The UK Construction Blog

Wood is a versatile product that suits all kinds of interiors, a specialist has commented.

The material has a “classic nature” and becomes more beautiful with age, which ensures its longevity, according to Clare Pascoe, director of Pascoe Interiors.

“Whether it be a simply designed vintage piece; a classic chair; stunning wide board oak flooring or intricate marquetry, wood has a key place in every interior,” she said.

Compared to other materials, wood offers the benefit of being able to coexist with modern innovations such as under-floor heating, Ms Pascoe continued.

She added that wood also has a natural flexibility and can be cut and shaped in many different ways, which makes it ideal for furniture.

Ms Pascoe’s comments come after Carpetright released figures showing group sales declined by 2.5 per cent.

Meanwhile, UK and Republic of Ireland sales are down by 0.9 per cent, with like-for-like sales registering a 3.4 per cent decline.

The announcement of a new house-building incentive is “welcome”, but full details need to be released as soon as possible, an industry expert has said.

Steve Turner, head of communications at the Home Builders Federation, stated local authorities need clear proposals from the government before they can make decisions on construction.

Housing minister Grant Shapps declared today (August 9th) local communities that build a greater number of homes will receive more funding to spend in their area on whatever they deem to be a priority.

The New Homes Bonus, which will be introduced early in the Spending Review period, aims to overturn the decline in the amount of houses being built.

“It is imperative that the government provides local authorities with full and complete proposals as soon as possible,” Mr Turner commented.

Authorities need to know when the incentive is going to start and exactly how it is going to work, he added, while he believes time will tell whether the proposals shall truly affect the number of homes that are built.

With companies offering to fit homes with solar panels for free, experts say you can save more by paying for them yourself

Householders tempted by a rash of new “solar for free” offers could double their financial savings by paying for the panels themselves, experts have warned.

The advice comes as installations of solar photovoltaic panels have exploded in the UK, with the number installed in four months in 2010 more than doubling on the whole of 2009 since a government financial incentive was launched in April.

Spurred by the new feed-in tariff scheme that pays small scale generators of green electricity, a glut of companies are offering to fit thousands of homes with solar panels for free. Under the “rent your roof” model, the companies earn the tariff worth approximately £835 a year and the homeowner benefits from an annual saving of around £110 off their electricity bill. Homesun, ISIS Solar and A Shade Greener are three of the firms planning to do a deal with more than 120,000 homeowners by 2015, with Homesun promising to fit 2,000 homes in the next 12 months.

But homeowners would almost certainly be better off paying for the solar panels themselves, even taking into account interest on a loan for the upfront cost of around £10,000 for a typical home. “Looking at the figures, it [paying for panels yourself] looks like a better deal on paper,” Liz Laine, energy expert at Consumer Focus, told the Guardian. She added that consumers should go into such deals “with their eyes open”. Simon Osborn, policy advisor at Which?, said: “If you have the means to pay for solar panels yourself, then you may well be better off arranging to have them installed yourself.” Consumer Focus has also published a checklist of 24 questions people should ask before signing up, including who has liability if something goes wrong with the panels.

Under the “free solar” model, a homeowner would save in the region of £2,750 on energy bills over 25 years, the length of the tariff offer. By paying for their own panels with a loan at 7.7% interest repaid over 10 years and earning income from the feed-in tariff, they could save around £6,506 over the same period.

But the rise of such business models is exactly what the tariff was designed to do, say government and solar industry figures – drive innovation and solar take-up. Since the tariff started on 1 April, 12.12 megawatt peak (MWp) of solar panels have been installed at 4,822 homes, up from 3.8MWp in 2007, 4.42 MWp in 2008 and 5 MWp in 2009. Solar panel makers are responding to the demand, with Sharp announcing it will double annual production at its UK plant to 500 MW in December. The Wrexham plant, which currently employs 750 people, has seen the UK’s share of its output rise from 1% to 10%.

“A large number of companies are setting up to do PV [solar photovoltaic panels],” said Ray Noble, solar specialist at the Renewable Energy Association (REA). “Things are moving from a cottage industry to building scale industry, and creating a high number of jobs too.”

One UK solar energy company, SolarCentury, has seen its direct employees and network of installers rise from 200 staff in January to 350 now and predicts it will employ more than 500 by 2011.

The tariffs for solar and other renewable “microgeneration” are a key part of the UK’s plan to cut carbon emissions and hit an EU target of generating a fifth of energy from renewable sources by 2020. The government forecasts installations driven by the tariff will account for 1.6% of the UK’s electricity consumption in 10 years’ time.

However, the bill for the government and the taxpayer is unlimited. The government predicts the cost will be around £8 on every energy bill by 2020, though there is no cap and the scheme could potentially be a victim of its own success. Spain last week announced it was slashing its feed-in tariffs for solar PV panels by up to 45%, which some experts believe was a result of the tariff being set too high initially.

The rate of the UK tariff, currently set at 43.1p per KWh for solar PV on existing properties, is fixed until 31 March 2012, when it will be reviewed before decreasing each year. There is disagreement between industry figures over whether the current solar gold rush could force an earlier review. “I think the rate of uptake will be so fast the government will have to do an emergency review (of the rates) or possibly suspend them,” Alistair Roberts, project manager at energy co-op Renew, recently told the ENDS Report. “I don’t think there’s a risk of an emergency review in the next two years, as government needs as much help as possible to hit carbon targets,” said Noble at the REA.

Solar is currently the most expensive form of renewable electricity per unit of energy produced, though some in the UK solar industry believe rising energy prices and falling production costs will help it match fossil fuel prices by 2013.

Moisture Meters- The Key Facts

The measurement and detection of moisture and the meters used is a complex and important topic that is frequently misunderstood.

This article will outline the differences between the concepts of  ‘moisture measurement’ and ‘moisture detection’ as well as explain the most appropriate type of meter to use in different situations.

Moisture Measurement In Timber

The most common material in which moisture content can be ‘measured’ by using a moisture meter is timber. The typical tool used for this purpose is the widely available pin type meter (also known as an electrical resistance/conductance and destructive meter).

These instruments work by reading across the two pins and detecting the change in resistance when they come into contact with the timber.Pin meters will give a pretty good indication of the moisture content of timber. They are made and calibrated to do this on particular species of timber for example, Douglas Fir. These instruments work because the conductivity of timber (also known as the density), is reasonably constant throughout different timber types and is proportional to the moisture content. As there are timbers which have different densities to that which the instrument has been calibrated to, most meters are supplied with a set of tables which give the adjustments which need to be made dependant upon the type of timber being tested.

Limitations Of Pin Meters For Building Surveys

As described above, the common pin meter has been designed for use on timber and not any other materials. This fact is often not appreciated by many users who rely on pin meters to ‘measure’ moisture content in other materials such as masonry, plaster or wallpaper. This is not actually possible as there are major variations in, for example masonry and therefore no consistency between any two samples from different sites. The same holds for most common building materials.

All a pin type meter can indicate, at best, is whether moisture may be present but they can not measure the actual level of moisture in the material. The danger of using a pin meter is that the instrument only reads across the very small area between the pins. This is not such a problem with timber due to the homogenous nature of it. However, when looking for moisture in an internal wall, it would be necessary to make many pin holes all over the wall in order to get a thorough indication of whether there is a presence of moisture. This is time consuming and leaves behind unsightly holes. When faced with tiled areas (such as kitchens & bathrooms) the pin meter can not be pushed through tiles and as a result no readings can be taken or at best only a surface reading is obtained. The presence of certain substances on the surface of the material being tested, such as condensation and salts, will also affect the readings.

Thank-you to Mobile CAD Surveying for allowing us to copy this from their site.

For more information of a similar nature to this above, pelase visit the Mobile CAD Surveying Knowledge Base

The politically explosive mix of high profits and a squeeze on credit to small firms has rocked the banking industry on to the back foot once again, as pressure to boost lending mounts.

According to the Bank of England’s most recent Trends in Lending report, overall lending to businesses contracted by £2.3bn in May – more than double the £1.1bn slide seen in April.

Lending to private firms was down 4.4% year-on-year in June, the Bank’s figures say, in contrast with the pre-credit crunch era when it was growing at an annual rate of almost 20%.

The British Bankers’ Association (BBA) attributes the trend to falling demand, as companies retrench and reduce debts, But the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) claims firms are afraid to approach banks.

The FSB’s Stephen Alambritis says: “Some small businesses are saying that they are better off not approaching the banks – sometimes they think they are better off not provoking them.

“Demand is down, but with the obstruction and red tape, the word gets out that you’re better off lying low.”

Despite the concerns of the FSB, UK companies have fared much better than in the previous recession 20 years ago, helped by rock-bottom interest rates.

According to the BoE, major UK banks and building societies said net lending remained weak in June, and they expect demand to remain subdued in the coming months given concerns over the outlook.

The BBA’s latest figures say more than 11,000 new loans were provided for a total value of £598m in June , averaging around £50,000 each.

This, however, is down on last year, and far below the pre-recession level of almost £1bn a month being lent to small businesses, as the banks are caught between the politically motivated but contradictory imperatives of boosting their lending while rebuilding capital strength.

The FSB argues that UK small business lending is dominated by the ‘big four’ banks, and wants new entrants, such as Santander and building society Nationwide, to boost competition in small business lending.

Surveying & Triangulation

If you are going into the surveying industry then you need to know what survey equipment you will need. We have every type of surveying equipment that you can think of. We sell our survey equipment at unbelievably low prices; we always have specials so make sure to check back often.

Surveying Equipment

When looking for surveying equipment there are a lot of different things you need to take into consideration. What kind of surveying are you going to be doing, do you want to use a total system or would you rather use a theodolite, and how much can you afford to spend on your surveying equipment. The surveying equipment that we sell is the highest quality surveying equipment around.

The History Of Surveying And Survey Equipment

Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or 3D space position of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually, but not exclusively, associated with positions on the surface of the Earth, and are often used to establish land maps and boundaries for ownership or governmental purposes. In order to accomplish their objective, surveyors use elements of geometry (Latin: measuring the Earth), of engineering, mathematics, physics, and law.

Surveying has been an essential element in the development of the human environment since the beginning of recorded history (ca. 5000 years ago) and it is a requirement in the planning and execution of nearly every form of construction. Its most familiar modern uses are in the fields of transport, building and construction, communications, mapping, and the definition of legal boundaries for land ownership.

Historically, angles and distances were measured using a variety of means, such as chains with links of a known length, for instance a Gunter’s Chain (see Edmund Gunter), or measuring tapes made of steel or invar. In order to measure horizontal distances, these chains or tapes would be pulled taut, to reduce sagging and slack. Additionally, attempts to hold the measuring instrument level would be made. In instances of measuring up a slope, the surveyor might have to “break” the measurement that is, raise the rear part of the tape upward, plumb from where the last measurement ended.

Historically, horizontal angles were historically measured using compasses, which would provide a magnetic bearing, from which deflections could be measured. This type of instrument was later improved upon, through more carefully scribed discs, providing better angular resolution, as well as through mounting telescopes with reticles for more precise sighting atop the disc (see theodolite). Additionally, levels and calibrated circles allowing measurement of vertical angles were added, along with verniers for measurement down to a fraction of a degree such as a turn-of-the-century Transit (surveying).

The simplest method for measuring height is with an altimeter (basically a barometer) using air pressure as an indication of height. But for surveying more precision is needed. Toward this end, a variety of means, such as precise levels have been developed, which are calibrated to provide a precise plane from which differentials in height between the instrument and the point in question, typically through the use of a vertical measuring rod.

The basic tool is a theodolite, set on a tripod, with which one can measure angles (horizontal and vertical), combined with triangulation. Starting from a benchmark, a position with known location and elevation, the distance and angles to the unknown point are measured. A more modern instrument is a total station, which is basically a theodolite with an electronic distance measurement device (EDM). Still more modern is the use of satellite positioning systems, such as a Global Positioning System (GPS). Though GPS systems have increased the speed of surveying, they are still only accurate to about 20 mm. As well GPS systems do not work in areas with dense tree cover. It is because of this that EDMs have not been completely phased out. Robotics allows surveyors to gather precise measurements without extra workers to look through and turn the telescope or record data. A faster way to measure (no obstacles) is with a helicopter with laser echolocation, combined with GPS to determine the height of the helicopter. To increase precision, beacons are placed on the ground (about 20 km apart). This method reaches a precision of about 5 cm.

With the triangulation method, first, one needs to know the horizontal distance to the object. If this is not known or cannot be measured directly, it is determined as explained in the triangulation article. Then the height of an object can be determined by measuring the angle between the horizontal plane and the line through that point at a known distance and the top of the object. In order to determine the height of a mountain, one should do this from sea level (the plane of reference), but here the distances can be too great and the mountain may not be visible. So it is done in steps, first determining the position of one point, then moving to that point and doing a relative measurement, and so on until the mountaintop is reached.

Triangulation

In trigonometry and elementary geometry, triangulation is the process of finding a distance to a point by calculating the length of one side of a triangle, given measurements of angles and sides of the triangle formed by that point and two other reference points.

Some identities often used (valid only in flat or euclidean geometry):  The sum of the angles of a triangle is pi rad or 180 degrees. The law of sines - The law of cosines - The Pythagorean theorem Triangulation is used for many purposes, including surveying, navigation, metrology, astrometry, binocular vision and gun direction of weapons.

Many of these surveying problems involve the solution of large meshes of triangles, with hundreds or even thousands of observations. Complex triangulation problems involving real-world observations with errors require the solution of large systems of simultaneous equations to generate solutions.

Thank-you to Mobile CAD Surveying for allowing us to copy this from their site.

For more information of a similar nature to this above, pelase visit the Mobile CAD Surveying Knowledge Base

10 Tips to Market Your Construction Company

1. Get a well designed, easily recognisable logo.

2. Have the logo on all company materials such as uniforms, letter heads, e-mails and company vehicles.

3. Get a website with including full company details, portfolio of previous work, all accreditations and testimonials from past clients. This is an easy way to show potential clients the capabilities of your company.

4. Use construction forums such as constructionforum.net these are a great way to meet people in the industry and circulate your company name.

5. Social networking. Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter et al are all useful tools for networking and getting your company name out there. They are also useful for the promotion and SEO of your website.

6. Use flyers and distribute to the local area. Get a colourful, eye catching flyer designed with some good hi res images of work carried out and get them distributed to houses in the local area. Many people who are only half considering having work done may be swayed by a high quality flyer through the door.

7. Submit your details to a construction directory. There are a few out there and they are being favoured over conventional methods of finding construction companies (e.g. yellow pages) as much more information can be included, such as images of work carried out and customer reviews.

8. Give promotional tools to customers you do work for. Two good ones are fridge magnets and coffee mugs. Put the company details on and give them free to clients on completion of a job. They will stick it in their kitchen and it will provide advertising as well as being a thoughtful gift.

9. Market your website. The majority of people in the construction industry who have a website do not market it whatsoever. It is there to show people but a website can actually get people to ring you enquiring about services. It is worth paying a small amount for traffic that could lead to many new contracts. SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and PPC (Pay Per Click) are good ways to bring traffic to your website, which will convert into enquiries and new business.

10. Advertise in a specialist construction magazine. This is especially useful for domestic companies who are trying to break into the commercial sector. Magazines such as Pro Build UK are read by main contractors, architects and quantity surveyors all around the country and your company can be brought to their attention to try to gain some lucrative sub contractor work.

For more information on marketing your company visit www.probuildmarketing.co.uk

Construction’s complicated tax arrangements could be made simpler under a review announced by the Government.

Chancellor George Osborne has set up a new Office of Tax Simplification to hack through confusing rules and regulations across all industries.

The OTS will look at construction’s CIS scheme which has caused headaches for contractors for years and led to widespread false self-employment in the industry.

The OTS will undertake two initial reviews over the coming year concentrating on tax reliefs and small business tax simplification.

A revamp of business taxes will be presented in the 2011 Budget.

George Osborne said: ”The previous Government took a complex tax system and made it even worse. A decade of meddling and intervening has made the tax affairs of millions of families and businesses across the UK extremely complicated. We need to sort out this mess.”

One contractor stated “No-one really likes the CIS system but we have had so many reviews that to start all over again would create a real upheaval.”

The UK economy has confounded experts in the past three months by growing at almost double the rate predicted.