Welcome to the Blogs

Below are four simple steps explaining how to replace a radiator. Before you begin however, make sure that you have the following equipment:

• 2 adjustable spanners
• radiator bleed key
• bucket
• drain tray
• large allen key
• pipe and cable detector

The electricial standards charity NICEIC have launched a campaign in Edinburgh to crack down on rogue electricians - by having warning posters on the side of taxis.

Research by the charity has found that 98 per cent of unregistered electricians are prepared to do potentially hazardous electrical work.

Angus Moir of NICEIC said: "We want to take the stress out of finding a registered electrician and this taxi campaign promotes registered installers to the public and carries a safety message."

To search for trades

Here are just some of the tradespeople you have recommended this week:

• D 'en' A Building Services, a professional multi-skilled building company offering an extensive range of building services. Covering Medway and Kent.

When the Observer phoned us up last week to ask for our comment on how websites deal with negative customer reviews, we jumped at the chance.

'People are more likely to trust a public word-of-mouth recommendation rather than anything else,' says Jonathan Peace of Problemsolved. 'This is why we publish every review, good or bad - and if a bad review does go up, the tradesperson has the right to reply. It's really important that we have good and bad reviews, so that there is a balance of light and shade and ultimately the user can choose.

Mail and website ordering has become an established way for businesses to cut overheads and pass savings onto the consumer. Northern Tool & Equipment, a leading supplier of professional tools, is intent on keeping these customers loyal with the introduction of a membership card.

If you’re regularly ordering in, the card could end up paying for itself within weeks. For starters, all orders less than 30kg are delivered free of charge – saving you up to £13.75 a pop.

A new guide from Wickes entitled “How to Cope with Building Works” is looking to ease builder/customer relationships as well as offering customers helpful advice on DIY.

The guide suggests ways in which the customer can make life easier for tradesman by doing simple things like ensuring a clear access route to the roof space if a new boiler is being fitted.

I’m sure if most of us were asked to name a famous plumber, a certain computer game character would spring to mind.

The clever people at Train4Trade Skills have taken this association one step further by creating a virtual reality house where trainee plumbers can fix problems that occur in the real world.

A site manager from Dover has lost his job after posting prank videos on YouTube. Take a look below to see what all the fuss was about:

To search for reliable tradespeople in your local area, visit Read more ...

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A report released by the UK Green Building Council (GBC) has suggested that the definition of zero carbon needs to be reconsidered to allow the government to meet its own housing targets.

It is thought that up to 80% of new homes could fail to meet what is currently defined as zero carbon because of a ban that restricts using off-site renewable energy that is not connected to development by private wires.

The report proposes that whilst most of the zero carbon homes should generate their own energy, there shoul

Well, here’s something that you don’t hear too often – a builder taking revenge on a rogue customer!

After waiting for four months to receive payment for a porch and conservatory, Nigel Gray and his team took the law into their own hands, by knocking down their own handiwork with sledgehammers.

Nigel, 44, who was owed £15,000 by Mrs Dovey of West Sussex, said: “I just reached the end of my tether and thought why should they enjoy the fruits of my hard work – laughing at me while I don’t get paid.

After celebrating its 21st birthday last month, sales in Ikea’s new flat pack homes have fallen because of fears among mortgage lenders.

The development of homes, known as Bokloks, was opened in Gateshead last week and was backed by massive publicity campaigns.

A builder from Stamford, whose springer spaniel was stolen with his van, is appealing for its return.

After going for a walk on Tuesday afternoon, Richard Prodger returned to find that his Nissan Navara had been taken with his dog, Tilley, inside. Mr Prodger’s nine year old daughter and wife are both said to be particularly devastated.

He said: "My daughter was very upset. It was heartbreaking having to tell her that Tilley was missing. I just hope that she hasn't been dumped on the side of the road.

Yorkshire Copper Tube, Europe’s largest manufacturer of copper plumbing tube, is giving one lucky plumber the chance to win a van.

To enter the competition, plumbers should pick up Yorkshire game cards from trade merchants across the UK. Each card contains a unique code which is sent by text, with one lucky winner qualifying for a new Ford Connect van.

Check out this amusing video:

To search for reliable tradesmen in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

Now here’s a good incentive for employers to pay their staff on time - a plumber in India has killed his boss after a four day delay in his salary payment.

Rajesh Yadav, 19, allegedly attacked the local contractor with a spanner after not paying his monthly wages. Vijay Thakur was rushed to hospital but later died of his head injury.

A local police chief claims: “The attack was pre-planned. Yadav after having a heated argument with his employer left the place. He returned after a few minutes and attacked Thakur with a spanner.

Blessed relief that summer seems to have arrived or at least shown it's face. It means we'll all be able to rip the cardboard, or whatever we have stopping fresh air getting into our homes, away from the vents. Hopefully, it will also stop the multitude of callers asking us to come and inspect the black mould growing up behind their settee.

NO its not rising damp. According to science and Isaac Newton in particular, rising damp can only reach about 1.1m from ground level (that's 40 inches for the refusenicks).

The issue of cowboy tradesmen’s “unfair sales practices” is to be addressed by parliament later this month.

The Consumer Protection Regulations (CPRs), which will be discussed on May 21, look to ban 31 practices including bogus closing-down sales, prize draw scams and aggressive doorstep selling.

The move towards new legislation comes after a recent study found that one in ten businesses estimate that rogue traders cost them more than one fifth of their revenue.

I think someone's had too many cups of tea...

To search for reliable tradespeople in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

A new report released today suggests that more than a third of people would not leave their house keys with their neighbours.

And with communities interacting less and less, the way in which we exchange information about local issues is changing. People are turning to the internet to find out about local services, like plumbers and builders, instead of having a quick chinwag across the garden fence. But, how can you be sure that hiding behind the contact details listed on websites, there isn’t a rogue tradesman trying to rip you off?

This is where ProblemSolved comes in.

The things builders get up to when they're bored...

To search for reliable tradesmen in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

A new eco-town developed by Prince Charles’ Foundation for the Built Environment has been given the green light.

The settlement, which will be built on farmland in Plymouth, is being billed as Britain’s greenest town. It is set to house 12,000 people and will be called Sherford new town.

A trade map of Britain, released today by Barclays, highlights some interesting disparities between the spread of trades and services across the country.

One area where you will find it difficult to find a plumber is in Kensington and Chelsea. Here, for every 6,137 residents there is just one plumber as well as only one electrician per 5,260 residents.

A report by home emergency experts Homeserve has warned that the elderly are often being charged rip-off prices by tradesmen.

According to the report, homeowners over the age of 55 often pay hundreds of pounds more for even the simplest of repairs.

Have you ever wondered how your building project is affecting the environment?

Eddie Shah, the former newspaper tycoon, has hit out at "shoddy, lazy, and incompetent" construction workers. He has translated his frustration into a fictional day in the life of a builder. Let us know what you think about his views...

Diary of a building worker

7.30am: Arrive and read paper

8am: Walk to site, chatting. Take at least 10 minutes.

8.20am: Pick up tools for work.

8.30am: Actually start work. Take at least five mobile phone calls and have a few laughs in-between, slowing all the other workers down.

Here’s some good news for all our members - after successful trials in Scotland, B&Q has introduced a special discount card specifically for the trade sector.

This card will enable members to claim cash back rather accumulating points, depending on the type of product purchased.

In a statement, B&Q said: "For the nuts and bolts and other hardware products, customers could benefit from a discount of up to 25%, with a 5% discount offered for building materials.

Two weeks ago, 112 construction companies were accused of rigging bids for contracts by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

112 construction companies have been accused of rigging bids for contracts by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).

Customers have been paying too much money after firms have colluded among themselves while bidding for contracts.

Here are just some of the tradespeople you have recommended this week. Click on the company names to view their ProblemSolved profiles:

• JBS services, Corgi registered, trustworthy plumbing and bathroom installation services. Based in SE London, covering London.

The Daily Star has started a campaign this week to help builders who are struggling in the industry.

According to the tabloid, builders are finding it hard to get work because people can’t afford to build new homes or even improve their existing ones. It also claims that companies are beginning to lay off staff and that the situation could become as bad as in the early 1990’s.

So what is the Daily Star doing to solve this ever increasing problem?

Gordon Brown has become one of the latest politicians to throw his weight behind the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) “Building a Greener Britain” campaign, which is looking at the role of the construction industry in bringing about a low carbon built environment.

A man from the Crawley area who worked as a plumber for 25 years has died from lung cancer following exposure to asbestos.

Ron Rose, who worked for G W Hitchcock Ltd from 1948 to 1971, was diagnosed in 2007 after visiting the doctor after complaining of back pain. Mr Rose had to stop caring for his sick wife as a result of the mesothelioma brought on by the exposure.

The coroner that examined Mr Rose’s body said: "He became exposed to asbestos during one particular project working at a petrol station.

A firm of plumbers in Oxford have been targeted by animal rights activists after working on Oxford University’s animal testing laboratory.

The slogan “Drop Oxford Uni” has been sprayed on the shutters of Steve Rusk Plumbers in Oxford. The Animal Liberation Front (ALF), the group which has claimed responsibility for the attack on an American website, oppose the animal testing laboratory which is owned and run by the university.

A director of a building firm in Bristol has warned people using the internet to be wary of death threats via email.

Andrew Sawyer, the boss of Buildtec, received an email claiming that he would be killed by an assassin if he didn’t pay $1,500 immediately and a further $2,000 at a later date. The email was later shown to be a fake but could prove to be very alarming to vulnerable or elderly internet users.

To search for reliable tradespeople in your local area, visit ProblemSolved.

An apprentice plumber, whose friends pleaded with him not to drive his car after consuming 11 pints, has been banned from driving.

Scott Parker from Worcester drank four pints of Fosters before driving to the next pub and quaffing a further seven pints. After spotting damage to road signs, Parker was stopped by the police and breathalysed. The test revealed that he had 94mcg of alcohol in 100 ml of breath, well over the legal limit of 25 mcg.

A pensioner in his eighties from Stanks in Yorkshire was trapped in his house for six weeks because of building works that surrounded his home.

Former lorry driver Frank Bullock was made housebound after builders who were working on a site next door, dug a channel outside his driveway that prevented access for his wheelchair.

82 year old Frank can now leave his house after an inquiry into the situation was made by the Yorkshire Evening Post.

It seems that the search for a reliable builders, plumbers and electricians is proving increasingly difficult north of the border. New figures from Consumer Direct in Scotland reveal that there has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of complaints against tradesmen this year.

CDS received 1,545 complaints in the first three months of this year, with the total value of the work involved in these complaints rising by almost £600,000.

CORGI, the gas safety watchdog, is warning householders to be vigilant about chimneys and flues becoming blocked.

Appliances should be switched off if there is any chance that building work may have jammed a flue and a registered installer should be contacted before switching them on again.

The warning comes after the tragic death of Robert Schenker who died from carbon monoxide poisoning after poor workmanship by a builder blocked his chimney.

Paul Hoskins, an inspector with the

Most people have fond childhood memories of a piece of furniture a relative once owned, just by seeing and feeling that furniture can bring back emotions. From your Great-Aunties artfully carved dining room chairs perhaps to your Grandmothers antique sofa, even the smell of a piece can evoke a memory.

When the unfortunate time comes you inherit that piece of furniture you are suddenly left with the feeling it will never fit in with the rest of your decor and in this sense inherited pieces of furniture can be a blessing or a burden.

Four builders from the Dartford area have been accused of targeting the elderly and vulnerable and allegedly conning one man out of £75,000.

The rogue tradesmen cold-called their victims telling them that their properties needed urgent building repairs. They are then accused of quoting extortionate prices for work that was shoddy or incomplete. The four men, said to be led by William Smith of Greenhithe, are on trial this week at Canterbury Crown Court.

The jury heard one story about how the men conned one man who had learning disabilities out of more than £75,000.

Here at ProblemSolved, we accept that you have to take the rough with the smooth. We know that not every single tradesman will perform well on every single job. We therefore appreciate and value bad reviews just as much as the good ones.

And according to a recent article in New Media Age, this isn’t a bad way of going about things.

Exposing and warning the general public about cowboy tradesmen is an issue very close to ProblemSolved’s heart. By letting the general public share their views online, we hope that we are doing our bit to help the cause.

We have all heard about the great Polish invasion of Britain. But with an estimated 1 million Poles leaving for the UK since the country joined the EU in 2004, Poland is now suffering from a shortfall of workers, particularly in the construction industry.

Due to this mass exodus of builders and plumbers, thousands of vacancies exist that need to be filled. The Polish government is planning a large media ad campaign in the UK in an attempt to lure them back.

The Right Move House Price Index report for April was released today and our very own Alison Cork has one or two things to say about it. With prices dropping and houses taking longer to sell, it all, according to Alison Cork, makes for grim reading.

Workmen employed by the Edinburgh city council have been caught fiddling their overtime by claiming that they worked five times longer than they actually did.

The scam was revealed in an audit carried out by city chiefs analysing the city’s emergency call-out team and accused plumbers of “typically” stating that they had worked four or five times longer than they actually had.

The Edinburgh city council is set to introduce new measures this summer to crack down on the problem and with almost £2 million spent on overtime in the past financial year – it seems that this is

Being held from 16-18 May this year, the Craft and Design Experience is looking to offer bespoke alternatives to the mass-produced products available on the high street.

We are looking for tradesmen with a flair for the written word to blog here on ProblemSolved. If you have any tips about your trade or any views on recent trade stories, why not share them with the rest of the world?

Though the Tyler Durden’s of this world may disagree, few can deny that IKEA has made a huge impact on the way we think about furnishing our homes. Since hitting our shores, flat pack frenzy gripped many households, as homeowners embraced the influx of contemporary furniture at affordable prices. And this week marks its 21st year.

To celebrate, Ikea is offering 21% off everything in their store this Saturday (19th April).

BEAMA and the Residential Ventilation Association have joined forces to develop a new CPD seminar called 'How to Design, Install and Commission Domestic Ventilation Systems'.

One of the latest property websites to have been set up in recent weeks is the Sky Property channel. Featuring specialist articles on a range of housing issues, the site also has the facility to search for properties in your area.

A article by our very own Alison Cork has recently been added, giving advice on how to protect the value of your home while markets nose dive.

According to new figures from Legal & General, Brits spend an estimated £7billion a year on help in the home such as cleaners, gardeners and the ‘odd job man’.

The research suggests that rather than a ‘Do It Yourself’, DIY culture, we’re now a nation of YDI, ‘You Do It’, by employing people to do household chores for us. 41% of Brits prefer to pay someone to do work around their home rather than doing it themselves, which is costing them close to £700 a year.

As reported by ProblemSolved only yesterday, in the uncertainty of the housing market, people are looking to improve their homes rather than move from them. But according to the government advice service Consumer Direct, many people are having a less than satisfactory service when getting an electrician in.

New research from Halifax Home Insurance reveals that neighbours caused £173 million of damage to next door properties last year after their home improvement disasters spilt over the garden fence.  From water cascading into neighbouring properties through pierced pipes, demolished party walls and even broken ornaments, over 590,000 British homes were damaged in 2007 by these so-called 'Neighbourhood Botchers'.  It is not just over-ambitious DIYers that were to blame, with one-in-ten blaming build

Figures released last week by the Halifax showed that average UK house price dropped by 2.5% in March - the biggest monthly dip since September 1992.

So with prices on the slide, homeowners now have to work harder than ever before to consolidate or improve the value of their property.

If, like me, you rely on the services of your partner or the local dry cleaners to ensure you don’t hit the streets looking like a cousin of Wurzel Gummidge, you’ll be delighted to know that help is at hand and comes in the form of Fagor’s Driron.

7 useful tips for planning your garden from PR landscapes:

1. Think about what you would like in your garden - decking & Grass, a stone patio and grass, or all stone.

 2. If you prefer grass, then check that you have the room for boarders down each side. Have you decide on which plants, trees or scrubs you would like? Have you thought about the maintenance of the flower beds? Have you considered the conditions of the ground for grass?

Gardens can be fun but they can also be a lot of hard work, but one the other hand they can be enjoyable and once you have achieved your garden then the best part is just relaxing with a few friends over a nice glass of wine.

The best way to achieve your dream garden is to look at your friends gardens and also magazines. Have you the same size as theirs?

Tradesmen 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.

The BBC is today reporting that house prices have sharply declined in March, falling by 2.5%.

Builders, 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 mistake

According to new research released today by the Energy Saving Trust, around a third of UK households are overheating their homes. This means that they are collectively squandering up to £332 million a year as well as wasting 2.8m tonnes of CO2 a year.

31% of UK householders are keeping their thermostats up so high that their homes are hotter than the average summer temperature in many Mediterranean destinations ranging between 22-30 degrees.

Old plastic guttering is easy to remove but cast-iron guttering is extremely heavy and the edge can be sharp, so it takes to people to remove it. Following the four easy steps below should help.

1. Drive large nails into the fascia board beneath a section of guttering at either end to hold it and prevent it falling.

2. Cut through the bolts joining two sections of gutters with a hacksaw then tap them out with a nail punch and hammer.

3.

It is possible to mount cables on the surface of a wall with clips, or run them through plastic trunking nailed or screwed to the wall – some types are even self-adhesive. You should route them along skirting boards and around doors and window frames to make them less conspicuous. However, if you are looking for a neat and polished finish you should try to conceal these cables.

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.

A study conducted by Yell.com has revealed that Britain is a nation of DIY disasters.

The study of 1,300 people showed that UK adults spend on average one year of their lives carrying home improvements with almost a third admitting to starting jobs that they aren’t equipped to tackle.

Residents of Willingdon, in East Sussex, have had enough of tradesmen knocking on their doors. A campaign has begun in earnest to set up a no cold calling zone in the local area.

It has the backing of MP Nigel Waterson and was launched at the local village library.

Recent TV makeover shows have been accused of turning Britain bland according to a recent survey carried out by Dulux. 41% of those polled said that the only reason that they used cream or off-white colour schemes was on the advice of TV gurus or estate agents, with only 3% claiming that they actually liked the colours!