Before we proceed with the technical design, we will review the design to ensure you are happy to proceed or whether you would like any changes made. It is far easier to make changes at this point than it is at a later stage and will avoid additional costs. Any major changes may require an amendment to the planning permission.
Most projects will require input from a structural engineer. They will specify the required sizes of any structural elements (beams, joists and rafters) and on more complicated projects may need to be involved with foundation design and other elements. We will organise quotes from engineers and advise you on the best option. We then work closely with the engineer to find the best solution for the project. Once their calculations and specification are received, this information forms part of the technical design package.
All but the simplest of projects will require a building warrant to be approved before any work can start on site. Building standards are extensive and cover all technical aspects of construction to ensure that new buildings and alterations are suitable.
At this stage we develop the design drawings into detailed drawings and add construction information required to meet the standards. These are then submitted to local authority building standards for a building warrant. Once a warrant is received, building work can officially start.
The schedule of works is a detailed written document that covers all aspects of the work. This document can be referred back to if any disputes arise, as anything covered in the schedule of works must be included in a fixed price quotation. It also covers preliminaries (contractors costs), workmanship requirements, contractual matters and general project details. In many ways it is the most important document included in the tender package.
A tender package is produced to allow contractors to accurately price the work you want them to carry out. contractors can only price work based on the information given to them, so to get fixed, fair prices for both parties, this information has to be thorough and unambiguous. It consists of the approved building warrant drawings, written specification and structural information as well as a standardised quotation document. Once it's all in place, we are ready to send to contractors for pricing!