When selecting a sub-contractor, price is very often the deciding factor, but is enough consideration given to the importance of involving specialist cladding and façade experts as early as possible in the design process?
Involving specialist teams too late in the construction process can lead to avoidable risk, and the loss of a number of important potential gains, such as:
It’s an unfortunate truth that there are some sub-contractors that will offer an artificially low price – either deliberately or due to inexperience – perhaps including a lot of variations, for example, or a ‘per square metre’ sum that they believe will cover the cost, but then additional charges need to be passed on to the contractor later. In our experience, if a quote seems too good to be true, it usually is.
With Eden Facades, the price quoted is always the complete price. As Tony Hill, Managing Director explains: “Invariably, we get it right. We’re knowledgeable, and we want to ensure that our customers understand the impact that the race to the bottom on price has on the project – delaying the design time and putting pressure on already tight schedules.”
Our recent post explores some of the benefits we enjoy from the long-term relationships we have formed with our suppliers and customers. These strong relationships are invaluable for all parties, building trust and minimising potential delays.
Sustaining a true partnership means benefits such as:
Construction News recently discussed this subject, warning that “the unpredictable nature of the sector and the lack of repeat business also means long-term relationships between main contractors and sub-contractors do not often develop, so trust is missing between the various sections of the supply chain”. Fortunately, this is not our experience at Eden Facades. About 70% of our business comes from our regular partners who trust us and know that we understand and trust them.
Careful planning takes time. “By the time the specialist comes on board, the thing has been half-designed, but doesn’t work because they haven’t involved people in the job who know the specifics”, said Clarison Group CEO Mark Oliver in the Construction News article.
We are specialists, with a detailed knowledge of our field, and experience on numerous projects similar to any we will tackle tomorrow. With adequate time, we can not only avoid obstacles and answer questions, but analyse your situation and offer options you might not be aware exist.
The Building Safety Levy, currently in consultation but likely to soon come into force, forms part of the Building Safety Act 2022 and will require a levy to be paid by the responsible developer of any new residential buildings that require building control. Intended primarily as a tax to cover government costs in remediating historical safety defects, the levy means that projects will be unable to progress through the Gateway approval process until safety compliance is confirmed and building control regulations have been satisfied.
With these regulatory changes on the horizon, working with an experienced and knowledgeable sub-contractor early in the design process means advice can be given to mitigate any delays that could occur later down the line at building control stage.
Have time on your side
On any project, it’s important to expect the unexpected, and be able to respond to events arising in a timely and efficient way. A hurried job may mean finding out very late that there is restricted access to the site, or that a neighbouring premises objects to scaffolding, or some other obstacle. The more time we have, the more ability there is to spot and resolve any challenges.
To discuss an upcoming project, or simply to find out more about us, please call us on 01268 744199 or email office@edenfacades.co.uk.
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