With the ever growing consciousness of the preservation of the earth, we’ve become a lot more aware of our impact on the environment around us in recent years. Are we becoming more mindful of not just what we put into the air around us, but equally importantly, what we’re putting into the ground?  Leading ductwork, extraction and fabrication specialists Airmatic have endeavored to find out which town holds the most contaminated land in the UK. By culminating in a list of the top towns with a series of freedom of information requests to uncover just where in the country contaminated land was at its highest based on the square meterage and amount of sites. With a total of 41,603,277 square metres across 1759 sites in the UK, the top spot on the list goes to Warrington, with 23% of the borough being consumed by contaminated land. This dwarfs every other position on the list, including second place borough of Sefton from their neighbor, Liverpool, with their 975,050 square metres of contaminated land.  All sites on the top 10 list are from England, aside from one feature from the Scottish borough of West Dunbartonshire who placed third overall with 700,000 square metres of contamination. Just making it onto the top 10 list, in tenth place was Hull. In a report in 2020, it was found that the borough had built the 6th least amount of houses in the UK, which may be affected by the 163,578 metres of contaminated land which can’t be built on, across two large sites.  The study was undertaken as businesses continue to consider the impact they’re having on the environment, with stricter measures continually being introduced. The full top 10:  Warrington – 41,603,277m2 Sefton – 975,050m2 Hillingdon – 700,000m2 Waverley – 382,000m2 Mendip – 280,000m2 Gateshead – 243,000m2 West Dunbartonshire – 180,000m2 Hull – 163,578m2 Herefordshire – 156,000m2 Calderdale – 137,000m2 Below is a graphic of the Top 10 sites and their location on a map of the UK.  Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

The financial side of running a trade business can be challenging and complicated, but it’s important to get it right otherwise you could end up losing money.  Research by ElectricalDirect found that almost three-quarters (74%) of UK tradespeople don’t feel confident handling their company finances and many have ended up making a loss on jobs because of pricing errors (25%).  While many tradespeople are excellent at their jobs, dealing with finances is a different thing entirely, which is where businesses can fail. One option is to outsource your finances to qualified accountants or to use financial advisers to help you make wise decisions. For example, bfinance.com offers skilled investment advisors to help businesses and individuals alike improve their cashflow. However, there are always ways that individual tradespeople can improve their financial skills and literacy. With this in mind, the electrical retailer has partnered with Rick Smith, Managing Director at Forbes Burton, to share five pieces of expert financial advice for tradespeople as we head into 2023.  “As a small business owner, your income depends on the payment you get from your customers. However, getting funds from your clients on time can be difficult, and this can cause a strain on your mental health and well-being.  “To avoid this problem, it’s best to try and implement a ‘50% up front’ policy. Doing this will help maintain a steady cash flow. It will also help you identify genuine customers interested in your product or services; thus, you save time, resources and money.”  “Your most important asset, as a business owner, is your savings. You can rely on your savings in difficult times or when you need to handle unexpected expenses. Besides that, you can also take a break when you need or want one. It is crucial that you have cash reserves as they allow you to handle these expenses.  “If you want to be comfortable, it is advisable to save 30% of your earnings each month.”  “Tax returns are usually put off for a long time, and you will find this last on the to-do list for most people. Voilà, it’s another year, and you are rushing to submit your tax returns with just a few days to go, which may turn out to be larger than your expectations.  “The easiest solution is to prepare your tax returns as early as possible after April 6th. Doing this will help you handle this critical task on your to-do list efficiently and quickly. Also, it informs you of the amount to pay the following January; thus, you get to avoid any horrible surprises, and you have a lot of time to save if the need arises.”  “We’ve learned from the previous few years that the financial landscape is anything but predictable. Thus, you need to have plans for different scenarios that may happen in 2023 as a business owner.  “How much money have you saved for possible eventualities? What kind of help or options are available? There is no such thing as being over-prepared.”  For expert advice on how to handle your company finances, visit: https://www.electricaldirect.co.uk/blog/financial-expert-shares-top-four-tips-for-electricians    Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

There are over 250,000 self-employed tradespeople in the UK, and as we head into a new year, many will be considering taking the step and setting up their own business.  With this in mind, IronmongeryDirect has partnered with Rick Smith, Managing Director at Forbes Burton, to share some expert tips on how to make sure your new company has the smoothest start possible.  1. Know your costs  Knowing the costs of running the business is the first step on the road to success, and if this stage is missed, then the future of the company is at risk.  Rick says: “Your first goal should be to have three months of running costs in a separate account to give you security.   “Next you should evaluate the true cost of starting up your business. Make sure you have an understanding of the expected running costs, including wages, rent, rates, vehicles and what all this will total in cost per week, month and quarter to trade with no work coming in.   “You also need to know what it is going to cost for things like rent deposits, equipment, tools and supplies for your first few jobs. Remember, at first you may not get paid for quite some time.   “Finally, always price your work according to your figures. If you have the previous few steps worked out, this should be easy and will ensure smooth sailing for the most part.”  2. Remember to focus on the whole business  Many tradespeople will set up their own business because they’re experienced on the job and are confident in their abilities, but the work itself is only one part of running a successful business, and tradespeople also need to learn how to run a company.   Rick says: “A high percentage of our trade clients grow through a demand for their services. Put simply, if you are good at what you do, you will be in demand.   “The problems start when they have to learn how to run a business. Providing a quality service and running the business well are equally important and you can’t do one without the other.   “The business side of it doesn’t always get the attention it requires, which can mean the foundations of the company are weak. A combination of poor systems, processes and financials means cracks will appear and it then becomes a real problem that can spiral.”  3. Implement a sustainable structure  Remembering to divide your time between completing work  and running the business is vital to the company’s survival, so you should ensure that you dedicate time to creating a structure that allows both aspects of the company to get the attention they need.  Rick says: “If you are an established tradesperson, you should know how to quote and fulfil the work before you even set up a business, but time should be taken to research, get a good understanding and implement a structure to your business that is sustainable.  “The golden rule should be, get the right balance of working in and on your business. Scheduling your time weekly, rather than monthly to work on your business is always a good idea. It may seem like an inconvenience getting in the way of fulfilment of work but is the difference between success and failure in a lot of cases.”  4. Market your work  You could be an incredible tradesperson but getting the word out about your company is something that takes time and specific attention, otherwise you’ll find work difficult to come by, regardless of your skill.  Rick says: “Start by looking at what is working for other people in your position, how are they marketing their business?  “You should consider things like signage on the site of jobs you’re working on, or at least on your work vehicle. You should also make use of social media, like Facebook, where community groups can be especially good at getting word out about your services. You can also use physical marketing, such as printing leaflets and information booklets to distribute in key areas.”  You can read more of tips on how to make the most out of social media here.  5. Build your reputation  Finally, developing a good reputation is key to long term success, and will ensure that you have a growing list of reliable clients.   Rick says: “Word of mouth is always invaluable in spreading the message about your company, and you should always look to provide the highest quality of service to build your reputation.   “Treat your customers well and be polite, do your job to the best of your ability, and don’t be afraid to ask for testimonials and reviews after a job well done.   “If you’re just starting out, you can always ask your clients to pass on the word to their friends and family, which may just lead to you securing new work.”  For expert tips on how to set up a trade business, visit: https://www.ironmongerydirect.co.uk/blog/expert-tips-for-setting-up-a-new-business    Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals