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The next generation of engineered first floor joists offers greater spans and easier fitting of services. While hours can be saved removing the need for notching of pipework and drilling for cables, the floor joists still need careful attention to ensure they work correctly and as they are designed…
Millions of metres of dodgy electrical cables are doing their rounds on the market, according to Approved Cables Initiative (ACI). These substandard cables not only pose a safety risk to consumers but a financial risk to your business too.
More than 27% of all electrical fires are attributed to…
Articled updated 15/9/20 - first published in 2018
“Everyone should be able to have access to an education that suits them, but we know that for those that don’t choose to go to university, the routes into further technical and vocational training can be hard to navigate. That’s why we’re making…
Hertfordshire Building Control, the new amalgamation of 7 of the 10 Hertfordshire local authorities, has hit the ground running and registered an exciting new partnership under the LABC Partner Authority scheme.
Many readers will be aware of The National Association of Chimney Engineers (NACE),…
Image above courtesy of Torquay Town Hall
You may have come across flitch beams. They were most commonly used as a supporting lintel over shop windows and larger spans where timber alone couldn't work.
Typically, the flitch beam is made up of a steel plate sandwiched between two…
Failing an acoustics test is not as uncommon as you may think. In many cases, it’s the simple, but avoidable things that lead to failure. The resultant costs and project delays are easily avoided by ensuring that the problem doesn’t occur in the first place.
If the architect’s drawings have left…
The installation or improvement of loft insulation is one of the simplest ways of improving the energy efficiency of a building. Up to 25% of heat lost from a building without any thermal insulation can pass through the roof.
But do building regulations apply to this type of building work?…
Did you know that you may now be ‘the principal designer’ and responsible for CDM on site? Hundreds of thousands of domestic building projects are now covered under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM Regulations 2015) thanks to new changes that came into force in…
Fire safety is an ever-evolving issue in both commercial and residential environments. One of the areas of focus is how to ensure occupants have enough time to escape to safety as once a fire has started - moving away is usually the best course of action.
SE Controls’ SHEVTEC Extended Travel…
Approved Document J outlines the precautions needed to ensure that smoke and gases from appliances can be safely discharged. Diagrams 17 and 18 highlight the outlet heights needed in relation to traditional roofs and easily ignited coverings such as thatch and shingles.In general, outlets need to…