James Shorter is the founder of BRCKS with 20+ years in UK construction. Starting on-site at 19, he progressed to running his own AV firm. After years of WhatsApp chaos and fragmented tools, he built BRCKS to fix how construction teams communicate.
Handing over a completed construction project is one of the most critical — and often most stressful — phases of any build. At the heart of that process sits the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) manual: the comprehensive document pack that tells building owners and facilities managers everything they need to
Construction Safety
Every UK construction project — from a small residential extension to a multi-million-pound commercial development — requires a thorough risk assessment. It's not just a legal obligation under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; it'
Construction Safety
Every construction project in the UK — from a modest loft conversion to a multi-million-pound commercial development — relies on clear, detailed method statements to keep workers safe and projects on track. Yet despite their critical importance, method statements remain one of the most misunderstood and poorly executed documents in the industry.
Every year, hundreds of serious incidents on UK construction sites can be traced back to poor control of high-risk activities. A robust permit to work (PTW) system is not just a regulatory checkbox — it is a critical safety mechanism that ensures hazardous tasks are properly assessed, authorised, and monitored before
Construction Management
Variation orders are one of the most common — and most costly — sources of conflict on UK construction projects. Whether you call them variations, change orders, or contract modifications, they represent changes to the original scope, cost, or timeline of a project. When managed poorly, they lead to disputes, budget overruns,
A permit to work (PTW) system is a formal, documented safety procedure that ensures high-risk construction activities are properly authorised, controlled, and communicated before work begins. With 35 construction fatalities in the UK during 2024/25 and the HSE recovering £4.5 million through enforcement actions, getting your permit to
Construction Technology
Time tracking in construction isn't just about knowing when your team clocks in and out. It's about understanding where your labour costs are going, ensuring compliance with UK working time regulations, and making sure every billable hour is accounted for. Yet according to a CIOB research
construction
Managing Requests for Information (RFIs) is one of the most critical — yet frequently mismanaged — communication processes on UK construction sites. A poorly handled RFI can stall an entire project phase, create costly rework, and trigger disputes that end up in adjudication. This comprehensive guide covers everything UK construction teams need
Choosing the right construction software can make or break your project timelines. If you're weighing up BRCKS vs PlanGrid (now part of Autodesk Build), you're likely looking for a platform that keeps your team connected, your documentation organised, and your projects on track. But here'
Construction Safety
Every person who steps onto a construction site in the United Kingdom must receive a site induction before they begin work. It is not optional. It is not a nice-to-have. Under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015), the principal contractor has a legal duty to ensure that
Construction Management
Construction daily reports are the backbone of effective project management on UK building sites. Every day, site managers across the country fill in reports that track progress, document conditions, and create a legal record of what happened on site. Yet according to the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB), over 40%