Consultants Comment – Page 14

  • Comment

    A wiser course for busy fools

    2010-02-05T00:00:00Z

    When times are desperate, there’s a temptation to grab anything that might boost our turnover. The game now should be to prepare for the upturn and increase margins

  • Max Crofts, RICS president
    Comment

    Max Crofts: Reading the riot act

    2010-01-08T00:00:00Z

    Here’s a message to RICS members: why are you complaining when you could be changing? Give us your effort, time and passion and we can overcome the challenges we face

  • Solar panels
    Comment

    Where the wind blows

    2009-12-18T00:00:00Z

    The recently published “Zero Carbon for New Non-domestic ɫTVs” by the communities department has much to commend it, but is flawed by one large blind spot, says the Davis Langdon senior consultant

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    End this crisis by Christmas: Richard Steer on the RICS

    2009-12-11T00:00:00Z

    The RICS has to sort out the mess it’s made, or rumours of a breakaway group are bound to resurface

  • Comment

    RICS and its members: Losing touch

    2009-11-20T00:00:00Z

    Members from across the whole of the organisation feel the RICS is morphing from an elected body for the members into a quango wannabe

  • Richard Steer, Philip Youell and Jonathan Goring
    Comment

    The G3 summit: How much trouble are we in and how do we get out?

    2009-10-02T00:00:00Z

    At this point in the business cycle we have at least some idea of what the recession has done to consultants, and how they can regroup and fight back. Three QS leaders comment

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    The fall guys: Richard Steer on the challenges ahead

    2009-09-25T00:00:00Z

    So we tumbled off the cliff. But, to look on the bright side, we survived. The task now is to identify what challenges we are likely to face on the long climb back up

  • Comment

    When is a duck an albatross?

    2009-08-28T00:00:00Z

    Davis Langdon’s recent purchase of architect DEGW may mark another mutation in the DNA of cost managers. But there are reasons to think it will be a problematic one

  • Comment

    ɫTV buys a pint … for Trident ɫTV Consultancy

    2009-07-31T00:00:00Z

    “So what do you want to talk about then?”

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    Boyle's law

    2009-06-19T00:00:00Z

    A certain Scottish singer is not the only thing that has captivated the Americans in recent times – mid-sized UK quantity surveying firms are also finding favour

  • Comment

    Thinking caps: Employer's agents

    2009-05-29T00:00:00Z

    When a QS acts as contract administrator, certifier, project manager and employer’s agent, it all ends up like a game of pass the hat. But some principles always apply

  • Comment

    Contractors vs consultants: Rising claims

    2009-05-22T00:00:00Z

    A contractor on a design-and-build job that gets duff advice and loses money may be tempted to sue whoever gave it that advice. Well, that’s easier said than done

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    Diminishing returns

    2009-05-07T00:00:00Z

    Most of the major consultants have now announced pay cuts of between 7% and 20%. Richard Steer explains why this option is the best of a bad bunch

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    About time, too

    2009-03-27T00:00:00Z

    It may not float everyone’s boat, but the arrival (finally) of fresh QS Rules of Measurement is pretty exciting for cost managers. And they’re looking good, says Richard Steer

  • James Rowlands
    Comment

    Good effort

    2008-12-05T11:23:00Z

    The RICS' James Rowlands discusses the Queen's speech

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    A sea of troubles

    2008-11-21T00:00:00Z

    Looking into the white wall of fog ahead, it’s impossible to discern a safe haven, or the rocks in between. But, says Richard Steer, that doesn’t mean we should lose sight of what we’re about

  • Comment

    The men with two brains

    2008-10-24T00:00:00Z

    Open mike: What relationship should architects have with project managers? Well they’re a bit like two halves of the same cortex – but there’s only room for one leader, says Keith Mason

  • Steven Barker, Robinson Low Francis
    Comment

    QSs in the crossfire

    2008-10-24T00:00:00Z

    The collapse of the commercial sector and doubts over public spending have left cost consultants facing a bitter battle for work, with fees plummeting and staff casualties expected to be high. Olivia Boyd reports on how QSs are fighting the downturn

  • Richard Steer
    Comment

    What a relief

    2008-04-18T00:00:00Z

    It may look like fiddling while Rome burns but the tax measures in last month’s Budget may actually get our industry to become a bit more eco-conscious

  • Comment

    Top project managers' websites: Mismanagement

    2008-03-20T00:00:00Z

    In the latest of our series examining the accessibility of the industry’s websites, Martin Hornagold looks at what works and what doesn’t on project managers’ pages