Professional Services

We offer an extensive range of professional services
please choose from the list below.

 

Quantity Surveying Services
Building Surveying Services
Project Management
Health and Safety Advice / CDM Co-ordinator
Party Wall Surveying
Design and Space Planning
Contract Administration
Employer´s Agent
Partnering Agreements
Expert Witness



 
Building Surveying Services

Building surveys; building design; schedules of condition; measured surveys; building defects; schedules of dilapidations; rehabilitation and conservation; insurance assessments and claims; disaster recovery.

BLB Surveyors provides a comprehensive range of services from building surveys to full design and contract management for large developments. The skills of the building surveyor have traditionally been developed to serve the existing building stock where maintenance, refurbishment and improvement are the key areas of operation.

Projects often require planning permission and listed building consent. Further permissions such as Building Regulations Approval, English Heritage Approval and Health and Safety Regulations are also handled by our surveyors. Our building surveying team works closely with the various local authority departments to ease a project through this often difficult stage of the design process.

We have the ability to adapt our skills to meet the needs of any situation and have the full resources of a multi-disciplinary company at our disposal in order to deliver even the most challenging of client briefs.
Back to top menu


 
Quantity Surveying Services

Feasibility studies; procurement advice; construction management; tender documentation; financial management; account negotiation; contract advice.

BLB Surveyors provides a full range of quantity surveying services to our clients in both public and private sector organisations and each project, be it large or small, is approached in the same professional manner.

Our services can be tailored to suit the requirements of each client, whether traditional or more modern methods of procurement are favoured.

Using our training and skills we protect our client´s money by managing their investment through carefully considered contract advice, accurate tender documentation and the use of our expertise to negotiate a final account that will stand the test of the most stringent financial audit.

By understanding our client´s aspirations from the outset (often even before an architect or designer is on board) and continuous communication throughout the project, we ensure that our service adds value to the scheme.
Back to top menu



 
Party Wall Surveying

Compliance with Party Wall etc. Act 1996; boundary disputes.

An integral part of BLB Surveyor´s building surveying skills is the role of Party Wall Surveyor. A high proportion of building development work involves existing building stock and the occurrence of work that affects boundaries and neighbouring properties is extensive. Our surveyors are fully trained in all aspects of The Party Wall etc. Act, 1996 and can advise a client undertaking any works as to how to comply with the Act. We are also equally skilled in advising clients who are likely to be affected by adjoining owner´s works and how they should act in order to protect their interests.
Back to top menu


 
Project Management

Constructing the design team; fee tendering; providing added value; risk management; value engineering; programming; benchmarking and key performance indicators (KPIs)

By acquiring knowledge and an understanding of our client´s business strategy for their project, BLB Surveyor´s project managers can advise from the very first principles.

Having an appreciation of the critical needs and the pressures being faced by our client enables the project manager to provide enhanced advice in areas such as developing a professional design team, design appraisal, programming and resourcing, Key Performance Indicators and benchmarking and quality control.

Additional key roles of a project manager include risk management and value engineering.

The management of risk by our project managers minimises our client´s exposure to unnecessary costs, whilst identifying those elements which might impact upon the scheme unless adequately addressed. We develop detailed risk registers to ensure that both consultants and client appreciate their responsibilities to act in such a way as to keep unavoidable risks to a minimum.

Value engineering is a vital requirement to ensure that funds being committed to the scheme are being expended as economically as possible with a view to establishing value as opposed to cheapest price. Costs-in-use are often as important as initial capital costs and this important factor must always be accounted for.
Back to top menu


 
Design and Space Planning

Computer Aided Design; office planning and design concepts.

With office rents at a premium, every business must maximise the use of its space in order to utilise that space efficiently. This may simply involve the redesign of existing premises or can involve the complete relocation to larger or more suitable premises.

At BLB Surveyors we have the capabilities to appraise your requirements and plan the space to suit your specific needs. We provide full Computer Aided Design (CAD) plans of your space showing partition layouts, lighting schemes, IT infrastructure, electrical services, air-conditioning/ ventilation layouts, interior design and colour schemes, plus of course furniture layouts and staff seating plans.

Our surveyors will manage the works in their entirety including obtaining all necessary local authority and HSE approvals. We will help co-ordinate staff relocation and work closely with your IT consultants to ensure that business interruption is kept to an absolute minimum.
Back to top menu


 
Contract Administration

Managing the building contract; implementing client requirements; programming and client liaison; certification of valuations; inspecting, approving and enforcing conformity with specifications.

A key element of any project is the successful management of the construction works to ensure compliance with the building contract. Our surveyors rigorously enforce conformity with any specification and regularly inspect and approve works on-site as they progress.

We manage any Change Orders that are required in order to meet client variations and deal with any unforeseen matters that may occur on site. We monitor closely the agreed contract programme and advise the client if any Change Order affects contract completion dates.

We prepare accurate valuation certificates for works properly executed and upon completion of the project we will negotiate a Final Account and ultimately issue the Final Certificate.
Back to top menu


 
Employer´s Agent

Preparation of Employer´s Requirements and works associated with the use of Design and Build Contracts.

Design and Build Contracts often afford clients certain advantages over traditional contracting methods.

When the design and build format is adopted however the client would be very exposed if he had no professional representation within the contract. Accordingly this contract introduces the role of The Employer´s Agent.

This role combines the skills of the Quantity Surveyor with that of the Project Manager to produce a single professional responsible solely to the client.

BLB Surveyors has developed an excellent reputation in this specialist field having expanded traditional quantity surveying services to encompass key project management skills thereby offering the Employer´s Agent service to clients seeking to utilise Design and Build contracts for their development.
Back to top menu


 
Partnering Agreements

Integration of BLB Surveyors into a partnering team in order to satisfy the requirements of the Egan Report.

The Egan Report identified the need for clients, professionals, contractors and suppliers to develop long term partnerships in order to reduce costs, improve quality and shorten construction programmes.

BLB Surveyors as a company has embraced the philosophies of the Egan Report and is working within a number of partnering and framework agreements with central and local government departments, universities and housing associations.

Our managers are very experienced with such partnering arrangements and BLB Surveyors is leading the way with the advice we give to clients and our approach to projects with a view to best value and not cheapest price. The rewards to our clients are now being realised with better quality projects being delivered on time, at a cheaper price and with a much lower cost-in-use.
Back to top menu


 
Expert Witness

Adjudication; arbitration; leaseholder valuation tribunals; expert witness reports, court attendance and compliance with The Civil Procedure Act.

As a Chartered Surveying Practice regulated by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, BLB Surveyors is able to provide professional support to your legal advisers with any construction disputes.

Expert advice can be provided in key legal situations such as Adjudication, Arbitration, High Court Actions and Leaseholder Valuation Tribunals.

BLB Surveyors can prepare Expert Witness Reports, Joint Statements, Scott Schedules and Contract Claims Documents.

If the dispute cannot be settled by negotiation, our surveyors are skilled and experienced in giving evidence at court including cross examination by counsel and can provide the necessary level of expert evidence to assist the judge with the case before him.
Back to top menu


 
Health and Safety Advice / CDM Co-ordinator

Health and safety CDM compliance; liaison with Health and Safety Executive; preparation of Health and Safety documentation including compilation of record information, drawings and maintenance manuals

The Health and Safety Advisor is appointed by the client to protect his position and to ensure that the design of a building meets all Health and Safety requirements.

Our surveyors are trained and experienced Health and Safety Advisors and will direct the professional team and the principal contractor to ensure full compliance with the Health and Safety Executive´s requirements.

At the completion of a project our Health and Safety Advisors will work with the principal contractors and any other contributors to deliver the Building File and all O&M Manuals, Guarantees and record information.
Back to top menu