Issue: Issue: Energy costs increasing
Solution: 
Energy costs tend to fluctuate and it may be that a building in use does not deliver the promised level of design efficiency in terms an energy consumption.
Diales’s quantum and technical teams are able to advise on the best way of recovering these losses and where liability may lie.
Issue: Controlling maintenance and lifecycle costs
Solution: 
The management of a building and its structure does not simply end upon completion. Allocating the right maintenance contractor and regularly reviewing their management, and the quality that they are delivering, is essential in delivering as predicted life cycle costs and ensuring the quality of the environment is maintained.
Diales can advise and assist in the procurement and assessment of these services.
Issue: The need to change
Solution: 
It may take several years from project concept to seeing the asset in use, during that time requirements often change.
Having knowledge of a project and a client’s business stream in a given region, means that Diales can propose the most economic and effective way of delivering change to scope during the asset in use phase.
Issue: Insurance claims
Solution: 
Inevitably problems occur with extreme weather, fire, or through social unrest and other major incidents that mean an insurance claim is necessary to restore an asset to its prior state.
Diales have global insurance expertise that can help assemble well-documented claims that can speed up payment with the insurer’s loss adjustor.
Diales also act for insurers in verifying contractor’s and employer’s claims on a regular basis; this may also include assessing the value of business interruption claims by our experienced and respected experts.
Issue: Defects and latent defects
Solution: During the course of an asset’s life any defects will relatively quickly come to light. Liability for those defects will need to be identified and suitable remedies found. Latent defects, that arise in the future, also need to be assessed.
Diales can provide technical experts to identify the problems and their potential solutions, as well as the likely cost of dealing with these defects.
This may involve insurance claims, strategising, and delivering in conjunction with lawyers. Diales’s team are experienced across the spectrum.
Issue: Expert witness
Solution: 
In the event that you end up in litigation; or even in advance of litigation, if you wish to have in place a negotiated settlement, having a world-class expert witness providing advice on contentious issues can be absolutely invaluable. Diales Group’s DIALES expert witness support services team are on hand to assist our clients anywhere in the world.
Issue: Adjudication
Solution: 
Adjudication is a very quick process and requires an urgent response together with an understanding of the legal, contractual, and technical issues associated with construction projects.
Diales’s teams are widely experienced in advancing or defending arbitration actions directly with your own teams, and with in-house or external legal input if required.
Issue: Arbitration
Solution: Arbitration is a very quick process and requires an urgent response together with an understanding of the legal, contractual, and technical issues associated with construction projects.
Diales’s teams are widely experienced in advancing or defending adjudication actions directly with your own teams, and with in-house or external legal input if required.
Issue: Litigation
Solution: 
Litigation is high cost and ensuring a predictable and positive outcome is critical.
Diales can provide world-class leading experts in quantum, planning, or technical matters, anywhere in the world to support the litigation process.
Issue: Mediation
Solution: 
Mediation is a non-binding, facilitated method of negotiating a settlement that can be very cost-effective and deliver a quick solution.
Diales’s expert team is happy to support your in-house or external lawyers in quantum, planning, or technical matters; equally some of our experts acts as mediators on a regular basis.
Issue: Claims for time
Solution: 
Contractors submit claims relating to delays, prolongation, and disruption of the work on-site. Clients draft claims regarding the impact of delays on their business, where liquidated damages may often apply.
Diales’s team are global leaders in the drafting and defence of time claims under all contract types. We have a wide range of proven strategies available for both clients and contractors dealing with these issues.
Issue: Commercial and negotiating strategy
Solution: Diales have a team of highly experienced commercial people that have worked on all kinds of projects all over the world. Our most senior people are regularly sought to provide a strategy that will deliver the optimum return, both financially and in terms of time, with minimum cost.
Issue: Claims for money
Solution: 
Contractors submit claims relating to delays, prolongation, and disruption of the work on-site. Clients draft claims regarding the impact of delays on their business, where liquidated damages may often apply.
Diales’s team are global leaders in the drafting and defence of money claims under all contract types. We have a wide range of proven strategies available for both clients and contractors dealing with these issues.
Issue: Claims for time
Solution: 
Contractors submit claims relating to delays, prolongation, and disruption of the work on-site. Clients draft claims regarding the impact of delays on their business, where liquidated damages may often apply.
Diales’s team are global leaders in the drafting and defence of time claims under all contract types. We have a wide range of proven strategies available for both clients and contractors dealing with these issues.
Issue: Defending and advancing a claim
Solution: Diales have nearly 40 years’ experience in defending and advancing contractual claims, all over the world. Claims for time, money, or a combination of the two; together with variation, account, interim payment, and final account claims across all sectors, are a core skill within our business.
Whether you are a contractor or a client looking to defend or advance a claim, Diales’s expert claims consultants will be an asset which recovers in value many times their cost.
Issue: Defects and quality
Solution: 
Regular on-site quality inspections are an essential tool in identifying any defects to be rectified by the contractor, a part of the project management process.
Depending on the type of project and form of contract, strategies and contractual mechanisms to address the defects will differ widely.
Diales’s team operate across the built environment and can advise on strategies to suit both the sector and form of contract concerned.
Issue: Defects and latent defects
Solution: During the course of an asset’s life any defects will relatively quickly come to light. Liability for those defects will need to be identified and suitable remedies found. Latent defects, that arise in the future, also need to be assessed.
Diales can provide technical experts to identify the problems and their potential solutions, as well as the likely cost of dealing with these defects.
This may involve insurance claims, strategising, and delivering in conjunction with lawyers. Diales’s team are experienced across the spectrum.
Issue: Expert witness
Solution: 
In the event that you end up in litigation; or even in advance of litigation, if you wish to have in place a negotiated settlement, having a world-class expert witness providing advice on contentious issues can be absolutely invaluable. Diales Group’s DIALES expert witness support services team are on hand to assist our clients anywhere in the world.
Issue: Adjudication
Solution: 
Adjudication is a very quick process and requires an urgent response together with an understanding of the legal, contractual, and technical issues associated with construction projects.
Diales’s teams are widely experienced in advancing or defending arbitration actions directly with your own teams, and with in-house or external legal input if required.
Issue: Arbitration
Solution: Arbitration is a very quick process and requires an urgent response together with an understanding of the legal, contractual, and technical issues associated with construction projects.
Diales’s teams are widely experienced in advancing or defending adjudication actions directly with your own teams, and with in-house or external legal input if required.
Issue: Litigation
Solution: 
Litigation is high cost and ensuring a predictable and positive outcome is critical.
Diales can provide world-class leading experts in quantum, planning, or technical matters, anywhere in the world to support the litigation process.
Issue: Mediation
Solution: 
Mediation is a non-binding, facilitated method of negotiating a settlement that can be very cost-effective and deliver a quick solution.
Diales’s expert team is happy to support your in-house or external lawyers in quantum, planning, or technical matters; equally some of our experts acts as mediators on a regular basis.
Issue: Claims for time
Solution: 
Contractors submit claims relating to delays, prolongation, and disruption of the work on-site. Clients draft claims regarding the impact of delays on their business, where liquidated damages may often apply.
Diales’s team are global leaders in the drafting and defence of time claims under all contract types. We have a wide range of proven strategies available for both clients and contractors dealing with these issues.
Issue: Commercial and negotiating strategy
Solution: 
Diales have a team of highly experienced commercial people that have worked on all kinds of projects all over the world. Our most senior people are regularly sought to provide a strategy that will deliver the optimum return, both financially and in terms of time, with minimum cost.
Issue: Claims for money
Solution: 
Contractors submit claims relating to delays, prolongation, and disruption of the work on-site. Clients draft claims regarding the impact of delays on their business, where liquidated damages may often apply.
Diales’s team are global leaders in the drafting and defence of money claims under all contract types. We have a wide range of proven strategies available for both clients and contractors dealing with these issues.
Issue: Claims for time
Solution: 
Contractors submit claims relating to delays, prolongation, and disruption of the work on-site. Clients draft claims regarding the impact of delays on their business, where liquidated damages may often apply.
Diales’s team are global leaders in the drafting and defence of time claims under all contract types. We have a wide range of proven strategies available for both clients and contractors dealing with these issues.
Issue: Defending and advancing a claim
Solution: Diales have nearly 40 years’ experience in defending and advancing contractual claims, all over the world. Claims for time, money, or a combination of the two; together with variation, account, interim payment, and final account claims across all sectors, are a core skill within our business.
Whether you are a contractor or a client looking to defend or advance a claim, Diales’s expert claims consultants will be an asset which recovers in value many times their cost.
Issue: Defects and quality
Solution: 
Regular on-site quality inspections are an essential tool in identifying any defects to be rectified by the contractor, a part of the project management process.
Depending on the type of project and form of contract, strategies and contractual mechanisms to address the defects will differ widely.
Diales’s team operate across the built environment and can advise on strategies to suit both the sector and form of contract concerned.
Issue: Defects and latent defects
Solution: During the course of an asset’s life any defects will relatively quickly come to light. Liability for those defects will need to be identified and suitable remedies found. Latent defects, that arise in the future, also need to be assessed.
Diales can provide technical experts to identify the problems and their potential solutions, as well as the likely cost of dealing with these defects.
This may involve insurance claims, strategising, and delivering in conjunction with lawyers. Diales’s team are experienced across the spectrum.
Issue: Dispute avoidance
Solution: 
Various issues arise during a project’s execution that can cause tension between the contractor, who aims to make a profit on the project, and the client, who requires the project is delivered at the lowest possible cost, to the best quality, and on time.
Good record keeping, good contract management, and adequate project controls can help to effectively manage these tensions.
Diales have an experienced team, with strategies proven to address and resolve such issues as they arise.
Issue: Payment disputes
Solution: 
Most jurisdictions have statutory legislation that deals with the timing and requirement to make a payment under a construction contract. The issuing of notices is often crucial and adequate back up and detail, provided within a robust framework and ensuring that the monthly payment cycle is always completed on time and accurately, is essential.
Diales provide the strategies to deal with this.
Issue: Managing risks
Solution: 
Known and expected risk, alongside unidentified risks, will increase and change as a project progresses.
An up to date risk register and other risk related project management tools need to be deployed and maintained to ensure that the risks on the project are effectively managed.
Diales’s team can advise and assist in the set up and ongoing management of risk avoidance and risk management strategies.
Issue: Forecasting outturn cost
Solution: 
In order to maintain a clear view of the final outturn cost, subject to any dispute resolution issues, a simple strategy is needed.
- A detailed cost plan at the outset
- Constant adjustment of the cost plan as necessary
- Monitoring of subcontract and contractor package prices
- Effective cost management processes
Diales’s teams have the experience and expertise to support our clients at each stage of the required process.
Issue: Target cost issues
Solution: 
Sometimes projects are managed on the basis of a target cost; with the gain of any savings and the pain of any overspend shared between the parties. Target cost projects need to be proactively managed. Issues cannot be left to be dealt with until the end of the project.
Diales’s team are widely experienced in target cost issues, gained from global projects of all types, sizes, and complexities.
Issue: Cash flow issues
Solution: A robust cash flow forecast relies on initial accurate budget forecasting, coupled with accurate programme and schedule management. Peaks and troughs in cash flow can point to underlying problems within a project related to scope change or off schedule delivery.
Diales’s experienced teams can offer proven strategies to manage and avoid these issues.
Issue: Forecasting completion accurately
Solution: 
A dynamic programme, with enough detail to understand the impact of change and the progress of the contractors and subcontractors on-site, is an essential tool.
Diales’s team can interrogate the programme, by means of critical path analysis, to accurately forecast outturn completion.
Issue: Record keeping
Solution: 
Keeping good records of what is happening on the project, at any particular point in time, is essential for clients and contractors alike. Accurate records can help defend and advance claims, ensure that project delivery is well managed, and outturn time and cost closely forecast.
Diales’s team can recommend processes at project outset, or advise remedial actions, and identify where current systems may be falling short.
Issue: High value change
Solution: Sometimes on a project, significant change is required.
High value change items need to be swiftly agreed to ensure overall budget, and outturn time compliance, is acceptable to all parties. Having a fully organised and experienced change management team is essential.
Diales’s expert team of quantity surveyors and schedulers have vast experience in effectively managing high value change.
Issue: High volume of change
Solution: 
A high volume of change can be very disruptive to a project.
Having an organised and experienced change management team is essential to the smooth running of this process.
Diales’s expert team of quantity surveyors and schedulers have vast experience in effectively managing high volumes of change.
Issue: Cash flow issues
Solution: A robust cash flow forecast relies on initial accurate budget forecasting, coupled with accurate programme and schedule management. Peaks and troughs in cash flow can point to underlying problems within a project related to scope change or off schedule delivery.
Diales’s experienced teams can offer proven strategies to manage and avoid these issues.
Issue: Getting the right contract form
Solution: 
A thorough understanding of the risks, value, and delivery issues in completing a project are essential in identifying the right form of contract.
Diales’s team are:
- Experienced in all modern, global standard forms of contract
- Equipped with a detailed understanding of commonly used contract amendments
- Experienced in bespoke contract drafting and operation.
Diales’s contract experts deliver incisive advice and recommendations to support our client’s contract choices.
Issue: Getting the right contract form
Solution: 
A thorough understanding of the risks, value, and delivery issues in completing a project are essential in identifying the right form of contract.
Diales’s team are:
- Experienced in all modern, global standard forms of contract
- Equipped with a detailed understanding of commonly used contract amendments
- Experienced in bespoke contract drafting and operation.
Diales’s contract experts deliver incisive advice and recommendations to support our client’s contract choices.
Issue: High volume of queries
Solution: 
A high volume of tender queries may indicate that the design information provided is inadequate.
Having a robust and experienced team managing this process is essential.
Diales have delivered a number of successful strategies to achieve receipt of quality, comparable tenders.
Issue: Getting the right number of tenders back
Solution: 
The quality and quantity of tenders received is a direct function of the research, approach, and communication effort made with the contractors in the first instance.
Diales has the local knowledge and international skills to deliver the required results, particularly on landmark projects.
Issue: Non-compliant tenders
Solution: Tenders that have been submitted with a significant number of caveats or omissions are always difficult to adequately compare.
Diales’s experienced quantity surveying team can help to avoid this situation, or provide reasoned adjustments to the figures concerned, in order to help shortlist the appropriate contractors for use on the project.
Issue: Getting the right tenderers
Solution: 
It is essential to get the right contractors to tender.
Prior to tenderer selection, reviews are required to gauge:
- Quality and prior performance
- Local knowledge and current local performance
- The abilities and availability of their best project teams
- Interest in undertaking the project
Diales’s local teams have the required local knowledge to deliver this insight.
Issue: Over and under budget tenders
Solution: 
Tenders that fall close to, but still within, budget demonstrate the quality of the original budget.
Diales can deliver careful planning, budgeting, and a detailed interrogation of the scope; as well as any necessary adjustments, to meet local marketplace conditions and related budget nuances.
Issue: Over and under budget tenders
Solution: 
Tenders that fall close to, but still within, budget demonstrate the quality of the original budget.
Diales can deliver careful planning, budgeting, and a detailed interrogation of the scope; as well as any necessary adjustments, to meet local marketplace conditions and related budget nuances.
Issue: Landmark buildings and projects
Solution: 
When a landmark project is undertaken, controlling budget and scope and the interface between them, whilst ensuring that vision is delivered and quality achieved, is both critical and extremely difficult.
Diales’s team have delivered numerous global landmark projects and have helped ensure the passage from business case, through design phase, to tender phase; whilst controlling the risks of unbudgeted costs and late delivery.
Issue: Design phase too long
Solution: 
How to take a brief from concept design, through to developed design, and ultimately to a completed technical design needs to be clearly understood by the design phase manager.
Diales have a number successful strategies that can be adopted for any project, to shorten the design phase period.
These strategies include a number of contractual safeguards to shorten the overall delivery period of the project.
Issue: Designers going beyond budget
Solution: Enthusiastic design team can easily outstrip budget and scope requirements in an effort to meet client’s needs and exceed expectations. This frequently leads to revisiting designs to reduce scope, whilst incurring costs for unnecessary repetition of work.
Diales can provide experience design phase managers to prevent this challenging issue from occurring.
Issue: Designers going beyond budget
Solution: 
Enthusiastic design team can easily outstrip budget and scope requirements in an effort to meet client’s needs and exceed expectations. This frequently leads to revisiting designs to reduce scope, whilst incurring costs for unnecessary repetition of work.
Diales can provide experience design phase managers to prevent this challenging issue from occurring.
Issue: Securing funding
Solution: 
It is important to secure funding before any project can move forward; regardless of whether internally or externally sourced.
Diales Group is an experienced global commercial partner and can assist in locating funds. Our team is experienced in understanding funders’ requirements and can help to secure project funding at as early a stage as possible
Issue: Agreeing scope and budget interface
Solution: Maintaining and managing control of budget against scope is vital, even at the earliest stages of a project.
Issue: Delivering business case
Solution: 
A robust and commercially astute business plan, that will stand the scrutiny of external auditors and funders, is essential.
Diales’s experienced commercial team understand the profit and loss and accounting procedures required to make a business case stack up, throughout the lifecycle of a project.
Issue: Valuing risks
Solution: 
Identifying the key project risks, even at an early stage, can be relatively straightforward. Attaching a value to these risks can be more difficult.
Diales’s quantity surveying expertise, coupled with our project management experience, enables risk assessments to be made and an overall risk budget to be allocated.
Issue: Adequately defining scope
Solution: A successful track record, of many hundreds of projects globally, is a useful database for delivering scope control during the concept phase.
Diales’s experienced quantity surveying team are used to finding the information required at each level of preparing a budget and a business case, against known identified scope definitions.
Issue: Matching budget to scope
Solution: Matching budget to scope is always challenging, particularly as the scope may continuously evolve and change.
Diales can consistently provide experienced quantity surveying expertise, with access to suitable cost databases, to guide and advise our clients in maintaining budget and scope alignment, ensuring informed decision making.