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Slate is a fine-grained metamorphic rock that’s been used since Roman times as a building material.
Because of its durability and attractive appearance, it’s popular for lots of uses, including roofing, wall cladding, and flooring.
Due to its structure, slate has a unique ability to be…
How did your interest in construction develop?
In the olden days (1960’s - 70’s), when I was about 12, a teacher asked everyone in my class to tell her what they wanted to do when they left school. I had been building things with Lego for years, so whether that had anything to do with it, I don’…
We are coming to you with a new 'a day in the life' article. We hear from one of our qualification students, Julie Lock telling us about her career in Building Control as a Building Control Surveyor.
What is your current job title and how long have you worked within this…
Pebbledash render was primarily used to protect buildings from the elements.
The term is used to describe external rendering where smooth pebbles are thrown or "dashed" onto the topcoat of render before it dries so that they stick to it and provide a weathering surface.
Spar is a close…
Do you wonder what it’s like to work in Building Control?
As we explore more into the world of Building Control in our series ‘A day in the life’, you will be able to understand what it’s like working in this industry. Today’s guest is Paul Round, who is an Assistant Building Control…
It’s that time of year again and we thought we’d spread some festive cheer with our version of this famous Christmas song.
So if you’re on site or in the office with your Santa hat on, cup of egg nog in one hand, turkey drumstick in the other and lost for words with the quality of…
Has the App been developed to replace physical inspections?
This App is intended to enhance the inspection process and not replace physical inspections.
Can I use the App for general conversations between me and my work colleagues or builders?
The App is not intended to…
Most pre-1930s houses will have traditional lath and plaster ceilings. Picture courtesy of Malone Associates Ltd
What is lath and plaster?
Laths are thin strips of wood (around 25-38mm wide and 3-8mm thick) spaced around 5mm apart and nailed to the ceiling joists above. Plaster was then…
Dragon tie with simple decorative detail (courtesy of castleringoakframe.co.uk)
When traditional roof construction was the norm, a dragon tie was often incorporated beneath the hip rafter, particularly where they were carrying purlins. The hip therefore had a much heavier load.
The…
When anyone mentions stone cladding, a certain property on Coronation Street springs to mind (No. 9 - formerly Jack and Vera Duckworth's - see below). Their cladding was installed in 1989 and given the blue painted touches in 1994.
Aside from changing the external appearance so that the property…