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Actionable insights to improve your construction journey within 5 mins.
Every Friday, you'll receive an article from me talking about most trending topic in the industry along with practical tips where you can learn, implement and thrive in your project with less than 5 minutes reading time.
Silent is The Most Expensive Mistake in Construction
Recently, I sat with a subcontractor who had delivered excellent work on a major project. They were owed a large sum of money, overdue...
Emmolina May
2 min read
Culture - The Hidden Factor Behind Construction Disputes
New Zealand has always been a land shaped by migration. According to the 2023 Census, nearly 29% of New Zealanders were born overseas....
Emmolina May
5 min read
Survival Isn’t About More Work. It’s About Better Contracts.
Construction in New Zealand looks busy. Everywhere you turn, there are new subdivisions, cranes on the skyline, projects on the go. For...
Emmolina May
4 min read
How to Get Paid as Construction Business Owner?
If you run a construction business in New Zealand, you’ll already know that getting paid is not always as simple as just sending out the...
Emmolina May
4 min read
Education, Our Next Big Challenge
It’s been a busy but also a great week for me, as I had so many great of conversations about education. From exciting programme...
Emmolina May
3 min read
AI in Construction: The Second Wave Is Here
In the past week , I’ve had more conversations about the power of AI with people with different background in the construction industry...
Emmolina May
7 min read
How to "Win" at Adjudication
When a dispute hits the fan on a construction project, most people think the first thing to do is reach for the contract and quote clause...
Emmolina May
3 min read
How good people get caught out by bad clauses, and what to do before it’s too late.
I still remember the first time a client called me, voice shaking, saying, “I just got served a adjudication notice that I wasn’t...
Emmolina May
4 min read
How to Assess the Fairness of Your Construction Contract?
When starting a construction project, whether you're a homeowner or a professional, the construction contract is one of the most...
Emmolina May
4 min read
Contracts Don’t Cause Disputes, People Do
We’ve all heard it. “It’s in the clause.” “The contract says this.” “They didn’t follow Clause 10.3!” When a dispute arises on a...
Emmolina May
4 min read
Protect and Grow Your “Original” Side in the Age of AI
In today's digital world, where imitation is much easier than ever and artificial intelligence can generate essays, artwork, and even...
Emmolina May
5 min read
"It’s in the Head Contract – But You Can’t See It”: Why Subcontractors Need Full Visibility in Back-to-Back Agreements
It started like many subcontracting stories do. My client, a capable and diligent subcontractor, was engaged under the SA-2017...
Emmolina May
5 min read
Are You Dispute Ready?
You Don’t Prepare for Peace. You Prepare for War. No one likes a dispute. They’re costly, stressful, disruptive, and deeply hurting the...
Emmolina May
5 min read
Tendering in a Tight Market: What to Watch When You're Low on Resources
Lately, I’ve been approached by a number of construction businesses needing support with upcoming tenders. They’re all facing the same...
Emmolina May
4 min read
Beyond the Dotted Line: How Cultural Awareness Can Prevent Costly Disputes
The root cause that hiding behind of all of the disputes are often the cultural misunderstandings. And nowhere is this more evident than...
Emmolina May
4 min read
Plain Language Isn’t Dumbing Down. It’s Smart Contracting
When Words Get in The Way In my early years working in New Zealand construction, I remember standing on a dusty project site, contract...
Emmolina May
5 min read
What Happens When Your Builder Goes into Liquidation Post-Completion?
In the current construction landscape of New Zealand, contractors entering liquidation is no longer a rare occurrence. The industry is...
Emmolina May
4 min read
3 Clauses I Wish Every Contractor Understood
Every contractor encounters daily challenges in construction, but the true risks aren't those visible during the job. The real risks are...
Emmolina May
4 min read
When Contracts Become Weapons: Are You Protected or Targeted?
While we often recognise bullying in its physical or verbal forms, we must also acknowledge a more subtle but equally damaging version:...
Emmolina May
7 min read
Why Fairness Feels So Far Away in Our Industry (And What We Can Do)
This week I’ve found myself thinking deeply about some of the conversations I’ve had — with small business owners, subcontractors, and...
Emmolina May
4 min read
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