Despite the UK and much of the world being in recession, or close to it, the building construction companies in the UK remain buoyant. Construction work is evident in all major cities and even rural developments are booming, and that is good news for both construction consultants UK and developers. We at Cullinan Construction Consultants are ready to help you with your construction projects.
In the UK in 2022, new building projects were valued at over almost £14 million in the private sector, while contracts in the public sector were estimated to be worth somewhere in the region of £4 billion. Much of this construction work is carried out by building construction companies because it makes sense for developers to engage these rather than retain skills that might not be fully used.
The construction industry thrives on the use of outsourced and subcontract companies. Subcontractors are essentially independent specialists that provide services in all fields of building work including structural engineering, architecture, and services such as electrical work, plumbing, and HVAC installation.
The use of subcontract companies has become the standard model of working on large, cost-intensive projects, and invariably means that the developer needs to find appropriate contract companies for each project they start. But how easy is it to find good construction consultants in the UK and how do you go about hiring them?
Hiring Construction Companies. What You Should Ask.
Should you choose to engage a construction firm, it is always a good idea to first check the company’s professional qualifications. If you are taking a look at construction companies in the United Kingdom, you can find that they are limited corporations. The Companies House website has all of the financial and regulatory information on these companies.
You could find it beneficial to inquire about the length of time that the company you are considering has been in business. Furthermore, you may want to establish if they have certain key staff, such as:
Electricians and gas engineers.
Almost invariably a construction project will need the skills of both electricians and gas engineers, and it is comforting if a company retains its own technical people, or at least uses the same contractors every time.
Architectural surveyors.
While a company may offer these as a subcontract resource, the fact that they have their own means that they will have a consistent style and will likely deliver more of the same.
Site managers.
A successful construction consulting company will have successful site managers at its core. In many cases, this can be a secondary role for the company’s architects as they have such a professional investment in complex construction projects.
You should next find out if they are a member of a professional trade group. All that trade associations are, is groups of people from particular vocations. It works well for spreading fresh knowledge about regulations, procedures, and other pertinent details unique to a certain business. Naturally, you should inquire as to whether the contractor in issue is a member of any trade associations and then verify their membership with the trade association directly.
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Professional Accreditation.
Most building construction companies are members of bodies such as the Federation of Master Builders, the Chartered Institute of Building, and the Chartered Institute of Architectural Technologists. There are many other professional bodies too, with many such as the Brick Development Association that work in very specific areas of construction. Trade associations are very important amongst construction companies in UK, and signify that the business is a professional operator.
Planning for Disasters.
You should look to see if any company that you are seeking to engage for your project has a full suite of processes and procedures. These will include standard processes such as health and safety and working operations, but also more environmentally compliant ones such as ISO 14001. It is also worth checking if a company has any business continuity procedures to support large and complex projects, should some kind of disaster such as a massive data loss occur. Business continuity will allow for backed-up files to be reloaded onto the computer system.
Selecting the Right Company.
Once you have been through the background process, you will need to create a shortlist of your top selections to find the commercial construction company that meets your requirements and have a background in developing the kind of property that you need. This shortlist should contain no more than three prospective companies that meet your requirements.
You will need to construct a detailed breakdown of the development together with costings and timescales. You need to be transparent with any company that you are considering and detail the size of the project and the value of it to help your contractor make a decision about it too. Don’t forget, a professional business will view your project as a commercial venture and will expect to be able to make a profit on it, just as much as you will. They need to be as comfortable with the arrangement as you are.
Have a detailed plan for the construction so that commercial construction companies can build that work into their schedule and understand the resource requirements for the span of the work. Commercial building contractors will have access to a number of professionals and will be able to run several building projects concurrently but will need to have an oversight of your requirements.
Working With Commercial Building Contractors
It is frequently possible to initiate the process of meticulously planning the project and coordinating the responsibilities within a relatively brief timeframe after a construction consulting firm has been chosen. At this time, it would be highly advantageous to commence a construction endeavor and initiate dialogue with proficient construction professionals based in the United Kingdom.
You can rest assured that a company capable of meeting your requirements and effectively completing your project within the designated periods will be chosen if you adhere to the fundamental selection procedure defined earlier.
Cullinan Construction Consultants are expert commercial building contractors and can assist you with your commercial construction project. Contact us and find out how we can help you.
