Re:Construction

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A weekly podcast in which veteran construction industry journalists Bishop and Taylor have a natter about some of the week’s events in the UK construction industry, seeking meaning even where none may exist. To keep up to date with the latest construction news every day, visit http://www.theconstructionindex.co.uk. You can find the latest issue of The Construction Index magazine in WHSmith & independent newsagents UK wide - use our online store locator to find your nearest stockist today.

The Construction Index


    • May 28, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • every other week NEW EPISODES
    • 46m AVG DURATION
    • 178 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from Re:Construction

    178: Barratt's Supreme victory, Land banking and Retrofit licenses

    Play Episode Listen Later May 28, 2025 49:48


    Bishop & Taylor approve of a significant Supreme Court victory for Barratt Developments and take opposing views on the government's plan to prevent land banking. They also discuss a report from a group of MPs calling for a licensing scheme for individuals and companies engaged in domestic energy efficiency retrofits.

    177: Cheating, Corruption and Reform

    Play Episode Listen Later May 14, 2025 49:02


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the difference between cheating and gaming the system, how to tackle bribery and corruption in the construction industry, and (completely unrelated) the Reform Party's construction connections

    176: Concrete Credentials, Nature Levy and Aerogels

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 30, 2025 44:49


    Bishop & Taylor have been learning that concrete is far from the carbon-bad-guy that it is popularly portrayed as. They also discuss the Nature Levy, known by some as Licence to Kill. And they wonder whether aerogels are set for take-off in insulation.

    175: Materials special: Stone, Steel and Cement

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 60:57


    In this episode stonemason Pierre Bidaud of The Stone Collective promotes the benefits of natural stone as a structural building material.  Also, Bishop & Taylor discuss the crisis at British Steel (and whether it matters) and marvel at coffee-infused cement.

    174: OBR, NISTA and Timber

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 2, 2025 48:10


    Bishop & Taylor discuss some of the talking points from chancellor Rachel Reeves' recent spring statement, the formation of new government bodies, and the rise of pine.

    173: Cutting bureaucracy, Cement sector challenges and Leaving school

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 19, 2025 53:41


    Bishop & Taylor discuss government's efforts to reduce regulatory hurdles, the challenges facing the UK cement sector and a proposal to lower the school leaving age to 14 in Scotland

    172: Beyond Grenfell

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 55:52


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the government's response to the Grenfell Inquiry's final report and juxtapose this with the forgotten Cole Report report into a primary school wall collapse.

    171: Batteries, BNG and Buying British

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 19, 2025 51:55


    In this episode, Bishop & Taylor discuss exploding batteries, how the one-year-old biodiversity net gain (BNG) rules are bedding in, and a call from steel companies for clients to buy British

    170: Reeves' Big Speech and Goodbye SGB

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 49:59


    In a landmark speech last week, chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves voiced support for Heathrow's long-range third runway plan but may have killed the shovel-ready Lower Thames Crossing. Bishop & Taylor chew it over. They also mourn the demise of the SGB brand (Scaffolding Great Britain, as was).

    169: Solar panels, Licensing and Plant hire pivoting

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 45:01


    In this episide Bishop & Taylor discuss a thwarted attempt to make solar panels compulsory on all new houses, RIBA's support a contractor licensing scheme and the latest examples of companies having a rethink about their plant operations.

    168: Happy new year (we hope)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 8, 2025 55:37


    Bishop & Taylor share their expectations for the UK construction industry in 2025, including a raft of major government initiatives, from NISTA to new towns.

    167: 2024: Year in Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 11, 2024 59:19


    In their last episode of the year, Bishop & Taylor look back on some of the highs and lows of the year: the change in government and what it has brought, the Grenfell Inquiry report, the fall of ISG, the birth of Barratt Redrow, the six-thousand-tonne crane… and more besides.

    166: Fast-track apprentices, HSE stats and GFRG houses

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 27, 2024 47:39


    Bishop & Taylor discuss plans to for the provision of fast-track construction apprentices, the latest HSE statistics (shouldn't musculoskeletal disorders be classified as injuries rather than illnesses?), and the small London company with a letter of intent for 10,000 prefab homes.

    165: Revolutionising Construction: The Information Management Initiative

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 13, 2024 48:21


    Bishop & Taylor are joined by Paul Wilkinson, vice-chair of Nima, to discuss the Information Management Initiative (IMI) and its significance to the construction industry, particularly in relation to building information modelling (BIM) and technology adoption.

    164: Labour pains: Reeves' first budget

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 31, 2024 44:11


    Bishop & Taylor are joined by Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist of the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), to discuss chancellor Rachel Reeve's autumn 2024 budget statement. Suffice to day, the doctor is unimpressed with her remedies.

    163: 100 days of Starmer, Vistry's glitch and Plant-hire pivot

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 16, 2024 45:30


    Bishop & Taylor have yet to be much impressed by the new government's impact on the construction industry. They also discuss Britain's second-biggest house-builder, and plant hire companies turning away from general plant.

    162: D-Day for LTC, Big batteries and Untypical homes

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 44:20


    A decision on the £9bn Lower Thames Crossing is due this week, batteries are getting bigger and better, and there's a new name in house-building. Bishop & Taylor discuss all this, and more.

    161: ISG, Fox and Gipave

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 48:47


    In this episode Bishop & Taylor discuss the collapse of ISG, the rise and sale of Fox Brothers, and National Highways' trial of graphene-enhanced asphalt.

    160: The Grenfell Inquiry report

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 5, 2024 46:29


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the findings, and recommendations, of phase two of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry.

    inquiry grenfell grenfell tower inquiry
    159: 50 Days of Starmer, Sad Ends and Providence for Providence

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 21, 2024 49:21


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the first 50 days of Kier Starmer's prime minstership, the demise of two very different organisations – Women into Construction and Hypertunnel – and the appeal court ruling on Providence v Hexagon

    158: M&A upswing, Picking leaders and Footbridges (Pt II)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 24, 2024 48:49


    Bishop & Taylor discuss this year's tide of merger & acquisition activity, the appointment of Pete Redfern at Travis Perkins and National Highways' footbridge design competition. But they start with an update on last episode's discussion on AdBlue.

    157: All Change, AdBlue and the Ava Bridge

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 10, 2024 48:15


    In another typically wide-ranging episode, Bishop & Taylor discuss what we can expect from the new government, problems with AdBlue and the latest addition to Network Rail's footbridge catalogue

    156: Supreme Court spanner in the works, Blue hydrogen and the 6,000-tonne crane

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 26, 2024 53:40


    In a football and election-free zone, Bishop & Taylor discuss the implications of the Finch v Surrey CC Supreme Court judgment, the flawed credentials of certain hydrogens and Mammoet's massive new flagship machine

    155: Election lobbying, Red7 Marine and Chatham Docks

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 12, 2024 51:09


    After airing views about construction industry lobbying, Bishop & Taylor decide to park the politics. Taylor has been talking to an interesting SME, while Bishop has been following the battle for Chatham Docks.

    154: Election fever, International trade and Forever chemicals

    Play Episode Listen Later May 29, 2024 48:43


    Bishop & Taylor discuss how construction industry interests may or may not figure in the main party manifestos. They also discuss the UK's entry to an Indo-Pacific trade bloc and why machinery manufacturers fear restrictions on the use of ‘forever' chemicals.

    153: The Construction Skills Crisis

    Play Episode Listen Later May 15, 2024 38:04


    Bishop & Taylor are joined by recruitment consultant Greg Shaw, Randstad's London regional director, to discuss the construction industry jobs market and the future of the industry

    152: The Downfall Episode: Osborne, Yousaf and Honda Swindon

    Play Episode Listen Later May 1, 2024 56:04


    In this episode Bishop & Taylor mourn the demise of Geoffrey Osborne Ltd. They also discuss how missing green targets brought down Scotland's first minister. Also examined are demolition projects featured in the May 2024 issue of The Construction Index magazine: Honda's Swindon plant and a bridge over the M25 at Wisley.

    151: Could Truss be right?

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 17, 2024 51:10


    Britain's briefest prime minister has a book out this week and Bishop & Taylor discuss some of the things that she's been saying. Even a stopped clock is right twice a day, they decide. So what might Liz Truss be right about? Also in this episode, checking consultants' credentials and Taylor's adventure in artificial intelligence.

    150: (Im)mobile Cranes, London Supersewer and MMC Review

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 3, 2024 51:37


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the increasing difficulties endured by mobile crane hire companies faced with road embargos. They celebrate the completion of construction of the Thames Tideway tunnel (and hope it stops rowers vomiting).  And they wonder what housing minister Lee Rowley's MMC policy review might throw up.

    149: Killer Materials, Dubious Contracts and National Security

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 20, 2024 51:06


    In an unusually wide ranging episode, Bishop & Taylor cover crystalline silica, plastic pipes, the Lower Thames Crossing, the A66, the Daily Telegraph (is it really more important to national security than nuclear power?) and stress-inducing questions.

    148: Budget Special

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024 21:05


    Bishop & Taylor are joined by Dr David Crosthwaite, chief economist of the Building Cost Information Service (BCIS), to discuss Jeremy Hunt's spring 2024 budget statement.

    147: Decarbonising construction machinery

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 6, 2024 31:46


    Bishop & Taylor are joined by L Lynch Plant Hire joint managing director Merrill Lynch to discuss reducing construction's diesel consumption.

    146: Planning reforms, National Highways probe and Nuclear safety breaches

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 21, 2024 44:31


    Bishop & Taylor explore the disconnect between attempts to remove red tape for house-builders while simultaneously burdening them with ever-greater levels of bureacracy. They also discuss news from a couple of regulatory authorities: the Office of Rail & Road is investigating the deteriorating performance of National Highways; and the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR) is on EDF's case after a series of safety failings at its power plants.

    145: Anglia Square, Prefab woes and Measuring carbon

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 7, 2024 49:23


    In this episode, Bishop & Taylor hear from Bob Weston about why he had to scrap his £300m Anglia Square development in Norwich. They also discuss a House of Lords report that damns government's lack of strategy for prefab housing. And they ask whether carbon measuring rules need to be dictated by government, as proposed by a coalition of industry institutions. Finally, they pay tribute to Jim Stockoll, founder of Dyno-Rod and daddy of UK franchising.

    144: The Rudi Klein Manifesto

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 24, 2024 47:56


    Bishop & Taylor are re-joined by Rudi Klein, perhaps the construction industry's most seasoned campaigner for change. He shares his opinions on the need for industry reform and encourages listeners to take the opportunity of this year's general election to lobby their local candidates.

    143: Milne down, Neurodivergence and Rebranding Artex

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 10, 2024 41:44


    Bishop & Taylor kick off 2024 mourning the demise of Stewart Milne Group. They also consider the apparent preponderence of neurodiversity within construction project management and discuss the rebranding of Artex.

    142: Review of the Year 2023

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 13, 2023 70:59


    As the end of the year approaches, Bishop & Taylor look back on some of the highs and lows on which they reported in 2023.

    141: Paying the bills, Grenfell's standing and State aid

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 29, 2023 59:16


    Bishop & Taylor chew over the autumn statement and late paying clients, discuss why Grenfell Tower still stands, and question whether state aid should go to a company owned by Persimmon and Goldman Sachs.

    140: Reshuffle, Plant Tech and Hybrid Working

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 15, 2023 56:58


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the latest goings on at Westminster, new applications of digital technology in construction machinery and the revelation that working from home has added a year of delays to HS2 design work.

    139: Circularity, Piling and Companies On the Edge

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 1, 2023 46:41


    Bishop & Taylor discuss Mace's proposals to move London construction from mere recycling to the more virtuous state of circularity. They also chat about likely motives for the sale of piling specialist Rock & Alluvium. They conclude with a report that reckons a fifth of UK construction companies are in significant financial distress, and worry how many will survive.

    138: Starmer's Promises, Infra Planning and Dodgy Ladders (again)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 18, 2023 61:02


    Bishop & Taylor mull over Labour Party leader Keir Starmer's promise to get Britain building again and the National Infrastructure Commission's blueprint that might help him.  They also return to the topic of dodgy ladders, with new research form the Ladder Association.

    137: Sunak Hits Reverse

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 4, 2023 52:58


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the cancellation of HS2's northern section and the prime minister's policy reversals on net zero targets.

    136: Killing Diesel with Jo Gilroy

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 20, 2023 52:56


    Bishop & Taylor are joined by Balfour Beatty sustainability director Jo Gilroy for a chat about decarbonising construction machinery and the promise of hydrogen.

    135: RAAC, Nutrient Neutrality and Power Tools

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 6, 2023 58:06


    Bishop & Taylor return to the familiar topics of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) and nutrient neutrality, both in the news. Fears of RAAC panels collapsing has prompted the closure of more than 100 school buildings and now more and more building owners are following suit. Rules that prevent houses being built where excessive nutrient run-off might pollute waterways are to be swept away, the government has decided. The final topic in this episode is the increasing obsolescence of power tools with plugs and cables.

    134: Top 100, Controlling the Press & Barbie

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 23, 2023 54:20


    After a whinge about companies trying to interfere with their journalistic integrity, Bishop & Taylor get onto the real business of this episode – the 2023 Top 100 ranking of UK construction contractors, as featured in the forthcoming September issue of The Construction Index magazine. They also discuss Sir Robert McAlpine's version of the Barbie movie.

    133: CE Reprieve, Big Roads and MMC Woes

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 9, 2023 57:29


    Bishop & Taylor discuss the latest tangles over switching from CE to UKCA product certification and the Transport Select Committee report on road-building. They also discuss repairs to Brentford's modular Paragon Estate and latest results from volumetric house-builder TopHat 

    132: Economics, Gove-ernment and Governance

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 26, 2023 55:50


    With industry forecasts this week predicting a 7% fall in construction output, much rests on Michael Gove's latest raft of intitiatives. Bishop & Taylor chew the fat on this. They also revisit the Inland Homes story on corporate governance and “related party matters”.

    131: Green Roads, Export Finance and Snoopy Landlords

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 12, 2023 53:46


    Refreshed from a month off the airwaves [which is how they think podcasts are delivered], Bishop & Taylor discuss the A47 court challenge. They also expose how UK taxpayers support overseas construction companies instead of British ones. And they share concerns about how landlords use technology to educate their tenants.

    130: Prefab Fail, Flying Too High and Embracing Change

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 14, 2023 42:43


    Among topics covered in Bishop & Taylor's wide-ranging conversation this week are Ilke Homes in need of rescue, the dangers of growth and whether the construction industry is behind the curve in embracing technology.

    129: Hospitals, Health and Cheers!

    Play Episode Listen Later May 31, 2023 45:30


    This week Bishop & Taylor discuss the revised hospital building programme and whether the HSE should investigate suicides. They are also joined by Adam Nicoll, director of HR firm Randstad, who has unfashionable views on the role of alcohol in the world of work.

    128: L&G, Offsetting and Economic update

    Play Episode Listen Later May 17, 2023 49:47


    Bishop & Taylor discuss Legal & General's withdrawal from prefab housing, offsetting (again) and the economic clouds hovering over the UK industry

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