This is the second part of our series of articles that encompass the 6 points of our ‘Project Cycle of Services.’ We hope that you find it useful and informative.
The second point on the Project Cycle is ‘Consultant Appointment and Management.’
This deals with the procedure to appoint the Consultants – thereafter they are managed by the overall Project Managers.
We don’t want these articles to get too technical and we try to avoid that, so let’s look at just the ‘4 basic principles of Consultant appointment.’
Why is it necessary?
On any building project, there is usually a Construction Company who is usually appointed to handle the building project management. There are often however specialist consultants that need to be brought in to complete a construction team. This greatly differs depending on the size of the project.
Smaller projects, like the building of a standard home, usually just need the construction company and a designer or architect. Larger projects may involve many consultants like quantity surveyors, designers, independent project managers, financial advisors etc. Whichever it is, there is a basic 4 step process to determine the construction team which is:
- Agreeing to procedures to be adopted
The client generally determines whether they and the Construction Company will make the appointments, or whether independent advisors are required for this. They will also decide on the procedure as to whether it will be direct appointments, or whether there needs to be advertising of positions, or in the case of large projects, even tenders to be advertised.
- Preparing documents
Certain documents like the advertising of the positions, and the description of the requirements, will need to be worded and drawn up. Usually, the client defines the schedule of services that will be needed, together with the selection conditions, form of appointment and terms of contract for the appointment. Arrangements are then made to peruse and respond to various applications that are received from perspective consultant candidates.
- Preparing the candidate list
In the case of smaller building projects the consultants will usually be determined at this point, but in the case of larger projects the client may now prepare an extensive list of candidates from the recommendations of the advisors or the Construction Company. Short listed candidates then would be asked to prepare a second proposal based on more information required by the team.
- Appointing the consultants
The final team is now appointed based on their qualifications, suitability for this particular project and quotations for services rendered. This is usually done by the client after interviews are conducted and the construction advisors have made their final recommendations.
Consult the professionals
We hope these 4 basic principles of Consultant appointment have been helpful to you to gain some understanding of yet another area entailed in the successful management of a building project.
We at Davel and Lottering Construction work closely with our clients to follow these procedures, and give advice based on many years of experience in both, very large, and smaller construction projects.
Contact us now for all your new build and renovation requirements in this new decade …and watch this space for more on our ‘Project Cycle of Services.’