Features

Key signs your home utilities systems are on the way out

By Izzy Schulman, Director, Plumbers4U

The ‘cost of living’ is a phrase that’s rarely out of the headlines, and increasing household bills show domestic spending continues to become more expensive.

In fact, the average annual household spend on home utilities is £1,654 per year, which is around 6 percent of a household’s budget.

From the relatively minor and inexpensive, to major incidents which cause severe damage to walls, floors, and personal property, problems with home utilities are inevitable at some point.

Here are the key signs your home utilities need professional repair:

The drip drops

Nextdoor Introduces a Unique Platform to Help Local Businesses Grow

Young female plumber fixing a sink - Nextdoor

Nextdoor, the world’s largest social app for the neighbourhood, has announced the launch of its new Local Business feature in the UK. The new feature enables local business owners to easily create an online presence on Nextdoor to reach new customers, expand business opportunities to increase sales and build trusted relationships in the neighbourhood.

The new recommendations feature enables Nextdoor users to support their favourite local businesses. With trusted recommendations from locals, it’s a great way for neighbours to discover new places and businesses, as well as provide business owners with invaluable word of mouth endorsements.

Experts Reveal How To Make Your Bathroom Last Longer

What’s Your Bathroom’s Expiration Date? Experts Reveal How To Make Your Bathroom Last Longer

Interactive tool shows the average lifespan of all aspects of a bathroom’s fixtures and accessories – from toilet roll holders to shower heads

Expert bathroom installers offer their advice on how to prolong the life of your bathroom with maintenance and care

The bathroom is often one of the most used rooms in a household, so it’s particularly important to keep it in the best condition and functioning well. It’s inevitable that fixtures and fittings will have to be eventually replaced - but did you know when that’s likely to be?

Self Assessment for Beginners

Plumber filling out a self assessment form

Tax Preparation Specialist Issues Guidance to Taxpayers New to Self Assessment Tax Returns

With the latest figures showing there are a record 4.93 million self-employed taxpayers in the UK, more taxpayers are finding themselves within the remit of Self Assessment. A lack of taxation knowledge and experience has resulted in a surge in late tax returns and payments as those who are newly self-employed struggle to make sense of their requirements under Self Assessment. Tax preparation specialist David Redfern, director of DSR Tax Claims Ltd, has issued his guide to the basics of Self Assessment with tips for those new to this method of paying Income Tax.

Earnings dip but underlying demand stays strong for plumbers

Earnings for self-employed plumbers dipped by just 1.7 per cent last month, according to the latest figures released by Hudson Contract.

Analysis of August payroll data for more than 2,200 construction companies in England and Wales reveals a weekly average of £1,120 for plumbing contractors.

They generated the third highest earnings of all 17 construction trades covered by Hudson Contract, beaten only by specialists in shop fitting and mechanical and engineering work.

Plumbers in the North West saw the biggest increase in weekly earnings in August, rising 18.2 per cent to £945.

They were followed by the South West, up 12.8 per cent to £1,328 and the highest in England and Wales, and Yorkshire and the Humber, up 6.8 per cent to £727.

Legionnaire's disease - are you prepared?

With cases of Legionnaires’ disease on the rise, The Chartered Institute of Plumbing and Heating Engineering (CIPHE) is urging installers to be vigilant when it comes to potential sources of Legionella bacteria.

Falling prices of luxury items such as hot tubs and spa baths, coupled with warm temperatures, has created a perfect opportunity for legionella and other water associated problems according to the CIPHE.

Launch of Greenstar 8000 Lifestyle set to redefine the UK domestic heating market

Worcester Bosch will be launching its Greenstar 8000 Lifestyle range in May - a boiler specifically designed to offer both installers with more choice, depending on installation location and customer need.

After years of development and direct feedback from hundreds of installers, the new Greenstar 8000 Lifestyle includes two models: Life and Style. Both models see a series of new additions and refinements over Worcester Bosch’s hugely popular Greenstar CDi Classic, which had been installed in well over 1 million homes.

The Greenstar 8000 Life is a direct replacement of the CDi Classic, building upon the well-established foundations from the previous boiler. It keeps many of the tried, tested and much-loved CDI Classic features, and improves on everything else.

Priming the pump: Salamander Pumps launches new online training courses

Salamander Pumps new online training courses example

Salamander Pumps, one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of domestic water pumps, has launched an innovative new online training tool, ‘eSchool’, featuring a host of helpful training modules, involving games, interactive imagery and animated technical videos, for installers and students alike.

The eSchool will help installers and college students learn more about Salamander’s products, their applications and best practice for installing their range of shower and whole house pumps.

The ideal temperature for your four-legged friends revealed

Cat asleep on radiator after finding it's ideal temperature

The UK is a nation of animal lovers, with an estimated 51 million(1) pets living in British homes. But, do Brits know the optimum temperature their four-legged friends should be living in to ensure they are happy and healthy?

As well as feeding pets a well-balanced diet and providing lots of fresh water and exercise, it’s just as important that we keep the temperature of homes to an ideal setting to make sure our beloved pets are healthy.

Boiler Plan, one of the UK’s leading providers and installers of boilers, has conducted in-depth research into living temperature for the UK’s most popular pets, including the best temperature to keep their habitats during both the summer and winter.

Dogs

The IPG opens new flagship stores

The largest and fastest-growing membership group, The IPG, helps shape the future of its members by opening new flagship stores.

The IPG have united with three of their members, namely Newline Plumbing & Heating Supplies, Plumb Inn, and Gas & Plumb Bits to launch their newfound flagship stores across the UK, this Summer.

The IPG was formed in 2013 with one vision: to bring independent plumbing, heating and bathroom specialists together, and in turn, to give their customers the opportunity to buy the best brands locally at great prices. Fast forward five years, The IPG’s vision is now implemented across its member locations nationwide with a multitude of excellent brands on board.

Features

Tax Preparation Specialist Issues Guidance to Taxpayers New to Self Assessment Tax Returns

The IPG have united with three of their members, namely Newline Plumbing & Heating Supplies, Plumb Inn, and Gas & Plumb Bits to launch their newfound flagship stores across the UK, this Summer.

Contact details