ProblemSolved survey finishes
Just want to say a big thank you to all the tradesmen and customers who took part in 'The Great ProblemSolved Review 2008.' Over the past two weeks a survey has been running on the site, asking for feedback, review and ratings for our site. As we approach our 1st birthday, we will be pouring over your comments and make some major improvements to the site over the coming months.
In the mean time, please enjoy the discount voucher for TradeCounterDirect.com which we will email to you shortly!
House builder Barratt Developments cuts jobs
Posted by Samee Mohammad at 10:14 on 10 Jul 2008
tradesmen, builder, housing, credit crunch, economyThe economic downturn has had new house builders and developers quaking in their boots. As Barratt Dvelopments announce today that it is cutting over a quarter of its workforce, we are seeing further evidence of firms bracing themselves for the choppy waters that lie ahead.
Chief executive Mark Clare said: "We have now substantially improve our competitive position and are better placed to deal with what will be a very challenging period ahead."
Barratt blames the sharp drop in the number of mortgages available to buyers, as well as the wider downturn in the housing market.
Tradesmen warned about asbestos by insurers
Posted by James Mace at 09:48 on 02 Jul 2008
tradesmen, asbestos, hidden killer campaign, british lung foundationThe insurance firm Norwich Union Risk Services is today warning that tradesmen cannot rely on property owners and managers to ensure that asbestos is properly dealt with in areas where they work.
The news comes after the Asbestos the hidden killer campaign enters into its fifth month. The campaign was set up by the National Health and Safety Executive to warn people of the dangers of the substance. According to the British Lung Foundation, 20 tradesmen per week are said to die from exposure to asbestos.
Phil Grace of Norwich Union said:
DIY costs rise by 20 per cent over two years
The cost of doing DIY has soared by 20% because of a shortage of tradesmen and the rising costs of transport.
The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has released the figures to coincide with the launch of its Property Makeover Price Guide, which gives homeowners an insight into how much a DIY project will cost them.
The 20 per cent rise has occurred over two years with the escalating price of crude oil said to be the biggest contributing factor with the credit crunch also playing a major role.
Recommended tradesmen - Why DIY might be better left to the professionals
Reliable and recommended builders, plumbers and electricians are all well and good, but when a homeowner attempts a DIY project themselves, there is always the chance that something could go wrong. After a survey of 1840, ProblemSolved reveals the top 5 DIY gaffes from homeowners.
Top 5 DIY Gaffes:
1) Hitting a hand or finger with a hammer – 32%
Late tradesmen costing London
Posted by James Mace at 16:28 on 08 Apr 2008
tradesmen, tradesmen news, late tradesmen, london tradesmenTradesmen are costing London’s workforce up to 13 million working hours every year according to a recent survey by Aspect Maintenance.
Nearly a third of the 996 Londoners polled revealed that they had to take time off of work to wait at home for an engineer, with almost half losing six or more hours of their time waiting at home for tradesmen.
William Davies, Managing Director at Aspect Maintenance issued a slap on the wrist for those guilty tradesmen by saying: "This survey illustrates the disruptive impact that tardy tradesmen are having on London’s businesses, by unnecessarily wasting the working hours of employees."
Tradesmen warned about the dangers of asbestos
Following on from recent research into the ignorance of tradesmen over the dangers of asbestos, a new campaign has been set up by the National Health and Safety Executive to warn people of its dangers.
The Asbestos the hidden killer campaign is looking to particularly target the North West where four of its local authorities are in the top 20 for male and female asbestos related deaths.
The problem was recently highlighted by research by the British Lung Foundation and it revealed that 20 tradesmen die every week as a result of breathing in asbestos fibres during the course of their work.
10% off ORAC workshop session from Davuka GRP
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If you're looking to expand the range of the services that you offer and gain an edge over the competition, Davuka GRP is offering a chance to attend its hugely successful ORAC workshops at a fraction of the full cost.
The workshop (approx 6 hours) is intended to introduce you to the products and will include advice on:
And exclusively for ProblemSolved members, you can claim 10 % off the standard price for this workshop. Simply call 020 8660 2854 and quote 'ProblemSolved' to find out more and book your session.
What will the credit crunch mean for my business?
There has been a lot of talk of the ‘credit crunch’and the knock-on effects for business and consumers. Share prices have dipped, and banks have tightened their lending criteria. What might this mean for tradesmen over the coming weeks and months? ProblemSolved has been examining the potential impact on your business.
In a recent survey, the Federation of Master Builders found that 40% of its members have reported a slowdown in the rate of enquiries, whilst Travis Perkins recently admitted to the Guardian that the home improvement market is slowing.
However, this may not tell the whole story. Tim Foley, MD of Kitchens Fitted Ltd points out “Businesses who are offering quality products at competitive prices will be best equipped to cope. The sociological result of the credit crunch will be that people will invest in their homes rather than sell them. In times of crisis, the home becomes a castle.”
Tradesmen ignorant over asbestos
Posted by James Mace at 09:55 on 27 Feb 2008
tradesmen, builders, carpenters, electricians, plumbers, asbestos, mesothelioma, gas-fitters, tradesmen newsBuilders, gasfitters and other tradesmen have an “alarming” ignorance of the risks posed by asbestos, with 20 dying each week, a report revealed today.
The British Lung Foundation said a survey of 400 workers showed that only one in eight knew that exposure to asbestos could be fatal.
One in 10 of those questioned revealed they had been pressured to continue working even if they suspected that asbestos was present, while one in four mistakenly assumed that some levels of asbestos were safe.
ProblemSolved strengthens its online partnerships
We have recently updated our ‘Find a Tradesperson’ services AOL.co.uk, Tiscali.co.uk and Telegraph.co.uk. Your web page will be found by more customers looking for reliable, local professionals than ever before. Click on these links to find out more:
Visitors to these sites can view your entire profile, including your latest customer reviews.
