Building Consultancy

GIA are experienced and qualified to efficiently deliver projects from £10,000 up to £10,000,000 within all sectors ranging from small refurbishments through to large new build projects. We have expertise and knowledge of various building contracts and contractual procedures to ensure your project is professionally delivered and exceeds client expectations throughout.

We are able to provide initial feasibility studies, undertake a range of architectural, design and specification duties, manage the selection and appointment of contractors and the tender process, obtain statutory consents, act as Contract Administrator, issue contractual certificates, provide details of cost control, provide supervision on site, resolve disputes that may arise and conclude all final accounts and certification.

At GIA we successfully work with both Landlord’s and Tenant’s to provide dilapidations assessments, strategic advice and prepare Schedules of Dilapidations at, or, before the expiration of a lease term.

Dilapidations can be complex area of law but our approach and expertise aims to ensure clients are fully aware of their potential liabilities and opportunities and by remaining commercially focussed we can ensure the most successful and appropriate outcome is achieved for our clients. We look to provide added value in all our advice, to highlight and reduce risks and increase certainty. This is especially important when considering dilapidation strategies and advice.

We provide a range of services and expertise, all of which can be tailored to your requirements. Our range of dilapidation services include:

• Preparation of Interim & Terminal and Schedules of Dilapidations;
• Negotiation of Dilapidations claims on behalf of both the Tenant or Landlord;
• Dilapidations assessments to assess potential claims and defences that may be available;
• Development of dilapidations strategies for to mitigate future liabilities;

We also prepare and negotiate Schedules of Conditions, on behalf of both Landlords and Tenants, at term commencement which limit the tenant’s repairing obligations or protect the landlord’s position at the end of the lease term.

We look to provide added value in all our advice, to highlight and reduce risks and increase certainty. We provide a range of survey types including Pre-Lease/Acquisition, Condition Surveys, Vendor Surveys and whole Portfolio Surveys all of which can be tailored to client requirements. We have acted for both landlords and occupiers across all sectors.

Development Monitoring is a role often required by the funding party to a development project, purchasers or tenants. At GIA we are able to provide expert project monitoring services in relation to a wide range of commercial, industrial and residential properties providing clients with professional advice to ensure project requirements are met.

Our aim is to mitigate our clients risk exposure by identifying the associated project risks and identifying areas which may impact upon our client’s interests. If identified we provide expert advice on how those risks can be mitigated, transferred or monitored through comprehensive due diligence services.

GIA successfully work with clients to undertake maintenance surveys, to support their understanding of the condition of their buildings and assets and identify work that will be required to address any shortfalls in maintenance and potential improvement requirements.

Planned maintenance programmes and life cycle analysis will highlight deficiencies in building fabric, advice on maintenance priorities and identify costs of the required works. This can minimise future cost and disruption to the building user.

At GIA our approach takes into account the short; medium and long term perspectives, with records, schedules and programmes produced so that our clients gain an understanding of how to look after and care for their assets.

At GIA our team of Chartered Building Surveyors have a wealth of experience of building types and construction methods allowing us to undertake detailed building pathology surveys. We can assist our clients by identifying building defects and providing professional advice on effective rectification solutions.

It is commonplace for insurance underwriters to require an expert assessment of a building’s rebuilding cost following total destruction. At GIA we provide our clients with high quality and accurate reinstatement cost assessments for this purpose whether they be one-off buildings or property portfolios.

At GIA we have access specialist online costing index software that ensures the latest construction rates are utilised allowing properties to be benchmarked against comparable properties throughout the UK preventing the risks associated with over or under insured properties.

A measured building survey is a vital tool in gaining greater understanding of a property for various purposes be it refurbishment, alteration or redevelopment or to establish areas accurate calculation of lettable floor areas to maximise rental returns.

At GIA we can provide site and building measurement services, including the production of 2D and 3D details which may also include plans, sections and elevational drawings.

A Licence for Alterations is a legal document, identifying and recording tenant obligations when undertaking alterations to a leasehold property. We act for both landlords and tenants and manage the collation and submission or review of the relevant documents to develop agreement.

A Schedule of Condition is a record of the condition of a building at a certain point in time. At GIA we work with our clients and provide Schedule of conditions that can be utilised in various ways including:

• Providing a record of condition of a building at commencement of the lease term;
• Prior to construction or refurbishment work;
• Recording condition of neighbouring properties;

We pride ourselves in providing extensive and accurate reports that give extensive and robust protection to our appointing client.

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 are the main set of regulations for managing the health, safety and welfare of construction projects. CDM 2015 applies to all construction work and includes new build, demolition, refurbishment, extensions, conversions, repair and maintenance. GIA can act as Principal Designer and advise Client’s around their duties on any given scheme to ensure compliance.

The Client has overall responsibility for the successful execution of the project and acting in the role of Principal Designer, GIA can assist in co-ordinating health and safety, both pre-construction and during the construction phase. Along with the Principal Contractor, all three duty holders must have good working relationship from the outset if the project is to be delivered safely and without harm to health. GIA can ensure the provision and flow of information to ensure that health and safety is considered when making decisions and the client obligations are met.