So there’s this kid, a determined kid, a talented kid, a skilled kid. He wants to achieve, he strives to achieve, he will achieve.

In an uncertain construction industry where men are being laid off work every other day, companies going bust and kids finding it difficult to get the opportunity to receive the hands on experience they need on site; Here’s a kid who’s logging it all and prepared to share!

Samuel Wilson is ‘The Bricklayers Apprentice’

Go check out his blog today!

http://apprentice-ship.tumblr.com/

Well, 2011 has started and it will interesting to see what’s in store for the building sector this year. It’s feared that the year ahead of us will be a trying one and a real test for the construction industry. The 20 % VAT rise may very well cripple many builders as there will be clients very reluctant to have to pay this extra cost in taxes.

So what does this mean?

Well for builders who work primarily in the commercial sector, I don’t see this being a major concern as commercial clients will simply claim back any VAT that is added, but for builders dealing in the private or domestic sector, then this is another scenario.

Let’s say a domestic client gets 2 quotes, both for £5000, from different builders. One builder is VAT registered so has to charge the new 20 % rate but the other builder is not VAT registered so does not have any obligation to charge the VAT. Who gets the job?

A client on a very tight budget may very well be tempted to go with the builder who can do it for £1000 less by not adding the VAT. After all, they will not be claiming it back. These are difficult times at present with the economy only just coming out of recession so a saving of £1000 is considerable and for many builders this may very well be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

Early days perhaps but I guess we’ll soon see the effects!

What say you?

4K

Skirting Boards are also known as baseboards, skirting, mopboards as well as base moulding and floor moulding. They are part of the finishing touches and are the decorative finish (normally timber) around the bottom of walls which hide the joint between the wall and the floor; it also offers protection to walls from bumps and knocks.  Skirting boards are there to hide the gap between the floor and the plaster and prevent impact damage to the plaster. They are fairly easy to install yourself if you have basic skills in DIY, if not then just look online for a reputable contractors in your local area who should be able to help.

Skirting boards come in various types and sizes and mostly are made from wood, MDF, or even plaster believe it or now. Many times we have had to run skirting in around a bay window for instance, and have done this by using plaster. Skirting board in general can be a bit of a pain as they have to be cleaned regularly due to them greeting easily scuffed by shoes and are a perfect place for dust to gather so they will require frequent dusting down.

In older property the skirting boards were normally quite deep and often very ornate, however in more recent properties the skirting board is typically fairly plain and 100mm to 150mm high. Some of the designs or profiles popular are Torus, Ogee and the more basic pencil round.

Traditionally, skirting boards were fixed by nailing into timber plugs which had been driven into the vertical joints of the brickwork at roughly 450mm (18 inch) centres. When fitted today, they cover expansion gaps required with some floor coverings including floating timber floors and laminate flooring etc. Streamlined varieties are popular in modern homes, whilst interesting timber varieties are found in Victorian and Georgian houses with mouldings and other decorative features making them a striking feature to the room.

Your local builders merchants should have a selection of skirting boards to choose from and there are even online companies that will deliver to you direct.

Liverpool Builders 4K Construction fit all skirting boards as well as all associated joinery and timber works.