Construction Management Guide

By Dennis Brand

Perhaps the best way of describing ‘design-build’ is to describe what it is not.
The traditional ‘design-bid-build’ method of construction is a sequential process in which the owner or developer first contracts with a design professional to prepare a concept or basic design, then a detailed design for construction. This includes specifications to solicit competitive bids for construction, and finally the award of a construction contract to the lowest bidder. [Read more...]

by Dr Jay Palmos
Last month, Deutsche Bank estimated that as many as 30 000 new units will enter the Dubai residential market this year, decreasing demand for new and existing units. A Union Bank of Switzerland study predicts rental prices could decline by as much as 30% during the course of financial year 2010 due to overcapacity in the sector. These reports paint a bleak picture for current developments. [Read more...]

by Sarah Blackman

zoomNets can be used to eliminate fall hazards but personal protective equipment should also be used when working at height.next »In order to prevent injuries or fatalities at work, companies should go out of their way to reduce hazards wherever possible. Where there is the slightest risk that someone could get hurt, personal protective equipment should always be used, as experts tell Facilities Management Middle East. [Read more...]

Many people hear the terms projects, programs and portfolio, but are not sure what they all mean and how they fit together. Project managers probably have a good sense for what a project is, but the other two terms might be a little fuzzy. In general, you can divide all the work of a corporation into projects (large and small) and support (ongoing operations). Administration may be considered separately, or as a part of support. At a high level,
Projects are where all the new work gets done, including new enhancements. They have a beginning and an end, have specific objectives and deliverables, and are unique. 

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The Cost Management Plan describes the process that will be used to manage the project budget including tracking current expenditures, upcoming expenses, identifying potential budget overruns and evaluating overall project spending against the budget. The components of the Cost Management Plan can include:

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The Schedule Management Plan describes the process that will be used to manage the project schedule including tracking activities in progress, identifying activities to be completed, measuring activity performance against allocated time, identification of potential project delays, and evaluating overall project performance. The components of the Schedule Management Plan can include: [Read more...]

by Melanie Grimmitt

Uncertainty in the Application of UAE Laws

The UAE legal system is a civil code system based on both Islamic and civil code principles. Any contract subject to UAE law must comply with the UAE Constitution, Federal and local Emirate laws, Islamic Shari’a and custom and practice.

There are challenges in deciding how the law of the UAE will be applied in any particular case. This is due to a number of factors. The UAE legal system is still very much in its infancy, the collision of French – via Egypt and other Middle Eastern countries – civil code principles and Islamic Shari’a principles, the lack of judicial precedent – previous decisions may be useful but do not create any binding or persuasive precedent to the court, and the difficulty of predicting which legal principles and/or custom and practice a judge will apply when reaching a decision. [Read more...]

by Sarah Thomas

I am a contractor working on a wastewater project in Eastern Europe, using the FIDIC Yellow Book –Design & Build. Vol.3 of our contract contains the following clause: [Read more...]

by Melanie Grimmitt

Reviewing the wealth of commentary on the use of letters of intent in construction contracts, one might speculate that at the time the pyramids were being built some well-intentioned Egyptian lawyer was earnestly hammering out hieroglyphics warning his contemporaries of the potentially dire consequences of commencing construction works without a concluded contract in place. Nevertheless, despite the plentiful guidance cautioning contractors against relying on letters of intent which has been produced by legal professionals in more modern times, a significant proportion of construction projects do, in fact, proceed on the basis of a letter of intent. This practice is particularly common within the UAE and the wider Gulf Region. [Read more...]