Global construction companies face a unique challenge: how to manage their operations and projects in the most cost-effective way while still delivering high-quality results. Outsourcing is one way that businesses are tackling this challenge. It can offer access to skilled experts who may not be available locally, cost savings, improved
Running a construction business can be one of the promising ways to generate great profits. People are always looking for construction services, whether to construct a new property or renovate a current one. Therefore, there’s a constant demand for construction services, enabling you to connect with many potential customers. You’ll
If your snag list shows that there are defects in your new build home then it is the responsibility of the builder to rectify these errors prior to you taking occupancy. However, sometimes requests to perform maintenance or repairs fall on deaf ears. For many homeowners looking forward to their
Your new office will be the home for your company, and it will be the place that ultimately determines how successful your company will be. Therefore, designing office space that’s comfortable, welcoming, and boosts productivity is essential. A good working atmosphere can benefit your company’s efficiency, productivity, morale, and team
RED Construction London, a regional arm to the main contractor RED Construction Group, has announced its appointment to deliver five high-quality residential units within ITC Properties’ £17m redevelopment of Townsend House in the heart of London’s Victoria district. Located at 5 Greycoat Place in a prominent junction of the City
Are you looking to make some changes to your delivery business’s daily operations to increase its efficiency? We’ve got your back! Running a courier business isn’t a walk in the park—there’s a fleet to maintain, expenses to control, and a team to manage. Still, increasing business efficiency and making it
Global construction companies face a unique challenge: how to manage their operations and projects in the most cost-effective way while still delivering high-quality results. Outsourcing is one way that businesses are tackling this challenge. It can offer access to skilled experts who may not be available locally, cost savings, improved customer service, better management of employees and enhanced quality control. This article will explore how global construction companies can capitalise on outsourcing to enhance their operation. 1) Access to Expertise: Outsourcing provides access to a global talent pool which can help construction companies find the right people for their projects. It allows them to quickly source the most qualified professionals, no matter where they are located in the world. This can be especially beneficial when looking for specialists or niche skill sets, as these may not be available locally. By outsourcing such services, global construction companies can ensure their operation has access to all the expertise it needs without having to build up an in-house team. 2) Cost Savings: Costs are always an essential factor in any business decision; this is one of the major advantages of outsourcing. If construction companies use external contractors and subcontractors, they can save money. This is because third-party providers often have access to more competitive rates than in-house staff. They can also take advantage of economies of scale that come from working with a larger network of service providers. These savings can then be passed on to customers or reinvested into other business areas. 3) Improved Customer Service: Outsourcing can help global construction companies provide their customers with improved service. Customer service is an essential factor in any business, and outsourcing can help ensure that projects are completed efficiently while still meeting the customers’ needs. For example, outsourcing certain tasks or processes can help free up resources for other areas, such as customer service, allowing companies to focus on delivering the best possible experience for their customers. 4) Increased Employee Management: Outsourcing can also help global construction companies manage their employee resources more effectively. By outsourcing certain tasks, such as payroll and HR, companies can reduce their administrative burden and free up more time for managing staff. This can help ensure that resources are allocated to where they are most needed in the business while still ensuring that employees’ needs are taken care of. 5) Enhanced Quality Control: Outsourcing can help global construction companies maintain a higher level of quality control. Specialist contractors and subcontractors are more likely to follow the company’s standards and protocols, allowing them to ensure that projects meet their high expectations without having to manage everything themselves. This can also provide peace of mind that any work completed meets both customer and industry standards. Overall, outsourcing is an excellent way for global construction companies to enhance their operation by providing access to expertise, cost savings, improved customer service, increased employee management, and enhanced quality control. By taking advantage of this capability, businesses can make sure their operations run smoother and more efficiently while still providing excellent results. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Running a construction business can be one of the promising ways to generate great profits. People are always looking for construction services, whether to construct a new property or renovate a current one. Therefore, there’s a constant demand for construction services, enabling you to connect with many potential customers. You’ll have to make many decisions when starting a new construction company. And one of them is to choose among the various business structures for your firm. One structure that’s most popular among construction businesses is the limited liability company (LLC). What Is An LLC? An LLC is a business structure that combines the characteristics of a sole proprietorship or partnership and a corporation. It provides limited liability to its members like a corporation and offers pass-through taxation to the company, which means that the LLC owners will have to pay their own taxes. Owners of LLCs are referred to as members. The best thing about this business structure is that there are no restrictions on ownership. Anyone, including individuals, and corporations, can be a member of an LLC. Additionally, there’s no minimum or maximum number of members. You can check the state’s requirements for more information about an LLC. Is An LLC A Good Fit For Construction Businesses? Deciding to run your construction business as a Florida LLC has several implications, and you should take the move only after clearly understanding its pros and cons. It’s also advisable to work with experts like corporate lawyers and financial advisors for professional advice to ensure you make the right choice. Pros Of Running A Construction Business As An LLC There are several benefits of having your construction firm as an LLC. They include the following: Starting a business as a sole proprietorship or partnership has fewer legal formalities. This implies that the company’s debts are also your liabilities. Simply put, your personal assets or properties can be used to cover the company’s debts. LLCs have legal personalities in the eyes of the law that is considered independent outside of its owners or founding members. As such, LLCs are responsible for its own debts. Therefore, your personal assets can’t be used to settle business debts and other obligations. Unlike corporations, LLCs don’t pay taxes on their own names. Depending on the number of members, LLCs usually adopt the tax status of partnerships or sole proprietorships. As such, your construction LLC will always enjoy pass-through taxation. The LLC earnings are distributed among owners, who then pay personal income tax. Although corporations also offer limited liabilities to members, they must adhere to some strict legal requirements. For instance, they must hold annual general meetings and make annual reports. In contrast, members of an LLC have more flexibility and may hold meetings only when they deem it necessary. Another great benefit of forming a construction firm as an LLC is because of its perpetual existence. A sole proprietorship comes to an end when its owner dies. A partnership must be dissolved when one or more members retire or dies. In contrast, an LLC has a perpetual existence. The death, withdrawal, or retirement of a member won’t lead to the dissolution of the company. Hence, this makes it the best structure if you want your children and other members to continue running the business when you retire. Cons Of Runnings A Construction Firm As An LLC As you’ve seen above, running a construction firm as an LLC has several benefits, but it also has its disadvantages. Here are some of them. As explained earlier, forming an LLC is the best way to reduce personal liability if the firm is in legal trouble. However, it doesn’t eliminate all the risks since your company can still lose properties and profits in lawsuits. For instance, if an employee gets injured at the construction site, they can file a lawsuit asking for compensation. Depending on the injury’s severity and the court’s decision, the LLC may be required to pay the employee a significant sum of money as compensation, Compared to sole proprietorships and partnerships, LLCs cost more money to form. For instance, you’ll have to pay an initial formation fee to the government. You may also be required to pay ongoing fees from time to time. Furthermore, you may need to apply for registration should you choose to expand your business to another state. Takeaway You may wonder whether an LLC is a good fit for a construction business. While it has many benefits and only a few drawbacks, you must still discuss it with the founding members to determine if it’s the right structure for your construction business. If you agree to form an LLC, ensure you follow the proper steps that comply with federal and state laws. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
If your snag list shows that there are defects in your new build home then it is the responsibility of the builder to rectify these errors prior to you taking occupancy. However, sometimes requests to perform maintenance or repairs fall on deaf ears. For many homeowners looking forward to their move-in date, what to do in situations like this can be confusing. Home Snagging UK has the answers. Develop a Snagging List Those who are about to take occupancy in a new build home are often not aware that a snagging survey is required. While it is true that major oversights are rare and most builders will take care to adhere to the Building Code, minor issues may slip beneath the radar. Examples include sloppy paintwork and issues with flat roofs, uneven brick or faulty tilework. These problems can also escape your notice, hence the importance of a snagging survey prior to taking occupancy. The result of your efforts should be a focused list that can be supplied to developers so that they can correct the issues. You can develop your own snagging list, however, there are issues that may escape your notice. A better option is to retain the services of a professional snagging company. A company like this will perform a comprehensive survey and inspection, guided by years of experience. The inspection will make use of technology such as drone inspections, examine photos and even use a thermal imaging camera to provide information that they will then cross reference with the relevant regulations in order to ensure that the new home is compliant with accepted standards. Most offline and online estate agents recommend this prior to moving in. Records are Important Each and every interaction that the homeowner has with the builders and developers should be recorded. Copies of any communications should also be forwarded to the site management and the customer service department of the company concerned. Try and deal with a single point of contact in order to simplify those communications. Communication that conforms to these simple guidelines will ensure that the correspondence is seen by representatives in multiple departments at the developer. It motivates the developer to make that extra effort to rectify problems – and your unique case is on several target trackers, adding to the motivation. Once the snagging survey reaches the developer it is almost inevitable that there will be some discussion of the contents. What is essential to record is the developer’s commitment to rectifying any issues and the date by which the actions need to be taken. Take before and after photographs – those should also form part of your records. The De-Snagging Report Once you have handed your snagging list to the builder it is their responsibility to make the required repairs and touch-ups. This will have an added sense of urgency if they are covered by the New Build Warranty. It is not uncommon for repairs to cause additional damage or uncover further issues. The builder or the development representatives may also not have adequately addressed those issues raised in the snagging list, a de-snagging report is essential in order to ensure that all work has been done. The de-snagging report involves an additional visit to the property by the de-snagging specialist to ensure that the builder/developer has fixed the flaws that have been pointed out. Our experienced and professional de-snagging team will return to conduct the follow-up survey, identify if further defects are present, and also ensure that those on the original snagging list have been dealt with. This report will then be sent to the developer. NHBC New Build Warranties In the UK, newly built residential homes are covered by a warranty provider, and it is their ultimate responsibility to ensure that all flaws in new build homes are corrected prior to the owner taking occupancy. Around 80% of the new homes in the UK are covered by NHBC’s Buildmark warranty, making NHBC the largest warranty provider in the country. This property developer warranty ensures that new build owners are delighted with their homes when they finally move in. Within two years of the construction of the home you should liaise directly with the builder should any problems arise. It is the builder’s responsibility to fix these issues. However, should you find yourself in a dispute situation then the NHBC will despatch a Claims Investigator to follow up and rectify the situation. This will involve a visit to your home with the builder and the NHBC representative. After this visit, the NHBC will have four days to issue a report outlining the issues and the deadline for the corrective action that should be taken by the builder. Claims that Remain Unresolved Should you not achieve the end result you are looking for (such as when your snagging list has not been dealt with after eight weeks) then you can file a complaint with the Financial Ombudsman Service. The same will apply should you not agree with the findings of the NHBC Claims Investigator. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Your new office will be the home for your company, and it will be the place that ultimately determines how successful your company will be. Therefore, designing office space that’s comfortable, welcoming, and boosts productivity is essential. A good working atmosphere can benefit your company’s efficiency, productivity, morale, and team attitude. A nice and healthy workplace design helps employees and sends a positive statement to clients and customers. Design your first office in such a way that it may convey a sense of optimism, foster an atmosphere favorable to productive work, and exude elegance. Here, we’ll go through some tips for how to get a balanced look and feel for your first office space. 1. Examine And Then Make a Proper Plan Examine and determine the most efficient use of space before beginning the design process. Think about how much space each department needs, such as the average time employees might spend at their desks, meeting rooms, and other company areas. Optimizing how you use the space in your workplace requires less space than you had initially assumed, which could result in cost savings. You can take the suggestions of the design-build firm to determine the perfect office layout. 2. Welcome More Natural Lights Introduce more light in your office space. Nothing beats a light and airy atmosphere as a place to get things done. Providing employees with access to natural light has improved their mood and motivation, which is useful in any effort to maximize output. Getting rid of the blinds in the office might make for a warmer and more pleasant atmosphere. After all, you want your workplace to be where people like spending their time. Using less artificial light can help save money on energy bills over time, freeing up capital that can be put toward other needs. 3. Consider Glass Walls You can install glass walls in your office to give it a more modern look. Adding extra glass to your office is a great way to give your office a fresh and modern look. It’s common for modern businesses to use glass partitioning systems to allow for more natural light, create a more open layout, and still maintain some privacy. A fantastic alternative for traditional workplace partitions like walls and doors, allowing you to create quiet spaces for work, meetings, and other private activities. Glass walls can be used to improve the aesthetics of an office rather than detract from it. 4. Avoid Big and Heavy Furniture Bulky, heavy and hefty furniture makes the office space feel less open and more cramped. Therefore avoid big heavy furniture to keep your working place open and airy. Use space-saving furniture that will consume less office space and will not crowd out your functional area. It is essential to those business owners with comparatively small office space. In today’s market, choices are abundant when it comes to designing lightweight office space and choosing furniture which is Flexible and has multiple functions. Try to use expandable table chairs and small corner workstations or desks to make the most of a small office space. 5. Take the Remote Workers Into Count If you have employees who work for you remotely, remember to consider them. Though they might not visit the office daily, They require a place to set up and work, when you bring them into town for annual meetings or weekly visits. Add a few more workstations and desks and equip them with necessary office items and technology so they can work properly whenever they are at the office. It will save you from the hassle of temporarily setting up a desk and arranging things for them. And it will also give your remote workers a better sense of belonging in the office. 6. Choose the Colour Carefully Infuse color purposely, do not just use any color here and there. Use a color theme that goes well with your brand, company message, or the environment you want to create in the office space. Traditionally, Using light colors is mainly suggested for working places as these colors reflect lights and give an office a more open, airy, and spacious look. In today’s modern corporate world, colors like blue, grey, white, brown, black, etc., are considered the most suitable colors for the office. On the other hand, colors like orange, purple, green, and yellow are avoided. Different shades of blue are also famous when it comes to designing offices. You can use rich blue shades like Cerulean blue, navy blue, Prussian blue, etc. these hues creates a business-like office look and goes very well with corporate vibes. 7. Add A Lounge You can add a coworking area or a comfortable lounge space for the employees. Sitting at a desk all day long is boring and exhausting for the workers. A short break in a new setting may do wonders for revitalizing the staff and getting them back into the swing of things at work. A change of environment can make the employees feel refreshed and recharged to work. Adding a sofa to your workspace may give it a more inviting appearance. Tables with high tops, booths, and comfy couches can be dispersed throughout the office. 8. Place Indoor Plants In The Office Put some potted plants in your office to brighten the space. Plants within the house have been shown to reduce stress naturally. These plants effectively induce feelings of relaxation, serenity, and greatness in their surroundings. According to several studies, the presence of indoor plants in a working environment may significantly reduce employees’ stress, in addition to having a favorable influence on concentration and creativity. Not only that, but by placing plants in the office, you will be highly increasing the overall aesthetic attractiveness of your workplace. Also, indoor plants improve the air quality of your office. Final Words There are many ways to design an office. It also has to do a lot with the business owner’s preference, company size, budget, etc. Still, we believe the above-mentioned essential
RED Construction London, a regional arm to the main contractor RED Construction Group, has announced its appointment to deliver five high-quality residential units within ITC Properties’ £17m redevelopment of Townsend House in the heart of London’s Victoria district. Located at 5 Greycoat Place in a prominent junction of the City of Westminster, the detailed fit-out project sits within the wider 35,500 sq ft Townsend House development which serves a mix of commercial and residential purposes. Spanning 6,077 sq ft of high-spec residential space, RED Construction London is working with architects Frederick Gibberd and interior design studio, Studio Ashby, to deliver five new apartments, including three multiple bedroom duplexes. All apartments are being fitted out with high-quality features, including bespoke kitchens, coffered timber detailing and natural oak timber herringbone flooring, alongside feature staircases and tailored joinery. Benefitting from the building’s projecting bay windows, the apartments offer breathtaking views across London and are set to be completed in spring 2023. Complementing the surrounding Art Deco-inspired architecture, Townsend House has been fitted with a contemporary sandstone fascia to the façade with dark bronze spandrels, intricate metal work and scalloped details across the exterior. RED Construction London has worked with a close team of industry professionals to develop the mixed-use six-storey building, including basement space and the creation of retail units along the ground floor, and four floors of high-spec workspace, alongside the premium apartments on the top floor. David Owen, Operations Director at RED Construction London, commented: “The capital’s heritage and scale present unique construction challenges for projects nestled in its heart; but our RED Construction London team have extensive experience in delivering a broad range of projects, from considered restoration work to new builds and fit-outs. It has been a great pleasure to deliver not only the grand development of Townsend House, but now the residential units as an additional project too, testament to our team’s professionalism and quality of work.” Peter Walder, an advisor for ITC Properties, also commented: “ITC Properties’ vision for Townsend House has been successfully realised through the work of RED Construction London. The team had facilitated such strong work throughout the build process that there was no question as to who the main contractor would be to deliver the additional residential units. This, and their understanding of our needs, made RED Construction London the perfect partner for this development.” Ben Hills, Partner, Frederick Gibberd, added: “With its beautiful and bespoke finishings, the Townsend House residential project has been a great opportunity to work with an outstanding group of professionals and we are very proud of the work we have achieved within the team.” The news follows RED Construction London’s recent appointment on CIFI and Arbrook Land’s £9m commercial and retail scheme, 19 Dacre Street, situated close to St James’s Park. Specialising in development and refurbishment opportunities in the prime Central London area, Arbrook Land has instructed RED Construction London to restore and extend an existing office building comprehensively. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Are you looking to make some changes to your delivery business’s daily operations to increase its efficiency? We’ve got your back! Running a courier business isn’t a walk in the park—there’s a fleet to maintain, expenses to control, and a team to manage. Still, increasing business efficiency and making it into a successful business opportunity is possible if you have a good team and the right tools in place. But how do you increase your delivery efficiency? The secret to increasing delivery efficiency lies in your ability to utilize resources effectively. Even the smallest changes deployed can have a significant impact on your business. That said, here are some tips to help you increase your delivery service efficiency. 1. Set Priorities Any efficient delivery process starts with setting order priorities. This way, you’ll be able to easily identify stops that must be done at the beginning of your route based on an order’s importance or specified calendar date. But to achieve that, you’ll need to invest in route planner software. The best route planner apps let you set advanced parameters like priority stops and time-constraints. For instance, if you’re a courier and one of your clients needs their package delivered ASAP, you can prioritize that stop and your route planner app will optimize the fastest route for that stop. This not only increases delivery efficiency but also ensures customer needs are met, and on time. 2. Go Paperless You want your delivery agents and other staff to stay organized, right? That goal can easily be achieved by going paperless. Having a paperless office or processes will save you time that you’d have spent sorting, printing, and mailing filing papers. But when you go paperless, you’ll significantly improve delivery efficiency since you’ll be able to create, search, and store documents online. These online documents can be accessed anywhere and from any device. Plus, you’ll be able to quickly find any personal or business document you need, instead of spending hours digging through piles of file folders. 3. Focus on Customer Service In a crowded marketplace, making a positive impression can mean the difference between getting repeat customers and clients switching to the competition. That said, your success in the courier industry depends on how you treat your customers. Do they always complain of late delivery? What about pricing…are your customers concerned about your high prices? Are they satisfied by your mode of delivery and communication? If you answered ‘Yes’ to any of these questions, you’ll need to work on the areas of your business that are lacking. For instance, if your customers always call to inquire about delivery progress, you could invest in a route monitoring software that provides real-time updates to customers. If communication is the problem, you could open multiple channels of interacting with your clients, ranging from social media to live chats and more. 4. Limit Unauthorized Vehicle Use One of the benefits of investing in fleet tracking software is that you get to track your drivers and manage your fleet better. This not only helps you to track your vehicles in the event they get stolen but also helps to limit unauthorized vehicle use. If not tracked and monitored, your delivery drivers might divert from their scheduled route to attend personal errands in-between jobs. Worst of all, unscrupulous drivers might use your delivery vehicles for unrelated and unauthorized businesses. Such activities might paralyze business operations, cause wear and tear, and affect the overall fleet efficiency. Wrapping Up By incorporating the above strategies, you’ll stand to benefit from increased delivery efficiency and be able to stick to your commitments.
