Construction consulting is the process of an expert in the construction industry offering advice to their clients (who are typically contractors, principals, financiers and other institutions), with the purpose of helping their clients to complete their intended projects on budget, on schedule, with minimum risk and maximum benefit. A client may hire a consultant to support project management, from the start to finish of a given project.
Construction consultants are typically highly experienced construction professionals with over 15 to 20 years of experience in the sector. This experience spans program management, commercial and contract management, and contract administration, as well as procurement for building, civil engineering, manufacturing and mining industries. Necessary competencies include skills in financial forecasting, assessment of environmental risk, and intuition and experience to foresee progress and risk.
The role of the construction consultant is both proactive and reactive. They will proactively anticipate problems that may arise, providing advice on how to avoid these. When an issue does arise, they will help to implement remedial action that restores the project and helps it to continue as intended.
The role of a construction consultant may include the following services:
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Offering business advice on complex matters
Through tailored advice, a construction consultant can help your business to make decisions that help the project to stay on budget and on schedule. This may involve monitoring or analysing construction as it happens, to provide real-time advice and help your business to establish solid practices around management, maintenance and other important considerations. It may also involve advice and implementation of systems that support compliance with relevant legislation.
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Providing contract support
This may include providing a suite of contracts, with potential contracts including terms of sale, purchase order terms and conditions, sub-consultancy agreements, subcontractor agreements with guarantor, subcontractor agreements with no signature, and supply agreements. Using this suite then makes it easy to engage with subcontractors and other parties, using contract templates that are tried and tested, and which protect the interests of the client. Furthermore, your consultant may offer related services including measurement of contract works, variation entitlement and quantification, advice on disruption, productivity loss, overheads, interest and more. The role also entails offering advice and guidance on claims in relation to any contracts, negotiation to obtain settlement, and other subcontractor dispute resolution support.
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Undertaking reviews of project including construction contract reviews
A construction consultant may undertake a contract risk assessment of any pending contracts to help you to minimise risk. They may include examples of contract risk assessments on their website to provide an idea of the services they provide – as we do here at Guardian PC. After assessing project related documents, they will provide analysis and offer practical recommendations on mitigating risk and enhancing success.
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Adjudicate in instances of disagreement
Your construction consultant may specialize in the Building and Construction Industry Security of Payment Act and offer adjudication application advice in instances where fair payment has not been made to schedule. This includes advice on payment claims, payment schedules, adjudication applications, adjudication response, payment withholding, notices, and notices of suspension.
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Facilitate virtual project diaries
A construction consultant such as Guardian PC may be able to assist you to establish strong data capturing processes, with data being the backbone of informed decision making. Here at Guardian PC, we recommend a hands-free, automated data capture process that involves imagery capture by a 360-degree on-site camera that is driven by artificial intelligence. This allows for data capture and publication within around 15 minutes and empowers fast-tracked analytics.
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Facilitate virtual safety walks
This same technology as described above may also be recommended and supplied by your construction consultant, to identify and reduce risks and hazards on the worksite. In turn, virtual safety walks enables you to induct people in a given worksite with a virtual tour and to equip them with field notes prior to arrival.
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Undertake project planning and scheduling
This may embrace services such as set up of tender or construction programs, progress monitoring, assessment and reporting; record keeping; program analysis, CPM analysis, and on-site project management software training.
Other services offered by a construction consultant
It may or may not include quantity surveying, forensic engineering, cost planning, project management, and development management; project feasibility studies; cost management and cost planning; detailed budget estimates; construction schedule advisory and monitoring, including timeline development; tender application preparation and advice; lodgement support and advice; contract compliance monitoring; site inspections; expert witness services; financial advice on insurance, sinking funds and more; liaison with vendors; assessment of building blueprints; breakdown of technical information into simple, understandable language for clients; and more.
For a precise idea of the services offered by any construction consultants you are considering, it is best to contact them directly to discuss your project and needs. To contact GPC, call (02) 8316 7510 or email info@guardianpc.com.au
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