The sheer volume of surveys, reports, assessments and records to audit and maintain is a job in itself and if there are different service providers operating across individual school sites the numbers really accumulate.
The most important and useful of all surveys, is the Condition Survey. It is the foundation upon which everyone concerned with the built estate, from the site manager to the director of finance, will need to continually refer back to.
Without accurate and contemporary data, it is not possible to quantify and build the necessary plans and programmes for the maintenance of the estate, the procurement of future contracts, nor assess potential funding streams for those academies eligible for the Condition Improvement Fund.
The initial building block for any trust’s development plan or asset management strategy starts with the information captured in the condition survey. The finance director will refer to its analysis to understand future liabilities in order to prepare budgets and establish reserves. The condition survey will also be required for insurance and valuation purposes.
The condition survey is undertaken by chartered surveyors who will capture data about the condition of the school buildings fabric (Roofs, windows etc.) and key components (Boilers, distribution systems etc.) and score them in terms of condition, priority, residual life, life expectancy and further, quantify them in term of numbers or forms of measurement so as to provide costings.
From this collected and collated information, Make Consulting analyse the data and provide life cycle reports that highlight where, when and what the replacement work packages will cost in the year of their expiration.
Make will then act as strategic partner for future tendering and ensure best value procurement is achieved.
Make’s flexible condition survey allows the trust to help shape what they require from the survey and its final report. This gives control to the trust to determine what they value and what would be most useful to them.
It is not simply about the quantity of data, It is more about the quality and how effectively the data can be used to provide the trust with short, medium and long visibility of its risks and liabilities. Once we have identified them, together we can work to align budgets and ensure optimal return via funding and internal investment.
If you would like to discuss our condition survey services, please feel free to contact us.