Wembly and all that.

empip · 3 Aug 2006

Could cost a £billion !!
Work on the ground started Sept 30th 2002
C o m p l e t e d ??
We have had our share in BANES .. The Bath Spa £30 million over budget and five years late.

London ho, ho, ho. Olympics are just 6 yrs away ... But then the twonkers on that case will be collecting their pensions and talking for biggies in the states by the time time that inevitably cheap 'n nasty pile of junk is completed.

Contrast all of that with the French and their magnificent Millau bridge .. A testament to brilliant engineering .. built safely in just 3 yrs within budget and on time !
This type of endeavour enhances the world standing of a country ... Not like us - pizz poor management by incompetent seat polishers... Doesn't it stand out? Project after project turning to dust, brought in over budget out of time !

Those kind of pratts are in charge of our future ...

Glassman · 3 Aug 2006

I agree with you and it does make me wonder sometimes.

It seems to me that when a major building contract is nearing it's end the main contractors seem to purposely slow down to a grinding halt and then proceed to milk as much extra money as possible out of their clients with one excuse after another.

There are some major roadworks on the A500 in Stoke (new dual-carriageway and fly-overs etc) and it looks as if they're now doing the same thing. Everything was actually ahead of schedule for the first couple of years but now they're behind schedule.
The works should have been completed last month but due to "unforeseen" problems it wont be finished till next year or whenever?
No doubt it will cost a few more millions of taxpayers money to persuade the contractor to pull his finger out and get the job finished?

WoodYouLike · 3 Aug 2006

Glassman said:
I agree with you and it does make me wonder sometimes.

It seems to me that when a major building contract is nearing it's end the main contractors seem to purposely slow down to a grinding halt and then proceed to milk as much extra money as possible out of their clients with one excuse after another.

Isn't there normally a 'damage' clause in the contract: finish by this date or the contractors have to pay a fine to the client?

kevplumb · 3 Aug 2006

Contrast all of that with the French and their magnificent Millau bridge .. A testament to brilliant engineering .. built safely in just 3 yrs within budget and on time !

i beg to differ pip it was AHEAD of time (just) and one class peice of work at that

Glassman · 3 Aug 2006

WoodYouLike said:
Glassman said:

I agree with you and it does make me wonder sometimes.

It seems to me that when a major building contract is nearing it's end the main contractors seem to purposely slow down to a grinding halt and then proceed to milk as much extra money as possible out of their clients with one excuse after another.

Click to expand...

Isn't there normally a 'damage' clause in the contract: finish by this date or the contractors have to pay a fine to the client?

Does that clause have to be in there though?

splinter · 3 Aug 2006

Millau Viaduct,
Architect that well-known "frenchman" Lord Norman Foster

hermes · 3 Aug 2006

WoodYouLike said:
Glassman said:

I agree with you and it does make me wonder sometimes.

It seems to me that when a major building contract is nearing it's end the main contractors seem to purposely slow down to a grinding halt and then proceed to milk as much extra money as possible out of their clients with one excuse after another.

Click to expand...

Isn't there normally a 'damage' clause in the contract: finish by this date or the contractors have to pay a fine to the client?

The Ozzie firm doing the building will be hit by the penalty clause but they in turn are claiming that there were over 100 changes to the plans as it went along so they will be trying to charge extra. What a joke.

empip · 3 Aug 2006

splinter said:
Millau Viaduct,
Architect that well-known "frenchman" Lord Norman Foster

He was the SEAT polisher... He made the thing look pretty ... They decided 'how to', like we used to do..... Before the Lawyers and voyeurs took over .. Words are ok, but never built sfa on their own.

dabaldie · 4 Aug 2006

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WoodYouLike wrote:
Glassman wrote:
I agree with you and it does make me wonder sometimes.

It seems to me that when a major building contract is nearing it's end the main contractors seem to purposely slow down to a grinding halt and then proceed to milk as much extra money as possible out of their clients with one excuse after another.

Isn't there normally a 'damage' clause in the contract: finish by this date or the contractors have to pay a fine to the client?

Does that clause have to be in there though?

The clause is known as liquidated damages.
Under all major construction projects any Project Manager who autorises a specification that does not include LD's is a fool.
In all my experience i have never seen a project over 100k that does not include LD's and in fact i usually insist on them on all projects unless there is a large degree of uncertainty in the programme... ie weather (limes etc) dependant... any contractor will include a decent float to allow for uncertainties...

empip · 4 Aug 2006

The BANES council are blaming the original contractors for the 'Spa' delays .... But it is by no means cut and dried...
Both parties must have been professionally represented during the drawing up of contracts...
The whole thing will still have to be thrashed out in court .. A recent council report revealed that an additional £2.6m will be injected into the project. This includes £800,000 to complete the works on the project, £340,000 for final account work and £1.45m as a fighting fund up to March next year...

£800k for work completion and £1.8m for talk, talk, snouting ... Says it all really.

Perhaps we should close GB down and carry out a clean re-install.

Agile · 4 Aug 2006

I heard a very interesting discussion on R4 about the Wembley stadium.

In very simple terms it was a choice of construction stopping for a year while the main contractor took most of the sub contractors to Court or continuing and getting it finished !

What does not seem to often get mentioned is just who is the "Client" who is paying all the money and deciding about getting it finished or taking Multiplex to Court in which case they would just go bust anyway.

We seem to have a problem in this country getting any "public" project completed on time and on cost. The Scottish Parliament is a prime example. Could it be the milking factor?

The private M6 Toll all went perfectly!

Tony

hairyjon · 4 Aug 2006

Sorry but what was wrong with the old one? There is so much about 'preserving our heritage' I really don't understand why a new one is necessary!

Particularly when the cost is considered!

Agile · 4 Aug 2006

The old one was fine excapt that the toilets could not manage 40,000 fans having a pee within 10 minutes!

We will have to wait a while to see if the new one are any better !

NEWSFLASH

MULTIPLEX have been awarded the contract to rebuild The Lebanon!

They expect to have it completed within 20 years !!!

markie · 4 Aug 2006

Who gives a toss Newcastle won't be there for a few seasons yet

so there's plenty of time.

hairyjon · 4 Aug 2006

Agile said:
The old one was fine excapt that the toilets could not manage 40,000 fans having a pee within 10 minutes!

We will have to wait a while to see if the new one are any better !

NEWSFLASH

MULTIPLEX have been awarded the contract to rebuild The Lebanon!

They expect to have it completed within 20 years !!!

So keepthe old one and build bigger loos. Wiht a shuttle bus service if necessary! Multiplex had better hang on a while before they make any plans. They may have bitten more than they can chew!