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CLIENT AND DESIGN TEAM SET UP
00:00 23 Mar 1995
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While some believe that unneccesary tiers of management and
bureaucracy are adding to cost, with a recent report by accountancy
firm Touche Ross putting putting the 'avoidable' cost burden as
high as 15%, the majority of contractors and clients disagree,
arguing that working chains are already efficient and tight.
Obviously, clients who introduce value engineering find themselves carrying the cost of an additional layer of management, but in this case a cost:benefit analysis points to a substantial overall saving, with gains stemming from lower project costs, a result of better design, far outweigh the cost of implementing the value engineering process.
D&b has proved to be a concept that cuts unnecessary administration, but d&b is proving to be a two-sided coin. 'There is concern in the industry that d&b is resulting in mediocre buildings,' said Bovis's Randall.
Frank Griffiths agrees. 'D&b is hairy. It's okay where someone is called in to do another supermarket, another travelodge or another power station,' he reckoned. 'In other words, an identical model is already in existance.'
A further trouble, in real life, is that d&b designs polarise too early, with the client's offer only going out after his own design team have worked up the brief. This stultifies good ideas.
Two-stage tendering is one way to overcome this problem.
'The client goes out with the concept design and you have the first stage of the competition,' explained Laing's Silvie. 'After he's got his fixed price and selected a contractor, the next step involves the client and contractor getting together for a meaningful dialogue.
'The nub is to get to the client and know what's satisfying to him.'
Silvie's words neatly sum up the whole question of how to achieve cost savings through better design - at whatever stage you are involved, be you an architect, designer, value engineer or contractor, you can only turn potential savings into reality by sitting down with the client, listening to his aspirations and explaining your plans.
Obviously, clients who introduce value engineering find themselves carrying the cost of an additional layer of management, but in this case a cost:benefit analysis points to a substantial overall saving, with gains stemming from lower project costs, a result of better design, far outweigh the cost of implementing the value engineering process.
D&b has proved to be a concept that cuts unnecessary administration, but d&b is proving to be a two-sided coin. 'There is concern in the industry that d&b is resulting in mediocre buildings,' said Bovis's Randall.
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Frank Griffiths agrees. 'D&b is hairy. It's okay where someone is called in to do another supermarket, another travelodge or another power station,' he reckoned. 'In other words, an identical model is already in existance.'
A further trouble, in real life, is that d&b designs polarise too early, with the client's offer only going out after his own design team have worked up the brief. This stultifies good ideas.
Two-stage tendering is one way to overcome this problem.
'The client goes out with the concept design and you have the first stage of the competition,' explained Laing's Silvie. 'After he's got his fixed price and selected a contractor, the next step involves the client and contractor getting together for a meaningful dialogue.
'The nub is to get to the client and know what's satisfying to him.'
Silvie's words neatly sum up the whole question of how to achieve cost savings through better design - at whatever stage you are involved, be you an architect, designer, value engineer or contractor, you can only turn potential savings into reality by sitting down with the client, listening to his aspirations and explaining your plans.
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