Kingfisher Cost Management provides a suite of management services to ensure your house build never strays from your requirements.
While all designs are different, each project essentially goes through the same key phases. It’s up to you whether you need Kingfisher’s expertise at each of these phases or at one or two key areas.
The ideal time to engage Kingfisher Cost Management is directly after you’ve decided to build. The first important step in our work is to establish the budget with you. Once a reliable and realistic figure is set we can then protect this budget throughout the design phase.
Our key services
Establish project budget
Design team procurement
Estimating
Builder procurement
Tender assessment
Post contract cost management
Payment recommendations
Cashflow forecasts
Our fee profile will be tailored to suit your requirements. We take pride in adding value to our projects and protecting the investment of our clients – and doing so with an approach that is adaptable, efficient and entirely cost- effective.
The project
Although these services work best when undertaken with a cohesive, coordinated approach from start to finish we often have clients who require our services for one specific phase.
1.
Project definition
While it may seem obvious it’s surprising how often certain elements of planning a new house build are either overlooked or dismissed as unimportant.
This is the most crucial time of any project to ensure everyone will be on the same page. At the first project stage it’s our job as the quantity surveyor to help you decide on your overall approach, define your budget and help you understand how it translates into your design aspirations.
Key tasks include:
Establish project budget
Develop design brief
Create project timeline
Establish project cashflow
2.
Design procurement
At this stage we’ll help you to decide who you want to be working with in the design process and how you expect them to work. A common approach is to tender for design services at this stage.
Kingfisher Cost Management will complete a tender document based on the agreed design brief and then will administrate the tender, review the returned proposals and provide a report of recommendation. This is an exciting part of the process and one we will manage with expert care and consideration.
We’ll work closely with you to select a team that will be the best fit for your project. This team will be responsible for the architectural design, structural design and engineering management, any necessary geotechnical design and any other specialist design requirements.
Key tasks include:
Procurement advice
Tender administration
Proposal review
Recommendation report
3.
Design development
Each project design phase is split into several milestones that are first agreed on by all parties and then signed off as each is completed.
The design will progress through pre agreed milestones, typically there will be three to four design iterations, taking the design from concept through to consent. Kingfisher will report and advise on cost implications of design decisions and reconcile the budget with the design at each phase. We can also provide independent estimates for different design choices, allowing our clients to make informed decisions about key design aspects of the design with the peace of mind that these can be covered by the budget.
Our design reviews can also be invaluable to clients here, with building performance a key focus. In everything from insulation to ventilation, cladding and air tightness we can recommend economical changes that will increase performance. In terms of buildability we can provide analysis and feedback on the approximate labour hours of complex architectural features and detailing, ensuring the best outcome within the right timeline.
Key tasks include:
Design phase estimates
Value engineering
Cost comparisons
Risk management
4.
Construction procurement
Once the design is complete, Kingfisher will work with you to select both the procurement route and the builders that are the best fit for your project. This is a critical phase – having a clear understanding of who is responsible for each aspect of the build will save having issues down the road.
Often the offers you will receive at this stage will have particular conditions or caveats, alternative items or certain exclusions. We ensure no change happens without consultation. It is important that any deviations from the design are well understood and each offer is compared on an equal basis. This prevents any uncertainty or surprises once construction has started.
At the end of this process you will have a complete project design and a comprehensive offer to undertake the build of this design.
Key tasks include:
Procurement strategy
Tender invitation & administration
Tender recommendation
Builder selection
Risk management
Contract review
5.
Construction cost management
In a fast-moving and dynamic environment, it can pay to appoint a quantity surveyor for post contract cost management. We can complete payment recommendations, variation assessments and final account negotiations.
Key tasks include:
Payment recommendations
Variation assessments
Final account negotiations