FEATURE WORKING WITH ARCHITECTS
the contractor can join the project early on – not just when the job needs pricing – means the contractor can guide costs based on the architect’s planning drawings. “Then the client is more confident of getting what they want within their budget.” Architects, contractors and clients often tend to have different expectations of cost, but this can be brought into better alignment through collaboration. “At the outset of a project, a client asks how much it’s going to cost,” says Richard Webb, Director at MILL Architects Ltd in South Queensferry, Scotland. “If there’s no contractor involved yet, which generally there won’t be with smaller residential stuff, it’s fairly difficult for us as architects to put a finger on it, particularly in light of the last couple of years when material costs have been all over the place.” One of the main benefits of a close working relationship between architect and contractor is the ability to talk about the build, Webb says. “We can have discussions with the contractor to review all the details so we’re not all standing around looking up at something scratching our heads saying, ‘What are we going to do here?’” Fundamentally, Webb adds, “The relationship with the contractor is key to delivering the architecture. You could design the most amazing structure, but if you’ve not got someone decent to build it, then it falls down.” Play to your strengths Seán McAlister is an architect and contractor who owns Pencil and Brick Ltd, an architecture, construction and renovation firm in London. Having worked on both sides of the fence, he has gained a few insights into the upsides and downsides of contractors and architects. “Often, if a builder is not an FMB member, they don’t follow a code of conduct,” McAlister says. “And architects can sometimes seek perfection, which gets in the way of what’s good and achievable. “There’s no point being perfect in your drawings and decision-making if it kills a project and costs people money. You have to let go of perfection to be a builder.” Builders have unique skill sets and technical knowledge, McAlister argues: “But builders also have to put their money
“The procurement system in this country is broken”
contractually, it can lead to conflict. The contract administrator should be separate from the architect and contractor.” Know your tender type It’s valuable to architects, builders and, ultimately, clients if the latter can be persuaded to choose a negotiated tender, rather than a competitive tender. “Negotiating with a trusted contractor allows us to check costs early,” Webb says. “We’ll put contractors forward to the client at the beginning of a project. Because we’ve got strong relationships with them, they will budget the cost on a set of planning drawings. So we know at an early stage if it’s £100,000 out of the budget, we need to change something now before we get planning through.”
where their mouth is. Most days, they make decisions that cost tens of thousands of pounds, and if they get it wrong someone has to pay for that. Architects aren’t like that – they are risk averse.” Together though, McAlister says, they build each other up, getting the best from both approaches, mindsets and expertise. Importantly, architects might be involved in a project as contract administrators, not as designers, which can be tricky, Goodhew warns. “Contract administrators should always be a separate body rather than an architect, because there’s a conflict of interest,” Goodhew says. “An architect will always defend their design and their perspective. But when confronted by the builder on matters they don’t agree with
Master Builder 28
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