The increasing shortages of bricks and bricklayers in the UK is threatening future house building plans, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) in their latest State of Trade Survey
But building more houses is also a key UK Election issue, not least because it is seen as a primary solution to the current housing crisis.
Brian Berry, FMB chief executive: The brick manufacturers are working hard to reignite their kilns which were mothballed during the recession and the ever growing lack of bricklayers is causing concern.
He said that compared to this time one year ago, more than twice the firms are reporting difficulties recruiting these tradespeople. And in the short term, many SME house builders may have to rely on migrant labour.
There are also a number of initiatives to train and recruit more bricklayers within the UK workforce. One that caught my eye today was an article in Bloomburg News about Persimmons Combat to Construction program to increase output as the shortage sends asking prices to record highs.
Richard Latham, human resources director at Persimmon: We were hoping that people coming out of the military would be able to bring transferable skills and be motivated and disciplined. Theyre able to take instruction, receptive to training and they are reliable.
Getting a full-time job is hard when you leave the army so this is a great idea.
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Hush Acoustics has invested in the safety and sustainability of its commercial vehicle fleet by achieving Gold status in the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS).
Posted in Acoustics, Noise & Vibration Control, Articles, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Regulations & Accreditations, Building Services, Ceilings, Facility Management & Building Services, Floors, Health & Safety, Insulation, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Site Preparation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency, Walls, Waste Management & RecyclingAs Safeguard gets ready to deliver another informative session of one of its most popular webinars, the company outlines some of the most common reasons for rain penetration through brickwork.
Posted in Articles, Bricks & Blocks, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Continuing Professional Development (CPD's), Damp & Waterproofing, Facility Management & Building Services, Information Technology, Posts, Render, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Seminars, Training, WallsThe Joint Competency Initiative (JCI), in which the Automatic Door Suppliers Association (ADSA) is involved, is finalising its first framework for installers within the door, gates and shutter industry.
Posted in Access Control & Door Entry Systems, Architectural Ironmongery, Articles, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry Events, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Regulations & Accreditations, Building Services, Continuing Professional Development (CPD's), Doors, Facility Management & Building Services, Health & Safety, Innovations & New Products, Publications, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Security and Fire Protection, Site PreparationThe latest Builders Merchant Building Index (BMBI) report shows builders’ merchants’ value sales were down -4.7% in February compared to the same month a year ago.
Posted in Articles, Bathrooms & Toilets, Bathrooms, Bedrooms & Washrooms, Bricks & Blocks, Building Associations & Institutes, Building Industry News, Building Products & Structures, Building Services, Civil Engineering, Concrete, Cement, Admixtures, Drainage, Floors, Hard Landscaping & Walkways, Interior Design & Construction, Interiors, Landscaping, news, Paints, Paints, Coatings & Finishes, Plant, Equipment and Hire, Plumbing, Posts, Publications, Research & Materials Testing, Restoration & Refurbishment, Retrofit & Renovation, Sustainability & Energy Efficiency