Daniel Leech

The UK construction workforce rose in 2024 Q3, its 1st rise since the sharp drop in housing new build and rm&i activity in 2023 H2. UK construction employment was 2.06 million in Q3, according to the ONS, 1.0% higher than in Q2 but still 3.4% lower than a year ago (Upper Chart) and at its 2nd lowest level since 2001 Q1 (Q2 being the lowest). The Q3 employment rise reflects the very start of a house building recovery after reaching a low point in 2023 Q4. However, activity still remains low in house building and rm&i. Q3 doesn’t include the full impact of ISG (6th largest contractor, £2.2bn turnover and £4.3bn of contracts) going into administration in September, as the main effects will be on sub-contractors (due to delayed work, cash flow issues and insurance cover problems). These will take time to feed through and exacerbate issues subcontractors already have. Note the rise in Q3 was skewed to self-employment (Lower Chart). UK construction self-employment in 2024 Q3 was 4.6% higher than in Q2 but still 6.2% lower than a year ago. Employees in Q3 were 1.3% lower than in Q2 and 1.6% lower than a year ago. The broader picture is that construction employment in 2024 Q3 was 366,000 lower than at the recent peak in 2019 Q1. Employment will recover in the next few years but it will take a long time to get back to 2019 Q1 levels, even if the demand is there. After the 2008 financial crisis, it took over 10 years to get back to peak employment and even then, it was still 157,000 lower than in 2008 Q3. So, in a downturn, we lose some workers temporarily but others permanently as some go to other industries after being burnt by construction and don’t return. Plus, note that during this downturn, it will be more difficult to recover as many workers as the majority of the recent loss has been in older UK-born construction workers (see link in the comments to my post specifically on this issue). CITB reports construction apprenticeship starts averaged 31,000 per year over the last 5 years, and the dropout rate is over 40%. So, apprenticeships will not address the UK construction workforce loss even medium-term as it will take a long time, a change in culture, creating careers with development, upskilling/reskilling plus sustained investment over many years to raise the number of skilled trainers and the apprenticeship starts whilst cutting the high dropout rates. Skills are going to be the biggest barrier to government even getting close to any of its targets, whether it is 1.5 million new homes, more and better quality schools, hospitals, prisons, transport, water and energy infrastructure, as well as retrofitting 17 million homes (and non-residential buildings) in the UK below EPC rating C. #ukhousing #ukconstruction #ukbuilders #builders #constructionuk #buildersuk #ukbuilding #buildinguk #constructionindustry #constructionworkers #constructionworker #constructionwork #housebuilding #constructionskills #skillshortage #skillshortages #skills

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In recent polls regarding the applications for payment process, we found: *The time it takes to administrate variations was a key challenge for 32% *A staggering 45% stated that the main issues variations cause is inaccuracy, and therefore a subsequent lack of information. *27% of construction companies said late payments heavily impacted their financials. See how QS’ achieved a more efficient way of working by Bouygues adopting Payapps. When managing variations, they are listed separately, and any involved parties can add information and notes to the record, which makes it easier for the team to do their necessary checks. https://lnkd.in/e9CiDHVT

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🏗️ Architecture Backlogs Offer a Glimmer of Stability 🏗️ With an average backlog of 6.4 months, architecture firms are still drawing on pre-planned projects despite a drop in new billings. This backlog serves as a lifeline for subcontractors, providing some stability as they navigate a period of conservative client spending. For trade partners, strengthening relationships and proactive communication with general contractors and architects will be key to securing work in a fluctuating market. #ISEC #AIA #Deltek #webuildforlifesmostimportantevents https://lnkd.in/ga7vA4Vn

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Feature 2️⃣ / 5️⃣ – Permission Control on Drawings/Plans 🗺️ Thought BuildPass was just safety checklists? Hold on to your hats. With upgrades to our Documents tool, not only can you bulk upload drawings/plans to be made available via QR code, you can ensure inductions are done before these are accessible. We've all met those workers (especially on resi jobs) who complain about doing an induction. But we've never met someone that says no to the most up-to-date set of plans. Idea💡: What if we hold back those plans until their induction is complete? Or until they've added their white card? Or signed their most recent SWMS? When site management and OH&S come together 🤝 The power of a connected platform!

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Great work by BCSA - British Constructional Steelwork Association and Steel Construction Institute to publish this document which provides a notable milestone for lever 1 of the BCSA decarbonisation roadmap. A key theme is 'the use of smarter, more efficient design; performing the same structural function but using less steel by reducing over-specification of structural steel, reduction of applied loads, using higher-strength steel to facilitate the use of lighter members, and extending building lifetimes by designing for adaptability and internal flexibility.' If you are interested in how the guidance referenced in this document for floors can be applied in relation to #composite #slabs, get in touch with SMD | Structural Metal Decks technical helpdesk. In fact, we have a #CPD that covers many of the items to consider with examples of the different embodied carbon values and product options! #steelconstruction #reducecarbon #uselessstuff #cpd #bcsa #knowledgeispower https://lnkd.in/e8eXuKzR

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Are you considering light metal framing detailing software? Then please take a look at this case study with Howick and FrameCAD to see how Tekla can streamline your workflow and improve accuracy.

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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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One of the trickiest parts of starting a new high-end residential project is setting an accurate budget right from the start. Often, architects find themselves in a tough spot, caught between managing client expectations and ensuring a realistic budget that won’t derail the project down the road. At the initial stages, it’s common for clients to have ambitious ideas without a clear understanding of how these align with their budget. We know how essential it is to balance the two, but not all of us are equipped with the detailed cost knowledge necessary to set a reliable budget. This gap can lead to frustration for both clients and architects when projects run into financial surprises later on. A solution that many practices in Southeast England are exploring is partnering with cost consultants early in the design phase. Instead of leaving the initial budget up to chance or overloading your own plate, bringing in cost expertise early can ensure the budget is both feasible and well-aligned with the client’s vision from the start. This approach not only helps manage expectations but also lets architects focus on what they do best: design. If setting early budgets feels like a challenge, you’re not alone. The right support can bridge that gap and provide the assurance that your projects will run smoothly from the outset. For more insights on how to accurately estimate construction budgets in the early stages, check out this article (https://lnkd.in/eCpRhns8). It offers valuable advice on understanding different types of estimates and how they can shape the success of a project. How do you approach early-stage budgeting in your practice? Would you benefit from outsourcing this responsibility to focus more on design? Let’s discuss in the comments! #residentialproject #budgetingtips #costconsultants #architects #constructionbudget #designphase #clientexpectations #highendprojects #southeastenglandarchitecture

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Structural Surveys UK offer different levels of structural survey for residential property designed to suit the type, age, and condition of the building in question. 🏘️ There are several different types of property survey on the market produced by different practitioners, but only a structural survey produced by a qualified structural/civil engineer (with the relevant professional indemnity cover) can assess and diagnose structural defects and recommend structural repair works. 🛠️ No other profession can produce a structural survey and often make recommendations for further survey reports to be carried out where theirs is lacking in detail and knowledge (for example timber decay, rot, damp, structural issues, which are all covered in our structural survey reports). Further information on our structural survey services is available here: 🌐https://lnkd.in/ebhaQXyC 📱0333 577 2655 📧[email protected] #Residential #ResidentialSurvey #PropertyAge #ResidentialProperty #StructuralIssues #BuildingInspection #Condition #ResidentialInspection #StructuralDefects #StructuralRepair #StructuralSurveys #StructuralSurvey #StructuralSurveysUK #StructuralEngineer #CivilEngineer #Structure #Engineer #Property #Buildings #Infrastructure #Swansea #Cardiff #Carmarthen #Bristol #England #Wales #SouthWest #SouthWales #SouthWestWales #SouthWestEngland

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**NCE Roundup: Structural Steel Construction Updates** Modern Methods of Construction (MMC) are addressing the UK housing shortage, with light-gauge steel playing a key role. BCSA - British Constructional Steelwork Association has introduced the National Light-Gauge Steelwork Specification (NLSS) to ensure high standards for cold-formed, galvanized light steel in modular construction. CEO Jonathan Clemens notes the #NLSS aligns with the Building Safety Act to guarantee quality and safety. William Hare Group reported strong financial results for 2023, with turnover reaching £315.5M, up significantly from 2022. EBITDA rose to £9.8M from £3.4M, driven by a resurgence in international markets. CEO Sue Hodgkiss CBE highlighted strong UK performance and market resilience, positioning #WilliamHare for its 80th anniversary in 2024. #BCSA President Gary Simmons discussed the work-life balance debate, noting a divide between firms like Amazon advocating for office returns and the UK Government promoting flexible work under the Employment Rights Bill. Simmons favors a hybrid model that balances senior staff flexibility with mentoring for junior employees, urging the government to avoid over-legislation. Severfield is building the world’s largest monopile factory for SeAH Wind at the former Redcar steelworks as part of Teesworks' £450M redevelopment. The facility will use 35,000t of British Steel to produce up to 200 monopiles annually for offshore wind turbines. Local training programs will create 750 direct jobs and 1,500 supply chain roles, highlighting Teesside's steel industry revival. In London’s West End, Derwent London’s Network W1 project is a nine-storey office targeting a BREEAM ‘Outstanding’ rating. Designed by Piercy & Company and constructed by Kier Group it features 12,449m² of workspace with 1,000t of recycled steel from Bourne Steel . The building’s low-energy systems, rain gardens, and blue roofs aim to reduce its carbon footprint, setting a new benchmark for sustainable commercial buildings in London, with completion expected in 2025. **Final Thoughts:** These updates showcase the UK construction industry’s adaptability as it tackles key challenges like sustainability and economic recovery. From innovative material use to evolving workplace strategies, the industry is advancing rapidly. The collaboration between policymakers, industry leaders, and local communities will be vital in shaping a resilient and sustainable future. #womanofsteel

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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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Post 3 of 3 brief posts on the new Government House Building Target and Planning Changes… Regarding other key areas covered in the NPPF proposals, the previous government updated the NPPF in 2023 to almost always permit ‘considerate’ mansard roof extensions. The NPPF proposals expand this ‘right to build upwards’ to other forms of extensions to use the airspace above existing residential and commercial premises for new homes as long as they are consistent with the prevailing height and form of neighbouring properties and the overall street scene is well-designed (including complying with any local design policies and standards) so it removes the requirement that mansards conform to traditional styles. This could see a substantial uplift in improvements work for an area of work that reached a big peak during the pandemic 'race for space' but has fallen away sharply since. Outside of housing, the government has some potentially positive planning proposals. It will consult on setting criteria and identifying strategic sites for commercial development that meet the needs of the economy, including suitable locations for uses such as laboratories, gigafactories, data centres, digital infrastructure, freight, and logistics. Plus, it intends to add them to the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) to make them easier to get through local planning. This should help to make speed these projects through and will be critical for growth in commercial, industrial and the wider UK economy. The government is also proposing to ensure faster delivery of other public service infrastructure such as further education colleges, hospitals and prisons, stating that local planning authorities should also work proactively and positively with promoters, delivery partners and statutory bodies to plan for required facilities and resolve key planning issues before applications are submitted. It also states that significant weight should be placed on the importance of new, expanded or upgraded public service infrastructure when considering proposals for development. This should also help get projects such as schools, hospitals and prisons through quicker, which also means that they are not going to be as expensive and have so many delays and cost overruns. See link to Post 1 here: https://lnkd.in/eksHv96V See link to Post 2 here: https://lnkd.in/evgJ63Q8 #ukhousing #ukhousingmarket #housingmarket #ukconstruction #ukbuilders #construction #builders #constructionuk #buildersuk #building #ukbuilding #buildinguk #ukeconomy #constructionindustry #constructionworkers #constructionworker #constructionwork #contractors #housebuilding #labour #buildingcontractors

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How AI will impact a Quantity Surveyor’s Tender Equalisation and Analysis process. Tender Equalisation and Analysis take hours; Christopher Barber, QS and CVO at C-Link, believes it should take minutes. The current state of play with Tender Analysis is this: a Main Contract QS receives the third Subcontract price and is filled with dread. They now need to ‘Equalise the quotes' for hours on end before they even start the Tender Analysis and bring all their expertise to the table. Chris describes a new world where the third price arrives, and the QS instantly opens up the Tender Equalisation. It is done so the QS can go straight to the Tender Analysis and bring real expertise to the process. What do you think? Could the Tender Analysis process be better? If you want a demo of our Tender Analysis product - https://lnkd.in/eRVt-ka. 🔗 Link to the episode is also available here - https://lnkd.in/eCbdivm4.

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⏳ How much time do Quantity Surveyors waste every day? 🕒 A recent study in construction revealed that professionals spend a staggering 35% of their time on non-productive activities, with productivity levels stagnant since 1997. 📉 It's baffling that we haven't made more progress in boosting productivity. 🤷‍♂️ For Quantity Surveyors and Estimators alike, an integrated supply chain showcasing all trades, products, and empirical data from subcontractors could be a game-changer in our workflow. 💼 Christopher Barber, CVO at C-Link, dives into Digital Supply Chain Management and paints a vision for the future. 🚀 We discuss how shared data on a unified platform can revolutionise profit margins and provide real-time business insights. 📈 If you want a demo of our Integrated Supply Chain & PQQ product, click here - https://lnkd.in/eRVt-ka. 🔗Catch the entire episode using the link here - https://lnkd.in/eXkEMbd8. #constructionpodcast #construction #ownthebuild

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🔷 Discover What Chawton Hill Can Do For You 🔷 At Chawton Hill, we specialise in delivering tailored #surveying and project management services, guiding you through every stage of your project journey. From initial feasibility studies and design to construction management and completion, we're dedicated to your projects being completed on time, within budget, and to the highest standards. Learn more about how we can support your next project: https://buff.ly/3eW2A7I . #ProjectManagement

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One of the promising news coming out of the just concluded #NCIF is the pledge to collaborate on a comprehensive #Building and Construction Industry Blueprint. This blueprint aims to chart a long-term, sustainable change within our industry, with a target completion date set for just six months from now. I am particularly happy the blueprint will focus on the industry Culture, creating lasting improvements that benefit the sector in the long term, and encouraging cooperation among unions, contractors, and government bodies. The construction industry is vital, contributing significantly to economic growth and delivering nearly 1 in 10 jobs in Australia. We look forward to seeing how this collaborative effort unfolds over the next six months, addressing key challenges and paving the way for a more resilient, equitable, and sustainable construction sector. I absolutely believe we can build a brighter future for all participants in our industry! #Construction #Sustainability #Collaboration #IndustryBlueprint #PositiveChange #ACA ##EPIC #AussieConstruction

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Here is an issue I have recently discussed with a subcontractor. They were getting frustrated spending money on estimating/tendering for projects that the main-contractors hadn't even secured yet. This happens at every level within construction. [1] Consultancies spend money bid-writing/tendering to win new projects/frameworks and clients. [2] Main-contractors spend money tendering to win projects from consultancies/clients. [3] Subcontractors spend money tendering to win projects from main-contractors. [4] Suppliers spend money estimating materials for subcontractors and main-contractors. The issue is that all this money is spent trying to win work and the work is never guaranteed. This process makes a large dent in most constructions companies profit margins. We need to think of innovative ways to reduce the cost of this process and mitigate the risk. If we can do so, we can help reduce the number of insolvencies within the construction industry. Here are 4 simple idea's that might be worth adopting: [1] Negotiated tendering. [2] Open book contract. [3] Estimating/tendering is a service. It should be paid for even if you are unsuccessful. [4] Adopting annually updated schedule of rates at every level.

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NPPF changes do not go far enough Matt Mahony speaks on the CIC response to the NPPF changes in PBC Today & BIM Today https://lnkd.in/gefA-wAV #NationalPlanningPolicyFramework #ConstructionIndustry

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