When you require civil engineering services it is best to approach a consultancy in the field. One consultancy engineering company can differ widely from another. A smaller consultancy with fewer staff will be able to offer fewer services than a bigger company. The consultancy with more employees will have a wider range of services and in-house expertise to offer. Some firms choose to focus on a narrow range of services and to provide these with excellence.
Make sure that the consultancy you choose to work with has the necessary knowledge, skills, and experience to handle your project. They may also be able to bring in an associate consultancy and subcontract aspects of the work to them to make up for any gaps.
We take a look at the services you can expect from a consultancy engineering company, its roles and responsibilities, the services provided, and the benefits of hiring a consultancy for your project.
Civil Design Services
At the highest level, civil engineering services advise their clients on their engineering projects and recommend technical solutions. This translates to a suite of services, such as compiling project documentation, drawing up budgets, putting project plans together, and coordinating teams. The consultancy will typically operate from their business premises, although they will go on-site and interact with other role players as necessitated by the requirements of the project.
Taking differences between civil engineering consultancies into account, you can expect the following duties and responsibilities to apply: project conception, preparation of project documentation, arranging the logistics pertaining to the project, gathering their team of experts, finding technical solutions, project management, construction management, improving processes, budget and deadline compliance, safety protocols, and dealing with bidding.
Services
The overarching civil engineering services provided by the consultancy are designed to help clients complete their projects successfully.
Consultation involves the client expressing an engineering problem. The consultant will advise you as the client, relying on their experience and expertise. Consultation could take place over one or more sessions, each differing in length according to the complexity of the engineering problem.
The next step is investigation. This includes site visits, surveys, speaking to regulatory bodies, reviewing the client’s investigations, scanning studies and reports, and analysis. The investigation phase still forms part of the consultation as the consultant needs to assess the scope of the project. This will be followed by a feasibility study, which proposes alternative solutions and cost estimates.
Engineering designs and procurement are next and include detailed drawings, specifications, and construction materials. These designs will be comprehensive enough for project construction. Contractors can bid for the job and suppliers will put in quotations for building materials. Once these have been selected, contracts will be drawn up. The consultancy handles all these aspects.
The consultancy will continue to observe and monitor progress on the actual construction. In some instances, meetings must be held with the local community, which the consultants will undertake. They will be on hand to interpret plans and arrange contractor payments as per the contract. A final inspection will be done upon completion of the projects.
Benefits of a Consultancy
Clients benefit from the skills, knowledge, and expertise of consultants. This will reduce risks and streamline processes for cost savings. They will be provided with an engineering solution.
A business will gain much from hiring the services of a consultancy for a professional project.
