6-Star outcome

When an existing building is strong and robust, refurbishment has obvious advantages. By drawing on the embodied energy of the building, this is likely to be an environmentally sustainable decision, as well as being cost effective and helping to preserve the heritage of a city.

Quantity surveyor Rider Levett Bucknall was closely involved in the refurbishment of a solid 1970s building, which was to be the new premises of the Christchurch City Council. Director Malcolm Timms of Rider Levett Bucknall says his company's initial work involved establishing a realistic and robust overall project budget to enable the client to make confident commercial decisions around the refurbishment process. Later in the process, Rider Levett Bucknall also undertook additional cost management services for the fit-out works.

"Once the initial decisions were made, our team then managed costs within the approved project budget, by closely overseeing costs through the fast-track procurement process. This required real time estimating and control of the costs to stay within budget constraints," he says.

"Such a project is far more challenging than working on a new building," says Timms. "After working on many similar projects, Rider Levett Bucknall has built up a strong skill base to deal with the issues."

For more information, contact Rider Levett Bucknall, PO Box 461, Christchurch, phone (03) 354 6873, fax (03) 354 6874. Email: info@rlb.com. Website: www.rlb.com.

Story by: Trendsideas