Master Builder - 2009

Three FMB members celebrate 143 years of building

The FMB was established in 1941, and is now the largest trade association in the UK building industry. FMB membership brings many advantages.

We show how 3 FMB members have clocked up more than 75 FMB membership years between them... More

Simon Bartley, Chief Executive, UK Skills launches the new cycle of WorldSkills UK competitions

Following Team UK’s success at WorldSkills Calgary 2009, it is clear that WorldSkills UK competitions continue to play a key part in lifting standards of training and performance while promoting world class skills... More

FMB MasterBond Member Gets On His Bike

Each month, a member is given a set of questions to answer. It’s intended to be a

light-hearted feature, but should allow readers to find out more about other FMB members.

FMB and MasterBond member Harry Shanker of Shanker Builders Limited in Southampton has an adventurous streak. He’s just completed a gruelling 16 hour,

874 mile motorbike ride from Lands End to John O’Groats... More

The FMB has linked up with Trading Standards to combat rogue traders

Rogue traders are the blight of the construction sector affecting not only thousands of innocent customers but also the reputation of decent, hard working, law abiding FMB members. As a FMB member you probably get lots of requests to put right the work of rogue traders but it may surprise you to learn that last year a staggering £170 million was paid to rogue traders by unsuspecting homeowners... More

FMB Past President,  Geoff Snow Awarded OBE

Former FMB National President, Geoff Snow, was awarded the OBE by HM The Queen in the New Year Honours List in January. The short citation reads: ‘For Services to Construction and Apprenticeships in Wales’. He and his family travelled to Buckingham Place in June to receive this great honour. Geoff was FMB National President from 2003 until 2005, and as many members will be know, Geoff has been a stalwart member, Councillor, FMB Wales President as well as National President. He has given much time and energy to the FMB and also runs a successful business, Snows Construction, in Neath, South Wales.

Get Scotland Building

Nearly fifty delegates turned up for the launch of the

‘Get Scotland Building’ campaign on 28th May in the Scottish Parliament.

They included a vast array of organisations including the Scottish Building Federation, Scottish Property Federation, Unite, and the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations to help put pressure on the politicians to avert 16,000 construction jobs losses in Scotland... More

This is what it's all about

The FMB Birmingham Branch rounded off a magnificent three year fund raising drive with the presentation of a brand new minibus to a local charity.

In this short space of time the FMB Birmingham Branch raised £21,000 needed to buy a new vehicle for SPoCC, (the Society of Parents of Children with Cancer)... More

When Only the best will do

He saw off the very best of Britain’s builders to win his title for the stunning transformation of a run of the mill house into a fabulous, five bedroom family home. Kevin won a Nissan LCV worth up to £20,000 and plumped for the Nissan Navara.

When you collect a new car, you’d hope for a sunny, dry day so you can drive it out of the showroom without getting it dirty wouldn’t you?... More

The first six months...
 

The FMB National President, Ron Storer, has been in office for six months now. He spoke with Master Builder’s Nicky Rogers about the achievements of his presidency to date and what he has planned for the rest of his term.

The role of the FMB National President is primarily to promote the FMB and look after its members’ best interests... More

The time has come to get Britain building! 

The ‘Get Britain Building’ campaign was launched last month at Westminster to demand that the Government does all it can to prevent the predicted job losses in the construction sector, and to create a framework in which small construction businesses can survive and thrive during this recession.

The ‘Get Britain Building’ coalition, spearheaded by the FMB, with British Precast, the Builders Merchants Federation, and the Modern Masonry Alliance... More

Get Britain Building!

With the UK construction industry facing its most serious challenge in nearly two decades, arguably even longer, current remedies to help the industry are having little effect.

It is against this background that the FMB is helping to lead a new campaign called ‘Get Britain Building’... More

From humdrum to humdinger

Leicester-based FMB member Kevin Ellis of Ellis & Hughes won the prestigious Master Builder of the Year 2008 award, for the renovation and extension of a 1960s house to create a contemporary five-bedroom family home.

Nicky Rogers of Master Builder magazine contacted Kevin and his clients, Patrick and Elaine Mulvihill, to find out exactly how this partnership worked so well and produced such a staggering result... More