Investing in new technology

We are pleased to announce that we have recently invested in a number of new technology platforms to enable us to be even more efficient and accurate in our work, ultimately providing our clients with the highest possible service. We understand that technology is consistently evolving within the construction sector and are dedicated to staying up to date with these changes.

ESTA is a project management software for Surveyors, Project Managers and Contract Administrators and provides a 360 view of all projects and real-time data to show at which stages a project is. ESTA is a RICS Tech Partner meaning they uphold the RICS code of conduct and integrity. Through using ESTA, companies have seen 40% fewer mistakes in their work and an average saving of 4 hours a week. Project features with the software include single view project management, a contract certificates log, intelligent GANTT charts, risk reduction tools, a meeting minutes tracker and budget tracking.

The second technology platform we have invested in is Fieldwire. The mobile app enables us to handle documentation and drawings with ease and to improve the efficiency of site visits through streamlining reports and inspections and collaborating with the field team. We can also improve transparency and collaboration with owners and contractors to stay on top of multiple projects. The app ensures everyone is using and marking-up the same drawings and can discuss design issues as they arise, attaching any detailed sketches or specs.

We look forward to seeing how ESTA and Fieldwire can benefit both us and our clients during construction projects through risk management, time saving and cost efficiency.


Modus Win National RICS Award

Modus Construction Consultants Banner - Outstanding Small Surveying Team

Modus bring home ‘National Outstanding Small Surveying Team’ Award at the RICS Grand Final 2022

It’s still sinking in…but WE WON! When entering the regional awards earlier this year, we thought we might have a fighting chance. But when the regional category was progressed to a national award, we knew there would be some fierce competition.

Having been shortlisted in the national list, Director, Michael, and Marketing & Bid Co-ordinator, Natasha, were invited to a virtual interview with national award judge, Michael Fiddes, where further information was gathered around our original submission. It was then all down to the Grand Final in October to see if we’d done enough to win!

“The RICS UK Awards showcase the most inspirational initiatives and developments in land, real estate, construction, and infrastructure. They recognise outstanding achievement, teamwork, and companies.”

The Outstanding Small Surveying Team category ‘recognises an outstanding small surveying firm or team with fewer than 50 employees.’ and criteria for the award was divided into 5 main areas; Professionalism, Teamwork/Collaboration, Outcome and Achievement, Thought Innovation and Sustainability.

Something that clearly stood out to judges was our commitment to growing the company organically and sustainably, not just through apprenticeships, but also up-skilling our existing staff and providing them with a clear and structured career path to achieving not only their own goals, but also the company’s.

Michael Fiddes, National Judge, said:

“There was a strong and varied list of entries for this category both geographically and discipline wise. Modus Construction Consultants Ltd stood out for the combination of their passion for their business, their teamwork, innovation and focus on sustainability not only in their work but also in their workplace.”

As a RICS regulated firm, we endeavour to ensure the company practices and complies with globally recognised ethical and professional standards, giving our clients confidence that we can be trusted to always deliver a high standard of service.

We are unbelievably proud of our team for their unfaltering hard work, dedication and commitment to Modus over the last 8 years, and are grateful to everyone who has supported us throughout our journey to become the best small surveying firm in the country!

Here’s to many more successful years providing the best service we can to our clients, whilst continuously upholding the highest RICS standards.

You can find the RICS Winners brochure here.


Modus officially open new office

Since moving into our Boughton-under-Blean office 6 years ago, Modus has seen substantial growth and it was time for a move to a larger premises! Funnily enough, it was Jubilee Way in Faversham that was home to Modus’ first ever office in 2014, hosting just our founders, Martin, Michael and Gavin, and Apprentice, Sam. Now with 13 members of staff, Modus are back in Jubilee Way (just one floor up), to continue our ambitious growth plan.

Our new office not only offers more desk space, but also separate Director’s offices, a boardroom, a quiet/meeting room, a gym and a chillout area. Our new space is modern and contemporary and provides staff with a relaxed, open plan and inclusive workspace (with pool table included!).

With an overall concept and design from our friends over at ON Architecture (thank you!), you may be surprised to know that Directors, Martin and Michael, completed many of the internal elements themselves. Ideas were also welcomed from the whole Modus team, from wallpaper decisions to gym equipment and colour schemes.

Directors say…

“We’re over the moon to finally be settled into our new office, although it’s funny how things go full circle, with our first ever office also being in Jubilee Way! As Modus continued to grow over the last few years, we knew we would have to find a new location to ensure we were providing the best possible environment for our staff to work in. Since moving into our new office, the extra meeting rooms and general office space has been a game changer! We can’t wait to spend many more years here.”

Located just outside of Faversham town centre, a 10-minute drive from Canterbury and a 5-minute drive from the M2 motorway, the office is ideally located for us to maintain great links with our Kent-based network, but also easily accessible to further connections across the Southeast and further afield.

If you ever want to drop in and see us, you’d be most welcome – we look forward to seeing you!


Join Modus at the South East Construction Expo

Modus are excited to be exhibiting again at the South East Construction Expo this month! Martin and Natasha will be on Stand 164, (just behind the networking and refreshments area) throughout the day to chat all things cost consulting and quantity surveying.

Having exhibited for the first time last year, we’re looking forward to attending the ‘bigger and better’ expo this year at the new venue of K2 Crawley.

There’s loads of reasons to attend:

  • Direct access to all decision makers & Meet the Buyer appointments
  • Sharing of the latest equipment, technology, products, services and knowledge
  • Find out about existing and planned major construction projects
  • Hear expert industry focussed speakers sharing their knowledge
  • Informative discussion panel sessions on innovations across the industry
  • Live demos of new and innovative products and services

There may be a competition and prize to be won too…so make sure you come down to visit us! 👋🏼


FAQ Managing Project Programmes

Our project management service is designed to help clients achieve complete peace of mind throughout every phase. Our project co-ordinator will take responsibility for day-to-day management of each and every scheme, ensuring that each step is completed on time and within budget, with full traceability for the entire project.

In our capacity as Project Manager/Project Co-ordinator, our initial task will be to establish a detailed project execution plan/programme, starting with consultant appointments through to completion of the scheme. It will make allowance for each task along that journey to ensure that it is fully considered, and that sufficient time is allocated. This will establish a baseline programme that then informs the client of the likely timeframes and allows us to measure the progress against. By clearly defining the programme from the outset of the project, the expectations are set for all members of the project team meaning they are working towards a fixed date for delivering their aspect of the project.

Throughout the design stages, the programme will be reviewed regularly to assess if the team are achieving their deadlines and to ensure that the project maintains good progress. Where there is slippage in the programme which cannot be controlled or mitigated, such as delays to the planning process, the programme will be updated and where possible, rescheduled, to redefine the dates.

The construction stage programme will be defined by the contractor and it will become their responsibility to maintain the progress on-site in accordance with the programme.

Contractor selection is therefore an important factor in ensuring that the programme is maintained. Firstly, the contractor needs to have the relevant experience to be able to fully consider the complexity and intricacy of the construction activities and sequence them appropriately.

Secondly, they will need to have the in-house resources to properly manage the process; the office-based resource such as buyers, programmers, contract managers, surveyors, estimators etc are just as important in this process as the site-based staff undertaking the construction works.

Thirdly, they need to have an equally able and flexible supply chain who can properly resource the works and react to the site requirements and activities.

Finally, their financial security, credit availability and cash reserves etc need to be such that they can cashflow the monthly costs they will be incurring if the programme is being maintained.

If Modus are also acting as Employer’s Agent, we will hold monthly progress meetings with the contractor team to review and assess progression of the works against the programme and will highlight and report any issues we identify. At this stage there is a limit to the influence or control we have in maintaining the programme, however, there are contractual mechanisms that can be used to incentivise the contractor and it is therefore key that these are properly considered when the contract conditions are being drafted.

If you’re looking for support in managing your next construction project, contact us with a few project details and we’ll get back to you.


Modus attend Turner Schools Construction Fest

We were delighted to be invited to The Turner Schools Festival of Construction at two of their sites this summer; Turner Free School and Folkestone Academy.

The construction dedicated careers fair hosted industry colleagues from across the county, showcasing their specialisms to students from Years 7 to 12, from quantity surveying, to architecture and contracting. Exposing students to different career options early on in their education is vital in allowing them to explore not only different sectors, but also industries.

At both events, Modus attended with a Director and a current or former apprentice. Josh Belsey, who attended the Turner Free School event with Director, Martin Munday, joined Modus back in July 2019 under our apprenticeship training programme and has recently been promoted to Assistant Surveyor. Josh is currently studying part-time for his BSc Quantity Surveying degree with UCEM, fully funded by Modus. Ben Thornby, who attended the Folkestone Academy Fair with Director Michael Hoggart, joined us as a school leaver apprentice in January 2022 and will begin his studies next year.

Speaking to our young surveyors allowed students to gain a true understanding of what to expect when training in the quantity surveying industry, providing invaluable insight and real life experiences. We’re hoping we made a lasting impression on the students (not scaring them off!) and allowed them to see what a rewarding industry construction can be! Modus’ apprenticeship programme has been pivotal in our continued growth and success and we look forward to welcoming our next trainee, perhaps from one of the Turner Schools 👀


Modus shortlisted for RICS Outstanding Small Surveying Firm Award

Modus are immensely proud to have been shortlisted for Outstanding Small Surveying Firm in the 2022 RICS Awards.

Previously a regional award, the award has now been progressed to national level, making it even more of an achievement to be shortlisted. The criteria for the award was divided into 5 main areas; Professionalism, Teamwork/Collaboration, Outcome and Achievement, Thought Innovation and Sustainability.

As a RICS regulated firm, we endeavour to ensure the company practices and complies with globally recognised ethical and professional standards, giving our clients confidence that we can be trusted to deliver high standards of service at all times.

A huge congratulations to all other finalists; we can’t wait for the awards ceremony in October! 


FAQ Procurement and Contract Selection

Determining the correct procurement strategy and contract for any project, as well as the robustness of the Employer’s Requirements, are key to risk mitigation for the client.

When a client’s full brief is still to be established, we would propose a single-stage Design & Build procurement route, but with design completed up to RIBA Stage 4 and with a JCT Design & Build 2016 contract with amendments. We work with construction lawyers to tighten up some areas of the JCT D&B contract that could otherwise leave our client exposed.

In order to determine the tender list, Modus would propose to undertake a Prequalification Questionnaire process on a selected number of potential tenderers. These potential tenderers shall be required to answer a list of questions based on the requirements of the client and the funder, which is then used to decide whether or not it will engage with that tenderer for the full tender process. The questions during this process shall be centred around the appropriateness of a potential tenderer including legal status, business and professional conduct, financial position, insurances and capability.

As aforementioned, in addition to selecting the correct contract, Modus will work with construction lawyers to ensure that performance bonds, parent company guarantees and collateral warranties are all a prerequisite of the overarching contract to produce both the client and the funder with maximum protection.

Would you like more information on how we assist in the procurement and contract selection process? Contact one of our team.


How do Cost Consultants reduce and resolve conflict?

The key to avoiding conflict is to take the appropriate action to mitigate the opportunity for it to arise; principally this is done by setting clear expectations and standards and removing ambiguity.

This starts at the very outset of the project by:

  • establishing roles and responsibilities
  • defining the programme
  • considering and mitigating the risks
  • developing the design information and specifications to fully define the project requirements
  • selecting the appropriate form of procurement and type of contract
  • selection of the contractor
  • monitoring and control of the construction process

However, the financial and time constraints/pressures for both the client and contractor, which are often at opposites with the other parties, makes conflict unavoidable, hence the need for a Building Contract.

If the contract documentation is clearly defined and robust in setting the requirements and roles and responsibilities, rather than causing the conflict, it can become a useful tool for resolving conflict. It is only when there is ambiguity in the contract documentation that the contract causes further conflict.

Ultimately all parties in the construction process, whether they are the client, contractor, architect, project manager or site labourer, are all working towards achieving the same goal; the construction/delivery of the scheme/building with as little pain and aggravation as possible.

If those parties can collectively work collaboratively with each other, that process will be achieved successfully. The key is creating an environment of mutual trust and understanding. At Modus, we pride ourselves on our ability to be able to build strong relationships with our client and contractor teams and act as the cornerstone between those parties. We believe that this is achieved by providing sound, impartial advice, treating both parties fairly and reasonably and by acting with integrity. Taking this approach has shown that even in the most difficult of conflicts, Modus are able to navigate and negotiate a resolution with a positive outcome.


How does a Quantity Surveyor control cost?

In our capacity as Quantity Surveyor, Modus are responsible for accurate cost forecasting, effective budget management, cost control and financial reporting and all commercial elements of any project.

Pre-construction

Our initial priority will be to develop a Stage 1 feasibility/viability cost estimate, using gross internal floor areas and published m2 rates to establish a base-line cost for the building, and then inclusion of site-specific works and abnormal costs. The aim of this exercise is to establish a high-level budget to allow the client to test the viability of the scheme.

Being involved in all Design Team meetings will allow us to give advice or any design changes, alternative construction methods and materials or discussions that may occur during the design phase. During this phase, and as designs progress, we will prepare Stage 2 and Stage 3 Cost Plans and update these as necessary.

Throughout the design process, Modus will challenge the Design Team on their design and specification proposals to ensure the Client receives maximum value for their project, whilst maintaining quality. This will include, but not be limited to:

  • Feasibility Studies on multiple outline designs
  • Options appraisals on various building elements
  • Different construction methods
  • Alternative products

We would also hold Value Engineering Workshops at various stages of the design to ensure best value for the Client is at the forefront of the design teams mind throughout the process.

The procurement strategy and contract selection can significantly reduce the financial risks associated with the construction phases of the project. There is no form of contract which offers a fully fixed price with no risk of cost increases. However, provided the rest of the contract documentation, design, specification, surveys, reports etc are robustly developed to fully capture the contract requirements, the Design & Build (D&B) form is best suited to achieving this. When acting as Project Manager and Employer’s Agent, we will utilise the project risk register to identify, manage and mitigate the financial risks, and will monitor and advise on the suitability of the tender/contract documentation.

Taking this approach with the design, specification, surveys, reports etc does incur additional upfront fees and costs to the client, however it reduces risks and in the long-term it reduces the overall project costs.

If the tender/contract information is not suitably developed it can impact the project on several fronts; firstly, there will be less appetite to tender the scheme, secondly, the tender will be less competitive as the contractor will allow for increased risk in their price and lastly, it introduces the opportunity for the contractor to claim increased costs in the construction stage.

Assuming that the client is willing to take this approach and incur the fees upfront, we would propose opting for a single-stage competitive tender process, rather than a two-stage negotiated process, as this delivers defined costs earlier, with the highest level of competitiveness and without the additional contractor fees for their input into the design development.

During construction

As Cost Consultant, Modus will attend monthly site meetings to assess the value of works completed in the period so that we can make a recommendation for payment.

Our key responsibility is to ensure that the client is not exposed financially and is not over-paying the contractor for work or activities not completed. We therefore undertake a detailed site review to fully assess the extent of works completed. This coupled with our desktop analysis and assessment of the contract pricing schedule allows us to accurately establish the appropriate percentage of works completed.

Invariably, there will be some variation costs throughout the construction stage, and these will also form part of the valuation process. We will only pay the full value of variation costs that are fully substantiated by the contractor and agreed by us.

Modus employees are traditionally trained surveyors who can accurately measure all aspects of constructions works and have extensive knowledge of the market conditions and rates. As a result, we can undertake our own assessment of any variation costs, which puts us in a strong position to be able to challenge the contractors’ values and negotiate our position to achieve best value for the client.

It is our preference to agree any variations as they arise as this allows us to provide accurate monthly cost reports to update the client on the projected final account. Furthermore, this approach generally reduces potential disputes on completion of the project because the final account is agreed as the works progress.

Additionally, we will:

  • prepare monthly cash flow forecasts
  • review, and agree, extensions of time
  • prepare loss and expense claims
  • agree drawdowns with the fund surveyor
  • generally advise the client of their financial risks

Sound like an essential service your next construction project could benefit from? Get in contact to discuss your requirements. Our Quantity Surveying service can be coupled with other services such as Contract Administration, Employer’s Agent and Project Co-ordination to provide a more complete offering.


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