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Construction bodies call for urgent action to help firms during coronavirus crisis

Construction workers during the coronavirus outbreak

A group of respected construction industry bodies, who between them represent the majority of contractor business in Scotland, has suggested a number of simple actions which the Scottish Government could introduce immediately to help with cashflow and protect jobs against the “crippling” background of coronavirus.

SELECT, the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbers’ Federation (SNIPEF), the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA Scotland) and the Scottish Building Federation (SBF) are among the 10 organisations who have sent a joint letter to Fiona Hyslop, Secretary for Economy, Fair Work and Culture, urging her to support the Scottish construction sector.

Collaboration the key to full plumbing and draining solution

Plumbing plans - collaboration they key to full plumbing and draining solution

When working on multi-million-pound developments, contractors can deal with a plethora of suppliers to deliver one segment of the project. For new-build specialists, Stewarts Plumbing & Heating Ltd., it was important to find one supplier to provide all plumbing and drainage products for its work on Birmingham’s Sherborne Wharf development. Wavin, the UK’s leading plastic pipe manufacturer, provided a full portfolio of solutions alongside technical support and training to enable smooth plumbing installation.

Polypipe takes a giant leap forward in underfloor heating

Laying underfloor heating will become faster and easier thanks to Polypipe Building Products - the UK’s leading manufacturer of underfloor heating systems.

Polypipe is introducing its new Overlay Plus system which is EIGHT times lighter than the standard gypsum board currently used (1.2kg compared to 10kg per board).

Polypipe is constantly striving to improve products and systems and their latest innovation will mean savings of time and space for installers and more efficiency in energy-consumption for customers.

Overlay systems have remained similar for around 15 years but Polypipe has moved to make life easier for installers with the development of the Overlay Plus system.

Holmes Media doubles down on boiler guide brand

Market Harborough-based boiler and heating leads specialist Holmes Media has announced it has changed its name to Boiler Guide following a strategic decision to concentrate its efforts predominantly on the heating industry.

Based at The Point in the Leicestershire town, Boiler Guide helps tradespeople across the UK to access a supply of customers who are looking to replace or repair their boiler through its website and allows homeowners and tenants to find reputable, local and quality help. The company already works with more than 3,000 accredited Gas Safe Registered engineers across the country, and through its leads, installed 26,000 boilers in 2019.

Scotland's boilers defy the UK's coldest temperatures

Turning up a boiler in the UK's coldest temperatures

Boilers across homes in Scotland are the most resilient when it comes to breaking down, despite being home to the UK’s coldest temperatures according to the results of a new study.

The 2020 UK Boiler Breakdown Study, examined the amount of properties across the UK mainland and boiler breakdowns to establish the UK’s worst locations for boiler reliability. It found that just 1.79% of properties in Scotland reported problems with their boiler in 2019 - the lowest across the UK.

This comes despite the fact that average temperatures across Scotland are markedly lower when compared to the rest of the UK mainland.

Support for skills “now more important than ever”

Scotland’s leading trade body for plumbing and heating professionals has renewed its call for Government support to prioritise funding for apprenticeships and support for upskilling following the release of details on the UK’s new immigration system that takes effect on 1st January 2021.

Fiona Hodgson, chief executive of the Scottish and Northern Ireland Plumbing Employers’ Federation (SNIPEF), said that demand was already outstripping supply and amid the existing shortage of qualified plumbers, the new immigration system she feared would make it more difficult to achieve Government objectives on housing stock and climate change. Construction costs on these projects will “certainly” increase, she added.

2020 begins with a bounce as earnings soar for plumbers

Self-employed plumbers enjoyed a big bounce in earnings in January after taking a well-earned break at the end of last year.

Average weekly pay for plumbing contractors rose by 46.2 per cent to £1,322 last month, according to analysis of payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales.

Freelancers in West Midlands saw weekly earnings more than double in January to £1,484. This is equivalent to an annual salary of more than £71,000.

Their counterparts in London and the South East similarly saw substantial increases last month, rising 62.9 per cent to £1,489 and 49.4 per cent to £1,286 respectively.

The analysis shows that plumbers had highest earnings of all 17 construction trades last month.

Escape of water claims rise

A man cleaning up a plumbing disaster and thinking about water claims

According to the Construction Insurance Risk Engineers Group (CIREG), insurance claims for escape of water occurrences have increased substantially, both in their frequency and severity, since 2015. Even more worryingly, the body states that large losses from escape of water are now as prevalent, if not more so, than fire related incidents.

How Section 75 is Punishing Good Employers at Plumbing Pensions

How Section 75 is Punishing Good Employers at Plumbing Pensions By Fiona Hodgson

The road to hell is paved with good intentions which, in the case of the current situation with the Plumbing Pensions Scheme, is having a devastating impact on our industry and many of the people within it across the UK.

The Plumbing & Mechanical Services (UK) Industry Pension Scheme, to give it its full name, was set up in 1975 – decades before there was any legal requirement for employers to help provide for staff in their retirement. Those who joined it – many of them small firms – were doing the right thing, but now those good deeds are being harshly punished.

World Plumbing Day 2020

On Wednesday 11 March, professional plumbers across the land will be celebrated on World Plumbing Day. Initiated by the World Plumbing Council (WPC) - of which the Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is a member - World Plumbing Day promotes awareness of the importance of plumbing and plumbers in protecting public health and improving amenity. Advances in modern plumbing mean that it is included in the daily routines of most people in the UK, with barely a moment’s thought. It is trained and skilled plumbers that make this so now and will be needed to do so in the future too.

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