Lucy Dixon

A fast-paced competition on the Blum UK stand at InstallerSHOW 2026 revealed just how well installers know the brand’s products while opening up wider conversations about efficiency, technical support and how to free up as much time as possible for their personal lives. Visitors were invited to complete a Blum-themed quiz covering the company’s jigs, […]

Water scarcity is rising rapidly up the construction industry’s agenda, but creating a more resilient built environment will require more than efficient products. Erin McCusker, Chief Impact Officer at LIXIL, tells Lucy Dixon why innovation, regulation, greater awareness and the influence of skilled installers must all work together. Following a summer in which drought conditions […]

As G&M marked The IPG’s Trade Local Day, commercial operations director Nick McCartney spoke to Lucy Dixon about investment, technical expertise and the practical support that helps busy installers win and deliver more work. For installers, a good local merchant offers much more than products on a shelf. It can provide technical knowledge, solve unusual […]

It’s World Water Week, so we’ve rounded up a selection of water-saving products and tips from our community of installers and manufacturers. With droughts declared in many parts of the UK this summer, and water scarcity in the news more than ever, we asked the Installer community of tradespeople and manufacturers the products they would […]

With young people receiving their GCSE results this week, TradesTalk – the weekly social media chat for tradespeople – asked its community what they would say to any of them considering learning a trade as their next step, and the responses were enlightening. Choosing a trade as a career is being discussed more than ever, […]

Seven in 10 UK tradies take a packed lunch to work, according to new research from InstallerSHOW. The findings, based on a survey of 332 UK tradespeople under 50, found packups are overwhelmingly the preferred lunchtime option, far ahead of supermarket meal deals, cafés or fast food. The study suggests installers are prioritising value and predictability […]

Meet the mascots bringing personality to this year’s InstallerSHOW. InstallerSHOW is set to welcome visitors with more than just the latest products, innovations and industry expertise – a line-up of mascots from your favourite brands will be on hand throughout the event, adding colour, energy and plenty of photo opportunities. Obviously the main attraction will […]

Carpenters and joiners heading to InstallerSHOW 2026 will find more than ever before, through the co-location of the Professional Woodworking Expo and dedicated content and demos throughout both events.  InstallerSHOW itself will bring together more than 40,000 visitors and 900 exhibitors across heating, electrical, kitchens and bathrooms, renewables, construction and interiors. The addition of Professional […]

Electrician and Installer contributor Mark Allison was told he couldn’t park his van at a hotel he’d booked for a job, despite paying £400 a night for three rooms. In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Mark shared a screenshot of a message from the hotel which stated: “Please note, we ask that […]

A report by Sky News has outlined that only 43 cowboy builders were prosecuted last year, despite “tens of thousands” of complaints made. The report, which highlighted the distress caused to the people that are ripped off, includes the shocking story of a disabled man – former electrician Steve Higgs – who has “been living […]

Jewson is calling on the government to take urgent action to get Britain building again – and has launched a petition aiming to get one million signatures. The petition outlines three clear commitments Jewson is asking for: Provide financial incentives for people to buy or improve their homes. Implement a simpler, faster and cheaper rules-based […]

Taking the opportunity: Draper Tools‘ Matt Sheen talks to Lucy Dixon about leadership, loyalty and the evolving trades landscape. From a customer service role spotted in a local newspaper to leading one of the UK’s best-known tool brands, Matt Sheen has built a career defined by timing, instinct and a willingness to take risks. Now […]

A woman’s recent post on Reddit wondering why the tradespeople working in her house refused any refreshments had caused quite the stir. In the post she says that a team of tradies have been working on her property for four days and “haven’t accepted a single offer of tea, coffee or biscuits” and asks the […]

Electrician Leon Rygol has produced a video investigating the tragic death of a 7-year-old boy named Harvey, who was fatally electrocuted at the King Harold Pub in Romford in 2018. Leon, who has over 25 years of experience in the electrical industry, speaks with Harvey’s mother Danielle about the final hours before the incident and […]

Roger Morton, Director of Business Change at the National House Building Council (NHBC), talks to Installer about its new nationwide network of skills hubs, created to help train up to 3,000 site-ready tradespeople every year. What are the skills hubs? They’re onsite training facilities, with realistic site conditions – as we’re outside, they look and […]

Tool theft remains a huge issue for tradespeople, and heating engineer Ian Briggs, known as IRB Heating on social media, asked his followers whether they avoid parking in certain places because they’re worried their van will be targeted by tool thieves. In the Instagram post, Ian asked if other tradespeople get that sinking feeling when […]

With customers able to send text messages, make WhatsApp calls or send DMs on social media at any time of day – or night – tradespeople might feel like they can never switch off. We asked the Installer community how it deals with out of hours messages from customers. After a hard day on the […]

In the latest in our series of interviews with tradespeople, we caught up with apprentice Victoria Pirozzolo to find out how determination and a hunger to learn is shaping her career in carpentry. How did you get into your trade? I got into kitchen installation through a hands-on route. While visiting a family member, I […]

The Metropolitan Police has discovered what could be the UK’s “biggest ever stash of stolen tools”. In a post on Instagram, the Met said: “Police officers have recovered £2 million worth of stolen tools from a warehouse in Ilford believed to be the largest haul ever found in the UK. “The discovery includes 10 lorry […]

Plumber Mark Tiff is asking the installer community on Instagram if they agree with his take on what he describes as “the biggest debate in plumbing” – do you fit the bung on the inside or the outside of the kitchen waste trap? At the time of writing, the poll Mark is running is on […]

We spotted this round-up of major policy changes that will affect the construction trades and wanted to share it with Installer readers. Written by Liz Male, founder of LMC – an agency specialising in construction PR and communications – the round-up covers the Building Safety Act, housebuilding targets, the Future Homes Standard, Building Regs, construction […]

Roofers who aren’t up to speed on solar are missing out – Lucy Dixon caught up with Adam French, Solar Training & Technical Support Specialist at SIG Roofing UK, to find out more. What would your advice be to a roofer who is looking at the growth in solar and wondering how they can get […]