26 | NOVEMBER 2019
Installer Support
Installer Support is
sponsored by Kayflow
TOOL THEFT AFFECTS
8 IN 10, FINDS FMB
More than three-quarters of Britain’s
builders and installers have been victims
of tool theft, with some having lost more
than £20,000 worth of tools in the past
ten years, according to new research by
the Federation of Master Builders (FMB).
Key results from the FMB’s
research into tool theft reveal:
• More than three quarters
(83%) of UK builders have had
their tools stolen.
• More than one in three inci-
dents involved theft from vans
(38%) and theft from sites
(34%). 7% of incidents saw
tools stolen from a shed or
garage at home, and 3% of in-
cidents saw tools stolen from
inside the home.
• Of builders who had tools
stolen in the past ten years
(78%), the most common val-
ue of loss was £2,500. One in
ten builders said that they had
at least £10,000 worth of tools
stolen, and 2% said they had
at least £20,000.
• When asked how many work-
ing days builders had lost to
tool theft over the past ten
years, one in three builders
(29%) said one to two work-
ing days and 16% said two
to five working days. 7% of
builders said they had lost five
working days or more.
• Over a 40-year working life,
a builder will typically lose
£10,000 worth of tools and 6
working days to tool theft.
• Tool theft is taking its toll
on builders’ mental health,
causing 15% of builders to
suffer from anxiety, one in ten
builders (11%) to suffer from
depression and some reported
experiences of panic attacks
and suicidal thoughts.
Brian Berry, Chief Executive of
the FMB, said: “Decisive action is
needed to tackle tool theft. Eight
in ten builders report that they
have had tools stolen before. This
is causing mental health issues
amongst builders with reports of
depression, anxiety, anger, frus-
tration, stress and even suicidal
thoughts
“Builders need to take extra
steps to reduce the risk of theft
by bringing tools inside at night,
installing extra locks in the van,
marking tools with an address
or phone number, and painting
them a special colour. Builders
should also check their insur-
ance policies to see what they
have covered, however stronger
government action is also needed
to help tackle this growing prob-
lem.”
THE BENEFITS
OF BUILDERS’
MERCHANTS
Being able to rely upon builders’ merchants to supply high-
quality products at a reasonable price in your local area
helps you ensure that projects remain on time and budget.
Building a relationship with local builder merchants can
ensure that you receive good recommendations for products
at quality prices, guaranteeing you a happy customer.
Here Nick Cowley, managing
director of PVCu windows and
doors manufacturer Euramax,
explains why using builders’
merchants is a smart decision for
independent installers…
Across the UK there are over
260 brands of the builder’s mer-
chant, which, combined, account
for over 10,000 individual outlets
across the country. Whether fixing
plumbing or electrics, renovating
homes or installing new windows
is your forte, builders’ merchants
streamline finding parts to satisfy
customer needs.
It’s important to note that contrac-
tors don’t need to rely solely on one
merchant, as having more than one
in your local area means you can
shop around and find the best price
for the product you require. Some
merchants may be able to provide
certain materials and others may
stock more varied products.
Before you begin any project,
you should have a full under-
standing of every material and
component that you require to
complete it. This will help you
when buying from a merchant
because buying parts in bulk will
allow for cost saving. By buying
through a builders’ merchant you
can be assured of the quality of
the product, while also benefiting
from any trade account discounts
the merchant may offer.
By using a merchant, which is
essentially a one-stop-shop for all
contractor needs, you can reduce
the amount of time you spend
searching for specific products,
meaning you can quote up your
next project with time to spare. It
also decreases the amount of time
that you need to wait for products
to arrive, as most have products
in stock in store, which cuts out
delivery delays for both you, and
your customer.
Builders’ merchants also build
strong connections with high qual-
ity manufacturers so that you don’t
get lost in the crowd. Well known
merchants, such as ToolStation,
Travis Perkins, Selco, Screwfix and
Wickes, all stock Euramax prod-
ucts, which means you have access
to our quality products whenever
and wherever you need them.
www.euramax.co.uk