Wise Up Wednesday: Don’t Waste The Covid Crisis!

Don’t waste the COVID Crisis: This week’s Wise Up Wednesday was inspired by a news interview with the head of the Building Research Establishment (BRE) in which Winston Churchill’s “never waste a good crisis” was quoted.

Churchill had it in mind that in challenging times one must question the accepted reality because things are going wrong, rapid answers are needed and the solution may well be found outside the usual ways of doing things.

In the world of construction we are often guilty of not challenging the norm; we are instead satisfied with following procedure and tradition.

However, in times of crisis there seems to be more latitude to do challenge accepted procedures and protocols. And now might be a good time to recognise this and cultivate a more open, questioning climate within your business, because a degree of continual review is healthy within any organisation.

We see lots of Specialist Contractors, Trade Contractors and Subcontractors who are too busy with their busyness to focus on what’s right for their business. It’s a trap that’s all too easy to fall into.

Covid – 19 has forced us all to rethink the way we do things, and get used to the “new normal, and inevitably whilst somethings are worse, some things are actually better e.g. less traffic, less environmental impact, greater recognition for key workers etc.

streetwisesubbie helping you learn during covid crisis

How This Equates To Your Business

Many companies are recognising the benefits of a more open, questioning climate within the office, and a degree of continual review is healthy within any business.

When was the last time that your company critically analysed the fundamentals of the business with everything on the table for inclusion? There are numerous examples of famous companies such as Kimberly-Clark that dramatically changed strategic direction after such a re-think and hugely boosted corporate performance as a result.

A review of the way you do business might not make the business pages, but it could be the difference between success and failure in the coming months.

You might find that your business is suffering as a result of one or more of the following;

  • failing to think far enough ahead, not doing any marketing and then as work dries up, slashing prices just to get a job
  • failing to check out who you will actually be working for, or working for someone you have never worked for before
  • not checking to ensure that what you priced to do is what you have contracted to do
  • not understanding the risks inherent in the contract especially onerous terms and payment provisions
  • not taking appropriate and timely action when problems arise
  • failing to understand how to resolve disputes when they arise and who best to talk to
  • accepting late or poor payment as the norm
  • trying to go it alone when you should take professional advice
  • appointing the wrong kind of people to “resolve” the problem and thereby making the problem worse

What’s The Answer?

As far as your business goes we do have the majority of the answers based on a lifetime in construction, including 30 years professional experience resolving disputes from the minor to the most complex and across every construction trade, on projects from apartments to nuclear processing plants.

And in the process we have recovered literally £millions of pounds for our members.

Our team can help you avoid onerous contracts, sort out all sorts of difficulties and settle disputes, especially if you’re not sure which route to take or feel you’re being denied what you’re rightfully owed.

WHAT WE CAN DO?

Construction disputes of all shapes and sizes are not uncommon due to the complexity of construction – but there are plenty of different ways to settle the matter. Our specialist Construction Contracts Consultants are able to give expert advice and maximise your recovery in the following areas:

CONTRACT REVIEWS

One of the best ways of avoiding problem issues is to stop them arising in the first place! That’s really not as daft as it sounds, because knowing what you might be letting yourself in for, and negotiating a better deal has saved many of our Clients from serious harm.

INTERIM PAYMENTS

During most projects, interim payments are made throughout the construction period before final accounts are decided. If you feel your payment has been unjustly delayed, is too small, or need help constructing or serving notices, we can help you to resolve it before it escalates into an unmanageable amount.

RETENTION RECOVERY

Recovering retention money after a job is complete can sometimes be difficult, and Contractors love to make excuses to delay repayment or to avoid paying altogether. StreetwiseSubbie has helped countless Subcontractors get back the retention which is rightfully yours.

And we can do that on No Win No Fee basis too!

FINAL ACCOUNT DISPUTES

Specialist Contractors final accounts are often attacked by Contractors even after things have been agreed during the job, and especially on large projects that have taken a long time to complete. Things can get very complicated, but we can help you ascertain what you should receive from a final account and help you resolve any reasons for non-payment.

DEFECTS AND DESIGN

If you are involved in a dispute over defects, or design our specialists are on hand to ensure you are not getting the blame for something that isn’t your fault. Contact us for specialist construction advice and ensure your rights are protected.

ADJUDICATION

Our Construction Contracts Consultants have assisted Specialist Contractors in literally hundreds of adjudication cases. We can help you achieve the best result from the adjudication process, or even avoid adjudication altogether. If you have been served a Notice of Adjudication, or would like to issue one yourself, it is crucial that you take the right advice as soon as possible, so please call our construction law specialist team for a free no obligation chat.

DISPUTE RESOLUTION

Sometimes adjudication is not your best option. Our construction team can advise which method of construction dispute resolution is right for you, whether that be arbitration, mediation, litigation or indeed adjudication. Contact us today for advice on which course of action best fits your case.

MARKETING HELP AND SUPPORT – NOW AND AFTER THE COVID CRISIS

From helping you think about and plan your strategy to actually doing it all for you, we can help ensure you get a steady flow of good quality enquiries, even during the COVID crisis.

Improving The Lives Of Specialist Contractors

Don’t waste the COVID Crisis. Our objective is simple. We want to improve the lives of Specialist Contractors. And we do that by bringing you cost effective resources to help make your life easier and your business more profitable.

By working with our Service Delivery Partners across the country, we bring you professional support in all the important areas of your business.

And, because we only work with Specialist Contractors you can be sure that we know the kind of problems you face, and the solutions that work best, which saves a lot of time, and a lot of money.

So please feel free to give us a call on 01773 712116 or email us on info@streetwisesubbie.com.

As I say, don’t waste the COVID crisis.


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