Facade Consultancy
Facade Consultancy
Facade Consultancy

Provide staff to assist in:

Bid Submission

Façade Consultancy FZE will be available to provide assistance to the owner and the architect to prepare & submit the bids, which includes details BOQ (Bill of Quantity), Compliance statements, technical details, tender bonds etc. We also review technical/cost saving alternative submittals & if included with the bid, for any proposed product substitutions for building enclosure elements, to determine the risk or equivalence of the proposed substitution.

Measurement of quantities for tendering

Façade Consultancy FZE Quantity Surveyors produce accurate and detailed Bills of Quantities for all our clients, which provides a reliable basis on which to tender for proposed Facade works.

Bills of Quantities prepared by our practice have the following uses, and these are borne in mind by the Quantity Surveyor during their preparation:

  • Valuations for interim certificates
  • Valuation of variations
  • Ordering of materials if used with caution and awareness of possible errors and future variations
  • Cost analysis for use in future approximate estimating
  • Planning and progressing by the contractor's site planner
  • Final accounting
  • Quality by reference to the trade preamble clauses
  • Domestic subcontractor & suppliers quotations
  • Cost information
  • Provides a good basis for cost planning

Perpetration of payment applications

Façade Consultancy FZE prepares or advice the façade contractor for Payment application for the collection (as pre the agreed Contract), review and processing of the & provide maximum protection to the FC Client.

The payment process starts at the very outset of the Project with the insistence that a comprehensive and realistic Schedule of Values covering their entire contract value. Great care is given at this point to identify and eliminate any “front end loading” of the Schedule of Values. A “soft” billing is submitted to the Facade contractor to GC & the GC is required to review the actual status of work performed vs. the percentage of completion reflected in the Application for Payment. Any negotiated adjustments or corrections are completed in the course of this “walk-through”. Upon receipt of the Application for Payment, each is reviewed to ensure that all required documentation and certifications are in place and properly prepared. This will include, but is not limited to, lien releases, certified payroll reports, manpower utilization reports, Safety Program certifications, and any required copies of daily logs or other contractually required project documentation.

The reviewed General Contractor payment request is consolidated and a Payment Request Summary prepared, showing the values of each approved Payment Request, Total Value of the month’s requests, and our written recommendation to pay the amounts approved. In addition, summary data is provided regarding the overall status of payment against approved contract value(s). The consolidated Payment Request package is forwarded to the Client for payment processing.

Preparation of variation accounts

Façade Consultancy FZE Quantity Surveyors are involved in dealing with variations that may arise within contracts with regards to:-

  • Identification of required variations
  • Immediate measurement and valuation of any variations / additional works
  • Advising on the cost implications of variations
  • Agreeing contract variations

A variation is generally defined as the alteration or modification of the design, quality or quantity of the contract works. This includes the addition, omission or substitution of any work, including the alteration of the kind or standard of the materials.

The Client/architect/Consultant/ may issue instructions from time to time requiring variations which the Facade contractor is required under the terms of the contract to comply with. Any modification to the works must be the subject of variation orders which constitute an instruction from the architect to the contractor.

The issue of variation orders ensures that as Quantity Surveyors we are kept informed of any changes to the contract works and have the opportunity to value the required variations in order to determine their monetary effect. When requested by the architect we would generally ascertain and advise of the likely cost effect of any proposed variation before he issues the variation order. This provides the architect and client with the opportunity to make an informed decision to proceed or to make an alternative proposal. Advance knowledge of proposed changes enables a full evaluation in terms of cost, quality and programming implications to be carried out in advance of their issue.

We value all variations which involve the omission of work as originally included in the bill of quantities and the addition of work as executed in its place. We would consider each valuation separately and their net values are then carried forward to a general summary. The total value of all omissions and the total value of all the additions are computed to arrive at a net balance which will then be added to or deducted from the interim valuation / payment which then becomes due to the contractor.

Under most standard forms of contract in the construction industry where Bills of Quantities are adopted the valuation of variations are generally made by Quantity Surveyors in accordance with four main valuation rules. The measured quantities of the variation may be valued in accordance with any of the following methods:-

  • Rates contained in the Bills of Quantities or Schedule of Rates, whichever is applicable
  • On the basis of rates analogous to those above
  • On the basis of a fair valuation, at fair rates or prices
  • At Day-work rates at the prices ruling at the date the work is actually carried out

The summary of variations account will be submitted by the quantity surveyor to the contractor for comments. Following the settlement of any disputes or differences in quantities or prices between the contractor's quantity surveyors and the clients/consultants quantity surveyor the variation account can then be finalised and signed by the contractor as evidence of his agreement to it.

Façade Consultancy FZE Quantity Surveyors ensure that all required variations are dealt with as efficiently as possible and provide early and accurate cost advice with regards to variations.

Risk/opportunities in the project execution

Façade Consultancy FZE provides in addition to the management of risks associated with Project Safety, which is identified early in the planning phase, other project risk is identified with respect to the project’s schedule, cost and quality. Our Risk Management Plan will identify risk opportunities (both positive and negative) associated with the project and identify risk triggers, responses and owners for these various risk events. These risks shall be actively monitored and controlled through the construction process.

Final account negotiation and agreement

Façade Consultancy FZE Quantity Surveyors offer to undertake on behalf of the Client all works entailed to settle the final account. We are involved in the final account preparation, submission & subsequent agreement on behalf of both private and public clients and Facade contractors. We also undertake all work associated with final accounts and agreement on behalf of sub-contractors.

Final Account Preparation Procedure followed by Façade Consultancy FZE

In basic terms a Final account in construction contracts is the agreed statement of the amount of money to be paid at the end of a building contract by the employer to the contractor. A final account brings about a sense of finality to the negotiations leading up to the agreement of the Final Account between the parties to the contract.

In construction contracts it is generally common practice for both the Employer (or the Employer’s representative) and the Contractor to sign the Final Account Statement to signify that the Final Account figure represents the full and final settlement of all claims etc. The settlement of the final account negotiations between the contractor, and the architect or quantity surveyor will in due course trigger the issue of the final account statement and ultimately, enable the architect to issue the final certificate.

A quantity surveyor prepares the final account in the manner that is best suited for the particular project, with the original contract sum as the starting point. An important part of the contractor's quantity surveyor's work is the agreement of the final account. Under the terms of the contract the private quantity surveyor is responsible for its preparation, but in reality the best approach is for both the client's quantity surveyor and the contractor's quantity surveyor to work together to produce an agreed account. The contractor's quantity surveyor should be alert at identifying contract variations and work that should be reimbursed on day-work rates. Also the contractor's quantity surveyor should strive as far as possible to alleviate any possible delays in agreeing the final account.

Under the terms and conditions of contract the contractor is to provide the architect or quantity surveyor with all documents necessary for the final account preparation not later than 6 months after practical completion. Within 3 months of receipt of these documents the architect or quantity surveyor is to prepare and ascertain the final account sum and send this to the contractor.

The bulk of the final account will generally consist of measured work priced at the original billed rates. If the contractor's quantity surveyor has reason to doubt the accuracy of any of the original billed items, he can make a request to the quantity surveyor for work concerned to be measured on-site.

The adjustment of the contract sum in the final account normally falls under several relevant items, although the quantity surveyor must have regard to all the matters listed in the standard form of contract and conditions. The contract conditions tabulates all the matters that shall be dealt with in the final account in order to adjust the contract sum in accordance with the conditions.

Sums to be deducted:

  • Prime cost sums and amounts in respect of named subcontractors and associated contractor's profit;
  • Provisional sums and the value of work for which approximate quantities are included in contract bills;
  • Variations that are omissions;
  • Amounts allowable to the employer under the fluctuations clauses;
  • Any other amount that is required by the contract to be deducted from the contract sum.

Sums to be added:

  • The total amounts of nominated subcontracts finally adjusted in accordance with the relevant subcontract conditions;
  • Where the contractor has tendered for work that was to have been preformed by a nominated subcontractor and his tender has been accepted, the amount of the tender suitably adjusted;
  • Any amounts due to nominated suppliers, including cash discounts of 5 per cent, but excluding VAT;
  • The contractor's profit on the above amounts 1,2 & 3;
  • Any amounts payable by the employer relating to statutory fees and charges, opening up and testing, royalties and patent rights, and insurances;
  • The value of work carried out against provisional sums or approximate quantities included in the contract bills;
  • Any amounts payable by the employer to the contractor by way of reimbursement for direct loss/and or expense arising from matters materially affecting the regular progress of the works;
  • Any amount expended by the contractor as a result of loss or damage by fire or other perils where the risks are insured by the employer and the contractor is entitled to reimbursement;
  • Any amount payable to the contractor under the fluctuations clauses;
  • Any other amount that is required by the contract to be added to the contract sum.

All relevant items must be shown separately in the final account, and the net amount of each variation and amounts due to each nominated subcontractor and nominated supplier listed. When preparing the final account the quantity surveyor should give the contractor's quantity surveyor the opportunity to be present when measurements and details are taken or recorded, so that the document is prepared in full liaison with the contractor.

Delays in the settlement of the final account represent additional cost to the contractor and in the majority of cases the employer is anxious to know his ultimate financial commitment. The architect and the quantity surveyor have a contractual responsibility under the contract to keep to the date stipulated in the contract for completion of the final account and the contractor should produce every assistance in the prompt provision of subcontractors and suppliers account, agreement of measurement and prices, and the supply of all necessary supporting data.