Andrew Vallis 22 July 2025
When we meet with client teams at the start of any new project, we very quickly talk about the range of potential solutions in front of us. But there’s always one question I get asked: what are the risks?
As a team of professionals, it is so important that we can identify any potential problems so that they can either be removed, designed out or allowed for. So, we always start those meetings prepared, having considered the kinds of issues we might encounter along the way and how we can mitigate them.
But, as in any complex project, there will be inherent risks, and they will vary hugely from project to project. No two clients are the same and neither are their properties. Some are consistent across projects, like those associated with the building process itself, and in particular the contractor employed to carry out the works. So, we place huge emphasis on ensuring the correct contractor is selected for a project, and this process starts long before their appointment.
Long experience in this industry and a commitment to the highest quality have helped us to form tried and tested methods for ensuring that the correct contractor is appointed. They include:
- Pre-tender due diligence
Ensuring that every contractor we are considering meets our first stage due diligence is a vital step and helps to ensure that we find out everything we can about tendering contractors before we even approach them to consider the works.
- Shortlisting contractors
Here, we always go to our own database first. Having worked across the UK for many years, we have built up good relationships and an extensive database of building contractors in all corners of the nation. We’ve also captured a lot of insight into the way building contractors perform on projects like ours. For example, for every project we complete, we carry out a thorough post-completion assessment of contractors. This helps us to ensure that we only approach tendering contractors of the highest quality. Outside of our own data, we also always ask client teams if they have had positive experiences with local contractors who may be suitable so that they can be considered. The third and final avenue is research into the local area to identify any potential tenderers who have the correct trade affiliations, meet our financial requirements and demonstrate positive feedback from clients. It’s a detailed research phase before we make any approach, but it helps to ensure we work only with contractors we have the highest level of confidence in.
- Comprehensive tender documents
Providing contractors with a suitable pack of information is absolutely key. The correct level of information ensures that the works are fully understood by all parties, leaving no room for misunderstanding. That said, however, it is also important to not over-provide within the tender pack. I have seen many a tender process undone by going into too much onerous detail or being too prescriptive in how a contractor should deliver what’s needed. We don’t want to put contractors off and reduce the likelihood of receiving enough responses. We want enthusiastic contractors who really want to do the work with full commitment, so it’s a balance that comes with experience.
- Strict 4-week process
Continuity and meeting expectations is absolutely vital. Contractors are made aware of the timescales involved, and why these are important. We run a strict 4-week process. It gives the contractor enough time to consider their proposal in detail while being mindful of project timescales and the fact we probably have a family who are desperate to get into their new property as quickly as possible.
- Meeting every contractor
It is quite rare these days that every contractor would be met on site by the designer to walk through the scheme and have the opportunity to answer any questions they may have on the information provided. But, that’s exactly what we do every time. It is wholly in the interests of everyone we represent to ensure that contractors have fully understood the scope of works. It also helps us to form our own assessment of some of the more intangible aspects of a contractor’s approach and their organisation so we have more comparison points than a tender response document.
- Further due diligence
The tender responses, of course, contain the contractor’s proposed costs for completing the works set out. But, we also ask for the return of enhanced due diligence that includes references and proof of the necessary insurances. This is just as important as the return of the costs themselves. Without the necessary confidence in a contractor, we would not be able to deem them as suitable for a project and may lead to them being discounted.
- Ensuring continuity in responses
A fair and detailed analysis of cost, quality, programme and due diligence is essential to help us advise our clients in the best way possible. Making sure that responses are only received in our prescribed, templated format helps us to ensure we can easily compare like for like and enable our Quantity Surveyor to assess fairly. This in turn leads into a balanced tender report from PLG with onward recommendations to our client, delivering easy to follow content that supports our recommendations and saves time in the process.
Although not an exhaustive list by any means, these are big steps that can help you to identify the contractors who may be suitable for a project. Our tender processes have evolved over several years and will no doubt continue to do so but always with the client in mind and an emphasis on getting the highest quality result from whatever budget is available.
