EXPERT DEVELOPMENT FEASIBILITY & TECHNICAL AUDITS

Independent Construction Assurance, Technical Oversight & Financial Stewardship

CONSTRUCTION ASSURANCE

Technical Oversight & Financial Stewardship

Once construction commences, my role shifts to active guardianship. I provide the persistent, high-level oversight required to ensure the project maintains its trajectory toward The Prime Standard.

Technical Foresight

(Site Audits) I conduct regular, site inspections to audit all elements of the build.

Financial Oversight

I act as the commercial auditor for your capital. Every monthly contractor valuation and variation request is audited line-by-line. I verify that payments are only authorised for work that has been physically validated on-site and executed to the required specification.

RETENTION STEWARDSHIP & QUALITY CALIBRATION

Throughout the build, the Client retains physical custody of a contractually structured retention fund—typically holding back 3% of all certified valuations during the construction phase and 1.5% during the subsequent rectification period. DG Development Advisory acts strictly client-side to manage the rigorous verification mechanics of these funds. This ensures you maintain absolute financial leverage over the main contractor. No retention capital is released from your account at practical completion, nor at the final conclusion of the 12-month defects liability period, until I have personally inspected and verified that every single technical and finish standard has been flawlessly achieved.

Quality Calibration

Prior to Practical Completion, I perform a final, audit of all finishes and systems. I ensure that the transition from a construction site to a private residence is flawless, providing a final "Sign-Off" that protects your investment.

PHASE 1: Schedule of Pre-Construction Services

1. Acquisition Advocacy & Technical Due Diligence

Professional Liaison: Working directly with Solicitors and Land Agents to provide technical support throughout the purchase process until the point of completion on the purchase.
Strategic Feasibility: Evaluating the site’s potential against your vision, ensuring the property can realistically achieve The Prime Standard.
Practical Site Assessment: Reviewing the land—identifying potential ground condition issues, access restrictions, and any coastal-specific challenges.
Planning Strategy: Collaborating with planning consultants to navigate the local planning authorities specific requirements.
TPO & Ecology Oversight: Managing the complexities of Tree Preservation Orders and environmental constraints to prevent project delays.

Design & Technical Review

Architectural Liaison: Working alongside the architect to ensure the design is not only beautiful but "buildable." My experience allows me to spot technical conflicts in drawings that could lead to expensive on-site variations.
Specification Curation: Advising on the selection of high-performance materials and finishes to ensure long-term durability in the environment.

3. Professional Team & Legal Management

Contractual Support: Working with you to review the build contract, ensuring the terms are fair and protect you, the owner, rather than the contractor.
• Tender Management: I verify that the pricing is realistic for the specified quality—identifying "hidden" exclusions or underestimated provisional sums that lead to budget creep. My goal is to ensure you enter the construction phase with cost certainty, not an optimistic estimate. Transparency & Reporting: All hours are logged with a description of the work undertaken.“An hour of review at this stage typically saves ten hours of rectification work once the build is underway

PHASE 2: CONSTRUCTION ADVISORY & DELIVERY

Following the completion of the Pre-Construction phase, the project transitions into the Practical Build. My role shifts to Construction Advisory, providing a "Live Shield" on-site to protect the integrity of the design and the efficiency of the budget.

1. Core Deliverables (Included in Retainer)

Site Audits: Regular inspections to ensure high Standards are the correct quality before works are concealed.
Financial Auditing: Auditing all contractor valuations and payment applications to ensure the Client only pays for verified, quality work.
Variation Control: Vetting and negotiating any "extras" or variations to prevent budget creep.
Conflict Resolution: Acting as the lead authority to resolve disputes between architects, engineers, and contractors.

The "Insurance" Factor: On a build, my ability to catch a single technical error or negotiate a variation often saves the client more than my entire annual fee.

Retained Project Stewardship & Financial Oversight

Continuous client-side representation throughout practical construction and handover.

Encompasses physical site quality inspections before works are concealed, contractor valuation auditing and variation control.

ENGAGEMENT STRUCTURE & COMMERCIAL TERMS

Every prime residential scheme possesses distinct site, structural, and contractual complexities. To maintain total independence and direct director oversight, we do not operate on open-ended hourly billing or percentage-of-cost models that incentivise inflated build budgets. We engage under two transparent frameworks:

Pre-Construction Diagnostic & Tender Audit

Fixed-Fee Engagement

Comprehensive technical, planning, and contractual due diligence prior to site acquisition or contract execution.
Vetting of architectural drawings and contractor tenders to eliminate hidden exclusions and optimistic provisional sums.
Fee: Fixed per assignment based on project scale (from £1,500 + VAT).

Retained Project Stewardship & Financial Oversight

Monthly Retainer

Continuous client-side representation throughout practical construction and handover.
Encompasses physical site quality inspections before works are concealed, contractor valuation auditing and variation control.
Fee: Fixed monthly advisory retainer tailored to build programme and inspection frequency.

Instructions are strictly capped each year to ensure your scheme receives direct, personal technical stewardship.

Notice Period & Terms of Engagement

3.1 Flexibility: This agreement operates on a rolling monthly basis to ensure total Client control.

3.2 Notice Period: Either party may terminate the engagement by providing 30 days' written notice. Upon termination, all due payments for hours worked and services rendered up to the end of the notice period must be paid in full.

• Minimum Engagement: All professional consultations, site visits, and technical reviews are subject to a minimum charge of 1 hour per engagement.

• VAT: All professional fees and rates quoted in this prospectus are subject to VAT @ 20%.

Retention & Final Audit

4.1 Withholding: As per the build contract, a 3% retention will be held, with 1.5% released at Practical Completion and the final 1.5% held for 12 months.

4.2 Final Audit: At the conclusion of the 12-month Defect Liability Period, the Consultant will perform a "Quality Calibration" audit.

4.3 Certification: The final 1.5% retention shall not be released by the Client until the Consultant has issued a formal Certificate of Quality Calibration.

05 Privacy & Confidentiality

5.1 Non-Disclosure: The Consultant shall maintain absolute confidentiality regarding the Client’s identity, financial arrangements, and property location, to protect the Client’s privacy and project security.

06 Liability & Insurance

6.1 Professional Indemnity: The Consultant maintains Professional Indemnity Insurance appropriate for the scale of the advisory services provided.

6.2 Scope of Liability: The Consultant’s liability is limited to the provision of advice and oversight. The Main Contractor remains legally responsible for site safety, structural integrity, and Building Regulations compliance.

07 Governing Law

This agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales.