We are delighted to have a guest blog by the brilliant Jo Marchant MBE. Jo is an expert in her field. With 15 years’ experience of estate management, specifically in the education sector, her experience in this sector is unparalleled. She is the bestselling author of The Schools Premises Handbook (the bible for school premises management). Her latest book Managing School Business Operations was published in November 2024.
We also ran a webinar with Jo on this subject where she ran through a real-life example and answered some great questions. You can watch this here.
As school business professionals we wear a number of hats – we may even be specialists in certain areas. However, we need to understand our limitations and when we have to call in the professionals.
Professional building consultants play a pivotal role in ensuring that construction and refurbishment projects adhere to best practices, compliance standards, and budgetary constraints. Most importantly they will ensure that your buildings are safe for staff, students and visitors – without a safe building you do not have a school. Safety and legal compliance under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations are non-negotiable.
Their responsibilities extend far beyond simple project oversight, encompassing every stage of the process from inception to completion. From compliance with legislation to accurate planning and efficient execution, their involvement can significantly reduce risks and streamline complex projects.
Moreover, by engaging consultants, school leaders can focus on their core responsibilities, confident that the estate is in expert hands.
Understanding the Legal and Practical Landscape
With the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023, schools and trusts must ensure compliance when tendering for consultancy services. Engaging specialist procurement consultants—such as Minerva—can mitigate risks and ensure adherence to legislation.
What You Need To Do – Building a Strong Specification
The cornerstone of appointing the right consultants lies in crafting a robust and detailed specification. This begins with background information on the school or trust, including current building conditions, known issues, and future plans.
An effective specification should include:
- The condition assessment methodology
- Prioritisation of works
- Contract administration details
- Required services and disciplines
- Service level expectations
- Pricing structures
These can be complex documents but it is vital that you put the work in up front to ensure that you get the job done correctly and as you want it.
How To Identify What Needs To Be Done – Assessing Building Condition
Schools should commission professional condition surveys every 3–5 years. These surveys provide detailed insights into building health, unlike the high-level visual inspections conducted by the Department for Education’s Condition Data Collection (CDC).
The industry uses two key matrices:
- Condition Ratings (A-D): from ‘Good’ to ‘Bad’
- Priority Ratings (1-4): from ‘Urgent’ to ‘Long-Term’
For example, a building element rated as C2 is in poor condition and should be addressed within two years. The most critical issues—D1s—require immediate attention.
What Professional Building Services Do You Need?
Consultants may be needed for various services including:
- Condition Improvement Fund (CIF) applications
- School Condition Allocation (SCA) projects
- Low Carbon Skills Fund applications
- Environmental sustainability projects
- School funded improvement projects
- General buildings advice
These services should align with existing documentation such as condition surveys, energy audits, and decarbonisation plans. Where these do not exist, they should be factored into the consultant’s scope.
Identifying Required Disciplines
Depending on the complexity of the project, a range of professional roles may be required:
- Building Surveyor
- Mechanical & Electrical Engineer
- Architect
- Principal Designer
- Quantity Surveyor
- Structural Engineer
- Project Manager
- Cost and Energy Consultants
A reputable firm should either offer all these in-house or through partner organisations.
Understanding Fees and Procurement
Fees for consultancy services are typically calculated as a percentage of the project’s total value. These vary depending on the type of work and its complexity. Clear fee structures must be included in the specification, with differentiation based on project value bands.
Remember that you will have to tender for building consultants and, should you engage a procurement specialist, they will need the following from you:
- Whether or not you already have building condition surveys.
- The type of projects that you have in mind to carry out over the next 3 to 5 years, for example: roof replacements, science lab refurbishments.
- The potential amount of funding that you will have available to spend on building projects.
- Frequency of meetings and how information should be presented to you.
Final Thoughts
Appointing professional building consultants is not just a procedural task—it’s a strategic decision that impacts the safety, functionality, and future readiness of educational environments. As schools and trusts face increasing pressures around sustainability, compliance, and modernisation, having the right expertise is more critical than ever.
By selecting a team that understands the unique challenges of educational institutions and possesses the necessary expertise, organisations can embark on building projects with confidence. The guidance of skilled consultants ensures not only regulatory compliance and cost efficiency but also the creation of infrastructure that serves students, teachers, and communities effectively for years to come.
