Projects

F&A was established in 1992, by Paul Foster and Kevin Allen in response to a growing requirement for good quality, affordable, electrical contractors within the commercial fit out sector.

Since its conception F&A have gone from “2 men and a van” to a company with a turnover of in excess of £6 million, with a dedicated staff of over 20 people.

F&A are now in a position to take the main contractor role for any sized project.

We have over £10 million worth of insurance cover. A health and safety record second to none. We have never had an insurance claim or a recordable health and safety issue on site. However this does not make us complacent in our attitude to Health and Safety and we insist on “best practice” at all times on all our sites. As an organisation we employ an independent Heath and Safety officer to audit our work on site and report any irregularities to senior management. Prior to starting a project we carry out a design risk assessment, this looks at any potential problem before we have anyone on site, and how we will deal with these hazards. At the start of any project we do a site specific risk assessment, where we look at any dangers on the site and look to minimise any risks associated with the site.

Over the years we have nurtured relationships with all the major wholesalers and can now boast a credit limit in excess of £6 million. This gives us great buying power and lets us negotiate fantastic deals with our suppliers, we are then able to pass these savings on to our customers.

As an organisation we believe that in order to offer the best service we have to be cash positive and as such always have a working capital of up to £2 million on projects.

With any project F&A take on, we will always offer a hierarchical management system. We offer fully trained operatives, each having the relevant qualifications in their fields. We also believe in training our operatives and offer fully funded apprenticeships as staff retention is a key element in our service. We also have an on going staff training regime to ensure that all operatives are up to date with any new legislative/best practice changes to the industry standards.

We will also offer a site manager, that will stay “on site” for the duration of the project, he will liaise with the operatives to ensure that the project is delivered to programme. We also provide a dedicated project manager, who will be in constant dialogue with the client, to ensure that any real time changes to the project are implemented and to ensure that the project is brought in on programme and on budget. On all large scale projects we would set up a site office, where the site manager and project manager would operate. We would also put a full time CAD operative on site to ensure all drawings produced are accurate and up to date. All these functions are backed up by knowledgeable administration staffs that are always available to ensure lines of communication are always accessible.

Both Paul Foster and Kevin Allen are still very much “hands on “and are always available to answer questions and queries.

At F&A we believe that a customer is for life, so even after the completion of the project we will always be at the end of a phone to answer any questions and to complete any remedial works.

F&A are members of the NICEIC and all work that we carry out is signed off by building control.

Below is a summery of how our project process would typically work:-

Pre-Contract

  • Project appointment
  • Work with client & or clients representatives to produce full design specification
  • Produce budgets based on design specification
  • Cost engineer budgets to fit within the project plan
  • Ensure all key dates can be met in terms of products selected, delivery and Human resources
  • Draw up a programme, ensuring that all trades and specialist contractors are involved, This will aid in completing the project on programme.
  • Allocate the correct human resources to the project to ensure all key dates within the programme can be met.
  • Arrange project meetings with all key personal at strategic points leading up to the commencement of the project
  • Ensure that all communication channels are put in place and all the key personal receive all the information pertinent to the project
  • Set up site office
  • Put all health and safety procedures and paperwork in place

Contract

  • Receive orders, liaise with pre-contracts, match orders to quote
  • Advise client of any discrepancies
  • Issue Health & Safety documentation, risk & method statements
  • Set up site facilities
  • Meet with pre-contracts, contract manager, site manager and electricians to run through scope of works and methodology
  • Commence works on site
  • Advise client of any changes as they happen, along with solutions or changes as applicable
  • Contracts manager to attend site at least twice a week to ensure smooth running of site
  • Check , amend and issue drawing revisions as soon as practicable, and ensure alterations are communicated to site
  • Attend site meetings as planned, and report on progress and any influences which may affect the project operation or completion
  • Snagging to be carried out over the course of the project and not left untiol the end.
  • Each phase of work to be signed off as complete by the overall site manager
  • Project completion
  • Client alterations
  • Client instruction on operation of installed equipment
  • Handover project complete with O&M Manuals and contact details in the event of any advice being required.