The number of women venturing into roles in the construction industry is still modest, but is growing year by year. Since 2022, around 14-16% of the UK construction workforce have been female, with more women entering the sector from higher education. In 2023, The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported 340,000 women employed by the sector, an increase of 3.2% since 2019. As construction becomes an increasingly popular and attractive career pathway for women, however, ensuring women’s safety and well-being on-site remains paramount.

Timber frame construction is the oldest form of building technology, and there is evidence of wooden buildings in Britain dating back to the Neolithic period (4000- 2500 BCE). Archaeological sites in Balbridie in Scotland and Lismore Fields in Derbyshire have revealed a range of complex rectangular buildings with sturdy timber frames, wattle and daub walls, and thatched roofs.

Among the issues facing the incoming Labour government are long term, structural difficulties within the UK construction sector. It’s not that there’s any shortage of demand.

Society is finally coming around to the realisation that mental health is important. Putting on a ‘stiff upper lip’ and suppressing mental distress does nobody any favours. 

31 July 2024 was a hot and busy day for SC4 Carpenters, with 15 Crane lifts of Roofs and Timber Frame over 3 sites.

If you don't work harder at school you'll end up on a building site.

How many boys (and girls) heard this and thought "that's not the career for me"?

This article discusses how can changing attitudes towards neurodivergence and those with creative skills can help relieve skills shortages in the Construction Industry.

And that we should be valuing these skills in childhood and pride in neurodivergent people, not knocking them for the very skills the industry needs.

SC4 carpenter, Josh Whitfield, and SC4 apprentice carpenter, Jason Randall, both received Lovell's Site Operative of the Month awards in July 2024 for "going above and beyond".

First fix carpentry is the crucial initial phase of carpentry work in any construction project, responsible for creating the structural elements of the building before the finishing touches are applied.

Fire is a terrifying and pervasive risk on construction sites, and although loss of life is thankfully rare, Home Office statistics reported 1,851 fires on construction sites in England between 2014 and 2019. These fires cause £millions in damage each year and pose a direct risk to public safety, as well as the lives and health of workers.

Transitioning from the first fix (structural timber work) to the second fix carpentry stage (fixtures and fittings) is a critical phase in any building project. Seamlessly integrating both tasks is the key to creating a building that is structurally sound and aesthetically pleasing.

SC4 Carpenters Ltd is thrilled to announce that Katy Hall, one of the owner/directors or SC4 Carpenters Ltd, has been shortlisted for 3 awards at the Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering awards 2024.

10-16 June 2024 is Men's Health Week. Did you know that men are less likely to seek mental health support, and they account for 75% of all suicides worldwide? Men make up over 90% of those working on a construction site and workers in construction are at some of the highest risk of suicide in the country, with rates in the industry over three times higher than the national average.

This ADHD Productivity Cheat Sheet includes 10 Tips to Boost Productivity for Neurodivergent People, because standard methodologies, tips and tricks aimed at neurotypical brains don't work and can leave someone who is neurodivergent feeling like a failure.

Asbestos is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral that was used in construction in insulation, flooring, and roofing until the late 1990s. It has become infamous for causing life-limiting health complications, including asbestosis (the scarring of lung tissue), mesothelioma, and lung cancer, particularly among workers who were in close contact with the material during construction and demolition projects.

As a contractor or contractor-developer, you understand the significance of selecting the right specialist trade contractor to support your new-build housing projects. Working with the right specialist contractor can significantly impact your project's success, bringing in further expertise, experience, quality assurance, project management capabilities, and a strong commitment to health and safety. This eBook delves into the key aspects that a competent specialist trade contractor can contribute to your new-build housing development.

Katy Hall is a neurodivergent (ND) woman who has been working in technology & construction since the 1980s. In this article she shares how being neurodivergent affects her and the benefits she believes she brings to her role.

This year’s International Women’s Day (IWD) falls on Friday 8th March 2024. 10 years ago in 2014, International Women’s Day, also on 8th March, as always, took the theme of ‘equality for women is progress for all’. This year’s IWD is a good opportunity to reflect on how far we’ve come in terms of that vision in the UK construction sector over the past decade, and where further improvements can be made.

As we look forward to International Women’s Day next month (8th March 2024), a lot of construction industry stakeholders and thought leaders are reflecting on the position of women in the industry and how things can be improved. Without ignoring the huge improvements in female involvement in the sector, there is still clearly a long way to go – with at most 16% of British industry workers being women.

SC4 Carpenters Ltd completed the turnkey construction of this A-rated timber frame, timber clad, eco home in just 7 months.  The finished home is a warm, efficient, bright, spacious and comfortable place to live. This bungalow is all electric with multiple eco and sustainable features including air source heat pump (ASHP), solar photovoltaic panels (PV) and storage battery, and a mechanical ventilation and heat recovery (MVHR) system.

In January 2024, the Sustainability Tool, in collaboration with the Supply Chain Sustainability School’s Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR) Programme, published its UK built environment diversity survey. This survey of more than 526,000 people provides a detailed record of diversity data and pinpoints areas for improvement.

UK National Apprenticeship Week 2024, taking place between 5^th and 11^th of February, is a great time to explore what a carpentry and joinery apprenticeship involves and its practical aspects, and if this could be the right path for you into the construction industry.

This Timber Frame Installation crane day shows two roofs (top hats) being removed and first floor panels installed. Then the roofs went back on, ready for the roofers. At SC4, we’re an established commercial joinery and carpentry business with more than 20 years of experience delivering top-quality carpentry,

Two 2023 surveys from the Association of Project Managers and On the Tools suggest that around half of Construction Project Managers and Tradespeople describe themselves as Neurodivergent. 

Reassuringly, 9 out of 10 Neurodivergent Project Managers in Construction say their employers have made changes to accommodate their needs.

In this, the second part of our mini-series on women in construction, we tackle some of the most commonly asked questions surrounding the role of women in the industry.