Services & Benefits
The qualitative and quantitative benefits from using our Approved Inspector building control services:
Qualitative
Oculus are strong advocates of being available for early consultation on projects to avoid abortive design work and avoid delays and potential conflicts. As an integral member of the Design Team we can assist in guiding members on Building Regulations related matters at an early and appropriate stage.
Our building control service is tailored to meet the needs of the project and to ensure a smooth transition from design to construction on site to meet compliance with the regulations.
We provide a single point of contact regardless of the location of the project, which simplifies project administration and aids communication.
We are fully qualified and experienced chartered building control surveyors providing knowledgeable and consistent interpretation of legislation and guidance avoiding issues related to interpretation.
We instigate good communication at all stages of the design and construction processes producing detailed Plan Examination Schedules and Site Inspection Reports as a means of keeping the Design and Construction Teams up to date with the building control process.
The level of our fees strongly reflect our statutory duties under the Building Act 1984 and the service level contained in the Building Control Performance Standards as set out by Communities and Local Government.
We operate stage approvals where design information is made available on a rolling programme. There is no restriction of bureaucratic statutory time limits with our building control system giving greater flexibility.
Quantitative
Our fee allows for fully servicing the project. Even in a competitive climate we do not get involved in providing unrealistically low fee proposals. These can often result in false economy and pitfalls over the course of the project with resources not being adequately provided and is often a problem deferred. Site inspections account for the majority of our fee and we do not compromise on this important element. We believe that the frequency of inspections can ultimately save money by ensuring that any contraventions are identified at an early stage rather than later in the project when remedial works are likely to cost much more. Our fees are competitive and realistic and we are always happy to give a break down of how they are formulated.
Our early input with consultation with the Design Team can produce significant cost savings for the project. Often designs can be rationalised as a result of our input thus making cost savings early in the process. We are also able to assist the Design / Client Team with value engineering. Visit our website for examples of cost saving case studies.
Flexibility of travel - we travel to the Design Team which has benefits and cost savings for the team with not having to travel to the offices of the Local Authority where the traditional route for the building control service is taken. This is a cost element which is often overlooked when comparing our fee with that of a Local Authority. Feedback and experience tell us that this can amount to a significant sum when all relevant members of the Design Team need to travel to attend the consultation meetings at the offices of the Local Authority. In one instance this cost to the Design Team for a single meeting has amounted to more than 50% of our fee.