Forbes and Forbes
Business and Cost Management
Business and Construction Cost Management
Forbes and Forbes specialise in providing their clients with assurance on costs and value for money.
Training and Education
University lectures
Academic guidance and assessment
Business and Construction Cost Management
Forensic Cost Auditing on NEC3 Projects
Contract Cost Investigation and Advice
Business Planning
Confirming Use of Foreign Charitable Donations
Quantity Surveying
QS Services to Public & Private Clients
Cost Planning & Advice
Procurement & Contract Negotiation
Project Valuation & Final Account Agreement
Preparation and Evaluation of Contract Claims
Forbes and Forbes
A successful business needs to know that their money is being used correctly and that they have full control of costs. All too often businesses are under pressure to meet deadlines and achieve results. The outcome is that they frequently do not have sufficient time, personnel or resources to fully understand the precise make-up or magnitude of their expenditure. Identifying complex cost issues and inefficiencies requires time, effort and a specific type of professional expertise. This is where Forbes & Forbes can help out.
Forbes and Forbes are employed by clients to ascertain the actual costs of a:
Whole business
Joint venture
Project (building or civil engineering)
All businesses should know their costs but there are many instances where we are needed to provide objective answers to vital questions.
Forensic Cost Auditing
Forensic Cost Auditing on NEC3 cost-reimbursable projects, in particular, is a specialisation we can provide for clients.
Forbes & Forbes offer the ‘effective team approach’ by combining the expertise of a Chartered Quantity Surveyor and an Accountant. The Directors have considerable experience of working together as Cost Auditors on high value construction and civil engineering projects. With considerable experience in this field – and with direction from our clients – we investigate, clarify and substantiate clients’ costs to an exceptional level of detail. If there are anomalies in project costs, we will endeavour to drill down, identify and calculate the correct amount that our client should be paying. We provide an objective assessment that contesting parties can agree on. Conciliation is the result. Recovery of costs is often the outcome.
Other core activities include Business Advice, Construction Cost Management services on building & civil engineering projects and Training & Education Services to universities and private clients.
Directors
William Forbes BSc, FRICS
With a wide and varied career in the UK construction industry I continue to practice as a consultant Quantity Surveyor with both public and private sector clients (civil engineering and building). I have also gained valuable specialist experience as a Forensic Cost Auditor on large scale NEC3 projects for a major utility and this remains an important part of my professional activity. QS commissions have included work on the contracting side as well as PQS work.
In a competitive construction market it is important that the client receives the best possible cost management provision from their consultant. As a Director of Forbes & Forbes, I offer clients a ‘hands on’ QS service that combines knowledge, experience and commitment. Our QS services are competitively priced – without cutting corners – and we endeavour to achieve outcomes on time and on budget. We aim to agree final accounts at the earliest possible opportunity following completion of the project on site.
David Forbes BA (Hons) PhD
I focus now on forensic cost auditing on large scale projects – NEC3 or otherwise. Where clients are unsure of the cost reporting of contractual partners, I will give an objective assessment that leads to reconciliation and recovery of costs.
Business planning is quite naturally an area of my experience as a result of my background as an Accountant and PhD in Financial Management. Training and academic supervision are areas I continue to participate in following my 10 years as a senior Lecturer in a University.
I have spent many years abroad giving assurance to UK charitable organisations on the use of their financial donations overseas. Assessing the effectiveness of organisations ranging from hospitals and schools to churches and clinics I have made sure money fulfils the expected purpose.
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