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| | How to select your fit-out or refurbishment contractor
Selecting the right contractor for your fit-out or refurbishment programme is the most important decision that you will make. - Choose people you can work with closely with for weeks or months. People who have
experience, enthusiasm and pride in what they do. People you can trust to manage your risks. - You will need a Company with resources and experience. Strength in depth in terms of
people, experience, skills, range of services, supply chain, financial backing and top
management support and commitment to the client, the project and the team. - Look for a service ethos. A company that can deliver what you want, when you want it,
where you want it. - Your chosen company should have the ability to add value and reduce risk at the preconstruction stage through a range of techniques, including value engineering, risk
management, planning and logistics, buildability advice, conceptual cost planning,
procurement and lead-time advice. - Does the contractor demonstrate the degree of flexibility you need. Can the contractor
cope with design and scope changes? - Seek a robust change management system that that keeps you in control of cost and
time during design development and construction. - Check for an effective quality assurance system and zero defects culture coupled with
an effective Customer Aftercare system. - An essential factor is excellent planning, programming and logistics skills. Paramount are excellent Safety, Health and Environmental record and systems.
- Can the contractor show the ability to challenge and continuously improve performance
over a series of projects.
Refurbishing your Commercial Premises
Refurbishment or fit-out capital projects are among the most expensive investments you will make it pays to get it right! - Clarity. Be clear about:
Your business and functional needs as end-user and operator
The budget
The programme
Any other constraints and expectations
The risks - Develop outline proposals and carry out a feasibility study and get the support of
everyone who will be affected. - Nominate the senior person within your own organisation who will be responsible for the
project and who can give instructions. - The communications requirements, reports you want and the level of day-to-day
involvement you want. - There are many standard forms of contract. Decide how much flexibility you need, how
much risk you want to bear and choose the contract thats right for you. - The best results maximum value and minimum risk come from a Team Approach
between the Client, Designers, Main Contractor and the Supply Chain.
Planning. Construction projects are complex. Allow time for surveys of existing structures
and proper pre-planning so as to avoid problem solving on the hoof. - Review. If you are planning a roll-out programme or a series of projects, allow time for
project reviews to identify ways to achieve continuous improvement and cost savings. - Look for a Zero Defects culture from all potential team members.
- Its all about people when selecting designers and contractors, choose people you can
trust, are comfortable with and with whom you have mutual respect.
Move Out or stay Put
Moving out makes life much easier for the project team because they get a clear run at the work to be done and the project cost is usually lower too. Against that, however, needs to be weighed the cost of moving and the disruption to normal business. RenoBuild is a market leader in retail projects. Modern businesses consider fashion an intricate part of their existance, and frequent makeovers are routine. Against that background, moving out is not an option commercial institutions have to keep the tills rolling and refurbish simultaneously. Refurbishment can be done without major disruption to business but to make it work requires experience and very detailed planning. What's more, the experience RenoBuild has acquired working with our varied client base clients can be applied to any sector from commercial offices to universities to retail premises. - HEALTH AND SAFETY IS THE NUMBER 1 PRIORITY. Make sure the project team has
planned for the safety of your staff, customers and visitors, as well as themselves. - Be clear about your overall expectations and your expectations at each phase of the
project. - Be clear about the limitations especially regarding noise and working hours you will
put on the project team. - Frequently, building services systems have to be replaced or upgraded whilst remaining in
operation in other parts of the building. Be clear about which building services systems
have to be kept working. Select a main contractor who has the skills and experience to
manage this crucial aspect of the project. - Demand to know how the contractor proposes to move his people and materials at
each stage of the project; how this will affect you; what the emergency evacuation routes
are and how emergency systems will be kept live at all times. - A Project Partnership is the key to success. Working in an occupied building demands a
design that can be achieved in phases and logistics and work planning of the highest order. The construction team can make a major contribution at the pre-construction stage to achieving a design that is effective, achievable and economical. - Excellent communications have to be established within the project team and a
culture of 'no surprises' developed. - Excellent communications should be established with the building's occupants.
When people know there will be disruption they know what to expect and can plan for it and
accommodate it. Keep them informed and involved. - Identify, analyse and manage the risks.
- Look for a Built-in Quality culture. You don't want a second bout of disruption while the
contractor puts right defects that should never have occurred in the first place!
The accepted wisdom is, if you can move out, do so. But it doesn't have to be that way.
For expert opinion and assistance contact RenoBuild: |
