Green Shoots of Spring Honest

I normally send out at least one news letter a month, but since the end of January we have been inundated with new projects and these letters have been put on the back burner. And, when I ring round other consultants, developers and contractors, they are experiencing a similar upturn.

Over the last 18 months, public funded work has supplemented the downturn in private development. However, we and others are now seeing the long established cash rich, commercial developers moving back into the market.

These developers have no incentive to keep their money invested in banks, nor in the stock market which is still volatile. Instead, they are seeing opportunities back in the property market. With falling land prices and competitive tenders, could this be the start of the construction bull market.

To take advantage of this new market, developers are looking for designs that are functional, sustainable, yet cost effective. They have also used these quieter times to re-consider their design teams and the way that schemes are procured. We see this as a great opportunity to attract new clients to show them how we add real value.

But it is imperative that as Developers, Architects and Contractors you choose Engineers who have a proven track record of providing tender winning designs. Even with the pressures created by this recession, we still see evidence of sloppy over designed engineered solutions, albeit that these companies are suffering more than others.

With major saving to be made in the ground and substructure works, your engineering teams need to show evidence of adding real value at each of the following steps.

Geo and Environmental Site Investigation and Remediation
This is where clients can ultimately lose money, through poorly written reports, where the wrong tests have been conducted, the results have been incorrectly interoperated and the conclusions are risk averse. This will result in over engineered foundations and a remediation plan that calls for the disposal of expensive excavated material and testing when there is no need. On a recent project, our in-house geo-environmental team re-wrote another SI companies remediation report to save taking 2300m3 of contaminated material off site.
Our geo-environmental team work with our tender winning engineers to ensure that we will always find those winning solutions to save cost and the environment at the same time.

Flood Risk and Drainage Impact Assessment
Flood Risk is the buzz word at the moment and with the climate changing this will only get worse. Sites do not have to be near rivers to be at risk from flooding. It could come from existing drainage or overland flow from a watercourse at a higher level. And, if that is not bad enough, the developer has a duty not to exacerbate any flooding downstream from their project.

Partner the Flood Risk Assessment with a drainage strategy and potentially make greater savings using SUDS, porous paving or detention basins in lieu of a more conventional drainage solution.

Our team of engineers will undertake a Flood Risk Assessment and sequential testing, together with a drainage strategy. From this information we can then cost  out your potential risks, negotiate the true site cost and look for opportunities to add real value.

Earthwork Proposals
Projects can be won or lost by how you treat earthworks. Take it away from site and you throw away your profits. Yet, with a robust SI and measured site survey, the right software can carry out a cut and fill exercise. This exercise will balance the earthworks to minimize what is taken off site and just as important, what is now not required on site.

Traffic Impact Analysis and Highway Access
Traffic movement, too and from a site, together with access now plays a big role in the development of a site. With the wrong guidance the scheme will either falter through a lack of understanding of traffic movement and junction design, or lead to a costly implementation driven by the highway engineers. Early highway appraisal and consultation will give you an understanding of how the highway officers would take to the development and what if any off site provision may be required to secure development.

Superstructure Design
You would think by now that engineers would have refined this part of the process to give you a cost effective structure. However, through working with our design and build clients, we consistently come across overdesigned retaining walls, floor slabs and structural frames. This will lead to unnecessary cost, longer build times and ravage your carbon footprint.  If you feel that the superstructure has been overdesigned, then question it or get a second opinion. It may mean the difference between projects commencing, or put on hold.

Summary
Although we are in the midst of a recession, there seems to be real evidence that the construction market is in the accent. Whether this is short or long term we all need to seize the opportunity and make a real difference. Our contribution will be to provide tender winning solution across all the areas noted above to give clients an incentive to build.

Next Issue
In the next issue we will be showing you how to convince your wife, who may be used to 5 star wining, dining and accommodation, to come with you on a Scooter Raleigh, sleep in an igloo tent and cook on a primus stove. It may sound like an impossible task, but we will show you in 5 easy steps!!!!!!!

Good luck in this new market, but give me a call if you need any assistance or advice to help you with your next development or tender.