Blog
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Posted: November 02, 2021
Read more »Today, there are many industry and service sectors, both private and public, which are experiencing severe staff shortages. Healthcare, hospitality and transport are currently making the loudest noises and while the reasons may be clear - a combination of leaving the EU, reversal of immigration trends, insufficient investment in training, unattractive remuneration and low morale - the solutions are not simple. Meanwhile, other industries such as fintech and digital technology are drawing graduates and professionals like moths to a flame.
However, the UK construction industry faces more than its fair share of shortages and the situation is set to deteriorate further unless proactive measures are taken now. According to the Construction Industry Training Board, the UK construction sector will need 216,800 new workers by 2025 just to meet demand. But why exactly has construction reached this point, at which the shrinking pool of workers is endangering major building and infras
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Posted: August 26, 2021
Read more »If your boss has asked you to complete a material takeoff and you're wondering where to start, then you're in the right place because we're going to break down the whole process in the blog post. We know a lot about estimating as our in house quantity surveyors in our Vision Plan department completes hundreds every month on behalf of our groundworks customers.
What is a Material Take Off?
A material takeoff is also known as an MTO or just a takeoff. Regardless of what you call it, the purpose of a material takeoff is to quantify what materials you need for a construction project and the quantity of each required. For instance, you might measure the length and height of a wall you plan to build to calculate the number of bricks needed. A takeoff is typically limited to materials used in the building process and doesn't include tools, equipment, or machinery used in the process. Often there are formulas needed to calculate volumes or quantities of various materials,
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Posted: August 17, 2021
Read more »Having sufficient and effective drainage is an essential aspect of any building, whether that’s a small domestic home or a huge commercial building. You may have found this blog post whilst looking at how to repair or install a drainage pipe around your home, so we’re going to talk through some of the considerations you need to make when undertaking this task on a domestic property.What sort of drainage pipe are you looking to install?
It will come as no surprise that there are multiple drainage solutions to every home, but the one we’re going to focus on for this post is how to install foul drainage – so this includes any wastewater that leaves the property – this comes from the kitchen/utility and bathroom.How do I find drainage plans for my house?
First thing’s first, it’s a good idea to get your hands on the drainage plans for your house so that you can see where existing drainage is located. There are a -
Posted: August 10, 2021
Read more »While ACO is the most well-known brand of channel drainage, but that doesn't mean there aren't good quality alternative options. Alternatives to ACO drain include ULMA channel drain and Clark drain. Whether you're looking for an equivalent quality or a lower-priced choice, we hold good stocks of all types of channel drainage.
What is ACO drain?
People sometimes call channel drainage ACO drain, however in reality, ACO is just one brand of drainage channel system. Channel drainage is an effective system for collecting rainwater in a linear channel with a grating over the top, often installed in paved areas or other hard landscaping.
Why do we recommend ULMA as an alternative to ACO?
Here at Drainfast, we've been supplying ULMA channel drainage since 2016 and have been impr
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Posted: July 23, 2021
Read more »During the summer months (and sometimes all year round too), many of us want our gardens in tip-top condition, ready for an influx of compliments during family barbecues or drinks with friends. Unfortunately, not all gardens are blessed with the best drainage, and with our UK weather being so unpredictable, garden gatherings are perfectly acceptable to happen all throughout the year.If your garden suffers with drainage issues (perhaps an area of the lawn becomes water-logged very quickly), then we’re here to help with some solutions around how you can improve the drainage in your garden, keeping it looking fresh all year round.Improving lawn drainage
The good news is there are a couple of different ways that you can improve lawn drainage in your garden, and below we’ve provided some information on what these look like and how to install garden drainage.Land drains
If your lawn suffe -
Posted: July 16, 2021
Read more »We've created a handy spray paint and stencil kit for anyone in the groundworks or construction industry. The kit includes 5 stencils and 6 cans of spray paint. You can choose the paint colours from a selection of Yellow, Red, Blue or White. The stencils include Foul Drain, Storm Drain, Grey Water, S.V.P. and R.W.P.
Bespoke stencils can be created as required, please contact us to discuss the options.
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Posted: July 13, 2021
Read more »Watch our latest video in which Paul, our depot manager, gives a full guided tour of our midlands depot. Based in Berkswell near Coventry, this depot is our operations hub for the midlands, offering a rapid delivery service across the midlands and more. We hold good stocks of specialist groundworks products, including underground plastic drainage, ducting, surface water drainage and sewage treatment systems. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaPR2FiQ-Eo
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Posted: July 06, 2021
Read more »Hundreds of groundworks and civil engineering companies across the United Kingdom have adopted a new and improved working method over the past three years. Most construction companies are always looking for things that save time or reduce waste (i.e. save money), or improve health and safety on-site by reducing risks.
One of our most exciting products, The SiteStak System, does all of these things. As one of our customers put it, "SiteStak is one of those products you don't think you really need, but after having one, you wonder how you did without it!".
1) Store your drainage materials in one organised system
When underground drainage materials arrive on a building site, they are traditionally unloaded straight onto the muddy or dusty ground. Once you have cut the wooden banding on your packs of drainage pipes, t
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Posted: June 21, 2021
Read more »Whether you’ve been having problems with surface water or perhaps you’ve bought a new property and want to know what’s what, this blog post aims to give you a good overview of what surface water drainage is and who is responsible for it. We’ve thrown in a few extra tips for good measure to make sure you know how to identify a surface water drainage system, how to keep your drainage solution in good working order, the differences between surface and foul water and the risks of not having the appropriate drainage. If you have any questions about surface water drainage that we’ve not covered, feel free to get in contact with a member of our team.What is surface water drainage?
We find the best place to start is right at the beginning. To understand surface water drainage, you’ll need to know precisely what you’re looking for. So, surface water, as you may have already guessed, is rainw -
Posted: June 16, 2021
Read more »If you’re looking for some practical and helpful tips on how to install driveway drainage, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we look at why driveway drainage is needed and what sorts of drainage channel materials are available, alongside step-by-step instructions on how to install your own driveway drainage channel. Remember, if you have any questions or require further guidance on the products you’ll need, you can get in contact with our experienced team.Why are driveway drainage channels needed?
Most driveways are constructed so that they have a very slight slope; this allows any surface water such as rain or melted snow to run off the main part of the driveway, so it doesn’t flood. Driveway drainage channels are sometimes needed when additional drainage is required to remove the surface water from your property. You may have noticed these sorts of drains before, they a
