December 14) outside King’s Manor in Exhibition Square, where traditional hot two-course festive meals were served by volunteers from the food charity. Chair of trustees Helen Meadows said the home-cooked Christmas dinners, prepared in volunteers’ kitchens, are an expression of “our love and friendship to all our visitors who come here”. Recommended reading: The charity is on site each Sunday to serve food, give out a variety of donated household essentials, books and toiletries, as well as providing company, conversation and community for anyone. Bishopthorpe Choir…

ReportLinker Segmented By Type (Installation, Maintenance), By Installation (Planting Material, Outdoor Specialties, Others), By Maintenance (Cleaning & Maintenance, Landscape Construction, Landscape Architectural Services, Others), By Service Type (Hardscape, Softscape), By Sectors (Health, Hospitality, Office, Institutional, Retail, Housing, Others), By End User (Commercial, Residential, Others) and By Region. New York, Nov. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Reportlinker.com announces the release of the report “Landscaping Market – Global Industry Size, Share, Trends, Opportunity, and Forecast, 2017-2027” – https://www.reportlinker.com/p06362635/?utm_source=GNW Global landscaping market is anticipated to register growth at an impressive CAGR in the forecast period, 2023-2027.The global landscaping market growth can be attributed…

Jane says there are many reasons why the sector needs women – not just to tick the equality box. “For changing rooms or toilets, when we do a lot of gym work, we’ll have a female and a male painter decorator down there so you can go into the right areas. “It’s beneficial because we don’t have to shut the toilets or that part of the gym off.”We’ll also put a female team together to go into a nursing home and places like that because there’s a perceived idea that you can talk to people more.”Women also have finer painting…

Plastering can seem like a daunting task for even the most proficient of DIYers. We’ve asked Which? Trusted Traders for their expert advice on how to plaster a wall, or just fix holes and cracks in plaster.Bear in mind that plastering is a physically demanding job and can take practice to get right. If you have any concerns about any part of the job, from choosing the right plaster to plastering round tricky areas, speak to a professional.Use Which? Trusted Traders to find a reliable professional near youHow to plaster a wall: step by stepIn most cases, DIY plastering jobs…