5 practical things to have in place so your build starts efficiently
A surprising amount of basic and practical things are necessary for even a relatively small build. It’s important to make sure everything is in place well in advance so that there are no surprises or delays when the project starts. It should all start as smoothly and calmly as it is expected to finish. Ideally, you will start out with a professional project manager who will make sure that everything is completely ready for when they pick up their first tool.
Things to have in place in advance:
- Building and planning permission
- A site survey
- Insurance and certificates
- References from previous jobs
- Appropriate and transparent costing
Building and planning permission
The first thing to organise is building or planning permission. You already know what you would like to put in place, and you will have structural engineers and solicitors assisting with that. However, if you need your builder’s input, they need to be ready and able to add their expert support to your application.
Conducting the site survey
Everyone needs to understand the scope of the job before anything can start, and your project manager should arrange to see the area very early on. This isn’t solely to work out space and cost; your builder will want to see how the land lies, how the building is set up, where they can access the area and what sort of job-specific tools might be necessary. From the very first moment, the project manager’s mind will be whirring away, solving any problems before they appear.
Your builder’s experience
You choose a builder based on what they say they can do, and will have a fair idea of their work from the examples they choose to display online. Nevertheless, you should be presented with a more detailed portfolio. This will contain more examples of the precise nature of the builder’s experience and expertise. Photographs are chosen to show the precision of their technical work rather than what looks attractive on a website. You don’t need to rely on what they say – you can see what they do.
Insurance and relevant documents
There is a great deal of necessary paperwork involved with any build. Fortunately, your project manager will know precisely what they need and will have it order. They will bring all documents relating to insurance, first aid and specialist certifications to the very first meeting, ready for the client’s inspection. If they come armed with extras, such as training details or recommended subcontractors, that’s even better. You don’t want to be left waiting for these things, wondering whether they exist at all.
References
Everyone likes to show off their work, particularly if it’s a matter of professional pride. When you have an exceptional builder, they will be eager to show you examples of their work. Of course, they will bring several references, and of course you will want to read them. But, further than this, you’ll want to talk to other clients. You might even want to see examples of what they can do. If your builder can arrange this, it’s a good sign that they have made their previous clients very happy. Imagine what it will be like when your client wants to show off your project as a pinnacle of design.
Quotation and timetable
As much of the quotation as possible should be prepared in advance. Your client deals in specifics and certainties, so this should be provided for their build. However, there might be some areas where they want to consider for a little longer to get things right; these are the tiles they want, these are the lights. If the project is design and build, expect all the certainties to be priced first, and with a projected range for any additions.
What to expect from Mimar
Mimar will provide all the necessary paperwork at the first meeting. They will organise a site survey and document and resolve any areas of concern they might find. They will make sure there is a sensible quotation and timetable in place, and will work to ensure that they always find the best prices from reliable suppliers. You will be provided with references from both architects and previous clients, and they will be happy to take you to completed builds. In short, they will provide the smooth start that your client wants to see.