Planning
As a self-build project management company we have access to a number of Planning Consultants and Architectural Practices of proven ability, with a wide variety of skills covering every aspect of the planning process and, where necessary, provide a Designers Risk Assessment.
Given the uncertainty and confusion which exists within the planning process that has arisen since new regulations were introduced in October 2008, and the already painfully slow approval process, it is essential that the process is managed as closely as possible to ensure that the inevitable hold ups occur within the local authority planning department and not the design team.
We strive to mitigate any delays within the process and prevent information essential for the approval from ‘falling through the gaps’. Planning Approval is not the only hurdle to overcome, and certainly with the more complex projects, Building Regulation Approval can be just as taxing, requiring a detailed understanding of the information required by the Inspector and the appropriate consultant to provide it, especially with regard to ‘sustainability’ and the ‘Code for Sustainable Homes’. Once approval is received, we endeavour to have everything needed to proceed with the project in place and ready to go.
Tendering
With the design, planning and building approvals in place, clients need to ensure that the companies and individuals who will be carrying out the work on their behalf, or supplying materials, will be able to produce a finished product that meets all expectations at a competitive price.
Our experience in this area will not only seek to find the companies that can do this, but we will also put into place the appropriate contractual obligations to safeguard the scope and quality of work. Obtaining competitive quotations is only part of the tendering process. We will also ensure that all consultants, contractors and individuals working on a project have all the necessary insurances, have been assessed for their health and safety performance and management, carry out credit checks, and where appropriate, seek references from previous employers or carry out inspections on current contracts.
Specialist contractors specified by an Architect or providing an element of the design sourced by the client will be subject to the same scrutiny as all others employed on the project.
Programming
Accurate and realistic programming is essential for the smooth running of any project to avoid the massive time overruns so often seen on television in shows such as ‘Grand Designs’.
As a Project Manager, we ask for programmes from builders and sub-contractors in order to develop a master programme for individual project. We also obtain delivery periods from all material suppliers, especially those providing specialist components for the build.
With this information it is then possible to calculate the last possible dates by which orders have to be placed. In turn we would use these dates to co-ordinate the preparation and release of information from the Design Team essential to ena
ble orders to be put in place.
The master programme is a living document which will be continually updated to reflect any delays incurred during the life of the project. This enables us to minimise the effects of any delays, especially those that lie on the ‘critical path’ of the master programme
