Services

Project Control

With up to 50% of a budget dedicated to construction, the successful procurement and management of a project is directly associated with effective budget management. Our primary focus is the management of the project in combination with budget and cost supervision.

By looking after overall project administration (including employers agent, contract administration, coordination services and project management) we enable the architect and lead designer to maintain their focus on design and quality.

Each service is tailored to suit the project requirements, but can typically include:

• Lead Consultant providing full management and contract administration
• Procurement and contractual advice
• Advising on collateral warranties
• Project programming using Microsoft Project
• Tender or negotiation management
• Contract management including cost management
• Tender management
• Contract execution
• Meetings, chairing and issuing minutes
• Change management including issuing and managing instructions
• Full post contract financial control and reporting
• Final account management and agreements

Chartered quantity surveying

The core of our practice is Chartered Quantity Surveying, a traditional but solid foundation ensuring that a project is delivered as briefed, on time and on budget. We are proud to offer a service that is steeped in tradition, but delivered professionally in a modern way and at a personal level.

Our key project services include:

• Feasibility studies (key to the decision to build)
• Order of cost estimates/cost plans (supporting the decision to build and protecting design aspirations)
• Cost appraisal and the investigation of alternative and modern methods of construction
• Tender management including the preparation of tender documents including Bills of Quantities, specifications and schedules of work
• Tender procurement including compliance checking, equalising, analytical work and reporting on tenders
• Contract cost management providing valuations for interim payments, site measurement variation and change control
• Financial management and reporting
• Preparation and agreement of final accounts
• Post completion cost advice and consultancy

Cost consultancy

Cost consultancy provides a more focused and individual service when the requirement for full Quantity Surveying is not needed. Each service is tailored to the specific brief, providing clients with a services focused on supporting build decisions and further design development.

Each service is tailored to suit project requirements, but can typically include:

• Feasibility studies (key to the decision to build)
• Order of cost estimates/cost plans (supporting the decision to build and protecting design aspirations)
• Viability reporting for planning applications
• Supply chain costings and appraisals
• Cost value engineering (accommodating change to maintain delivery of brief and protecting design)
• Cashflow forecasting
• Risk assessment and management
• Design studies
• Procurement studies (assessing the cost of procurement)
• Project benchmarking, providing access to our own database of costing as well as Building Cost Index Service (BCIS)
• Life cycle costing (assessing the influence of capital design and cost on the lifespan of a building)

Viability in planning

Our strengths in development cost planning and feasibility, combined with working closely with planning consultants, allow us to provide the right level of cost advice needed to support viability planning applications.

Working alongside developers, viability assessors and local planning authorities we have recently successfully acted on the following schemes:

• Sensitive renovation and conversion of existing Grade II 17th century farmstead to provide 20,000 ft² of conversion and new residential dwellings – value estimated at £4 million
• Regeneration of Birmingham inner city site to deliver 300+ canal side apartments providing 400,000 ft² of high quality living and commercial use – value in excess of £65 million
• Acting on behalf of local planning authority in the conversion of existing Grade II listed prison to offer 200+ new apartments including new build – estimated cost of £38 million
• Midlands re-development of 40 houses including 12 apartments to provide 40,000 ft² of residential and affordable housing – value estimated at £5 million
• Conversion of golf clubhouse into 4 apartments with the provision of 4 new Huf Haus inspired dwellings including basements
• Regeneration of inner city site to deliver 290 mixed apartments providing both market and affordable living – value in excess of £40 million

Tender support and measurement services

Felton Consult provide pre-contract and tender support to a number of major contractors and consultancy practices. Our experience, developed through our own consultancy practice, provides expertise in feasibility, cost planning, procurement, planning, measurement and tender support.

Our surveyors are traditionally trained and have the in-house skills and experience to support and provide tender package measurement in a variety of standard methods, including NRM, SMM7, CESMM3 and Principles of Measurement International.

We are conversant in a number of electronic billing systems and have the flexibility to provide bills of quantities, specifications or schedule of works in all manner of formats including BCIS, CiSFB, trade or bespoke. We can then integrate them smoothly into a number of mainstream estimating systems.

Our digital systems allow us to receive information electronically in many formats, including DWG, DXF and PDF. All surveyors are proficient in a number or software packages including Microsoft Office, Project, BlueBeam Revu, AutoCAD, Design Manager and many forms of document management.

Our experienced surveyors are able to identify areas of design risk and provide advice on design solutions which are feasible, practicable, but at all times economical.

Services are maintained within our own practice without the need to sub-consult. However, should the need arise we have a network of qualified and experienced surveyors at hand to deal with most projects.

Contractor services

Felton Consult are confident working directly with clients and contractors alike. Our expertise and core skills extend effortlessly into other fields related to construction, including assisting contractors in full tender management, contract and procurement advice, full and detailed take offs using modern methods of measurement and software, and identifying the need to mediate or conflict avoidance.

Services typically include:

• Training
• Contractors services including advice on procurement, contracts and tendering
• Tender assistance and management including full measurement and take off services, builders quantities and schedule of works
• Final account appraisals
• Procurement and contractual advice and support
• Mediation services offering third party advice and impartiality prior to crystallising any further disputes

Consultancy services

Felton Consult bring along a full suite of services and experience which we have established over a 25 year period. We offer a full range of support services ranging from project management and administration, cost consultancy, measurement services, full tender management, post contract control support and can ultimately play an active part in the completion of your client’s project.

This service is equally suitable to all sectors of the industry, including but not limited to architects, Quantity Surveyors, building surveyors, business owners and contractors.

We get involved early on and focus on what is important to the service, adapting our skills to ensure that what is delivered is for the best for your practice. However, at all times, we will be identified as your business and not ours.

If your business needs assistance in short to medium term middle management, Felton Consult can provide the solution; you will have a team of dedicated and skilled surveyors with the support of a senior surveyor if required. You may also be seeking to establish a new department to provide that added value to your client. We can help you focus on providing and maintaining a sustained business model without the need to commit long term to additional staff.

Mediation and dispute resolution

Even the simplest project can be challenging, and relationships can become strained or even fail. Identifying problems early on can help avoid future fall outs and even prevent disputes. Felton Consult take the time to understand the issue at hand and form a relationship with both parties, establishing a mechanism and mediating to a conclusion.

We ensure a high level of confidentiality at all times, and maintain our focus on the problem to hand allowing the rest of the team to deliver as planned.

However, disputes can occur and should you require an impartial and independent expert we can provide a level of service including mediation, dispute resolution, expert opinion and expert witness. We understand our responsibility to the Court and are conversant with CPR 35.