The Construction Product Association’s latest Spring Forecast, published today, paints a mixed picture for the construction industry. On the positive side, the report is predicting that construction output will rise by 12.9% this year (and another 5.2% in 2022). However, it also highlights some significant risks to the sector’s recovery, most notably around shortages and high prices affecting key construction products. Take a look at this week’s blog to find out more about why getting hold of some of these products could prove tricky over the year ahead.
Despite expectations that house prices would fall due to the coronavirus pandemic, the virus seems to have been no match for the UK’s buoyant property market which, over the last year as seen house prices hit some record highs. That might seem good news for sellers but, with many modern buyers seeking a touch of luxury, anyone trying to sell an older property may want to look for ways in which they can make it stand out and enhance the value of the sale. In this week’s blog, we’re sharing some tips for making your property appeal to potential buyers. On top of that, we’ve also got a treat for first-time buyers with the launch of our brand new development of apartments, bungalows and houses at Kingham Way, Luton – on sale right now!
Like many other work environments, construction involves several layers of supervisory and management roles, many of which are taken up by people who have worked their way up the ranks. While that’s a great example of how hard work and loyalty can be rewarded, it also means that often people without any formal management or leadership training are having to manage and lead. As one of the trickiest aspects of managing other people is giving feedback (both praise and criticism), in this week’s blog, we’re sharing five tips which could help you master this skill.
A few weeks ago, we reported on some aspects of the UK budget which are likely to have an impact on construction. One thing we didn’t spot was Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement of a new Taxpayer Protection Taskforce which is set to investigate those who make fraudulent claims through government COVID support schemes such as furlough and the Self Employment Income Support Scheme (SEISS). In this week’s blog, we’re taking a closer look at what this taskforce is set to do and explore whether there is a problem in construction with some workers choosing grants over tools.