theduke

this is probably best answered from people actually working in the industry as I have read many comments on here from people not in the industry and well as always against the Construction Industry all doom and gloom.

I would like to know what is really happening, I appreciate that things are changing everyday at the moment everywhere!

Are key projects being stopped halfway through?
Are Key projects not being started or put on hold for a couple of years?
Do you know of anyone in the industry being paid off yet?
I heard that Multiplex have paid off over 100 staff in Dubai is that correct or myth?

I understand that as when we had the last recession lots of rumours went around and approx 80% were just cr*p.

Reason for the question is that I have been offered a very good job and I have accepted it, to start in Jan 09. I will be moving with my family from NZ(originally UK) and just want a bit of insight.

I have asked a few people, agency says everything is sweet so does the company and they do seem to have lots of forward workload.

Thanks in advance for your assistance knowledge.

str

Business as usual in my company (major one) and project (prestige project for very major developer). I don't expect any problems here and if it should happen the country would be burnt down half way already.
But I was told by some suppliers that other (fairly big) contractors are freezing investments and trying to get out of some contracts. I won't post names here as I'm not 100% sure that it's not a rumour.

typical

Take a look at this thread...

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=570440

busybee2

yes hubs in industry, part of the BIG project in dubai that he is working on have been cut back, and some of the clients people are being laid off. a lot of the projects are being cut back so yes things are changing here.

Lyds

My hubby's department in a big multi-D is inundated and has just won another couple of contracts. Who knows if the budgets will be cut later on (almost certainly), but at the moment, there's still a lot of work.

If anything, they'll probably re-phase the bigger projects and hold the later phases.

It may also depend on what you do exactly. If you're one of us fluffy artistic types that "just make the building/landscape look nice", then you may find budgets cut quicker than if you're from a serious engineering profession. [very obviously tongue in cheek there]

CeeBee

I understand that there are some apartment blocks being put on hold...understandable really.

Personally speaking my company has never been so busy....we don't really do residential though.

theduke

I am coming over as Commercial Manager for a fairly large contractor, you have caught me on the hop as I am sure I will be in for a new experience if there is "serious engineering professions" over there.

In all the time I have been in the industry (nearly 20yrs) I have never met a "serious engineer" on any building project, they usually overload then are told to strip to the bare minimum and stop trying to make the job look pretty, we usually leave some of that to the Architect, however more often than not the QS will decide.

I really appreciate the information and after getting some feedback from a couple of mates also I will be joining you all in Dubai come January 09.

Cheers All!

Lyds

I thought the main role of an architect was CAD-monkey nowadays?! Mushroom management ftw! Nice to know that some people let us choose the paints still!

Engineers appear serious cos they beat us into submission by quoting loads and other mafmatical stuff. Who can question that?! I reckon that's also why they get paid more... everyone's fallen asleep by the time they come to the point and then just get "there you go, that's the way it's got to be"... "er... ok!"

theduke

Well looks like I was right, the company I have been offered the job with have now have told me not to hand my notice into my current employer as they are putting everything on hold and NO new projects are being started in Dubai at all, only construction work we will see are the finishing of all the current projects.

Phew!!! close call, I was really looking forward to it as well, oh well maybe another time! Easy come easy go at least my current employer has offered me a promotion and 25% wage increase to keep me there.

Blue Cat

all to common a story here these days, I had heard the same about construction, what is being built will be finished and then that's it, no more.

domdom85

Hey everyone, I'm new here and have been nosing around a bit, so thought I'd put my two cents in.

From my experience, the news is not all doom and gloom. Although Dubai has been hit worse than other areas of the Middle East, major projects are still going ahead.

The big developers are making redundancies but that's mainly because they took way too many people on in a ridiculously short period of time without planning properly.

The guys that I work with still have loads going on in Abu Dhabi, Oman and Qatar which hasn't been affected. It depends who you work with I suppose, the companies with a lot of Western investment are suffering, but the one's that are well established and haven't put everything into Dubai are Ok.

IndieG

DAMAC: 200 jobs axed:-(

PS: you read it first on BE....

http://www.gulfnews.com/business/Rea.../10258561.html

domdom85

I heard that last week, it's a shame too they've hired pretty good people recently.

Max the Dog

Good friend, senior bod in Emaar said they are laying off 30% of their staff also Nakheel rumoured to be laying off 1,200.. In his words: Tin hat time!

CeeBee

A good opportunity for some companies to get rid of some of the useless BS'ers that work for them (no company in specific aimed at) cos god knows this place is full of them.

Don't believe everything you hear. There's very few people that know the plans for companies....unless your friend is a certain Mr Alabbar. At the moment the rumour mill is working overtime.

Mind you....with the influx of staff at Emaar i did wonder what's going to happen to them as their major Dubai project approaches an end.

i also wonder whether its Emaar as a a collective including sponsored companies.