How is project management charged?
It is priced into the written quote for the works, so you see one figure for the job and one invoice at the end of it. Running our team on site is part of that, not an extra.
Do I need to be in the country?
No. Written updates and photographs go out at agreed points, and any decision that needs you comes with a recommendation and a price so it can be settled by email.
Will you work with a contractor I have already appointed?
Yes, we can coordinate them on site alongside our own team. Where a contractor is your appointment rather than ours, we report on their work but we do not take responsibility for it.
What happens if costs look like going over?
You hear about it before it happens. Most jobs are quoted as a fixed price after the site visit, so an overrun only arises from a change you have asked for or a concealed defect, and either is put to you in writing with a price before we carry on.
Who deals with planning permission and building control?
We do. Where the works need consent or building control sign-off, we identify it at survey stage, coordinate the applications and the inspections, and hand over the certificates at the end. Party wall notices and any listed or conservation area constraints are flagged before the programme is set, because they affect the start date.
How soon can works start?
It depends on the scope, on any consents needed and on material lead times. You get a programme with the quote, so the dates are agreed in writing before anything starts, and we tell you at the visit if a consent is going to govern the start date.
Can you advise on what is worth spending money on?
We will tell you what the building needs, what is cosmetic, and what will cost more if it is left. We do not give investment or valuation advice, and we do not forecast what a change will do to rent or resale value.