Building Relationships: Adding Values On-Site
April 13, 2022
We get involved on site in a variety of ways. Jess is project architect for two new build houses which are both currently under construction, where she is fulfilling different roles which she discusses below.
For a new house near Salisbury, which has been on site for six months, we have been heavily involved in the Construction Stage. This is sometimes referred to on programmes such as Grand Designs, and therefore by clients as 'Project Management'. As architects, we do not technically 'Project Manage' a job on site - this is a different role, usually fulfilled by the Main Contractor - coordinating their sub-contractors, the various trades, and ensuring they are working to a construction timeplan. On many projects, we do act as Contract Administrator, an impartial role which involves visiting the site on a regular basis to see how work is proceeding, valuing the works every month and certifying payments due to the Contractor, and certifying any changes to the contract - for example design changes. Having a Contract Administrator involved means that a robust, standard building contract can be used, which we would always advise for projects of a certain size and complexity. We typically use Building Contracts from the Joint Contract Tribunal (JCT) Suite. It provides greater clarity and control over time, cost and quality of the project. We have also been on hand to deal with any site queries from the Contractor, and assist with and manage design changes or final decisions on materials, finishes and fittings as and when required. Over a certain value, we believe this role pays for itself in cost and time savings.
We have also recently completed the construction drawings for a new energy efficient house in Portishead. In this instance the client is working closely with a contractor to partially self-build the project, and have decided to manage the contractual arrangements themselves. In situations like this, we can still be involved on a more ad-hoc basis - to provide design assistance from time to time, making visits to site and assisting in resolving any design issues that arise. As a self build project we have still been involved closely with the client and contractor, who are working in a very collaborative, 'open-book' / 'cost-plus' basis. This approach shares the risk between client and contractors, by paying the contractor agreed labour and material rates, plus overheads and profit. While this approach doesn't provide fixed price cost certainty, it does remove the need for contractors to inflate their tender costs to account for risk of material and labour cost increases / shortages, which in our current climate has never been more serious. We have worked on a range of projects on this basis, including our own homes, and with the right contractors have found it can save costs, enable flexibility, and engender a fairer approach to cost and profits.
As a final note, we ALWAYS advise that clients document their contractual approach formally ahead of the commencement of any work, and as an absolute minimum it must afford both parties the opportunity to litigate should anything go catastrophically wrong! For small projects, the JCT Homeowners Contract, without a Contract Administrator is a really sensible option to define cost, time, payments, variations, and the provision of services including toilets for contractors, and electricity / water.
If you are unsure of what contract to use for your project, or how to go about starting a project, get in touch, and we'd love to help!