Quantity surveying and cost management.
Friel Welch provides director-led quantity surveying, cost planning and procurement for private clients, developers, architects and contractors across London, the Cotswolds and the Home Counties.
From early feasibility to final account, we help establish the complete project budget, test design options, compare tenders and manage costs during construction. Our experience spans substantial private homes, residential developments, fit-out and complex projects.
Early involvement allows the brief, budget and procurement route to be considered together while the design can still be influenced. Our appointment can cover a defined cost plan or tender exercise, or ongoing commercial management through delivery.
Commercial strategy built around delivery
Every project has different priorities, risks and constraints. We build our commercial strategy around the way the project will actually be delivered, not around standard processes or previous schemes.
Working as part of the project team from the earliest stages, we align procurement, cost planning, programme and risk into a single commercial strategy that supports informed decision making throughout the project lifecycle. The result is greater cost certainty, better procurement outcomes and stronger commercial control from inception to completion.
Embedded within the project team
We are not consultants who appear once a month to review progress. We work alongside clients, architects, consultants and contractors as an active member of the delivery team, helping projects move forward every day.
Our directors have led commercial, technical and design teams within major UK developers and architectural practices. That experience allows us to bridge the gap between design ambition, commercial reality and practical construction, ensuring decisions are coordinated rather than made in isolation.
Procurement that creates value
Procurement is where commercial strategy becomes project reality. Selecting the right procurement route, engaging the right contractors and creating the right contractual framework has a greater influence on project success than any value engineering exercise undertaken later.
We lead procurement from market engagement through to contract award, managing tendering, evaluating submissions, negotiating commercial positions and recommending the solution that delivers the best overall outcome for the project.
Commercial leadership through construction
Our involvement does not end when the contract is signed. Throughout construction we continue to lead the commercial management of the project, administering contracts, managing change, controlling cost, scrutinising contractor submissions and maintaining clear visibility of commercial risk.
Our reporting is designed for decisions, not records. Clients receive concise, forward-looking information that explains where the project stands, what risks are emerging and what actions are required to maintain cost, programme and delivery objectives.
For us, Quantity Surveying is not simply measuring and valuing work. It is providing the commercial leadership that enables projects to be delivered with confidence.
Cost planning for exceptional homes
We provide quantity surveying and cost planning for substantial private homes across the Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, London and the Home Counties. Early advice tests the proposed design against the complete project budget, with clear allowances, exclusions and risks.
Our work at Hillside House in Kingham demonstrates how elemental cost planning can inform decisions before construction.
Pre Contract
Order of Cost Estimates
Feasibility cost advice at RIBA Stage 0 to 1.
Cost Planning
RIBA Stage 2 to 4.
Market Intelligence
Real-time rates, current tender returns, cost drivers.
Procurement Strategy
Routes, package splits, structured pricing documents.
Tender Evaluation
Evaluation, clarification, equalisation.
Post Contract
Cost Control
Cash flow, valuations and certification.
Change Management
Variations, employer's instructions and contractor claims.
Cost Optimisation
Value engineering and option appraisals.
Risk Management
Risk monitoring, contingencies and reporting.
Cost Reporting
Clear commercial reporting throughout the project.
Close Out
Final Accounts
Negotiation and agreement of final accounts.
Project Close-Out
Sign-off, documentation and project archive.
How this connects
Quantity Surveying often pairs with Contract Administration on JCT Standard schemes, or with Employer’s Agent on JCT Design and Build schemes.