Housing builds decrease as struggle to meet demand

It turns out the UK is only building half the homes estimated to support growing demand. In 2012 there was an 11% decline in the amount of new start up homes being built. The British Property Federation want all consumers to consider a range of housing options, including build to let.  Read more

Do you use a faulty phone charger?

Some Electrical appliances that are being sold on the market do not all follow UK safety regulations. Imported products can be faulty and cause serious electric shock, fire or injury. The Electrical Safety Council has developed a guide to check electrical chargers. Follow the steps and ensure the electrical's you and your family use are safe. 

World Plumbing Day

Monday 11th March 2013 is world plumbing day, a day to promote the role plumbers play to maintain our nations health and safety.   

Tradesmen for London

Pukkajob.com offers a range of services and have highly skilled tradesmen available for all your projects needs. 
Services include: 
Electrician, Consumer Units, Networking, PAT Testing, Surveillance and CCTV,Total Rewire, lighting fittings, Outdoor lighting, Re positioning plug sockets, Electrical repairs,Extensions, Kitchen Extensions, Garage Extensions, Bathroom Renovation, Plumbing, Drain blockages, Boiler Installation, Shower installation, Office Refurbishments, Gutting Office, Adding Stairs, Installing new desk space, Roofing repairs, Replacing gutters, Garage roofing, Roof installation,Carpentry, Stair removal and installation, restoration projects, Studwork partitioning, Bespoke storage,Building, Loft Conversion, Patio Extensions, Painting and Decorating, Home exterior decorating, Sash Windows, Stripping and Painting window sill, Stripped wallpaper and redecorating, Decorating Whole house or individual rooms, Skirting boards, Repainting internal woodwork, Handymen, Flatpack Asembly, Fitting new door locks, Moving heavy furniture, disposing of unwanted furniture and items, Garden maintenance, Plastering, skimming new partion walls and rendering services. 
If you require a tradesmen in london, get in touch with us today. Call 0790 667 3169

Cold weather essentials

During these cooler weeks, it is essential to keep on top of house maintenance and check appliances. Some appliances, pipes and boilers can become damaged or faulty at the most inconvenient of times and could end up costing more in the long run to fix. 

Boiler – Thermostats loose accuracy over time so check this is working, showing correct temperatures and turning on/off at correct times. The condensate pipe might freeze and cause a blockage. A warning light or fault code may come on. Always get a Gas Safety Engineer to look at your boiler. Our plumbers in London are all registered.     

Fridge/Freezer – This is a given, but the warmer the room temperature that the fridge/freezer is stored in, then more than likely there will not be a problem. If the appliance is placed in a garage below 8’C the refrigerant gas will not be able to extract heat from surrounding air. 

Gas flues – ensure that gas flues do not freeze over because this could cause a dangerous build-up of carbon monoxide. Ensure you go to a professional; all our plumbers in London are accredited and registered. 

Roof – keep an eye on the roof tiles. High winds or storms can damage roof tiles and become loose. If you need a new roof or repairs get in touch with pukkajob roofing services in London. 

Heating – Keep your home well heated over winter. If it is too costly, try and keep at least one room heated for the whole time. Even on a low temp if necessary. 

Energy bills on the rise

Our energy bills are going to increase, according to watchdog Ofgem Chief. The UK is becoming more reliant on energy imports. Because of several older power station closures, there could be a 10% fall in April alone. The chief executive says the financial crisis is to blame. Read more at BBC

Tough year ahead for Construction

A Construction Trade Survey has been published today and suggests a difficult year ahead. 
During the end of 2012 the industry suffered because of "declining output and orders on the demand side, combined with rising costs on the supply side." Some of the key numbers from the survey are as follows:
- 23% of building contractors reported that, on balance, output fell in the private commercial sector, whilst in private new housing output flatlined
- 43% of large and medium sized building contractors, on balance, suggested that tender prices reduced in 2012 Q4
- 46% of contractors, on balance, reported falls in profit margins, down from 49% in Q3
More information available

SkillELECTRIC 2013

SkillELECTRIC is a competition for young electrical apprentices. To find the UK's number one young electrician, entrants must complete a series of practical tests to get through to the grand final. There are three stages to complete with a possible opportunity to be invited to the WorldSkills Selection. The competition improves skills, motivation and gives candidates the recognition they deserve for being young professionals in the Electrical Industry. Find out how to register.  

Targeted: Protected park in Peru

An energy company wants to use an area of a protected park in the amazon because it is ' more bio diverse than any other place on the planet.' Permission to use the site  was denied in 2012 but there may be a more developed strategy forming to gain permission in the future. Read full article                                                

The Electric Event 2013

A new conference and exhibition will be heading to the Birmingham NEC arena in June 2013. The Electric Event will bring together technology workshop sessions, the annual ECA Electrical Industry Conference, new awards and suppliers exhibit. More information at Electrical Contracting News. 

Manual Handling tips from the HSE

Manual handling involves several tasks including lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling and lowering. If these are not carried out properly, there is great risk of injury and joint problems. Follow these Manual Handling Tips given by the HSE. 

Need guidance buying power tools?

Tools are very important in our trade, acting as a third arm. B&Q online have a detailed guidance on the best power tools for different jobs. There are a lot of choices, make sure you make the right one. 

A decline in apprenticeships in the construction industry

Last year there was a decreasing amount of young people applying for apprenticeships within the construction industry. Only 24,000 apprentices started in construction, planning and the built environment in 2011/12. A 14.6% decline since the previous year. These figures are rather worrying and can lead to long term problems within the construction industry. We need to work together to encourage young people to start working within our industry.