Why Early Consultant Coordination Saves Money

Good architecture is not just about producing drawings.It is about anticipating problems before they become expensive problems on site.

The right consultants are involved early, work together and think beyond simply obtaining a planning or building permit. Structural, civil, hydraulic, mechanical, energy and other specialist consultants should be coordinated as part of the design process, not brought in only when something needs to be documented.

When consultants work proactively, potential conflicts and construction issues can often be identified and resolved before construction begins. Services can be coordinated, structural requirements can be integrated into the architecture, and details can be resolved before they become problems on site.

Unfortunately, not all consultants approach a project this way. Some provide only the minimum documentation required for approval and leave the finer details to be resolved by the builder during construction.

In many cases, this comes down to the fee structure. When a consultant is engaged for a very low fee, the only way to make the project commercially viable may be to minimise the time and level of attention devoted to it. The result can be documentation that achieves the immediate approval requirements, but leaves important coordination and construction issues unresolved.

The problem is that these unresolved issues rarely disappear.They simply become someone else’s problem — and often at a cost.

When a builder encounters an unforeseen issue during construction, the solution may involve:

• Redesign

• Additional labour

• Material changes

• Delays

• Variations
  

Depending on the contract, these costs can ultimately be passed back to the client.

This is why the cheapest consultant fee does not necessarily result in the cheapest project.

Good consultants are an investment. Their fees are relatively small when compared with the overall construction cost, but their involvement can prevent significantly more expensive problems later.

A successful project is not about assembling the cheapest team.It is about assembling the right team.

When architects, consultants and builders communicate early, coordinate properly and understand the project as a whole, the result is often better quality, fewer surprises and greater cost certainty.

Good coordination may cost a little more upfront.Poor coordination can cost considerably more later.

The right team doesn’t necessarily make a project more expensive.It can be what saves you money.