Contract Administration for Construction Contracts
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors provide the following contract administration professional services: feasibility, project brief and works specification; competitive tendering to contractors, contractor appointment using a standard form of contract and contract administration pre and during the contract through to completion that will enable the delivery of your project.
If you are considering building refurbishment, major maintenance, repair and decoration works, re-building works after damage has been caused or additional accommodation, then professional supervision of the project is advisable so that cost, quality and time objectives are met.
METCALFE Briggs Surveyors provide the following contract administration professional services:
Feasibility, project brief and works specification.
Competitive tendering to contractors, contractor appointment using a standard form of contract and contract administration pre and during the contract through to completion that will enable the delivery of your project.
If we can be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Leasehold Dilapidations Information
When there is a lease agreement between a landlord and tenant for the commercial occupation of accommodation, for example offices, a warehouse, retail or commercial operations, the lease will contain covenants, amongst others, in respect of how a tenant must maintain a property during their occupation and give it back (yield up) at lease end (termination).
What are leasehold dilapidations?
In accordance with a commercial lease for a property there are covenants with which a tenant must comply during and at the end of a lease. A landlord may well want to enforce these covenants, a tenant will have to address them to meet their obligations.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors provides the following leasehold dilapidations professional services:
Detailed inspection of the lease to establish the liabilities arising from the lease covenants.
Client advice of the situation and the options available to address the matters arising that will assist you to meet your objectives.
Completion of a detailed survey of the premises.
Production of a Schedule of Dilapidations / Scott Schedule for service on the tenant.
Production of a response to a Schedule of Dilapidations / Scott Schedule on behalf of a tenant taking consideration of legislation and the mitigating factors.
Meeting and negotiation with the landlord’s / tenant’s surveyor to finalise the claim.
Production of a Schedule of works and obtaining competitive tenders from contractors.
Contract administration of the works to completion.
pre-lease professional services
Production of a schedule of condition to limit the tenant’s repairing liability that is appended to a lease prior to commencement.
Pre-lease building survey and report to establish the condition of the premises prior to lease agreement that may be used to negotiate terms or to limit liability.
No matter your situation Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has the knowledge and experience to advise on the available strategies to meet your objectives.
Are you a landlord who intends to serve a schedule of dilapidations?
Are you a tenant who needs to respond to a schedule of dilapidations?
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We are Chartered Building Surveyors who are fully conversant with the current edition of the RICS Dilapidations Guidance Note and the pre-action protocol for claims for damages in relation to the physical state of commercial property at the termination of the tenancy (the dilapidations protocol).
Chartered Party Wall Surveyors
Time to discuss repairing, altering or excavating with a party wall surveyor? Our party wall surveyors know the strict legal procedures you must follow. You should serve a Party Wall notice on your neighbour should certain circumstances apply.
As party wall surveyors, Metcalfe Briggs works in London, Kent, Essex, and throughout the South East UK.
The Party Wall Etc. Act 1996 may apply to you in advance of a commercial or residential, large or small, industrial or office, retail or institutional construction project if:
There is work to be done to a shared, separating wall between neighbouring properties.
There is to be construction of a structure up to the boundary between neighbouring properties
You intend to excavate foundations within 6 metres of a neighbouring property's building.
As a building owner undertaking a construction project you should serve notice on your neighbour should these circumstances apply. As adjoining (neighbouring) owner to a construction project you may receive a notice in respect of a party wall matter.
To understand whether a construction project has party wall implications and the procedures to be followed, please contact us for an informal discussion and for assistance.
If you receive a Notice from your neighbour then contact a Party Wall surveyor immediately as you only have 14 days to react to the Notice as the Adjoining Owner.
At Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors we are regularly instructed by Building Owners and Adjoining Owners to conduct their Party Wall formalities for them. We are always happy to receive preliminary enquiries at a stage when works are first being planned.
Apart from our work as party wall surveyors, we have a wide portfolio of surveying services that we provide for clients throughout London, Kent & Essex.
If you would like to speak to us regarding a Party Wall matter, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Stock Condition and Life Cycle Surveys
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has a wealth of experience in undertaking stock condition and life cycle surveys of existing street properties, low rise and high rise estates for rented and leasehold Housing Association and Registered Social Landlords.
An important element of Metcalfe Briggs' work is advising clients on the condition of their stock and potential costs for maintenance and repairs enabling future budgets to be realistically set.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has a wealth of experience in undertaking stock condition and life cycle surveys of existing street properties, low rise and high rise estates for rented and leasehold Housing Association and Registered Social Landlords.
We use a traditional approach and provide streamlined reports which give realistic and detailed data.
Energy efficiency is becoming more relevant with ever improving regulations and Government thinking especially to existing stock. We are also able to provide SAP or Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) as part of the stock condition or life cycle survey if required.
Building Dispute Resolution
Even with an experienced contractor and client, building disputes can sometimes arise. With an inexperienced and “first time” client, building disputes are more likely particularly when design and contract documentation are sparse.
Disputes happen
Even with an experienced contractor and client, building disputes can sometimes arise. With an inexperienced and “first time” client, building disputes are more likely particularly when design and contract documentation are sparse.
Why do they happen?
Building disputes can arise even with the best intentions between the parties. There may be insufficient information leading to wrong assumptions, unexpected complications, poor labour or contract management, bad weather, changes in client requirements, slow decision making or lack of financial management.
Formal remedies
The law offers Mediation, Adjudication, Arbitration or Litigation. All have their place but often a building dispute can be resolved informally. Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors assists with many building disputes often facilitating a resolution out of Court. Equally we are at home being introduced by either party to a building dispute as an expert witness or by the Court as a Single Joint Expert.
Informal resolution
We find that an inspection and report by an experienced Chartered Building Surveyor which sets out the issues clearly in the context of the contract as envisaged at the outset will break the log jam. Often it enables the parties to find common ground and resolve their building dispute, opening the way to negotiation and agreement. Nonetheless it's not too late if a legal approach has already started. If litigation is in progress Expert evidence will assist the Court in reaching judgement.
Property Asset Management Plans
Asset Management Plans identify each building element, its condition and the maintenance action required. It assigns every item a priority rating. Each element has an estimated cost using industry accepted data sources, and a defined timing for when the planned maintenance should occur.
"Planned maintenance is maintenance organised and carried out with forethought, control and the use of records to a predetermined plan."
(Maintenance of Buildings, College of Estate Management)
An Asset Management Plan / Planned Maintenance Programme is an invaluable document for anyone with responsibility for Facilities Management.
It catalogues maintenance information about your buildings in a readable form. It provides knowledge of when work needs to be done and at what cost.
It facilitates planning so that proactive maintenance occurs smoothly rather than inefficiently, starting with a clean sheet of paper every year.
Creating an Asset Management Plan
The first step to creating an Asset Management Plan is to understand the current condition of the buildings. This information is provided through a detailed Condition Survey carried out by a Chartered Surveyor.
At Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors we take a Condition Survey as the basis to construct an Asset Management Plan. We use our knowledge of building materials and construction processes to schedule the maintenance required and when.
What's included in an Asset Management Plan?
The Asset Management Plan identifies each building element, describes its condition and the maintenance action required.
It assigns every item a priority rating. To each element is added an estimated budget cost using industry accepted cost data sources. Importantly Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors define the timing when the maintenance should occur. This delivers a tabulated schedule of concise maintenance information.
Metcalfe Briggs Chartered Surveyors takes a methodical approach to this work. Experience, scrutiny and attention to detail at every stage will provide quality information for later use. It is not a tick-box exercise, each Asset Management Plan is tailored specifically to the buildings involved.
Within the Asset Management Plan report each year has a cost total. This facilitates budget planning year by year so that sufficient funding can be sought.
Planned Maintenance Budget Constraints
Should there be budget constraints the Asset Management Plan can be used to prioritise the work items to be carried out, knowing their cost.
The remainder can then be re-programmed to the following year.
Benefit to the Facilities Manager
The Asset Management Plan gives a Facilities Manager early visibility of the package of work that is on the agenda during a given year.
This means that specifications of works can be made in advance, tenders gained from suitable contractors and decisions taken well ahead of the period when the work should occur.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors works with clients throughout London, Kent & Essex and have a wide portfolio of surveying services.
Contact us today if you'd like assistance relating to Planned Maintenance Plans.
Advice on Purchase and Repair Schemes
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has been regularly instructed by Registered Social Landlords to advise on target properties for purchase and repair acquisitions for over 10 years now, these can either be street properties or estate blocks.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is regularly instructed by Registered Social Landlords to advise on target properties for acquisition, either street properties or estate blocks.
Surveyors for purchase and repair schemes
With over 10 years experience of purchase and repair schemes we are highly qualified to ensure that sound properties are acquired adding to the quality of our client’s stock.
Viability assessment report
Our reports consider whether the property is suitable for our client's purposes in terms of accommodation, layout, room sizes, location, quality of the home and the immediate environment together with the level of repair required.
A thorough inspection together with a succinct and clear report format enables our clients to make an easy assessment of the properties viability for acquisition and repair.
Procuring repair works
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has vast experience in procuring the repair works post acquisition through to completion and end of defects by the use of proforma or standard Schedule of Rates to bring the property into good repair and provide a home where people want to live.
Sourcing properties for purchase and repair schemes
We have also been very successful in sourcing suitable properties for purchase and repair schemes to meet our client’s stated criteria.
Considering a property that is part of a purchase and repair scheme?
If you would like to speak to us regarding purchase and repair, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Estate Maintenance & Improvement
The regeneration or refurbishment of existing estates presents a number of difficulties...
The regeneration or refurbishment of existing estates presents a number of difficulties including access, identification of structural modifications, programming of the work, tenant liaison and understanding their requirements and expectations.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has a depth of experience in assisting social landlords with estate maintenance and improvement programmes through many years of procurement and delivery.
Within this sector our involvement includes projects ranging from single properties through to complex schemes for high rise development as part of stock transfer, estate action and regeneration.
An important element of carrying out estate improvements and maintenance is working with residents in occupation, understanding their requirements which influence the overall design and conducting the works. Our aim at all times is to minimise inconvenience and disruption whilst efficiently and effectively delivering the programme.
If you would like to speak to us regarding estate maintenance and improvement, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Property Conversions, Extensions & Adaptations
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has an expert reputation for converting, de-converting, adapting and/or extending a multitude of existing properties. From converting large street properties to provide care or supportive living accommodation for social housing clients to adapting under used or redundant properties in order to increase rental income.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has an expert reputation for converting, de-converting, adapting and/or extending a multitude of existing properties.
Deconversion projects
For the ever increasing demand for alternative dwelling sizes, the de-conversion of the poorly converted conversion replaces the hard to let properties ensuring the existing stock provides rooms where people would want to live.
Extending a property
Extending an existing property vertically or horizontally will increase the number of dwellings on the same site avoiding land costs and significantly increasing the site value.
Conversion feasibility studies
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors can undertake feasibility studies with costs and find the potential for conversion, de-conversion and extension at an early stage to provide affordable housing for rent, shared ownership or private sale.
Complete property conversions package
We can deliver the complete production package from inception through to completion providing the regenerated dwellings for immediate occupation.
Relevant building survey experience
We can demonstrate a depth of experience in converting large street properties to provide care or supportive living accommodation particularly for our social housing clients which greatly improves under used or redundant properties and increases rental income.
If you would like to speak to us regarding conversion, de-conversion and extension, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Building Condition Surveys
A condition survey not only provides information for maintenance work that is required immediately - but also information on maintenance the building will require over time. A condition survey report can establish the building’s maintenance and repair condition at a specific point in time.
What is a condition survey?
A condition survey is a detailed inspection of a building in order to establish its maintenance and repair condition at that time. It is done at a level that surveys each building element, describing it and providing detail of its current state.
However, it would be wrong to assume that if a building is in fair condition this is an exercise of little worth.
The value of a condition survey
A condition survey not only provides information for maintenance work that is required immediately - all buildings require maintenance to their fabric over time.
This survey also gives an indication of when future repairs, maintenance, decoration and renewal of each part of the building should be anticipated.
A condition survey gives visibility of future maintenance commitments that are likely.
Why carry out a condition survey?
Normally, a condition survey is used as the basis to complete a Planned Maintenance Programme (PMP). A PMP is a schedule of the maintenance required for each building element, prioritised, with a budgeted cost and timing, year by year.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is well versed in completing condition surveys.
Our condition survey reports
Our approach is building specific; we do not use prescribed templates or carry out a tick-box exercise.
This, we find, provides our clients with a report which is tailored to their property, which is much more useful.
It is our view that a condition survey is an investment - it anticipates a building’s maintenance and the associated financial commitment required, rather than far more expensive reactive maintenance.
Please contact us if you'd like to discuss your needs with a surveyor today.
Employer's Agent for Design and Build
Under design and build forms of contract, the role of Employer’s Agent becomes a vital...
Under design and build forms of contract, the role of Employer’s Agent becomes a vital service for our Housing Association, RSL and other housing landlords.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors has a depth of experience in this role. We are proactive in delivering the service to our clients.
Representing the Employer we undertake these significant functions:
- assisting in the formation of the client’s brief, producing a comprehensive set of Employers’ Requirements liaising with the design team.
- carrying out feasibility estimates, assisting in the commission of site investigations and undertaking formal tender procedures.
- tenders' evaluation, conduct of selection interviews, providing general advice on the selection of a contractor.
- at the appropriate time contract documents and formalities would be completed on behalf of the Employer.
- monitor the progress and quality of works by means of regular site visits and chairing regular meetings to ensure compliance with the Employer's Requirements to achieve a quality end product on time and in budget.
Design and build contracts offer early cost certainty but must be used with care in respect of design detailing, standards of finishes and quality of work. Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors provides assistance throughout the whole development process from inception through to building handover and end of defects.
In-Home Aids, Adaptations & Equipment
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is continually involved in the design and implementation of aids and adaptations particularly for Registered Social Landlords and Housing Associations. We are proud of our broad experience in this field.
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is continually involved in the design and implementation of aids and adaptations particularly for Registered Social Landlords and Housing Associations. We are proud of our broad experience in this field.
Assessment of aids & adaptation viability
The assessment of a property’s viability for an individual’s particular needs is the first vital step followed by timely and economical implementation of the required works. We are able to assist most effectively when involved at an early stage in the process.
Example of Aids & Adaptations works
The works may be as simple as forming a level access threshold at an entrance or creating a wheelchair ramp through to a complete set of building alterations to enable the installation of a specially adapted kitchen or bathroom.
Some more granular examples would be bath to shower conversions, disabled bathrooms, level access walk-in showers, wheelchair accessible wet rooms, ramps, hand rails, stairlifts, door widening, shower seats, bath lifts and grab rails.
Working closely with occupational therapists
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors works closely with Occupational Therapists to provide an invaluable service to our clients by enabling elderly and disabled people to continue living independently in their own home.
Contact us today to discuss your aids & adaptations project.
A Schedule of Condition for Your Property
A schedule of condition is a building ‘snap shot’. If there is adjacent demolition or planned construction, it is wise to record the condition of adjacent buildings before work begins, so that it can be subsequently decided if any damage that appears after the works is attributable to the works or not.
What is a Schedule of Condition?
A schedule of condition (SOC) is a building ‘snap shot’. For example if there is adjacent demolition or there is construction work to be done to a property, it is wise to record the condition of a building before work begins, so that it can be subsequently decided if any damage that appears is attributable to the works or not. Our experience is that many building owners now insist that a SOC is completed so that their interests are protected. In our opinion a SOC of is equal importance to a contractor to ensure that unfounded claims are not made against them.
When is a Schedule of Condition of use?
A schedule of condition is of use if a building lease is being taken, assigned or sub-leased. It is a wise precaution to record in detail the condition of the premises being entered into. It may highlight issues that should be negotiated before final agreement. Together with appropriate lease drafting it will provide a baseline against which end of lease dilapidations can be compared so that the true picture of disrepair can be established.
A Schedule of Condition preceding Party Wall work
A schedule of condition is a key document for adjoining owners when a building owner intends to carry out work under the Party Wall etc. Act 1996.
See more information on Party Walls.
We act for the 'building owner' or 'adjoining owner' under this circumstance to make sure a proper record is made. Even if it is found a Party Wall Award is not essential, on a neighbourly basis we recommend that a SOC is carried out to protect the interests of the parties
A schedule of condition is carried out at a detailed level. Both internally and externally each element is inspected, described and its condition recorded. Photographs are taken to support the written record. Our schedule of condition is presented in a way that is logical and readable. This makes it easy to recall a particular building element and compare the state of repair at a later date.
View some of our Schedule of Condition case studies here
Please fill out the form below, or contact us, if you feel Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors might be able to help you with a Schedule of Condition, and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Insurance & Building Reinstatement Services
Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is often appointed under the terms of an insurance policy or directly by the building owner if the damage is not covered by insurance to complete insurance reinstatement work. Building reinstatement can happen without you having to have daily, detailed involvement.
Buildings are sometimes damaged, either partially or in a catastrophic way. The causes are many; fire, vandalism, vehicle impact, flood or other extreme forms of weather to name a few.
It is not only the damaged building which is at issue. It is the effect on the operations conducted from that building which may have been disrupted or completely stopped.
Reinstatement Objectives
The objective is to quickly recover the office, school room, church or warehouse to get back to business; it might be the difference between surviving the incident or not.
Reinstatement Cost Assessments
Very soon after the event an assessment of the damage extent and its cost for building reinstatement is required. Metcalfe Briggs Surveyors is appointed under the terms of an insurance policy or directly by the building owner if the damage is not covered by insurance to complete this work.
After inspection we will complete an impartial, objective assessment of the incident which can either be as a report, a costed schedule or a combination of both. As a point of note a report can be used to present to a party where responsibility is sought.
Insurance Reinstatement Works
Once quantification has been achieved, decisions can be taken to go ahead with the reinstatement works and if it is covered by insurance, who has liability, agreed by the loss adjuster.
Building Reinstatement Services
Metcalfe Briggs' role is then to specify the work required, obtain competitive tenders from contractors if required and be the contract administrators of the work on site through to completion.
Not only does this mean making sure the work is done in full, to the client’s satisfaction but also to manage the financial aspect of the work so that monies are available and correctly spent.
We realise this can be a stressful time. We aim to provide professional services at all stages, acting quickly, so that building reinstatement happens without you having to have daily, detailed involvement.
If you require insurance reinstatement services or building reinstatement services, then please contact us today.
