The inside track on value engineering for tensile fabrics

You can spend a lot of money on a tensile structure. Not that it won’t be excellent value for money, of course. But there are several sure fire ways of making sure that you get the very best possible bang for your buck.

Here are five.

1 You don’t always need what you asked for

It’s true. On countless occasions we have helped clients save costs by modifying their original specification of the material or support structure – without compromising on the integrity. The fact is, you may have unwittingly over specified a structure – we can help you lower the budget and meet the brief. And there also are many new fabrics and techniques available which only those in the sector may know about.

2 Custom-made or off-the-peg?

Creating any completely new design will inevitably bump up the cost. Specialist companies with a track record behind them will have off-the-peg structures already road tested – one of which may be so close to your design as makes no difference.

3 Watch out for the add-ons

There are all sorts of design features which can add significantly to the tender cost. Collecting rainwater is one. No one wants to be dripped on when they enter or leave a structure – but there are some clever and cost-effective ways to achieve this that you only know about if you’ve used them before. Integrated lighting and power is one area that can really zip up the price but is often essential and will undoubtably enhance the structure. Make sure the specification is clear on what you want.

4 Make sure it’s a level playing field

Sometimes tenders are unbuildable as shown – no disrespect to the originators. That means that an experienced contractor will put in a tender that will probably be well at the top end, because they will allow for changes to the brief. Equally, you need to be comparing apples to apples – and not pears. If the design is merely there as a concept, the variations possible to achieve the end result are enormous – you will need to make allowances for this if you want a level playing field in the tendering process. Start with a precise design that is technically sound, then you will get a far more representative spread of prices. A competent contractor will be able to offer a preliminary design phase.

5 Beware of design features that don’t add value

I’m not just talking over-engineering here, but specifications that might add visually but lend nothing to functionality. The difference between galvanised and stainless steel, for instance is mainly visual… it won’t affect performance. Why not concentrate the budget on upgrading the visible areas that will lift the quality but not break the bank.