Building News – July 2010
Is your builder the best in Britain?
The FMB is searching for Britain’s best builder and they could be working for you right now!
If you think your builder is the best in the UK and has completed a job for you since August 2008, they could be the next Master Builder of the Year and you could win a £3,000 holiday!
The Master Builder of the Year awards give you the opportunity to thank your builder publicly for the work they have done for you and the consideration shown to you and your family throughout your project.
We have chosen the magnificent, brand new ‘Park Plaza Westminster Bridge London’ hotel on London’s South Bank for the FMB celebration of the year on 11 March 2011 and we are delighted that Phil Spencer, co-presenter of Channel 4 property shows ‘Location Location Location’ and ‘Relocation Relocation’ will be our host for the day.
If you want to give your builder the recognition they deserve visit www.fmb.org.uk/awards or call 0207 092 3870 for an application pack.
The owner of the winning project will win a £3,000 holiday and the Master Builder of the Year will win the Nissan Light Commercial Vehicle of their choice worth up to £20,000!
Nail the Rogues
Every year in the UK an estimated 89,000 householders are fleeced by rogue door-to-door home maintenance traders masquerading as professionals, selling anything from roofing repairs, guttering and gardening services to path and driveway work. These rogue traders frighten their potential targets by suggesting that their homes have loose tiles, problems with pointing, damp or guttering, or that their driveway is in need of repair.
They lie and cheat to extort money in return for little or no work at all and in 2008 it is estimated that they stole £170million from unsuspecting homeowners across the UK. The evidence shows that incidents of this nature are far more prevalent during the summer months.
The Federation of Master Builders (FMB), the largest trade association in the building industry, has linked up with Trading Standards to advise you on how you can avoid being ripped off by a rogue trader. On this website you will find help and advice for spotting and avoiding rogue traders as well as how to find a reputable builder. Plus you can order your free door sticker to help keep rogue traders away.
FMB’s favorite DIY tip of the month
Keep it clean!
How many times have you tripped over a ruck in a dust sheet and spilled your tea or paint? You need to keep your workspace clean and tidy and you need to protect the floor but dust sheets can be a real pain. If you are doing something like decorating the sitting room, think about covering the floor with hardboard instead – you can cut it easily, tape the joins, it’s cheap and you can even write your ‘To Do’ list on it! If you’re not confident in your own skills in whatever DIY project is looming, call in an expert. Visit: www.fmb.org.uk/findabuilder to find an FMB builder near you.
The National Self Build & Renovation Centre
The National Self Build & Renovation Centre has been built on a scale unseen in the UK. You may never have thought about what goes into building or renovating a home. So much of the knowledge needed is hidden from view or littered with jargon. But here you can walk through exhibits that lay bare and contrast the various methods of building in exploded detail.
