February 17, 2023
Willmott Dixon wins Agora regeneration scheme

Willmott Dixon wins Agora regeneration scheme

Milton Keynes Council has appointed contractor Willmott Dixon as its preferred bidder to deliver the landmark Agora regeneration scheme in Wolverton, which has received £36 million of investment by the City Council. Working alongside developer TOWN, Willmott Dixon will review and finalise the design for the new development on the

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£545m M&E framework announced by Pagabo

Pagabo launches dedicated M&E solutions framework to market

LEADING national framework provider Pagabo has issued a prior information notice (PIN) for its latest framework – the brand-new Mechanical & Electrical Solutions Framework. Valued at £545 million, the framework has been designed as a solutions-based offering to complement Pagabo’s existing suite of frameworks. A range of specialist M&E subcontractors

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5 Tips For Choosing The Best Office Space For Your Business

5 Tips For Choosing The Best Office Space For Your Business

Whether you’re running a startup business or planning to move to a different office, there are many options for your office space. You should prioritize your employees and business needs when looking for the best working environment. After all, this can make or break overall productivity and performance.  Some entrepreneurs

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The Best Practices For Holding Team Meetings

The Best Practices For Holding Team Meetings

Team meetings are an effective communication tool and are unavoidable in work settings. You can build an effective team by holding successful meetings. And the buck usually lies with the meeting leader. It’s best to make your session engaging and interactive.   It can be an excellent way to boost your

Read More »
Protect your assets: 3 awesome benefits of industrial painting

Protect your assets: 3 awesome benefits of industrial painting

Industrial site painting is a broad service that (literally) covers everything from processing plants to manufacturing facilities and pretty much anywhere that requires incredibly durable protection from environmental and operational stress. Naturally, the best Australian paint companies provide industrial painting in a way that far exceeds aesthetic appreciation. Therefore, it

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Latest Issue
Issue 323 : Dec 2024

February 17, 2023

Willmott Dixon wins Agora regeneration scheme

Willmott Dixon wins Agora regeneration scheme

Milton Keynes Council has appointed contractor Willmott Dixon as its preferred bidder to deliver the landmark Agora regeneration scheme in Wolverton, which has received £36 million of investment by the City Council. Working alongside developer TOWN, Willmott Dixon will review and finalise the design for the new development on the former site of the disused Agora Centre and adjacent car park. The scheme will provide 115 new two- to four-storey homes across six residential blocks, nearly a third of which will be affordable housing and which incorporates a co-housing community for over-50s alongside family homes for rent. Also known as the Love Wolverton project, it is set to elevate the local environmental and social sustainability of the area through an inclusive mix of housing, nine ground-floor commercial units and a designated community space to inject life into the local economy. Sustainable elements of include energy-efficient buildings and a smart renewable energy microgrid to generate around two-thirds of the annual energy required for the scheme. There will be several car-free streets, as well as a sustainable mobility hub including a car club and bike hire facilities. This is the latest in a series of town centre regeneration for Willmott Dixon. The company is also involved in the Spindles development in Oldham town centre, Upperbanks development in Rochdale and Stockport Interchange. “The Agora regeneration scheme is a pivotal project that will breathe new life into the local area of Wolverton. As one of the most environmentally ambitious regeneration schemes in the UK, we are proud to have been appointed to deliver a project that is set to offer such value to the area, both in terms of its sustainable benefits and social value potential. We look forward to working alongside the City Council and TOWN to ensure the scheme is one that stands out on the national stage and that the benefits promised to the community are fully realised,” said Michelle Cotterill, Director at Willmott Dixon. The scheme, which is procured through Pagabo’s Major Works Framework, will deliver on a long-held ambition to regenerate Wolverton town centre, modernising the high street while respecting the history and character of its railway town conservation area, reinstating the previous neighbourhood layout and Victorian character. Work is expected to start on-site later this year. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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£545m M&E framework announced by Pagabo

Pagabo launches dedicated M&E solutions framework to market

LEADING national framework provider Pagabo has issued a prior information notice (PIN) for its latest framework – the brand-new Mechanical & Electrical Solutions Framework. Valued at £545 million, the framework has been designed as a solutions-based offering to complement Pagabo’s existing suite of frameworks. A range of specialist M&E subcontractors will be appointed to the framework, which will run for four years after going live. Pagabo has already been engaging with M&E providers ahead of issuing this prior information notice. It will also hold a market engagement session on 28 February with the wider market to ensure the collaborative development of a truly fit-for-purpose framework. To allow the framework to be open to a full range of suppliers, it will be split into four value-based lots, allowing organisations to tender for different sized projects. The national framework will also be split into a number of UK regions. It will be open to all types of public sector bodies, including, but not limited to, blue light services, housing associations, healthcare, education, aviation, highways and infrastructure, rail, and nuclear. Jonathan Parker, head of construction at Pagabo, said: “We’re very pleased to be bringing a new framework into our suite of services. The drive and demand for more smart buildings has created more work for companies with mechanical and electrical capabilities, especially in support of the healthcare and higher education sectors, which we’re going to help them compete for. “Appointing the most suitable supplier for each project will help ensure clients have a collective approach to innovation. Whether it’s offsite manufacturing by the contractor, to electrical modelling to the highest energy standards by the M&E specialist, this framework is one of our offerings that will help build quality project teams. “We also build into our framework development and tender processes a dedication to SMEs within the industry, making sure they are afforded equal opportunities across our suite of frameworks – and that is no different for this latest framework.” Cumbria, Northumberland, and Tyne and Wear NHS (CNTW) will be the contracting authority for the new agreement, after holding the same role for Pagabo’s major works and developer led frameworks. Pagabo works with more than 480 public sector bodies throughout the UK and has successfully helped its clients procure more than £3.6 billion of works, goods and services projects through its suite of frameworks. This work has also generated more than £5.3 billion in social value for local communities. Suppliers are able to register their interest here: https://in-tendhost.co.uk/pagabo/aspx/ProjectManage/1265 To register for the pre-market engagement, please go to https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ox7eNg5WTpinjG45J4_LOA Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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10 Tips To Achieve Accurate Cost Estimates in your Home Renovation

10 Tips To Achieve Accurate Cost Estimates in your Home Renovation

When you are planning to conduct a home renovation you need to ensure that the cost estimates are accurate. When they are accurate you will know how to save money before your renovation takes place. Below are 10 tips to achieve accurate cost estimates in your home renovation. 1. Develop A Checklist Every home renovation is different. Because of these differences, you should develop a checklist that lists all of the material that your renovation will use. You can use an estimating software like CostCertified so that you see how each item gets priced. Once you have your checklist, you won’t need to create it all over again if you need to make updates. 2. Expect Changes In Price As you plan your home renovation, you need to be aware of the pricing for the materials and for the labor involved. The reason why is because of the increases in price that are happening, as well as problems experienced throughout the supply chain. 3. Decide The Need For Specific Tools When you review your home renovation estimate, make sure that the tools will actually be needed or not without affecting the renovation. Decide if the tool’s size will be necessary or if a more manageable tool is appropriate for the job. You should also enquire if you can conduct some of the work with your own tools. 4. Review All Quotes When your home renovation contractor presents you with their quote, it is important to review it with them and not to assume that it has not changed from what you verbally agreed upon. When you review the quote, you can make changes to it before signing off on it. 5. Consider Labor Costs Labor is another important cost to consider when it comes to paying for a renovation. Before you sign any quote, ensure the labor costs are reasonable to you. Ensure that these costs also include the taxes.When formulating the labor cost, you also need to consider the weather conditions and how productive the labor force will be. 6. Verify The Accuracy Of Payroll When you have a home renovation and you decide to hire independent workers, it is important to have an agreement on what the pay will be before work commences. When you have a pay rate established, you will be able to easily calculate other workers who might come onboard later on. 7. Determine Unit Cost When you determine the unit cost, you are able to quickly gain estimates without having to wait too long. For your unit cost to be determined, take the following steps: Gather the items needed Label each item with a cost Total up the cost and have it double checked Include a markup to finalize your costs 8. Bring In Additional Experts If you lack experience in certain areas of home renovation, it is perfectly ok to bring in a contractor who specializes in certain areas of home renovation. When you do, ensure that you get their quote so that it can fit nicely with your current costs and so that you don’t go over budget. 9. Research Your Home Renovation Type Online When you are planning a home renovation, you should do some research first. Go online and research the exact type of renovation you plan to conduct to see what the costs would be for labor and materials. This is a good starting point to get an idea of what your entire project would look like when completed. 10. Incorporate As Much Technology As Possible You have a lot of tools and technology at your disposal when you plan a home renovation. The use of this technology can easily reduce overall cost. Besides costs, the technology will also help you to achieve estimates that are the most accurate and in less time. This time-saving benefit allows you to get your project underway and completed sooner than anticipated. When you are planning a home renovation project, it is important to know how to achieve accurate cost estimates. When you follow the tips above, your home renovation project will begin and end within budget. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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5 Tips For Choosing The Best Office Space For Your Business

5 Tips For Choosing The Best Office Space For Your Business

Whether you’re running a startup business or planning to move to a different office, there are many options for your office space. You should prioritize your employees and business needs when looking for the best working environment. After all, this can make or break overall productivity and performance.  Some entrepreneurs feel stressed out when reviewing different possible office locations. They lack preparation and have yet to decide on important considerations. To prevent that and make the process seem less daunting, it’s ideal for learning tips and tricks for choosing the best office space for your business.   Learn some benefits of shared office space and apply the following steps when looking for the best one:  1. Prioritize Location  Everyone would tell you how important location is when choosing stores and offices. After all, this is where your employees would work daily, and customers or business partners would need to visit you. Choose a location that’s convenient and accessible for everyone. They should be able to come to your office without hassles and hurdles.   There are primary considerations when deciding on the location. First, it should be in a safe and secure neighborhood. Check the nearby offices and see if it’s an ideal location for your business. It’s best to be located in a downtown or main area so your customers and employees can arrive quickly by using any transportation. Finally, when you find the right location, you can proceed with designing your new office place.  2. Set A Budget  Businesses should set a budget to make good decisions for office spaces. An office space cost should be strategically planned. As well as affecting net income, the price determines how much reserve money your business can maintain. Setting a budget allows you to narrow your choices and see what facilities or locations you can afford.  The price is a determining factor for the success of your operations. If the office space price or subsidy is too low, it can result in inadequate working conditions and substandard offices. However, overspending on your office space can also lead to adverse financial conditions. A high lease is never healthy for your cash flow, and you might continue to incur additional expenses in the long run. The key is to stay within the budget and ensure that the price is reasonable to meet your needs.  If you have invested in a low cost franchise, however, you may have more of your budget to work with, as long as you do not get too excited about what you could do 3. Consider The Facilities  If you’ve decided on shared office space, you should always think about the types of facilities you need. To ensure your business is successful, you should guarantee that your employees can maximize and use the available facilities. For instance, the office space should have excellent internet connectivity, comfortable workspaces, good lighting, a pantry, meeting cubicles, and other functions that contribute to your team member’s performance and well-being.   It’s essential to research thoroughly and look for offices that meet your facility’s requirements. Your office may be storing valuable equipment overnight, so security is another critical consideration. You can also factor in their operations time, which should be relevant if you have different work shifts. Thus, if you are looking for a suitable space for your needs, there are several factors to consider for finding the right facilities alone.  4. Match It To Your Business Needs  Choosing the suitable office space for your needs is vital, no matter what office you choose. Assess how much space and equipment each employee needs for comfortable work, and then determine how big an office you need based on those numbers. List down every facility and amenities your employees and business need.    Even though having a larger space than necessary can be a good idea since it allows you to add employees, you risk paying for space you don’t need if your team doesn’t grow as quickly as expected. But it’s also crucial not to go for a small and cramped office as this can only affect performance and output. Growing businesses can choose short-term contracts to change office spaces as their teams expand and their needs change.   5. Factor In Your Company Size  Finally, it’s essential to factor in your company size. Count your staff and see who needs to work in the office at a given time. The size of your premises should match the size of your business. If you don’t need a huge space, don’t overspend. But at the same time, you don’t want your employees to stay in a small area that’s too cramped.   By knowing your office space requirements, you can avoid moving from one office to another, which is another expense you don’t need. You would be better off with a more extensive and flexible office space if you expand your company and hire more employees.   Conclusion  Any business needs to assess its office location with more consideration and preparation. The list of advice above can get you started on the right track. It’s important to keep your business and employees’ needs in mind before deciding on the best office location.   Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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The Best Practices For Holding Team Meetings

The Best Practices For Holding Team Meetings

Team meetings are an effective communication tool and are unavoidable in work settings. You can build an effective team by holding successful meetings. And the buck usually lies with the meeting leader. It’s best to make your session engaging and interactive.   It can be an excellent way to boost your team members’ morale and align the company’s objectives. They can also be a perfect place to brainstorm and develop strong ideas. Additionally, they actively keep the employees on track. As such, the need to hold an effective meeting can’t be over-emphasized. With that in mind, here are the best practices for conducting a team meeting:   It’s essential for all those attending the meeting to be aware of what’s going to happen. That can be covered in the agenda. Your agenda should stipulate the objectives of the meeting. The last thing you’d want is a low turnout because of miscommunication. It would be best if you communicated some essential aspects of the meeting in your agenda. Some ideas to consider when preparing for the sessions include the following:  It’s best to ensure everyone attending the meeting has a rough idea of what the session entails. You can send the attendees an email to communicate the agenda and objectives of the meeting. Avoid turning your meetings into a one-person show. Everyone in the forum should contribute. An engaging discussion should include relevant topics of conversation that’ll find solutions to most of the objectives of the meeting. You can assign every item to a specific team member, giving everyone a chance to contribute verbally.   Alternatively, you can ask questions randomly to the attendees. It helps keep them attentive. However, ensure the questions are relevant to avoid veering off the topic of discussion.   Bringing the whole department to the meeting isn’t always prudent. Remember, the more attendees, the longer the discussion can be. Selecting a few department representatives would be best. In this case, you may prioritize department heads. For one, they know all that’s happening in their dockets. Again, they’re better off relaying the information to their juniors, primarily if the meetings aim at introducing new work rules.  You also don’t want to stop all the business projects for a meeting. Selecting the attendees is essential, as those not attending the conference can work on their current projects.   Intelligent team leaders delegate roles to others in the meetings. If you take on all the meeting responsibilities, you might drag the conversation. For instance, every forum needs a secretary to take notes. You also need a timekeeper to keep an eye on the clock. Additionally, it’s vital to have a meeting controller. It’s not wise to leave all the responsibilities to one person. It’s not time-conscious having one person take on all the duties.  Again, the meeting can be chaotic if there’s no one in charge of controlling the forum. For instance, when contributing to an idea, someone should pick who shares the thoughts and when. From the list of attendees, you can delegate some roles. It helps in keeping everyone involved in the discussion. Managing the time scheduled for the meeting is essential. The length of the meeting significantly contributes towards successful engagements. Long meetings don’t necessarily mean productive outcomes. Again, people can lose focus when you hold long sittings. If the meeting has to be long, you should have breaks. You can also provide lunch instead of letting the attendees take an extended break to have a bite. It limits the lunch breaks to a reasonable time and ensures you resume the meeting quickly.  Alternatively, you can hold brown bag meetings. They’re shorter meetings often held during lunchtime. They’re excellent for follow-up. You should always end the discussion with a recap of the main ideas. This way, the attendees take note of the objectives discussed. Evaluate and summarize what they need to work on before the next meet-up.   You can also communicate that the next meeting will address the previous meeting’s demands. The strategy is result-oriented and helps in avoiding a backlog of ideas. If the ideas generated in every forum are implemented, you can be sure to make progress.   Conclusion Team meetings are of significant importance in work environments. The success of a discussion session depends on preparedness and best practices. The insights above will come in handy and fine-tune your next meeting. Ensure you stick to the objectives during your discussion. Most importantly, find the best location to hold the meeting. It keeps everyone attentive throughout the session. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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Protect your assets: 3 awesome benefits of industrial painting

Protect your assets: 3 awesome benefits of industrial painting

Industrial site painting is a broad service that (literally) covers everything from processing plants to manufacturing facilities and pretty much anywhere that requires incredibly durable protection from environmental and operational stress. Naturally, the best Australian paint companies provide industrial painting in a way that far exceeds aesthetic appreciation. Therefore, it is essential for business owners and team members to know how to deliver the best solution for their application. With this in mind, here are three outstanding reasons why industrial painting has long been one of the best methods for protecting operational facilities from anything the nature of business can throw their way: One of the key benefits of industrial painting is to fight against the pitfalls of corrosion and rust. As industrial processes utilise intense procedures, it is perfectly normal for mechanical operations to break down only after months of usage. Furthermore, industrial painting is pivotal for machinery that may be exposed to the elements and, of course, water. This is the case with anything that passes a lot of time exposed to the elements and especially that of wild Australian storms. The relationship between unprotected materials and chemicals like plastic and aluminium is the general reason behind mechanical faults. These chemical reactions make the products become more susceptible to issues, which in turn can cause system problems. Therefore, world class industrial paints are made not to cause any reaction, which furthers the technology’s lifespan as well as maintains its operational standard. Industrial painting is imperative for reducing operational energy consumption. Larger facilities require effective mechanical operation and quality systems to reduce their ongoing carbon footprint. Therefore, reflective industrial painting is designed to turn away any heat from walls instead of taking it on and this helps a lot to reduce the property’s energy consumption and, consequently, improve energy ratings. These paints utilise a lighter colour palette as well as specially made chemical compounds. They keep the property cool, which reduces the buildings reliance  or property homes on air conditioning units. Therefore, your business will not only be helping reduce its carbon footprint, but it will also be reducing the amount of money spent on energy demands! As an operations business owner, you will know that your technology may, one day, have to be replaced. When this happens, the last thing you want is to be stuck with expensive technology that you can’t resell – what a wasted opportunity that would be! Unfortunately, business owners who choose not to cover their technology in industrial paint often witness the denigration of their technology over time, and they will either see themselves selling it for pittance or not at all! With industrial painting, you can trust that your operational technology will have a longer lifespan, especially due to its anti-penetration properties stopping the machinery from denigrating over time. The results? The ability to resell your technology and make back some of the capital you spent on buying new operational machinery! It’s an investment for your business’s future as well as a highly safe, valuable practice. As you can see, enlisting one of the best Australian paint companies to provide your technology with a much-needed coating comes with a range of unparalleled benefits. To increase its lifespan, reduce your company carbon footprint whilst increasing the machinery’s resale value is something all business owners should be looking toward – perhaps it’s time for your business to do the same? Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals

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