When it comes to construction, conversion or renovation projects, the need for a precise estimate is of equal importance to the project manager and the client, both of whom are united in their fear of overspending. However, it is customary to make assessments based on ratios (m2 and/or m3), which certainly give an idea, but not a reliable financial envelope.
Bativert offers a more sophisticated approach right from the pre-project phase: we calculate as accurately as possible from the outset, so as to build the project on a realistic basis and facilitate its evolution and subsequent implementation.
Nicolas Salgado, Head of General Planning, tells us all about "calculation", the pillar of a successful project launch for the benefit of the project owner.
Bativert. Why make the effort to draw up a precise budget in the pre-project phase?
Drawing up a budget goes beyond the mental image to specify the elements of form, function, equipment and embellishment that will make up the materiality of the project, both structurally and in the construction process. It lays the foundations for a clear and transparent relationship with the architect and the client.
What method do you rely on?
We don't rely on ratio estimates, which, while allowing a first perimeter, waste a considerable amount of time in catching up and readjusting, to fit within the framework of allocations.
We prefer to ask the right questions and stay within the realm of feasibility, thanks to a precise and detailed costing established in accordance with the Construction Cost Code (CFC) published by the Swiss Study Center for the Rationalization of Construction (CRB).
This system makes it possible to rationalize all the costs generated by a project, from conception to completion. This includes land acquisition, building-related costs, the costs of external installations, fittings and equipment, as well as all fees and miscellaneous incidental costs.
The CFC is an execution-oriented work tool that has been used for decades, providing a common basis for designers, contractors, project owners and investors, and enabling costs to be subdivided by category.
And how do you proceed?
For efficient estimating, we use an item-by-item approach, detailing each component of the project. This technique offers greater security in terms of quantities, even if unit prices are, depending on the context of the project, to be considered as evolving. In fact, depending on the degree of precision of the customer's preliminary definition of needs, certain unit prices are included on a hypothetical basis, but always in line with the standing of the operation, and may therefore evolve according to the customer's actual final choices.
The quantity survey approach secures a significant part of the estimate through precise quantification, unlike a simple ratio estimate. This method facilitates better management of customer expectations.
Do you use this methodology in the same way for project owners or architects?
Bativert can act as an architect, as a project owner's assistant or in a consortium with other architects. We have extensive experience in general contracting and site management, enabling us to secure costs effectively from start to finish. Our estimates are broken down by lot, and include the fees of the contractors, site management and overall planning.
When it comes to renovation and conversion, how do you manage risk?
We take great precautions upstream, with a typological and functional study of the existing building, including its history. We go into great depth at the time of the estimate, which reassures the client and enables him to enjoy the realization process.
In each case, we identify three categories of risk - financial, planning and technical - as well as six principles to be observed in order to anticipate and control them:
- Cost-delivery-quality vigilance : this means keeping a constant watch on expenditure, deadlines and quality in order to ensure the contractual coherence of the project.
- "Entrepreneurial" quality : we adopt a proactive, results-oriented mentality, made possible by our agile structure and the commitment of each of our stakeholders at every stage of the project.
- Pragmatism: our accumulated experience encourages us to be realistic; we provide concrete, sustainable solutions, while respecting the initial architectural vision.
- "Just quality", not "over-quality" : we guarantee the level of contractual quality, always seeking to add significant value for the client. What's more, our approach to project management is based on the idea of streamlining. We advocate simple, clear and transparent procedures, rather than the "indigestible" processes of some builders. In other words, when it comes to managing a project, we don't fill in and check off boxes in a table, but analyze the substance of each subject to ensure that our partners and customers make the right decisions and take the right direction.
- Link de proximité with users : we nurture fluid, productive communication with end-users to ensure that their needs and expectations are fully understood and integrated into the project.
- Attention to "energy - environmental" : we take into account all energy and environmental aspects of the project, to guarantee its sustainability and compliance with environmental regulations and expectations. Energy is at the heart of every decision we make and every thought we give throughout the project management process.
How do you convince your customers to start with a detailed cost estimate, at a stage when they are often offered a simple estimate?
We add decisive value by accompanying them right from the upstream conceptual phase. This makes it easier to minimize costs and allocate assets wisely, while guaranteeing project quality. Our structure, which brings together architects, engineers and technicians, enables us to rigorously manage financial risks, ensure balanced profitability and cultivate the enthusiasm inherent in the act of building.