The long anticipated competition to find the best trade has begun! This is the first episode of Trade:Off in collaboration with Builders Talk Group on Facebook. Each week Andy will chat with a trade, ask all the important questions and have a good laugh. It'll be the same format every week until Andy's spoken to all the trades and then listeners will vote for the winner on the BTG Facebook group. The winner, thanks to our sponsor Wienerberger, will win £500, a trophy and bragging rights as the best trade! 

This week, Andy is talking to Liz, the Queen of the Facebook group Builders Talk Group, about their joint venture to find out, once and for all, who is the best trade! Trade:Off is our competition to find out who is the best trade and put all the site arguments to bed for once and for all! Each week Andy will be chatting with a different trade about their funniest stories on site, their apprenticeship, why they think they're the best trade and they'll also be having a good moan in the weekly feature Builder's Ballache. At the end of the series, everyone on BTG will be able to vote for the best trade and the winner will receive a trophy and £500 from the sponsor Weinerberger. Search Builders Talk Group on Facebook to register and join in the fun! 

Joining Andy this week is Trev who gives his thoughts from a customer's perspective on the material prices rises, lack of availability of trades people and much more. A few months ago Trev was starting his own project but has now had to do most of it himself because of trades people being so booked up. He's also having to wait months for the materials he needs. Where does this leave customers like Trev? Will this mean more cowboys start up as there's so much work out there? Plus a brilliant builder's ballache from Trev to top off a great podcast!

This week Andy speaks about a major new concern in the construction industry - the theft of materials. After a week away with his kids he's returned to the Perfect 10 charity build he's working on to find a load of materials had been stolen from the site. With the huge increase in material prices and the shortages since Covid, this could be a huge problem. Some people clearly don't want to pay for these materials and can't wait so this means a lot of gear is being nicked. Van and tool theft is already a huge issue, and has been for years, but now it seems materials could also be a concern. Plus, Andy's own Builder's Ballache, and updates on his upcoming media work. 

This week Andy gives an update on the Perfect10 charity build, raising money for the UK construction industry charity The Lighthouse Club. He also gives the heads up on the next few months in relation to building supplies and their prices & availability. The Trade Off competition with the Facebook group Builders Talk Group starts soon so keep  listening for the latest!

Joining Andy this week is Rob from the Mind Your Head podcast. In this in depth discussion they discuss mental health, especially in the UK construction sector. They are both very honest about their struggles and discuss what can be done to improve the perception of mental health issues and what more can be done to help those suffering with it. The suicide rate in the construction industry is worryingly high and Andy and Rob are on a mission to see those numbers come down!

If you're struggling with your mental health right now and would like to talk to someone here are some helpful numbers:

UK: 0345 6051956

Ireland: 1800 939122

0300 1233393

1160123

0800 0684141

0800 585858

03444 775774

0800 0182138

Joining Andy this week is Liz, founder of Builders Talk Group on Facebook. They're announcing a first - a competition to find the best trade. The competition is called "Trade Off" and each week a trade will argue why they're the best trade. Andy will be asking them about the serious stuff from apprenticeships to the tools of their trade and about the fun stuff too as well as looking for the best story from a job! Their version of Builders Ballache will also be key in gaining votes! Have a listen as this is going to be a whole lot of fun with a trophy and some great prizes up for grabs!

With recent price rises and material shortages Andy is joined by carpenter Neal to discuss how this affects all trades. Plus they discuss non payments, delays on jobs and much more in a fascinating insight into a day in the life of a modern day tradesperson!

Joining Andy this week is Nathan Garnett, Director at Media 10 which organises many leading exhibitions including UK Construction Week, Grand Designs Live and Ideal Home exhibition. They discuss how Covid has hit the exhibition and events sector, how the next few exhibitions are looking to be better than ever as well as how many foreign countries are now looking to invest heavily in the UK market and are starting off by promoting their companies at these exhibitions!

This week Sean from PGR Timber returns to join Andy to give an update on the continuing price rises on materials and the shortages the construction sector is facing. We give you the TRUTH - from government projects to media owners to lorry drivers to covid and beyond. This is by far the most informative podcast or report giving you advice and information on the real reasons why prices of materials are rising so much and why we're facing shortages!