Opinion 鈥� Page 347
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Timber frame inspections: Everything you need for a fire
Timber-frame sites are sustainable, technologically sophisticated and accidents waiting impatiently to happen, says Paul Hymers. And he should know 鈥� he has to inspect them
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CommentTimber frames: Warning bells are ringing
The blaze that swept through a Peckham street two weeks ago has left the timber-frame industry in little doubt that, next time, lives may soon be lost. But can the sector do more to ensure there is no next time?
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Pre-Budget Report points to more money for construction...but a much bigger fall
Few would argue against the view that this set of Pre-Budget Report announcements has more to do with pre-electioneering that pre-budgeting.That鈥檚 fair enough. The Labour Party may not be in power to pursue its plans and, if it is after the next election, we don鈥檛 know how keen it will ...
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Chancellor starts race to General Election
In today鈥檚 Pre Budget Report, Alistair Darling has set out a continued commitment to existing investment in education, health and other major public sector programmes for the foreseeable future. As expected, he is protecting major high-profile programmes, but this will inevitably need to be paid for by deeper cuts elsewhere.There ...
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The cruelty of breeding force-fed first-time buyers
Here's a question that goes right to the heart of current housing policy: Should we be using incentives as readily as we are to encourage first-time buyers onto the property ladder?However iconoclastic or contrary this question may seem, it needs to be asked. There is so much at stake.Promoting first-time ...
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What Tesco sales data can tell us about the construction jobs market
Practically all construction statistics are poor by comparison to the data in most other industries. It is not a fault of the statisticians or researchers. They have an unenviable job as the construction industry is, relatively speaking, very tricky to measure.So the best way to make sense of what is ...
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Number snacks: 1
The number of architects, planners and surveyors signing off the claimant count in the six months to October 2009 to head abroad was 985.This compares with 80 in same period two years earlier.Source: National Statistics (Nomis: www.nomisweb.co.uk). Crown copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Controller Office ...
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CommentWhere there鈥檚 smoke
We won鈥檛 know for some time the details of the devastating fire in Peckham last week
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Are we witnessing an upswing in construction output? In a word: No
So its official 鈥� the construction recession isn鈥檛 as bad as we thought. And the even better news is that the sharp fall in output at the start of this year wasn鈥檛 anywhere near as sharp as last quarter鈥檚 figures had suggested.That at least is how the national statisticians might ...
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CommentVive la restoration: Sir Michael Latham on the importance of heritage stock
What better time than now, when the construction of new buildings is at a low ebb, to focus on the restoration and maintenance of heritage structures
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CommentWonders & blunders with James Finestone
James Finestone marvels at the scientific wonder that is the Salk Institute in California, but sees the Essex new town of Harlow as an experiment that went badly wrong
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CommentHansom: Gift of the gab
The silver tongues of the industry have been a-wagging of late, and would have you believe that the Titanic is unsunk, Paul is John and the RICS never changes its mind
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CommentSmall wonder
Since your article on my and two other graduates鈥� search for a job was published, (11 September, page 34) I have spent most of my time looking for my perfect surveying job, which I had begun to believe did not exist
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What the charter means
In response to your article which stated that the Chartered Institute of 好色先生TV (CIOB) would expel any chartered building company found guilty of cover pricing (27 November, page 9), I鈥檇 like to clarify a few points
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Morrell boost
I think the appointment of Paul Morrell (27 November, pages 10-11) is an inspired move and I hope he gets his own way with the agenda for the sake of the industry at large
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In Latham鈥檚 footsteps
Paul Morrell may not be a 鈥渇an of partnering鈥� but I trust he will do all he can, as chief construction adviser, to resist the swing back to pre-Latham forms of procurement
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A game of chase
Great article on the difficulties experienced by specialists in the current climate (20 November, page 48)
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Fire safety first
BBC London鈥檚 recent expos茅 on fire safety risks at social housing blocks doesn鈥檛 come as much of a surprise. Across the UK鈥檚 social housing sector, awareness and understanding of the requirements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2006 (RRFSO) is worryingly low