Our clients purchased this property in a beautiful, quiet location with magnificent views overlooking Lake Zurich. Our task was to renovate it extensively, to reflect the new owners’ taste and style and to ensure the structural condition met the most up-to-date standards. The work involved a complete new interior fit-out including floorings, bathrooms and kitchen, as well as a second kitchen, geothermal heat pump and new balcony.
The client shared with us their ideas for the villa, and how they saw it fitting in with their lifestyle. From this we prepared initial sketches and a budget, the contractors using these to make preliminary construction drawings. Owing to the short timeline and existing structural constraints, we worked on the design directly with the specialist trades.
The architect, interior designer, engineers and consultants refine the concept design into a detailed developed design. This can often involve mock-up rooms. We ensure the design, specifications and budget conform to the project brief, help the client evaluate the design development and draft comments, keep the project schedule up to date, provide update reports, and review and approve professional fee invoices prior to payment by the client.
Once the clients were satisfied with the preliminary construction drawings, detailed technical construction drawings were created. These were used to make certain structural changes, in consultation with the structural and civil engineer, architect, other relevant engineers and the various contractors.
The architect, interior designer, engineers and consultants develop the detail design. Using the latest technology, they create the necessary plans and document packages. We ensure the design, specifications and budget are in line with the project brief, help the client evaluate the detail design and draft comments, keep the project schedule up to date, provide regular reports, and review and approve professional fee invoices prior to payment by the client.
In our role as construction manager we were on-site 2 – 3 days a week, overseeing the various contractors’ work and that of the other specialists, suppliers and technicians. We ensured all work was co-ordinated, on time, on budget, and met the expected design and quality.
Construction starts. Depending on the strategy (general contractor versus individual contractors), we manage the contractors with daily on- and off-site visits. During this phase and under our leadership, engineers and other consultants also have certain designated construction management roles. We make daily site visits, ensure that progress is in line with the approved schedule, that construction is according to plans, and that costs are according to budget. We review and approve all professional fees and contractor invoices prior to payment by the client, to make sure that construction carried out is in line with contracted terms and services. For larger and more complex projects, such as hotels and resorts, we start the tender and procurement processes for FF&E and OS&E.
We reviewed all of the work and prepared a snags list. We reviewed final accounts and invoices to ensure they corresponded with the work carried out and the contracts. Making sure all manuals and warranties were provided, we installed the furniture, fixtures and equipment. The entire project was delivered within 7 months, a period which included the winter holiday season.
We manage the handover and closeout process. We carry out detailed site reviews for each work category – MEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing), joinery, paintwork and so on, and produce a detailed snags list. We then oversee the snags work to ensure that everything is remedied to the required specifications and quality standards. We ensure the client receives all “as built” construction documents and plans, as well as maintenance manuals and guides. We make sure the handover is properly carried out, as befits the type and complexity of the project.