Tradesmen shortages in the construction industry is becoming more and more apparent as the years go by. Bricklayers have dropped by 19% since 2009. Plumbers and Electricians have fallen by 10% since 2015. Brian Berry, chief executive of the FMB, said: “Skills shortages are skyrocketing, and it begs the question: who will build the new homes and infrastructure projects the Government is crying out for?
With every new year, there is always that moment where you look back and reflect on the year gone by. 2018 was a good year for DJ Build Estimations. We launched our new website, we streamlined the layout of our reports and focused on our customer base.
The uncertainty regarding Brexit is growing as we edge closer to the deadline in early 2019 as Grant Thornton points out.
Something that we have noticed lately, is the rise of Tiny House Builds. America and New Zealand seemed to have introduced the trend and it is slowly being introduced to the rest of the world.
Our third self-build show in Dublin left us wondering if the boom was back with a bang! Suppliers at the self build show wowed customers with their products and then scared the living daylights out of them with their prices. Most are now wondering if they can even afford to build at all.
When it comes to building or renovating your dream home, accounting might be the last thing on your mind. However, with self-building it is very easy to get carried away. We have listed these top ten tips to help you stay on budget throughout your project.
As our third Self Build show approaches, I wanted to reflect on the past two shows and my thoughts on the venue, exhibitors and facilities.
“New research conducted by the Federation of Master Builders has revealed that the majority of construction SMEs feel rising materials are putting the squeeze on their profits. Now the consumer is feeling the pinch.” [UK Construction Week, April 2018]
Whilst at the Self Build show in Belfast this year, we had brought with us a copy of our report and a copy of a typical bill of quantities. We got some good feedback from anyone that stopped to chat. And the odd sly remark from a few passing quantity surveyors! One QS even stopped to praise our report style, advising that the industry needed a good ‘shake up’.
The key factor to completing a self build is good financial and practical planning, which go hand in hand. Being a building contractor for the past 20+ years and talking to many colleagues and competitors in the field over the years, I have yet to hear about any project that was completed without the odd glitch or hic-up.
