Stage Four - Contract Administration & Project Support

How can Method Studio help you when your builder is ready to start?

We are experienced in helping our clients from your first concept, right to when you move in! Our Stages One - Three get you to a point where you have a concept, planning permission, technical drawings and several tenders sitting in front of you, what to do now!? Firstly, if we are appointed as contract administrator within our Stage Four process, we help set up pre-contract meetings between you and your preferred contractor. In this meeting we facilitate setting up a contract that formally organises and defines the construction work, simplifying the contractural process. 

Using Method Studio Architecture as your contract administrator provides you with a higher level of protection against significant project delays and potential financial risks. We take the headaches out of how much to pay your contractor each month, we create clear communication channels and help to answer on site questions, most importantly we keep our clients informed and stress free throughout the build! The contract administrator is appointed by the client, but when certifying or giving an assessment or decision, they should act honestly and reasonably.

What types of things are involved in our Stage Four process?

(This bit can be dry but super helpful to know what’s involved!)…

• Checking tenders

• Preparing contracts for client and contractors

• Administrating change control procedures

• Seeking instructions from the client in relation to the contract

• Issuing instructions eg. variations or making good defects

• Considering claims

• Organising construction progress meetings

• Preparing and issuing site progress reports

• Co-ordinating and instructing site inspectors

• Agreeing commissioning and testing procedures

• Agreeing defects reporting procedures

• Ensuring that project documentation is issued to the client

• Issuing certificates of practical completion and interim certificates

• Collating and issuing schedules of defects

• Issuing the certificate of making good defects, and the final certificate

This list can be a little intimidating for the inexperienced, that’s why we are here to help! We can take the surprises and stresses out of payments, on site queries and assist in any disputes. A large part of being a contract administrator is giving site support to our clients and contractors. This involves Method Studio Architecture chairing regular site progress meetings. At these meetings we check the progress on site against the contractors program, check for defects, answer questions and record agreements, decisions and site photos. This is an important part of keeping a smooth relationship and ensuring your architectural project is running as planned.

We can also offer Project Support only, for any clients with smaller projects. This means you can have the reassurance we are here for a call or site visit as and when you need it! 

If you want to learn more about contract administration, or site meetings please feel free to request a call from us. We will be happy to explain the process step by step and discuss how your specific architectural project would work on site.