BeadMaster
Innovation overview and development
An overview of the product
The BeadMaster product range been developed with electricians and plasterers in mind, but it has also been designed to support large house building companies and building supply resellers. It has been introduced to help streamline the build process, saving on time, resources and cost.
The BeadMaster product range includes:
• Circular frame beads for spotlights
• Square frame beads for single switches / sockets
• Rectangular frame beads for double switches / sockets
There are plans to expand this range in the near future, to encompass other types of services and help streamline building processes further.
The product is simple by design, a plastic plate that sits neatly in the hole the electrician has cut during the first fix. The plate is stapled firmly to the plasterboard allowing the plasterer to quickly and easily skim straight over the top. It is the same thickness as the plaster so is just about visible after, making it easy to find at a later stage.
Once the plasterer, painters and other trades have completed their jobs, the electrician can then work his way around the sockets, switches and spotlights, cutting out the centre section with a hooked blade to reveal a clean, straight bead around the edge, ready for the final fix.
Provide details on how the new product was developed, including effective collaboration, knowledge transfer and partnership along the project team
Such a simple solution to a big problem.
Developed by a trade professional with a true passion for what he does, the BeadMaster™ product portfolio simplifies the installation of switches, sockets and spotlights in new builds, renovations or simple DIY jobs, providing a quality, safe and cost-effective solution that will last for years – and it’s fully recyclable to protect the environment.
Having started out as a trade professional in plastering and transferring his skills to become an electrician, Pete Carter, the inventor of the BeadMaster range, is fully aware of the challenges and on-going implications both trades face including:
• Plaster getting inside sockets, switches and spotlights
• Other trades moving or disturbing a cable position making it difficult to find and potentially damaging it.
• Plastering over cables causing friction with the electrician.
• Cutting random holes in plasterboard or through freshly applied plaster to find missing cables creating more work.
• Making good to damaged plaster around sockets, switches and spotlights, which takes time and patience, requiring return visits with availability implications.
• Safety issues due to live wires and lack of awareness of cable positions.
It helps overcomes an array of costly, time-consuming obstacles to streamline the building process for all involved.
The aask us Team (manufactures of interior systems) recognised and appreciated Pete Carters’ work and entered into a working partnership to bring this fantastic idea to a wider audience.
Working with Quelfire, who is one of the leading manufacturers and suppliers of Specialist Firestopping Products for buildings. The BeadMaster range has been system tested to achieve and we are now very proud to be able to offer a system fire rating with both metal & plastic electrical socket boxes.
How might this product have an influence on the specification
As previous specifications did not list this current finishing detail, we are extremely pleased to now start seeing the BeadMaster range being specified.
Willmott Dixon the national contractor that delivers multi-million pound public and commercial projects, has appreciated the engineering and development of this product range and has implemented the BeadMaster range into their – The Yellow Book. Which is their manual for efficient design, developed to enable their people, supply chain partners, customers and designers to access proven design choices, products and components for their projects.
We have seen that Build Managers, Design Mangers, Quantity Surveyors along with Project Managers have made amendments to project specifications to include BeadMaster in their project specifications for use on new and existing projects.
How the product improved productivity in the process and/or quality and performance of the interior system
The speed of implementation along with the quality finish and safety features provided by the BeadMaster range, provide both short and long-term gains for all stakeholders. Benefits include:
• Cables can be accurately positioned and identified avoiding the need for electricians to randomly cut through newly plastered and painted walls, looking for the cable.
• Once the plate has been fitted it protects the cables, keeps the socket clean from debris and safeguards the plasterer and other trades from potential live connections – reducing damage and risk to the user.
• Makes the plastering process quicker and easier as the plasterer can simply skim over the top without having to manoeuvre around holes.
• The product contains a fire retardant material improving health and safety for all involved in the build process and beyond.
• Guarantees a perfect finish every time with straight lines, clean edges reducing snagging and re-work.
• Relationships between the trades are more harmonious as there is a structured process which helps avoid overlap.
• The product is 100% recyclable, carrying a PP5 code rating.
• Once fitted it creates a sealed unit help reduce loss of heat through gaps, which is increasingly identified with pressure testing.
• Provides an ip54 rating for protection from water.
For example, by using BeadMaster products within new build house, it is estimated it will save around £400-700 per house and reduces the time on site by around 2-5 days. This is due to the fact that the beads help streamline the building process, allowing electricians and plasters to focus on the job in hand without getting in the way of others. Because the finish is clean and accurate, the time needed for snagging is reduced, so less resource is required at the end of the build process.