All Comment articles 鈥� Page 526
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CommentNew adventures 鈥�
... of construction鈥檚 own Indiana Jones, the strange case of the incredibly hairy bedfellow, and two very good reasons to turn down a job on the Southbank 鈥�
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Is the UK following the US into a housing market collapse?
The release today by Nationwide of figures showing house prices dropped by 2.5% in May will come like a kick in the teeth to house builders and estate agents.It is the last thing they want to hear given the fragility of the market. A drop of two grand or so ...
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Development slowdown hits small civils firms
The latest survey from the civils trade body CECA into the performance and prospects of its members very much reflects the pressures on the building sector, where housing and commercial building work is being squeezed by the effects of the credit crunch.While the outlook for civils is broadly positive, there ...
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US house price fall and fall
The latest stats from the S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices show that US house prices are continuing to fall apace - down a further 2% in March 2008 across the top 20 metropolitan areas.This makes a continuous line of house price falls from August 2006 producing a total fall in house ...
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Just how exposed is the UK housing market
For those who like to take comfort from seeing the UK market in a global context I commend to you the latest round-up of international house-price indicators by the Economist.What is clear is just how far the UK house prices have boomed compared with most other countries. That the UK's ...
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Buyers "strike" continues as housing market suffers
The latest data confirms that potential homebuyers are still treating the current housing market with extreme caution resulting in fewer mortgages, fewer sales and lower prices.Hometrack data for May shows prices down nationally by 0.5% on the month after a 0.6% fall in April. But the more worrying trend for ...
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BCIS predicts bright future for civil engineering
After several years of decline in construction output in the civil engineering market the demand is set to grow in all infrastructure sectors over the coming years, according to the BCIS Civil Engineering Market Report.
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Official figures show construction solid as GDP slows in first quarter
The construction industry was one of the stronger elements of the UK economy in the first quarter of 2008, according to official figures that show the annual growth of GDP (gross domestic product) slowing to 2.5%.According to the ONS figures construction grew 0.5% in the first quarter and stood 2.9% ...
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System? What system?
Egan thought things went wrong in construction because we were all at each other鈥檚 throats. Actually, we get on fine 鈥� it鈥檚 the way we manage projects that floors us
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CommentVarious positions
Mark Clare is staying, Ross Brewer is leaping, Lawrie Haynes and Boris Johnson can鈥檛 be seen, a female engineer is attracting attention and the Department of Health is getting hot under the collar
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CommentWeb watch: Two peas in a pod
Our learned friends Tony Bingham and Rudi Klein kick off our first ever podcast series this week with a debate on the future of the Construction Act.
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Not like the nineties
The 拢200m package to buy unsold homes proposed in the draft Queen鈥檚 Speech is the government taking money from housing associations (16 May, page 10).
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Let鈥檚 be reasonable
Insurance companies are notorious for finding ways not to pay out on their policies, but that may be about to change
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Keeping them keen
Staff retention is and has for a long time been a major issue in the construction industry.
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John the Evangelist
Your leader (9 May, page 3), coupled with Sir John Egan鈥檚 personal comments (page 32), rightfully acknowledge the progress that has been made in implementing some of the recommendations of Rethinking Construction.
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CommentRogue Customers
Clients who don鈥檛 pay can ruin small businesses and wreck the lives of their owners. James Clegg and Roxane McMeeken listen to the stories of three builders who think it鈥檚 high time something was done about the rogue customer
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CommentRecession busting
With the last recession a distant memory for many, perhaps it鈥檚 time to remind ourselves of the steps we should be taking in case things get a bit tougher in the coming months
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CommentThat bubble, reputation
What happened at BAE should have us all thinking about not just the legality of what we do but the morality. Our good names can so easily be damaged, even lost
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CommentA brave face
We don鈥檛 have to pretend that things are better than they are, but if we want to boost people鈥檚 confidence in our industry, we should go easy on the handwringing