Tender,
Construction
&
Completion
Building your dream home represents a significant investment, both financially and emotionally. The construction and completion stages are where your carefully developed designs finally become reality, transforming architectural drawings into bricks, mortar, and beautiful living spaces. These final stages of the RIBA Plan of Work require careful oversight to ensure quality, manage costs, and navigate the inevitable challenges that arise during any building project.
At MJW Architects, we understand that many homeowners feel anxious when construction begins. Questions naturally arise: Is the work being done properly? Are costs being controlled? What happens if problems emerge? Our construction supervision and completion services provide the professional oversight and support you need to see your project through to successful completion, protecting your investment whilst maintaining the design integrity that makes your home unique.
With over 25 years of experience managing residential projects across Somerset, Bath, Bristol, Frome, and Bruton, we bring both technical expertise and local knowledge to ensure your construction journey is as smooth and stress-free as possible.
What Happens During Construction and Completion
Starting Construction Work
Watching Your Building Transform
During construction, your home begins its physical transformation in ways that are both exciting and revealing. Foundations are excavated, walls rise, roofs are formed, and internal spaces take shape. Each week brings visible progress as your vision materialises before your eyes – what existed only as drawings and 3D renders becomes tangible, walkable reality.
However, construction also requires careful coordination between multiple trades, material deliveries, building control inspections, and ongoing design decisions. Plumbers, electricians, plasterers, carpenters, and other specialists must work in carefully sequenced order. Questions inevitably arise that require technical resolution, and materials need to arrive at precisely the right time.
Professional Oversight Throughout
This is where having an experienced architect overseeing the works proves invaluable. We administer the building contract between you and your contractor, handling all formal communications and ensuring contractual obligations are met by both parties. This formal contract administration protects your interests and provides a structured framework for managing the construction process.
Our role includes monitoring work progress against the agreed programme, controlling costs by reviewing variations before they're authorised, and conducting regular site inspections – typically six visits during construction for standard projects, though this can be adjusted based on project complexity. During each visit, we check quality standards, verify work against drawings, assess progress, and address any queries or issues that have arisen.
Contract Administration
We take you through our architectural services, explaining the RIBA Plan of Work stages and how we've adapted them to best suit local clients. We clarify what's involved at each stage, from initial design through planning approval, Listed Building Consent, Building Regulations, tender process, and construction administration.
This explanation helps you understand the full journey ahead and make informed decisions about which services you need. Not every project requires every stage, and we'll advise honestly on what is appropriate for your circumstances.
Site Inspections and Quality Control
We take you through our architectural services, explaining the RIBA Plan of Work stages and how we've adapted them to best suit local clients. We clarify what's involved at each stage, from initial design through planning approval, Building Regulations, tender process, and construction administration.
This explanation helps you understand the full journey ahead and make informed decisions about which services you need. Not every project requires every stage, and we'll advise honestly on what's appropriate for your circumstances.
Completion and Handover
As we approach the end of the rectification period, we conduct a thorough final inspection of your completed project. This detailed review covers every aspect of the construction, from structural elements to decorative finishes, ensuring that all work has been completed to an acceptable standard and any items from the original snagging list have been properly addressed.
We ensure you receive all the information you need to maintain and operate your completed home effectively, including building control certificates, warranties, guarantees, and maintenance schedules. Once we're satisfied that all defects have been rectified and documentation is in order, we issue the Final Completion Certificate, which formally concludes the construction contract and marks the successful completion of your project.
Choosing Your Level of Support
Basic Service
Our Basic construction service includes contract administration, cost monitoring, and six site inspections throughout the construction period. We issue Practical Completion and Final Completion Certificates, provide basic snagging lists, and offer limited post-completion support.
This level suits straightforward projects with experienced contractors where you feel comfortable taking a more hands-on role in day-to-day site management. It provides the essential oversight and certification you need without the intensive involvement of our higher service levels.
Standard Service
Our Standard service provides enhanced oversight with eight to ten site visits, more detailed progress monitoring, and comprehensive cost control. We attend site meetings, coordinate with building control, and manage relationships with contractors and specialist subcontractors.
Our snagging process is more thorough, with follow-up visits to verify defect rectification. We provide detailed inspection reports after each visit and maintain regular communication throughout construction. This level is appropriate for most residential projects and provides the oversight that clients tell us gives them greatest confidence during construction.
Enhanced Service
Our Enhanced service offers maximum supervision and support, with fortnightly site visits or more frequently if required. We provide detailed progress reports, photographic records, and comprehensive cost tracking throughout the construction period.
This level includes value engineering support if costs need managing, extensive contractor coordination, and project management services if desired. We can attend all site meetings, provide detailed oversight of quality standards, and offer comprehensive support throughout the build. This level suits complex projects, listed buildings, heritage work, or situations where you're managing the project from a distance and need comprehensive on-the-ground representation.
Tender Drawings and Quotations
Tender Documentation
With Building Regulations approval secured, we develop technical drawings into comprehensive tender documentation. Tender drawings provide complete information for builders to price your project accurately.
This documentation includes all construction drawings, a detailed specification describing materials and workmanship standards, and preliminaries covering site establishment, insurance, and construction management requirements.
Detailed Specifications
We prepare comprehensive specifications describing every element of your project. These specifications ensure builders understand exactly what quality you expect, from the concrete in your foundations to the taps in your bathroom.
Specifications reference British Standards, specify product ranges or exact products, and describe workmanship requirements. They form part of the building contract, protecting your interests during construction.
Tendering Process
Contractor Selection
CDM Coordination
Practical Completion and Handover
Reaching Practical Completion
Upon practical completion – when the works are substantially finished and ready for you to occupy – we issue the Practical Completion Certificate. This is a significant milestone that marks the formal handover of your completed project. At this stage, the building work is complete to a standard that allows you to move in and use your new or improved home, though minor outstanding items may remain on a snagging list.
Practical completion triggers several important contractual mechanisms. It marks the point from which any liquidated damages (if applicable) cease to accrue. It starts the rectification period clock running. And it typically releases a significant portion of the contract sum to your contractor, with a small retention held back until final completion.
The Rectification Period
Following practical completion, we manage a three or six-month rectification period (also called the defects liability period) during which your contractor remains contractually obliged to make good any defects that become apparent during normal use. This protection period is written into most building contracts and provides essential peace of mind as you settle into your completed home.
During this period, you're living in your home and using all the spaces, systems, and finishes. Minor issues often emerge that weren't apparent during the practical completion inspection – a door that sticks slightly, a tap that drips, decorative finishes that need touching up, or minor cracks in plasterwork as the building settles. These are normal and expected, which is precisely why the rectification period exists.
Creating the Snagging List
We inspect the works thoroughly at final completion, creating a comprehensive snagging list of any outstanding items or defects requiring attention. This detailed list documents everything from minor cosmetic issues to any functional problems that need addressing. We categorise items by priority and trade, making it easy for your contractor to organise the necessary remedial work.
We liaise with your contractor to ensure these items are addressed properly, making follow-up visits if necessary to verify that rectification work has been completed to an acceptable standard. This process continues until we're satisfied that all defects have been properly resolved.
Cost Control and Documentation
Managing Your Construction Budget
Budget management during construction requires constant vigilance. We monitor expenditure carefully, review variations before authorisation, and identify opportunities for value engineering if costs begin exceeding budget. Our experience helps distinguish between necessary expenditure and gold-plating, ensuring you make informed decisions about where to invest and where savings might be made without compromising quality.
We verify contractors' payment applications to ensure you're only paying for work actually completed, review claims for additional costs to determine validity, and help negotiate fair pricing for unavoidable variations. We provide regular cost reports so you always know the financial position. This rigorous approach helps prevent the budget creep that can occur during construction.
What Documentation You'll Receive
Throughout construction and completion, you'll receive clear documentation at every stage. This includes construction drawings and specifications detailing every aspect of the build, site inspection reports documenting progress and any issues identified, and cost monitoring reports tracking expenditure against budget.
We also provide certificates issued at key milestones including Practical Completion and Final Completion, comprehensive snagging lists identifying any defects or outstanding items, correspondence logs documenting all communications between parties, and as-built drawings reflecting any modifications made during construction. All documentation is issued by email for your records, with hard copies available if preferred.
Understanding Timescales
Construction timelines vary significantly based on project scale and complexity. A typical single-storey extension might take three to four months, whilst new builds or substantial renovations could span twelve months or longer. The rectification period typically adds three to six months to the overall programme.
Several factors influence construction duration, including project size and complexity, weather conditions (particularly affecting groundworks and external works), material delivery lead times, availability of specialist trades, building control inspection scheduling, and any unforeseen site conditions. We help you understand realistic timelines during the tender stage and provide regular progress updates throughout construction.
Why Professional Supervision Matters
Our Somerset Expertise
With over 25 years of experience managing residential projects across Somerset, we bring deep local knowledge of contractors, building control requirements, and regional construction practices. Our relationships with local building control officers in Bath, Bristol, Frome, and Bruton help resolve issues quickly and efficiently.
We speak their technical language and understand their requirements, smoothing the regulatory process for your project. This local expertise means we can anticipate potential issues, recommend reliable local contractors and specialists, and navigate the specific requirements of different local authorities across Somerset.
Clear Communication and Advocacy
We understand that construction can feel overwhelming for homeowners, particularly if you've never undertaken a building project before. Our approach focuses on clear communication, regular updates, and accessible advice that demystifies the construction process. We explain technical matters in plain English, help you make informed decisions when choices arise, and act as your advocate to ensure quality standards are maintained.
You work directly with our principal architect throughout, ensuring continuity and consistency from design through to completion. This personal service means you're never dealing with different team members or wondering who to contact with questions. Perhaps most importantly, professional supervision gives you peace of mind, allowing you to focus on the exciting aspects of creating your new home rather than worrying about technical details or contractor performance.
Final Completion and Beyond
Once all defects have been satisfactorily rectified and any final outstanding items completed, we issue the Final Completion Certificate. This formal document concludes the building contract, releases any final retention monies held, and marks the successful conclusion of your construction project.
We provide post-construction advice as needed, answering questions about maintenance, operation of systems, or future modifications you might be considering. We maintain complete project files covering the entire construction period, providing a valuable record for future reference. Many clients return to us years later for further improvements or extensions as their families grow and needs change.