Opinion 鈥� Page 334
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Comment
Wolseley turnover drops 15%
黑洞社区 materials giant Wolseley has reported a 15% drop in turnover to 拢6.3bn for the six months to 31 January
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Comment
Croudace profit hits 拢16m as it plans for 22% rise in output
South-east housebuilder Croudace Homes has announced a pre-tax profit of 拢15.7m for 2009 and expects to raise production for 2010 by 22%
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CommentThe Romans and the Spartans: A mixed Mipim 2010
黑洞社区 blogs聽Amid the usual orgy of champagne quaffing and scallop scoffing, Mipim 2010 was a serious affair
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CommentBridge on track
This week鈥檚 黑洞社区 stated that 鈥渢he completion of Blackfriars station 鈥� has been put back four months until spring 2012鈥� (12 March, page 10)
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Comment
All aboard
Recent announcements by climate change secretary Ed Miliband are indeed good news (12 March, leader, page 3)
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Comment
Helping the aged
Strengthening the 黑洞社区 Regulations to improve the energy efficiency of our buildings and to help meet this country鈥檚 ambitious zero-carbon targets is admirable, and I鈥檓 wholeheartedly in support (鈥淧art L changes announced,鈥� 12 March, building.co.uk)
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Comment
A Morrell crusade
A green building strategy with a focus on new work and skills is the only way the UK construction industry will be able to compete and survive in a changing world with its emphasis on low carbon (鈥淢andelson and Morrell reveal green building strategy鈥�, 17 March, building.co.uk
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Comment
The many aspects of risk
I refer to your recent articles on timber-framed construction which contain several inaccuracies as to the insurance industry鈥檚 stance regarding this topic
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Comment
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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Comment
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 拢250,000.The 拢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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Comment
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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Comment
Focus on the here and now Mr Darling
With the sound of warnings from the European Commission ringing in Alistair Darling鈥檚 ears that his plans to halve the UK鈥檚 拢178 billion deficit in four years 鈥渓acks ambition鈥�, just what should be announced in Wednesday鈥檚 Budget?What is likely is that it won鈥檛 contain as much detail as many, including ...
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Tax, tax, tax and more tax 鈥� 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鈥檛 bother with the remaining chapters, but did eyeball the recommendations.I was not saddened ...
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Comment
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鈥檛 go amiss in the architecture profession right now
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Comment
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 鈥� or just acting like a guerrilla
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Comment
How do I鈥β爉anage my litigation costs?
Litigation is an expensive business, but there are steps you can take to reduce the final bill
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Comment
Third party pooper
The Contract (Rights of Third Parties) Act empowers third parties to enforce contractual terms. Yet in the 10 years it鈥檚 been around, it has had hardly any effect
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Comment
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 拢5,000 than the 拢1,367 you suggested (22 January, page 24) or the retail cost of about 拢750