Contracts must be fair to all if prices rise far beyond reason
Filed in Contract Administration
Constructing what the client wants
Filed in Contract Administration
Nick Carnell, lead partner at Kennedys, discusses how successful ‘design and build’ is down to understanding what the clients wants.
Paul Taylor’s article published on 8 March on design and build contracts reminded me of some of my own experiences of projects procured in this way. Paul quite rightly pointed out that for design and build to work there needs to be changes in both the mindset and philosophy from projects procured in the traditional manner. [Read more…]
Tags: procurement
Types of Ceramic Tile
Filed in Civil Engineering
Ceramic tile has been used for centuries and offers consumers more options in color, texture, pattern and overall beauty than most other floor covering materials. With new manufacturing techniques today’s ceramic tile designs are virtually indistinguishable from natural marbles, travertines, slates and other stone products. Glazed ceramic and porcelain tiles are great choices for bathrooms, kitchens, foyers, sun rooms and great rooms. [Read more…]
Tags: finishes
What is a U-value?
Filed in Civil Engineering
To put it simply, U-Value is the measure of the rate of heat loss through a material. Thus in all aspects of home
design one should strive for the lowest U-Values possible because the lower the U-value – the less heat that is needlessly escaping. So for example single glazed windows have a typical U-value of 5.6 while double glazed windows have a typical U-value of 2.8. [Read more…]
The 80/20 Rule of Time Management
Filed in Project Management
This technique teaches you to focus on what’s really important in your life and your life’s work.Pamela J. Vaccaro, MA
This may come as a surprise, but despite all the talk about life balance, you can benefit tremendously from introducing a little imbalance into your day. I’m referring to the 80/20 rule of time management, which is rooted in what is known as the Pareto Principle.
Vilfredo Pareto, an Italian economist, “discovered” this principle in 1897 when he observed that 80 percent of the land in England (and every country he subsequently studied) was owned by 20 percent of the population. Pareto’s theory of predictable imbalance has since been applied to almost every aspect of modern life. Given a chance, it can make a difference in yours.
Engage the Client Early in Issues Management
Filed in PMP Hints
Issues management tends to go more smoothly when the entire project team is comfortable working through the issues management process from the very start. If issues arise early in a project, be sure to follow your issues management process and get the client engaged in the solution. Issues become more urgent as you get closer to your end-date.
Don’t let these be the first issues the client gets involved with. Earlier issues management experience will cause the client to see issues as just temporary hurdles that need to be overcome. If you haven’t engaged the client earlier in the issues management process, the client may cause more harm than good when you absolutely need them at the end, since they are not familiar with the issues management process. [Read more…]
Different types of glass
Filed in Civil Engineering
Glass should not be thought of as just a functional material to let light into an area; it can also be used to add decorative effect. But it is important to choose the right kind of glass for the right place so the final job is effective, attractive and safe. The wrong type of glass used in the wrong position can be unsatisfactory and present a serious hazard to personnel safety.
