‘Design-build’ cost effective

Press, 23 October 1984, Page 23

‘Design-build’ cost effective

Industrial Holdings, Ltd, has been instrumental in getting the parties together and organising the project for the Linwood ; City shopping development Although a separate company has done the design work in this instance, most of Industrial Holdings’ business is in “design-build.” This may include finding a site as well as designing and building premises to meet requirements. It may also include finding a purchaser or investor's) to help meet the cost In addition, if required, Industrial Holdings will arrange to sub-let any part of the building not occupied. Besides being involved in leasing and shareholding situations, the company also designs and builds for firms wanting to own their own

buildings. In either case, Industrial Holdings offers to help identify building needs and conceive a design to satisfy them. ? The big difference between design-build and more conventional construction arrangements is that all the necessary skills are provided by the one firm. This means that the designers are working in constant consultation with the men who are pricing the job and those who are going to put up the building. , The result of this is effi-. ciency and economy, and the client knows, before incurring any financial commitment, how much the project is going to cost If a client so wishes, Industrial Holdings will provide the complete develop-

ment, from finding a suitable site through to landscaping. The company has built 159 complete buildings, besides numerous extensions. Among the better known projects have been the: Hornby Mall, the redevelopment of Chancery Lane, General Finance House, and the Windmill Centre in Riccarton. Other buildings constructed for G.U.S. have been supermarkets at Burnham, Ashburton, Timaru, Westport, and Renwick. Work for local ad hoc bodies has Included the con-'-' tainer terminal building for the Lyttelton Harbour Board, an agricultural engineering building for Lincoln. College, and an administration building for the Christchurch Hospital

Board. International Holdings has been in existence since 1972 — about 13 years — and the three working directors are Dick Smith, Brece Page and Denis O'Hara. The company employs its own quantity surveyor, and has an architect and an engineer working on contract The actual building is done by a subsidiary company, Moorcom Construction. All this involves about 40 “outside” staff and 12 in the Kilmore Street office. Besides offering costeffective organisation, the company specialises in costeffective building techniques, and pioneered the use of glass-fibre-reinforced concrete , panels, as in General Finance House.,