Opinion – Page 394
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Is the UK plunging into the worst recession in 60 years?
I am frequently accused of being too gloomy, which is upsetting to a sensitive person who likes to see the sunny side of things.My riposte is that while I might have appeared a bit glum when commenting on the numbers over recent months, in the gloom stakes reality overtook me ...
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No Christmas present for estate agents or the economy in RICS figures
Two bits of good news for house sellers and builders in the latest housing market survey by the surveyors' body RICS.The graph showing the proportion of surveyors reporting prices falls appears to have bottomed out. And the graph showing interest from buyers has turned positive for the first time in ...
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Jarvis - remember them?
The news that Jarvis chairman and former London Mayor pretender Steven Norris has snapped up £21,640 worth of shares in the company was greeted with a weary yawn in the City.It would have been a different story 18 months ago, before the well-documented woes of the company took a backseat ...
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RICS pitch black news on commercial property - prices to fall more than in 1990s
If you like your news black like your coffee, then the latest survey of the commercial property forecast from the surveyors' body RICS will have you putting the kettle on if not reaching for the drinks cabinet.Expect property prices to collapse more than in the recessions of the 1970s and ...
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… and a hard place: Contractor termination
In the last of our series on how the credit crunch is affecting construction firms, we look at how to minimise the damage from terminating a contractor’s engagement
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Comment
Enforcing a summary judgement
The CaseJackson engaged VGC to provide various construction services relating to the provision of ducts and cabling on the M3 Motorway. The sub-contract overran by 26 weeks. Following the submission of applications for payment 13 and 14, and the imposition of various set-offs by Jackson, VGC commenced adjudication. The referral ...
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Comment
Half price houses by 2011, says the futures market
The futures market has marked house prices down further following the release of the latest Halifax figures and now predicts a fall of 46% in cash terms from peak to a trough in 2011.According to the Tradition Future HPI the price of an average house will plunge to £109,108 by ...
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Comment
Plunging car sales point to a major collapse in work for small builders
Car sales have fallen off a cliff. The latest figures from the motor trade body smmt show that in November sales were more than a third down on the same month a year ago.This news reminded me of a spookily strong relationship between new car sales and the official data ...
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Comment
Spot the difference
I was quick out of the blocks this morning keen and eager to get my hands on the latest construction output figures. Sad really, but it keeps me happy. Until this morning that is.Hot on 9:30 I downloaded the press release. Here is the release. oec1208a.pdfIt showed construction down 1%. ...
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Tell it to me straight
When did clients become scared of saying what they want? Tarek Merlin is getting a little tired of prevarication, procrastination – and endless competitions
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Hansom: rethinking construction
This week, the industry takes a fresh look at urban regeneration, pay packets, energy performance certificates and even the design of the humble chair
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Comment
Not quite a pick-me-up
The pre-Budget report should have been the equivalent of a cask-strength Macallan, but it was more like a bucket of cold water – and we’re still heading for a hangover
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Comment
ºÚ¶´ÉçÇø buys a pint … for Woods Bagot
Chosen watering hole: The Duke of York, Fitzrovia Ambiance: Rain, wind, patio heaters Topics: Working abroad, Oxford Street and dodgy environments, the number of ex-HOK architects in London Drinks drunk: 4 Kronenbourgs, Guinness, Abbots, Becks Vier, Fosters
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My digital life: Tom Holbrook
This architect enjoys the digital realm, but can imagine some improvements: emails that smell of ink, perhaps, a world without Facebook and an iPhone with a built-in corkscrew
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Comment
The truth about Hollandia
The article on your website on 20 November was wholly inaccurate, as Hollandia sees the UK as the hub of future activity and development.
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Comment
Emission omission
Participants at the CBI conference last week agreed we face one of the most difficult periods in memory.
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Comment
Annable of the yard
A reader wrote in recently to express concern about the garden arrangement of our Ecoterrace refurbishment (21 November, page 47).
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Comment
Okay, we've stopped
In your piece about Philip Turner’s digital life (7 November, page 110) you printed a picture of Talking Heads’ Remain in Light, whereas he referred to Stop Making Sense.