Isaac Newton and the role of a Building Surveyor in a Major Works Project...

Isaac Newton had an extraordinary depth of technical knowledge. But he  didn’t discover gravity in a laboratory or a library. It happened under a tree in a moment defined by its absolute simplicity…

Sadly for me, Newton and I have little in common.  However, my clearest insights into the world of surveying have also taken place far from my workplace.

And the greatest insight of them all, hit me on a train back from a meeting:…..

The greatest  value a building surveyor can add to a Major Works project, is not the level of technical detail they have amassed.

It’s true that we can’t get by without qualifications  and expertise. We need to be technically perfect (as should every professional).  And at the risk of sending you a state of semi-consciousness, our formal role as ‘Contract Administrator’ of the JCT Contract does involve quite a bit of work.

It means overseeing the Articles, chairing meetings, inspecting the works, giving instructions, determining any applications for extensions, authorising payments , certifying the date of completion and settling the adjusted contract sum.

Hopefully you’re still awake.  If so, I can reassure you that’s the end of the technical summary. Because our surveying work and contractual obligations only actually account for about 40% of the time we spend on a typical major works project.  The other 60% is spent on diplomacy.

Any major works project is defined by a number of interested parties. They always include the site manager (or owner), the leaseholders and the contractors.

The managers are worried about budgets, workload, complaints, logistics and leaseholder interference.

The leaseholders have every right to interfere as they are worried about mess, disruption, noise, damage and costs.

The contractors are worried about budgets, unforeseen issues and getting paid.

And so whenever we find ourselves managing major works, the biggest issues have not been caused by the climate or  the building’s infrastructure, but by juggling the interests of everyone involved.

We’ll typically arrive on site to be greeted by questions about noise from machines, dust from the works, or the costs of the project.  On one never-to-be-forgotten occasion, a lady well-into her seventies instructed me to remove the scaffold netting immediately as it left her unable to use her air rifle out of the window.  In central London.  And yes, that’s 100% true!

The absence of surprises is the key.  As a result, we’ve developed a whole array of processes to ensure that every stakeholder is bought-into the works from the very start.

It’s not rocket science, but neither was being hit on the head by an apple.  In our case, this simple insight has ensured the smooth-running of some large and very complicated works.

Julian Davies MRICS