The TBS Blog

TBS are proud to be stockists for Roto R7 Roof Windows. They’re proving popular! What makes them different from conventional centre pivot windows?

The rotation axis is in the top third of the window, not half way.

This means lots more headroom. You can stand upright to enjoy the view! It also means there is a minimal amount of window protruding back into your room space.

Fitting the R7 couldn’t be easier. It comes with the necessary brackets already pre-fitted, so you can take the window from the box and put it straight into the roof. The windows are made in Germany and carry a 15-year warranty. There is a 3-point locking system for all-round safety. And the whole system is operated by just one handle placed at the bottom.

All TBS branches have demonstration Roto windows fitted. So come and see, or you can find more details from the Roto website: http://www.roto-frank.com/?country=uk&lang=uk

No, you didn’t have one too many beers – this place really exists! At Trassenheide, on the Baltic coast of Germany, you can visit the Upside Down House.

It isn’t just the shell that’s been designed that way, either. All the interior is upside down too: furniture, fittings and fixtures. The local tourist board advertises it with the slogan “The world on its head”.Visitors usually comment that it makes you feel very strange – the brain doesn’t know what to make of all that familiar stuff in a totally unfamiliar context.

It makes you wonder how the tradesmen felt who constructed and fitted out the place!

Here are a couple of shots of the work being done. For more, click here. CLICK ON IMAGES TO ENLARGE THEM.

I guess you could practise with magnets or a very strong adhesive…?

This is a genuine, undoctored picture taken by one of our yard staff at TBS Southam. Pretty scary, huh? Only happens to old guys, you say? This one was 22 years old. He’d been using a powered wall sander, but you can get the dreaded “white fingers” off breakers, hammer drills, chainsaws or any other power tool which vibrates a lot.

Early symptoms to watch out for are:

• Tingling and numbness in the fingers (which can cause sleep disturbance).
• Not being able to feel things with your fingers.
• Loss of strength in your hands (you may be less able to pick up or hold heavy objects).
• In the cold and wet, the tips of your fingers going white then red and being painful on recovery (vibration white finger).

This web page has plenty of information about Hand Arm Vibration and the measures you can take to lessen the chances of it happening to you, as well as whom you can contact if you need more help or advice.

Help! What’s going on? A disaster in the foundations? Or maybe the floors inside the building are level and just the exterior lopsided, for effect?

And then you look at the corner of the adjoining roof, and the trees, and you realise the camera was skewed to take the picture. THIS is what it really looks like:

Built on quite a slope. Mind you, the first one looks kinda cool…

How about something a little different and a bit special for your driveway? And how about a great special offer price?

Flamingo Chippings, from Long Rake Spar, are an angular 14-20mm product which mixes several colours into an attractive whole: rose pink, white and grey. This makes for variety – and for beauty when they’re wet.

Flamingo Chippings are perfectly suited to any garden pathway, driveway or landscaping project.

And at TBS they are on SPECIAL OFFER until 30 June: £4.30 + VAT per 25kg bag.

“Pretty Flamingo” was a single by Manfred Mann that was no.1 in the charts in May 1966, by the way. Just showing off…

Enjoy the Bank Holiday, everyone!

Click on image to see it in all its glory

Or rather, it’s Tony, our wonderful delivery driver from TBS Southam, on a very wet day. A big-up to you, Sir!

Click to enlarge – and set your imagination free!

The footholds tell you that this is one of those scary old French hole-in-the-ground toilets – apparently, crouching is the healthiest position for evacuation!

It looks like they’re modernising in France…

Recognise it? It’s the good old octagonal Builder’s Mixing Spot, or Builder’s Tray, ideal for mixing concrete and mortar in. We stock these at TBS (see here).

Well, it seems these beauties are being used for other purposes. If you have kids, how about getting a Mixing Spot for play activities. Here are a few examples (click on images to enlarge).

Need more ideas? Here is how North Yorkshire County Council are using Builder’s Spots for children’s education, including miniature nature gardens.