What makes me different, I suppose it’s my attitude to communication, but I expect most consultants would say that! So how do I differ and why would that make any difference to you on your next build project?
As with most things in business, legislation, compliance and regulation are increasing, but probably no more apparent as in the built environment. We seem to be held responsible for a big part of global emissions, with increasing pressure on the sustainability of the build, the builder and the use of materials and meeting UK targets. Safety and the new Building Safety Act are now bearing down their full weight on all larger projects and the pressure is on our industry to meet even bigger legislative objectives.
But one of the biggest impacts is the “Principal Designer” role. This is part of the new UK architectural legislation and places a much greater emphasis on safety and compliance in the build environment. We now have to demonstrate we have the right level of competence, with the necessary skills knowledge and experience and must include being up to date with industry developments and practices.
It seems interesting to me that many architectural professionals do not already take the same level of care in their work!!
This leads to a level of accountability for this role of Principal Designer which means if your Architects holds this position, they must be included in all areas of communication with a project. Although most architectural practices and practitioners have navigated this change, there are still many consultants and developers who are not aware of the legislative obligations. I have taken on board this responsibility for many of my clients, which, by the way, comes with a significant PI liability.
This new role is driven by clear and concise communication, fostering a collaborative approach to the project and keeping all the stakeholders informed of any changes, or challenges the project is facing.
I am fortunate that this is my natural style of working, I have always considered communication to be the essential element of good working relationships and mutually respectful partnerships, which, all building projects must have. They may be small incremental things, but responding promptly to any email, message or call should be done as a matter of urgency, once a client is onboarded and as long as they maintain a good working relationship, keeping that line of communication open at all times, will keep the project on track, on time and on budget.
If you are looking for an architect that will hyper focus on you and your build, get in touch today for more about how I work and what you can expect from our working relationship.
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