All Features articles – Page 640
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Features
Buy now, save later
Expense is putting smaller construction firms off IT – but only if they haven’t looked at the costs of not investing. But how can they find out what’s right for them?
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Features
Beatrice goes on site at Coin Street
The jobBeatrice spent two weeks getting to grips with all areas of contracting at Mansell’s major works division. She spent most of her time on site at an £11m residential scheme for the Coin Street Community Builders near Waterloo Station in London. David Stones, managing director of Mansell’s London Major ...
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Features
Appointments
Contractors Ballast Wiltshier chief executive Bob Heathfield has been made chairman. He has also joined the management executive committee of its Dutch parent, Ballast Nedam.William Underwood has been appointed non-executive director at Middlewich-based Pochin.HousebuilderPersimmon Homes has promoted Ian Hessay to deputy managing director in the Yorkshire region.ConsultantsConsulting engineer Donald Smith ...
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Features
Does the Construction Act really work?
According to a Building/CMS Cameron McKenna survey, subcontractors are grumbling about its payment system, lawyers are using it to sandbag the opposition, and almost everyone has reservations about its adjudication rules. Two years on and with a review imminent, should changes be made?
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Features
Clare’s seven days as a surveyor
The jobClare spent one week and two days in the quantity surveying department at Citex. QS Melissa Martin drew up a timetable of events so that Clare would sample building surveying, project management and facilities management. The assignment also included a number of site visits. Week oneMonday I meet Melissa ...
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Features
Danger – slippery law
If an adjudicator makes a decision that contains an obvious mistake, then tough. It’s supposed to be a rough-and-ready system for settling disputes … But then again, surely that’s too ridiculous to be true?
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Features
200-mile-high club
An orbital hotel sounds like science fiction, but it might soon be construction fact. If one international design firm has its way, you could be checking in to space in less than 20 years.
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Features
Strange ways
The Institute of Personnel and Development’s Angela Baron delves into the wacky world of management training.
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Features
Mr Rethink
The boss of award-winning housebuilder Westbury is rising to the challenges of the stock market and the Internet.
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Features
What are your intentions?
Does a letter of intent constitute a contract? It depends what the parties’ intention is and what’s in the letter. If you want a legally binding document, it’s best to write it as a mini-contract.
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Features
From here to eternity
Chartres, Notre Dame, Salisbury – LA. Can today’s structural engineers measure up to their medieval forerunners and produce a future-proof cathedral in the world’s most notorious earthquake zone?
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Features
Double exposure?
You can’t pursue the same case in two tribunals at the same time, but if you have litigation or arbitration under way, you can still refer it to adjudication to get a quick, interim decision.
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Features
Dot-coms quick on the draw
Two on-line services have beaten the government in the race against the cowboys. Improveline and hi-revolution are offering householders a database of vetted and reliable contractors – so why does anybody need the quality mark?
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Features
Cost model: Multiplex cinemas
Since 1985, nearly 2000 multiplex cinemas have opened, mainly on out-of-town sites. Now government planning guidance is forcing cinema operators back into town centres. Cost consultant Davis Langdon & Everest examines the design, specification and costs of urban multiplexes
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Features
Your new best friend
A good relationship with your bank manager can prove vital for the survival of your business. Accountant Smith & Williamson looks at how to keep the bank on your side.
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Features
Appointments
ContractorsRay Shine and Andrew Wyllie have been appointed directors of the construction division at Taylor Woodrow. David White has become finance director. Tony Bickerstaff, Roger Blundell, Neil Johnson, Tim Peach, Graham Quinion, Norman Reed and Gerald Slack have been made divisional directors. Richard Dean has been made managing director of ...
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Features
Don’t buy Beta
In the future, everyone in the building industry will use one data management system. Trouble is, no one knows which it will be. HBG’s Graham Cash hopes he’s backed the winner.
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Features
Because we’re worth it
Sharks, parasites, bloodsuckers … whatever your favourite term for lawyers, the fact is, you need us. The fees may be high, but that’s only because our skills get your buildings built when nobody else can.
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Features
Adjudication’s added value
Arguments about whether there is a contract can be more expensive to resolve than the argument about whatever the argument’s about. But adjudication is set to change all that.
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Features
Undercutting is over
The new best-value regime promises to put creativity and innovation back into the local authority tendering process, but, as commentators point out, it may come as a shock to the established system.