Yes. Commercial office refurbishment, retrofit and fit-out is one of Torridon’s main areas of expertise.

We work with property owners, investors, developers and occupiers on projects ranging from workplace fit-outs to major refurbishment and repositioning of existing commercial buildings.

Yes, although our main specialism is refurbishment.

Our team has experience across new-build construction as well as refurbishment and fit-out, with particular expertise in complex projects involving existing buildings.

Ideally, before significant design decisions have been made.

Early cost advice lets you test whether the brief, budget and proposed design are compatible while there is still time to make informed decisions. On many projects this means appointing the QS during RIBA Stage 1, or earlier when different property or development options are still being considered.

This depends on the size and complexity of the project and the information available.

An early order of cost estimate can often be prepared from a brief, floor areas, existing drawings and other basic project information. We clearly state the assumptions and exclusions so you understand the basis of the estimate.

As surveys and design information develop, we update the budget accordingly.

Our approach to cost certainty is based around 5 principles:

1. Project ambition: get the brief and priorities clear.
2. Robust budget: develop a budget informed by the design, existing building and known risks.
3. Risk immunisation: identify risks early and take action before they become expensive problems.
4. Tracking and reporting change: understand changes as they happen and show their effect on the budget.
5. Project team: appoint the right people, with the right experience, at the right time.

These principles run through our cost management process from early feasibility through to completion.

We start with the brief and available design information, understand the existing building and measure the proposed works.

We price the project using current market information, previous project data and relevant tender returns. We also consider preliminaries, programme, procurement, risk, inflation and other project-specific costs rather than relying solely on a £/m² benchmark.

We then update the cost plan as the design develops so the project team can see the financial effect of decisions before they are committed.

Yes. Cost advice needs to be understood to be useful.

We normally talk clients and design teams through our cost plans, explain the assumptions and risks, and discuss the decisions that could affect the budget.

This gives the client an opportunity to question the numbers and understand what sits behind them rather than simply receiving a spreadsheet or PDF.

The starting condition of the building, specification, mechanical and electrical services, programme, geographic location, logistics, procurement strategy and whether the building remains occupied can all have a significant effect.

This is why £/m² benchmarks need context. Two offices of the same size can have very different construction costs.

We assess preliminaries against the actual requirements of the project rather than simply applying a standard percentage.

Programme length, site management, logistics, welfare, access, temporary works, phasing, security and out-of-hours working can all affect the cost.

This is particularly important on refurbishment projects where access and existing building constraints can have a disproportionate effect on contractor costs.

Yes. We have experience of refurbishment and fit-out projects within occupied and operational buildings.

These projects can require phasing, temporary services, restricted access, out-of-hou

rs working and additional protection or management measures. We consider these requirements when developing the budget and procurement strategy.

Yes, where these costs form part of the agreed project scope.

We encourage clients to consider the total project budget rather than construction cost alone. Depending on the project, this can include furniture, AV, IT, professional fees, surveys and other client costs.

Including these items early gives a much clearer picture of the total capital required to deliver the project.

The appropriate route depends on the design, programme, market conditions, existing building information and allocation of risk.

We explain the cost and risk implications of the available options so the client can make an informed decision.

We manage the budget throughout design rather than waiting until tender to find out what the project costs.

This includes identifying incomplete information and risk allowances, advising on procurement strategy, reviewing design decisions as they develop and testing costs against current market information.

At tender stage, we issue clear commercial information, analyse returns on a like-for-like basis and reconcile the preferred tender back to the pre-tender estimate.

Torridon can work with any form of contract. Our projects predominantly use the JCT, SBCC and NEC4 forms of contract, and very often these are accompanied by bespoke amendments.

Our team has experience delivering projects under different contractual arrangements, and Samantha Scott is an NEC4 Accredited Project Manager.

The appropriate standard form contract should reflect the procurement route, design responsibility, existing building risks, programme and the client’s requirements.

Yes. Torridon can provide Contract Administrator or Employer’s Agent services where appropriate.

On many larger projects, we prefer the Project Manager or another suitably experienced consultant to take the lead contractual role. This allows our quantity surveyors to concentrate on cost management and gives the client another independent check within the project team.

Yes. Where elements remain suitable for reuse, retaining them can reduce capital cost, waste and embodied carbon.

Ceilings, raised access floors, doors, finishes and building services should be assessed based on their condition, remaining life and suitability for the proposed refurbishment.

Early investigation is important because the cost case for retention depends on understanding what is already there.

Yes. Torridon provides cost advice on commercial retrofit projects where sustainability and building performance targets affect the scope.

Our role is to explain the capital cost implications of different options so the client and design team can make informed decisions about where investment will have the greatest effect.

Director David Shaw was a member of the UK Green Building Council’s Commercial Retrofit Task Group, contributing his commercial and cost expertise to the group’s work on commercial retrofit.

Yes. This type of comparison is particularly useful during early feasibility.

We can prepare option appraisals comparing different levels of intervention, from retaining and upgrading existing elements through to major refurbishment, extension or redevelopment.

The assessment can consider construction cost, risk, programme and other project-specific factors alongside the client’s sustainability and commercial objectives.

We identify risks early, assess their potential financial effect and track them as the project develops.

We distinguish between project risk, design development and client change. This makes it easier to understand why a forecast has moved, where contingency is being used and which risks still need to be addressed.

Where possible, our preference is to investigate and deal with risks early rather than simply adding contingency to the budget.

We maintain an up-to-date forecast of the anticipated final cost throughout construction.

Changes are identified, assessed and reported as they arise so the client can understand their effect before making decisions. We also track outstanding risks, commitments, valuations and anticipated variations.

Our aim is for the client to understand the likely final cost throughout the project rather than discovering it when the final account is agreed.

Yes. We can review the current cost position, commitments, design information, outstanding risks and proposed changes to establish a reliable forecast.

We then work with the client and project team to identify available options, understand the cost consequences and agree how the budget will be managed from that point onwards.

Contact Torridon with some basic information about the property, proposed works, approximate project value, programme and current stage of the project.

We can then discuss what cost advice you need, when you need it and the appropriate scope of quantity surveying services.

You do not need a fully developed design before speaking to us. Early conversations are often useful when you are still establishing the brief, testing feasibility or setting the initial project budget.