The next step is the to employ a structural engineer to do all the structural calculations and design to ensure the scheme will work.

A build specification will be prepared or in the case of larger or more complicated schemes a quantity surveyor will be appointed.

At long last a tender pack is prepared and usually sent out to a variety of building contractors to prepare a price for the work and at this point, the architect, structural engineer, quantity surveyor, planning consultant have all been paid their fees for work to date. Happy days for them whatever happens.

Tender prices are then presented by the contractors to the client who then gasps at the submitted prices. The costs are double what was anticipated, how can this happen?

I can tell you. In the last two years costs have risen inexorably. To keep up with the cost of living and the shortage of skilled labour, wages continue to rise and material costs have shot up, not helped by the conflict in Ukraine.

Unfortunately, many designers are not in tune with real time prices and the client is lead into a sense of security from early predictions

of cost at the start of the process.

Now the client is faced with either scrapping the scheme or severely cutting back to achieve something affordable.

The poor old contractors bidding for the work face it not going ahead or having to reprice for alterations and downscaling of the works.

Don’t forget that days and weeks have been spent preparing a detailed cost not only involving their time but that of numerous sub contractors. All for a one in three chance of winning a job that may not go ahead.

We are not talking about an hour’s work after coming home from site but complex and time consuming analysis.

Nothing is paid to these contractors for what is a huge amount of work carried out speculatively and in most cases is quite a big cost lost in the ether.

It is time that contractors are considered part of the professional procurement team, along with the other professionals.

Choose your contractor carefully judging as you would an architect on past performance, inspection of past projects, references from past customers etc.

Most good contractors will be happy to spend time with you at this stage and that input should be considered essential.

With no disrespect to designers, good contractors can guide on the practicality of achieving what is desired and avoid costly delays and alterations during the build, while giving suggestions to make the process easier and often more cost effective.

The message is involve your contractor as early as possible. Treat them as a professional and part of the team and pay a fair price for this early involvement. It will pay for itself in the long run.

Why it's time to re-evaluate a contractor's role when building or extending a home