Our Services - Step 6 Building Work - Further Information

For our services during the building work, if required, we would:

  • Inspect the building work to see whether the contractor is generally keeping to his responsibilities under the building contract.
  • Advise about how any changes to the building work will affect the planned timescales and costs.
  • Give instructions to the contractor and extend deadlines, if necessary, while the building work is being done.
  • When the building work is finished to his reasonable satisfaction, issue a certificate (to the customer and the contractor) which shows the finish date.
  • Give the contractor a list of any faults which have appeared at any time up to 3 months after the finish date and which the contractor must put right.
  • When the contractor has put right all the faults, listed by the consultant, issue a certificate (to the customer and the contractor) to confirm this.
  • Provide other services for the stage (if required).

Architectural monitoring would provide Technical Assistance, providing any further detail drawings and specification as required, answering, site queries, monitoring the work, contract administration, valuing interim payments and the final accounts etc. Site visits would be at generally 7-10 day intervals, slightly more frequently at the beginning and end of the works and less frequently at other stages depending on the nature of the work.

Alternatively we could provide Technical Assistance on an 'ad hoc' basis, providing any further detail drawings and specification, answering site queries, etc as requested. If this were to be the case, we have to restrict responsibility to the information provided and could not provide full 'Architectural supervision' of the works.

If you intend to go it alone, then much of this will depend on the time you have available during normal working hours and also on the management skills of the builder. Smaller general building companies may need assistance in constructing special designs and meeting new legislative requirements.

Always use a standard independent form of building contract. Ideally one published by the JCT Joint Contract Tribunal.

Never pay up front for building works, good builders should have adequate credit accounts with merchants and business overdrafts. Agree progress payments based on the amount of work actually completed, and we strongly recommend retention. Be fair to the builder if you change your mind. Agree variations as quickly as possible.

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