Construction Management Guide

Many projects have firm deadlines that are the result of business constraints, the fiscal calendar or the relationship with other projects. However, many projects do not have a firm external deadline. In fact, your sponsor may want the project completed as soon as possible, but the sponsor does not have a reason why the deadline should be one date versus another. [Read more...]

One of the common responsibilities of all managers is the management of people and the management of work (if you don’t do either, you are not really a manager). All managers need to have timely, relevant and accurate information so that they can manage their people and work effectively. The trick, of course, is to know how much information you need, and at what level.  [Read more...]

by Shikha Mishra

In light of the current economic downturn, contractors will have little legal recourse if payments for on-going projects get delayed, legal experts say.

The recent cancellation of the US $1.25 billion contract between Dubai-based Meydan and the Arabtec-WCT JV has led to concerns in the market over similar situations arising in the future and the legal recourse available to contractors. [Read more...]

Force majeure is a French civil law concept, in English literally meaning “superior force.” In civil-law countries, such as the UAE, force majeure generally operates to excuse a party from the terms of a contract when performance of the contract becomes impossible or oppressive as the result of an event that the parties could not have controlled. [Read more...]

by Michelle Nelson
Contractors already working in or thinking of working in the UAE capital may be aware that the Abu Dhabi government has recently issued new contracts for construction projects being undertaken in the emirate on behalf of public entities. The word on the street is that these contracts are to be welcomed since it is perceived that the Abu Dhabi government has decided to adopt the FIDIC 1999 form of contract. [Read more...]

The way projects are structured is directly related to the way the entire organization is structured. There are three major organization structures to manage work and people. [Read more...]

Sometimes the project manager can get too comfortable (or too uncomfortable) in how the project is progressing. In many cases, it makes sense to have an outside party come in to evaluate the project management processes being utilized and double-check that the project is progressing as expected. This “outside party” could be any qualified person outside of the project manager. [Read more...]

by Dennis Brand

As a general principle, a company cannot subcontract any part of their scope of works without the employer’s consent unless the contract expressly states otherwise. [Read more...]

Michelle Nelson, partner, Pinsent Masons, says it is worth examining five common traps before plunging into construction in Dubai.

Let’s examine some of the potentially troublesome issues which contractors face regularly in the Dubai construction market. In preparing this article I have highlighted five issues which we are asked to advise contractors on regularly. [Read more...]

By: Antonios Dimitracopoulos 

Arbitration is almost by default the standard dispute resolution mode built into construction contracts. But is it always as efficient and suitable for the purpose it is meant to be? Or is it so only under certain conditions which, if left uncared for, can result in an erosion of what was meant to be an improvement to litigation. [Read more...]