All Features articles – Page 445
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FeaturesStandard bearer
he may not have a construction background but ian livsey is passionate about stamping out cowboy builders. the man in charge of the trustmark initiative reveals how it will be done.
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FeaturesThe new converts
Suzanne and Steve Lazarus wanted to convert the loft of their north London home into a bedroom but were apprehensive after two botched jobs at their property. so they called in a TrustMark builder and here's what happened …
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FeaturesCost model: Primary healthcare
In the latest of our series of cost models for projects of less than £1m, Max Wilkes of Davis Langdon takes a look at the design considerations, funding, procurement, wider development issues and costs involved in the construction of a new-build primary healthcare centre
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FeaturesEdge of darkness
Presently, 12 nuclear power stations provide 22% of Britain's energy. By 2020, all but three will be shut down, oil extraction will be in decline and most of what gas remains will be under Russian control. So, the government is planning to build up to 10 replacement reactors at a ...
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FeaturesDistance learning
Wherever you go in the world, it seems the difficulty of finding, and hanging on to, a reliable builder is an all-too-familiar experience. But can we learn from other countries' efforts to regulate their building industries? Let's see …
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FeaturesDoing the groundwork
Too busy to get involved in trustmark? as The story of the British Association of Landscape Industries shows, trade bodies and their members may already be some way to achieving trustmark status without even realising it
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FeaturesIn safe hands
It's all very well talking the talk, but does being trustmark registered actually mean anything when it comes to carrying out the work? We visited three homes that have recently undergone major works to get the views of the client and contractor. and As the following pages show, there are ...
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FeaturesHere's how it works …
now you know what trustmark does, but how is it organised, who are the approved scheme operators, and how do you go about getting involved? read on and all your questions will be answered …
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FeaturesHow to wing it
As you might imagine, building a bird sanctuary centre on a Welsh island that is accessible only by boat in fine weather is something of a logistical head-scratcher. Here's how the contractor is doing it …
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FeaturesMagnificent sevens
The third Construction Rugby Sevens competition featured splendid running play, 19 extremely fit teams and good support from the industry and the rugby world
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FeaturesSeconds to midnight
Worried about global warming? Don't be - it's too late to do anything about it … In the last of our series on the future of energy, Thomas Lane met James Lovelock, an eminent scientist who thinks at least 80% of the population of the planet is about to be ...
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FeaturesTalking shop
At the first of a regular series of round table discussions with trustmark, representatives from the consumer protection sector had their say on how the initiative could benefit the most vulnerable - and we were there to listen in.
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FeaturesAll together now
trustmark has the potential to pull local anti-cowboy initiatives together and strengthen consumer confidence, says Paul Ramsden, Deputy Chief Executive of the Trading Standards Institute and trustmark board member
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FeaturesThe art of starting up two dozen businesses
Bournemouth Arts Institute's Enterprise Pavilion is an incubator unit for its graduates' fledgling firms. Martin Spring assesses the building's success - artistically and commercially
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FeaturesProjects update: Health and Safety Awards
This special Projects Update showcases the best products and best engineering or design innovations shortlisted for Building's Health and Safety Awards 2006, to be held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on 22 June
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Features
A temporary blip
Construction activity growth fell markedly in March - but don't worry, says Experian Business Strategies, it'll get back on track soon. Plus this quarter the spotlight is on work-in-hand levels
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FeaturesWho ya gonna call?
Building surveyors used to be consultancy's zeroes. Now they're its ‘building busting' heroes, as workload sky-rockets and QS practices launch specialist divisions to trade on their skills.
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FeaturesCheap chic
You remember the old ODPM's competition to design a £60,000 house? Well, thanks to a London prototype and five finalised designs, we can see what we're getting for our money