All Features articles – Page 665
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Features
PFI revolution fails to inspire
The public-private body that will provide money and advice for PFI projects has been unveiled – to a chorus of scepticism on its ability to reconcile private profit with the public good.
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Features
When winning doesn't pay
In general, the unsuccessful party pays the successful party's costs in a trial of preliminary issues. However, this ain't necessarily so.
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Features
Councils forced into Egan era
From April 2000, local authorities will be asked to abandon compulsory competitive tendering for best-value procurement. But will they?
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Features
Clash points
JCT98 is guilty of aiding and abetting inefficiency. Take its extensions of time clause – the list of relevant events includes items that clearly should be the responsibility of the contractor.
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Features
Clash points
Yes, the clause should be redrafted, but Ann exaggerates its vulnerability to exploitation by inefficient contractors. In fact, inefficient architects are much more likely to benefit.
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Features
Appointments
ContractorsStourbridge-based MJC Construction has appointed Simon Jones contracts manager. David Hollick has been appointed special works manager and Tony Shaw becomes chief estimator.Stansell has appointed Bill Badham area director for Bristol.Stan Bakowski has been appointed director of Frederick J French.Housebuilders John Tutte has been promoted to group managing director at ...
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Features
Adjudication: a case for change
Failure to comply with procedural requirements could jeopardise the validity of adjudication, but a Court of Appeal judgment may force a look at the effect of the non-compliance rather than the letter of the law.
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Features
The speed trap
Clients often assume they can demand that contractors finish by Christmas, variations or no variations. In fact, they can t, unless the contractor agrees and then the bill may be bigger than they anticipated.
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Features
Off the shelf
Sending CAD designs via e-mail and the Internet is hardly new,but now Sainsbury's is insisting its consultants use its new system rather than the post or couriers or suffer the consequences.
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Features
Salford wins silver
Salford's steel-clad arts centre may not shimmer quite like Gehry's Guggenheim, but the complex lottery scheme is successfully attracting development and staying within its budget.
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Features
Meet the mystery shopper
How seriously should you take Andrew Goodall, the 36-year-old unknown who tried to buy Alfred McAlpine? It depends if you are next on his list.
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Features
Can you manage it?
Project management in construction has a lot to learn from science and engineering, where the manager aims to understand the client totally.
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Features
Try a little tenderness
Clients need care and attention. What's more, they are more likely than ever before to decide that they can live without you. So, how do you retain their affections?
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Features
John McCarthy
He trained as a carpenter but before you could say "self-starter", the McCarthy & Stone boss had earned his first million. Now his retirement homebuilding business makes profits that turn contractors green with envy.
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Features
The spin starts here
The government has appointed a PR company to "counteract inaccurate stories" in the press about Portcullis House. As the media campaign begins, Building asks members of the public what they think of the £250m MPs' building.
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Features
Whole-life cost model
Last week, Building published a call centre cost model; this week, Citex compares the whole-life capital and occupancy costs of two Midlands call centres and a model building. With 400 000 Britons now working in this sector and a predicted growth rate of 40% a year, there are valuable lessons ...
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Features
Child labour
Lawyer Ian Hunter explains how the new Employment Relations Bill will affect maternity and paternity rights.
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Features
Not blind before the law
Lord Denning's career as a judge dedicated to common sense and the righting of wrongs is worth celebrating especially by companies in the construction industry.
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Features
Appointments
Contractors Building and civil engineering contractor Dean & Dyball has promoted Adrian Dyball to managing director of construction. Barry Seeley and Peter Walton have been promoted to directors of Dover-based Barwick Construction. Alfred McAlpine Construction has made Andrew Nash business development manager for civil ...
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Features
The Building top 50
If you care more about making money than turning it over, you ought to consider a career in housebuilding; if you want to be a contractor, maybe you should consider branching out into the services sector. That's the message in the latest survey of who's earning, selling and making what ...