Author: Kevin Barry BSc(Hons) MRICS

Following the Ards and North Down Borough Council’s recent decision to maintain a hybrid operating model for leisure services (rejecting full outsourcing or privatization), balancing the books will require a mix of revenue enhancement, cost efficiencies, and strategic planning. This approach aligns with the council’s 2025/26 budget, which already incorporates £1.7 million in efficiencies and […]

Barometer of NI Construction activity update Overview As of September 26, 2025, Northern Ireland’s construction sector continues to show overall expansion based on official Q2 2025 data, but with significant underlying vulnerabilities. The NISRA Construction Output Bulletin for Q2 (April-June 2025) reported a 15-year high in output, up 3.8% quarterly and 7.3% annually. However, this […]

Educational Short Video Clips: Understanding Uses and Complexities in the Construction Industry As a hub for Quantity Surveying (QS) updates and construction insights, we bring you this curated collection of short educational video clips. These resources are designed to help professionals, students, and enthusiasts grasp the key categories and sub-categories within the construction industry. Focusing […]

Why the UK Construction Industry Should Explore Vinted for Sustainable and Cost-Effective Opportunities In an era where sustainability and circular economies are at the forefront of business strategies, platforms like Vinted are revolutionizing how we buy and sell second-hand goods. Originally known for fashion, Vinted has expanded its categories to include a variety of items […]

Housing completions across UK & Ireland (2015-2024) Comparing official housing completions across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and Ireland (Republic of Ireland) over the past 10 years (2015–2024) is challenging due to differences in data collection, definitions, and reporting periods across these regions. Housing is a devolved matter in the UK, and each nation has […]

The Celtic Interconnector is a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) submarine power cable project designed to link the electricity grids of Ireland and France for the first time, marking Ireland’s first direct interconnector with another EU member state following Brexit. And provides supply outside the British Isles, which had reliable supply issues in the early 1970’s, […]

Understanding Construction Programming: Leveraging MS Project for Success, Especially Under NEC Contracts. In the fast-paced world of construction, effective project planning and management are essential to delivering projects on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. At Quintin QS, we specialize in providing expert quantity surveying and cost management services to help clients […]

The Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill is a piece of proposed legislation in Northern Ireland aimed at improving how water is managed, reducing flood risks, and promoting more environmentally friendly drainage systems. It’s designed to help Northern Ireland Water (NI Water, the public water utility) work more efficiently, especially in the face of […]

The Scandal of Belfast’s New Maternity Hospital: A Decade of Delays, Debts, and Dangers In the heart of Belfast, on the grounds of the Royal Victoria Hospital, a gleaming new maternity unit was supposed to revolutionize maternal and neonatal care for Northern Ireland. Announced over a decade ago, this £97 million project promised state-of-the-art facilities […]