Starting any company can be an exciting venture, and it’s always smart to start a business in an industry that you are passionate about, or that you have some prior knowledge about. Therefore, if you are interested in construction or this industry is something you have experience in, it can be a great move to start a construction business. That being said, there are some things you should know if you want to start your own construction business, and we’re here to share four of them. You need to understand the industry As mentioned, it’s always a good idea to have at least a basic idea of an industry if you plan on starting a business in that industry. Even if you have some experience in it, there’s likely still a lot to learn, especially if you will be looking at it from a business owner’s point of view. If possible, try to talk to people who already own businesses in the industry to see if they have any helpful advice for you. You may also need to learn the lingo. For example, you may be wondering, “What does RFI mean in construction?”, so you should look up phrases and terminology that you don’t understand. You need to be prepared for all the expenses Starting any business is bound to cost you a lot of money, and a construction company is no different. Of course, you will have all of the usual expenses such as insurance and licensing, but you will likely also have a few industry-related expenses you need to include in the budget. If you don’t have licensing or insurance, you will not be seen as a reliable construction business. Since it may take some time for your business to make a profit, it’s a good idea to have as much money saved up as possible to tide you over until the money starts coming in. There are lots of pros to starting a construction company . . . If you’re wondering why you should consider starting a construction company, you should keep in mind that there are loads of pros to having your own business. And having a construction business can be particularly rewarding since it’s an ever-growing industry. Therefore, if your business ends up being successful, you could stand to make a lot of money. However, you shouldn’t be blowing all of that money as soon as it comes in. You should save some of it for emergencies as well as taxes. . . . And there are also lots of cons As with most things, starting a construction company may have loads of benefits, but there are also loads of downsides. You likely won’t be able to function with a small team, so you may need to hire lots of employees. And the equipment you will need to invest in can set you back a lot in terms of your finances. Of course, starting any business is also risky, so you should be aware of any potential risks with starting a construction company, but you should also take steps to minimize your early-stage risk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Housebuilders grappling with regulatory requirements to measure the airtightness of new buildings are benefitting from an industry-leading scheme providing in-demand skills for the construction sector. Elmhurst Energy recently launched its Elmhurst Airtightness Scheme (EAS) to train and authorise professionals to carry out the essential testing buildings need to produce lower energy bills, conserve heat and meet higher standards in lower carbon building and retrofit. This means industry will find a bigger pool of expertise to ensure residential and commercial buildings pass updated Building Regulations, which now set higher standards for energy and fuel conservation (Part L) and ventilation (Part F). EAS, previously the Independent AirTightness Testing Scheme (iATS), qualifies companies, as well as sole traders and partnerships, through training, assessment and accreditation. It also offers developers, building control bodies and members of the public a facility to find airtightness testers in their area. Stuart Fairlie, Elmhurst managing director, said: “The energy efficiency goalposts have really changed for new domestic and commercial buildings with the Building Regulations 2022, meaning we already seeing a significant rise in demand for airtightness testers. “This has been compounded by the energy crisis and sharp rises in fuel bills, meaning housing associations, local authorities, private landlords and homeowners have never been more concerned about putting energy saving measures into homes. “As well as raising the bar for energy and fuel conservation and ventilation, the regulations now require all new buildings to have an airtightness rating after construction. Any dwellings that don’t meet the required standards will need to be corrected if they are to receive building approval and certification. These test results are also used to calculate energy efficiency and are a factor determining a building’s EPC rating, so there is simply no escape from the importance of airtightness.” Professionals qualified through EAS can carry out airtightness pressure testing to measure uncontrolled air leakage through gaps and cracks in a building, not easily detected through visual inspection. Airtightness tester Ewan MacFarlane, based in southwest Scotland, qualified through the EAS (then iATS) after spotting a gap in the market. He saw it as an opportunity to expand his career as a chartered surveyor, which led to him forming his own company, MacFarlane Surveying and Construction. He added: “In Dumfries and Galloway there aren’t many air testers, so there’s a growing market which has given me a good base with clients. I’ve done everything from big, industrial units, to garden rooms and retail warehouses. Some jobs take an hour, others take five or six days for a house to comply to Passivhaus standards, so it’s very varied. But I’m finding I’m picking up new clients all the time and much of my work comes via recommendations, which is fantastic.” There are two EAS levels. The first covers domestic and non-domestic buildings up to 4,000m3, with level two up to and over 4,000m3. Registered airtightness testers can use EAS to develop their skills through three further courses: thermal imaging heat loss inspection training for commercial and residential buildings; training on Pulse – the new, approved method for airtightness testing; and background ventilation testing. Stuart Fairlie added: “At its core, this scheme is about equipping the built environment with confidence that new buildings are fit for higher standards of building and living, while moving us closer to carbon net zero.” EAS member benefits include professional indemnity and public liability insurance, a secure lodgement portal and dedicated technical support. Elmhurst’s residential building SAP and commercial building SBEM assessors can also search for airtightness testers using the company’s Design SAP software. For more information visit www.elmhurstairtightness-scheme.co.uk. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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 Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool has had its latest six month data refresh where the value of future planned Scottish public sector construction projects has increased £600m to £12.2bn and the number of businesses registered for updates has reached 900. Launched in July 2021 to provide the construction industry with greater knowledge of future public sector construction projects across Scotland, the Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool has now had its half-yearly update, with the online platform showing: Managed by infrastructure body the Scottish Futures Trust, the Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool was one of the actions coming from the Scottish Construction Leadership Forum’s Recovery Plan, published in October 2020 to support Scotland’s construction industry recover and rebuild better. The Pipeline provides a longer-term view on planned investment up to 2028, with the majority of the forecast spending occurring before 2025. The Pipeline allows the user to simply and easily look at the data using various criteria that include the chosen procurement route, the procuring authority, contract value and sector. The types of construction projects include new build, refurbishments, and maintenance across a wide range of sectors including roads, health, education, housing and cultural and heritage. Of the 1,718 projects, 55% are below £2m in value, emphasising the opportunities that exist  for small and medium-sized enterprises working in the construction sector. In addition, the updated Pipeline contains details of over 90 individual construction-related frameworks across Scotland that businesses can apply to join when they come to be regularly refreshed. Peter Reekie, chief executive of the Scottish Futures Trust, said: “With over 900 businesses registered on the Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool, many are reaping the benefits of having up-to-date information at their fingertips, allowing them to tender for public sector projects. “Critically, the Pipeline also encourages greater collaboration between public sector bodies allowing them all to see details of their respective investment pipelines and where strong partnerships can be built to deliver improved efficiencies.” Welcoming news of the Pipeline update, Business Minister Ivan McKee said: “Scotland’s construction industry is a significant contributor to the economy and the Scottish Government is working with the sector, through the Construction Leadership Forum, to ensure it continues to transform and grow in a sustainable way. “The Construction Pipeline Forecast Tool is providing a transparent forecast on anticipated work across the public sector. This is giving businesses the confidence to plan ahead with investment, upskilling, and if needed, increasing their workforce for any tender process. “In line with the recently launched Construction Accord, the Pipeline Tool is further supporting greater collaboration within the supply chain and improving outcomes for the businesses and workforce which make up the construction and associated industries.’’ To provide support to users of the Pipeline tool and share learning, the Scottish Futures Trust will be hosting an information sharing webinar on 2 March to provide new and existing users with an introduction to the tool and the insights that have been gained, with details to be posted on the Scottish Futures Trust social media platforms when details are confirmed. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

Launched in January 2023 The Offsite Guide is the first B2B marketplace in the UK and Europe for MMC – a platform for businesses to explore options for using Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) and interact with specialist manufacturers. As a marketplace TOG facilitates engagement between key market participants and drives awareness of the many benefits of MMC including more efficient production, economies of scale and repeatability. In doing so it provides a central point of reference for product variety, availability, & pricing specification. Crucially, it provides a platform for direct communication between a wide range of providers and their potential customers in this fragmented market. “At The Offsite Guide we attract and facilitate early interaction with customers, allowing manufacturers of commercial and domestic modular buildings and offsite solutions to showcase a range of their products & help educate potential customers. We provide a trusted platform not only for showcasing offsite construction, but also to facilitate initial dialogue and ongoing interaction between customers, manufacturers and MMC suppliers.” Ingrid Orbie – Director For TOG Partners, listing MMC case studies & solutions on the Offsite Guide marketplace is a cost-effective method for manufacturers to bring in targeted traffic. Partners listings can easily be found under various search categories that can subtlety hand off and complement other marketing channels in the marketeer’s toolbox. Listing as a partner will also assist the partner company’s own website SEO ranking in an effective and cost-efficient way. For companies offering products and services complementary to MMC, creating an entry in the TOG Directory is an effective way to promote to the sector. These offsite system & product suppliers include companies offering panellised systems, sub-assemblies & components, as well as site based MMC structural components. This also includes offsite main contractors & other professionals including main & general contractors, offsite/modular solutions, offsite consultants & engineers, offsite designers, and digital designers and architects. A wider group of offsite trades people are also included in the Directory such as groundwork companies, electricians, carpenters, plumbers, landscape & external works contractors, flooring installers, painters & decorators, and all associated construction products like road signs, PPE, damage protection products, health & safety products. Whether listing as a TOG Partner on the marketplace or as Advertiser in the Directory, TOG offers an opportunity to raise brand awareness, increase a company’s visibility and gain access to new customers. Through TOG’s marketing and launch promotion campaigns TOG is striving to elevate MMC sales channels and engage with the market in a more efficient and effective way. Until now, there has been a lack of any resource for either private and commercial buyers to search & compare modular buildings and offsite solutions and engage directly with suppliers. The Offsite Guide provides this much needed resource in this fast-developing market. Online marketplaces are prevalent in many different B2B and B2C markets and are globally recognised as efficient methods of delivering fast, efficient and timely market interaction. By bringing proven marketplace technology to the MMC market TOG is strengthening the ecosystem of the MMC construction sector. Housing associations (HAs), developers, builders, self-builders, schools and universities, suppliers, central and local governments are all seeking more sustainable and efficient ways of construction. The TOG marketplace facilitates that search for proven solutions and gives examples and case studies that show ways that organisations and developers can break tradition and drive efficiency using MMC. Ultimately this is a wayto share information and experience, as well as to educate the market. To find out more and to benefit from TOG’s marketing expertise in the built environment and the construction sector go to www.theoffsiteguide.com. Partner and Advertiser eBooks can be downloaded from the site that give more detail of the services on offer. 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