All Advice articles – Page 9
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FeaturesWhat can I do about member of staff who is making me feel ill?
Our experts look at what a small firm can do if one of its staff is taking constant sickies
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FeaturesI’m pregnant – when do I have to tell my employer, and what am I entitled to?
I work for a small architect’s practice and have just discovered I am pregnant. I know I will be entitled to maternity leave. When do I have to tell my employer, and what is it that I am actually entitled to?
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FeaturesI’m starting a new job but my employer hasn’t given me any kind of contract
I recently qualified and I am about to start a new job as an architect. The firm I am going to is small, with only two partners, and I don’t think they have employed anyone before. I start work next week but I haven’t actually been asked to sign an ...
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FeaturesShould I let clients with adjacent properties have one contract for work on both?
We have two clients. Client A owns the freehold to two adjacent properties. Client B owns the leasehold to one of those properties.
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FeaturesCan we avoid hiring lawyers?
Laura Atherton gives some wise advice to practices wanting to negotiate their own appointments without professional legal help
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FeaturesThe science of socialising
With the party season in full swing, it’s time to hone your networking skills.
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FeaturesThe contractor is cutting corners on our design
I am an architect working under novation to a contractor on a design-and-build project. The contractor is not building to our specification, drawings or our employer’s requirements. Is there anything we can do?
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FeaturesWhy do we earn less than other professions?
Why do architects earn so much less than surveyors and project managers, let alone lawyers and doctors?
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FeaturesOur draughtsman is not up to the job and has no contract: can I just give him notice?
I own a small architect’s practice which I took over from my father. We still employ a draughtsman who started working here when my dad was in charge. He is not really up to the job and I think it is in the firm’s interest to get rid of him. ...
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FeaturesWorking with an energy efficiency specialist
My client wishes to use an energy efficiency specialist for construction of his new house. Who should appoint him and what is the situation if the house ends up not performing as energy efficiently as it is supposed to?
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FeaturesWorking mothers can be an asset to your practice
With changes to maternity leave laws this month, Sandra Roebuck advises how to smoothly combine motherhood with career
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FeaturesPublicising your practice through one-off campaigns
Can project-based PR give you the profile without the long-term expense?
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FeaturesHow will new CDM regulations affect me?
What are the transitional arrangements for the new CDM regulations, and what are the implications for my existing projects?
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FeaturesInvest in your staff is the golden rule
People are your most important asset, but how do you get the best out of them and ensure they feel wanted.
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FeaturesMy contractor is threatening to walk off site
My contractor is threatening to walk off site unless his last application for an interim payment is paid in full. Is he entitled to do this?
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FeaturesDoes your practice need an office manager?
A saviour who lets you concentrate on design work, or a pariah who insulates you from business realities? Zoë Blackler looks at the arguments for hiring administrative help
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Opinion
Tell us what you think
Have any of these ideas worked for you? Would you do anything differently? Post your comments at the bottom of the story
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Features
Mind your language to meet ageism law
Job ads may need to reworded to avoid falling foul of new legislation
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NewsArchives become a goldmine
No longer just dusty old drawings, the value now attached to architects’ archives has turned them into international commodities. Will Hurst looks at the impact this could have on the UK’s public collections