PRM SEM 01 - 07. Consultants

Question 1

Consultants

Answer 1

Consultants (from Latin: consultare, “to discuss”) are professionally qualified and provide
advice or services in a particular area of expertise. They differ from the contractor and his subcontractors or tradespeople.

The increasing complexity of modern projects and the issues surrounding them mean we
increasingly work in multidisciplinary teams with a variety of other skilled professionals.

Question 2

Architects: Consultants and Agents

Answer 2

Architects are consultants to the client but they also act as the clients agent.

Question 3

Primary Consultants

Answer 3

Architects and others engaged by the client are primary or principal consultants.

also project managers?

Question 4

Sub-consultants

Answer 4

Sub-consultants or secondary consultants are engaged by the architect, but can be paid directly
by the client. They act and communicate through the architect.

NZIA don’t recommend sun consultants. Seperate consultants better.

Question 5

Building Surveyor

Answer 5

Conducts an inspection of the structure and systems of an existing building,
usually before purchase, or if there are problems, such as a leaky home. BOINZ (Building
Officials Institute of NZ and NZIBS (NZ Institute of Building Surveyors) are the professional
bodies.

Question 6

Lawyer

Answer 6

Provides advice on land law (eg easements, title), is involved in creating and registering
cross-leases and subdivisions and land sales.

Question 7

Valuer

Answer 7

Provides a Registered Valuation of a building or land, often required when seeking a loan
from a bank. The Valuers Registration Board (VRB) is an independent statutory body
administered by LINZ (Land Information NZ).

Question 8

Land Surveyor:

Answer 8

Provides a plan showing land features. determines boundary locations, sets out a building. NZIS is the professional body.

Question 9

Geo-technical Engineer:

Answer 9

Investigates earth on the site, provides advice and written report on
soil conditions and stability for foundation design and stormwater soakage systems.

Question 10

Structural Engineer:

Answer 10

Provides structural design and details for a building, especially when the design isn’t covered by NZS 3604 Timber Framed Buildings. Very commonly used by architects for steelwork, reinforced concrete, laminated timber and bracing design. Institute of Professional Engineers New Zealand (IPENZ) is the professional body.

Question 11

Mechanical or Services Engineer

Answer 11

Provides advice and design on HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning), mechanical (lifts etc), services ( complex water reticulation, plumbing and drainage) usually in complex institutional or high rise commercial buildings.

Question 12

Fire Engineer:

Answer 12

Provides design, advice and a written report on egress, fire rating, fire protection systems (alarms, sprinklers). Ensures compliance with Clauses 1 - 6 (Fire Safety) of NZ Building Code.

Question 13

Electrical Engineer:

Answer 13

Provides advice and design on electrical reticulation in large scale buildings. We usually do our own electrical plans for small scale jobs such as houses.

Question 14

Draftspeople:

Answer 14

Draw up documentation (drawings and specifications) for a building. Increasingly provide a design service direct to the public. The difference will be even more fuzzy with the new Licensed Building Practitioner regime (to be discussed in semester 2). Drafting Association of New Zealand and Architectural Designers of New Zealand are professional bodies. Tracing is a profession that’s now extinct (like typists).

Question 15

Quantity Surveyor:

Answer 15

Provides expert advice on building costs, estimates the cost of our designs, prepares Schedules of Quantities (itemised breakdowns of materials and labour), analyses tenders and quotes, assesses Contract Variation costs, Progress Payment and Final Account claims during construction.

Question 16

Planning Consultant:

Answer 16

Can prepare Resource Consent Application especially AEE, Assessment of Environmental Effects. Often employed by TA (Council) to assess and make recommendation on RC applications. Professional body is NZ Planning Institute.

Question 17

Traffic Engineer:

Answer 17

Provides assessment of our design’s traffic effects and written report for use in
RC AEE (see above). Traffic and parking are commonly very important issues in large designs.

Question 18

Heritage Consultant

Answer 18

Provides assessment and advice on heritage issues, useful in Resource Consent Applications where character of a building or streetscape is an issue. Also often employed by TA (Council) to assess and make recommendation on RC applications.

Question 19

Urban Designer:

Answer 19

Has expertise in design of public areas and the contribution of buildings to the streetscape. A relatively new discipline and distinct from planning in that it involves detailed design. Also often employed by TA (Council) to assess and make recommendation on RC applications. Auckland City has an Urban Design panel that assesses the quality of architect’s designs in the inner city.

Question 20

Landscape Architect:

Answer 20

Expertise in environmental design, designs space between buildings (and sometimes within eg atrium), generally using planting. NZ Institute of Landscape Architects is professional body.

Question 21

Arborist:

Answer 21

Provides advice on condition of existing trees.

Question 22

Interior Designer:

Answer 22

Designs building interiors. Designers Institute of NZ is the professional body.

Question 23

Project Manager:

Answer 23

Expertise in managing building projects and coordinating consultants. Frequently run large projects instead of the architect. Project Management Institute of NZ is professional body.

Question 24

Clerk of Works:

Answer 24

would run a building site, accounting for deliveries, materials etc, now extinct.

Question 25

Independent Building Certifiers/ Inspectors

Answer 25

Privatised version of the Council, would process Building Consents, do inspections before Leaky Building Crisis. Now virtually extinct.

Question 26

Other Consultants

Answer 26

There are also consultants who specialize in preparing specifications and contracts, licensing applications (for bars and restaurants), lighting design, exhibition design, advice on tricky contractual issues and building law. On large projects we may work with graphic designers, furniture designers and artists.

Question 27

Experts:

Answer 27

For a complex or contentious Resource Consent application we will use reports from experts (often scientists) on noise, environmental effects, stormwater, visual effects, urban design etc.

We may work with representatives of the tangata whenua, the local iwi.

We may use a public consultation specialist or a mediator.

Question 28

Consultants at Different Stages

Answer 28

REFER TO LIST ON NOTION