As you may know if you’ve been following us on social media, we’ve laser focused our business to provide the best possible service as a principal contractor on large commercial refurbishment projects across the UK.
But what does that mean and what do we do..?
Simply put, a principal contractor is appointed by the client and the one who runs the project. We ensure the timeline, budget and logistics are in place, then bring in other contractors to make it happen – we get the ball rolling and we are where the buck stops!
So, what exactly is a principal contractor responsible for?
A principal contractor should be appointed as soon as possible, but certainly before refurbishment or construction begins. This allows plenty of time for all the responsibilities to be undertaken:
Planning
Working closely with the client we sit down and look at our starting point. We discuss where we want the project to go, and what the end result should be, by when and using what budget. The result of this discussion is a written construction phase plan, as required by the (Construction Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). We may have to tweak a few things to make it all align – for example we can’t turn a barn into a luxury wedding venue in a week with no money – we’d love to, but we can’t…
Collaboration
We need to bring in other providers such as architects and surveyors, and skilled trades for everything from the ground up. This requires networking and meeting businesses to ensure they work with similar ethics and have the allowance to take on a new project. At Refurb, we have a trusted network in place, many of whom accompany us on a large commercial refurb project, but we do also rely on local businesses to help us with construction work.
Health and Safety
Health and Safety is always a priority. This involves risk assessments, ensuring that anyone we bring onto a project has the necessary skills, training and experience to provide the work they are contracted for, carrying out site specific inductions, and securing the site from unauthorised access.
There’s a lot of paperwork involved and some very specific regulations to be followed as laid out by the HSE.
Logistics and coordination
Principal contractors are also responsible for organising who is on site, and when. We liaise with providers such as carpenters, electricians, window fitters and plasters to ensure no one is on site before they should be and leave site on time to ensure the project maintains flow.
If you’ve ever seen an episode of Grand Designs, you’ll already understand the difficulties this can throw up! However, this is the part of Refurb that our director Matthew Boyd loves the most. And he’s received many emails in testament to his proficiency:
“Refurb Property Renovations have been working with us for the last 18 months transforming a dilapidated site into a modern Outdoor Activity Centre in Cuffley. The Cuffley programme of works has had many phases and varied project requirements, and Refurb have delivered every time; from handling the curveballs that we throw at them through to the delivery of a fresh modern and practical site. The Refurb team really understand our vision and have helped us achieve a remarkable centre.” Cuffley
Do you have a ‘grand design’ in mind for a warehouse, outdoor ed centre, school or building conversion? Get in touch with our office to begin the conversation, we’d be delighted to lead your refurb team.
