Cost Vs Value

An example of fitted furniture in a walk in wardrobe within a master bedroom

A good number of years ago now, we had the pleasure of hanging a lovely-looking, rather expensive light fitting in the hallway of a stunning home (for context – think annual salary of a mid-level retail manager), and it was total rubbish. Truly shocking in quality and value!

It was in that moment, on the top of a scaffold tower in the grand hallway of a beautiful residence, that I started to fully understand what value really is. It’s an interesting concept, applicable to almost everything in life (and highly subjective), but since that moment, my view of value in prime residential construction has only strengthened.

Tangible.
There’s absolutely nothing wrong with expensive fixtures, fittings, and finishes, but they must represent good value to be justified. They need to be of very high quality – the type you can see and feel. When you have been around various products for a while, you just know. You quickly understand where the price sits against the value, and it’s surprising how often you’re just not convinced.

Intangible.
Service in prime construction is no different. Some companies’ labour rates are high and there is nothing wrong with this – but these companies better deliver real quality and craftsmanship, in an appropriate manner! We aren’t just talking about the level of the finished product – we are talking about the way companies behave: organisation, communication, punctuality, paperwork, professionalism, and teamwork. The list goes on.

In short, just because a product or service is at the higher end of the cost spectrum, doesn’t automatically mean it offers value for money – And it should.

At Taylor Kings, we have a great deal of experience working with premium products and first-class companies, sourced locally, nationally, and internationally. We’re incredibly proud of the network we have built and our understanding of value in the products and services we source and supply!

Jeremy

Our post-construction phase framework.

  • Deep Cleaning – We employ professional cleaners who understand the importance of the products they are using and the methods they adopt.
  • Completion inspections – We go over every inch of the project to ensure that the work meets our incredibly high expectations.
  • Submission of Certification – We submit all certification to the building inspector/s to achieve project completion.
  • Handover – We carry out a full walk-through with our clients so that they can be shown the operations of all new equipment.
  • Operations & Maintenance Manual – We assemble and present a full O&M folder with guides for any new systems and care instructions.
  • Documentation Pack – Alongside the O&M manual, we assemble a documentation pack for any work completed which includes as-built drawings, service mark-ups, specification packs and relevant certifications.
  • Contacts Directory – Beyond being the main point of contact, we also form a comprehensive list of contacts which have worked on the project.
  • 12 Month Rectification Visit – As standard on any project, we always return after 12 months to carry out any snagging.
  • Ongoing support – We are there for our existing clients, long after completion. From handyman tasks to full maintenance plans, we offer a level of service which is not offered to the wider public.

Our construction phase framework.

  • Internal Inspections – There are a host of inspections to be completed and recorded on a daily and weekly basis. From welfare facilities, tidiness and security to major safety considerations such as scaffolding – our site agents use a centralised mobile application, where we have created bespoke templates to follow and track all of the inspections.
  • External Inspection – We organise and fulfil compliance inspections from building and warranty inspectors and our third-party health and safety inspector.
  • Meetings – We hold official weekly site meetings for the project team and all parties which are affected the current or imminent programme. We also hold official progress meetings, normally on a monthly frequency, with the clients and wider project team.
  • Reviews – We constantly review and tweak all of the various pre-construction project plans and main programme, issuing any changes to the project team and client.
  • Quality Control – Anyone working on our sites knows the exceptional standards we expect, but we still remain vigilant and ensure that the standards are met in every detail.
  • Information Collation – we collate and present all building control inspections, product warranties, operating and maintenance records and start to form the post-completion documentation.

Our pre-construction framework.

  • Define the Project Scope – We sit down and evaluate the drawings, technical specifications and information schedules before setting out clear project objectives, deliverables, a breakdown of key components and a list of possible conflicts.
  • Set a Project Programme – using the agreed scope, we layout a project programme. We do this using GANTT chart software which is a tool to visualise and rationalize time scales.
  • Form a Cost Management plan – we use the costing documents and project programme to estimate financial forecasts.
  • Form a Risk Management plan – we seek to find, highlight and plan for any items which may create risk to the programme or budget.
  • Form a Health and Safety plan – this is an extension of our Construction Phase Plans and highlights our use of developed Risk and Method Statements.
  • Create a communication plan – how we inform any external parties like neighbours of work that may affect them, we look at setting on/off site meeting frequencies, expectations for the transfer of information in RFI’s (requests for information), completion of various Registers and form a centralised shared information hub.
  • Form a Procurement Plan – We assess the lead times of all proposed materials and trades and map these against the project programme to highlight any risks to the programme. 
  • Highlight Quality Concerns – we review the selected materials and specifications to assess any areas which will need careful quality control to meet our high expectations.

Our compliance commitments:

  • Qualified and competent personnel for every role, including Site Manager.
  • Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) qualified site agents.
  • Dedicated Construction Phase Plans.
  • Fully developed Risk Assessments and Method Statements (RAMS).
  • Thorough Fire Control and Emergency Plans.
  • Detailed site inductions for all personnel and visitors.
  • Correct and clear site signage and first aid stations.
  • Regular inspections and maintenance of all plant and equipment by qualified third party inspectors (LOLER).
  • Daily inspections of plant and equipment.
  • Regular site inspection audits by a third party health & safety consultant.