Contractors and design and build

Technical design support for contractors and developers

Studio Essen works alongside main contractors, design and build contractors, developers and specialist sub-contractors to turn approved schemes into coordinated, buildable information. We can join at tender, after contract award, or part-way through construction when a design team needs extra capacity.

How we help contractors

  • Technical design and detailed construction drawings, from RIBA Stage 4 into construction

  • Building Regulations packages and coordination with building control, the structural engineer and the fire strategy

  • Revit BIM models, coordinated drawing sets and model-based quantities

  • Design and build novation, taking on or continuing a client-side design

  • Tender drawings, specifications and responses to tender queries

  • Design coordination between architectural, structural, MEP and specialist packages

  • Discharge of planning conditions and non-material amendments

  • Site queries, RFIs, change control and as-built information for handover

  • 3D visuals and CGIs for bids, marketing and client sign-off

Why contractors use us

Studio Essen is a small, director-led practice. Our director, Chris Van Essen, began his career in construction in 2001, and every project is led at director level from first drawing to completion. We understand buildability, programme and cost, and we produce clear, coordinated information that your site teams and supply chain can build from. When questions come up on site we respond quickly, and we bring in our trusted network of structural, MEP and fire engineers whenever a project needs them.

Projects of every scale

Our technical delivery work includes the Flexjet private aviation terminal at Farnborough Airport, alongside apartment schemes, commercial and industrial buildings, heritage conversions and residential developments. We are equally comfortable supporting a small builder on a single house or a regional contractor on a multi-million pound scheme.

Health and safety by design

As designers under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, we identify, eliminate or reduce foreseeable risks in our designs and pass on clear information about remaining risks to the principal designer and principal contractor.

Talk to us about your next project

Get in touch with the drawings, programme and scope you need support with, and we will come back to you with a clear proposal.