For works over $30,000, NSW strata schemes are generally required to obtain at least two independent quotes.
But when those quotes land on your desk, there’s a more important question than which number is lower… Are they actually pricing the same solution?
With remedial works, that isn’t always a given. One contractor may allow for localised repairs while another assumes replacement. Access, testing, making good, temporary works and even the proposed repair methodology can vary considerably.
An $80,000 quote and a $120,000 quote may look like a $40,000 price difference. In reality, they could be two completely different scopes of work.
This is where a consulting engineer comes in.
Before contractors price the work, an engineering consultant can investigate the defect, determine an appropriate remedial solution and translate that into a clearly documented scope.
That gives contractors a consistent technical basis to price against – and gives the strata manager and owners corporation a much stronger basis for understanding and comparing the proposals that come back.
The engineer isn’t deciding how much the owners corporation should spend. They’re helping make sure everyone understands what that money is intended to deliver.
Then the quotes need to be unpacked…
Even with a defined scope, tenders rarely come back identical.
Contractors may propose different methodologies, exclusions, programmes, access arrangements or alternatives. A lower price may exclude something another contractor has included or rely on assumptions that could become variations later.
This is another important role for the engineering consultant: reviewing the tenders from a technical perspective and helping the owners corporation understand what sits behind the numbers.
The aim isn’t necessarily to recommend the cheapest contractor. It’s to help establish which proposal represents the right combination of scope, methodology, capability, risk and value.
The engineer’s role doesn’t end when a contractor is appointed.
Once the contractor is appointed, the original engineering scope provides an important reference point for delivery.
Depending on the project, the engineering consultant may undertake inspections, review technical submissions, assess variations, respond to unforeseen conditions and verify that the completed works align with the intended remedial solution.
That creates continuity from the defect that was investigated, to the solution that was designed, to the work that was priced and ultimately delivered.
So, what are you actually paying to fix?
Getting at least two quotes is one part of good procurement. Making sure those quotes relate to a properly investigated, clearly defined and technically appropriate solution is another.
For significant remedial expenditure, engaging an engineering consultant early can give strata managers and owners corporations something much more useful than another price to compare: clarity around what they’re buying in the first place.
Before you go to market, get the scope right.
Engaging an engineering consultant before seeking contractor pricing can help establish a clear technical scope, create a consistent basis for tendering and give the owners corporation greater confidence in the proposals that come back.
When everyone is pricing the same problem and the same solution, the dollars become far more meaningful.
