Elizabeth tower & additional costs to repair

[Andy™]

just spotted this.... a list of unforseen issues with the original estimate of repairing elizabeth tower / big ben...

The examination revealed:

decay and damage to hundreds of intricate carvings

asbestos in the belfry

extensive use of toxic lead paint

broken glass in the clock dials

the need for a specialist clock expert

erm... not wanting to state the obvious, but did they expect the plumber to be able to fix it, he's taken a look and said 'youll have to get someone else'?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-51482370

 

[kerching]

Absolute FRICKING joke!.......next thing they will only have looked at one side and now found there are 3 MORE Clock faces. No matte how much it goes over estimate it will,get paid. If we are out with a quote /well under estimated do we get paid???

 

[kerching]

We threw another £32M at it in 2017, then another £18.6M just now....might as well just do it on hourly rate time and materials really. Whoever estimated it wants slotting

 

[Murdoch]

We threw another £32M at it in 2017, then another £18.6M just now....might as well just do it on hourly rate time and materials really. Whoever estimated it wants slotting

???????

Thats a new one on me

 

[Geoff1946]

The sheer size of the figures is mind blowing. 

Be good to see a breakdown of just how that's arrived at because it equates to an awful lot of very expensive man-hours, however specialised and skilled.

 

[Sharpend]

For that price they could have got a nice new modern technology advanced digital face :C  

 

[Evans Electric]

Is it just me or does it seem that ALL major projects in the UK  are under-estimated  and go way over budget ,  usually when its too late to get rid of the original crew. 

A similar thing seems to occur  .....when the likes of that giant construction combine , made up of about three famous building companies who seemed to get by on their own ,  whats the name ?   ..... anyway  its headed by a huge pile of experienced  directors   who plough on issuing quotes & taking on work  when theres no way they can complete.   

 

[kerching]

???????

Thats a new one on me

Really?......put it this way ".its a military term meaning they would not return " carried out with extreme prejudice. Similar to a double,,"tap"

 

[Tony S]

All projects but one I’ve been was involved in ran over budget. The one that scraped in by a few thousand quid under we used the remaining cash to throw a party.

 

[Phoenix]

I was speaking to a sparks who did a bit of the crossrail project, endless H&S because the line is classed as an active/live line (the only train running on it is the work train that brings them in the morning, waits, and goes back in the evening)

If a gland gets marked or an SWA gets slightly scuffed, then it comes out and is redone. But its not stressfull really, if you only do one gland a day and go home thats alright, there is no one accounting for time.

Through in a few major contractors and endless consultants, is it any supprise things are late and over budget?

They are building a new section of the bypass round here, it was going to go even further than they are building it, and was going to be dual lanes, but now its shorter and only single lane, yet its still going to be a year late and millions overbudget, they have been seriously planning this extension since at least the early 1990s that I know off (my father has a pamlet on the public consulatation from '92 from gods sake)

 

[Evans Electric]

They are building a new section of the bypass round here, it was going to go even further than they are building it, and was going to be dual lanes, but now its shorter and only single lane, yet its still going to be a year late and millions overbudget, they have been seriously planning this extension since at least the early 1990s that I know off (my father has a pamlet on the public consulatation from '92 from gods sake)

This sums up what does actually go on in this country  .   Its something that seems to have built up over some years  ,  possibly local politicians who cannot reach decisions . 

Going back to our other entity again  , in the '90s  and the 2000s  it became very apparent that the name of the game  in management was to have endless meetings  ,  as if their function in life was to have meetings every day  .    One in the mornings ...followed by a long lunch ...another meeting for the afternoon  & so to bed. 

Meanwhile no real work was done , problems sorted , cheques no signed    ( That used to be a good one ..."Sorry I'm waiting for the cheques to be signed before I can send them out "       How difficult is it to sign a cheque FFS   .   

I remember going to see  the electrical consultant for a job were doing , to collect some revised drawings ,    on his desk I could see our last invoice , issued three weeks before ,  still on his bloody desk awaiting his approval .      No wonder  our cash flow was starting to freeze.