Re:Construction

Bishop & Taylor spend most of this episode discussing proposals for a mandatory builders’ licensing scheme with the project’s architect, Federation of Master Builders (FMB) Chief Executive Brian Berry.

Bishop & Taylor are joined by Hardy Giesler, Chief Executive of the British Board of Agrément (BBA), who tells them about the changes he is planning within the much-criticised organisation.

Bishop & Taylor chew over the government’s latest planning proposals, the leadership of major projects and the UK’s continuing dependency on migrant labour.

Bishop & Taylor discuss a new code for construction product marketing, (lack of) transparency at the British Board of Agrément, and the hydraulic jacking of an 11,000-tonne box tunnel.

This week Bishop & Taylor reflect on changes to the Prompt Payment Code, the new building products regulator and consolidation in the builders’ merchant sector.

The UK construction industry is warned that it may be about to become ‘embroiled in costly and long-running disputes’. This, along with HS2’s new personnel database and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) on site, are on Bishop & Taylor’s agenda this week.

As the UK enters its third national lockdown, Bishop & Taylor take solace in the Brexit deal that has averted even greater chaos; they discuss the threat facing hundreds of old railway bridges; and wonder whether Berkeley Group’s recruitment this week of the Archdeacon of Hackney might start a trend for clergy in the boardroom.

With the end of 2020 upon us, Bishop & Taylor reflect on some of the big talking points of the year.

Bishop & Taylor discuss flexible working with Emma Stewart, Chief Executive of Timewise, and how it might help to improve the construction industry.

Bishop & Taylor mull on the public procurement policies set out in the new Construction Playbook. They also consider the home improvements that the Climate Change Committee expects them to make. And mark the contribution of Rudi Klein, retiring after more than 30 years as chief of the SEC Group.

Bishop & Taylor mull latest Covid developments, including the unforeseen consequences of the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme. They also discuss shortcomings of the under-funded Health & Safety Executive. And Taylor has been to some more virtual press conferences.

Bishop & Taylor discuss JCB’s ‘virtual’ press launch of new battery-powered machines, mull over what to do with machinery operators who work while intoxicated, and find statistical evidence regarding how Britain spent the constrained summer of 2020.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the plans for a tunnel under the Stonehenge world heritage site, one of two major road tunnels in the works, and (as it’s Road Safety Week) the perils faced by road workers.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the collapse of the campaign for a builders’ licence, the expansion of the Construction Leadership Council and one contractor’s left-field move into offsite construction.

As the UK embarks on a second national lockdown, Bishop & Taylor mark the 415th anniversary of the country’s most famous failed explosive demolition job by meeting a man who knows a thing or two about to knocking things down, AR Demolition’s Richard Dolman. They discuss explosives, steam engines and debris protection.

The Boot family has clocked up 600 years working for JCB, there’s a planning row in Walton-on-Thames over later living, and must we learn to call construction contractors ‘PSCPs’? Here’s Bishop & Taylor again.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the news that half a million UK construction workers have had a planned pay rise frozen and that Morgan Sindall Construction has committed to the Living Wage. They are also joined by Paul Clarkson, managing director of Yorkshire’s Triton Construction, who explains what it means to be employee-owned.

How do you get from HS2 to Jaffa Cakes? Well, Bishop & Taylor get there via planning reform, Palestine and Britain’s biggest contractor that builds absolutely nothing.

Wind power is in the news this week, prompting Bishop & Taylor to focus on green matters. In this episode they also discuss a better way to end the red diesel rebate, cleaning up concrete and one contractor’s use of electric bicycles.

After a brief discussion about the NHS track & trace app that the construction industry has been encouraged to embrace, Bishop & Taylor talk to ecologist Dr Stephanie Wray of RSK Wilding about environmental mitigation, from carbon reduction to the nascent rewilding movement.

It’s all about the stars! Huge scepticism is required when reading online reviews, but they can still matter. Bishop & Taylor (4.5 stars) discuss the latest Glassdoor ratings for top contractors and a new app for rating asbestos removal operatives.

Bishop & Taylor discuss highlights of the latest Construction Index UK Top 100 construction companies, as well as share price trends, and a new scheme to get Hampshire building again.

Taylor credits Bishop with raising demand for dogs, while Bishop credits Taylor with raising consciousness of the threat to chalk streams. Of greater relevance, however, is the use of a hydrogen fuel cell system to provide power for a pioneering construction project in Lincolnshire.

With the new school year starting, it’s a time of fresh beginnings; should you still work from home or return to the office? A Loughborough University study finds how well construction has adapted to the constraints of Covid-19. Meanwhile trade secretary Liz Truss appears to have no truck with the construction industry, shutting it out of her 11 trade advisory groups. It’s Bishop & Taylor time on Re:construction.

Bishop & Taylor discuss delays to the £4bn Thames Tideway project as well as the transport secretary’s new acceleration unit and a drill attachment that cuts square holes.

Bishop & Taylor turn their attention to the contents of the August issue of The Construction Index magazine, and cover remarkably wide ground…

Bishop & Taylor are joined by structural engineer Kevin Lyons to discuss offsite construction. Our two regulars then also mull the government’s planning white paper and wonder whether contractors will be eager to pay plant hire firms a premium for carbon offsetting.

This was the week that we learned more details of the £2bn Green Home Grants scheme, with the condition that only Trustmark accredited installers could be used; and the Genoa San Giorgio Bridge opened, less than two years after the old Morandi Brige collapsed. Bishop & Taylor reflect on it all.

With a no-deal Brexit on the cards, Bishop & Taylor discuss unresolved issues for the construction industry, including the future of product standardisation; and – with protests camps fighting a rear-guard action – they agree to disagree about HS2.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the need for face masks (both in life and on site), Rishi Sunak’s Plan for Jobs, and (after the fatal 8th July collapse in East London) tower crane safety.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the Prime Minister’s Rooseveltian ambitions, the suspension of democratic accountability at the Construction Industry Training Board, and the sale of Interserve Facilities Management to Mitie. Read more on all these topics, and more, at www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news

In this episode Bishop & Taylor discuss industry job losses, how overseas contractors exploit UK state aid, construction’s plastic packaging problem and the remarkable claims of air-purifying paint.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the Roadmap to Recovery, the sudden flow of transport projects and the building workers (including TV’s Ricky Tomlinson) jailed nearly 50 years ago, whose convictions the Court of Appeal is now, finally, revisiting. Podcast, my arse!

Bishop & Taylor recap recent events in the UK construction industry, including this week: planned building works in parliament are under review, a company that allowed its workers to drive home tired has been in the dock and an old steam engine has been deployed to great effect on a decommissioning project.

This week Bishop & Taylor discuss the opportunities that some are finding in the health crisis, the use of drones in construction surveys and battery-powered machinery.

In this edition, Bishop and Taylor discuss latest safety stats from the National Access & Scaffolding Confederation, Highways England’s smart motorways alliance and whatever happened to Britain’s consulting engineers? The one’s that aren’t safely in employee ownership, that is...

Bishop & Taylor discuss furloughed construction workers, moves to revive the supply chain, recycling gypsum and the stalled cladding replacement programme.

Bishop & Taylor briefly discuss the latest news on HS2 before welcoming Steve Hadley to their virtual studio – he’s the Managing Director of Central Piling and the new chair of the Federation of Piling Specialists.

This week Bishop & Taylor discuss the latest mixed messages from Government on safe site operations, admire the heroic efforts of those getting field hospitals up and running, and have their interest piqued by the use of augmented reality to provide professional supervision to household DIY.

This week Bishop & Taylor discuss the continuing controversy about what sites should stay open, and the difficulties facing those that do. They also muse on the days when travel was easier, and press junkets enjoyed.

The lockdown has started and Bishop & Taylor chat about how the UK construction industry is responding to the Prime Minister’s order for all but essential workers to stay home. They also discuss working from home with expert input from our very own ‘Good Lady Professor Her Indoors’, Jacqui Bishop.

As the world goes into lockdown, Bishop & Taylor keep their distance to mull on Covid-19, Bimcams and bionic rakes, and the contents of the March issue of The Construction Index magazine.

Bishop & Taylor add a note about their last episode’s retentions discussion before turning attention to the Budget, bringing the end of cheap diesel for construction. They round off mulling why companies choose to change their name.

Bishop & Taylor discuss the potential ramifications of the Court of Appeal ruling against Heathrow expansion, developments (or lack of them) in the reform of cash retentions usage, and experiments in flexible working.

On 26th Feb 2020 Bishop & Taylor discuss the industrial impact of coronavirus, the creation of an ombudsman for buyers of new homes and the fate of construction industry archives.

It's Wednesday 19th February 2020 and in this week’s Re:Construction podcast, Bishop & Taylor discuss the benefits of cannabis, the UK’s new immigration rules and Sheffield’s smart bins.

This week Bishop & Taylor discuss the latest green light for HS2, a shocking display of bad leadership and the possible end of spring back / fall forward.

In this week’s Re:Construction podcast, recorded Wednesday 5th February 2020, Bishop & Taylor discuss beauty, signs of a Boris Bounce and cowboy builders. See also: https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/government-considers-fast-track-for-beauty https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/data-news &https://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk/news/view/who-needs-a-builders-licence

This week Bishop & Taylor discuss construction’s attempts to help save the planet, the idiocy of smart motorways and how quickly Wuhan is building emergency hospitals.

Re:Construction is a new podcast, launched this week by The Construction Index, featuring construction journalists David Taylor and Phil Bishop. In this launch episode they discuss developments in the government’s Building Safety Programme, the latest attempt to legislate against late payments and the digital marketing prowess of the top contractors. Each week Bishop and Taylor chew the fat for 30 minutes or so, exchanging views about the latest news stories to have caught their eye.