Providing Quantity Surveying services for the design and construction of a new community, delivering cost planning, value engineering and commercial management from concept design through to completion.
The client
Paddock Wood Town Council is the first tier of local government for the Parish of Paddock Wood, in the borough of Tunbridge Wells. Paddock Wood is a small town with a population of approximately 8,160. It was developed as a settlement during the 2nd half of the 19th century as a result of the local hop industry. The town continues to be a hub for the country’s hop growing industry as well as fruit and vegetable distribution.
The project
The Memorial Fields site, located off Maidstone Road adjacent to the police station, previously comprised a car park, tennis courts and a cricket pitch. Paddock Wood Town Council and Tunbridge Wells Borough Council worked in partnership to redevelop the site, creating a new Community Centre to meet growing demand generated by planned housing development.
The building was designed to provide a welcoming, highly visible landmark on the main approach into Paddock Wood, reflecting its role as a central hub for the community. The development also included associated external works and a new car park.
Our role
FFT was appointed as Quantity Surveyor from the early design stages, providing cost planning, estimating and commercial advice throughout the project.
As the design developed, we prepared cost estimates from concept through to tender stage, ensuring the proposals remained aligned with the client’s budget. The project was procured using a two-stage tender process, with the Stage 2 construction value established at approximately £2.3 million.
Following contract award, FFT continued to provide full post-contract Quantity Surveying services, including cost reporting, valuation of completed works and certification of interim payments, management of change and agreement of the final account.
Services provided
The challenges
During the contractor’s design development, ground investigations identified significantly higher groundwater levels than anticipated, requiring revisions to the proposed foundation and structural design. At the same time, the construction industry faced unprecedented cost inflation caused by Covid-19, Brexit and ongoing supply chain disruption.
These factors increased the overall project cost beyond the client’s available budget. Working closely with the design team, FFT led a value engineering exercise to identify cost savings while protecting the building’s key design objectives and functionality.
Market volatility also meant subcontractor prices were only valid for short periods, creating uncertainty around the final contract sum. Through detailed cost reviews and commercial negotiations, FFT secured firmer pricing for the contractor, resulting in an agreed contract value that remained within acceptable margins of the client’s approved budget.
Added value
FFT provided cost assurance throughout the design process by preparing detailed estimates at each key RIBA stage, allowing the client to make informed decisions as the scheme evolved.
During RIBA stage 3, where several design elements had yet to be confirmed, we developed and costed a range of construction options, including foundation solutions, structural frames, roof systems and external wall specifications. This enabled the design team to balance performance, buildability and affordability before progressing to technical design.
The outcome
FFT’s cost management and value engineering enabled the project to remain financially viable despite significant market pressures and unforeseen site conditions. Through early cost advice, commercial control and successful negotiation of firm contractor pricing, we helped deliver a high-quality community facility that met the client’s aspirations while remaining within an achievable budget.