Site for Cost Engineers

Seven firms grab place on £28m North-east framework

Vladimir — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 07:39:30 GMT

Engineers Atkins, Mott Macdonald and URS all take spots

Engineers Atkins and Mott Macdonald and consultant Capita Symonds are among seven firms that have won a place on a North-eastern local authority consultancy framework worth up to £28m.

The framework for the North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) will see firms provide architectural design, building engineering, building services engineering, project management, environmental services, building surveying, cost consultancy, civil engineering and health and safety advice for 12 local authorities.

Engineers Parsons Brinkerhoff, and URS and consultants EC Harris and Aura Newcastle Ltd also won a place on the framework, which lasts for the next four years.

The framework will also be open to use by a range of other public and third sector bodies, which are associate members of NEPO and all government contracting authorities.

In a notice announcing the award of the contract the North Tyneside council, which is leading the procurement, said: "NEPO wishes to transform the manner in which projects are procured and managed within the North East Region. NEPO will adopt the principles of partnering through the development of longer term relationships through the supply chain, integrated teams, shared risk and rewards and performance management.”

Sweett completes further PFI sale

Vladimir — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:41:03 GMT

Consultant banks £700,000 in cash

Sweett Group has banked £700,000 in cash from the sale of a further PFI stake.

The consultant told the stock exchange this morning that it has sold its 19% stake in healthcare vehicle Lift Investments Limited (Plymouth Lift) to an infrastructure fund.

Sweett said the sale is "part of the group’s strategy to capitalise on the value of its existing PFI investment portfolio in order to reinvest in the further development in its core business operations.”

The firm issued a profit warning and delayed publication of its results for the financial year ending 31 March 2012 after delays to the sales of two separate PFI stakes earlier in the year.

The firm has subsequently sold one of the stakes – in Inverclyde schools – realising a pre-tax profit of £850,000 for the current financial year.

In its delayed results published on 3 September, Sweett posted a pre-tax loss of £1m and revenue of £72.8m

Gleeds starts work as program manager on £107m JFK airport project.

Vladimir — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 07:46:26 GMT

Consultant Gleeds’ New York business has begun work as program manager to the £107m JetBlue Terminal 5 International project at John F. Kennedy Airport.

The project is the fourth to be undertaken by the firm on behalf of JetBlue Airways since they began working together in 2006.

The latest project includes a two-level addition of approximately 155,000 square feet and will include the construction of three new international "swing gates” for arrivals and departures of both international and domestic flights. It will also involve the modification of three existing gates for swing use.

Associated airside ramps for the new gates will be developed and include hydrant fuel systems, ramp paving and utilities.

A new baggage claim hall, including two new sloped plate baggage claim devices, will also be installed to service the international arriving passengers coming through the terminal each year. A new Federal Inspections Services Facility capable of handling 1,200 people per hour will also be provided, including primary and secondary Custom and Border Protection processing sites.

"We have worked with JetBlue for many years on projects such as the construction of the existing terminal building, which opened in 2008, the demolition of Terminal 6 and the creation of a brand new headquarters in the city,” said Paul Reimer, director of Gleeds’ New York operations. "I am delighted to continue our relationship and work with JetBlue again on this exciting development at Terminal 5.”

The project is expected to be completed in early 2015.

Related company resources

RICS to offer Olympics dispute resolution system.

Vladimir — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 07:40:50 GMT

DAB system for early solution to legal problems set to be brought to a wider market

The RICS will offer the dispute adjudication board (DAB) system - which it helped set up for the Olympic Delivery Authority on the Olympic project - in the UK and globally. DABs consist of one or more qualified adjudicators appointed to oversee a project from pre-contract stage to delivery.The dispute resolution system used to avoid legal spats on the construction of the London 2012 Olympic park will be offered to the wider market by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) from next month.

They are designed to identify and resolve disputes at an early stage before they develop into costly legal battles.

DABs have been used in the US construction market since the eighties and are growing in popularity in the Middle East, Africa and Asia, but have so far not gained traction in the UK.

The RICS soft-launched the service in May with seven affiliated DAB adjudicators, but has trained up a further 10 for the September launch. It plans to train a another 20 by the end of the year.

Chris Hill, a partner at law firm Norton Rose, said while there was evidence DABs were "effective at early interventions”, they could be expensive and were not suitable for all projects.

From www.buiding.co.uk

RICS launches New Rules of Measurement and construction standards 'Black Book'.

Vladimir — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:28:30 GMT

RICS has released new guidance for quantity surveyors and other members working in the construction sector.

The guidance includes an updated version of New Rules of Management (NRM) 1: Order of Cost Estimating and Cost Planning for Capital Building Works and the new NRM 2: Detailed Measurement for Building Works alongside two new guidance notes looking at conflict avoidance and dispute resolution and retention, which will form part of the RICS construction standards (the Black Book).

RICS President See Lian Ong spoke at the launch event for the documents alongside the UK government's Chief Construction Adviser, Paul Morrell FRICS. Both welcomed the work that had gone in to producing the standards and hoped that they would support a range of initiatives including greater cross-industry working, the introduction of Building Information Modelling and effectively analysing the costs of construction projects.

Also speaking at the launch event were Stuart Earl, Director of Gleeds and Chair of the RICS Measurement Initiative, and Andrew Smith, Director of Laing O'Rourke and Chair of the Black Book Steering Group. They outlined the benefits of the guidance documents and how they can help raise standards and improve process in the construction industry.

The NRM provide a standardised approach for measurement and cost analysis within construction projects. The new editions update quantity surveying standards and, for the first time, cover the full costs of a construction project including not just the cost of a building's components but also additional costs such as marketing and fees. The new NRM 2 will also replace SMM7, which will be 'switched off' from July 2013.

The construction standards 'Black Book' is a set of guidance notes which set out the standards by which RICS members are supposed to operate. They are designed to ensure consistency of service for clients by ensuring that quantity surveyors are educated and trained to meet specific standards which are then embedded in their work. The guidance covers a range of issues including e-tendering and cash flow forecasting.

The new guidance has been welcomed by representatives of both developers and contractors who were represented at the launch event. From the property development sector, Duncan Trench, Head of Delivery at Development Securities, has argued that:

As a leading developer and investor we welcome and support RICS' ongoing commitment towards improving professional services within the property industry. We are at a point in the economic cycle where there are significant demands on all of us to perform with greater efficiency and effect. It is therefore essential to the success of our business that the information we receive is consistent, relevant and transparent. The NRM and Black Book should help us towards this goal and will be a good point of reference for surveyors developing their professional skills.
Duncan Trench, Head of Delivery, Development Securities

The new standards have also been welcomed by contractors working in the construction industry with Sean Smylie, Director of Legal and Contracts at Shepherd Construction and member of the NRM working group, stating that:

The New Rules of Measurement and the Black Book construction standards demonstrate that RICS is committed to working with others to raise standards in the construction industry. Both sets of documents are the result of a genuinely collaborative cross-professional approach, drawing in not just RICS members but also contractors' representatives and other bodies including CIBSE and HVCA. They will provide an important basis for the education and training of RICS members, allowing them to provide the high level of service which is essential for them to effectively work alongside contractors to help deliver projects on time, to quality and on budget.
Sean Smylie, Director of Legal and Contracts, Shepherd Construction

Speaking on behalf of the Contractors Legal Group (CLG), John Bradley, the organisation's director, has said:

CLG is pleased to have been involved through its contractor member organisations in the work undertaken by RICS in producing NRM 2: Detailed Measurement for Building Works. This will replace the SMM7 with a more wide-ranging document which can be used to more fully assess the costs associated with a construction project. This will help deliver more effective working practices in the construction industry for the benefit of clients, contractors and RICS members.
John Bradley, Director, CLG

RICS will be continuing to promote the NRM and construction standards over the next few months and will be working to ensure they are fully embedded within the construction industry. The organisation will also be working to roll the standards out internationally to help ensure global best practice.

Career opportunities in quantity surveying

Vladimir — Mon, 13 Aug 2012 09:26:16 GMT

By Ian Forsyth Business editor

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Quantity surveyors are valued for their financial acumen

THERE is currently a national shortage of quantity surveyors in the UK.

The situation is anticipated to get worse, with approximately 25% of chartered quantity surveyors due to retire in the near future.

Aberdeen is no exception, with many local firms finding it difficult to recruit or retain staff.

There is no doubt that the credit crunch is having an effect on the level of activity in the building sector.

The adverse economic environment will undoubtedly have an effect on employment opportunities and salary levels for quantity surveyors in the near future.

However, there is reason for optimism, especially as anyone entering into quantity surveying training now is expected to graduate at the same time as the economy is predicted to have recovered.

Graham Castle, senior lecturer at the Scott Sutherland School of Architecture and the Built Environment at Robert Gordon University, believes that surveying has much to offer prospective students.

He said: "The building industry has proved to be unattractive to school leavers, with degrees in subjects such as management and sports science proving more popular.

"However, quantity surveying affords a highly paid and rewarding career with skills which are sought after all over the world.”

Quantity surveyors are valued for their financial acumen and management skills by many diverse industries including building, civil engineering, heavy and offshore engineering, oil and petrochemical industries as well as tax consultancy firms.

However, it is not just school leavers who are considering surveying. It is also becoming attractive to a growing number of people who initially studied other disciplines or wish to switch careers.

Atholl Buchan studied German and history of art at Aberdeen University, where his studies gave him an interest in the construction industry and led to his eventual decision to become a quantity surveyor.

The graduate diploma in quantity surveying at RGU, which is Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors accredited, gave Atholl the necessary qualification and after just 18 months he started his new career path with Aberdeen company Armour & Partners.

Martin Rodger, a qualified naval architect and offshore engineer by degree, chose the quantity surveying route through the conversion course at RGU. Having worked offshore worldwide for five years as an engineer he was looking for a land-based career that would offer him the best prospects of working anywhere in the country.

Having been at RGU for only seven months, Martin secured a job on course completion with Davis Langdon.

Apps For Job Site Management and Estimating.

Vladimir — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:31:17 GMT

By: Abbas Hussain

There are many construction applications available now, and there are also new ones coming out every day. Here are a few of the latest apps for people in construction.

Roofing estimates on the iPad

Roofing Calc app from Taunton Press & Fine Homebuilding estimates all the materials for a roofing job. Available for the iPad, iOS 4.0 or later.

A new application is the Roofing Calc from Fine Homebuilding for the iPad. This is an application that offers the ability to calculate the cost of any particular roofing job. It takes into account all of the materials that you might need whether the list includes shingles, edge metal, roofing nails, ridge vents, flashing boots, or otherwise. For those of you who have to report these expenses to your boss, there is an email feature that allows you to send the details of the cost of each job. Along with the ability to calculate these expenses, you also gain access to links to various articles and videos that offer information on the best products for a particular job, and tips on how to install them properly.

Keep track of things
Also recently released, is On-Site Reporter for Android. This app allows you to report and keep track of everything pertaining to your job site. You can dictate details about the job or location,take notes, snap pictures and record all of the trickiest details of your day. You can also organize all of these details right within the application using the reporting system. Included with these reporting features is the compass and GPS, which are extremely helpful in marking the exact location with each detail that you report.

Project info at your fingertips

The Maxwell Systems ProContractorMX 2.9.0 Mobile Connect was actually first created on April 25 of 2012 but has been updated as of July 31, 2012 to improve performance and offer more features. This app allows managers to obtain the latest information on a particular project whether onsite or elsewhere. You can see project documents, view details of the original estimate, manage crew assignments, see project financials, get subcontractor information and much more. With the imaging system, not only can you obtain these details but you can actually see the progress if you are in a completely different location for an extended period of time.

Construction apps can be helpful to anyone in this industry. Some of the latest applications are free while others cost a bit of money. Even those that have a minimal fee can be worth downloading simply because they make your job easier and make you more efficient.

Abbas Hussain, is a blogger who writes about construction apps and Steel Buildings for companies like Cyclone Steel.

London 2012 to cost twice original estimate.

Vladimir — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:23:03 GMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The London 2012 summer Olympics are on course to be the most over-budget games for 16 years after organizers failed to forecast demands for security and private investment, according to a study by the University of Oxford, according to Bloomberg.

The sports-related expense of hosting in the British capital is likely to cost more than twice the original estimate, researchers from the university’s Said Business School said in a paper. That’s the most since the 1996 summer Olympics in Atlanta, when costs overran by 147 percent.

"The Olympics overrun with a 100 percent consistency,” Bent Flyvbjerg, who co-authored the research, said in an interview. "You reach a point of no return seven years before the games where you commit to delivering and writing this blank check. You can’t trade off time with money in the Olympics.”

London beat Paris and New York to host the games, which begin July 27. The U.K. government tripled its first budget to 9.3 billion pounds ($14.5 billion) after failing to get companies to finance and develop the main site. The security budget doubled to 553 million pounds last year as a review found that an original estimate of 10,000 guards was short by nearly 14,000 people

Economy to suffer as firms struggle to find engineers.

Vladimir — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 06:19:47 GMT

6 August 2012

If the UK is to remain able to build world-class facilities like the Olympic Park, or equivalent international projects, more engineers and technicians are urgently needed.

New research shows that this year more companies are finding it difficult to recruit engineers than in 2011. If this persists, the UK economy is more likely to continue shrinking.

Published today, the Institution of Engineering and Technology’s (IET) annual skills survey shows that there is demand for new recruits but that employers are struggling to find staff.

Over the next year, 58 per cent of companies are planning to recruit, compared to just 36 per cent in 2011, and compared to a high of 63 per cent in 2008 before the recession.

Stephanie Fernandes, IET Principal Policy Advisor for Education and Skills said: "The engineering sector has enjoyed a renaissance recently, playing such a central role in enabling a successful Olympics Games.

"The sector is of huge importance to the economy, typically accounting for a quarter of all turnover in the UK. This new research clearly shows a desire by employers to recruit new staff, but that they are struggling to find the right people.

"The planned recruitment is clearly good news, suggesting increased confidence in the economic outlook, but if firms are unable to fill their vacancies the economy will continue to shrink.”

Plans to specifically recruit engineering, IT and technical staff have also increased with 39 per cent of companies planning to hire new staff within the next 12 months, compared to 24 per cent in 2011.

The IET’s seventh ‘Engineering and Technology Skills and Demand in Industry’ report also shows that 77 per cent of companies are recruiting new staff as a result of business expansion.

Stephanie Fernandes added: "It is more important than ever that the education system consistently delivers the engineers and technicians that industry desperately needs. This reinforces the recent House of Lords Science and Technology Committee report which called for urgent action by the government to boost student numbers in the STEM subjects.”

For more information, visit www.theiet.org.

New materials !

Vladimir — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 13:15:35 GMT

Today I added new material. See the "File catalog"!