Get Britain Building launches Plan B
Get Britain Building, the largest coalition of those involved in, and concerned with, the built environment, has launched ‘Plan B’, which aims to unite the industry behind a common plan to return to economic growth for the good of UK plc. ‘B’ is, perhaps obviously, for Building and the plan sets out the economic and social benefits of continuing to invest in the construction industry: a realistic and accessible way to create two and a half million real jobs.
Commenting on the launch Mike Leonard, spokesperson for GBB said, “The market for new homes is showing signs of softening and we are facing up to the biggest public sector cuts of our lifetime which will be announced on October 20th. There has never been a more important time to unite as an industry and make sure
our politicians know and appreciate the contribution that the building industry can make to the long term economic recovery of Great Britain.
The Coalition Government is committed to massive spending cuts and tax rises to reduce the massive debt burden. Rising unemployment is likely to be one of the consequences of this action and it is for this reason that we believe that having our Plan B is vital for maintaining and creating real jobs.”
Every £1 invested in construction generates £2.84 in GDP; provides 56p return to the Exchequer and retains 92p within the UK. The construction industry consists of 300,000 companies, 3,000,000 employees – representing 10% of GDP and 8% of the electorate.
Construction equates with sustainable
Modern window and roofline products reduce maintenance costs
The historic Tobacco Dock in east London has seen many changes over its long life, from the bustling industry of yesteryear through to the modern sought after property developments of more recent times as this important part of London continues to play its part in the life of the capital. SEHBAC Commercial, the Ipswich-based property refurbishment specialist, has had a hand in the latest development which has seen some 26 flats and communal areas receive a facelift. The property, on Waterman Way in Tobacco Dock, comprises a number of attractive flats and apartments in the bustling Wapping area and boasts a waterfront location in the former docks. The properties are managed by Hindwoods Hunter Payne Ltd, a leading firm of Chartered Surveyors and Property Advisers operating throughout South London and Kent. The original windows in the property were timber framed and had suffered over time. Ben Wigglesworth, building surveyor for Hindwoods explains the reasons behind the project: “It had become apparent that the on-going maintenance spend on the upkeep of the original timber frame windows was too high so the main driver behind the refurbishment project was to remove that cost by installing PVC-u glazing units, guttering, soffits and fascia. Our management contract obliges us to ask leaseholders if they have any recommendations for contractors and SEHBAC Commercial was put forward amongst others.” As part of the tender, each individual flat had to be priced separately. The SEHBAC Commercial team
Building & Facilities Management – October 2010
visited the site to measure up and produced a quote to suit the requirements. Mr Wigglesworth continues: “SEHBAC Commercial’s team was very patient in the tender process, re-shaping the quote and visiting the site on a number of occasions – something I really appreciated. The price was competitive and the product met the required standards.”
Having secured the contract, SEHBAC Commercial’s team of installers removed the original products and replaced them with their own PVC-u casement windows, matching the colour of the original frames to a brown PVC-u with a white internal finish to maintain the aesthetic of the property in keeping with the surrounding buildings. Mick Kyprianou, SEHBAC Commercial contracts manager: “It’s a pretty area and we had to maintain the look and feel of the place. Whilst some people shy away from replacing timber with PVC-u, the insulation benefits are very noticeable and they offer a great deal more safety and security than aged timber products.” Ben Wigglesworth is pleased with the result: “There were very few problems and anything was dealt with quickly by the SEHBAC Commercial team.
Everyone I’ve spoken to is very happy with the job and I’m sure as the weather gets colder as we move into winter the benefits of the modern units will be very noticeable. I’ll certainly approach SEHBAC Commercial again for future projects.” With offices in Greenwich, Blackheath and Dulwich Hindwoods deals with all types of commercial and residential property in an agency and management function and provides a complete range of property related solutions to owners, occupiers, investors, lenders and developers throughout the region. Clients include financial institutions, major investment funds and developers together with local, national government and independent local businesses. For more information visit:
www.sehbaccommercial.co.uk
economic growth and real jobs; and Plan B would save
or create tangible opportunities for design; professional and technical services; builders and allied crafts and trades; mining and quarrying; manufacturing and distribution; fixtures and fittings and installers; building material supply chain, contractors and sub contractors and plant equipment; conveyancing and estate agencies and social housing providers and maintenance to name but a few... Plan B is being distributed and promoted at the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative Conferences as the GBB campaign goes on the road to promote the construction industry.
www.getbritainbuilding.org
feature :: building & refurbishment
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Building & Refurbishment
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