This is the last EM Friday of the year. If 2025 had a “construction vibe,” it was this: everyone is tired, everyone is stretched, and yet the disputes keep coming . Not because people suddenly got worse at their jobs… but because the margin for error is basically gone. When cashflow is tight and time is tighter, small misunderstandings don’t stay small for long. So I want to use this final post as a wrap-up, a little reset, and a practical “new year kit” you can actually use

This month has quietly turned into my “cultural month” in construction. In just a few weeks, I’ve: Run in-house training for members of the Asian construction community on contracts and disputes Chaired the cultural conversation at AMINZ Construction Day, looking at contracts and disputes through a cultural lens Delivered a bilingual (English–Chinese) workshop on contracts and dispute resolution And tomorrow, I’m heading to the Asian Construction Expo for the second year in a

This week, I helped a main contractor prepare a series of extension of time (EOT) claims. They had their story straight, weather disruptions, late instructions, design changes, and a well-documented chain of emails. But as soon as I opened their contract, I stopped. The EOT clause they thought they were relying on wasn’t there. Someone, somewhere, had “tidied up” the standard form and quietly deleted the very provision that gave them the right to claim. They had reason. They

It’s great to finally feel the change in the air. The days are getting longer, the sun is brighter, and the flowers are beginning to bloom again. There’s something about spring that feels hopeful, like a gentle reminder that no matter how cold or quiet the last few months were, things eventually turn. And in many ways, the construction market feels the same right now. Tender activity is picking up, new projects are being announced, and conversations that had gone quiet are s

Every week across New Zealand, construction companies sign contracts that they don’t fully understand. Some are small family-run firms; others are migrant-owned teams trying to keep projects moving. In the rush to secure work, many business owners flip straight to the price and start date, sign the last page, and move on. Yet time and again, it’s not the building work that gets them into trouble, it’s the paperwork. The signature isn’t the safety net We often treat a signed c

The survival guide on how to stay solvent when your client isn’t. Lately, just about every construction headline has been talking about the Auckland developers that went into liquidation, together owing more than $40 million. On paper, these were thriving projects with glossy renders and strong pre-sales. In reality, when the dust settled, it was the subcontractors, consultants, and suppliers left counting the losses. One subcontractor told a reporter, “We thought we were win

After a full day of in-house training with a group of experienced main contractors, mixed with QSs, project managers and architects, one...

Last week, I've talked about the AI in general use, and I have received many feedback, especially I get lots of people asking me" How did...

AI is reshaping industries everywhere, from finance to healthcare, even farming. But in construction, the conversation has been...

Recently, I sat with a subcontractor who had delivered excellent work on a major project. They were owed a large sum of money, overdue...

New Zealand has always been a land shaped by migration. According to the 2023 Census, nearly 29% of New Zealanders were born overseas....

Construction in New Zealand looks busy. Everywhere you turn, there are new subdivisions, cranes on the skyline, projects on the go. For...

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...

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...

In the past week , I’ve had more conversations about the power of AI with people with different background in the construction industry...

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...

I still remember the first time a client called me, voice shaking, saying, “I just got served a adjudication notice that I wasn’t...

When starting a construction project, whether you're a homeowner or a professional, the construction contract is one of the most...

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...

In today's digital world, where imitation is much easier than ever and artificial intelligence can generate essays, artwork, and even...