Blogs

A week to go to the election and all the polls indicate a hung Parliament. David Cameron and the Conservatives are on a mission to persuade the world that a hung Parliament is a bad thing; Nick Clegg is trying to keep a poker face and Gordon Brown and the boys and girls in red…

The season has definitely turned and cold, frosty weather is becoming much more common - so what products are likely to be in demand as winter approaches?

The weather over the last few months has been very wet as we all know, but it has also been very windy. As would be expected, prolonged windy weather takes its toll on garden fences. A couple of panels in my back garden were blown over, although my neighbour has now replaced the entire fence…

Recent data from the CIPS has shown that the UK construction industry grew strongly in February, in fact by the highest amount since last October. The house building sector is particularly buoyant with one major UK house builder recording a 67% jump in profits in 2014 and other house builders also reporting record rises. This…

All businesses will tell you that keeping on top of the latest trends in the industry is key to the success of a business.

It's strange what can influence someone's performance. For example, it is a curious fact that Olympic athletes perform better if their teeth are well looked after. And despite Disney's exhortations to "whistle while you work", you may not necessarily link music with better performance. Yet that is exactly what neuroscientists at the Proceedings for the…

Carlisle is in the news again. What was supposed to be a one in 100 year flooding event has happened three times in the last ten years.

It's really positive to see the amount of support Cold Homes Week - the Energy Bill Revolution campaign - is receiving this week, as businesses, charities and organisations make a stand against fuel poverty. The scale of the issue is so serious that we need to do all we can to urge government to stop…

The salary question is always an awkward one, but sometimes when you're hungry, you need to ask for more. We are convinced that an increase in salaries will give a boost to companies, the economy, and is also a key factor in the overall health and sustainability of the housing industry. So our question is…

It's not a good time to be trying to sell anything even slightly on the heavyside. Yesterday's State of Trade Survey from the Construction Products Association shows that the heavyside is suffering the effects of the credit crunch-triggered housing collapse more than most. Only to be expected, of course, since it's the heavy materials, the…