Developers

Delivering Certainty

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Mitchell Brandtman is passionate about the Development Industry. For over 50 years we have been working alongside Developers helping you to minimise risk and maximise opportunities on your projects.

We operate across a number of sectors and bring local experience to projects throughout Australia.

How can we assist you?

Having worked on over 42,000 projects, Mitchell Brandtman provide a full range of Quantity Surveying services, from project concept through to completion and beyond… with a difference …we are 5D Cost Planners.

Using the 5D Cost Management methodology we follow the traditional QS project pathway and leverage modern 5D QS techniques, allowing for accurate and timely cost analysis at any point throughout the design process, during construction and post construction. Mitchell Brandtman can deliver a complete service or it can work with a traditional estimating team to create quantity take-offs and cost plans that are automated and revised endlessly throughout all phases of design.

Developer Services

Concept Design

Concept Design
DA & CIV Estimates
Procurement
Construction
Tax Depreciation

Concept Design

We use Functional Efficiency Benchmarking and Alternatives Analysis to critique and compare your project with other similar projects, identifying inefficiencies and highlighting opportunities that will benefit your design, build and cost whilst considering the income producing elements of the project.

DA & CIV Estimates

In New South Wales (NSW), the NSW Department of Planning and Local Councils require genuine cost of construction estimates as part of the development application process for certain types and sizes of developments. These estimates are required to ensure that the proposed development is financially viable and that the construction costs have been accurately estimated.

The NSW Department of Planning has issued Planning Circulars PS 21-020 and PS 21-022, which outline the requirements for Capital Investment Value (CIV) and Genuine Cost of Construction estimates. According to the circulars, the estimates must:

Be prepared by a qualified and experienced Quantity Surveyor.
Be based on a detailed assessment of the cost of materials, labour, plant, and equipment required for the proposed development.
Be prepared using current market rates and prices for the relevant materials, labour, plant, and equipment.
Include a breakdown of costs for each stage of the development, including demolition, site preparation, construction, and fit-out and all other required items as described in the relevant planning circulars.
Be prepared using a recognised method of estimating, such as the Australian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (AIQS) method or the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) method.
Be accompanied by a written statement from the Quantity Surveyor stating that the estimate is a genuine and accurate assessment of the costs of the proposed development.

It is important to note that the CIV and Cost Summary Reports prepared by a registered Quantity Surveyor are a key factor in determining the applicable fees associated with a proposed development application. If an estimate not prepared by Registered QS, is found to be inaccurate or unreliable, the Department of Planning or Local Council may require additional information or may refuse the development application altogether.

Therefore, it is important to engage a qualified and experienced Quantity Surveyor to prepare the estimate, and to ensure that it meets the requirements outlined in Planning Circulars PS 21-020 and PS 21-022.

Detailed Design

We measure directly from the design team's 3D Models and create a dynamic link between the design consultants and ourselves to deliver a Living Cost Plan.

Procurement

We assist the project team in minimising risks by having a current knowledge of the industry, contracts and procurement strategies, supported by extensive in-house research and historical project data analysis.

Construction

During construction, Mitchell Brandtman offers a Contract Administration service to assist your project team in the ongoing management of costs.

Construction Programming

Three critical issues in project feasibility and delivery are time, cost, and quality.Through both in-house team members and guidance and support from some of the most respected experts in the industry, Mitchell Brandtman provides project programming and scheduling services.

4D Programming

We provide both high level and detailed construction programmes to ensure that your project gets off to the best possible start. Using the latest technology our team builds on standard 3D models to add both the time, 4D and cost, 5D.

Tax Depreciation

Mitchell Brandtman works closely with Developers throughout the construction process and is ideally placed to provide indicative depreciation schedules.

To obtain a quote on Tax Depreciation, ask us how?

Why does a Financier need a QS on your project?

A Financier needs a QS to ensure that construction risks are addressed and that they are constantly kept up-to-date on the status of key milestones and events which may impact on the project they are funding.

It is in your best interest to choose someone that knows about Development and has the trust of the banks. We offer a full range of services that can assist you in obtaining development finance.

5D for Developers

Get cost certainty on your project

Learn more about 5D Cost Planning

MBOnline

MBOnline allows Developers to collaborate with their Financier and other related parties to access real time information on the status of their project at any point pre and during construction.

It features secure online document and image storage for authorised team members.

Simple. Central. Secure

Other Developer Services

Superintendent

Superintendent
Due Diligence Reports
Defects Reports
Tax Depreciation
Insurance Replacement

Superintendent

A superintendent is a role defined under the contract. While the duties may vary from contract to contract, in general the superintendent:

Is appointed by the Principal
Acts honestly, fairly and reasonably when
Giving instructions,
Issuing certificates, and
Making determinations

In many projects the role of superintendent is either filled by the Principal or is ignored. The question of the Principal as superintendent is really one for the contractor, but the role cannot be ignored. Where there is no superintendent or certifications are not made, risk is created and this will lead to difficulties if disputes arise.

As a licensed superintendent, and with a team of qualified quantity surveyors, contract administrators, project managers and construction experts, Mitchell Brandtman is uniquely positioned to provide proactive superintendence or act as the Superintendents Representative.

Further with the experience gained on over 18,000 projects, and the real-time exposure to current market rates we are well positioned to provide precise and relevant advice on variations and claims.

Generally, we will define the scope for the services based on the contract, the type of project, the level of risk involved and our clients requirements. Services can include: Attending site meetings

Receiving and actioning requests for information
Issuing written directions and instructions
Certifying payments and practical completion
Issuing payment schedules
Maintaining a variation register
Adjusting the contract sum
Notifying defective workmanship

Due Diligence Reports

If you are looking at purchasing an established property for either occupation, investment, or development it is critical that they understand what they are buying, what the purchase will commit them to in future in the way of repairs, maintenance, capital improvement, lease imposed improvement and statutory upkeep.

Mitchell Brandtman can assist by preparing a Due Diligence Report that will outline the cost of replacement or repair of existing defective items on site and to provide comment in regard to the overall condition of the building as a result of wear and tear.

We will organise with sub-consultants to examine all parts of the building including the structure and services to ensure no stone remains unturned. Services are tailored to the needs of the clients and can include defects inspections against as-built drawings, 10 Year Capital Expenditure Schedules, 5-D Modelling, Compliance Inspections and Tax Depreciation Schedules

Defects Reports

Quality is one of the cornerstones of a successful project and needs to be managed all the way through the construction process. Quality is not normally covered in a standard QS brief. At the most the QS will sample the finishes and fixtures against the contract to assess the cost implications of any substitutions.

The quality of the end product can have real implications for all parties to contract, including the financier. This is particularly evident if defects are not identified until practical completion and there is only a small contingency or retention figure. This can have a serious impact on a developer's cashflow and have ramifications for a financier if there is a failure to receive a Certificate of Classification.

Mitchell Brandtman has the in-house qualifications and expertise to both inspect, cost and report on defects and quality issues.

While we can provide single purpose reports, our preferred method is to provide an ongoing service where we are appointed to assist all parties in identifying and recording defects and quality issues throughout the project. We do this by regular assessments and creating a ‘living defects register’ that records issues and their actions throughout the construction process.

If the report is used as a tool, builders benefit by being able to schedule the addressing of issues while applicable trades are still onsite. This reduces costs, time and effort, all of which often become critical when completion deadlines loom. Developers benefit with the assurance that their builder is proactive in dealing with issues as they arise and they have an objective view of the quality of the development by a third party. Financiers benefit from an ongoing as built quality check and more surety of the developer's ability to complete the development once funding has been fully drawn.

Defects largely fall into 3 areas:

Faulty Design including foundation movement
Faulty workmanship
Faulty materials

Tax Depreciation

Are you looking to differentiate your Development?

Indicative tax depreciation reports are a great tool for real estate agents and developers to help them sell their properties and for investors to help them decide whether or not purchasing a property is financially feasible.

As the name suggests an indicative tax depreciation schedule is a preliminary report and is not suitable for ATO purposes, but can be prepared ‘off-the-plan’ for marketing purposes and to help investors understand the likely yield of a potential property. An indicative tax depreciation report will provide prospective purchasers with a ten year forecast of tax depreciation allowances, for both plant and equipment and for capital works. With this report, the investor can calculate their after reduced tax assessable income and maximise their cash flow.

Mitchell Brandtman works closely with Developers throughout the construction process and is ideally placed to provide indicative depreciation schedules. In most cases these can be provided to the developer free of charge and new owners can contact us to have these converted into a proper Depreciation Schedule for a minimal charge once construction is complete, purchase dates have been finalised, and final costs and inclusions are known.

Indicative Tax Depreciation Schedules are a great added value service for the potential buyer of both new and existing properties and an important marketing feature.

Insurance Replacement

Regardless of whether you own or manage a single property or portfolio you need to ensure you have the correct insurance cover for buildings and contents. Property and contents are often under/over -insured exposing building owners to potential additional costs in the event of a claim or to unnecessarily high insurance premium payments.

It is therefore essential that a reinstatement cost estimate is prepared on a building by building basis that estimates the overall cost of demolition and rebuilding including professional fees and cost escalation together with any other allowances as required so the property owner or manager can arrange the appropriate level of insurance cover. Failure to do so could result in a claim for negligence