Guest28

Most of the people I went to school with who became tradesmen were generally not the nicest or the brightest. The better people were encouraged to go to university. It's just the way the system naturally works, people who do well at school are not encouraged to do a trade. Years ago when people were generally more religious you could find a lot of honest Christian tradesmen, but now that people are becoming less religious they seem to becoming more dishonest. You get a lot of these very rough foul mouthed tradesmen covered in tattoos who probably have a drink/drug problem.

I've been informed by a chartered architect I know that compliance with CDM regs is worryingly inadequate in many projects. These legally mandated protocols are often neglected, posing significant risks. A concerning trend has emerged where individuals, not certified as chartered architects, assume the role of principal designers. This group includes those with some design background or even no formal training at all, yet they present themselves as qualified architects. Unlike chartered architects, who face severe consequences, including potential deregistration for malpractice, these impostors operate with little oversight. These unqualified professionals are frequently the biggest culprits in failing to implement essential HSE requirements. Their services are cheaper, attracting cost-conscious clients and tradespeople who prefer less paperwork, despite the increased legal risks. The architect I know highlighted the systemic issue of enforcement. The government lacks the resources to proactively ensure compliance, with regulatory actions often triggered only after an incident occurs. Even then, penalties are minimal unless there are severe consequences. However, it’s not all bleak. Tools like the CDM Wizard can significantly ease the compliance burden. Drawing from my experience in the oil and gas industry, where HSE standards are rigorously maintained, I believe that once properly set up, such tools can simplify adherence to HSE protocols across projects.

In my opinion roof mounted PVs are a high risk - low reward option in the the UK. The lack of sunlight mean the rewards are quite low. You could also end up with the same thing that is happening in Germany, when so many people have PVs on the few days it is sunny there is too much electricity being produced and the grid can't handle it. The poor standard of tradepeople mean the risks are very high. You could have Billy MacBodge come and install your PVs then it will cost a fortune in repair bills years down the line when MacBodge is operating under a different limited company so isn't liable for the repair. Some family members of mine have ground mounted PVs and they have been quite good. Just wouldn't have them on my house because of the risks. People add in PVs just to get their SAPs calculations across the line. I don't think roof mounted PVs should count towards a SAPs calculation, shouldn't be incentivising people to do something risky.

I was looking for an EV charging point that also could be used to plug in a temporary garden office or a caravan etc. It was a pillar type I was looking for that could be used to either charge EVs or power a temp garden office. Its because I was looking at installing an EV charging point on our land about 30 meters from the houses, I wanted a 2 in one solution that could also be used to power other stuff if needed. Does anyone know if such a thing exists? I've tried a google search but can't really see anything.

The government has strengthened tenants rights so much it puts people off being a landlord. If a tenant stops paying rent it is extremely expensive and time consuming to get them evicted, in some cases it is almost impossible to evict them and they can effectively live for free in your house. If the government wants more landlords they should simplify the process of evicting people who stop paying rent. Also they are talking about preventing landlords from having blanket bans on pets, this is ridiculous. For multiple reasons a landlord should be able to prevent cats or dogs from being in their property. They want more landlords yet are talking about brining in things like this which will put people off.

Personally I would never entertain the idea of putting PVs on the roof of my house and I would never buy a house that had PVs on the roof. In this country the risks far outweigh the benefits. The cost of one roof repair would wipe out the savings that the PVs bring. The cost of scaffolding and tradespeople etc. to do the repairs. There are lots of cases of PVs causing houses to burn down, birds nest under the panels and the panels get hot and ignite the nesting material etc. among other causes of fire. I would just give me anxiety thinking about all the things that could go wrong for the very limited generation of electricity. One of the biggest problems in this country the poor standard of workmanship from tradesmen, you could get Bodgit and Scarper LTD to install your PVs then when you have problems with your PVs years down the line Bodge the Builder has put that company bust and is now operating under a different limited company and you have no comeback.

It is a clear paradox and an example of double-think to consider banning gas boilers while allowing WBS. Gas boilers are significantly cleaner than wood or coal-burning when it comes to heating. Banning a cleaner option while allowing a more polluting one is not only nonsensical but also contradicts the very principles of environmental protection. Furthermore, such a ban would likely encourage people to switch from gas boilers to WBS, exacerbating pollution issues rather than mitigating them. Additionally, examining the map of Smoke Control Areas in Scotland, I find it unbelievable that there are no smoke control areas north of Dundee. In my opinion, all urban areas should automatically be designated as smoke control areas, banning solid fuel fires. They are antisocial in urban settings and contribute to unnecessary air pollution.

Looks like the Scottish government are going to be making a u-turn. Kate Forbes is allegedly behind the u-turn. Her husband is part owner of a chimney sweeping firm called Firework Chimney Sweep. So she has 'skin in the game' so to speak. A ban would harm her husband's business. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/24350490.snp-screeching-u-turn-wood-burning-stove-ban/

Yes tradespeople are a lot more regulated and better trained in Germany compared to the UK, they have to do years of training. In the UK tradespeople can do a few short courses (if they even do that) then start trading as Bodgit and Scarper Ltd.

A lot of these 'modern and sustainable' builds with timber cladding and sheet roofing won't stand the test of time. They will be rotten and full of water ingress within a couple of decades. They're not that cheap either, the cost difference in between getting one of them and getting one with block walls and a slate roof that will last for a lot longer is not that much. These companies promote timber cladding and sheet roofing because it requires a lot less time and skill to do so they can increase their profit margins.

At least when we were in the EU there was a steady supply of Polish tradesmen who did good work for a reasonable price. Several years ago a friend of mine was renovating a flat in Edinburgh, he did a lot of the work himself, but wanted to get a tradesman in to do the bathroom as he thought that was above his level of skill, he got a lot of quotes and the best one was from a Polish tradesman who did it for about £4k. A lot of the Scottish tradesmen were quoting £10k+ the highest was about £15k. It wasn't a big bathroom either, not more than 3m x 3m at a rough estimate. The Polish worker did a great job for that price, he is still in the same flat and has never had a problem with the bathroom. I hate the way a lot of British tradesmen price jobs, there can be no nuance to their quote as to what you are actually looking for, they just look at the square meterage and give a really high price per m2. The Polish guys tend to give a bit more nuance in their quotes, not a blanket price per m2.

Build Better Things is a very informative channel. In the video below he highlights some very common mistakes people make building houses. Own up who has done them??

One critical issue that's not getting enough attention in the housing crisis debate is the lack of properly trained tradesmen who charge reasonable prices. From my personal experience, the only affordable options are usually people without formal construction training—essentially DIY enthusiasts or handymen who lack a thorough understanding of building regulations. How can we ensure that construction complies with building regulations when there's no way to verify that these workers are knowledgeable about them? Hiring someone who has undergone proper training and certification is incredibly expensive. The government needs to address this by establishing a robust system for training and certifying tradesmen. We need more funding for apprenticeships and training programmes to create a workforce of skilled tradesmen. Currently, the Scottish government spends vast amounts of money sending people to university for what are often considered 'mickey mouse' courses. This funding would be better allocated to training tradesmen. It's a matter of supply and demand—the shortage of qualified tradesmen allows those who are skilled to charge exorbitant prices. Increasing the supply of properly trained tradesmen would help reduce costs and make it more affordable to undertake construction projects. Even those who have land and want to build homes are deterred by the high prices charged by tradesmen. This is a significant issue that rarely gets the attention it deserves in discussions about the housing crisis. Addressing this could make a substantial difference in tackling the housing shortage.

The Scottish government has declared a national housing emergency. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4n11j180lzo