Good news for builders, electricians and those who have studied on carpentry courses: the Government have announced a conservatory building initiative that could provide a huge boost to skilled, trained workers. 

The plans, which are hoped to kick-start the stalling British economy, will see homeowners given new opportunities to build large conservatories, extensions and other household constructions without worrying about expensive, problematic planning permission. People will be permitted to extend their homes by up to eight metres with no opposition thanks to the new relaxed regulations, while demand for quality builders, plumbers and carpenters is also expected to grow as more people choose to extend their properties. 

The rules are a temporary solution and will be applicable in the UK until 2015, and do not apply to loft extensions or multi-storey builds. Currently, domestic planning application fees are around £150, and paying professional advisors can cost thousands more. Planning permission is a barrier to many homeowners building extensions. And although around 90% of applications are eventually approved, they can drag on for months.

Skilled workers are also sure to benefit from other commercial aspects of the initiative, in which businesses will be able to expand shops by 100 square metres and industrial units by 200 sq. m without worrying about planning permission, so long as they own the premises. 

Alongside the removal of planning laws, the Government have also tried to give a shot in the arm to the housing industry, by underwriting £10 billion of borrowing for property developers and housing associations to build on sites, and launching an extension of the FirstBuy scheme, which will help first-time buyers without a deposit get an equity loan to get a mortgage. The Prime Minister David Cameron estimated that the plans would see an extra 70,000 houses being built in the UK and 140,000 jobs being created.

Are you looking to learn a trade to make the most of the renewed interest in house extensions and conservatory building in the UK? From carpentry courses to plumbing courses, electrical courses and much more, at Access Training we have a variety of flexible courses for all abilities.

Thanks to the global recession and rising mortgage prices, the British housing market has well and truly undergone a bit of a slump in the past few years. However, because of these limp house prices, homeowners are choosing instead to register on a decorating course, pick up the paintbrush and improve on what they’ve got at home.

Instead of ploughing thousands of pounds into a new mortgage, investors are finding that it’s actually wiser to invest in their own skills by enrolling on a decorating course, and making the most of the home that they’re currently in.

Whether homeowners already are a dab hand with paint rollers and wallpaper paste, or have always shied away from DIY decorating, a new wave of proprietors are discovering that re-invigorating a home with desirable décor can give a living space a real fresh perspective – and what’s more, they’re enjoying it!

By learning about the latest decorating tips, trends, fads and fashions on decorating courses, homeowners and hobbyists alike are finding how to improve on what you’ve got is a prudent and effective practice.

For many, enrolling on a decorating course near them can also be the difference between doing it yourself for pennies and employing a decorating or home improvement contractor for a greatly inflated fee. Those without the confidence and the wherewithal to undertake even the simplest household improvement tasks will either live in a tawdry, downbeat home or face paying decorators a hefty fee. With a decorating course, you could save thousands by Doing It Yourself.

Re-invigorate your home today and learn various fashionable decorating techniques with a decorating course at Access. From informative home improvement, wallpapering and decorating courses to more professional qualifications and NVQs in painting and decorating, Access have a range of decorating courses to suit you.

Whether you’re looking to improve your home’s décor or start up a professional decorating service, talk to Access about enrolling on a decorating course today on 0800 345 7492.

Star of property program Relocation, Relocation, Phil Spencer has advised property developers and those considering property development courses to think very carefully when considering how to invest in their projects. He stated in The Times that there are adaptations property developers can make which will add over 9% to the value of a property. If you are considering attending one of Access Training’s property development courses, then this should come as excellent news. Upon completion of our property development course, you will be in a position to reap the rewards of your hard labour when it comes to selling your home and moving on. 

Adding value to a project is the bottom line for all graduates of property development courses; Spencer explained the most effective way of achieving this was with a kitchen, bathroom or garden refurbishment. The tutors at Access Training’s property development courses whole heartedly agree with this point and teach their students how to carry out such refurbishments to the most exacting of standards.

Those of you considering undertaking property development courses should firstly note Phil’s comments:  “If you are only going to improve one room, make it the kitchen. This has now become the showpiece area of the home. We don’t just cook in it; we do homework, watch television and hold dinner parties in it too. The number one priority is creating a handsome and efficient work surface, ensuring easy access between the three points of the kitchen triangle, namely the sink, fridge and cooker.

“You should also ensure the equipment you install is as up to date as possible, so it won’t look outdated in 10 years. Property development courses teach individuals to ensure the price bracket of your kitchen matches the price bracket of your home. There is no point putting a £25,000 kitchen in a £250,000 house; you won’t see a return on investment. Equally a £10,000 kitchen in a £1 million house will only drag down the value. Typically, a new kitchen will add 4.6 per cent onto the value of your home.”

Phil also offered some valuable advice as to how best refurbish your bathroom: “The secret is to keep things simple. You don’t need to do a lot with the room; it’s all about the features you put in. You should think about a set of new taps (£20), a heated chrome towel rail (£50), a big shower head (£20), a power shower (£250-£750) and a glass screen (£100) or glass door (£125) instead of a shower curtain. A new bathroom puts 2.88 per cent onto the house value.”

The third area that Phil said that graduates of property development courses should concentrate on is the garden: “Make it accessible and enjoyable from the house; glass doors are a good idea, as is outdoor lighting. View the garden as another room; install decking (£250 up to £5,000) and you can add two per cent to the house value.”

If you are considering property development and are looking for all encompassing property development courses, Access Training can offer you property development courses which will teach you the trade skills needed to add real value to your property at a fraction of the cost. Take a look at our bathroom fitting courses, kitchen fitting courses for more details. Alternatively call us now and we’ll answer all you questions.

Undertaking a career change can be a daunting proposition for anyone thinking of becoming a professional tradesperson, especially if they are considering enrolling onto a training course such as one of the electrical courses with Access Training. Most people contacting the Course Advisors at Access Training explain their plans but also express their reservations about taking the leap into a subject such as electrics, where they have no previous experience at all. 

To help allay any fears or misconceptions people may have, the team at Access Training decided that some work experience could be arranged for people if they would like to gain a greater understanding prior to attending their training for example, before one of our electrical courses. We approached Steven Walker who immediately jumped at the chance of working with Access Training again, having been in the position himself of changing career and not knowing where it might lead.

Steven Walker had formed his own plumbing and electrical installation company, SK Solutions, last year after completing an electrical course with Access and his company continues to go from strength to strength. He was delighted to be able to show students the ropes and give them an insight into the trade and agreed to show the first two students the type of work he was undertaking. The result being that the student’s fears about their radical change in careers were soon put to one side as they began their work at SK Solutions Ltd.

Since completing his course, Steven has found that the amount of plumbing and electrical work was building up quickly and he was finding his services to be in much demand. He then decided the time was right to recruit a fellow student from the very same plumbing course he attended only a matter of months earlier. Such is the faith and high regard that Steven held for the quality of the student produced by Access Training, he has now gone one step further and decided to take on students before they have even begun their course.

This example shows just how highly the electrical courses offered by Access Training are regarded. We go the extra yard to make sure our students receive the service and training they deserve, every step of the way. If you are looking to start a new career and are considering enrolling on a course then contact Access Training today. Our electrical courses and plumbing courses really are the best around and we always take any extra steps we can to help our students enjoy a stress-free career change.

All individuals should be more than equipped to carry out DIY tasks around their homes if they receive just basic DIY training. This advice comes from AA Home Rescue, whose spacewoman said that even though there are limitations to the tasks a homeowner should expect to carry out themselves, there are simple DIY tasks which are within easy reach of all homeowners.

Such tasks include the repairing of plasterwork, patching up cracks and holes, replacing tiles, basic plumbing tasks such as fixing leaking taps, hanging pictures using hooks, putting up shelves, decorating a bedroom by hanging wallpaper and painting walls and ceilings are all tasks individuals should be able to handle given some short instruction.

Although individuals are encouraged to have a go at the more basic of tasks, AA Home Rescue strongly advise the more complex jobs, such as those which require a professional qualification and may involve gas installation or domestic electrics, are best left to fully trained and qualified professionals. A gas system must only be worked on by someone who has undertaken a gas course and has gained their GasSafe qualification. In the same respect, only qualified electricians who are Part P qualified should work on any aspect of your household electrics.

Here at Access Training, we offer the perfect DIY trades training course which will give you the basic skills to carry out all manner of simple DIY tasks. Our short and friendly courses will help you discover the sense of satisfaction which can be gained from carrying out DIY tasks yourself, as well as helping you to save a considerable amount of money. It will also provide a valuable stepping stone if you are looking to progress onto more complicated tasks in the future.

In an article entitled "Making Life Child Friendly", the South Wales Echo featured a number of our former electrical and plumbing training pupils. 

"As parents continue to feel the pinch, more and more are looking at new ways of making money while spending time with their families as well, as Cathy Owen discovered

For Sean Gully family always come first and it is the main reason he decided on a complete career change.

The dad-of-two, from Llanishen, Cardiff, had been working in IT sales, selling document management solutions.

He covered large areas of England and Wales, so it meant a lot of travelling away from his family. Work was also starting to dry up because of the recession.

 “With a wife and two daughters to support I felt it was time to get a trade and find a career where I could almost guarantee myself work wherever I went,” said the 45-year-old, who is originally from Australia.

“After some research I found that electricians were in high demand.”

He went on an Access Training course and is now working as a self-employed electrician and has a contract with an estate agent"....Read the full story