The latest research from Warwick Estates has revealed that while house prices are currently at an ‘all time high’, they’re yet to surpass their pre-financial crash peaks in all but three UK regions, when taking inflation into account. The average house price across Britain currently sits at a dizzying £253,382
In the event of fire in large, crowded shopping centres, the safety and well-being of anyone inside relies on emergency systems operating for long enough for people to escape. Limbecker Platz, one of the largest shopping centres in Germany, chose Spelsberg’s WKE enclosures to provide adequate fire safety protection to
National Regional Property Group and PMC Construction have completed Southampton’s second Build to Rent (BTR) scheme, and have now handed over the landmark building in the heart of the city to residential landlord, Grainger plc. Grainger plc agreed to forward-fund and acquire the Private Rented Sector (PRS) scheme of 132
After a multi-stage application process, Ventive has been selected to partner with the Construction Innovation Hub (CIH) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to collaboratively develop a new platform construction system that can be deployed at scale, across sectors. Traditional construction methods, although still favoured by many developers, can fall
Leading supplier AEI Cables has further invested in service excellence for existing and new customers by moving into new UK headquarters. The company has moved into the new modern facilities including a distribution warehouse in Washington, Tyne & Wear, to ensure all service needs are met for its customers. Stuart
The National Portrait Gallery is one of London’s most iconic attractions. Housing the most extensive collection of portraits in the world, including paintings and pictures of historically important and famous British people, it is one of the stand-out tourist destinations in the capital and generally attracts in excess of 1.5
After a turbulent year, 2021 is the year of recovery and growth for the construction industry. However, with labour shortages, supply chain disruptions and stricter regulations, challenging the industry to innovate must be a priority in order for the sector to recover and become resilient. This was reflected in the Construction
Global building materials solutions supplier CEMEX has made another strategic investment for growth into its Selby Asphalt Plant and Depot to enhance its overall operation efficiency. The Selby site supplies high quality aggregates and asphalt across the Yorkshire region. Together with Bowker, its logistics partner at Selby, and Potter Space
If you’ve been injured in an accident, you’re entitled to file a personal injury claim. But, before filing a claim for personal injury, there are various things you should know. One of these is that filing a personal claim is a complicated process. Fortunately, once you choose the best personal
When it comes to repairing water and waste pipes in present times, Cured-In-Place Lining is by far the most technologically advanced technique. The installation process for the same works on the principle of creating a pipe within the pipe with the help of trenchless technology. When one works with the
The latest research from Warwick Estates has revealed that while house prices are currently at an ‘all time high’, they’re yet to surpass their pre-financial crash peaks in all but three UK regions, when taking inflation into account. The average house price across Britain currently sits at a dizzying £253,382 according to the latest figures from the Land Registry. That’s 34% higher than the market peak of £189,199 in September 2007, before the worst property market crash of recent times brought the market to its knees. However, while the market is currently running red hot as a result of the stamp duty holiday, the research from Warwick Estates shows that it hasn’t quite reached the same level as 2007. Warwick’s research shows that when adjusting for inflation the average house price of £194,764 prior to the financial crash would be the equivalent of £276,250 in today’s market. This means that the current average property price of £268,291 still sits some -3% below historic highs. The North East is the region currently further off the pace when compared to its pre-financial crash peak of £139,400. While property prices currently sit 1% higher today at £140,606, they are actually -29% lower when taking inflation into account. Scotland (-17%), the North West (-15%), Wales (-15%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (-15%) are also home to some of the lowest property values when accounting for inflation and comparing them to their 2007 peaks. Just three regions are currently home to a higher average house price when compared to their 2007 peaks and when adjusting for inflation. Prior to the financial crash, the average London house price hit £298,596 before the market crashed. Today, this has increased by 69% to £503,308. Even when adjusting for inflation, the current average London house prices sits 4% higher than the pre-financial crash peak seen at the start of 2008. The East of England and the South East have also seen a stamp duty boost push house prices higher than their 2007 peaks. Even after adjusting for inflation, the average house price is now 4% higher in the East of England and 2% higher in the South East. COO of Warwick Estates, Emma Power, commented: “The market is currently performing very well with house prices climbing to historic highs across all areas of Britain thanks to the additional boost of the stamp duty holiday. We’re also seeing market values sit some 34% higher than their pre-financial crash peaks and so the overall market remains in very good health indeed. However, when taking inflation into account, we’re yet to see a full return to form across all regions of Britain and, in fact, homes across just three regions are worth more than their 2007 price peaks when adjusting for inflation. That said, with the market moving at a current rate of knots and likely to do so for the remainder of the year, it might not be long before the entire market surpasses the pre-financial crash peaks of 2007.” Location Date of pre-financial crisis peak Average house price Financial crisis peak – average price inflation adjusted Current peak – date Current peak – average price Nominal change – financial crisis vs current (%) Inflation adjusted change – financial crisis vs current (%) London 1/1/2008 £298,596 £423,677 1/1/2021 £503,308 69% 19% East of England 1/11/2007 £209,624 £297,435 1/1/2021 £309,243 48% 4% South East 1/10/2007 £238,845 £338,896 1/2/2021 £345,075 44% 2% East Midlands 1/9/2007 £159,537 £226,366 1/2/2021 £213,967 34% -5% South West 1/9/2007 £212,666 £301,751 1/2/2021 £279,242 31% -7% West Midlands region 1/8/2007 £165,807 £235,263 1/2/2021 £215,451 30% -8% Yorkshire and the Humber 1/10/2007 £150,233 £213,165 1/2/2021 £182,220 21% -15% Wales 1/8/2007 £150,316 £213,283 1/12/2020 £181,879 21% -15% North West 1/12/2007 £152,427 £216,278 1/2/2021 £184,351 21% -15% Scotland 1/5/2008 £145,641 £198,725 1/11/2020 £164,541 13% -17% North East 1/7/2007 £139,400 £197,794 1/1/2021 £140,606 1% -29% England 1/9/2007 £194,764 £276,350 1/2/2021 £268,291 38% -3% Great Britain 01/09/2007 £189,199 £268,454 01/01/2021 £253,382 34% -6% Data on house prices sourced from Gov.uk – UK House Price Index, based on the house price peak of each region prior to the financial crash and the change between then and the latest house price peak in 2020/2021
In the event of fire in large, crowded shopping centres, the safety and well-being of anyone inside relies on emergency systems operating for long enough for people to escape. Limbecker Platz, one of the largest shopping centres in Germany, chose Spelsberg’s WKE enclosures to provide adequate fire safety protection to vital circuitry that can save lives in the event of fire. While fire prevention plans have greatly contributed to minimise the likelihood of a fire happening in public buildings such as airports, hospitals and shops, the risk cannot be completely eliminated. The percentage of fires in the UK’s shopping centres accounts for 1.7% of the country’s retail fires, which are estimated to be 10.5% of all large loss fires in the UK, according to the Fire Protection Association and the RISCAuthority Large Loss Fire database. The data provided also indicates that the likelihood of fires in malls is equally distributed throughout the day, i.e. the event has the same probability of occurring during a shopping centre’s opening or closing times. Therefore, fire safety is essential and should be supported at all times. In particular, the electrical equipment that supports emergency systems must be adequately protected in the event of fire. In fact, in the event of a fire, electrical systems such as lighting, ventilation, smoke extraction and suppression are vital for saving lives. These systems must be protected from the force of the fire and remain operational long enough for thousands of people to be safely evacuated and for firefighters to extinguish the fire. A shopping centre that has been successful in implementing state-of-the-art fire safety equipment is Limbecker Platz. Built in 2008 and located in Essen, Germany, the mall contains more than 140 retail shops and 25 restaurants across its 70,000 m2 of floor area. With a daily foot traffic of over 50,000 people, the mall requires the highest standards of management to ensure that risks, including fires, are anticipated and covered. Alexandra Wagner, Center Manager at Limbecker Platz explained: “We feel responsible for the safety of our visitors and tenants, and we aim to be well-prepared in case of a real emergency.” Enclosures for optimal electrical functional integrity In order to ensure that electrical installations for emergency systems function safely during a fire, mall managers have to choose between two standard methods of providing fire protection to electrical circuits. The first one consists in encasing the conduits in concrete, mostly within walls; while the second option involves cabling and enclosures that can withstand fire for a prolonged amount of time. The first method presents some limitations. First, it is necessary to design the encasement before the building is erected, therefore any modernisation, inspection or maintenance would require the demolition of the original concrete encasement. Second, while the concrete encasement protects against flame passage, there is no standard identifying how long different concretes may protect an electrical circuit from failure. Finally, this design does not allow for access or visual inspection of conduits and cables should a problem present itself in day-to-day operation. Despite the high quality of fire protection afforded by this option, in many cases the expense and impracticalities make concrete encasement an unviable option. Having reviewed their options, the mall managers at Limbecker Platz chose to follow the second option of specifying fire resistant cabling and enclosures. Solutions that adhere to stringent fire safety regulations are key The next challenge for Limbecker Platz’s managers consisted in finding suitable equipment that would comply with the German standard DIN 4102-12 “Fire behaviour of building materials and elements – Fire resistance of electric cable systems required to maintain circuit integrity – Requirements and testing”. This regulation is considered one of the strictest in Europe and requires all the components of an entire cable system to withstand temperatures of up to 1,000°C and remain operational for at least 30, 60 or 90 minutes. The minimum duration for functional integrity of electrical systems is expressed as an ‘E’ followed by the number of minutes of functional integrity. For example, E60 indicates that the enclosure can resist fire for a minimum of 60 minutes. The intrinsic fire resistance of the electrical components allows the people inside to leave the building and rescue forces to operate. More precisely, the E30 protection is necessary to support safe evacuation and rescue operations. Accordingly, fire alarms, acoustic alerts and other systems used to issue instructions, as well as emergency lighting systems, lifts with fire control and fire extraction systems must remain operational. The E90 is necessary to help during fire-fighting operations. Therefore, the following equipment should remain operational for a minimum of 90 minutes: systems that provide fire suppressing water supplies, fire brigade elevators, as well as mechanical smoke extraction, smoke protection pressure and heat venting systems. In addition to DIN 4102-12, the installations must adhere to the European EN 60670 standard “Boxes and enclosures for electrical accessories for household and similar fixed electrical installations. General requirements”, which provides a number of environmental requirements. For example, the electrical enclosure should feature protection against moisture, dust, corrosion and mechanical stress. Ingress protection classification, in turn, is regulated by the DIN EN 60529 (VDE 0470). In order to address the relevant regulations, the electrical installers for the Limbecker Platz mall project chose to rely on one of the world’s leading manufacturers of electrical equipment enclosures and distribution boards: Spelsberg. Chris Lloyd, Managing Director at Spelsberg, commented: “We are committed to deliver high-quality fire protection enclosures that support businesses like Limbecker Platz and align with their fire protection policies. The safety measures within the mall are advanced, and we are happy to play a part in protecting its visitors and personnel with our quality solutions.” With a long tradition of technical innovation and quality products, Spelsberg manufactures its WKE fire protection enclosures in accordance with DIN 4102-12, i.e. guarantees electrical functional integrity for 30, 60 up to 90 minutes in the event of a fire. Also, Spelsberg’s solutions are certified according to EN 60670 and EN 60529, thus
National Regional Property Group and PMC Construction have completed Southampton’s second Build to Rent (BTR) scheme, and have now handed over the landmark building in the heart of the city to residential landlord, Grainger plc. Grainger plc agreed to forward-fund and acquire the Private Rented Sector (PRS) scheme of 132 one and two bedroom apartments in Southampton’s city centre in 2018, in a deal worth £27 million. The development, known as Gatehouse Apartments, has now been handed over to Grainger plc, the UK’s largest listed residential landlord, who will own and manage the 14-storey building which boasts a range of resident amenity spaces including roof terraces, a gym, communal lounge area, and co-working space, as well as 462 sq ms of commercial space at ground floor level. Grainger Chief Executive Helen Gordon said: “The launch of our Gatehouse Apartments scheme in the centre of Southampton is an important milestone for Grainger. We identified the city for investment owing to its excellent potential and Gatehouse Apartments is one of Southampton’s first build to rent developments. “We believe the high-quality finish and professionally managed service, delivered by the inhouse Grainger team, will attract a range of residents from across the city and beyond. “With Southampton being confirmed as one of the new Freeports and its bid for City of Culture 2025 under consideration, we see Southampton as a key destination for those looking to rent as a lifestyle choice. We look forward to welcoming our first residents in the next few weeks.” This is the second BTR scheme that National Regional Property Group and PMC Construction have completed in Southampton, the first being the £60m transformation of the city’s run-down fruit and veg market into apartments and retail space. Known as Bow Square, this now thriving community comprises 280 one and two-bed apartments for private rent. Shaun Adams, Chief Executive Officer at National Regional Property Group, based in Portsmouth commented: “We’ve been instrumental in bringing build to rent schemes to Southampton and continuing to invest in the ongoing regeneration of parts of the city.” Matt McGee from Cosham-based contractors, PMC Construction, who led the construction of the building, comments: “We were delighted to have the opportunity to work with National Regional Property Group and Grainger plc. As well as providing high-quality housing for the people of Southampton, we were able to provide significant employment for our specialist local supply chain and opportunities for young people to gain experience and qualifications working in construction.” Southampton has recently been tipped by CBRE as one of the top 20 future rental hotspots, due to a variety of factors, such as its strong transport links, excellent employment opportunities and relatively young population. For further details please visit www.gatehouseapartments.co.uk
After a multi-stage application process, Ventive has been selected to partner with the Construction Innovation Hub (CIH) and the Manufacturing Technology Centre (MTC) to collaboratively develop a new platform construction system that can be deployed at scale, across sectors. Traditional construction methods, although still favoured by many developers, can fall short in delivery, especially in relation to energy conservation, carbon reduction and building performance (for which read cost, environment, and comfort). With numerous trades and suppliers involved, the margin for error increases throughout a build programme and post-occupancy evaluation often reveals performance levels well below the design target. Ventive has been designing and manufacturing passive ventilation solutions for over 10 years and is improving the performance of buildings, through the application of science, innovation and modern methods of construction (MMC). Internal environments are known to affect the health and wellbeing of occupants and heavily impact the energy demand of the building itself. The internal environment for both domestic and commercial properties is under increasing scrutiny, with emphasis on ventilation to reduce the risk of viral infection. Now more than ever, we need to provide healthy spaces to live, learn and work and conserve our precious resources, including energy. Rob Morrison, Managing Director of Ventive said: “Our perennial focus on cost as an industry has historically meant the emphasis is placed on cost-effective delivery, over the solutions that improve the long-term performance of the building for the people that matter most – the end-users. Embedding the right solutions, at the design stage is critical if we are to ensure our buildings are fit for purpose now and in the future.” To enable this, Ventive has developed a range of modular, displacement ventilation systems that operate by harnessing natural forces (air buoyancy and wind speed) and recover energy either at zero cost or a fraction of the cost of mechanical solutions. Perfectly aligned to Offsite Construction and MMC, these solutions keep energy demand low, system performance high and the air quality excellent. Ventive’s most recent testing has also shown that displacement ventilation (a strategy for safely removing exhaust air and replacing it with fresh air, without recirculation or mixing) is proven to be an effective way to mitigate virus transmission. Rob Morrison added: “As building physics specialists and a disruptive manufacturer of building services technology, Ventive is well placed to advise and assist on this project – bringing to bear our expertise in environment management, system optimisation and construction integration. We share the ambitions of the Platform Design Programme and are fully committed to developing deployment-ready, manufactured-off-site buildings that address all of the economic, societal, environmental and wellbeing needs of the end-users.” For more information, visit www.ventive.co.uk Rob Morrison, MD Ventive Ltd: rob@ventive.co.uk
Leading supplier AEI Cables has further invested in service excellence for existing and new customers by moving into new UK headquarters. The company has moved into the new modern facilities including a distribution warehouse in Washington, Tyne & Wear, to ensure all service needs are met for its customers. Stuart Dover, general manager for AEI Cables, said: “The investment means we can move products quickly across our networks in the UK for our customers wherever they are. “With the increasing demand for specialist products, we can provide stock and the technical support and expertise they require from one location.” All AEI Cables’ products are supplied with approvals from independent bodies including BASEC and LPCB. It also holds approvals from organisations including Lloyds, the MoD, Network Rail and LUL and works to international standards around the world. Using the very latest in technology and science, the Firetec Total Fire Solutions range offers Mineral Insulated Cabling (MIC), Firetec Enhanced fire performance cabling, accessories and technical support from the AEI Cables distribution facility. AEI Cables’ Firetec Enhanced cabling has been approved and certified by LPCB to BS8519 (Annex B), Category 3 Control in addition to Category 2 Control.The BS Code of Practice under BS8519 contains six categories of cables, three for power cables and three for control cables each covering survival times of 30, 60 or 120 minutes.
The National Portrait Gallery is one of London’s most iconic attractions. Housing the most extensive collection of portraits in the world, including paintings and pictures of historically important and famous British people, it is one of the stand-out tourist destinations in the capital and generally attracts in excess of 1.5 million visitors per year. A major programme of refurbishment is currently underway at the gallery which has led to its closure from 2020 to 2023. The project, entitled “Inspiring People”, is a comprehensive redisplay of the collection from the Tudors to present day and involves a complete refurbishment of the building, the creation of new public spaces, a more welcoming visitor entrance and public forecourt, and a new state-of-the-art Learning Centre. The East Wing will return to being gallery space, with its own new street entrance. Panthera Group has been appointed by the London office of Gilbert Ash, the main contractor, to provide full site services for the duration of the renovation project. The first phase of this is to install an on-ground hoarding solution round the exterior of the building. The client chose EnviroHoard™, a sustainable, closed loop hoarding system manufactured from post production uPVC that is both recycled and recyclable. This solution was chosen in place of timber hoarding following a campaign by Panthera Group to minimise the felling of mature trees for single use construction projects. As well as being the perfect choice environmentally, it is also a great choice commercially – the system is quick to install; enabling swifter securing of the boundary and can be easily relocated if required. The panels do not warp or delaminate and need no maintenance whilst in-situ. A 60m stretch of EnviroHoard™ has been fixed to 1200kg concrete blocks and laid on protective mats to protect the pavement outside the building. Two sets of mesh vehicle gates and a set of pedestrian gates were also installed to ensure safe access and egress for contractors, suppliers and workers. The second phase of works included a 255m² internal fit out which had a set of strict criteria due to the sensitive nature of the works being carried out inside the national portrait gallery. The client requested that all works be carried out with minimal to no fixings to the existing structure. Panthera Group Site Services team therefore installed a perimeter wall that was flush with the existing wall to act as a frame allowing the build to proceed without fixing to the existing walls or floor. The temporary fit out includes two meeting rooms, two offices, a changing room, a canteen with integrated office and two tea stations, plus all doors and double-glazed opening windows. All temporary power and lighting was supplied and installed by Panthera Group for the internal fit out in the gallery and the company also provided welfare accommodation for the construction teams completing the renovations. When the National Portrait Gallery returns to life in 2023 it will be a historic building fit for a modern future.
After a turbulent year, 2021 is the year of recovery and growth for the construction industry. However, with labour shortages, supply chain disruptions and stricter regulations, challenging the industry to innovate must be a priority in order for the sector to recover and become resilient. This was reflected in the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) Strategy 2021, with increasing productivity and performance being key challenges to overcome. To do this, it is key for technology to be at the heart of this transformation by accelerating the adoption of new and innovative technologies and processes to create high performing systems that work together, adding value to society. The adoption of new technology and smarter processes can deliver tangible benefits for construction firms, but there remains a fundamental stumbling block for those organisations looking to capitalise on new innovation – which is finding the best connectivity to do the job. This could be a frequent lack of high speed, portable and reliable Internet connectivity, particularly for sites located in green and brownfield locations, or having access to emergency comms should there be a delay in a fixed-line installation or accidental breakage to a line. It is therefore imperative that the industry addresses these key issues as a matter of urgency so that firms can gain access to the connectivity they need at new sites from day one. Drew Morris, Sales Director, Comms365, explains. Foundations for change With rapid advances in technology and the advent of cloud-based services and applications, the way we work and collaborate has drastically changed. Technology innovation has led industries to continually strive to be more efficient, productive and cost effective. Yet, when it comes to the world of construction, investment in IT has remained low in comparison to other industries. The market has been hampered by technical challenges relating to projects that can be large, complex and geographically dispersed. Combined with varying proficiency and maturity levels of smaller subcontractors, advancing at scale has been difficult and has subsequently led to the slow progress of the digitisation of the construction industry. Despite these challenges, the available technology in construction has advanced rapidly and we are now starting to see examples of how advances in digital technology can deliver efficiency and productivity opportunities at the start of all projects – truly revolutionising the construction sites of the past. Drones, robotics, 3D printing and augmented reality are no longer works of fiction but can be adopted by forward thinking firms looking to capitalise on the benefits that embracing innovation can bring to the construction site. The catalyst of connectivity Connectivity is a necessity for businesses in virtually every industry and construction is no exception. Crucially, this is still one fundamental hurdle that the industry must overcome if it is to create a solid foundation for all new digital innovation. Technology that is crucial for the industry to innovate and keep up with demand, cannot function without high speed, portable and reliable internet connections, but gaining access to connectivity can be a challenge for new sites, particularly those that are located in a Green or Brownfield location where there is typically no existing infrastructure. But as internet communications are no longer restricted to fixed-line only delivery, companies can now invest in a blended communications model of wired and wireless internet access that truly satisfies business needs – irrespective of location. Advanced bonded service solutions enable organisations to gain additional resilience and contingency from combining different internet access connections together into a single ‘virtual pipe’, with precise performance management. With combined bandwidth and enhanced reliable internet performance integrated into a portable solution, this service is highly suitable for rapid deployment emergency situations where internet services are required urgently and communications infrastructure is either missing or may take several weeks to be installed, meaning sites can be up and running in a matter of hours, not weeks. In addition, this approach builds in future-proofing by providing consistent bandwidth for improved performance and backup resilience to a primary connection for business continuity. Conclusion The construction industry cannot continue to utilise outdated processes and management methods but instead must embrace digital advances and adopt smarter processes and technology to stay competitive. New technology will continue to disrupt the industry and change how we work, but there is no way that the construction sites of the future will ever become a reality unless the industry can conquer the basics of connectivity. So, how can construction firms ensure that a strong and stable connection is established quickly at a new site to ensure lack of connectivity does not negatively impact on projects? By working with experienced and trusted providers who can supply the connectivity solutions that sites require. The industry will then be able to continually benefit from the opportunities that the latest advances in innovation present, and meet the priorities laid out in the CLC strategy, bettering the future of construction. The potential rewards to firms that capitalise on digitisation will be instantaneous.
Global building materials solutions supplier CEMEX has made another strategic investment for growth into its Selby Asphalt Plant and Depot to enhance its overall operation efficiency. The Selby site supplies high quality aggregates and asphalt across the Yorkshire region. Together with Bowker, its logistics partner at Selby, and Potter Space (owners of the business park where Selby is located), more than £200,000 has been invested into new rail freight infrastructure and facilities, ensuring the ongoing reliability of the service from this site and enabling the team to increase the number of trains that can run a week. Considerable improvements have been made to the track that travels off the main line and into the Selby depot. Following the investment, around 70 per cent of the track has been completely replaced, with other upgrades such as concrete sleepers made to improve the condition of the track further, and the installation of new loading bays. Additionally, Bowker have made significant investment in its stone discharge facilities at Selby; upgrading safety features to go beyond legislative requirements as well as making significant improvements to equipment and enhancing critical components increasing reliability. “The features, including new guards and fencing, are focussed on operator safety; and in general, the improvements will deliver reductions in down time during critical discharge periods. The significant investment demonstrates the commitment Bowker have made to the CEMEX partnership,” said Neil Bowker, Bowker’s Commercial Director. As a result of the developments made at the Selby site, the team have been able to increase the number of services run from this depot to three a week. This means an extra 90,000 tonnes of material can be moved by train, taking trucks off the road and maximising the use of rail as a sustainable mode of transport. All this helps support CEMEX’s climate objectives and minimises its impact on the environment. “We continue to invest heavily into our rail operations across the country, as this allows us to grow volumes and increase the services we offer. The works at Selby were the latest part of our development programme and it was fantastic to partner with Bowker and Potter Space on the many improvements that have been made – improvements that will enable us to better and more safely support our customers,” commented Dave Hart, CEMEX’s Supply Chain Director for UK and France. “Enhancing the sustainability of our business is a key priority and the use of rail forms an important part of this – as every rail freight service removes trucks from the road and achieves additional carbon savings. These investments help us to support CEMEX’s climate initiatives and be a more responsible company.” Jason Rockett, managing director of Potter Space, also added: “Potter Space has a proven track record of working together with customers, so we were pleased to work in partnership with both CEMEX and Bowker at our Potter Space Selby business park. All three parties recognise the value and benefit of rail transportation, so we were delighted to jointly invest in the new rail infrastructure to help meet the needs of CEMEX and support its long-term business plans.” These improvements come as part of a wider investment into Selby, with £0.5million planned for three new bitumen tanks and a reprocessed asphalt system. These will help to achieve further operating efficiencies and minimise waste while improving safety and customer service.
If you’ve been injured in an accident, you’re entitled to file a personal injury claim. But, before filing a claim for personal injury, there are various things you should know. One of these is that filing a personal claim is a complicated process. Fortunately, once you choose the best personal injury lawyer from a reputable Denver PI Firm to handle your claim, the entire process will run smoothly. However, it’s still essential to keep the following things in mind before you decide to file a claim: 1. Know if Your Insurance Policy Covers the Accident If you think your injuries or the accident are caused by someone’s negligence, you might want to determine if that person has insurance coverage that would cover the injury claim you’ll take. For instance, if you’ve suffered from injuries due to a workplace accident, know if the company has insurance coverage for this or if your employer has a workers’ compensation policy. It’s crucial to do this since it can determine whether or not you’d be able to get a fair settlement. 2. Filing Personal Injury Claims Have Time Limits When filing a personal injury claim, you need to consider the time limits or statute of limitations to obtain a more desirable outcome for your case. Typically, the majority of personal injury claims are subject to strict time limits, which require court proceedings to be commenced within three years of the incident’s date. Other claims are also subject to shorter time limits. Therefore, it’s necessary to take legal advice immediately and never delay the process if you want to file a claim. Remember, by keeping the statute of limitations in mind, you’ll be encouraged to file your claim promptly. If you know you have a limited amount of time to initiate your case, you’re more likely to do so sooner rather than later. This can help ensure the evidence isn’t lost or destroyed and that the witnesses’ memories are still fresh. 3. Medical Evidence is Crucial to Support Your Claim Depending on the injuries you’ve sustained, you must seek medical advice from a doctor or any hospital. Medical evidence is needed to support your personal injury claim. If you can’t get your medical report because you’re still recovering, let your lawyer obtain it for you. 4. Insurance Companies are Involved in Personal Injury Cases Most personal injury cases often involve insurance companies, including claims that involve medical malpractice, vehicle accidents, or other accidents that happen in private homes or businesses. Insurance companies are vested in protecting your insurance company’s financial interests. The settlement offer that insurance providers make might not always be fair since they limit their company’s financial exposure. 5. Take Note of Your Expenses and Losses You should provide evidence of the financial losses claimed. If possible, keep some receipts for the expenses you’ve incurred. Keep a record of the costs incurred due to the accident. These may include loss of earnings, damaged items, medical fees, and travel expenses. 6. Gather the Statements of Your Witnesses If you can, speak to your witnesses and gather some vital information about your accident. Jot down their personal contact details, such as email address, phone number, and name. They may have other information you didn’t catch before. For instance, the other driver might be driving fast or hit your car at a red light. 7. Take Videos or Photos of the Accident If you or someone can take photos or videos of the accident, don’t forget to do it. Such can be a good piece of evidence that may disappear immediately when the emergency team and police arrive and start to clean the accident scene. 8. Decide Whether or Not to Hire a Personal Injury Lawyer Regardless of the complexity level of your case, it’s best to discuss it with a lawyer specializing in personal injury. Take note that talking with a lawyer isn’t the same as hiring one. Many personal injury lawyers offer a free consultation where they’ll discuss your case’s merits and outline all the available legal options for you. In many lawyer-client agreements in a personal injury case, the lawyer works on a contingency basis, which means the client won’t pay anything unless there’s a settlement or judgment in favor of the client. If your case wins or you’ve received compensation successfully, your lawyer will take an agreed-upon percentage of the judgment or settlement as a fee for the services. Depending on the complexity of your case or the amount of money at stake, it’s always worth it to have a lawyer to fight for you. However, it’s essential to note that there are specific signs you may need to seek legal assistance. These include: If you experience any of these situations, it would be advisable to consult an experienced personal injury attorney. This could enhance your understanding of your case and potentially improve your chances of securing a more favorable outcome. 9. Never Sign Anything Before Consulting a Lawyer Insurance adjusters might convince you that you won’t need a lawyer to settle your claim but bear in mind that insurance companies don’t care about your best interest. Most of them want you to deal with them directly in the hopes that you’ll settle for less than your case’s worth. With this in mind, it’s essential not to sign anything before speaking to personal injury lawyers because doing so can prevent you from recovering your compensation. Conclusion Filing a personal injury claim is never easy. By understanding the whole process and considering the above mentioned things, you’ll be more equipped with knowledge that may come in handy once you decide to file a claim for personal injury. If you’re still confused with the process, take legal advice and never hesitate to let your lawyer handle everything for you.
When it comes to repairing water and waste pipes in present times, Cured-In-Place Lining is by far the most technologically advanced technique. The installation process for the same works on the principle of creating a pipe within the pipe with the help of trenchless technology. When one works with the CIPP lining process, he can expect the resulting pipeline to be loaded with several benefits instead of when he uses the traditional pipe repair process and the related replacement techniques. Working of CIPP The first step of the CIPP installation is cleaning out the pipe. If one tries to attempt the installation without cleaning the pipe, it will result in a failed pipe restoration. The resin will be able to coat it evenly and cure it only if the line is clean. If corrosion, grease, or rust is found, cleaners can remove it using abrasive cleaning methods. After ensuring that the pipe is clean, the technicians will proceed to insert a video camera inside the pipe to search for sources of damage. This information is crucial since it will tell them where they need to make the repairs. A fundamental advantage of CIPP liners is that you have both options: to repair not such big areas of damage or repair the whole pipe length in one go. After the technicians have determined the area which needs repairs, they start inserting a tube coated with layers of repair material into the pipe. Subsequently, they prepare a balloon or bladder and put it inside the line. This ensures that the tube is held in place against the pipe. The bladder has coated the damaged pipe with the required repair material and will keep it until it cures. With most materials, one can expect the pipe to cure in around two to three hours. The technician removes the balloon and deflates it once the material is completely dried. They might insert the video camera once again to check whether the process was successful and sealed the damage. There should be a solid and durable pipe instead of the old one, which was not in good condition. When we compare trenching and CIPP lining, we find that the latter provides several benefits compared to the former. There might be some situations where CIPP liners might not be the solution for specific problems; one can look towards trenchless solutions for such cases. Consult some of the experts in trenchless pipe solutions to perform a diagnosis of your water system before you decide which method of repair or replacement you would like to go for. Identification of sewage problems When we compare sewage issues with other ones, we discover that they are relatively easier to identify. You should not ignore the first signs of a leaking sewage system. The more you ignore them, the worse the damage can become. Naturally, you might not know when there are problems. However, you can learn what things to take care of and when to seek professional help. Funny sounds In the scenario that you hear the sound of water gushing but can’t seem to find the source, it might be that there is a leak in either your sewer pipes or building. Squishy floor When you step on your floor, and it makes a squishy sound or feels spongy, it might have happened due to a sewage leak. When an issue arises with the link to the sewer main, the water seeps close to the connection, which results in the floor getting filled with moisture. Bad odor Although it is known that sewage does not have a pleasant smell, but some foul odors in your house might arise from mold and mildew that flourish with the help of sewage leaks. These odors might be detectable outdoors too. Rodent woes Rodents are attracted to the odor of leaking sewer lines. It might be too late before you notice the issue, and they have arrived in large numbers drawn by the smell. If you cannot pinpoint any other reason for the rodent problem, it is definitely a sewer leakage. Cracks present in the foundation When sewer lines drip, they cause pooling in the soil present around your home. This leads to the shifting of the house and the development of cracks in the foundation. It might also result in damage in driveways, concrete patios, and sidewalks. Why choose CIPP trenchless pipeliners? Even though traditional trench methods might seem a cheaper option, this is not the case. When the actual costs are computed, CIPP lining appears to be a better option economically. CIPP pipelines can work for several types and sizes of pipes. You need not think about the size or placement of the original line. CIPP pipeliners are a much safer option for you and the workers. There is less risk of exposure to several dangerous natural elements. Plagiarism Report:
