TrainAR Academy
Your knowledge hub for building and growing a successful UK trades business. Expert guides, resources, and insights from industry professionals.
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Meet the industry experts sharing their knowledge and experience to help you build a successful trades business.
Ryan Dempsey
PropTech, Founder & CEO with a straight-talking approach to #Compliance, #Ai, #RiskManagement & #Data
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Hiring an Apprentice in 2026: UK Pay, Funding, NICs and Onboarding (Construction-Friendly Guide)
A practical 2026 guide for UK construction and trade employers hiring an apprentice: what you must pay, how funding now works under the levy reforms, where NIC savings apply, and how to onboard properly so off-the-job time and expenses do not trigger HMRC minimum wage issues.
Insulation Compliance in 2026: How to Prove Part L (and Avoid a Building Control Fail)
Part L compliance in 2026 is as much about evidence as it is about insulation thickness. This guide explains what Building Control and assessors are looking for, how the Home Energy Model (HEM) changes the workflow, and how to build a clean audit trail with photos, product data, and sign-offs - especially on real-world jobs like loft conversions and upgrades to older stock.
MTD 2026 for UK Trades: What Changes, Who It Hits, and How to Get Compliant Without Losing Weekends
From April 2026, many sole traders and landlords move into Making Tax Digital for Income Tax with quarterly updates - and HMRC is clear that spreadsheets alone are not enough. This guide translates the 2026 rules into a trades workflow: what counts towards the threshold, how quarterly reporting changes your admin rhythm, what “digital evidence” really means on site, and how to set up Xero, QuickBooks or Sage so CIS, materials and VAT don’t become a mess.
WhatsApp & Google Forms: Automated Reviews for Trades (2026)
A practical, compliance-first workflow for UK trade businesses to capture post-job feedback via Google Forms and automate WhatsApp follow-ups that drive genuine Google reviews. Covers tooling, message scripts, audit trails, and the 2025 to 2026 legal realities around reviews, consent, and direct marketing.
2026 Site Logs: Digital Proof with QR & Geofencing
How UK contractors can replace paper sign in sheets with audit ready digital logs using QR codes and geofencing, aligned to 2026 HSE and Building Safety Act expectations. Learn the minimum viable tech stack, workflows and evidence standards that stand up to regulators, insurers and client lawyers.
2026 Fleet Compliance: Automate MOT, Insurance & Tax Alerts with Google & WhatsApp
A practical 2026 guide for UK trades fleets to keep MOT, insurance, tax and brake testing compliant using Google Calendar, WhatsApp and DVLA/DVSA APIs instead of expensive fleet software. Learn how to design an audit ready reminder workflow that stands up to DVSA and Traffic Commissioner scrutiny.