ISE 2009 – Maintenance Contract Resource
Especially for everyone who attended the course, run by both Matt and I, on the 5th February at ISE 2009 in Amsterdam, please find attached the links to the documents we discussed / reviewed at the meeting.
The key document to look through… http://www.thinkingbricks.co.uk/isecourse/EnergyStarContractGuide.pdf - sensibly sets out what is required from a contract (in more detail than we had time for during the course).
Totally unrelated to our industry, but a good generic document to read through, as food for thought. Takes a little while to load, so be patient.
Below are just a few, non-industry specific examples of the maintenance contracts which can help to develop your own company documents.
http://www.thinkingbricks.co.uk/isecourse/draftcomputercontract.pdf
http://www.thinkingbricks.co.uk/isecourse/innovaphone.pdf
http://www.thinkingbricks.co.uk/isecourse/carpet.pdf
http://www.thinkingbricks.co.uk/isecourse/rollsroyce.pdf
http://www.thinkingbricks.co.uk/isecourse/vx4000.pdf
Read between the lines and look at how relevant the sections are and what you need to substitute into the document for your needs.
As many are in PDF format, if you see something you like, then….plagarise!
All the best, Ian
“archi-tech” – smart home technology bulletins for the building professional
Plain english answers to home technology – for house building professionals and home owners alike….
A brand new revision of the thinkingbricks website (www.thinkingbricks.co.uk) is reaching out to professionals and homeowners alike, who are thinking about how they can include future connectivity, integrated entertainment, security and control into their client’s, or their own, building project. Be it multi-room audio, video distribution, home cinema, lighting control, home broadband and telephone networks or home automation, thinkingbricks have plain English advice and support documents to help.
A new focussed client’s zone for professionals such as architects, property developers and building services (Mechanical & Electrical) consultants, thinkingbricks are providing useful “smart home” know-how and information, to help them develop relationships with future colleagues and clients alike.
Home technology can offer a huge scope of choices – from single room installations such as a home cinema, media room or games room to whole house networking for satellite TV, video and music. It can also integrate a number of systems, linking standard everyday use systems such as TV/satellite, broadband and telephone into automated lighting controls and security through to heating and ventilation.
And the pace of change and the levels of new technology being introduced is incredible. It is fair to say that systems that we all use everyday, such as broadband and TV represent a “standard fit” expectation for many homeowners, or potential home buyers. A new home, or renovated property, without some thought paid to an integrated system to send TV (satellite or digital freeview), internet and telephone connectivity to the main habitable rooms doesn’t really promise comfortable access to basic technology in future.
Project Director at thinkingbricks, Ian Trudgeon said “ We find that our clients and a lot of the professionals we work with see what we do as the way forward in building or renovating a modern home. But many professionals such as architects, M&E consultants and interior designers don’t have time to research all the options, provide answers to client’s technology questions, or keep themselves up to date on the developments that are constantly happening in this field. When they are asked by their clients to give ideas, it often results in them giving “old fashioned” information, which they tell us can generate disappointed or disillusioned clients as end users. A little knowledge can be a dangerous thing in our industry.”
He continues “..we have been delivering a number of professional education meetings across London, the Home Counties and East Anglia. We have had a number of questions raised by the audience, so we decided to put in place a regular newsletter answering those questions. We plan to update every two months with fresh Technology Bulletins for our fellow professionals. We hope that by answering the real life questions raised by the audience at the seminars, that we will give relevant information and ensure that it up to date.”
As well as the professional focus of the new website, there are useful documents such as the thinkingbricks top ten tips (a useful series of steps to working out which technology are required and where and how it will ultimately be integrated and installed in to a project) , a series of example quotes for the types of systems available and the company portfolio of projects.
The first edition of the technology bulletin also has a simple competition and chance to win a “very familiar piece of entertainment technology”.
So for architects, interior designers and mechanical & electrical consultants, as well as anyone keen to know more about what types of technology are genuinely smart to consider for an ongoing project, the technology bulletin page is the place to visit, at least every two months!
About thinkingbricks Limited:
A CEDIA Electronic Systems Professional Member company since 2005, thinkingbricks Limited provide professional advise, system design and all aspects of installation and support for a number of home technology systems. These include home networking (TV, satellite, telephone), multi room audio and audio visual, home cinema, lighting control, heating and ventilation, access control and entry systems, as well as integrated system control. Alongside the systems, they provide initial consultancy, design and quotation services, first and second fix cable installation, systems training and maintenance support.
Contact:
Ian Trudgeon, Project Director
thinkingbricks Limited – 0845 300 7796
Google searching – thinkingbricks makes sense….
Sometimes the first step in finding useful information from the internet starts with Google. Over 80% of the hits on the thinkingbricks website come from the Google search engine.
One key way to get straight to thinkingbricks and a plain english explanation is to use the new Web Definitions part of Google.
Type in “define smart home” and a thinkingbricks definition will arrive at the top of your page (or it does in October 2008, anyway!). We have put together a glossary of terms for a variety of phrases in the field of home automation and smart home technology and we hope it helps!
Enjoy clicking and if you reach our website, take a good look around – we have designed the website as a one stop shop for anyone looking for initial and more in-depth information on how to achieve a smart home.
See you soon….
the bricks (Ian and Matt)