Architecture & Design Services

Design

The Architects and Building Surveyors within the Design Unit are responsible for design, management and implementation of projects ranging in value from £50,000 to £6,000,000 and above. The practice is recognised nationally for its award winning designs, many of which have a strong emphasis on sustainability.

Main duties of the Team

• Assistance with the formulation of design briefs and project objectives.
• Undertake feasibility studies to establish the scope of work, cost and potential solutions.
• Advise on relevant legislation, design standards and guidance.
• Advise on appropriate procurement routes and programming.
• Design and implementation of projects from inception to completion on site.
• Set standards for design quality, for work undertaken by external consultants.
• Provide advice and direction to external consultants including scrutiny of designs.
• Advise on sustainable design and construction, ensuring good practice is adopted at all times.

Clerks of Works

The Clerks of Works team is responsible for supervising the building work on major projects being undertaken by contractors on site. 

They supplement and support the contractual supervision role of the Architect or Supervising Officer by focusing on the detail, e.g., is the contractor using the specified materials, adhering to the best practice guidelines and producing work of an acceptable finished quality?

This is particularly important when checking work that would otherwise be covered up by subsequent building operations.

The Clerk of Works team are also key players in identifying defects on new building projects and ensuring that the handover process, when projects have been completed, is managed smoothly.

The team comprises a small permanent staff team with expertise in general building and Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, supplemented by agency staff to meet the demands of a fluctuating workload.

The Principal Clerk of Works, in consultation with other Property Services colleagues, the Client and lead consultants, also manages the process of compiling tender lists of potentially suitable contractors for future building projects. 

Quantity Surveying

The Quantity Surveying function carried out by the Building Economist Team is a key role in the management of Worcestershire County Councils Capital Building Programme and work with external clients.

The team has the responsibility for providing cost advice for construction and refurbishment projects with an aim of ensuring that the County Council obtains optimum value for money in building a better Worcestershire.

The team manages a large and diverse programme of work which is benchmarked to national cost standards to ensure that the public of Worcestershire enjoy well designed quality buildings developed using economic procurement and construction methods.   

The team are committed to develop new initiatives for implementing projects including partnering arrangements for procurement.

The team is made up of a number of highly motivated professional staff who has achieved best in class status and are winners of two prestigious Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors awards.

A full range of quantity surveying services is provided including the management of consultants in an established partnership approach.

Key tasks undertaken include:

• Budget estimating.
• Targeting and facilitating inward investment.
• Option appraisal/whole life costs.
• Cost management (including value engineering).
• Best value procurement procedures (including framework partnering).
• Economic advice on targets for CO2 reduction.
• Performance management and statistics.
• Auditing.

Case Studies

 Worcestershire County Council - Refurbishment of Council Chamber

 Malvern, The Chase School - New Science Block

 Hagley Catholic High School - New Sports Hall

 Worcester Green Hill Lodge - New Children's Home