Contract Administration in Brentford

Documented building context

Hounslow’s October 2021 St Paul’s Brentford appraisal describes mostly two-storey Victorian and Edwardian terraces in its residential character area. Its Albany Road account identifies narrow-fronted cottages with vertically aligned windows, differing brick dressings and the corner Market Terrace group originally comprising shops. These are examples in a named conservation setting, not a current-use finding for every Brentford home.

Existing-building records for the tender

If a Brentford home occupies an adapted shop unit, show its present residential door, stair and rooms on the plan. Identify the former opening and any partition introduced behind it. Keep the commercial frontage’s history separate from the current accommodation boundaries.

Where a Brentford terrace has extended kitchen accommodation, outline the original rear wall and each added range. Mark the enlarged opening and separate covering on the current plan. Ask for documents naming their supports, junctions and construction dates.

Brentford tender and contract decisions

The Albany Road cottage and former Market Terrace shop examples need separate tender descriptions. A narrow cottage frontage should be measured by its own wall, window and roof positions. A former shop may have altered openings, support arrangements or service routes that require investigation before a design is finalised. Record what is known from current drawings and what remains an assumption. Hounslow's historic account does not establish the present use or concealed construction of the instructed premises.

For work around vertically aligned windows, specify which opening and surrounding finish are affected at each storey. Separate repair to brick dressings from replacement joinery and from any design for structural support. Ask the contractor to identify protection of occupied rooms and the sequence for temporary weather resistance. Inspection records should locate the actual opening rather than merely describe the frontage as complete. If a revision is necessary, retain the designer's response and the JCT instruction with the affected item in the valuation record.

A rear room or extension should have its own connection details, access arrangements and scope boundary. Establish whether the tender includes making good to the original house, service alterations and finishes beyond the new room. For divided accommodation, obtain the client's confirmation of relevant permissions and access before relying on another occupier's space. At handover, reconcile the final drawings and outstanding items with each priced work section. Completion of a visible frontage does not demonstrate that an inaccessible rear junction, excluded flat or separate contract package has met its obligations.

HCS cannot act as independent contract administrator where HCS is the contractor.

Contract scope

• Hounslow: St Paul’s Brentford Conservation Area Appraisal, October 2021 — PDF / printed page 22, section 5.1, paragraphs 5.1.1–5.1.5, residential character and Albany Road. Cover records October 2021.

• Major works
• Tendering
• Clerk of Works
• Employer's Agent
• Insurance reinstatement

• Hounslow area guide
• Chiswick
• Kew
• Richmond
• Isleworth
• Twickenham

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