Trevor Barry

There are two types of people in London.... There are those that: See the problem but won't break from tradition. And those that see the problem and are creative in finding ways to solve the challenges. Time after time we witness the dismay of the end client when the staircase doesn't look quite as expected, or it's taken longer than planned or its gone well over the anticipated budget. But there are also a number of clients who are absolutely blown away by their new staircase, and massively relieved that it gone done on time and within the expected cost plan. All you need to do is book a discovery call with one of our staircase consultants to find out how we can deliver tangible benefits to your project. [email protected] 01264 710613 www.alpinegroupuk.com The Alpine Group - Feature Staircases

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Quantity surveying. It's not just a job, it's a lifestyle. Often, we're so swamped in numbers, we forget the core of our work. It's beyond buildings and structures. It's about creating legacies. Here's a crazy thought. Stop counting bricks and start counting blessings. Every construction project is a testament to human ingenuity. Your work brings dreams to reality. You're not just calculating costs, you're building futures. Embrace a mindset shift. See yourself as a storyteller, not a number cruncher. Every project has a unique story. Your role? You're the author. Start your day by visualizing the impact of your work. Picture the families living in the homes you help build. The businesses thriving in the offices. The communities bonding in the parks. This approach won't just make your life better. It'll transform your career. It'll add a new dimension to your work. Don't just be a quantity surveyor. Be a legacy creator.

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Quantity surveying. It's not just a job, it's a lifestyle. Often, we're so engrossed in numbers, we forget the essence of our work. It's beyond buildings and structures. It's about creating legacies. Here's a radical thought. Stop counting bricks and start counting blessings. Every construction project is a testament to human ingenuity. Your work brings dreams to reality. You're not just calculating costs, you're building futures. Embrace a mindset shift. See yourself as a storyteller, not a number cruncher. Every project has a unique story. Your role? You're the author. Start your day by visualizing the impact of your work. Picture the families living in the homes you help build. The businesses thriving in the offices. The communities bonding in the parks. This approach won't just make your life better. It'll transform your career. It'll add a new dimension to your work. Don't just be a quantity surveyor. Be a legacy creator. 

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4,373 construction firms went out of business in the UK in the year to July 2024, which is 4.0% higher than a year ago according to the Insolvency Service. It was also 37.9% higher than in January 2020, before the 'race for space' spike in housing demand and the recent downturns in housing new build and rm&i, the 2 biggest sectors.   So far this year, insolvencies have broadly flatlined but at their highest levels since the financial crisis. Clearly, the insolvencies don't include the subsidiaries of ISG entering administration as it only occurred last week and as it is, so far, administration not insolvency. More on that in a later post. However, UK construction has lost 11,025 firms and 100,000 workers since the end of 2021 already. Specialists continued to be the worst affected. 2,516 (58%) of construction firms that went out of business in the year to July were specialists (which are the majority of the industry even if most of the focus is on the bigger name contractors), as major house builder and main contractor business models are based on pushing the cost, activity and risk out to specialists. But smaller specialist firms are cash flow reliant and more vulnerable to volatile demand and supply problems like skills shortages, material costs, project delay issues and main contractors not paying on time, especially as they are often on fixed contracts signed in advance. Main contractors have not been as badly affected as specialists. However, 1,651 (37%) of the insolvencies were still main building contractors, as the pressure to bid low for fixed-price contracts combined with cost rises, project delays and skills shortages, meaning that legacy projects were not profitable. Note that the biggest impact of main contractors going out of business is the knock-on impact on specialist contractors in their supply chain, leading to even more problems for specialist contractors. 'Only' 206 (5%) of the construction firms that went out of business in the year to July 2024 were civils contractors. This partly reflects the fact that there are far fewer civils firms overall. However, it also reflects demand remaining more stable in infrastructure, particularly on larger projects and long-term frameworks, despite persistent government announcements over the past 18 months of its infrastructure projects being delayed and cancelled. Plus, it also reflects major infrastructure clients being more understanding of cost inflation issues, so some infrastructure projects have gone over budget and over time rather than seeing lots of smaller civils contractors going bust. #ukhousing #ukhousingmarket #housingmarket #ukconstruction #ukbuilders #constructionuk #buildersuk #ukbuilding #buildinguk #constructionindustry #contractors #supplychain #constructionworkers #constructionworker #constructionwork #buildingmaterials #constructionmaterial #constructionmaterials #housebuilding #inflation #buildingcontractors #economy #insolvency #insolvencyandbankruptcy

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How to get the result you actually require in basement waterproofing? What is BS8102:2022 and what does it mean for us? Answers here! - join me on this one coming up on the 9th Oct https://lnkd.in/g9D8ht7Z

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Exploring Efficiency in Construction Projects: The Case for Direct Collaboration At Fenchurch Contracts, we’ve seen firsthand how the traditional separation between architects and contractors can hamper project efficiency, timeline, and budget. 🤔 Why does it hamper efficiency? * Communication Gaps: Disconnected communication channels lead to misunderstandings and misaligned objectives. * Delayed Responses: Waiting for feedback between separate entities elongates decision-making processes. * Fragmented Vision: Without early collaboration, the unified vision of the project can sometimes get lost in translation. Why is direct collaboration essential? * Streamlined Processes: Architects and contractors who collaborate from the get-go can anticipate challenges and devise solutions more effectively. * Unified Vision: A collaborative approach ensures that everyone's on the same page, leading to a cohesive and well-executed project. * Dynamic Problem-Solving: Real-time adjustments become feasible, ensuring project integrity and adherence to timelines. We have championed direct collaboration in all our projects, and the results speak for themselves. From enhanced efficiency to improved project outcomes, the benefits are profound. 👉 Have you experienced the difference that direct collaboration can make? Share your thoughts in the comments below. #Construction #Architecture #Collaboration #Efficiency #ProjectManagement #FenchurchContracts

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This is a really interesting report from exigere. In a nutshell, facade #contractors are preparing to sit tight and turn down jobs because, in essence, they don’t fancy going bust. The cladding sector - like M&E - seems to have more than its share of firms that go under. So, it seems, they’re bailing on jobs when asked to look at them. And who can blame them? To repeat a comment from an earlier post: it’s the margins, stupid. Or should that be: it’s the stupid margins? https://lnkd.in/eMSD69xr

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Its been a while since we continued the discussion around the best practice sequencing of waterproofing and Gas protection design...with some AI imagery to help lighten the mood😉 Last time we talked about the benefit of reviewing a Site investigation or Ground investigation report👷‍♂️ Now we can start to develop the design strategy and as we work through the Riba stages of design. As we approach RIba 3 we are starting the space planning process and defining the exact use of the space.🏤 ie; Plant room here... Lift core over there...Car park on the southern elevation and Habitable space on the north elevation... This definition of space directly influences the Grades of Waterproofing required. Heres a simple definition of the grades in my humble and simple translation of BS8102:2022 👨‍🎓 Note the '2022'.......Don't get confused with the previous 2009 edition!🤔 👉Grade 1A - Let the water come in if it wants to! Not my idea of waterproofing therefore we don't design for this very often...No Waterproofing and no warranty. Just drainage or pumps to extract the water. In other words lowgradecarpark.com 👉Grade 1B - No visible seepage or pooling of water please... but a dampness is acceptable. Great for an average car park where no ones going to cry over a damp patch in the corner. More often than not this would be a single form of waterproofing. 👉Grade 2 - Here's the new Grade introduced in the 2022 standards. Nothing must come through the structure...no seepage and no damp! However we don't mind if dampness occurs as a result of internal condensation...Ideal for a high grade Car park, or a Plant room or Lift Pit! Usually 2 forms of waterproofing. 👉Grade 3 - No seepage and No damp fullstop! This is a habitable space...a bedroom, office, gym etc. Still 2 forms of waterproofing in the main...but the introduction of Ventilation or AC expected for the use of the space. What Grade will you choose?💦 If you are not sure talk to us at Premcrete Ltd #futureproofingyoursubstructure #waterproofingisfutureproofing #gasprotectionislifeprotection #waterproofing #BS8102:2022

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