Project Management

Agora Design & Management has an extensive experience of a variety of projects, with particular expertise in animal welfare. We ensure that our clients’ facilities are efficiently planned, phased, executed and budgeted, especially taking into account the cost constraints frequently imposed on animal welfare establishments.

We work in partnership with our clients to agree a comprehensive brief of their requirements for the management, monitoring and implementation of their project. This includes the organisation of appropriate resources and consultants required to meet cost, time and performance objectives.

Building Services Engineers

Within Agora Design & Management is an experienced Building Services Engineering Consultancy with a wide-ranging expertise in the following building sectors: commercial, retail, sports and leisure, health and welfare, defence and education.

Our building services engineers will undertake a survey of existing services on the site, research available information and discuss the proposed scheme with the relevant statutory authority, prepare an Employer's Requirements brief for the building services engineering aspects of the project, and monitor the design development, whilst providing you with budgetary advice.

We offer a complete service that is tailored to your specific objectives.

Client’s Representative

Agora Design & Management endeavour to ensure that each client’s expectations and requirements are fulfilled from inception to completion of the project. We monitor progress and ensure team members are fully informed about every aspect of a project’s development.

We can advise or represent our clients on single or multi-scale developments, and act as funding body representatives or third party advisers.

Building Surveying

Agora Design & Management have an experienced Chartered Building Surveying division possessing a wealth of expertise in the animal welfare, human healthcare, retail, commercial, industrial, historic property, and education sectors.

Our services include:

• General building and structural surveys, including the evaluation of engineering services
• Dilapidations
• Condition appraisal, monitoring and stock surveys
• Planned maintenance schedules and facilities management advice
• Site, building or building element pathology
• The management of refurbishment and maintenance projects
• Multi-site works, portfolio assessments and surveys
• Party wall and boundary procedures
• Conservation and historic building works
• Development monitoring for client lenders, developers or occupiers
• Insurance investigations
• General building and property advice for landlords or tenants.

Architectural Services

Agora Design & Management have put their wealth of experience accumulated over many projects and different disciplines into the formation of their Architectural Services department.

The combination of fully qualified Architects and Architectural Technicians means that all aspects of design and construction are handled by the right team at the right time. With powerful three-dimensional computer software, we lead our clients clearly and smoothly through the whole design process, to ensure the end building fully meets their requirements and expectations. This approach allows all aspects of a design to be assessed for aesthetics, ease of construction, environmental impact, economic resolution and co-ordination with other consultants, before a spade is turned, and thereby avoids unnecessary costly mistakes or delays on site.

With particular knowledge of the Animal Welfare sector, Agora Design & Management’s Architects are fully aware of the particular demands that this field places upon the specification of the right materials and incorporation of specialist equipment into the built environment. This experience and insight is applied to all of our projects, be it a Veterinary surgery refurbishment, some additional kennelling, or a whole new animal shelter or hospital, to ensure that good quality is provided at every opportunity.

Quantity Surveying

Agora Design & Management have an experienced Chartered Quantity Surveying division, which will provide you with financial and contractual advice throughout the duration of any construction project. Our services include:

Pre-contract

• Budgetary advice from initial concept through to pre-tender stage
• Value engineering to ensure optimum financial solutions
• Preparation of appropriate tender documentation (including hybrid arrangements, should the circumstances so dictate)
• Evaluation of tenders received and recommendation for acceptance
• Preparation of contract documents for signature by the parties

Post-contract

• Cash-flow projections
• Preparation of interim recommendations for payments to the contractor Value engineering advice, where appropriate, in respect of authorised variations
• Agreement with the contractor of the value of authorised variations
• Advice to the client in the event of contractual disputes and the negotiation of appropriate settlements
• Agreement with the contractor of the final account

Mechanical & Electrical Consultants

Agora Design & Management’s Building Services Engineering Consultancy has a wide-ranging expertise including heating, ventilating, air conditioning, water-services, electrical power and lighting systems, fire detection and alarm, security, data and communications, audio visual, medical gasses and associated systems and renewable technologies: within commercial, retail, sport and leisure, human health, animal welfare, defence and education sectors.

Our consultant services engineers will undertake a survey of existing services onto the site, research available information and discuss the proposed scheme with the statutory authorities, prepare an Employer’s Requirements brief for the building services engineering aspects of the project, monitor the design development, and provide you with budgetary advice or a full design service depending upon the requirements of your project. Our service is tailored to your specific needs, and whilst we strive for the ideal solution, we also respect the practical constraints of budget and programme.

We are much more than just designers of technical systems, as we play our part in delivering a project that works effectively for all of its stakeholders, encompassing the total system of the building, its function, operability and environment, and provide solutions that really work.

CDM Co-ordinators

Agora Design & Management have experienced Construction Design & Management Co-ordinators to advise and assist you to meet your legal obligations under CDM regulations, submit Health & Safety Executive F10 notifications, and brief designers of their responsibilities. We also liaise with them to identify and design out construction and residual risks. We provide the Pre-Construction Information Document and assess the Principal Contractor’s Health & Safety Plan. Upon completion, we check the Health & Safety File produced by the principal contractor to ensure that it not only complies with the statutory requirements, but that it also covers your specific needs – and can offer you advice on keeping this important documentation up to date and available for future reference.

Health & Safety Consultants

Prior to occupation, we can assist client’s to comply with the ‘Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005’, and are able to produce your company Health &  Safety Policy. We will work with you to understand your specific business occupational requirements, including the Disability Discrimination Act, to develop a holistic approach to environmental Health & Safety. We can advise on and arrange specific surveys including asbestos, legionellae, COSHH or other hazards which affect every building owner or occupier.