Kinson Library – Update

The weather could not have been better for the handover of the New Kinson Library. With the additional sunshine came a bright new future for the community which will benefit from this new Facility.

 

 

Tower Park – Poole, Dorset

 V C Dominey Electrical Services Limited was responsible for all the electrical installations associated with the new Tower Park car park lay-out, walkways and fascias. The main contractor on this site was ROK.

Project Electrical Value: £250k 

  

                                

So now its all clear….or is it?

Prior to the elections I posted a blog about the uncertainty of the elections and about all the guess-work which was going into predicting the outcome. By the time it was all over the British electorate had been treated to a political show, the likes of which are seldom seen. It was high drama of the finest quality and would have made it into the top 10 all time best TV drama’s worthy of an award. As the dust begins to settle it is clear that the drama is not over and there are still a few episodes in the series.

Before the elections there was speculation on just how the government would use Public Sector cut-backs to help with balancing the budget deficit. Over the last few weeks this is being spelt out a little at a time but it is expected that there will not be a sector of the economy which will not experience major belt-tightening. The big hope was that the Private Sector would offer the much-needed rescue by providing new opportunities. This hope is slowly fading as the Private Sector itself seems unable to access the much-needed funding from the banks who remain very cautious, still feeling the sting of the last two years in the trenches. 

We have been fortunate that our years of relational marketing have allowed us to remain well-connected with our local and trans-local contractors. This, together with a good reputation for realistic bidding and high standards of workmanship, have helped maintain a steady flow of opportunities. With fewer projects in the mix, lower project values and increased competition it is a challenging market in which to maintain good work flow.  Once again I believe it is our competitiveness and our reputation for well-managed delivery which keeps our profile high as one of the area’s most consistent electrical contractors.

Once again I am reminded of the statement made once by Jim Rohn when he was asked what he thought the future might hold, he replied; “great opportunity mixed with some difficulty” .  We at VCD remain realistic, expecting to face the same challenges as our competitors and clients alike but hugely optimistic about the opportunities which exist. After all, this is one of the most inventive and successful countries in the world able to demonstrate a history of great successes born out of adversity. There remains in me a Churchillian resilience towards adversity and I see it as the fuel which fires the actions required to embraces and manages change. I am not alone because I feel this same spirit in many of my construction industry contacts who I deal with daily and, quite frankly, it is very encouraging.

So, its to the beaches then, and expect a fair old punch-up when we get there as we engage and wrestle with the changes we all face…..see you there and keep me a place on the frontline.

 

Constructionline Accreditation

V C Dominey Electrical Services Ltd are pleased to inform all our clients that we are now officially a member of Constructionline. Many companies stagger at the idea of engaging in the added work  which goes into the various industry accreditations but they remain essential to the many procurement processes, especially within the Public Sector. While there are a number of  similar organisations in the UK who offer pre-qualification services, Constructionline is still recognised as the main pre-qualification agency for the construction industry.  

 

Elections = ?

I’ve been on the telephone the last few days talking to tons of people in the construction industry. Obviously 90% of my conversations have revolved around bidding opportunities, tendering and trying to forecast the next few months. Everyone seems to be singing the same song, the lyrics go like this; “Let’s all wait till after the elections, then we will have a clearer idea of how much money there will be in the pot”

I think by now we all know there is no money in the pot or at best it’s only a few pennies. I suspect that whoever grabs the driver’s seat for a turn at the wheel we will see very little change in the direction of the vehicle. The central issue is always going to be the massive budget deficit and the next governments strategy to repay it. I suspect that public sector procurement will see some serious belt-tightening and cuts meaning that all eyes will begin to turn to the private sector for inspiration, innovation and opportunity.

Survival then will boil down to frugal business management strategies, mixed with innovative engineering designed to deliver value and security at competitive rates. Each player in the economy, if they have not already done so, will need to do a lot more than give lip service to the words “added value”. How to deliver a quality service while still remaining competitive will make all the difference, even if the first question out of your clients mouth is still going to be….”OK so how low can you go?

Latest Report from Buyers Guide

CHAS…..another hoop, another milestone.

Say what you like, anyone who still thinks that a safety accreditation is optional must have had a blow to the head.  It is with some satisfaction that V C D Electrical joins the ranks of Contractors Health and Safety as an accredited member.

The accreditation only reaffirms what we have always known and practiced and that is, ”safety makes sense”. As much as we may all agree that the Health and Safety industry and the associated legislation and enforcement is loaded with over-kill (pun not intended), we are better off for it.

A cursory look at the history of H&S will reveal that during the early years of the industrial revolution, it was possible to find nearly 5 in 10 workers displaying some form of work related injury. It was only through the lobbying of the church and various groups that legislation was formulated to try to ensure  safer work environments. We have come a long way since those early day of H&S  and some would say we have gone too far.

I guess the balance which must be achieved is between a robust, workable H&S system and the need to ensure that workforce productivity is not effected. There is the real danger that some of the bazaar H&S stories filtering out from the nations workplaces could jeopardise the integrity and gaols of the legislation. Take and electrician trying to second fix and installation while wearing gloves…..any H&S offices ever tried this? It is just possible that an over zealous academic aproach to health and safety could create a situation where H&S fatigue creeps into the construction industry, and with it a negative attitude, resulting in an increase in incidents.

Whatever your thoughts are on the subject, H&S accreditation is one of the rubber stamps a company requires to qualify for work in certain sectors. But apart from this, good health and safety programs ensure that loss of life, limb and equipment does not add to the current mix of woe’s in our struggling industry………Work Safe!

Kinson Library….Progress!…but not there yet.

A rainy day is not the best time to drop in on site to take a few progress photos for the record. You all know what a construction site looks and feels like in the rain, with mud being the one thing the carpet company does not invite. However it was really great to see the progress and now that the hoarding is down we thought that a quick preview of work on site would be in order.

As you can see from the photo’s there is still a lot of finishing to do before the project is completed and ready for handover, but so far the schedule is looking good.

The new Library has a good feel to it, even at this stage. It is spacious, bright and the completed finish will add to the “smooth” effect of the interior of the library. As you would expect from a building which holds such a prominent location on the main street, the overall impression needs to be striking. We just can’t wait to see it all lit up in the evening ……let there be light!!

Don’t  forget  to visit the links down the side of the page to access up-to-date construction news

Main Contractor : Leadbitter Construction

From a Gurus point of view…….

After reading a number of anylists reviews I am casting my lot with Allan Wilen of Gleniga. I have included his whole article because I think it’s all relevant, thanks Allan (Glenigan – 19 January 2010)

“Poor weather in the run-up to Christmas added to the construction industry’s problems at the end of a difficult year. The Glenigan Index for December recorded a 9% year-on-year drop in underlying project as a number of scheduled project starts were postponed to the New Year. Near term, the current cold snap will have further delayed projects during January. However, industry prospects are expected to gradually brighten over the course of 2010 as private sector confidence starts to recover, although government funded projects will be increasingly constrained by budgetary restrictions.

Increases in public sector and civil engineering work and a steadier private housing sector have supported the overall flow of construction projects starting on site in recent months. London, the North East and South West of England and the West Midlands have particularly benefited in recent months from the strengthening in public sector building and civil engineering projects. In contrast the earlier boost provided to the project starts in Scotland and Wales faded during the final quarter of 2009.

Near term, a weak private sector is expected to remain a drag on project starts. In addition the current cold snap will have further delayed scheduled projects starts during January. However, looking ahead the flow of private sector work is forecast to improve during 2010. In contrast, the pick-up in public sector starts seen since April 2009 has begun to lose momentum and Government funding cuts will further restrict the flow of public sector schemes over the medium term. Accordingly, whilst underlying construction project starts are off recent lows, the anticipated recovery over the next two years will be slow and fragile.

Weak household earnings and consumer confidence, combined with limited mortgage availability are expected to restrict the pace of recovery in new house sales during 2010. Nevertheless, the pick-up in project starts during the autumn indicates that housebuilders are preparing to capitalise on the anticipated modest improvement in market conditions and a gradual recovery in new residential projects is forecast over the course of this year.”

Allan Wilén, economics director, Glenigan

PS. if you don’t subscribe to Glenigan, it may be worth a look at.

New Year …new opportunities.

The great motivational speaker Jim Rohn was asked by a group of business analysts, ”Jim, in your opinion, what does the future hold for us all?”. Jim Rohn  thought for a minute, then said ” gentlemen, I see great opportunity mixed with some difficulty”.

As we return from the Christmas break and the circulation of ink returns to the pages of our diaries, crisp, fresh and unblemished by pen and pencil, I hope we are returning with a positive sense of hope and adventure.

I listen to the same news bulletins and read similar news papers to you so I know we will be taking our que’s from the same sources. This year will be challenging in many ways and most of the challenges will not be of our own making or choosing. However, where we do have any influence in contributing to the mix of business, let that influence be employed in the search of a more excellent way, a more beneficial purpose and most of all, the desire to be part of a positive approach to our industry and its many facets.

Neuroscientists tell us that a negative mental attitude causes the brain to produce a hormone called cortisol, a neuroinhibitor which retards the creative thought processes in the brain.  Positive thought processes on the other hand  produce serotonin, also known as the happy hormone, one of the drugs used for the treatment of depression.  serotonin is a neurotransmitter and stimulates thought and the creative process in the brain allowing for greater achievement. Most of our success depends directly on what our subconscious mind is thinking about or is “feeding” on.

It seems that being positive is the key to finding creative solutions to challenges rather than simply echoing the words of the wary and joining in with the negative conversations in the  staff canteen.

I am enormously positive that whatever the next year holds, both in opportunity and challenge, we are more than capable of enjoying the journey towards 2011. I wish you all well and look forward to staying in contact throughout 2010, to securing good project opportunities and to providing good service……good luck.

 

 

Seasons Greetings

 From all the staff at

VC Dominey Electrical Services

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Wishing you a Merry Christmas

and a Prosperous New Year for 2010