Running a Project
The world of construction is a complex one and a few misconceptions can make it all the more confusing so below is a list of issues that every client should be aware of.
- It is better to pay an expert to do a job quickly and efficiently that to risk errors and changes caused by a person working beyond their expertise.
- The role of a design professional is not to find you the best solution but to find you the best solution based on the requirements that you set. Therefore if you change the requirements or add more after the design process has commenced you will be liable for additional design fees.
- The traditional method of cost control on a construction project is to negotiate with a selected contractor or to go to tender and there are plus and minus for both options. The negotiation route is often quicker than tendering but if it doesn’t work out you could be left high and dry. The tendering process takes longer but doesn’t always require you to engaged the services of a quantity surveyor which would be necessary if you were to negotiate a contract.
- That said the following are some way to save money on the fit out of an interior
- buy in bulk, which may not be feasible
- buy end of line or special orders, which limits choice
- buy from a cheaper company, which may affect quality
- buy in the sales, which also limits choice
- On the construction of a building some money saving tips are as follows:
- Hire a contractor that has another site nearby
- If you can build large you will get a better rate per square metre
- Approach builders during off peak-times times– after Christmas, after easter, during the summer
- Change nothing during construction, nothing
- The contractor that executes the work is responsible for the quality of the construction, not the design consultant unless they are offering a design and build service, so be very careful in your selection of a contractor as it is they that will ultimately determine the quality of the end result.
- Project Management, which normally takes the form of weekly or bi-weekly site meetings is the monitoring and reporting on Progress, Quality, Cost
- Contract management services on the other hand is the day-to-day management of work required to execute the design.
- If weather is particularly bad or ground conditions are not as expected the site programme may be delayed and you need to factor this into your cash flow projections. Builders may also demand a day rate in such circumstances.
- When you are selecting a contractor ensure that they have adequate insurance by asking your own insurance broker to take a look at their policy before you contract their services.
- Formal contracts between clients and contractors are often neglected but it is your only source of protection if anything goes wrong. You can ask your interior professional, architect, quantity surveyor, project manger or solicitor to advise you on this matter.
- The Planning process can be a difficult system to predict the outcome of and planning conditions are largely out of the hands of the interior professional, but often the planning process is often longer than normal for historical buildings or buildings in a sensitive area.
- Sometimes conditions attached to a fire certificate contradict those issued at planning stage. When this happen the fire certificate conditions supersede those of the planning application, which may incur additional design/construction work.
- Access to the site by independent suppliers or trades people is at the discretion of the main contractor on site, as he is the "owner" of the site while he is working on it and accordingly his insurance only covers those working for him