Why developers can’t afford to let quality slip

The North West’s economic success has driven the emergence of luxury residential towers in its city centres, writes Terry Little of Rund.

In Salford, for example, stands Parkside, one of Renaker’s stylish trio of skyscrapers. This 41-storey, 278-unit development boasts amenities including a gym, resident lounges, and co-working areas, enclosed within a distinctive bronze façade. Elsewhere in the region, Liverpool’s historic docklands are undergoing the ambitious Liverpool Waters regeneration scheme, with Lighthaus, Vermont’s 278-unit residential tower, forming a key component of the masterplan. With developers and investors continuing to be attracted by the high rental yields and projected growth in the North West, the number of premium mixed-use developments in the major cities grows.

As the housing supply in the North West’s rental market rises, therefore, tenant expectations increase, reducing the margin of error for residential developments. Unhappy renters facing issues in a building promoting a luxury experience may become disillusioned quickly. What is more, people living in premium tower blocks are pursuing conspicuously high-end lifestyles, often shared on social media, increasing the risk of reputational damage if negative experiences are shared online to a wide audience. Consequently, achieving high quality is paramount to premium rental properties, helping to avoid potential disruptions to tenancies and income caused by issues and defects. It is also critical that this is accomplished first time. The sooner a development is completed, the faster the units are on the market. Achieving on-time completion, minimising repair costs and impact, and ensuring uninterrupted revenue are all crucial for continued growth across the North West.

Meeting these objectives requires rigorous quality oversight, a role performed by a Clerk of Works, who identifies issues in quality, safety, and compliance in construction before they escalate and cause negative knock-on effects. This includes the critical consideration of fire safety compliance, with a Clerk of Works service taking a thorough approach, from inspecting passive fire measures, to compartment walls, to fire doors. These regular inspections throughout construction also support compliance with the Building Safety Act, providing safety for residents and future-proofing the asset for developers and investors.

Along with requiring a higher standard of quality, premium residential towers may be mixed-use and include swimming pools, gyms, or spas, which require specialist attention to avoid costly defects. This makes the inspections carried out by a Clerk of Works even more critical. Clerk of Works carry out regular monitoring of mechanical, electrical, and plumbing works, alongside witnessing critical testing procedures, ensuring compliance throughout the construction process. Without this specialist focus, the knock-on effect can be significant, requiring opening up and corrective works, which impact the finish and require costly remedial action.

Quality inspections and benchmarking help set a higher standard from the beginning of any development, ensuring the right environment exists to achieve the best possible results. My experience shows that fewer post-completion defects ensure happier occupants and protect clients’ reputations. Careful engagement of a Clerk of Works ensures everyone buys into this ethos and achieves the zero-defect, right-first-time target we should all aspire to.

The process of inspecting buildings throughout construction reduces defects post-completion. Identifying issues as early as possible allows more time during construction to eliminate costly, time-consuming repairs post-completion. It is important to utilise multiple specialists throughout inspections to review different potential details, such as quality, fire stopping, and mechanical, electrical, and plumbing. Having an experienced Clerk of Works overseeing the project knits it all together. At Rund, our stringent snagging process is designed to achieve the target of zero defects, ensuring the clients and their end users have a positive experience. Getting it right the first time is the absolute aim.

Issues in quality, safety, and compliance have negative consequences across all types of construction projects. However, investors and developers should be mindful that new, central high rises are changing the skylines of historic city centres, drawing eyes from all sides. The high expectations of end-users set the bar high, and the complex amenities offered increase the potential for costly defects. This raises the risk of reputational damage if the building doesn’t meet the quality advertised – and prominent, expensive skyscrapers naturally invite media attention. Having independent inspectors on-site analysing the workmanship and quality of construction can ensure timely building occupation, strong, reliable rental income, and the enjoyment of end-users.

• Terry Little is associate director at Rund