Risk Management articles for surveyors
Anyone for abseiling?
by Tim Prior LLB AIRM, Senior Risk Management Consultant
It is sometimes worth pausing to consider how an innovative design will work for the client once in occupation. Take, for example, the Scottish Parliament building which won the Stirling prize for architecture in 2005. Just how do they clean those windows?
For a building that was completed three years late and at a total cost of £431 million, a massive ten times over budget, it may seem odd to focus on something so apparently trivial as the practicalities of window cleaning. However, it has been highlighted because of something unusual. Due to the building’s design, a standard cradle system could not be used to clean the windows. Instead, at a reported annual cost of £28,000, a team of 12 abseilers do the job.
In a normal brief any unexpected maintenance costs could be enough to turn a satisfied client into an unhappy one with a grievance. As to whether the expense was anticipated here, one would expect that it was - although, against the backdrop of capital overspend, the abseiling costs look like a drop in the ocean.
Next time you are involved in design work for a client, try to think how the property will be used by the client and whether there are unusual aspects of the design that may have an impact on maintenance or future use. If it is so innovative that you can’t offer any advice, then it makes sense to warn the client of this.
Whilst it is impossible to second guess everything, good communication with clients from start to finish is key.
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Surveyors
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