My dad is an architect so I used to read the RIBA journal, Building Design, a lot when I was a youth. I am still very interested in the more technical aspects of building, despite having a pretty low opinion of the skills of most builders. So when I was in Travis Perkins buying some floorboards last week I picked up a free copy of Professional Builder magazine.
It is a surprisingly good read and not nearly as bland as I thought it would be. There’s an op-ed on the dangers and hidden costs to the nation of DIY. It claims that members of the Great British public, inspired by irresponsible TV makeover shows, are rushing out to buy unsafe products from DIY sheds (ie B&Q) and costing the NHS a great deal of money when they inevitably injure themselves. They suggest that there should be a special Health Duty on all DIY products. I admire their cheek (and we all know about builders’ cheeks!) and it is more entertaining than most building industry writing.
There are also articles on women builders, why wooden windows are better than plastic, how a new product from Polypipe can enable rainwater to soak away into the ground instead of going down drains and causing flooding and all sorts of other new products. There are also lots of give-aways, including a rather puzzling competition to win an ‘England Van’ by joining the Budget Van Insurance England Van Club. The prize, a van painted with a ‘unique’ St George’s flag design’ is made by Fiat, in Italy. Very patriotic.
My favorite article though was about the launch of a new brand of tea. “Make Mine a Builders” has been devised specifically to slake the thirst of British Builders, the tea is ethically sourced (although not Fairtrade), the box is very industrial looking, a portion of the profits will go to a charitable foundation and it will be sold in builders’ merchants. I certainly intend to give it a try despite the missing apostrophe in the name.
I would get some to take on gigs, only the caters on Friday night nicked my industrial-sized kettle.
Oooh I’ve always wanted one of those industrial sized kettles for camping. Just think how great it would be having stewed tea on tap all day and night! It wasn’t me that nicked it though, honest.
We had some buiders in a couple of years ago to do our bathroom. I cam back unexpectedly one afternoon and found one of them copying a recipe for Thai red curry duck from one of my books. Then another one of them turned out to have done post-doctoral research on Lacan or something. They’d have been more up for some kind of herbal tisane than tea. Or perhaps a campari and soda if it was the afternoon. Mind you they wired up my shower wrong and nearly killed us both by causing an electrical fire (on boxing day if I remember right). I live in Brighton.