Fix Radio

Plumbers are dominating the semi-final line-up in this year’s Screwfix Top Tradesperson competition. After reviewing over 900 entries, the judges have whittled the field down to 23 candidates, who will fight it out for a place in the final at Screwfix Live in September. The eventual winner will claim a £20,000 prize bundle, made up of tools, training and technology. Electricians and joiners are also well represented among the semi-finalists.

The yearly tradition of China’s Robot Olympics might be a very recent development, but it is one that has showcased the potential of these incredible machines. While the event has gone viral, partially because of some spectacular malfunctions, it’s hard to deny how far robotics has come in a short space of time. While we’ve already examined how developments in aerospace might influence the future, the robotics involved in these industries deserve the spotlight.

Nearly 60% of tradespeople say that their work has been disrupted by the summer heat — that’s according to Rhino Trade Insurance. High temperatures have slowed work, forced early finishes, and, in a fifth of cases, led to heat-related illness. Many trades are adapting their day to avoid the heat, with over three quarters starting earlier and 7% working evenings.

Strange discoveries on the job are a part of life in this industry. However, what no one wants to see is an animal trapped somewhere they shouldn't be, among the chaos of a work site. That’s why, when news came out of a heroic feline rescue, the heartfelt story went viral. What no one expected was for the kitten to become the hero of this fable and shortly pick up work in the trade.

Small builders are struggling to sell ten homes a year, claims research from Savills. Larger developers have also seen sales fall to 0.4 units per week, prompting calls for the government to help first-time buyers get on the property ladder. Expensive mortgage rates, higher stamp duty, and more recent issues such as inflation, war, and political upheaval have all knocked consumer confidence.

More than 330 construction businesses were declared insolvent in July, a slight rise on the previous month. According to the government figures, the building industry accounted for 17% of all insolvencies in England and Wales. Over the last year, more than 3,800 firms in the sector became insolvent. Although the figure is down year-on-year, it remains significantly higher than pre-COVID.

News Home More from Latest News The 27th of August marks the anniversary of the Guinness World Records. In 2026, it will be turning 70 years old! Over those decades, the brand has sold millions of annuals and overseen some truly bizarre challenges. Of course, tradies didn’t want to be left out and so a lot of unbelievable records were also broken in the construction field. These are some of the most bizarre, impressive and best that builders had to offer.

Nine out of ten small house builders believe the Building Safety Levy will make more developments financially unviable, claims a report from the Home Builders Federation (HBF). More than a third of builders polled by the trade body said they had already delayed, redesigned, or cancelled schemes in anticipation of the new levy. Due to come into effect from October, the safety levy will add another £2,300 to the cost of each property.

News Home More from Latest News Back in July, it was National Karaoke Day. While we might be a little late on the update, there’s no bad time to turn up the bass and blast out some bangers. As a radio station, we know all about good music. But have you ever considered what you should sing on karaoke night to represent the trade? We know there are some classics that we’d all turn to. But these songs are a little more job-specific.

The demand for air-conditioning in the UK has tripled over the last year — that’s according to data from Mybuilder.com. Just within the first week of June, requests for aircon services on the job platform leapt by 850%. Britain’s record-breaking summer temperatures have also driven enquiries into other home cooling measures, such as ceiling fans, window shutters and outdoor awnings.