How to Find a Job in Shop Fittings in Scotland

Whether you’re an experienced job-seeker or just starting out, Scotland is home to many opportunities for shop fitting jobs. The best way to find one is by doing your research and preparing for the application process.

Shop fitting is a trade that involves the fit-out of retail outlets. It involves planning, design and layout and a firm may also offer interior design expertise as well as manufacture bespoke furniture and purchase retail equipment.

Shop Fitting

Shop fittings Scotland is a trade that involves the fit-out of retail outlets like corner shops, department stores, convenience stores, supermarkets and hypermarkets with equipment and fixtures. It is usually carried out by a professional shopfitter who executes planning, designs the shop layout and installs equipment and services. They also bring interior design expertise and assist in the manufacture of bespoke furniture, signage and fittings (with their own or outsourced facilities) as well as purchasing retail equipment.

Whether you are opening a small coffee shop or a large food chain, it is important to plan your shop fit out carefully. This is not only to ensure that your space is functional but that it is attractive to customers and reflects your brand. You should consider things like lighting, checkouts and window displays. Then you can select the most suitable products and materials for your needs.

A successful shopfitter should be able to deliver high-quality work in a fast turnaround time. They should also have a good understanding of safety regulations and be able to manage a team of people. In addition, they should be able to deal with budgeting and cost control issues. The price of a shop fit will depend on the level of specification, so it is important to research the market and get quotes from various companies before you make a decision.

Construction Skills

You can start a career in shopfitting by getting a Construction Skills Certification Scheme card, which you can get through your local college or training provider. Alternatively, you can apply for an apprenticeship with a construction firm. This is a great way to get on-the-job experience and learn the industry.

Once you have enough experience, you can move into a supervisory role, such as foreman or project manager. You can also join the PAS 82 shopfitting scheme, which shows that you meet the health and safety requirements for your industry. This is important because your business may engage in activities that are considered to be hazardous to workers and members of the public.

Fitting Out

PDS Shop Fitting Aberdeen Ltd was established in 2016 by Paul Stone following 16 years experience in the fast paced world of shop fitting. It is a company that brings high octane, high quality and fast turnaround to the commercial and domestic construction industry, by delivering projects on time and within budget.

Shop fitting is a trade that involves the fit-out of retail outlets like corner shops, department stores, convenience shops, supermarkets and hypermarkets with equipment and fixtures. The job is executed by a shop fitter who executes all planning, design and layout of the shop and also installs equipment and services. The service can include professional expertise in interior design, manufacturing of bespoke furniture, signage and fittings and also the purchasing of retail equipment.

We were delighted to be appointed by Marcon as their preferred contractor to carry out the fit-out of this new Timberland store in Buchanan Street, Glasgow. The project included a full strip out of the existing unit and a new bespoke shop fit with associated civils works, mechanical and electrical, life safety services, specialist joinery, ceilings and flooring.

Asbestos

Asbestos was used in the construction of buildings for many years as it has good thermal and acoustic properties and is fire and chemical resistant. During the 20th century asbestos was used in everything from fire blankets and oven gloves to all kinds of building insulation materials such as cladding, roof tiles, guttering, partitions and pipe and heating lagging. The problem was that when these materials were disturbed or damaged they released dangerous fibres into the air that can be inhaled and can cause serious health problems such as lung cancer and mesothelioma.

It was banned in 1999 but unfortunately some of the materials are still present in buildings and pose a risk to anyone working on them, especially electricians. Any work that might disturb ACM should be surveyed by a licensed asbestos contractor before it is carried out. The HSE also produces a number of essential task sheets for those carrying out non-licensed works on asbestos containing materials (opens in new window).

Some of the most common forms of ACM that can be found in a home include:

Category I nonfriable ACM which are hard, tough, and not easily crumbled or crushed and includes packing, gaskets, resilient floor coverings and asphalt roofing products. Category II friable ACM which can be crushed or crumbled and includes asbestos panelling, ceiling tiles and textured paints.

ACM Fibers

Both types of ACM should not be touched as even if they are in good condition and not damaged they can release deadly fibres that can be inhaled and cause serious illnesses such as mesothelioma, asbestosis and lung cancer. However, it is important to remember that these diseases do not show up immediately and can take between 10 and 40 years to develop.

The best way to test whether or not something contains asbestos is by using an asbestos tester, which can detect the presence of any fibres in a sample. These can be bought at most DIY stores and are fairly simple to use. When taking a sample, it is a good idea to lightly wet the area with a fine water mist so that any asbestos fibres are not spread around the room. A small amount of detergent can be added to the water to help it penetrate the asbestos fibres better.

Insurance

Every business, no matter the size, should have some kind of insurance in place. However, the exact policies and cover required will depend on a wide range of factors. For example, shop fitters may be engaged in activities that could pose a risk to the public and it’s important to have a good level of public liability insurance in place. This will protect you if, for example, a member of the public is injured on your premises or if your work causes damage to their property.