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UK construction firms have reported a deceleration in the industry’s growth in July, signalling weaker development in terms of housing activity and a reduction in the commercial sector, according to the latest IHS Markit/CIPS (Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply) UK survey. There is a reduction in new business capacity growth for the first time since August last year when Brexit issued a blow that “acted as a headwind to job creation and input buying across the construction sector”. With construction material prices on the increase and supply chains under considerable pressure, rates have fallen sharply in 2017, showing some of the worst figures since 2011. The UK’s Construction Products Association also noted a slowing down of growth prospects for the industry as the country prepares to leave the EU. Search 100s of Construction Jobs in your area On issuing its latest forecast, the CPA blamed diminished output expectations on a fall in wages and cost increases which would have an adverse effect on the industry as a whole. The most recent projections indicate that 2018 may see only a 0.7% rise which is a severe drop on previous predictions indicated a 1.2% increase. This represents the slowest rise in six years. Seasonal influences have also contributed to a downturn in the IHS Markit/CIPS UK Construction Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI), from 54.8 in June to 51.9 in July, showing the worst performance in this sector since August 2016. The latest figures reveal a rather restrained rate of activity growth in the business arena with a long-run average of just 54.5. A key factor restraining overall business activity growth is the drop in levels of commercial construction which, while not overwhelming, are more rapid than at any other point in the past 12 months. The IHS Markit/CIPS survey suggested that respondents are battling with delays caused by clients unwilling to make decisions in this era of economic concerns and vagaries concerning the current political status.   Follow UK & Ireland Construction Network on Twitter and keep updated with all the latest new and jobs #Construction https://t.co/qgmhhEeFPE pic.twitter.com/bF3Bu4SG75 — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) August 21, 2017 Residential Although the residential building sector experienced its slowest rise in the past three months, it remains the strongest area of activity for the month of June, with civil engineering also displaying an improvement in terms of output growth. From an industry point of view, clients seemed unwilling to commit to new projects in July and, as demand deteriorated, so volumes of new business declined with it – the first time the industry has seen a slump of this nature since the uncertainties resulting from the Brexit referendum last year. Lower sales have caused UK building companies to tighten their belts when it comes to purchasing, according to July’s PMI data and the upturn evident in input buying proves negligible, as well as being the least robust since March. The author of the IHS Markit/CIPS Construction PMI, Tim Moore, said, “July data reveals a growth slowdown in the UK construction sector, mainly driven by lower volumes of commercial development and a loss of momentum for house building.” “ Weaker contributions from the cyclically sensitive areas of construction activity more than offset resilience in the civil engineering sector.” In keeping with previous assertions, Mr Moore said certain key factors were responsible for the reduced demand, namely concerns for the economic future of the country and its political solidity. Clients are unwilling to invest in new projects and are extending decision-making periods prior to commitment. “The combination of weaker order books and sharply rising construction costs gives concern that an extended soft patch for the construction sector may be on the horizon,” he added. Similarly, director of customer relationships at CIPS, Duncan Brock said the weaker Pound continues to increase price pressures, “driving cost inflation near to a six-year peak, stifling purchasing activity and jobs growth.” Although the growth prospects for 2018 are looking dubious following the recent downgrade, the CPA reported that on-site activity is still high and expected to increase throughout the year with a rise of 1.6%. This has been favourable revised from previous forecasts which suggested just 1.3% increase.  This sharp rise has been stimulated by the new contracts and activity surrounding the Grenfell Tower fire which occurred in London in June. An estimated £6.9 billion (€7.62 billion) is being funnelled into the repair of public housing as well as maintenance and improvements to deal with the resulting damages. The CPA predicts that growth over the next couple of years will be spearheaded by developments in infrastructure and private housing which, it is hoped, will offset the decline in other sectors, such as commercial and industrial.   Major projects With major rail, water and sewerage projects on the agenda, the growth in infrastructure is set to benefit with a 7.4% growth in 2017 and 6.4% in 2018. This is largely due to projects such as the HS2 high-speed railway and the Thames Tideway Super Sewer in London. The CPA forecasts no longer include the works at Hinkley Point C power station, due to continued delays.  In cause and effect cycle, the industry’s growth is dependent on developments with private house-building which, in turn, is relying heavily on the government’s Help to Buy equity loans to increase demand. The government policy is designed to support the demand for new housing and help drive development in this sector until 2021 with a predicted growth of 3.0% in 2017 and 2.0% in 2018. The CPA is unimpressed, indicating that this is a slow rate of growth and reflects consumer hesitancy and reductions in real earnings.   Search 100s of Construction Jobs In Your Area!  

Investment delays caused by Brexit hampers construction industry growth A Survey indicates Brexit has caused banks to tighten their belts in the lending department, hindering the UK property market. A leading property organisation announced on Thursday that political uncertainty is impeding the construction industry’s rate of growth in the second quarter, as a result of delayed investment. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveryors (RICS) released their rather disappointing quarterly survey last week The pace of growth in Britain's construction industry slowed over the second quarter as investment was delayed by uncertainty over Brexit and the general election, a leading property body reported on Thursday. More than 40,000 construction companies are operating on the brink of collapse https://t.co/HHiqORLLC0 — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) August 10, 2017 The quarterly survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) showed a reversal from the first quarter, which saw growth accelerate at its strongest pace since last year’s referendum on leaving the European Union. A net balance of 21 per cent respondents reported an increase in total workload in the second quarter, down from 27 per cent recorded in the previous quarter, RICS said. The private commercial and industrial segments felt the sharpest slowdown. Search 100s of Construction Jobs in your area! The UK property market has been one of the most prominent casualties of the Brexit vote, with many developers tempering construction plans to reduce the risk on the books and given widespread concern that companies will rent less space. Banks have tightened lending criteria as well, making it tougher for smaller builders or those with limited funds to start new projects. The UK RICS Construction and Infrastructure Market survey showed that financial constraints, due to economic uncertainty driven largely by Brexit and the subsequent election, was noted as the most significant impediment to building activity. The survey said 79 per cent of all respondents cited it as a concern, marking the highest level in four years. Other reasons included difficulties with access to bank finance and credit and cash flow and liquidity challenges. "Economic and political uncertainty appear to be weighing on sentiment, but all things considered, current conditions and year-ahead workload expectations are holding up rather well relative to the longer-term trend," said Jeffrey Matsu, Senior Economist at RICS. "Given the ongoing nature of Brexit negotiations, it remains to be seen what impact this will have on financial conditions," he added.   Advertise a Construction Job and reach every suitable candidate  

Expert analysis shows, that over past years ,there is 22% increase in  construction companies in significant financial distress. Begbies Traynor ,Accountants from insolvency specialist  said in its Q2 2017 report; “Increase in construction companies provided evidence of a slowdown in the UK housing and construction markets”  According to statistic report provided by Begbies Traynor, By the end of June of 2017, 40,495 construction companies are operating in a state of 'significant' financial distress. While in 2016 there were only 33,222 operating construction companies.”  Begbies Traynor  also said that over the past year, the  property sector has a downfall as the report indicates, with 28,259 real estate businesses in 'significant' financial distress, up 32% from increase provided further evidence of a slowdown in the UK housing and construction markets 21,373 this time last year. Julie Palmer, partner at Begbies Traynor,said; “As the whole UK  economy is  experiencing a downfall but the most pronounced deterioration is experienced by property and construction sector. This whole scenario creates doubts and left many questions in mind, like, whether they have strong enough foundations to cope with upcoming headwinds, from Brexit?. Are they able to bear the rising cost of imported goods to the widening skills gap and its impact on labour cost inflation?.”   Construction Workers are £4000 worse off since the 2007 recession https://t.co/4vkV6ZlaLR — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) August 9, 2017

First on the agenda will be framework project - a £17m sports centre at Newcastle University The long awaited plan is set in motion. The North Eastern Universities Purchasing Consortium (NEUPC) announced the creation of The Major (Construction) Works Framework agreement with contractors Clugston Construction, Sir Robert McAlpine, BAM Construction, Bowmer and Kirkland, Galliford Try and Robertson. This construction companies are getting the exclusive rights to bid for all the work regarding this venture. They all have places in the table regarding a major framework that is designed to answer the needs and be used by five leading higher education institutions in the North East region. The budget for this cooperation extend itself to £750m of building projects. Search for 1000s of Construction Jobs in your area! Newcastle, Durham, Northumbria, Sunderland and Teesside universities all have their plans for renewing and building new facilities in the next six years, and many of those schemes go beyond £20m. On the top of the list of projects, to use the framework, will be the extension of the Newcastle University sports centre, located on Richardson Road in Newcastle, with the budget of £17m.The extension will be delivered by Clugston’s North East office in Stockton with the January 2018 start date. Updated sport centre will become a place of excellence in sports science and body conditioning, equipped with modern sports halls, courts, running tracks and gyms for this university students. Steve Radcliffe, managing director of Clugston Construction, stated: “We are delighted to have secured a place on this framework and look forward to supporting the capital project needs of such high-profile organisations.”   “Are you hiring Construction professionals throughout  UK & Ireland?” https://t.co/ZpaerNzMLa pic.twitter.com/PLQ7RbyUAp — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) May 24, 2017   He continued on future development opportunities in this region: “Being involved in this framework will provide the opportunity to further develop our North East Business, by investing in our commitment to employment and skills and growing the local supply chain.” The initial idea of this framework is to give its members significant savings against the market, to be driven through competition between the framework contractors, and to boost communication between universities and suppliers, who all have strong SME supply chains. NEUPC will also be overall link that combines and encourages communication within the framework, participants regarding teaching and research agendas. Frank Rowell, head of the consortium at NEUPC, said: “Through collaboration with our members in the North East, we are excited to announce the launch of a ground breaking major construction collaborative framework. Get emailed suitable Construction Jobs In your area Furthermore, he analyzed this kind of agreement in terms of correlation between the quality and means:“This is the first time a HE purchasing consortium has tendered a framework of this scale and complexity and demonstrates our ability to provide relevant and high-quality procurement resources to university estates departments. Our members are now able to access purchasing agreements that cover the majority of estates activity.” Iain Garfield, head of estate planning and development at Newcastle University, said: “Following the assessment of some excellent tender submissions we are delighted to announce the establishment of the NE universities major capital framework. This framework will not only provide our universities with a framework of high quality contractors for all construction projects over £4m but will also be the platform for extensive collaboration and relationship development between universities and contractors.” UK CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY UNEXPECTEDLY IMPROVES The new values of the properties are also mentioned in his statement: “This will add value over and above the tendering of construction projects, including the development of standard processes and providing partner organisations with excellent opportunities to add significant value to the local community and local economy. The first project to be tendered will be Newcastle University ’s £50m National Innovation Centre on Science Central which is due to commence construction in December this year.”  

Here is a look at the Top 5 largest homes that are currently under construction - Some have been under construction for years while others have just begun. Check them out below! House Building at its best    No. - 100,000 square feet  –  Beverly Hills, CA  This Contemporary/Modern style home is being built by film producer/developer Nile Niami in Beverly Hills, CA on a 4-acre hilltop lot. Slated to be completed in about 20 months or more, the 100,000+ square foot compound is set to have an asking price of a staggering $500 million, which would make it the most expensive residential property to ever come on the market. The current most expensive home on the market is also in Beverly Hills and is listed at $195 million, a far cry from $500 million. It will be comprised of a 74,000 square foot main house and 3 smaller homes. Features will include a 5,000 square foot master suite, 30-car garage, “Monaco style” casino and 4 swimming pools (including a 180′ infinity pool). Search 1000s of Construction Jobs in your area   NO. 2 100,000 square feet – Scottsdale, AZ This mountaintop home is being built at 21624 North 113th Way in Silverleaf, the most exclusive 24-hour gated community in Scottsdale, AZ. It was never finished by the 1st owner and sold for $5 million to its current owner. It was designed by Peterson Architecture & Associates and will resemble both a Mediterranean castle and Italian hillside village.  The ‘smart house’ will boast 100,000 square feet of living space with 14 bedrooms, 20 bathrooms, n indoor bowling alley, indoor basketball court, indoor swimming pool, wine cellar, underground caves, secret passages, staff quarters, the first residential IMAX movie theater, multiple interior garages, zip lines across courtyards from one part of the house to another, multiple pool complexes with waterfalls, hidden grottos, a lazy river and a three-story night club.   Search 1000s of Construction Jobs In your Area   No.3 – 90,000 square feet – Windermere, FL   This French inspired home, dubbed “Versailles”, is being built at 6121 Kirkstone Lane in Windermere, FL. It is owned by timeshare billionaire mogul David Siegel. It features 90,000 square feet of living space with 15 bedrooms, 30 bathrooms, 2-story grand ballroom with double staircases, 11 kitchens, 2 home theaters, indoor spa, indoor roller skating rink, indoor & outdoor swimming pools, wine cellar, 2-lane bowling alley, 30-car subterranean garage, baseball diamond, 2 tennis courts and more. Search 1000s of Construction jobs in your area     NO.4 – 85,000 square feet – Greater Carrollwood, FL   This palace-like home is being built on a 17-acre lot in Greater Carrollwood, FL. It is being built by Dr. Kiran Patel, who is a noted cardiologist. It was designed by Rojo Architecture and wis being built by Onicx Construction. It features approximately 85,000 square feet of living space. It will consist of a 32,000 square foot main house, two 7,500 smaller homes, 3 guests homes, maintenance building, 13,000 square foot garage, 17,000 square feet of outdoor living space and more. Search 1000s of Construction Jobs In your area.   No. 5 – 72,000 square feet – Highlandville, MO This castle-like home, dubbed “Pensmore”, is being built at 2700 Woods Fork Road in Highlandville, MO. It is being built by Steven T. Huff, who is an engineer and chief technology officer of Overwatch Systems, Ltd, a company that delivers multi-source intelligence to the defense department. The home is an ICF, which means it’s an insulated concrete form structure. The home features a 22,882 square foot 1st floor, a 21,759 square foot second floor and a massive 23,020 square foot basement. This will include 13 bedrooms, 14 bathrooms, a home theater, a music room, a 1,600-square-foot library and a 4,000-square-foot garage. The master bedroom is 1,274 square feet, while the exercise room is 1,275 square feet, according to the plans.   Search & Apply for 1000s of Construction Jobs In Your Area - Click Here      Thanks to http://homesoftherich.net 

Bullying On Construction Sites What is bullying? Are head flushing, name calling antics simply the domain of the playground? Or does the behaviour transfer beyond the school gates and into the workplace? Sadly, the latter is true, with over 60% of employees experiencing bullying in the workplace at some time in their career. Bullying is not discriminative, it effects males and females, young and old. It is commonplace in alpha dominated industries, ingrained into company culture. And whilst the problem is evident in most industries, it is specifically prevalent within the construction Industry. What effect does bullying have? Suicide. Yes we are starting with the worst case scenario, but ongoing and systematic abuse can, and does cause people to take their own lives. When it comes to workplace suicide, the UK currently takes a blind eye approach. Other countries including America and France are reporting high levels of suicides linked to work related problems, but the UK has chosen not to record statistics, even though depression cause by bullying, is directly linked to suicide. Search and apply for 1000s of construction jobs in your area Other issues include panic attacks, anxiety, a lack of sleep and self esteem issues. Sadly, bullying can quietly facilitate a downward spiral, as the victims’ friendships, work relationships and work ethic is negatively impacted. What are the different types of bullying? We already mentioned that bullying shows no mercy and just because you are at the top of your career level, it does not mean you are exempt.  Vertical bullying is when a junior member of the team bullies those in higher positions. Additionally, people placed higher in the employment hierarchy may bully subordinates, whilst co-workers are equally likely to bully others in their team Oh come on…it’s just banter…. Perhaps this is an excuse which is commonly thrown around the building site. We may have all chuckled when the newbie was sent for a long stand or a tin of stripy paint, but where is the line drawn? Joshing and jibing at the odd prank might be acceptable but the trend for going too far is all too evident. A few years ago a shocking online video was released of co-workers hitting each other over the head. The laughing in the back ground may suggest this was a joke, but the victim is clearly not amused.  Watch This Shocking Clip Found Online Is this Bullying? I think So! Unfortunately this is not an uncommon situation. Apprentice mechanic George Clarke recently took his own life as a result of ongoing abuse. After locking their apprentice in a cage and setting fire to him, his colleagues showed little remorse whilst attending an inquest into his death, citing their behavior as mere horseplay. Understanding what actually constitutes bullying is the first step in addressing the problem, so let’s be clear. What exactly is bullying? Bullying is abusive behaviour towards one or more people and can be carried about by an individual or multiple perpetrators. The characteristics to look out for include. Threatening, humiliating and intimidating behaviours Verbal Abuse Driven by a need to control Causes problems for the victim Distracts from business interests Search and apply for 1000s of construction jobs in your area   Why does the construction industry have such a big Bullying problem? Bullying on construction sites is no new problem. However our changing social attitudes towards bullying are ensuring it is no longer tolerated. The specific problem within construction is deep rooted,  the boys will be boys type scenario. Thankfully,  the shift of opinion means that initiating the apprentice construction worker with physical abuse and witty remarks is no longer the norm. The behaviour is outdated. Do you own a construction company? Are you on top of bullying in the workplace? Heads up for businesses turning a blind eye to those rowdy chaps on site, it is time for action. if you are the owner of a construction company, you need to be ensuring you are doing everything possible to prevent the problem of bullying. See the checklist. Do you have a zero tolerance policy in place? Are your employees clear on professional conduct? Do you have procedures in place for reporting bullying? Are you active in addressing issues of bullying and violence Are you a construction company worker? Victims of bullying often get caught in a viscous circle and as a result of their situation, fall silent and don’t speak out about their plight. As an outsider, you can recognise the signs and be instrumental in ensuring this type of behaviour is stamped out. If you are the victim, remember that is your employees responsibility to offer a duty of care. Check out this helpful checklist below. Do you know the procedure for reporting bullying? Is there any chance of resolving this matter in an informal way and without reporting? Have you spoken to co-workers to ask for assistance in this matter? If the matter cannot be resolved, follow the correct procedure and report the perpetrator. If you have been a victim of Bullying and need someone to chat with please contact Bullying UK   http://www.bullying.co.uk/bullying-at-work/

Last month saw a substantial decrease in new building projects, causing a decline in the British construction Sector , exacerbated by the housing market’s lethargy. Construction Companies’ reluctance to commit to new projects has slowed sector development to lowest seen since the market suffered a blow after the Brexit vote last August. Search 1000s of Construction Jobs In Your Area  The instrumental IHS Markit survey, the purchasing managers’ index (PMI), indicates a slump of 51.9 in July this year, an acute contrast to June’s figures of 54.8, which has been attributed to client caution. With the index still above 50, showing continued expansion, the rate of growth is severely curtailed.   This is the first time the rate of new orders has fallen since August 2016, with the PMI revealing a decline from 53 to 48.1, placing it below the critical 50 level and indicating negative trends which could hamper future growth. With an indicator of 47.6, the commercial property sector showed a reduction in building activity, as “survey respondents cited delays in decision making by clients, linked to worries about the economic outlook and heightened political uncertainty”. Housing activity faired a little better with a reduction from 57 to 54.4 which is indicative of continued growth, and civil engineering enjoyed a positive spurt from 53.4 to 54.   The economic downturn has forced companies to slow down plans to increase employment and negatively impacted this index subdivision with a reduction of 2.1 from June to July, with July hitting 52.1 – comparative again to last August’s slump. Duncan Brock from the Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply said, “Continuing price pressures from the weak pound lingered, driving cost inflation near to a six-year peak, stifling purchasing activity and jobs growth,” Mr Brock went on to assert that the start of the third quarter was “challenging” and that “…there are possible roadblocks ahead for the sector in the rest of 2017, with longer lead times and suppliers struggling with stock levels, which adds insult to injury.” In contrast, the PMI for the manufacturing sector enjoyed an upsurge in July which saw it reach 55.1. “Are you hiring Construction professionals throughout  UK & Ireland?” https://t.co/ZpaerNzMLa pic.twitter.com/PLQ7RbyUAp — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) May 24, 2017 Manufacturers producing goods for export have enjoyed the positive consequences of the sterling’s drop, while growth in import inflation had a negative impact on the building industry. Factories have also benefitted from positive developments throughout global economy, while this has had little beneficial impact on construction companies.

  Last Year we produced the below Infographic.........     Our Infographic was based on the average salaries for different construction jobs in London across UK, the info graphic in question got alot of response, hundreds of shares and comments. Men and Women in the industry commented “I wouldn’t get out of bed for that!” which was a little alarming considering we are living in an era where there are currently 2.67 million people in unemployment. I had a mixture of emotions and feelings about some of the comments, surely a wage is a wage. Surely if you were struggling to look for work you would take what you were given, the phrase ‘beggars can’t be choosers’ sprung to mind. What I noticed though was that there wasn’t just one or two people of this opinion but rather pages and pages of comments rebuking the information that we had shared, people laughing and making fun at the very suggestion of such salaries. I decided to dig a little deeper to see why so many people had contrasting opinions on the infographic and the answer was staring me in the face- Location! Location! Location!  A Senior Quantity Surveyor in London, earns on average £50-£65k Per annum, which is up to £10k mire than the North of England, with their average for the same role coming in at £42-55k per annum, the lowest across the country. Thames Valley and South West England came in the second highest with their average for this profession coming in at £45-65k per annum. Search and Apply for 1000s of Construction jobs in your Area As I looked at other Construction Role salaries I could see a trend forming, in that London pays the highest every time. Take for instance, Planning, the average planning salaries across the country range from between £35,000 to £50,000 in The Midlands while Planners in the North will see salaries up to £50,000 per annum. Planners across London are experiencing the highest salaries offered with some Planners receiving up to £60,000.  Construction Pay Rates In London vs The Rest of the UK https://t.co/Q9RFtBsVsm pic.twitter.com/Rbk4On0oLN — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) August 4, 2017 London also had the highest salary rates for Estimators working across the UK who are experiencing similar salaries and rates offered for their skills. More senior professionals across London, such as Estimating Managers are seeing the highest salaries offered over other Estimating Managers across the UK, with some receiving over £90,000 per annum. The high salaries for construction workers in London, corresponded with the higher living costs associated with London with it being fair to say that within the boundaries of zone 1-2 in London, you will pay upwards of  £700 a month for a room , or £1,700 a month for a one bedroom flat, on average - with studios at about £1,250 . The rental costs and cost of living in London in general is undoubtedly a reason for the higher salary in the capital, however it would be naive of me to think that there aren’t other contributing factors. Mainly the fact that the city has established itself as the location of many world class and highly profitable businesses in the services sector that attract the best talent from around the world and nowhere else in the country has such a high density of highly skilled workers. London has long been the home of big business headquarters driving economic growth, tourism and profit, so what better way to attract the best men for the job than to throw a hefty pay cheque their direction. Search and apply for 1000s of Construction Jobs in your area  

(Reuters) - The pace of growth in Britain's construction industry slowed over the second quarter as investment was delayed by uncertainty over Brexit and the general election, a leading property body reported on Thursday. The quarterly survey from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors showed a reversal from the first quarter, which saw growth accelerate at its strongest pace since the June 23, 2016 referendum on leaving the European Union     A net balance of 21 percent respondents reported an increase in total workload in the second quarter, down from 27 percent recorded in the previous quarter, RICS said. The private commercial and industrial segments felt the sharpest slowdown. The UK property market has been one of the most prominent casualties of the Brexit vote, with many developers tempering construction plans to reduce the risk on the books and given widespread concern that companies will rent less space. Banks have tightened lending criteria as well, making it tougher for smaller builders or those with limited funds to start new projects. The UK RICS Construction and Infrastructure Market survey showed that financial constraints, due to economic uncertainty driven largely by Brexit and the subsequent election, was noted as the most significant impediment to building activity. The survey said 79 percent of all respondents cited it as a concern, marking the highest level in four years. Other reasons included difficulties with access to bank finance and credit and cash flow and liquidity challenges.   Source: http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-britain-economy-construction-idUKKBN1A42OU

According to a recent report, whether you are currently taking home a quantity surveyor salary  or a carpenter salary, a slow growth in wages and a recently heightened rate of inflation means you are likely to be around £4000 worse off than if growth had continued at the rate prior to the 2007 recession.   Whilst not a construction industry  trend, the report continues, stating this is a fact effecting every single person working in the UK. A bleak picture of the economy is being painted, headlined as the decade without growth. Historically any deficits in wage growth have been addressed as the country has proudly got back on top, but economists warn this gap is  in danger of never being closed. So inflation continues to raise but the wages don’t, leaving everybody financially worse off.     Yet the recent Hays Salary Survey contests these claims and states that salaries across building services saw a healthy 3.5 % rise during 2016. A significant amount when compared to the 1.8% increase attributed to other professionals. Yet whilst apparently there are pots of gold for construction workers to stash, there is still a trend for employees including quality surveyors and site managers to  move from company to company. Hays may be keen to blame this practice on the phenomenon that all construction workers have itchy feet, but could there be more to it? We frequently hear about skill gaps within the construction industry, whether that be for carpenters or electricians. Of course many of the old dogs have these tricks, but they don't become recognised financially if they over stay there welcome at a single company.  So the competitive nature of the industry lures those skills away with the promise of financial rewards.   UK Construction Industry could lose 8% of it's workforce Post-Brexit: https://t.co/cvlbfTfkw3 — Construction Jobs (@Construct_job) July 19, 2017   Hays claims to have been talking to people on the ground and apparently the word on the street is that whether you happen to be on a site manager salary or an electrician salary, you will have benefitted from a significant increase this year and allegedly there is more of where that came from. Cat, pigeons…ready, set go…. Eyebrows raised and a tad irresponsibly we decide to let the cat see the pigeons and bring up Balfour Beatty ! Company share holders at Balfour Beatty and  construction workers did not buy into the goose and gander concept when it came to Chief Executive Leo Quinn, increasing his annual bonus to 150% of his salary. Increasing his take home pay to just £3.76 million... Just like in Mexico with the new Great Wall, an opinion on construction pay rates really depends on which side of the fence you are sitting on, or in their case, which side of the wall.... Whilst those higher up the construction chain, including the quantity surveyor salary and site manager salary may be reaping some rewards, the benefits may not be felt by the electrician or carpenter . Furthermore, the north south divide continues to effect wages. Location, location, location The north-south divide is no new thing and to suggest that wages will ever be standardised  across the company is ludicrous. On average, a quantity surveyor salary in London is expected to be approximately £35,837, compared to a figure of £30,837 in Manchester and £28,667 in Glasgow. This poses a chicken and egg type question, there may be higher wages to be earned in London but is it worth the trade off? The average wage in London stands at £40,752 compared to just £23,405 in Yorkshire, but of course life is grim up north…isn’t it? Perhaps not if you consider that a first time buyer can get themselves on the property ladder for just £30,000 compared to a staggering £374,950 for a similar property in London! And of course let’s not get started on the cost of a pint north and south of the border. Mind The Gap In this section we considered opening up a whole new can of worms, by discussing the gender pay gap, but that is a whole other topic. So we decided to question how Brexit may leave gaps in the construction work force and how that may effect carpenters, electricians and so on. With Brexit negotiations underway, concerns are being raised about the restrictions which may be placed on European workers who currently account for 12% of the industries workforce. This could widen the skills gap which is already evident, but this could mean that UK workers could benefit from subsequent pay rises. Discussions are taking place in reference to the possibility of a “ brickie visa” which will enable European workers to continue to work in the UK, whilst the industry invests more money in trading and apprenticeship programmes.  And Finally… We have taken a careful look at how salaries in the construction industry fluctuated in 2016. See how you compare.