More Focus 鈥� Page 441
-
FeaturesBricks or mortars
With the government committing billions to a prolonged war in Iraq, the construction industry is becoming alarmed about the financial health of its biggest client. Roya Nikkhah reports on how the conflict is affecting the home front
-
FeaturesA little less conversation 鈥�
Government bodies. Initiatives. Events. Programmes. The industry is crammed with ways of discussing sustainable construction – but a recent report is claiming that hardly anybody is actually doing it. A little more action, please, says Thomas Lane.
-
FeaturesDo you know this man?
The enigmatic John McDonough has given his first interview since taking over at Carillion two years ago, and in it he tells Tom Broughton how he's turned the contractor into a lean, PFI-powered speedboat.
-
FeaturesA designer rampage
London's trendiest new celeb eaterie was dreamed up by 80 (yes, 80) mostly French designers as a heady mix of retro-baroque and ultra-kitsch
-
Features
What goes around 鈥�
… comes around, as discovered by those graduates who've had their pockets stuffed with cash by paranoid employers, some of whom have given themselves pay cuts … Matthew Richards reports on the 2003 黑洞社区/Hays Montrose consultants' salary guide.
-
Features
What Gordon's going to do
Helen Demuth outlines how Wednesday's Budget is likely affect VAT, National Insurance, stamp duty and corporation tax
-
FeaturesCapping the tip of the gherkin
Cladding specialist Schmidlin is responsible for the facade of insurance company Swiss Re's tower in the City of London – but only up to level 38. For the top two floors, it hands over to Austrian steelwork specialist Waagner Biro; this firm has the job of building the frame for ...
-
FeaturesSafesurfers
Too many professionals don't have CSCS cards because they lack safety nous. Gary Redman of NOW Recruitment explains why you shouldn't be one of them
-
Features
DTI: Construction wage inflation set to soar
Annual report on industry says that skills shortage will lead to huge wage hikes, leading to increased project costs and prices.
-
Features
Conservation officer's lot not a happy one
A campaign to help beleaguered conservation officers in local authorities was launched last week by English Heritage with government backing.The campaign follows the first survey of England鈥檚 700 local authority conservation officers. It found that they were overstretched, under-resourced and undervalued. The survey was commissioned by EH and the ...
-
-
FeaturesHigher, further and richer
There are fantastic opportunities for construction firms in the tertiary education market, but, of course, universities are hard to get into and demand high quality work. In fact, you may want to take notes
-
Features
A suspect package?
ERP software systems, which promise a total solution to administering a company, have been successful in some industries, but construction's experience of them has not been entirely happy 鈥� as Atkins will testify. We assess the pros and cons.
-
FeaturesTending to zero
There is a suspicion in the industry that contractors are fatalists. That is, they make the right noises on health and safety, but privately believe that fatal accidents come with the job. But now Bovis Lend Lease has put in place a global strategy to reduce site deaths to almost ...
-
Features
All in the Finish
In a month's time the Council of Mortgage Lenders is bringing in a new rule that means homeowners only get their mortgage when the home is complete. Josephine Smit reports on the impact it will have on housebuilders' deadlines
-
FeaturesVillage People
Can you design a community? Yes, but it takes a lot more than simply a construction process, as both Philip Davies of developer Linden and resident Marie Hart have learned at an urban village in Surrey.
-
FeaturesNothing by halves
Mayor Ken Livingstone's draft London plan, which aims to make 50% of homes on new residential sites affordable, is coming under public scrutiny next week. Developers will be going all out to limit the damage.
-
Features
New-build completions
NHBC-registered new-build private and housing association completion figures for January 2003 show the bulk of activity is in the South-east. But overall private completions are already down on the same month last year.
-
Features
Ground control
Ten years ago, development was all about churning out yuppie flats; today the ground has shifted to affordable homes. Josephine Smit meets Andrew Wiseman, chief executive of Telford Homes and a master of both territories.