How would you rebuild Christchurch?

[mashman]

some of this (http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/maglev-wind-turbines-1000x-more-effiencient-than-normal-windmill/)

with some of that (http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/Summer03/maglev2.html)

We have the technology. Would it cost too much?

[Mully]

New Zealand has an enormous opportunity following the earthquake (silver lining and all that) to rebuild Christchurch as a cutting edge city.

Alternative modern building methods/materials
Alternative Zero Carbon (tm) power generation methods

All could, and should, happen.

But wont.....

There'll be bitching and moaning and complaining (and consultation with Iwi) until the cows come home and NZ will fuck up another opportunity.

Ya know, NIMBY and that.

[Oakie]

Happy as long as it doesn't include double layers of red brick!

Why consult the iwi anyway? They sold us this dodgy land in the first place.

[FJRider]

Happy as long as it doesn't include double layers of red brick!

Why consult the iwi anyway? They sold us this dodgy land in the first place.

time to ask for a refund ... those 50 blankets may come in handy in the next few months ... :innocent:

[ellipsis]

...it's a small world...but it would take a fucking long time to paint...

[imdying]

New Zealand has an enormous opportunity following the earthquake (silver lining and all that) to rebuild Christchurch as a cutting edge city.No, it doesn't. Sadly it's not that damaged. The roads are fucked of course, but most of the buildings aren't going anywhere.

[neels]

with some of that (http://www.21stcenturysciencetech.com/articles/Summer03/maglev2.html)
So something like this?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEZjzsnPhnw

There'll be bitching and moaning and complaining (and consultation with Iwi) until the cows come home and NZ will fuck up another opportunity.
You are correct, the bitching and moaning has already started, and will go on for years and years and years. Then eventually the minority with vested interests will get their way, and live will carry on no better than before.
[/cynisicm]

[avgas]

With a hammer.

A very big hammer.

[ellipsis]

You are correct, the bitching and moaning has already started, and will go on for years and years and years. Then eventually the minority with vested interests will get their way, and live will carry on no better than before.
[/cynisicm]


...on the nail...any great ideas will definitely not come from those with agendas and profit in their eyes...this is purely another collection of rorts going somewhere to fester..and we will have to put up with the squealing and mess...as kiwis always have and always will...visions come from visionaries who are not the most popular people in our dark little land...

[mashman]

So something like this?
Simpsons


Monoraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaail... :yes:.

The way I look at it. There are areas of liquifaction and seriously fucked roads. How do you reuse areas of liquifaction and fucked roads that are essentially gonna be written off/re-done? You certainly don't want to be putting buildings on top of it. So would you sink a single pile into a liquifactioned area that will only be weight bearing when a train goes overhead? Would you sink 8 piles (maybe less) to hold up a simple "stilted" train station? Would you turn the area of fuckedness into a carpark around the "stilted" station? Could you reuse those areas

Who knows, you could team up with Kiwi Rail and put in a system that runs from the ferry to Christchurch.

It may be a shit idea, but all of the above was inspired by a trip to Calagry in my younger, much happier years :). Except they had trams and walkways across buildings. If the floor is so dangerous and unpredictable, then "raise" your game :shifty:.

And people want to quibble about can't? These technologies are being used by other countries across the globe. Why not Christchurch?

It takes a country to implement vision. A govt certainly won't. Tis too much like hard work. Rock and Hard Place?

I'd start by talking to this guy (http://www.thevenusproject.com/). HE has been a visionary and pioneer since the start of more than 1 recent age. :yes: (and i bet he'd relish the prospect)

[slofox]

Bulldoze what's left into the sea and move the whole thing 50km inland...weather'd be better for a start.

[imdying]

Bulldoze what's left into the sea and move the whole thing 50km inland...weather'd be better for a start.Another retarded suggestion.... we're going to bulldoze the city into the sea because a tiny portion of it needs rebuilding?

Next plonker with stupid and/or big ideas and fuck all idea about how it'll be paid for please....

Oh, and given you get 4 times the rain and less sunshine hours in a year, you can shove your weather crack up your arse too.

[Swoop]

Whatever happens, it will be done in the Kiwi way... Done on the cheap but still managing to waste vast amounts of taxpayer's money.

[oneofsix]

Whatever happens, it will be done in the Kiwi way... Done on the cheap but still managing to waste vast amounts of taxpayer's money.
done on the cheap expensively :woohoo:
I think leave it to the locals they are the ones that are going to have to live with it.

[mashman]

Another retarded suggestion.... we're going to bulldoze the city into the sea because a tiny portion of it needs rebuilding?

Next plonker with stupid and/or big ideas and fuck all idea about how it'll be paid for please....

Oh, and given you get 4 times the rain and less sunshine hours in a year, you can shove your weather crack up your arse too.

$30,000,000,000 according to this link (http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/christchurch-earthquake-2011/4755505/Christchurch-earthquake-Rebuild-could-cost-30b)

If that's what it's going to cost, then the money is going to be found and spent anyway. Why not do something else with it instead of bleeding it away on "compliance" etc... fees.

[jim.cox]

Next plonker with stupid and/or big ideas and fuck all idea .

Will be made head of CERA :(

[Grumph]

Another retarded suggestion.... we're going to bulldoze the city into the sea because a tiny portion of it needs rebuilding?

Next plonker with stupid and/or big ideas and fuck all idea about how it'll be paid for please....

Oh, and given you get 4 times the rain and less sunshine hours in a year, you can shove your weather crack up your arse too.

Mostly true...except the weather. If it was done as suggested I could walk to a supermarket....Weather here approx 50K inland is frequently much better than coastal but that's academic anyway as CHCH will be rebuilt where it is.
And I hope by CHRISTCHURCH RESIDENTS not some bloody out of towner with his own agenda....

[mashman]

Mostly true...except the weather. If it was done as suggested I could walk to a supermarket....Weather here approx 50K inland is frequently much better than coastal but that's academic anyway as CHCH will be rebuilt where it is.
And I hope by CHRISTCHURCH RESIDENTS not some bloody out of towner with his own agenda....


I wouldn't count on it. But it doesn't mean it wouldn't happen.

From the About Us (http://www.cera.govt.nz/about-cera-1) page on the CERA website

"CERA will be located in Christchurch and will be staffed predominantly by people from greater Christchurch organisations. There will also be a need for CERA to manage policy and legislative processes with secondments from Wellington-based central government and other agencies as appropriate. "

"International experience may also be helpful through the establishment phase, in particular in determining the skills and capabilities required for CERA. Officials will investigate options to access such expertise for consideration by the Chief Executive of CERA."

Make sure you feather your own nest first.

[slofox]

Another retarded suggestion.... we're going to bulldoze the city into the sea because a tiny portion of it needs rebuilding?

Next plonker with stupid and/or big ideas and fuck all idea about how it'll be paid for please....

Oh, and given you get 4 times the rain and less sunshine hours in a year, you can shove your weather crack up your arse too.

It was not meant to be a serious suggestion imdying - sorry if it upset you. No offence intended.

[avgas]

Next plonker with stupid and/or big ideas and fuck all idea about how it'll be paid for please....
He's right.
Save money - just leave the building for the next quake to knock em down. No need to bulldoze.

Jokes aside - I think moving the CBD is not such a dumb idea. Could be done quite easily. And the city would benefit from it. Make the current CBD a park or something.
Ground Zero it so to speak.

Not to mention this could all start happening NOW rather than after 10 years of BS consenting.

[imdying]

It was not meant to be a serious suggestion imdying - sorry if it upset you. No offence intended.You're such a nice guy, I woulda told me to eat shit :yes:

Remind me I owe you some rep.


As for moving the CBD... maybe some sort of distributed idea would work better? Do they do that in other cities? But it'll never happen, it's just not that badly damaged. Sure it's not safe (to enter) till they knock all the stuff that is rooted down, but it's not actually that everything is poked.

[avgas]

As for moving the CBD... maybe some sort of distributed idea would work better? Do they do that in other cities? But it'll never happen, it's just not that badly damaged. Sure it's not safe (to enter) till they knock all the stuff that is rooted down, but it's not actually that everything is poked.
Not sure what you mean by distributed - but if its what I think you mean, you mean similar to Tokyo's "wards". Could work - but you would need substantial population to support it.

As for not being that damaged - think of an iceberg - what you see above ground is just the beginning. Think of the damage done above ground times it by 10 and your still not even close to the damage below ground.

Old man went to go empty a couple of his pits inside the DMZ. He reckons not only are all his projects stuffed, the infrastructure is so efffed up that the only people who will enjoy the concept of the devastation (and subsequent rebuild in the area) are the consultants. Who don't do any work any way.
They are rubbing their hand together with joy, with the fact that Chch are so faithful to their CBD - and demand they get it rebuilt.
They can charge more now thanks to that. Will take more time. Laughing all the way to the bank.

[fuknKIWI]

...it's a small world...but it would take a fucking long time to paint...
Yeh yeh take the easy job someone's got clean it:corn:

[fuknKIWI]

Bulldoze what's left into the sea and move the whole thing 50km inland...weather'd be better for a start.
Yeah round Darfield:facepalm:

[Headbanger]

As for moving the CBD... maybe some sort of distributed idea would work better? Do they do that in other cities? But it'll never happen, it's just not that badly damaged. Sure it's not safe (to enter) till they knock all the stuff that is rooted down, but it's not actually that everything is poked.

It could be done very easily.

Knock down everything that is damaged.
Restrict all new building consents in the area to single levels and designate what the council holds title to as parkland.
Put in the infrastructure (elsewhere for a new CBD, zone it as such, and make it easy for everyone to build their shit there.

In the event they just rebuild in the same spot, and then it gets knocked down in the next quake, I'm going head on down and get me a refund for the donations I made to the cause.

[BMWST?]

there is nothing wrong with the land in the cbd is there,its just most of the builings were old masonry buildings?

[fuknKIWI]

Why consult the iwi anyway? They sold us this dodgy land in the first place.

If you're a student of history you'll know that they didn't buy the CBD (The Square Mile) from an Iwi :shit:

[Grumph]

According to the liquefaction map in todays ChCh Press most of the square mile is pretty good - just a zone roughly following the Avon and a couple of other spots which will have to be avoided.
Areas which should not be rebuilt on are to the East mainly - suburbs rather than business areas.

The word has been going round here for a couple of years now that ChCh and surrounding districts are in line to be the next SuperCity...Rolleston is already developing as a residential and business hub. Wouldn't surprise me if CERA brings the timetable forward....Please god they do as Selwyn council are intent on building NZ's most expensive town at Rolleston and I want it part of ChCh and out of my rates....

[SMOKEU]

It's going to be many years before things get back to normal. Probably at least 10 years.

[puddytat]

Not to mention this could all start happening NOW rather than after 10 years of BS consenting.

The New laws passed by Jerry Inc. will nicely get rid of any consent ,or dissent issues....:facepalm:

[Woodman]

Surely ths CBD will just be where everyone decides to operate. Do they need to plan a CBD at all? Is their any advantage to keeping it where it is? or is it just sentimentality?
Maybe let the market decide and let the CBD just develop somewhere naturally so to speak.

[Winston001]

A planned central city rebuild eh. I have one word for you: Canberra.

[Winston001]

You are correct, the bitching and moaning has already started, and will go on for years. Then eventually the minority with vested interests will get their way, and live will carry on no better than before.


How do you mean?

[Maha]

Thought the question would be 'where' not how....:corn:

[Smifffy]

A planned central city rebuild eh. I have one word for you: Canberra.

Or the socialist ministry of works towns that popped up in the 60's and 70's.

Turangi/Twizel anyone?

[Smifffy]

Surely ths CBD will just be where everyone decides to operate. Do they need to plan a CBD at all? Is their any advantage to keeping it where it is? or is it just sentimentality?
Maybe let the market decide and let the CBD just develop somewhere naturally so to speak.

Pretty much how every human settlement has evolved until now.

[mashman]

Pretty much how every human settlement has evolved until now.

Perhaps it's time for a change then? Maybe a planned hyper modern CBD, pinnacle of human design, technology and engineering would be an ideal for that thing they call the future. I understand that would involve planning, but they're gonna be planning anyway, why not do it properly and start from scratch. Then look for somewhere to build it... or build a CBD around a race circuit :shifty:...

:rofl: what was I thinking getting all carried away with dreams of the impossible :blink:, carry on... :facepalm:

[Grumph]

Lot of potential street circuits becoming available now....

Nice clear roads with no buildings alongside - a riverside circuit at Bexley would be quite feasible - even a Motard section ready built....

[jim.cox]

A planned central city rebuild eh. I have one word for you: Canberra.

or Paris :)

or Moscow :(

[Headbanger]

A planned central city rebuild eh. I have one word for you: Canberra.

Wasn't Christchurch originally built to a plan?

[AllanB]

Wasn't Christchurch originally built to a plan?

Yep. Drain the swamps then build on it.


Actually the grid layout and four avenues were all planned - can't recall who involved or what English city it was based upon.

Decades back there was a city law stating that buildings in CHCH could not exceed the height of the cathedral - in hindsight that may have been a good plan!

Look - in reality it would be nice to plan it all out - run footpaths with removable covers to lay hi-tech lines easily instead of chopping up roads, building plans etc - but it will be the usual bum fight. Plus economically I believe the existing CBD real estate will have dropped so much in value that land owners will not want to build back there for years as the rent will need to be so low to attract business that it may not be viable. Plus many businesses that have relocated have signed up 3 -6 year leases out of the CBD - they won't be back for years if at all.

[oldrider]

Or the socialist ministry of works towns that popped up in the 60's and 70's.

Turangi/Twizel anyone?

Add in Otematata, Managakino, Manapouri and hey presto a whole socialist country in the making!

But wait, in fairness to socialism (which I loath) those towns were all supposed to have only had a life equal to the project involved!

Socialist minded people who could not let them go as planned, "demanded" their retention as a perk for themselves and their socialist brethren to capitalise upon I.E. something for reatively nothing!

Once they got their wish they converted themselves into the worst type of greedy capitalist and resold them for exorbitantly high profits!

Just check out the prices of real estate in these towns today!

The biggest problem facing Christchurch rebuild is that old Auckland chestnut "indecision".

Everything gets planned and re-planned but nothing ever seems to get done!

They say a camel is a horse designed by a committee so watch this space for the emergence of a Christchurch camel!

[Grumph]

[QUOTE=AllanB;1130039063]Yep. Drain the swamps then build on it.


Actually the grid layout and four avenues were all planned - can't recall who involved or what English city it was based upon.

I don't think it was based on any particular model - it was laid out by a distant relative/ancestor of mine whose reputation has come down through the family as an unimaginative engineer who probably owned the only T square in the colony....

[Winston001]

Actually the grid layout and four avenues were all planned - can't recall who involved or what English city it was based upon.

I don't think it was based on any particular model - it was laid out by a distant relative/ancestor of mine whose reputation has come down through the family as an unimaginative engineer who probably owned the only T square in the colony....

A lot of the early surveying in NZ was transferred to deed plans (survey plans) back in England by draughtsmen who'd never seen the land. Which is why today there are still plans and titles with roads going straight over cliffs.

Similarly, early towns and villages were mapped out by absent surveyors with no regard to the actual topography.

Not that there is anything wrong with Christchurch's layout. I like it.

[mashman]

Hope you're all doing well down there.

An idea for Christchurch? Too hard basket? shit idea?

Take something like this? http://openbuildings.com/buildings/reichstag-dome-profile-19971... lower and longer to maximise floor space. Build it as a gym/sports centre (just an example, but somethig simple and functional?), somewhere to exercise (maybe not what Christchurch needs, but something that will be built as part of the rebuild anyway? why not start with it, set the tone perhaps?). Have the gym machines, rowers, cycles, cross-trainers etc... hook up to a unit above/next to the machines, that power the light source above them. The light is only on when someone is on the machine, and during the day you can turn that feed off and divert the energy that is generated. The faster the machine goes, the brighter the light becomes... or you take the excess electrical energy and store it, capacitors, batteries, fly wheel, dunno... every little helps :yes: but the power generated will go towards running the centre, in conjunction with the below.

Erect one of these http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/26/maglev-wind-turbines-1000x-more-effiencient-than-normal-windmill/... I believe the expense would be worth it considering the potential power output? Use it for powering local industry perhaps? (the power outage may seem OTT, but you could power the future of Christchurch if those numbers are correct... a nice "cheap" "alternative").

Line the spine of the building with Photovoltaic Panels. Maybe erect a decent sized power generation windmill above the car park. Both used to power the centre. Excess energy sold back to the grid, or to power an annexed building.

$100,000,000?... money well spent? (That's $50 per working person, for 1 year, under 14 cents per day)

As part of the building plans/design you could annex a business centre? Council Offices? private sector maybe, dunno? Phase II? it could all get a little grand from there on in :yes: :rofl:... it just needs a group of people with the resources to cost it and get it moving. The Greens perhaps? :).

Who makes glass in Christchurch? Anyway, build/upgrade a plant and create some skilled jobs? We're gonna need glass to rebuild Chch anyway. May as well have your own state of the art "factory" down there.

I'm sure there would be challenges, but it doesn't need to be complicated (a glass building with power sockets and a lighting rig :blink:). Every single piece of technology required to build it exists today. (could also be used as an emergency centre should it be required, and still standing)

It's just an idea. Feel free to larf heartily. Equally, feel free to give the idea to anyone that may be keen to enhance the idea. I give a shit not. It's up to you :yes:

[HenryDorsetCase]

theres too many hands in the till and too many fingers in the pes. Its going to be a clusterfuck.

oh well.

Love the MHD wind turbine. And we get a lot of wind here.

[Kickaha]

They should rebuild the CBD with a view to having a street circuit through it:woohoo:

[merv]

Hurry up and clear the munted buildings, construct a decent rail rapid transit system and start building an integrated place to live, work and play (yes street circuit would be cool - works fro Monaco) with easy transport. ChCh CBD had died compared to when I lived there in the 70's so it was due for revitalising anyway.

Let's not waste time and don't spare the money. As many above have said we have a history of doing things on the "cheap" here that turn into expensive disasters. Don't take the usual 20 years talking about what we should talk about and then 20 years talking about it, then finally building something too small too late.

Just do it and do it now - ya listening Gerry?

[ellipsis]

1. get rid of the fucking useless cunts like (lower case, fat wank), brownlee, and the wankers who reckon they 'have ' to be part of it...
2...stop spending our money on experts, when asking somebodies like the locals who live here would be cheaper , and a lot more sensible..
3...keep government out of it...they cant even run a small company, called NZ...
4...take the power away from opportunist, corporate fucks like fletchers...
5...get someone in control who has some idea of the hurt thats happening...and remind them constantly that they aint in control..

...roll up...roll up... waiting...waiting..

[mashman]

theres too many hands in the till and too many fingers in the pes. Its going to be a clusterfuck.


I can see how that would hampers efforts :rofl:

http://tctechcrunch.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/mypic12.jpg



Love the MHD wind turbine. And we get a lot of wind here.

It does look interesting dunnit... So I hear :shifty:

[mashman]

They should rebuild the CBD with a view to having a street circuit through it

hell yeah!!!!!!!!


Hurry up and clear the munted buildings, construct a decent rail rapid transit system and start building an integrated place to live, work and play (yes street circuit would be cool - works fro Monaco) with easy transport. ChCh CBD had died compared to when I lived there in the 70's so it was due for revitalising anyway.


Aye, the maglev stuff looks great... pricey perhaps? I'm sure something pretty stunning could be achieved should those holding the purse strings let the people of Christchurch have a go at what they'd like to see. There must be some exceptionally capable business and logistics people down there, let alone engineers and designers that could design, source and build the "essential" components that would form a city for the future. All tree hugging aside, people are using these technologies in other parts of the world... they see the value in them. Why does it have to take so long? I'm not saying things will be done overnight, but they're crawling imho. I can't know the anguish of living there, but I have sufficient humanity to understand that something needs to be done... I'll pay my 14 cents per day if that's what it costs to start building :).

Kia Kaha, As-Salamu Alaykum! I'm off to hug a tree :)

edit: I knew I'd seen this before (http://www.wonderfulinfo.com/amazing/ark_hotel/) and found it quite interesting. So there are people thinking about these things, and with earthquakes in mind etc... I'm sure I've seen a different design too... wonder if they have plans :rofl:

[Winston001]

Guys guys, its frustrating to see an opportunity of building a future city go begging...but that's what is going to happen. Just consider the dumping of hardfill in Lyttleton Harbour - it was objected to so the government used the special powers to fast track it. Which Labour have objected to (Ruth Dyson).

Given Labour hold the political whip in Christchurch, what real chance have you got to get anything spectacular done?

The only way a whole city centre could be designed and built is under a command economy. Like China and North Korea. Or a democratic example - Canberra.

Nope, the rebuild will be stop/go mediocre builds interspersed with a few inspirational buildings. Just like everywhere else. Shame...

[gammaguy]

It's going to be many years before things get back to normal. Probably at least 10 years.

define normal

If it was anything like the city I saw last time i was there,it could be a very long time indeed

[Grumph]

It's a clusterfuck for sure....politically, yes, Labour is very strong in ChCh - except of course Brownlie's own seat. This seems to mean that govt thinks it has to impose it's will rather than come to agreement with the hostile locals....impasse.

The objections to dumping in the harbour were quite valid. I know the Port Co engineer who moved the barriers to allow it to start and lived in the Port basin myself for years....they thought it was clean rubble coming in but you should see what is washing up on inner harbour beaches....very,very hard to guarantee what's in the dumped material - there'll be more screaming to come.

The CBD will go back where it was but with gaps where the land is not suitable. Settling all the property owners claims and grassing it over or whatever you want to do would just cost too much to be feasible.

[HenryDorsetCase]

Settling all the property owners claims and grassing it over or whatever you want to do would just cost too much to be feasible.

I suspect that no matter how much it costs, that may be the only answer to some areas: not "poor" areas either.

[avgas]

The New laws passed by Jerry Inc. will nicely get rid of any consent ,or dissent issues....:facepalm:
Don't worry it gets worse. Re-read that law change and you suddenly see that "consent" has changed with "Consultation".
Ironically BECA, MWH, SKM..... all are announcing massive (as in record) profits in NZ this year. I can't imagine why ;)

One rumor I have heard (through the right channels) is thanks to Chch wanting CBD back where it was is forcing another 400% onto the pricing structure.....

FYI Auckland you are not exempt. With the whole supercity thing, my chargeable hours have gone through the roof as I am having to do things 3 times over thanks to supercity.

[HenryDorsetCase]

http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/christchurch-earthquake/5069848/Slow-Christchurch-demolition-shocks-expert

relevant. I had wondered the same thing.

some of the stories (perhaps apocryphal, but I suspect not) about demolition crews being legalised looters are pretty bleak. but not surprising.

[jaffaonajappa]

Arghhh, sorry to hear the Chch Rebuild is being bogged down like this.

Id be happy for the entire countries building industries to get put on Hold unless they get diverted to assisting Chch get back on its feet - but the rebuild can only go as fast as the money comes in, yes? And if we lack the money to do the Right Thing....well...., I heard we are almost out of money.

Do we have an opportunity to do this one time and do it well? Or do we race in and band-aid things? My opinion is irrelevant treally- Im happy with my tax money all heading to Chch to rebuild it. But I live in Auckland.....so wont go making opinions about it.

Heads-Up Chch, lots of kiwis are still thinking of yas!

[jim.cox]

I'm not conviced that rebuilding the CBD is a good idea

Most firms are now well established out of that area - and in some cases have had to take on long tenancy terms

Why would they want to go back ?

I think we may well see those tower blocks still standing, still empty years from now

[imdying]

Id be happy for the entire countries building industries to get put on Hold unless they get diverted to assisting Chch get back on its feet - but the rebuild can only go as fast as the money comes in, yes?What happens if you do that 2 years, and then a 7.8 comes and destroys it all? Christchurch needs some work, but it also needs the country behind it to be working well too.

[cromagnon]

"we have a 23% chance within the next year of a shake between 6 and 7 on the Richter scale, and dropping to 10% over the next 2 years. There is a chance of over 90% that we will have another shake between 5 and 6 in the next twelve months, dropping to over 70% in that two year horizon"

http://suewellsnz.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/what-the-minister-told-the-councillors-about-land-retreat-eqnz-chch/

[Winston001]

Ironically BECA, MWH, SKM..... all are announcing massive (as in record) profits in NZ this year. I can't imagine why ;)



Not disagreeing with you, just another point of view.

The rebuild of Christchurch hasn't even started and it will take a long time. It is not possible for these engineering firms to have made any significant money yet. Yes, they will have had a boom on assessment work for damaged buildings but that is small overall. And you'll have noticed EQC are very slow at paying the bills.

Many businesses all over the developed world are reporting profits - but that is because they've made losses in 08, 09, 10. The world economy is finally starting to recover (everyone hopes) but the profit announcements need to be viewed in the context of losses.

Finally, a share-broker recently advised selling Fletcher Building which has the main contract for Christchurch work. Why? Because the profit from the work will be at least two years out but FBU has risen in price as if the profits had already been made. Interestingly FBU share price is going down and is now well below the 50 day moving average.

[avgas]

The rebuild of Christchurch hasn't even started and it will take a long time. It is not possible for these engineering firms to have made any significant money yet. Yes, they will have had a boom on assessment work for damaged buildings but that is small overall. And you'll have noticed EQC are very slow at paying the bills.

Finally, a share-broker recently advised selling Fletcher Building......(too much to quote)
Yeah, I would like to believe that.....but unfortunately its not the case.
FBU is NZ based where as all the others are global, and a big chunk of them have end of year not on June.

EQC is slow and paying bills to those whom are doing the work, consultants are simply there to approve the work so get paid asap. While I think your right, and I think they haven't got the whole bill in their books.....it kinda scares me that they are already laughing their way to the bank and nothing has been built yet.

There is a saying and it goes "Consultants consult, and its of their opinion you pay them". Not saying they are all bad - but the general consensus of the culture is to feed the machine. And the big consultancy have a big machine to feed.