Opinion – Page 339
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CommentGod help the first-time buyer
They won’t be getting a lot of assistance from banks, government, housebuilders or themselves. And that’s not good news for the rest of the market
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CommentThe 2010 Building Awards: Projects shortlist showcase
Hard not to have a wiggle in your walk when you see the cornucopia of building projects shortlisted for the 2010 Building Awards
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CommentRichard Steer: Where in the world are consultants going?
Spare a thought for Britain’s poor consultants as they fall victim to rich Americans. And spare a thought for the Americans as they tremble at the rise of Chinese power …
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Budget figures confirm the urgent need for new sources of investment in construction
As if in compensation for all the anticipation before and excitement during the Budget announcement, we are left with the dull thud back to reality afterwards.Certainly, for construction the Budget itself changed little of substance.Alright the first-time buyer stamp duty holiday was an eye-catching cheeky move. But we all know ...
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Stamp duty - a tax rise that looks set to win votes
There is obvious glee within the housing market about the prospects of a two-year period free of stamp duty for those first-time buyers who purchase properties worth less than £250,000.The £250,000 threshold captures practically all of them, with significantly less than 10% of exceptions that will be mainly resident in ...
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Comforting data ahead of the budget
As the Chancellor Alistair Darling puts his final touches to the Budget he will be relieved by the recent spate of comforting data.Last Wednesday we had employment statistics showing that the unemployment was falling.On Thursday the figures on public finances were far healthier than expected, with the Institute for Fiscal ...
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Focus on the here and now Mr Darling
With the sound of warnings from the European Commission ringing in Alistair Darling’s ears that his plans to halve the UK’s £178 billion deficit in four years “lacks ambition”, just what should be announced in Wednesday’s Budget?What is likely is that it won’t contain as much detail as many, including ...
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Tax, tax, tax and more tax – a rallying cry for construction
This is a rant.Why? Because I can't help myself. I tried to hold back.I read the first three chapters of the Low Carbon Construction Innovation & Growth Team emerging findings and I am now deeply saddened.I didn’t bother with the remaining chapters, but did eyeball the recommendations.I was not saddened ...
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Unspoken risks
Managing the issue of violence in the workplace can begin with simple steps to identify and managing policy
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CommentStarving artist syndrome
The BA saga might be giving unions a controversial reputation, but a more organised workforce wouldn’t go amiss in the architecture profession right now
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Mipim 2010: More business, less champagne
Sitting on the terrace at the Villa Francia, waiting for the airport transfer, I wonder - what to make of the 2010 vintage? Well, for one thing it has been the coldest Mipim I have been to for a long time.Anyone sitting on the Riviera seafront in the sunshine for ...
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CommentHansom: Dog eat dog
The law of the jungle rules this week, whether you are competing for the affections of a French firm, or in a talent-contest-style selection process – or just acting like a guerrilla
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How do I… manage my litigation costs?
Litigation is an expensive business, but there are steps you can take to reduce the final bill
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Third party pooper
The Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act empowers third parties to enforce contractual terms. Yet in the 10 years it’s been around, it has had hardly any effect
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The true cost of installing a boiler
Some people have asked why I said the cost of replacing a boiler was likely to be nearer £5,000 than the £1,367 you suggested (22 January, page 24) or the retail cost of about £750
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Broadcasting to the Beeb
The BBC has criticised construction firms for “wasting resources and duplicating effort” (5 March, page 9), yet in the past 18 months we have seen more than 300 organisations from across the industry commit themselves to halving construction waste sent to landfill by 2012
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Building's bloomer
I read with interest your article on the BBC’s attack on UK construction (5 March, page 9)
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CommentDoes anything eat psyllids?
Oh dear. Nothing in this article mentions predators for the psyllids (“Knotweed under attack as biologists release killer beetles,” 9 March, building.co.uk)