Finance & Tax
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Aaron McLeish
Specialist P&H Accountant, Author of The Quote Handbook & The Systems Handbook
AI Knowledge Base · Free for UK Trades
Your knowledge hub for UK trades.
Every fault code. Every regulation.
Expert guides and creator-led playbooks, plus the UK's most comprehensive AI knowledge base across gas, plumbing, electrical, renewables, and safety.
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The podcast · Coming soon
Van Talk
The Trades Podcast
Real talk. Real trades. Real future.
Episode one drops soon. Watch this space.
Editor's picks
Featured guides
Browse all 125 articles
NewThe Complete Guide to Trades Business Software Stacks by Company Size (2026 UK Edition)
A practical breakdown of the software tools UK trades businesses actually need at each stage of growth, from sole trader through to 50-plus engineers, with real costs, real user opinions, and integration advice.
18 min
Case Studies & Playbooks
·2 months ago→
AI Agents for Trades Customer Communication (2026)
2026 UK guide to AI agents like OpenClaw for 24/7 WhatsApp customer communication. Setup steps, costs and self-hosted vs …
·2 months agoNEW
17 min
Finance & Tax
·8 days ago→
Cash Flow Forecasting for Trades: The 90-Day Rolling Forecast That Prevents Business Failure
Build a 90-day rolling cash flow forecast that spots trouble weeks before it hits. Practical spreadsheet method, …
·8 days agoNEW
16 min
Integrations
·13 days ago→
BigChange + Xero + Make.com: Fleet-Wide Job Costing That Updates in Real-Time
2026 UK guide to connecting BigChange, Xero and Make.com for real-time fleet job costing. Vehicle tracking plus …
·13 days ago
About TrainAR Academy
Practical, operator-led education for UK trades businesses that want to stop fire-fighting and start scaling.
The TrainAR Academy is the operating manual the UK trades industry never had. Written by people who have actually run plumbing, gas, electrical, and renewables businesses, and the operators who build the technology that supports them.
We don't publish generic advice. Every guide, playbook, template, and automation workflow on this site comes from someone who's done the work: accountants who specialise in trades, founders running 50-engineer service businesses, compliance specialists who write the standards.
Free, forever. No paywalls, no upsells, no email-gate. The whole library, articles, templates, the AI knowledge base, is open to UK tradespeople.
About TrainAROperator-led
Every article is written or shaped by someone who's run the work for years: accountants, engineers, founders.
Built for 2026
UK-specific. Current regs, current pricing, current software. We update guides as MTD, BSA, and MCS rules change.
Always free
The full archive, guides, templates and the AI knowledge base, is free for UK tradespeople. No paywall, no email-gate.
Backed by TrainAR
The academy is published by TrainAR, the AR-powered training platform for UK trades and construction.
Academy Spotlight Creators
Meet the industry experts sharing their knowledge and experience to help you build a successful trades business.
Hiring, Training & HR
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Alison Warner
Trades Coach, Author of Build and Grow, UK's Best Business Woman 2021
Tools, Materials & Tech
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Russell Mills
ServiceM8 Specialist, Innovation Consultant & TrainAR Investor
Compliance & Safety
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Ryan Dempsey
Founder & CEO of TCW, Fellow of the IET (FIET), PropTech CEO of the Year 2021 & 2022
Now recruiting senior engineers · Limited intakes
Record once. Earn royalties forever.
The TrainAR Curator Programme pays senior UK engineers to train the next generation. You wear our AR glasses on jobs you're already doing, your sessions train apprentices and improvers across the country, and you earn evergreen royalties every time they're used.
£800
INMO Air 3 included
£0
Cost to take part
251K
UK engineers needed by 2028
AR glasses, included
£800 INMO Air 3 sent to you on acceptance. Records the job from your perspective, hands free. Yours to keep.
Evergreen royalties
Record once. Every time an apprentice or improver trains on your session, you get paid. Passive income from real work you've already done.
Close the skills gap
The UK is short 251,500 engineers by 2028 and 44% of apprentices drop out. The knowledge that fixes it is in your head. We pay you to put it on the glasses.
Hand-selected
Limited intakes per trade: gas, plumbing, electrical, renewables, HVAC. Multi-trade engineers welcome. We onboard you properly so the content is up to standard.
Explore by Category
From business operations to compliance, find expert guidance for every aspect of your trades business.
Business & Operations icon
Business & Operations
Streamline your trade business operations.
Explore guides
9 articles
Finance & Tax icon
Finance & Tax
Financial management and tax guidance for trades.
Explore guides
12 articles
Marketing & Sales icon
Marketing & Sales
Grow your business with proven marketing strategies.
Explore guides
12 articles
Hiring, Training & HR icon
Hiring, Training & HR
Build and manage your team effectively.
Explore guides
11 articles
Compliance & Safety icon
Compliance & Safety
Stay compliant and keep your team safe.
Explore guides
11 articles
Tools, Materials & Tech icon
Tools, Materials & Tech
Technology and equipment for modern trades.
Explore guides
14 articles
How-to Guides icon
How-to Guides
Step-by-step guides for common tasks.
Explore guides
10 articles
Case Studies & Playbooks icon
Case Studies & Playbooks
Real-world examples and actionable playbooks.
Explore guides
13 articles
Templates & Resources icon
Templates & Resources
Downloadable templates and resources.
Explore guides
12 articles
Integrations icon
Integrations
Connect your tools and workflows.
Explore guides
14 articles
Wired around what you actually fit
Pick your trade. Get the playbook that runs it.
Real guides from people who've been on the tools, plus an AI knowledge base that knows the difference between a Vaillant and a Vokèra. No fluff, no filler.
Gas engineers
Fault codes for the boilers you fit. Brand bibles. Gas Safe paperwork that doesn't bounce.
Plumbers
Water Regs in plain English. Unvented G3 sign-offs. Drainage you only dig up once.
Electricians
BS 7671 without the textbook. Part P, EICR renewals, test sheets that pass first time.
Renewables installers
Heat pump sizing that survives MCS audit. Solar PV that pays. BUS grant paperwork sorted.
Heating engineers
Hydronic balancing that actually balances. Commissioning checklists. Controls people can use.
Builders & contractors
CDM 2015 you can hand a labourer. Building Safety Act. CIS returns HMRC don't bin.
Trades business owners
Hire without panic. Scale without breaking what works. Pick a software stack that survives the van.
Operators & dispatchers
ServiceM8, Commusoft, BigChange — wired into Make.com, n8n and Xero. The joins that hold.
Latest from the Academy
Fresh guides and playbooks
Operator-grade content from UK trades professionals: quoting, hiring, compliance, automation.
How to Build a Google Reviews Automation System for Your Trades Business
The complete automation playbook for growing your Google review count. Trigger on payment, screen sentiment with AI, send one-tap SMS or WhatsApp requests. Stack with ServiceM8, n8n, or Make.com. Built for UK trades in 2026.
Benchmarking Your Trades Business: Key Operational Metrics and How You Compare
How do your margins, hourly rate, quote conversion and debtor days stack up against UK trades benchmarks? Real 2026 numbers from SNIPEF, FMB, Level CFO and Coface, plus the seven metrics every trades business owner should track this quarter.
Job Profitability Analysis: How to Know Which Jobs Make You Money (and Which Do Not)
How to track labour, materials, travel, and overhead on every job, find which job types lose you money, and use AI to spot patterns no human spreadsheet ever will.
Portable Generators and Power Stations for Job Sites: Fuel, Battery, and Hybrid Compared
A 2026 buying guide for UK trades comparing petrol, diesel, inverter, and battery power stations for jobsite use. Real prices, noise levels, runtime, and the hybrid setup most mobile trades should actually buy.
Heat Pump Monitoring + FSM Platform Integration: Automated Fault Detection and Dispatch
Connect Vaillant aroTHERM, Daikin Altherma or Mitsubishi Ecodan monitoring APIs to Commusoft or ServiceM8 with n8n. Catch faults before the customer phones, dispatch the right engineer first time, and turn callouts into planned maintenance work.
Set up QuickBooks for CIS compliance: Construction Industry Scheme step-by-step
A step-by-step UK guide to setting up QuickBooks Online for CIS deductions, monthly returns, and the VAT reverse charge. Practical, no fluff, configured properly from day one.
The full library
Every guide. Every playbook. Free for UK trades.
125
Articles
7
Creators
10
Categories
FAQ · 17 answers
Everything you'd want to know about the Academy
Skim the answers, or open one to dig in.
Academy What is TrainAR Academy?
TrainAR Academy is a free educational resource for UK trades and construction businesses. It publishes practical operator-led playbooks, downloadable templates, and an AI-powered knowledge base covering gas, plumbing, electrical, renewables, compliance, finance, hiring, marketing, and automation. The Academy is published by TrainAR, the AR-powered training platform for UK trades.
Academy Who is the Academy for?
It's built for UK tradespeople and trades business owners: gas engineers, plumbers, electricians, renewables installers, heating engineers, builders, multi-trade businesses, and the people running operations behind a trades business (finance, dispatch, hiring, marketing). Every guide is written for real UK regulations, software, and pricing.
Academy Is the Academy really free?
Yes. The full library, over 100 articles, downloadable templates, and the Intelligence knowledge base with 2,549+ technical files and 43,000+ fault codes, is free for UK tradespeople. No paywall, no email gate, no upsell. The optional newsletter is available but not required.
Academy What does TrainAR mean?
TrainAR is the parent company: an AR-powered (augmented reality) training platform for UK trades and construction professionals. The Academy is the editorial arm: written guides and the AI knowledge base alongside the AR training products.
Content Who writes the content?
Articles are written or shaped by Spotlight Creators, practitioners running real trades businesses (founders, accountants who specialise in trades, compliance specialists, software founders). Every creator has a profile listing their professional background, published works, and media contributions.
Content How often is new content added?
New guides are published weekly. Existing articles are updated as UK regulations change: Making Tax Digital phases, Building Safety Act requirements, MCS scheme updates, Gas Safe and Part P notification rules, F-Gas obligations, and CDM 2015 thresholds.
Content What topics does the Academy cover?
Ten categories: Business & Operations, Finance & Tax, Marketing & Sales, Hiring, Training & HR, Compliance & Safety, Tools, Materials & Tech, How-to Guides, Case Studies & Playbooks, Templates & Resources, and Integrations. Cross-cutting topics include automation (n8n, Make.com, Zapier), AI tooling, job management software (ServiceM8, Commusoft, BigChange), and accounting (Xero, QuickBooks, Sage).
Content Can I use Academy content commercially?
You can read and apply it freely in your own business. Republishing whole articles needs written permission. Quote excerpts with attribution and a link back. Templates marked with a download badge are licensed for direct use in your business.
Intelligence What is the Intelligence knowledge base?
Intelligence is an AI-searchable library of 2,549 technical files covering 19 disciplines: 43,132+ boiler and appliance fault codes, BS 7671 wiring regulations, Water Regs, MCS standards, HSE compliance, F-Gas handling, and more. You can browse by discipline, search by keyword, or ask the AI any technical question.
Intelligence How does the AI chat work?
The chat bubble in the bottom-right opens a conversation with our AI agent. It searches the Intelligence knowledge base in real time and answers in plain English, citing the specific fault codes, regulations, or technical pages it drew from. Best for: fault diagnosis, regulation lookups, brand-specific guidance.
Intelligence Which brands and regulations are covered?
Gas: 70+ boiler brands including Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Baxi, Ideal, Glow-worm, Ferroli, Alpha. Electrical: BS 7671 18th Edition Amendment 3, Part P, EICR. Plumbing: G3 unvented cylinders, Water Regs 1999. Renewables: MCS certification, F-Gas, MIS 3001/3002/3003, BUS scheme. Safety: HASAWA 1974, CDM 2015, COSHH, Building Safety Act 2022.
Curator What is the TrainAR Curator Programme?
The Curator Programme pays senior UK engineers to wear our AR glasses (INMO Air 3, £800 included) on real jobs they're already doing. Their recordings train apprentices and improvers across the country, and the curator earns evergreen royalties every time a session is used.
Curator Who can apply to be a Curator?
Senior, experienced UK engineers: gas, plumbing, electrical, renewables, HVAC. Multi-trade engineers welcome. Hand-selected, with limited intakes per trade so we can onboard you properly. There is no cost to take part; successful applicants sign a creator and data-sharing agreement at onboarding.
Curator How do Curator royalties work?
You record a session once. Every time an apprentice or improver trains on that session, you get paid. Income is passive and evergreen. Your work continues earning as the next generation trains on it. Royalty rates and pay-out cadence are confirmed in your onboarding agreement.
Podcast When does Van Talk launch?
Van Talk, TrainAR's trades podcast, drops episode one soon. Real conversations with the UK trades operators behind the playbooks. Follow the Academy or join the waitlist on trainar.ai to get notified at launch.
Practical Where can I download templates?
Templates and downloadable resources are tagged with the "Templates & Resources" category. Each template guide includes the file (Word, PDF, Google Sheets, or Excel) and a setup walkthrough. Recent additions: weekly team meeting agenda, ServiceM8 invoice template, trades business financial dashboard.
Practical How do I get notified when new guides are published?
Subscribe to the weekly Friday newsletter from any page. We send the week's new guides, fault-code deep dives, and operator-grade automation workflows straight to your inbox. No spam, unsubscribe anytime.