Bridge that Gap: Great Central Railway News

As I said above
"A lot of it is down to commercial positions, but I've yet to see the paying party do better..."
In that circumstance, why would a cost-plus contract be any better for the Employer?

 

If the choice is fixed price vs. cost plus, then I agree. But other models exist as well - in the IT world, time and materials is common.

I'm far from convinced that, where information is incomplete, fixed price does get the best value as too much risk needs to be added in - and where it isn't, it comes through as the contractor's inability to deliver.

 

Fortunately for the GCR the fire was on the side of the building furthest away from the railway. I hope no airborne burning debris landed on the rolling stock in the sidings.

 

Sad about the Shepshed Lace factory, a prominent backdrop to the railway from the Great Central Road bridge. There's online speculation someone wants the site for housing... probably best not to discuss beyond that one-liner here. I hope the facade survives at least.

Going back to the 'gap' and drawing parallels, most of the big projects I've worked on have been on time and on budget. The only slight complication is that the programmes and budgets keep shifting as the projects go along...

 

I'm fully aware of different models, and in lots of years of doing this lark, I've come accross precisely one client who was prepared to invest properly in anything other than fixed price. Incomplete information is a sign you shouldn't be building it.
Anyway, let's hope the GCR get it built.

 

That's not automatically a bad thing, any well-organised project should have contingency, it's when it's uncontrolled that it's an issue.

 

Indeed. Civils seems a lot more mature in this regard than IT...

 

We have plenty of our own ways to foul it up, and we share a belief that cheaper is always better and wonder why it doesn't work...

 

Could this provide an opportunity to acquire sufficient land for a new shed?

Too expensive I would imagine! Plus, providing rail access really problematic.

Think I've just answered my own question.