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Handbook
of Practice
Management
Ninth Edition
© RIBA Enterprises Ltd, 2013, reprinted 2016
1st edition published 1965*
2nd edition published 1967*
3rd revised edition published 1973*
4th revised edition published 1980*
5th edition published 1991†
*Under the title RIBA Handbook of Architectural Practice and Management
†Under the title RIBA Architect’s Handbook of Practice Management
Published by RIBA Publishing, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT
ISBN 978 1 85946 505 9
Stock code 80465
The right of Nigel Ostime to be identified as the Author of this Work has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise,
without prior permission of the copyright owner.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.
Publisher: Steven Cross

Commissioning Editor: Sharla Plant
Project Editor: Alasdair Deas
Designed and typeset by Academic + Technical, Bristol
Printed and bound by Polestar Wheatons, Exeter, UK
Cover image: © iStock / Tony Baggett
While every effort has been made to check the accuracy and quality of the information given in this
publication, neither the Author nor the Publisher accepts any responsibility for the subsequent use of this
information, for any errors or omissions that it may contain, or for any misunderstandings arising from it.
RIBA Publishing is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd.

www.ribaenterprises.com
iii
Contents
Forewordvii
Prefaceix
Acknowledgementsxi
About the author xiii
Part 1: The industry 1

01 The construction industry 3
1.1 Introduction 3
1.2 Contracting and procurement 4
1.3 Future trends 7
1.4 Key roles in the construction industry 13
1.5 Key representative bodies 19
02 The profession 29
2.1 Introduction 29
2.2 Future challenges 30
2.3 Practising as an architect 33
2.4 The role of the ARB 36
2.5 The ARB Code 38
2.6 ARB disciplinary procedures 44
2.7 Structure and governance of the RIBA 45
2.8 The purpose of the RIBA 46
2.9 Membership benefits of the RIBA 48
2.10 Control over entry to the RIBA 51
2.11 Control over the professional conduct of members 57
2.12 Enforcing the Code 59
2.13 Continuing professional development 60
03 The law 65
3.1 Introduction 65
iv Contents
3.2 Claims in contract 66

3.3 Claims in tort 68
3.4 Legislation 68
3.5 Some key statutes 69
3.6 Relevant texts and sources of information 75
3.7 Legislation related to environmental sustainability 77
Part 2: Practice management 85

04 Setting up a practice 87
4.1 Introduction 87
4.2 Making the decision 88
4.3 Forms of practice 90
4.4 Developing a business strategy 98
4.5 Business advisers 100
05 Marketing and business development 107
5.1 Introduction 107
5.2 Drawing up a marketing plan 107
5.3 Where are we? 108
5.4 Where do we want to be? 111
5.5 How do we get there? 112
5.6 Did we achieve our goals? 127
5.7 Pitching to clients 128
06 People management 131
6.2 Legal and contractual aspects 132
6.3 Appointing, managing and motivating staff 142
07 Financial management 153
7.2 Establishing the practice 154
Contents v
7.3 Establishing a financial system 155

7.4 Day-to-day financial management 159
7.5 Conclusion 164
08 Office management 165
8.2 The office premises 165
8.3 Managing the premises 185
8.4 The office manager 188
8.5 Outsourcing and consultancy 188
8.6 Insurance 189
8.7 Health and safety requirements 191
Part 3: Project management 195

09 The architect’s appointment 197
9.2 Receiving, assessing and responding to potential commissions198
9.3 The appointment 210
9.4 Appointment documentation 212
10 Procedures and processes 221
10.2 The office manual 221
10.3 Quality systems 224
10.4 The quality management system: BS EN ISO 9001 225
10.5 Quality and sustainability 231
10.6 Information management and library services 233
10.7 Project-based communications 236
10.8 Project drawings, specifications and schedules 238
10.9 Presentation and numbering systems 239
10.10 Project records 240
vi Contents
10.11 Email 241

10.12 Archiving 242
11 Risk management and insurance 245
11.2 Risk management 245
11.3 Professional indemnity insurance 250
12 Computing, CAD, BIM and IT 257
12.2 Choosing a set-up that suits the business 258
12.3 Building information modelling (BIM) 258
12.4 The internet 260
12.5 Networking 261
12.6 Backing up 266
12.7 Digital information standards 268
12.8 Software and information management 269
13 Knowledge management 273
13.2 What is knowledge management? 273
13.3 How is knowledge retained and communicated? 275
13.4 A plan of action 276
13.5 Knowledge management at the project level 277
Index281
vii
Foreword
Since the first edition was published over 50 years ago, the RIBA Handbook
of Practice Management has become a long-standing companion in the
challenges of running and managing an architectural practice.
This ninth edition builds on the developments brought to the previous
edition and brings it right up to date, incorporating the new RIBA Plan
of Work 2013, additional advice on starting a practice, plus more on IT,
sustainability, working collaboratively and BIM as well as other key topics.
The Handbook complements the ninth edition of the RIBA Job Book, and
just as the Job Book sets the standard for running an architectural project,
so the Handbook sets the standard for running the practice as a whole.
Through better management of its finances, its processes, and – that most
valuable of assets – its people, any architectural practice can ensure it
operates on a more secure, more profitable, and ultimately more creative
basis. This is the case whether the practice is new or well established, and
whether a sole trader or a large firm; all should make good use of this book.
Stephen R. Hodder MBE
President, RIBA (2013–2015)
ix
Preface
This ninth edition of the Handbook of Practice Management was prepared

after publication of the ninth edition of the RIBA Job Book, and is intended
to be complementary to it. The two publications form a dual reference
source and practical practice management tool. It can also be read in
conjunction with the RIBA Small Projects Handbook which provides guidance
on managing projects up to one million pounds in value and concise practice
management advice specifically aimed at small practices. The Handbook of
Practice Management covers the wide spectrum of knowledge required for
the successful management of an architectural practice, including business
and financial management, marketing, communication and information
management.
The presentation and content of the book are intended to make the
information it contains accessible and relevant to both large and small
practices as well as students of architecture. As with the eighth edition,
this edition has been written with an emphasis on the practical aspects
of working as an architect, with the broad premise that architects are
busy people who need to access the information required to undertake a
specific task quickly, and need that information to be precise and to the
point, providing just what they need to be able to execute the activity in
hand, rather than having to trawl through a broad background narrative.
As the Handbook of Practice Management is intended as a first port of call, it
includes lists of references and suggestions for further reading (located at
the end of each chapter) for those wishing to gain a wider understanding
of the subject matter and, in Chapter 1, information on key industry bodies,
together with their contact details.
There are a number of key changes encompassed by this edition. Revised
statistical analysis and broad transformation in the industry – accelerated
by the economic downturn – are reflected in Chapter 1: The industry and
Chapter 2: The profession, the latter also including advice on equality and
diversity in the workforce. Chapter 1 has an updated schedule of the key
industry bodies, their functions and contact details. Chapter 2 reflects on
the future challenges to the profession associated with an increased focus
on providing value and tighter cost management, specialisation, roles for
architectural graduates outside of practice and the nature of architectural
education. Chapter 3 provides a general update on legislation and, new
to this edition, changes with regard to legislation on environmental
x Preface
sustainability. Chapter 4: Setting up a practice, has new advice on business

planning and collaborative practices and Chapter 5 now includes advice
on the use of social media in marketing. Chapter 8: Office management,
has a new section on running a ‘green’ office, and Chapters 10: Procedures
and processes and 12: Computing, CAD, BIM and IT have been updated to
reflect revisions to the Uniclass classification system and BIM processes.
Last, but not least, the book has been updated to reflect the new RIBA Plan
of Work 2013, primarily with regard to Chapter 10.
The book is structured into three broad sections:
• The industry
• Practice management
• Project management.
Each chapter has a brief introduction, and given the close relationship of
much of the subject matter, cross-referencing to other parts of the book
has been included to aid navigation.
Nigel Ostime
xi
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Richard Fairhead for his contribution in
updating Chapters 10 and 12 with regard to classification and BIM. Thanks
also to David Stanford, Graham Hickson-Smith and John Waddell whose
contributions to the previous edition have not been forgotten; to Adrian
Dobson and Richard Brindley from the RIBA for their invaluable input
and advice; to Jane Duncan for her input on diversity and equality in the
profession; to David Gloster for his input on architectural education; to
Lynne Sullivan, who wrote The RIBA Guide to Sustainability in Practice (2012),
used as a source for Chapters 3 and 8; and to Simon Howard of the ARB.
xiii
About the author
Nigel Ostime is an architect and Project Delivery Director at Hawkins\

Brown Architects.
He has wide experience in the design and delivery of complex projects,
including numerous large-scale developments in aviation, utility
infrastructure, commercial offices, high-end residential, retail, town-centre
mixed-use and industrial/distribution buildings. He has delivered planning
permissions on sensitive sites, both urban and rural, and has expertise in
the management and coordination of multidisciplinary consultant teams
through all project stages.
He is an active member of the RIBA, currently being a member of the Practice
and Profession Committee and also chair of the Client Liaison Group, which
provides an interface between the Institute and client bodies. As a member
of the Large Practice Group he set up the RIBA Future Leaders initiative, an
education programme for business-focused, post-Part 3 skills for architects.
He was editor of the previous edition of this book and the current edition
of the RIBA Job Book. He is author of the Small Projects Handbook (2014)
and has developed quality management and briefing/evaluation toolkits
for RIBA Chartered Practices.
He lives in north London with his wife, three children and six bicycles.
Part 1
The industry
01 The construction industry
02 The profession
03 The law
3
The construction industry

1
This chapter:
• discusses current issues within the construction industry;
• considers trends within the industry;
• lists the key roles within the construction industry;
• provides a list of useful organisations that offer support and
information.
1.1 Introduction
We have undoubtedly witnessed significant change in the construction
industry over the past seven years or so in terms of its composition, increased
competitiveness, advancing technology and, of course, a reduction in its
capacity due to the economic downturn experienced across much of the
globe.
Architectural practices have needed to respond to these changes to
remain in business by being flexible in their business planning and project
execution. This has been a difficult transition, but there are many positives
to be taken from it, including:
• the need to focus on design quality while maintaining tight control on
costs – both of the construction and of design development;
• the need to embrace emerging information technology and building
information modelling (BIM);
• the benefits of collaboration, facilitated by the RIBA Plan of Work 2013.
The European economy remains fragile and the key issue in the UK construction
industry will remain a financial one for some time to come, with continuing
public spending cuts and restricted lending for private development.
Some sectors have shown signs of recovery, and there is still an enormous
demand for housing, particularly in London and the South East. Large public
infrastructure projects have helped limit the deficit of construction activity,
but a return to pre-recession levels of activity is some way off.
Sustainability has taken something of a back seat and targets for
improvement have been eroded. Framework agreements have diminished,
at least in the private sector if not in the public sector. BIM has had greater
uptake in the private sector, despite government dictates on public sector
procurement. Payment conditions are often poor, with the public sector
4 Part 1: The industry > Chapter 1: The construction industry
being better than the private, where sub-contractors and consultants

complain bitterly about delays in payment causing a strain on cash flow.
According to the Building White Paper Client Intelligence 2013, of approximately
£100 billion of capital expenditure in UK construction in 2012, around 14%
was public spending, including 4% on housing. Of the 86% private sector
spend, offices accounted for 5%, retail 6%, industrial 3% and leisure/other
10%. Infrastructure, including airports, other transport, energy, water and so
on, accounted for 11%. Private housing accounted for 17% of spend. Repairs
and maintenance was 35%, of which 16% was for housing.
There is a continuing trend for construction companies to look to
international markets, with South Asia and Middle East/North Africa (MENA)
being seen as the most significant. Political and social factors are having a
significant effect on the MENA region though.
The construction industry remains a large and dynamic one, made up of
a diverse collection of companies and organisations with a broad skills
base and with a vitality and energy that make it a unique and stimulating
environment in which to work.
It is important for architects to understand the scope of the industry and
their relationship to the key parties involved:
• employers/clients;
• contractors and sub-contractors;
• suppliers of building materials and products;
• consultants.
1.2 Contracting and procurement

The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 (see Chapter 10) focuses on the benefits of
collaboration and BIM-enabled procurement, reflecting the drive by both
public and private sector clients to find further efficiencies, increase value
and improve quality in construction output. Time will tell what impact this
will have on procurement, alongside the other factors that influence how
project teams and construction supply chains are engaged, not least of
which is cost.
Construction is underpinned by the different methods of contracting used
to procure building and engineering projects. There are many standard
forms of construction contract, although the essential principles remain
the same.
Building procurement methods are founded on the allocation of risk
between employer and contractor – and on down the supply chain to
the contractor’s sub-contractors and suppliers. Somewhere in the middle
Part 1: The industry > Chapter 1: The construction industry 5
are the construction professions, who have traditionally protected the 1

employers but who also have a contractual relationship with and liability
to them – adding a layer of commercial tension.
The differing forms of construction contract either place more risk on the
contractor or allow the employer to retain a degree of the risk – for a reduced
price. As well as proportioning risk, the different forms of contract provide
differing degrees of control over the three key performance indicators for
building work:
• cost
• programme
• quality.
In any single project the correct balance between these three – to some
extent competing – performance targets needs to be found, in order to
best meet the requirements and expectations of the client. The various
building procurement methods each place different emphasis on the
relative importance of these targets, and as trends have changed – generally
with changes in the economy – the differing methods have in turn shaped
the direction, structure and organisation of the construction industry at
any given time.
Consultants have traditionally acted to represent the interests of the
employer, but today often work as a service provider to contractors as
well. The fact that consultants are increasingly working for contractors
when they take on design responsibilities complicates matters further.
This change has required architects to adapt to a differing role and a
different sort of client. Data from the RIBA Business Benchmarking Survey
2012/13 indicates that 19% of architects’ fees now come from contractor
clients.
The contractual arrangements between the key parties in the industry are
increasingly complex and their roles overlap to a greater degree. Some
contractors are becoming developers and also, increasingly, are taking
on projects before the design is complete, allowing employers to transfer
more of the risk to them.
Over the past 15 years the industry has experimented with partnering
arrangements of different types with varying degrees of success, but
partly as a result of economic forces there has recently been renewed
interest in more traditional methods of competitive tendering and building
procurement as well as design and build procurement. Partnering has been
a positive response to the frequently adversarial nature of construction
contracts, and the inherent waste and inefficiency of the resultant conflict.
Partnering involves the sharing of risk, and an emphasis on longer term

relationships for repeat commissions, knowledge-sharing and continuous
improvement. However, there is also a perception that it can carry with it
higher costs, and may lead to complacency – as opposed to the cut and
thrust of competitive tendering. The truth is no doubt somewhere in the
middle. Regardless of this, it is generally recognised that collaboration within
the design team and the wider supply chain (particularly when aligned to
BIM technology) can bring significant efficiencies and improved quality to
the project and the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 facilitates this.
Design and build favours delivery time and cost; traditional single-stage
tendering tends to result in longer programme timescales but gives closer
control – in theory at least – to cost and quality; construction management
gives programme benefits, and two-stage tendering provides a halfway
position – reducing programme but with a potential uplift in cost.
Whole-life contracts, with design-construct-operate agreements, such
as PFI, continue to be used for public works and on commercial projects.
Design and build is the norm when the type of project is appropriate
– and sometimes when it isn’t. Construction management is used less
than it was 10–15 years ago, and this may be indicative of the increasing
importance of cost certainty. Employers naturally look for a guaranteed
maximum price, and margins are getting ever tighter, for consultants as
well as contractors. This tightening of profit is forcing consultants to find
more efficient ways of producing design and, encouraged – or perhaps
coerced – by the insurance industry, place a greater emphasis on managing
their risk (see Chapter 11).
For many larger projects the architect’s traditional role of lead consultant has
been reduced, and although the team may be led by architects, frequently
this will not be case. The RIBA Plan of Work 2013 adopts the terms ‘project
lead’ and ‘lead designer’ for the individual or practice that performs these
functions on projects of any size.
The project may be procured through a core relationship between
consultant and ‘constructors’, possibly through the use of design and build
or construction management procurement, or through the use of traditional
procurement coupled with a partnering charter, or through the use of a multi-
party partnering contract. Although these arrangements will generally be
confined to larger projects, and the role of the ‘general practitioner’ architect
will undoubtedly continue, even smaller practices may find themselves
asked to participate in partnering arrangements or to join consortia. It is
essential that architects take a proactive role in managing their response
to these new arrangements, and seize new opportunities where they arise.
1.3 Future trends

1
So where is the industry heading and what are the key issues facing it
today? The past few years have seen a continued increase in:
• the importance of equality and diversity in the workforce;
• the importance of managing risk;
• technological advances;
• reliance on electronic means of communication;
• consolidation of businesses; and
• globalisation.
Sadly, to this list one could add increasing insolvencies. This has led to clients
taking a keener interest in the financial health of their teams, although
unfortunately it has not resulted in improved payment conditions, which
are still poor in some areas. Consequently, stability is currently one of the
three most important criteria for selection of a contractor, the other two
being price and quality.
One could also add that while the need for sustainable design solutions
and construction methods is acknowledged, there has been a deceleration
in regulatory reform and clients are putting far less emphasis on it than
on commercial criteria. Interestingly though, BIM comes lower on the list
of priorities, for contractors at least.
Innovation remains important in selecting the team, particularly where
it can bring commercial advantage, and site safety continues to be taken
seriously, although accidents and fatalities remain too high.
Sustainability has regrettably become a lower priority for clients as a result
of tightening financial constraints, although the need for a sustainable
approach is unabated. Construction continues to have a major part to play,
with the built environment being responsible for around 45% of carbon
emissions. (It should, however, be noted that new buildings account for
just 1% of the total stock.) Legislation on the environment continues to
evolve; see Chapter 3 for further guidance.
New buildings and refurbishment of the existing building stock still have
to meet the challenges of the UK’s drive to cut emissions by 34% by 2020
– the first step towards an 80% reduction by 2050, in line with the Climate
Change Act 2008. In addition, in 2009, the UK Government committed the
country to sourcing 15% of its energy from renewable sources by 2020. A
significant amount of legislation and many policies have been enacted that
impact significantly on the construction industry and practices will need
to keep abreast of this increasingly complex and changing environment.
Refer to Section 3.7 for legislation related to environmental sustainability.
The RIBA provides a freely available range of climate change toolkits for
architects, which provide an overview and introduction to particular areas
of professional knowledge, with detailed guides to further sources of
authoritative information. Advice can also be sought from organisations such
as the BRE (see Section 1.5), which has developed a range of sustainability
standards, codes and methodologies (such as BREEAM) for buildings, homes
and communities. For more information, go to the BRE website (www.bre.
co.uk) or refer to the RIBA website.
There have been significant changes to the town planning system, with the
advent of the National Planning Policy Framework, and at the same time
a diminished role for (Design Council) CABE, which has been a victim of
government cuts, reducing its capacity to act as an advocate for the value
of design and the promotion of design standards.
1.3.1 Equality and diversity in the workforce

Equality and diversity are important matters for the profession: around
half of Part 1 graduates are female, but women only make up 25% of
fee earners and just 12% of equity partners and shareholder directors
(RIBA Business Benchmarking Survey 2012/13). This points to a case for
some reform of architectural education and more flexibility in routes to
qualification.
Diversity is important. We live in a world of social, economic and demographic
changes – increases in minority ethnic population, globalisation and
diversity of workforce – and there is an expectation for employers to
accommodate the resultant needs, through approach, flexible working and
‘work-life balance’. Tomorrow’s markets will be characterised by diversity
and not uniformity, thus diversity in the workforce is an important business
strategy.
There are benefits to diversity, including:
• a wider talent base;
• employees feeling respected, valued and engaged in their work, providing
enhanced creativity and innovation;
• reduced costs of staff turnover and absenteeism;
• improved knowledge of different cultures and with different clients;
• enhancing the practice’s reputation; and
• creating opportunities for disadvantaged groups and building social
cohesion.
The Equality Act 2010 (see Chapter 3) simplified equal opportunities law.
It is unlawful to discriminate against an individual or group based on any
one of the following characteristics: 1

• age
• disability
• gender reassignment
• marriage and civil partnership
• pregnancy and maternity
• race
• religion and belief
• sex or gender
• sexual orientation.
It is interesting to note the following statistics:
• The UK’s population is • So, on average, are architects

becoming older
• The UK is becoming more • 94% of architects are white (in 2012)
ethnically diverse
• Ethnic minority and cultural • Only 6% of architects are from
groups make up 13% of the ethnic minority and cultural groups
UK population
• 10 million adults have a • No statistics for architects
disability (19% of the working
population)
• 48% of employees are women • 20% of registered architects and
16% of RIBA members are women
• One-third of the workforce • Architecture’s culture is of long
work flexible hours and inflexible hours
The RIBA and Fees Bureau’s 2012 Employment and Earnings Survey findings
show that the ethnicity of architects is predominantly white: 94% of the
UK’s architects are white. This indicates that the issue of diversity is not
firmly on the profession’s radar.
So what can we do to improve this situation?
• Consider whether your staff reflect your locality and your clients.
• Introduce mentoring schemes to encourage and support all staff members.
• Move the culture of your business away from being dominated by how
many hours employees work in the office.
• Make flexible working available for all as a default. Do not make it women/
carer-centric, as this can lead to resentment.
• Offer work experience or paid holiday jobs to people from diverse
backgrounds, to allow them to gain experience and dispel any myths
they might have about the work involved.
• Make diversity an integral part of your business, not just an HR function.

When the practice takes ownership of the need for diversity and diversity
is central to all of its systems, it ceases to be a ‘nice-to-have’ option.
• Adopt fairness, inclusion and respect.
1.3.2 Risk management

As noted above, risk is a key factor in the construction industry and, in a
climate of increasing recourse to legal remedy and a tightening of financial
margins, risk management is more important than ever (see Section 2.2).
This subject is also covered in detail in Chapter 11.
1.3.3 Health and safety

There has been a good deal of debate over the past decade or so with
regard to providing a safer working environment on construction sites,
resulting in higher standards being expected by clients and required by
law. Designers are in a unique position to reduce the health risks that arise
from construction work, and have an important role in helping to protect
workers. Early design decisions and assumptions can affect health and
safety through the choice of materials and construction methods, and
the health of the workers who will either construct or maintain a building.
By identifying and assessing health risks, then taking action to eliminate
hazards, reduce risks, and share information, health risks to workers can –
and should – be reduced.
Although there has been some improvement over the past decade, the rates
of injury in the construction industry are still too high and considerable
further improvement is needed.
1.3.4 Technological advances

Rapid technological advances have resulted in increasing specialisation
in the industry. Projects have become more sophisticated in terms of
the design and construction expertise required and processes have
become more demanding in terms of information flow, coordination and
programming.
Within this context the roles of all professionals within the industry, including
that of the architect, have needed to evolve to meet new expectations.
Traditionally, the architect has been the client’s first point of contact, and
design has been largely in the hands of the architect and other construction
consultants. With traditional procurement the activities of design and
production have been carried out by separate organisations. However,
increasing specialisation has meant that a great deal of technical and 1

design expertise has developed in what had traditionally been thought of
as the ‘supply side’, i.e. within contractors, specialist sub-contractors and
manufacturers.
Building information modelling (BIM) and digital, single project models
are becoming increasingly standardised across the industry and thereby
having greater uptake. Investment in BIM and associated technologies can
be challenging for small practices in this difficult economic climate and
advice on effective implementation can be found in Chapter 12. Chapter 10
outlines the RIBA Plan of Work 2013, which facilitates collaborative working.
1.3.5 Electronic communication

Following an exponential increase in its use, electronic communication has
become ubiquitous and Chapter 12: Computing, CAD, BIM and IT provides
some key advice on this area.
1.3.6 Consolidation
Another trend is the amalgamation and consolidation of consultancies –
particularly in engineering – and the formation of large, multi-disciplinary
organisations. The middle ground is diminishing and the gap between
the small, local service provider and large corporations is growing. A
similar trend can be seen in construction companies. Despite this the UK
construction industry remains fragmented. Most companies in the industry
are small and domestically owned, with localised operations, but further
consolidation is anticipated over the next few years.
1.3.7 The global context

Over the past decade or so international markets in both goods and
services have become more interdependent and the term ‘globalisation’
has become synonymous with the associated increase in trade around the
world. Architects’ services have experienced this phenomenon in a number
of ways, including increased international work for signature architects,
internationally branded practices and architects with world-class specialist
skills, and the emergence of outsourcing of more routine elements of
architectural service provision to lower-cost economies. Developments in
CAD/BIM, single project models and e-communication technologies have
accelerated these trends.
The RIBA Business Benchmarking Survey 2012/13 found that 36% of the fee
income of large UK practices (those employing 50 or more staff ) was from
overseas projects. Important markets for UK practices include Western
Europe, the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Russia, India and China. The RIBA
Business Benchmarking Survey 2012/13 data indicated that overseas projects
represented some 20% of the workload by value of the UK architectural
sector as a whole.
While many western economies are only slowly emerging from the recession
– and some will continue to experience difficulty for years to come – other
areas of the world have bucked the trend throughout this period and have
experienced growth in construction. There will continue to be demand for
UK architects’ services to support investment in these growing economies.
UK architects are seen to have strong credentials in areas such as sustainable
design, master planning, regeneration and conservation, and the UK model
for architectural education is perceived to produce architects with a high
level of design creativity. Fast-emerging markets such as India and South
America, which are relatively unfamiliar to UK architects, may present some
exciting opportunities.
The RIBA has produced a reference handbook, called Working Internationally,
which has valuable content for practices wishing to explore working in
overseas markets. This includes information on cultural awareness, business
issues, the role of the architect, international contracts, finding international
partners, sourcing work and marketing internationally as well as references
to further sources of help. The Working Internationally handbook can
be downloaded from the RIBA’s website (www.architecture.com/RIBA/
Working%20internationally/Workinginternationally.aspx).
UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) provides expert trade advice and practical
support to UK-based companies wishing to grow their business overseas.
Their services include participation at selected trade fairs, facilitation of
outward trade missions, and the provision of bespoke market intelligence
and information on overseas regulations and business practice. Further detail
on UKTI services is available at www.gov.uk/government/organisations/
uk-trade-investment.
The European Union now effectively represents the ‘home’ market for UK
architects, and much regulation that affects the work of architects and
the procurement of buildings is derived from key EU directives, including:
• Directive on Recognition of Professional Qualifications
• Services in the Internal Market Directive
• Procurement Directives.
A significant amount of UK building regulation, health and safety and
environmental regulation is now also EU based. The Architects’ Council of
Europe (ACE), of which both the ARB and the RIBA are members, represents
architects in Europe. The principal function of the ACE is to monitor 1

developments at EU level, seeking to influence those areas of EU policy
and legislation that have an impact on architectural practice and on the
overall quality and sustainability of the built environment in Europe.
1.4 Key roles in the construction industry

The construction industry is engaged in a wide variety of activities, including
not only the design and erection of building and civil engineering projects,
but also related activities, such as the design and manufacture of special
components and equipment, and the maintenance of buildings and
other structures. It is characterised by the fact that most work consists of
unique physical projects that are site-specific, in contrast to, say, ‘consumer
goods’ industries, where products are manufactured en masse rather
than commissioned. The products are generally one-off designs; very few
sectors of the construction industry include any standardisation, with the
exception perhaps of the house-building sector.
Information published by the Government Office for National Statistics

for September 2013 noted that construction contributes approximately
6.8% to the UK’s GDP.
A key characteristic of the industry is the wide range of project values, from
minor works – frequently either domestic projects or maintenance work
costing a few thousand pounds or less – through to major infrastructure
projects with budgets of several billions of pounds. Clearly there are
enormous differences in the skills, knowledge and resources needed to
execute projects of such differing size, and this is reflected in the differences
in scale to be found within the industry. Most sectors comprise a small
number of large companies and a great many medium-sized and smaller
firms and sole traders.
In the architects’ profession there are a few major practices with several
hundred employees. According to RIBA Chartered Practice data, the total large
practice sector (defined by the RIBA as practices employing 50 or more staff)
represents only 3% of firms, but employs one-fifth of RIBA chartered members
in private practice. Conversely, the small practice sector (defined by the RIBA
as practices employing ten or fewer staff) makes up nearly 80% of practices
and employs 44% of the chartered architects working in private practice.
Roles in the design team have been re-examined with the advent of the
RIBA Plan of Work 2013. There is now a greater emphasis on collaboration
and BIM processes. There is also a greater emphasis on post-completion
activities and how these can feed into the initial stages of future projects.
The roles listed in the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 are:

• client (see 1.4.1)
• client adviser
• project lead
• lead designer
• architect (see 1.4.4)
• cost consultant (see 1.4.5)
• civil and structural engineer (see 1.4.6)
• building services engineer (see 1.4.7)
• construction lead
• contract administrator
• health and safety adviser.
In addition to these core roles, specialist input may be required in relation
to design or information management, masterplanning, sustainability,
landscaping, planning, fire engineering, external lighting, acoustics,
interior design, catering or other specialist support roles. Refer to the RIBA
publication Assembling a Collaborative Project Team (2013) for advice on how
to successfully incorporate these specialist advisers into the project team.
1.4.1 Client/employer
The person or organisation that commissions the project is generally,
although not necessarily, the owner of the site and the eventual owner of
the building. Clients range from individuals having work done on a house, to
government bodies or multinational corporations. Increasingly, contractors
are employing architects, either as employees or by commissioning practices
to undertake production information and construction stage services, either
directly or following novation of the architect’s appointment at a particular
stage in the project.
With the growing variety of work and potential areas of specialisation
open to architects, it is important for them to identify what areas they
want to target. Chapter 5: Marketing and business development gives
some guidance on this.
As clients are such an integral part of an architect’s working life, there are
many references within this book to the architect–client relationship and
what it entails:
• Chapter 2 – The profession (Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.5–2.9, 2.11, 2.12)
• Chapter 3 – The law (Sections 3.2, 3.5, 3.6)
• Chapter 4 – Setting up a practice (Sections 4.2, 4.3, 4.5)
• Chapter 5 – Marketing and business development (Sections 5.1, 5.3–5.5)
• Chapter 6 – People management (Sections 6.2, 6.3) 1

• Chapter 7 – Financial management (Sections 7.1, 7.4, 7.5)
• Chapter 8 – Office management (Sections 8.1, 8.2, 8.6, 8.7)
• Chapter 9 – The architect’s appointment (Sections 9.1–9.4)
• Chapter 10 – Procedures and processes (Sections 10.1, 10.3–10.5, 10.7, 10.8)
• Chapter 11 – Risk management and insurance (Sections 11.1–11.3)
• Chapter 12 – Computing, CAD, BIM and IT (Sections 12.3, 12.5)
• Chapter 13 – Knowledge management (Sections 13.4, 13.5)
1.4.2 Contractor
A main or principal contractor will usually be appointed as the constructor
of the building. In practice, most of the actual work will be sub-contracted.
Contractors vary in size from small firms with only a few permanently
employed staff and close links with other small firms and self-employed
tradesmen, to large organisations with a head office, permanent staff
and often regional and possibly international offices. Most firms practice
as limited companies, with some of the larger ones being public limited
companies.
Main contractors are now typically referred to as Tier 1 contractors in many
public sector and leading private sector projects. ‘Tier 1’ refers to their
position in the supply chain – that is, the direct contractual relationship
with the client.
1.4.3 Sub-contractor
Sub-contractors are companies to whom work is sub-let by contractors.
They range from firms who provide relatively unskilled labour for general
construction work through to firms providing highly specialised elements
of the building such as internal fit-out or IT installations and firms who
provide, in addition to the workforce needed to carry out a task, highly
technical expertise which contributes to the design of a project, for example
piling or cladding manufacturers. Generally the choice of sub-contractor
is left to the contractor and their performance is entirely the contractor’s
responsibility. Sometimes, however, the client or designers may choose
the subcontractor, particularly where specialist design input is needed.
Sub-contractors are now more closely defined as specialist and specialist
engineering contractors, and are known within the supply chain as Tier 2, 3,
4, etc. contractors, depending on the number of levels they are away from
the Tier 1 relationship. If a Tier 1 contractor lets a contract to a supplier who
lets a contract to another, who contracts a sole trader heating engineer to
do the work on site, this last would be a Tier 4 contractor.
Developer clients
Property developers form an important group among an architect’s
clients. Essentially a property developer is someone who facilitates
change to a piece of land or real estate, with the aim of generating
an increase in value. The variety and scale of development is great,
from building a single dwelling on a piece of land to master planning
a city. Property development is entrepreneurial by nature, with the
developer usually taking the greatest financial risk but also realising
the greatest reward on success. The property developer initiates the
project, raises finance for it and coordinates the activities required to
realise the development. This includes land acquisition, through planning,
design, construction, finding end-users and perhaps even managing
and maintaining the asset following completion.
Developers have differing fields of specialisation:
• Trader developers buy and sell, sometimes without doing any
development as such, buying at below market value, holding the
property for a while, then selling on at a higher price.
• Investor developers are property companies or individuals who
basically buy an income, and therefore the buildings they purchase
will usually be let, yielding a return for them on their investment every
year. They will tend to hold property in the longer term where the
lessee’s covenant is often as important as the income itself.
• Asset managers manage real estate for institutions or private
individuals against a set of predetermined business objectives. The
activities they undertake might include lease compliance, landlord
and tenant issues, planned maintenance, credit control, benchmarked
rent collection, service charge budgeting and reconciliation, financial
management and accounting, procurement and contract management,
and health and safety. An asset manager should always seek to ensure
that the maximum possible income is gained from a property.
• An institution, often referred to in terms of an institutional investor,
is an organisation charged with investing a sufficiently large amount
of money, frequently on behalf of a group of individuals. Examples of
institutional investors include pension funds, insurance companies,
banks, foundations and endowments, hedge funds and mutual
funds. They will own, invest and hold property assets as part of a
balanced portfolio of products that yield a return for their clients or
themselves.
1.4.4 Architect
1
Architects form a relatively small but influential group among the large
number of qualified professionals working within the construction industry.
Architects are regulated under the Architects Act 1997, although this
legislation protects the title rather than the role – there is no requirement
under the law for the designer of any building to be an architect. In practice
it is normally the architect’s responsibility to facilitate the coordination
and integration of the work of other designers and specialists into the
overall design. The architect has traditionally also acted as the overall lead
consultant and administrator of the building contract, although this is not
always the case on many large projects, where a project manager or other
consultant may take this role. Architects are, however, increasingly being
called on to provide a single point of contact to the client for design services,
sometimes sub-contracting structural and mechanical and electrical (M&E)
engineering and other design services.
With the advent of BIM-enabled projects, a new area is open to architects:
that of information management. Under the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 (see
Chapter 10), Stages 0 and 7 provide the opportunity for architects to extend
their service after the building has been completed. In Stage 7 the building
is managed – throughout its life up to its eventual demolition. A BIM model
can be used to assist in this and architects should seek opportunities to
perform this service for their clients. Traditionally, once a building has been
completed the architect has had little involvement in managing it as an
asset or a facility, but this could change, with consequent benefits to the
profession and the industry. As buildings become ‘smarter’ they also require
greater technical understanding to run them efficiently and information
technology can play a key part in this.
1.4.5 Cost consultant

Traditionally the role of the cost consultant (or quantity surveyor) was limited
to preparing bills of quantities for tendering purposes but this expanded
over time to include the preparation of valuations and final accounts. The
role is now broader, and related to the financial management of a project.
The cost consultant can analyse cost information on other similar projects,
local levels of building costs and cost trends, etc. and can judge whether the
client’s budget is realistic and compatible with other stated requirements.
The cost consultant can prepare the financial appraisal for the feasibility
report. They will also advise on procurement and tendering processes, on
contract documentation, on cash flow forecasting, financial reports and
interim payments, and on the final account.
Titles such as cost consultant are now frequently used in preference to

quantity surveyor, reflecting the changed nature of the role to include
managing the cost of the project rather than purely measuring it.
1.4.6 Structural engineer

The structural engineer advises on and prepares the structural design for
the project, including the foundation design. They can advise the architect
on local conditions relevant to the site, such as soil and geotechnical factors,
roads, sewers, water supply, etc. They can identify hazards and hazardous
substances, arrange for site, structural and drainage surveys, advise on
alternative structural solutions, prepare design criteria and calculations
and advise on structural aspects of party walls, temporary structures and
demolition work.
1.4.7 Building services engineer

The M&E engineers will advise on and prepare designs for the various
service systems in the building. They will advise on climatic conditions,
energy use and conservation, emission problems, etc. and will consult
relevant authorities as necessary. M&E engineers can prepare feasibility
studies, estimates, forecasts and maintenance cost options; prepare
energy management studies; and report and prepare design criteria and
calculations.
Increasingly they play a role in delivering environmentally sustainable
solutions and undertaking sustainable design audits. From this point of
view it is important that they are involved early in the design process, when
key decisions on sustainability have to be made.
1.5 Key representative bodies

1
C l ient or g anisations
British Property Federation (BPF)

The BPF is a membership organisation devoted to representing the interests of all
those involved in property ownership and investment. It aims to create conditions
in which the commercial property industry can grow and thrive, for the benefit of its
members and of the economy as a whole. Its objectives are:
oo to raise further the profile of the property industry with political stakeholders, the
media, and the public;
oo to obtain for the industry legislative, fiscal and regulatory conditions that maximise
its success and so enhance the benefits the industry can bring to the UK;
oo to encourage best practice within the industry as a means of increasing long-term
value and improving stakeholder perception.
The BPF works closely with other representative organisations where there are
advantages to be gained from pooling resources or from lobbying in a collective,
coordinated way. The property assets of members total over £100 billion.
Membership includes property developers, housing associations, banks, insurers and
professionals, including architects. The BPF is a member of JCT Ltd.
www.bpf.org.uk
Local Government Association (LGA)

Established in 1997 and based in Westminster, the LGA is a voluntary lobbying
organisation acting as the voice of the local government sector, and an authoritative and
effective advocate on its behalf. It targets its efforts on the issues that matter most to
councils, working with and on behalf of their membership to deliver their shared vision
of an independent and confident local government sector, where local priorities drive
public service improvement in every city, town and village and every councillor acts as
a champion for their ward and for the people they represent.
Membership comprises all local authorities (nearly 500 in total). The LGA is a member
of JCT Ltd.
www.local.gov.uk/
Constructing Excellence (CE)

Constructing Excellence is charged with driving the change agenda in construction and
exists to improve industry performance in order to produce a better built environment.
It is a cross-sector, cross-supply chain, member-led organisation operating for the
good of industry and its stakeholders.
In the mid-1990s a wide spread recognition arose of the need for the construction
industry to improve the service it provided to its clients while also ensuring future
viability for the wide range of organisations that operated in the industry. In response
to Sir Michael Latham’s 1994 report ‘Constructing the Team’ and Sir John Egan’s 1998
report ‘Rethinking Construction’ a number of cross industry bodies were formed to
drive change. Significant progress has been made in driving these initiatives into the
practicing industry with many examples of projects that have been run in accordance
with the fundamental principles. In order to streamline the effort involved, the cross
industry bodies were united as Constructing Excellence in 2003 to form a voice for
improvement in the built environment sector.
constructingexcellence.org.uk
C ontractor or g anisations
Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)

CECA is the representative organisation for the UK’s civil engineering contractors.
www.ceca.co.uk
Federation of Master Builders (FMB)

The FMB is the UK’s largest trade association in the building industry, with national
offices in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, supported by additional
regional offices. Established in 1941 to protect the interests of small and medium-sized
building firms, the FMB is independent and non-profit-making, lobbying continuously
for members’ interests at both national and local levels. The FMB is a source of
knowledge, professional advice and support for building firms right across the UK. The
FMB also offers practical advice and support to the general public on choosing and
working with the right builder.
www.fmb.org.uk
National Federation of Builders (NFB)

The NBF provides business and policy support to builders, contractors and house builders
across England and Wales. It aims to promote the building profession and influence the
business environment to provide optimum conditions for successful building.
www.builders.org.uk
Contractors Legal Group (CLG)

The CLG was set up in 2009. It works in partnership with the National Federation of
Builders, the UK Contractors Group, the Civil Engineering Contractors Association
and the Scottish Building Federation to provide a unified voice representing the legal
affairs of main contractors in the supply chain.
The CLG represents the main contractors within the construction industry in
negotiations concerning legal affairs with government and other industry groups. It
is a member of JCT Ltd.
www.builders.org.uk/nfb11/about_us/Working_with_us/Contactors%20Legal%20
Group.eb
At the supply chain level there are two main umbrella bodies:
Build UK
Build UK provides a collective voice for the contracting supply chain in construction
and brings together 27 of the industry’s largest main contractors and 40 leading trade
associations representing over 11,500 Specialist Contractors. The organisation focuses
on key industry issues that can deliver change and enable the contracting supply chain
to improve the efficiency and delivery of construction projects to the benefit of the
industry’s clients.
Build UK was created as a result of a merger between the National Specialist Contractors’
Council (NSCC) and UK Contractors Group (UKCG) in 2015.
1
www.builduk.org
Specialist Engineering Contractors (SEC) Group

The SEC Group exists to raise awareness, especially among clients and their professional
advisers, of the importance of specialist engineering to the overall construction
industry.
www.secgroup.org.uk
P rofessiona l or g anisations
Architects’ Council of Europe (ACE)

The ACE represents the architectural profession at European level, with a headquarters
and secretariat in Brussels. Its growing membership consists of member organisations
that are the nationally representative regulatory and professional bodies of all EU
member states, accession states, Switzerland and Norway. Through them, it represents
the interests of about 480,000 architects.
The principal function of the ACE is to monitor developments at EU level, seeking
to influence those areas of EU policy and legislation that have an impact on architectural
practice and on the overall quality and sustainability of the built environment.
www.ace-cae.eu
Architects Registration Board (ARB) (see also sections 2.3–2.6)

The ARB is the UK’s statutory regulator of architects. It keeps a public register of around
33,000 architects, which is searchable online. Every architect on its register has met
the standards it sets for education, training and practice. The ARB was established by
Parliament in 1997 to regulate the architects’ profession in the UK. It is an independent,
public interest body and its work in regulating architects ensures that good standards
within the profession are consistently maintained for the benefit of the public and
architects alike.
Its duties are contained in the Architects Act 1997, and cover five main areas:
oo prescribing – or ‘recognising’ – the qualifications needed to become an architect;
oo keeping the UK Register of Architects;
oo ensuring that architects meet its standards for conduct and practice;
oo investigating complaints about an architect’s conduct or competence;
oo making sure that only people on its register offer their services as an architect in the
UK.
www.arb.org.uk
Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE)

Formed in 1925 as the Incorporated Association of Architects and Surveyors, the
Chartered Association of Building Engineers (CABE) is a leading body for professionals
specialising in the design, construction, evaluation and maintenance of buildings.
Its members practise across the United Kingdom, mainland Europe and around the
World, and work in both the private and public sectors. The CABE provides the prime
qualification of Building Engineer, a title that exactly reflects the professional expertise
of members.
The Association was founded with the principal objectives to:
oo promote and advance the knowledge, study and practice of each and all of the arts
and sciences concerned with building technology, planning, design, construction,
maintenance and repair of the built environment and the creation and maintenance
of a high standard of professional qualification, conduct and practice;
oo encourage and facilitate co-operation between the construction professions.
The Association was granted its Royal Charter in 2013.
www.cbuilde.com/home/
Association of Consultant Architects (ACA)

The ACA is the national professional body representing architects in private practice –
consultant architects – throughout the UK. Founded in 1973, it now represents some
of the country’s leading practices, ranging in size from one-person firms to very large
international organisations.
www.acarchitects.co.uk
Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE)

The ACE represents the business interests of its members and the consultancy and
engineering industry in the UK. It has approximately 550 firms as its members, which
range from small to large and operate across many different disciplines. ACE promotes
the contribution that consultants and engineers working in the built and natural
environment make to the nation’s developing infrastructure and represents their
interests to decision-makers and key stakeholders in government, client organisations
and the media. It gives its members access to services including regular industry
intelligence; debate and networking opportunities; free legal, financial and insurance
advice; and a representative voice.
www.acenet.co.uk
Association for Project Safety (APS)

APS aims to continuously improve and promote the professional practice of design
and construction health and safety risk management. It plays a leading role in
helping the industry meet the challenges of implementing CDM2015 effectively and
proportionately, and driving the new focus on health. It provides training, education
and support for clients and designers. APS works with other professional bodies, and
supports key organisations that are driving the industry forward. From experienced
industry professionals to students and graduates, it comprises over 5,000 individual
members.
www.aps.org.uk
Association for Project Management (APM)

The Association for Project Management develops and promotes project and
programme management. The association is a registered charity with over 20,000
individual and 500 corporate members, making it the largest professional body of its
kind in Europe. As part of its strategy to raise awareness and standards in the profession
it is currently in the process of applying for a Royal Charter.
APM’s mission statement is: ‘To provide leadership to the movement of committed
organisations and individuals who share our passion for improving project outcomes’.
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www.apm.org.uk
Commonwealth Association of Architects (CAA)

The CAA is a membership organisation for institutes representing architects in
Commonwealth countries. Formed at the RIBA in 1965 to promote cooperation for
‘the advancement of architecture in the Commonwealth’, and particularly to share and
increase architectural knowledge, it currently has 34 members.
Under the umbrella of the Commonwealth, the CAA subscribes to its core values, in
particular offering developmental support to the smaller and younger members. The
Commonwealth network is increasingly valued as a means of accelerating improvement
in the world’s living conditions and ensuring a sustainable future for the planet.
www.comarchitect.org
Institute of Clerks of Works and Construction Inspectorate of

Great Britain (ICWCI)
The ICWCI is the professional body that supports quality construction through
inspection. As a membership organisation it provides a support network of meeting
centres, technical advice, publications and events to help keep members up to date
with the ever-changing construction industry.
Founded in 1882, it runs examinations for clerks of works and publishes guidance
including a manual for clerks of works. Member of the CIC.
www.icwgb.org
Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)

The ICE is a registered charity that strives to promote and progress civil engineering. It
is a qualifying body, a centre for the exchange of specialist knowledge, and a provider
of resources to encourage innovation and excellence in the profession worldwide.
Founded in 1818, the ICE represents nearly 80,000 members worldwide.
www.ice.org.uk
Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE)

The IStructE is the world’s largest membership organisation dedicated to structural
engineering. It has over 23,000 members working in 105 countries around the world
and is an internationally recognised source of expertise and information concerning
all issues that involve structural engineering and public safety within the built
environment.
The core work of the IStructE is supporting and protecting the profession of structural
engineering by upholding professional standards and acting as an international voice
on behalf of structural engineers.
www.istructe.org.uk
International Union of Architects (UIA)

The UIA is a non-governmental organisation, a global federation of national associations
of architects, that are its members. The UIA’s goal is to unite the architects of the world
without any form of discrimination. From the 27 delegations present at the founding
assembly in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1948, the UIA has grown to encompass the
key professional organisations of architects in 124 countries and territories, and now
represents, through these organisations, close to 1,300,000 architects worldwide.
www.uia.archi/
Landscape Institute (LI)

The LI is an educational charity and chartered body responsible for protecting,
conserving and enhancing the natural and built environment. It champions well-
designed and well-managed urban and rural landscapes. The LI’s accreditation and
professional procedures ensure that the designers, managers and scientists who make
up the landscape architecture profession work to the highest standards. Its advocacy
and education programmes promote the landscape architecture profession as one
that focuses on design, environment and community in order to inspire great places
where people want to live, work and visit.
The LI represents 6,000 members, including chartered landscape architects, academics,
scientists and students who work for organisations such as local authorities and
government agencies and in private practice and are involved in a broad range of tasks
including master planning, environmental assessment, public consultation and design.
The LI provides member services including support and promotion of the work of
landscape architects; information and guidance to the public and industry about the
specific expertise offered by those in the profession; and training and educational
advice to students and professionals looking to build upon their experience.
www.landscapeinstitute.org
Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI)

Founded in 1914, the RTPI is the UK’s leading planning body specialising in spatial,
sustainable, integrative and inclusive planning.
As a membership organisation it represents and assists its 23,000 members by:
promoting planning as a profession; providing information and guidance to policy
makers; funding and undertaking research; and supporting members throughout
their professional career. It has both regional and interest-group networks.
www.rtpi.org.uk
Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

The RICS has 110,000 members and 18 faculties, including diverse fields such as
antiques and fine art, facilities management, mineral and waste management and
project management. Activities include library services, awards and competitions,
conferences, CPD and publishing.
Member of the CIC and of JCT Ltd.
www.rics.org
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA)

(see also Sections 2.7–2.13)
The RIBA is the UK-based professional body for architecture. It provides support for its
40,000 plus members (comprising chartered, associate, student and affiliate members)
through advice, training, technical and business services, and the setting of standards
for the education of architects, both in the UK and internationally.
1
www.architecture.com
Royal Society of Architects in Wales (RSAW)

The Royal Society of Architects in Wales/Cymdeithas Frenhinol Penseiri yng Nghymru
(RSAW) is the voice of the RIBA in Wales. As part of the Royal Institute of British Architects
(RIBA), the RSAW champions better buildings, communities and the environment
through architecture and our members.
Covering a large geographic area from its base in Cardiff, RSAW provides support
for members through CPD, Spring School and our annual conference. It recognises
outstanding architecture through the RIBA Awards and the Welsh Architecture Awards
and supports the National Eisteddfod of Wales with the delivery of the Eisteddfod
Architecture Medal and student scholarship.
Its core programme is complemented by local events organised by volunteer members
in branches throughout Wales.
www.architecture.com (and search RSAW)
Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS)

The RIAS was founded in 1916 as the professional body for all chartered architects in
Scotland, and is the foremost architectural professional institute in the country dealing
with architecture and the built environment.
The RIAS has charitable status, and offers a wide range of services and products for
architects, students of architecture, construction industry professionals, and all those
with an interest in the built environment and the design process.
The RIAS and the RIBA have an agreement on joint chartered membership; it allows
registered architects born in Scotland or educated at a Scottish School of Architecture
to be eligible for joint chartered membership of both the RIAS and the RIBA.
www.rias.org.uk
Royal Society of Ulster Architects (RSUA)

The RSUA is the professional body for chartered architects in Northern Ireland, with
approximately 900 members.
It was established in 1901 and a direct alliance was formed with the RIBA in 1925. The
RSUA continues to act for the RIBA in Northern Ireland.
www.rsua.org.uk
Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (RIAI)

The RIAI is the regulatory and support body for architects in Ireland and its role
encompasses promoting architecture, supporting architects and architectural
technicians, regulating architects and protecting the consumer. The RIAI carries out a
statutory function as the registration body and competent authority for architects in
Ireland. It also provides support services for architectural technicians.
www.riai.ie
I nd u str y or g anisations
British Board of Agrément (BBA)

The BBA works in conjunction with the European Organisation for Technical Approvals,
and is responsible for assessing new building products and issuing related certificates,
including European Technical Approvals and Agreement Certificates.
www.bbacerts.co.uk
British Standards Institution (BSI)

The BSI is the authority responsible for the preparation and review of national standards
covering a wide range of matters such as definitions, dimensions, preferred testing
methods and performance, and for the preparation of codes of practice. Many of these
standards and codes apply to the construction industry. The organisation must also
publish British versions of European standards, and withdraw any conflicting national
standards.
www.bsigroup.com
Building Cost Information Service (BCIS)

BCIS publishes and distributes up-to-date cost information including indices, trends
and market conditions.
www.rics.org/uk/knowledge/bcis/
Building Research Establishment (BRE)

BRE undertakes research and publishes reports on building materials and various
aspects of construction technology. Provides consultancy, testing and information
services. Member of the CIC.
www.bre.co.uk
Building Services Research and Information Association (BSRIA)

BSRIA undertakes research and publishes reports on various aspects of building
services. It provides consultancy, testing, information and market research services
and runs an on-line bookshop. Member of the CIC.
www.bsria.co.uk
Construction Industry Council (CIC)

Established by the Government in 1988, the CIC is the largest pan-industry forum
representing all aspects of the built environment, including most of the professional
bodies, most research organisations and many of the specialist trade associations. It
carries out quarterly surveys of construction industry activities. The RIBA is represented
on several of its committees and working parties.
www.cic.org.uk
Construction Industry Research and Information Association

(CIRIA)
Funds and coordinates research activities, although it has no laboratories or testing
facilities of its own. It is funded by government grants and research contracts from
industry. It publishes a newsletter and reports, disseminating the research it has

funded.
1
www.ciria.org
CITB – Construction Skills

This was established under the Industrial Training Act 1964 as the Construction
Industry Training Board (CITB), with its remit to improve training so that there would be
an adequate supply of suitably qualified people to work at all levels of the construction
industry. It runs courses at its training centres, works with colleges of technology, and
gives grants to employers who undertake its courses.
www.citb.co.uk
Joint Contracts Tribunal Limited (JCT)

The JCT publishes and reviews the standard forms of building contract and sub-
contract generally used throughout the building industry. It also publishes guidance
related to these forms as Practice Notes, and funds and publishes research. The RIBA is
a shareholder in the JCT and is represented on the JCT Board through its membership
of the Consultants’ College. It thereby has a voice in influencing the content of JCT
contracts and endorses their use.
www.jctltd.co.uk
National House-Building Council (NHBC)

The NHBC is an independent regulating body for the UK house-building industry. It
maintains a register of 18,000 house builders who construct 85% of new houses in the
UK. It sets technical standards for construction of new homes, with the aim of reducing
defects. It also offers warranty and insurance services that house builders can pass on
to home buyers. Member of the CIC.
www.nhbc.co.uk
Timber Research and Development Association (TRADA)

TRADA is an international centre for specification and use of timber and wood products.
It undertakes research and publishes reports, books and other guidance information
and runs an on-line bookshop. Member of the CIC.
www.trada.co.uk
References and further reading

The Future of Building: Perspectives. Methods, Objectives, Prospects (Munich:
DETAIL, 2012).
Building. White Paper 13: Client Intelligence 2013 (London, 2013).
Pelsmakers, S., The Environmental Design Pocketbook (London: RIBA
Publishing, 2012).
Sinclair, D., Guide to Using the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 (London: RIBA Publishing,
2013).
Sinclair, D., Assembling a Collaborative Project Team (London: RIBA Publishing,
2013).
29
The profession
THIS CHAPTER:
• outlines the guiding principles of the profession of architecture,
and considers potential future trends and challenges;
• looks at the statutory regulations governing the practice of architects;
2
• describes the role of the ARB, and its code of conduct and disciplinary
procedures;
• explains the structure and governance of the RIBA, and its purpose;
• discusses the membership benefits and entry requirements of the
RIBA, current thinking on education and the role of CPD.
2.1 Introduction
The RIBA/CABE publication The Professionals’ Choice sets out four guiding
principles of the professions:
• formal association;
• trustworthiness;
• observing the public interest;
• maintaining and developing a body of knowledge.
The professions need formal means to control membership, and they do this
by requiring a level of proficiency for entry and by being able to exclude
those who do not practise within their rules. These standards need to be set
at a level such that members have appropriate knowledge and expertise,
and exercise reasonable skill and care, but not be so high as to make fees
uncompetitive. Members of the architects’ profession operate in a broadly
free market for the provision of architectural services, albeit with protection
of the title ‘architect’ through the Architects Act 1997, and have to be able
to provide value compared with non-members offering a similar service.
Professions must also be trustworthy, and not use their knowledge to gain
undue commercial advantage over their clients: this is increasingly achieved
through regulation and the law, and through auditing, both internally, and
by external, client-appointed consultants. They should be independent of
the purely commercial interests in their industry, and balance the needs
of their members against those of the public. Architects traditionally act
as an independent agent between their client and the contractor while
balancing the interests of the client with those of the wider community
30 Part 1: The industry > Chapter 2: The profession
and the environment. However, with the growth in Design and Build
procurement, architects also increasingly find themselves employed directly
by the contractor, and this presents new challenges in meeting their wider
responsibilities.
Architects are creative designers as well as project managers and contract
administrators, and this will always make them unique among other
construction professionals. Critically, however, this creativity is combined with
experience and knowledge that is gained through experience and not easily
found through reference. It is becoming increasingly important for architects
to manage their knowledge for commercial advantage (see Chapter 13).
A professional body, then, can be defined as a formal association of specifically
educated members that assures their ability through examination and
certification, and their trustworthiness through regulation, and provides
support and advice to achieve those aims.
In most countries throughout the world there is generally some regulation
of function or, at the least, protection of title for architects. Successive UK
governments have been keen to ensure free competition for architectural
services and have shown no appetite for regulation of function, perceiving
that the industry is sufficiently regulated through planning, building control
and health and safety legislation. They have been prepared to accept the
argument for continuing protection of title, provided it is self-funded by the
profession through a body such as the Architects Registration Board (ARB).
The question could be asked, though: Is protection of title really of benefit
to the public or the profession, or does it simply restrict the development
of more flexible services?
2.2 Future challenges
2.2.1 Adaptability and specialisation

There is no such thing as a job for life anymore, particularly in architecture
and the broader construction industry. Construction has always been
susceptible to the vagaries of the economy, but with greater complexity
and the advent of a truly global marketplace, what might have been
considered a difficulty can instead be viewed as an opportunity. Architects
will increasingly need to be adaptable and prepared to turn their hand to
new tasks and to undertake further training where necessary, especially in
the fields of technology and electronic information and communication.
There is, however, an opposing requirement to specialise in order to
compete against other specialists. An area of specialisation may be a
sector type, such as workplace, retail or airports, or it may be a technical
Another random document with
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the same trip. So he gave Berlyn an introduction. Berlyn, it appears,
fell in love with her and was accepted before the cruise was over.”
“Do you think Berlyn could have been jealous of your cousin?”
“I’m sure he could not, Inspector. Don’t get that bee into your
bonnet. Stanley certainly went often to the house, but Berlyn was
always friendly to him. I don’t for a moment believe there was
anything to be jealous about.”
“There was enough intimacy for them to be talked about.”
“In Ashburton!” Pyke retorted, scornfully. “In a little one-horse
place like that they’d talk no matter what you did.”
“It was believed that there was something between them until
about four months before the tragedy, then for some unknown
reason the affair stopped.”
“That so?” Pyke retorted. “Well, if it stopped four months before
the tragedy it couldn’t have caused it.”
“Do you know where Mrs. Berlyn is now?”
“Yes, in London; at 70b Park Walk, Chelsea, to be exact.”
French continued his questions, but without learning anything
further of interest, and after cautioning Pyke to keep his own
counsel, he took his leave.
So he had reached certainty at last! The body was Stanley
Pyke’s. He had admittedly made four ghastly blunders in his test
points and these he must now try to retrieve. There was also a
reasonable suspicion that Charles Berlyn was the murderer.
Splendid! He was getting on. As he went down to the Yard he felt he
had some good work behind him to report.
Chapter Ten: London’s Further
Contribution
Now that he was in London, French decided that he should
complete certain enquiries.
First he should satisfy himself that everything possible had been
done to trace the letter-writers of the Euston and St. Pancras hotels
and the purchaser of the money order for £62.10.0. Next he must
visit the manufacturers of the Ardlo magneto and get their views on
short-circuited windings. Lastly he must have an interview with Mrs.
Berlyn.
As it happened, he took the last of these items first, and three
o’clock that afternoon found him ascending the stairs of No. 70b
Park Walk, Chelsea. The house was divided into a number of what
seemed small but comfortable flats. Pretty expensive, French
thought, as he rang.
A neatly dressed maid opened the door and, after taking in his
card, announced that Mrs. Berlyn would see him. He followed her to
a tiny, but pleasantly furnished drawing room, and there in a few
minutes he was joined by the lady of the house.
French looked at her with some curiosity. Of medium height and
with a slight, graceful figure, she still gave an impression of energy
and competent efficiency. She was not beautiful, but her appearance
was arresting and French felt instinctively that she was a woman to
be reckoned with. Her manner was vivacious and French could
imagine her dancing all night and turning up next morning to
breakfast as cool and fresh and ready for anything as if she had had
her accustomed eight hours’ sleep.
“Inspector French, Scotland Yard,” she said, briskly, glancing at
the card in her hand. “Won’t you sit down, Mr. French, and tell me
what I can do for you?”
“Thank you, Mrs. Berlyn. I am sorry to say I have called on
distressing business. It may or may not concern your late husband. I
am hoping for information from you which may decide the point.”
The lady’s expression became grave.
“Suppose you give me the details,” she suggested.
“I am about to do so, but I warn you that you must prepare
yourself for a shock. It is in connection with the tragedy by which Mr.
Berlyn and Mr. Pyke were believed to have lost their lives.”
Mrs. Berlyn started and her gaze became fixed intently on
French.
“It has been discovered that Mr. Pyke was not lost on the moor as
was supposed. Of Mr. Berlyn’s fate nothing new has been learnt. But
I deeply regret to inform you that Mr. Pyke was murdered.”
“Stanley Pyke murdered! Oh, impossible!” Horror showed on the
lady’s face and her lips trembled. For a moment it looked as if she
would give way to her emotion, but she controlled herself and asked
for details.
French told her exactly what had occurred, from the discovery of
the crate to Jefferson Pyke’s identification of the birthmark.
“I’m afraid it must be true,” she said, sadly, when he had finished.
“I remember that birthmark, too. We were children together, the
Pykes and I, and I have often seen it. Oh, I can’t say how sorry I am!
Who could have done such a terrible thing? Stanley was so jolly and
pleasant and kind. He was good to everyone and everyone liked
him. Oh, it is too awful for words!”
French made a noncommittal reply.
“But what about my late husband?” Mrs. Berlyn went on. “You
said nothing had been learnt about him. But—if they were together
——?”
She paused suddenly, as if seeing that a meaning which she had
not intended might be read into her words. But French replied,
soothingly:
“That’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about, Mrs.
Berlyn. Did you know if either he or Mr. Pyke had any enemies? You
need not fear to tell me the merest suspicions. I will act only on
knowledge that I obtain, but your suspicion might suggest where to
look for that knowledge.”
“Are you suggesting that my husband might have been murdered
also?” she said in a low voice.
“Not necessarily. I am asking if you can think of anything which
could sustain that view?”
Mrs. Berlyn could not think of anything. She did not know of
anyone who had a grudge against either of the men. Indeed, only for
the inspector’s assurance she could not have brought herself to
believe that Mr. Pyke had met so dreadful an end.
French then began pumping her in his quiet, skilful way. But
though she answered all his questions with the utmost readiness, he
did not learn much that he had not already known.
Her father, she told him, was a doctor in Lincoln and there she
had known the Pykes. Stanley’s mother—his father was dead—lived
about a mile from the town, and he and his cousin Jefferson, who
boarded with them, used to walk in daily to school. The three had
met at parties and children’s dances and had once spent a holiday
together at the seaside. The Pykes had left the town when the boys
had finished their schooling and she had lost sight of them. Then one
day she had met Stanley in London and he told her that he was at
the Veda Works. She had mentioned that she was going on a cruise
to the Mediterranean and he had said that his employer, Mr. Berlyn,
was going on the same trip and to be sure to look out for him. That
was the way she had met Mr. Berlyn. He had proposed to her on the
trip and she had accepted him.
French then delicately broached the question of her relations with
Stanley Pyke. And here for the first time he was not satisfied by her
replies. That there had been something more between them than
friendship he strongly suspected. Indeed, Mrs. Berlyn practically
admitted it. As a result of French’s diplomatic probing it came out
that Mr. Berlyn had shown marked disapproval of their intimacy and
that about four months prior to the tragedy they had decided that for
the sake of peace they should see less of each other. They had
carried out this resolve and Berlyn’s resentment had apparently
vanished.
French next turned to the subject of Colonel Domlio, but here
Mrs. Berlyn had as good as laughed. It appeared that the man had
tried to flirt with her, but her opinion was evidently that there was no
fool like an old fool. French had no doubt that any lovemaking that
might have taken place was not serious, on the lady’s side, at all
events.
Thinking that he had obtained all the information that he was
likely to get, French at last rose to go. But Mrs. Berlyn signed to him
to sit down again and said, gravely:
“If that is all, Mr. French, I want to ask you a question. I never
think there is any use in pretending about things, and from your
questions I cannot but guess what is in your mind. You think my late
husband may have murdered Mr. Pyke?”
“I take it from that, Mrs. Berlyn, that you want a perfectly straight
answer? Well, I shall give it to you. The idea, of course, occurred to
me, as it would to anyone in my position. I am bound to investigate it
and I am going to do so. But I can say without reservation that so far
it remains an idea.”
Mrs. Berlyn bowed.
“Thank you for that. Of course I recognise that you must
investigate all possibilities, and I recognise, too, that you will not give
any weight to what I am going to say. But I must tell you that if you
suspect Mr. Berlyn you are making a mistake. Though he was not
perfect, he was utterly incapable of a crime like that—utterly. If you
had ever met him you would have known that. I wish I could say or
do something to convince you. Besides, if he were alive, why did he
disappear? If he were guilty, would he not have come forward with a
story that Mr. Pyke had gone alone across the moor and been lost in
the mires?”
French had already noted the point as the chief difficulty in his
theory, and he admitted it fully. He added that Mrs. Berlyn’s
statement had made an impression on him and that he would not fail
to bear it in mind. Then promising to let her know the result of his
enquiry, he took his leave.
He had not lied when he said her statement had impressed him.
That it represented her firm conviction he had not the least doubt.
And it certainly was a point in Berlyn’s favour that such testimony
should be forthcoming from his wife, when it was evident that their
married life had been an indifferent success. Of course it might be
simply that the woman did not wish to be involved in the misery and
disgrace which would come with proof of Berlyn’s guilt. But French
did not think it was this. Her thought had seemed to be for her
husband rather than herself.
It was still fairly early in the afternoon and French thought he
would have time to make another call. He therefore walked up the
Fulham Road and took an eastbound district train at South
Kensington. Half an hour later he was at the headquarters of the
Ardlo Magneto Company in Queen Elizabeth Street.
When the managing director heard French’s business he touched
a bell.
“You had better see Mr. Illingworth, our chief electrical engineer,”
he said. “I am afraid I could not help you in these technical matters.”
Mr. Illingworth was a pleasant young man with a quiet, efficient
manner. He took French to his office, supplied him with cigarettes,
and asked what he could do for him.
French put his problem, recounting the enquiries he had already
made.
“Those people told you quite correctly,” was Mr. Illingworth’s
answer. “Your question is this: Could a man drive a car up to a
certain place and then short circuit the magneto armature so that the
car couldn’t be started again? The answer is, Yes, but not without
leaving marks.”
“But that’s just my puzzle,” French returned. “That’s exactly what
seems to have been done.”
“Well,” Mr. Illingworth answered with a smile, “you may take it
from me that it wasn’t.”
“Then in the case that I have described, the breakdown must
have been a pure accident?”
“I should say, absolutely. Mind you, I don’t say that a breakdown
couldn’t be faked without leaving traces. It could be. But not so as to
stop the car then and there. The concealed injury would take time to
develop.”
“That’s a bit cryptic, isn’t it? Can you make it clearer to a lay
intelligence?”
“Well, it is possible to damage the insulation by jamming a needle
into the armature winding between the wire and the iron core, and if
you’re careful it’ll leave no mark. But it won’t disable the magneto
straight away. In fact, the car will run as usual and it may be a
considerable time before any defect shows. But sparking takes place
at the injury, perhaps at first only when the engine is working
specially hard. This causes carbonisation of the insulation, leading
eventually to complete breakdown. The car begins to misfire and it
gradually grows worse until it won’t run at all.”
“I follow you. I may take it, then, that it is possible to cause a
breakdown without leaving a mark, but that this is a comparatively
lengthy process and cannot be done at a given time.”
“That’s right.”
“Suppose the winding was short-circuited as you describe, could
an electrician afterwards tell what had been done?”
“No. It might have happened through some carelessness in the
original winding.”
“That seems pretty clear. Now, just one other point, Mr.
Illingworth. Those people, Makepeace, in Ashburton, sent the actual
magneto up here to be overhauled. Can you trace it and let me know
just what was wrong?”
“Certainly. We have records of every machine which passes
through our hands.” He consulted an index, finally withdrawing a
card. “This is it. Sent in from John Makepeace, Ashburton, on
Monday, twenty-second August. Would that date work in?”
“Yes, that’s all right.”
“We’ve not had another from Makepeace for five years
previously, so it must be,” Mr. Illingworth went on, rapidly turning
over the cards. “Well, it’s just what we were speaking of. It failed
from a short-circuit in the armature winding and it might have been
caused purposely or it might not. There was nothing to indicate.”
French rose.
“That’s good enough for me,” he declared.
He felt his brain reel as he considered the contradictory nature of
the evidence he was getting. The breakdown of the car had
happened, and at a time and place which made it impossible to
doubt that it had been deliberately caused. To cause such a
breakdown was mechanically impossible. That was the dilemma
which confronted him. And the further he probed this contradiction,
the more strongly he found its conflicting details confirmed.
In a dream he returned to the Yard, and there with an effort
switched his mind off the conundrum and on to the features of his
case which had been dealt with from headquarters.
Inspector Tanner, it appeared, had handled these matters, and by
a lucky chance French found him just about to leave for home.
“I’ll walk with you,” said French. “I don’t want to delay you, and
what’s more to the point, I want to get home myself.”
Tanner was a man who liked a joke, or at least what he
considered a joke. He now chaffed French on being unable to carry
on his case by himself, and they sparred amicably for some time
before coming to business. But Tanner was also exceedingly able,
and when he described what he had done at the hotels and post
office, French was satisfied that no further information could be
extracted from these sources.
All the next day, which was Sunday, the problem of the magneto
remained subconsciously in French’s mind, and when on Monday
morning he took his place in the 10.30 A.M. Limited to return to
Devonshire, he was still pondering it. In a dream he watched the
bustle of departure on the platform, the arrival of more and ever
more travellers, the appropriation of seats, the disposal of luggage.
(That armature had been tampered with. It must have been, because
otherwise it would not have worked in with a prearranged crime.)
Lord! What a pile of luggage for one woman to travel with! American,
he betted. (But, it could not have been done at the time. In no way
could it have been made to fail just when it was wanted.) What price
that for a natty suit? Why, the man was a moving chessboard! What
was the connection between chessboard suits and horses? (It must
have been tampered with; but it couldn’t have been. That was the
confounded problem.) There was the guard with his green flag,
looking critically up and down and glancing first at his watch and
then over his shoulder at the platform clock. It was just twenty-nine
and a half minutes past. In another half minute. . . .
Suddenly into French’s mind flashed an idea and he sat for a
moment motionless, as with a sort of trembling eagerness he
considered it. Why, his problem was no problem at all! There was a
solution of the simplest and most obvious kind! How had he been
stupid enough not to have seen it?
As the guard waved his flag French sprang to his feet, and, amid
the execrations of the porters, he hurled himself and his baggage
from the moving train. Then, smiling pleasantly at the exasperated
officials, he hurried from the station, jumped into a taxi, and told the
man to drive to the Ardlo Magneto Works in Queen Elizabeth Street.
“Sorry to trouble you so soon again, Mr. Illingworth,” he
apologised on being shown in, “but I’ve thought of a way in which
that car could have been disabled at the time and place required and
I want to know if it will hold water.”
“If your method covers all the factors in the case as you have
described it, I should like to hear it, Mr. French.”
“Well, it’s simple enough, if it’s nothing else. I take it that if the
magneto of my car goes wrong I can buy another?”
“Why of course! But I don’t follow you.”
“They are all made to a standard—interchangeable?”
Mr. Illingworth whistled.
“Gee! I’m beginning to get you! Yes, they’re all made standard.
There are several models, you understand, but all the magnetos of
any given model are interchangeable.”
“Good! Now tell me, what’s to prevent my man from buying a
duplicate magneto, damaging the armature winding invisibly with a
needle, and running it on his car till it gives up; then taking it off,
carrying it as a spare, and putting it on again when he had got the
car to the point of breakdown?”
“You’ve got it, Mr. French! Great, that is! I didn’t think it was
possible, and there, as you say, it’s as simple as A B C.”
“Well,” said French. “Then did he?”
Illingworth looked his question and French went on:
“I’m looking to you for proof of the theory. First, do these
magnetos carry a number? If so, is there a record of the number
fitted to each car? If so, what was the number supplied with Mr.
Berlyn’s car? Next, is that the number that came in for repair? Next,
was there a magneto of that type ordered separately recently, and if
so, by whom?”
“Steady on, Mr. French,” Mr. Illingworth laughed. “What do you
take me for? I’m not a detective. Now let’s go over that again, one
thing at a time. Magnetos carry a number, yes, and we have a note
of the numbers supplied to the different car manufacturers. They can
tell you the number of the magneto they put on any given car. What
car are you interested in?”
“A fifteen-twenty four-seater Mercury touring car, number thirty-
seven thousand and sixteen, supplied through Makepeace to a Mr.
Berlyn of Ashburton.”
“Right. I’ll ring up the Mercury people now.”
Mr. Illingworth was indefatigable in his enquiries, but he was not
prepared for the state of delighted enthusiasm into which his results
threw French.
“That’s got it,” the latter cried, eagerly. “A long shot, but a bull’s-
eye! I have to thank you for it, Mr. Illingworth, and you don’t know
how grateful I am.”
The first fact was not encouraging. The magneto which had been
supplied originally with Mr. Berlyn’s car was the same that had been
sent in by Makepeace with the short-circuited winding. So far,
therefore, the breakdown might have been genuine enough. But it
was the second item which had so transported French. A precisely
similar magneto had been sold as a spare about a month earlier and
under circumstances which left no doubt as to the motive. It had
been ordered by a Mr. Henry Armstrong, in a typewritten letter
headed “The Westcliff Hotel, Bristol,” and it was to be sent to the
parcels office at St. David’s Station, Exeter, marked, “To be kept till
called for.” The letter was being sent over by hand, and when French
received it a few minutes later he saw that it had been typed by the
same machine as that ordering the duplicator.
“That’s fine, Mr. Illingworth,” he repeated in high delight. “That’s
one of my major difficulties overcome. I just want you to tell me one
other thing. How long would it take to change the magneto—out in
the country on a dark night?”
“It’s a half-hour’s job for a skilled man. The actual lifting in and
out of the machine is easy, but the setting is the trouble. The contact-
breaker, as I’m sure you know, has to be set so as to give the spark
at the right point in the engine cycle. That takes a bit of time.”
“I follow that. But is there no way that the adjustable parts could
be set beforehand to save that time?”
“That’s right. They could be marked and everything set to the
marks. That would speed things up.”
“By how much, should you say?”
“With everything marked, a man could do the whole thing in
fifteen minutes.”
“Good!” said French. “I guess that’s everything at last.”
He returned to Paddington and caught the 1.30 express for
Exeter. He was overjoyed at his progress. The issue was rapidly
narrowing.
How rapidly it was narrowing struck him even more forcibly as he
thought of a further point. The trick had been played with Berlyn’s
car. Could it have been done without Berlyn’s knowledge? Could, in
fact, anyone but Berlyn have carried it out? French did not think so. It
was beginning to look as if the solution of the whole problem were in
sight.
At Exeter he went about the package. As far as book entries
were concerned, he was quickly satisfied. But no one remembered
the transaction, nor could anyone recall enquiries having been made
by a tallish, red-faced man with light hair and glasses.
Nothing daunted, French caught the last train from Exeter to
Ashburton, full of an eager anxiety to get to grips with his remaining
problems.
Chapter Eleven: John Gurney, Night
Watchman
French had now reconciled the apparent contradiction in regard
to one of his four test points. Obviously his next job was to clear up
the other three.
As he considered on which he should first concentrate, his mind
fastened on the one point which at the time had seemed not
completely satisfactory—the slightly suspicious manner of Gurney,
the night watchman. During the night, as he now knew, the body of
Stanley Pyke had been taken to the works and put into the crate. It
was impossible that this could have been done without Gurney’s
knowledge. Gurney must be made to speak.
Accordingly, after breakfast next morning he set off to the man’s
house. He passed out of the town on the Newton Abbot road, then
turning into a lane to the left, struck up the side of the valley. Soon
he reached the cottage, a tiny place with deep overhanging eaves
and creeper-covered walls. In front was a scrap of well-kept garden
and in the garden was the man himself.
“Good morning, Gurney,” French greeted him. “I thought you
would have been in bed by now.”
“I be just going,” answered the old man. “I came out an’ begun a
bit o’ weeding an’ the time ran round without my noticing.”
“That’s lucky for me,” said French, heartily. “I want a word with
you. A nice place you’ve got here.”
“Not too bad, it ain’t,” the other admitted, looking about him with
obvious pride. “The soil’s a bit ’eavy, but it don’t do so bad.”
“Good for your roses, surely? Those are fine ones beside the
house.”
Gurney laid aside his hoe and led the way to the really
magnificent bed of La Frances to which French had pointed. It was
evident that these were the old man’s passion. French was not a
gardener, but he knew enough to talk intelligently on the subject and
his appreciation evidently went straight to the watchman’s heart. For
some minutes they discussed horticulture, and then French wore
gradually round to the object of his visit.
“Terrible business that about Mr. Berlyn and Mr. Pyke,” he
essayed. “It must have set this town talking.”
“It didn’t ’alf, sir. Everyone was sorry for the poor gentlemen.
They was well liked, they was.”
“And that was another terrible affair,” pursued French after the
local tragedy had been adequately discussed, “that finding of the
dead body in the crate. Extraordinary how the body could have been
put in.”
“I didn’t ’ear naught about that,” Gurney answered, with a sudden
increase of interest. “You don’t mean the crate you was speaking
about that day you was up at the works?”
“No other. Keep it to yourself and I’ll tell you about it.” French
became deeply impressive. “That crate that I was enquiring about
was sent from here to Swansea. There it was called for by a man
who took it on a lorry to a place called Burry Port and threw it into the
sea. A fisherman chanced to hook it and it was brought ashore more
than a month later. And when it was opened the dead body of a man
was found inside.”
“Lord save us! I read in the noospaper about that there body
being found, but it fair beats me that the crate came from ’ere, it
does.”
French continued to enlarge on the tale. That Gurney’s surprise
was genuine he felt certain. He could have sworn that the man had
no inkling of the truth. But he marked, even more acutely than
before, a hesitation or self-consciousness that indicated an uneasy
mind. There was something; he felt sure of it. He glanced at the man
with his shrewd, observant eyes and suddenly determined on
directness.
“Look here, Gurney,” he said. “Come over and sit on this seat. I
have something important to say to you.” He paused as if
considering his words. “You thought a good deal of your employers,
those two poor men who were lost on the moor?”
“An’ I had reason to. It wasn’t an accident ’appening in the
execution of my dooty, as you might say, as made me lame and not
fit to work. It was rheumatism, and they could ’ave let me go when I
couldn’t work no more. But they found this job for me and they let me
the ’ouse cheap. Of course it was Mr. Berlyn as ’ad the final say, but
I know as Mr. Pyke spoke for me. It wasn’t everyone as would ’ave
done that, now was it, sir?”
Consideration on the part of an employer was not, French knew,
to be taken as a matter of course, though it was vastly more
common than the unions would have the public believe. But gratitude
on the part of an employee was not so frequent, though it was by no
means unique. Its exhibition, however, in the present instance
confirmed French in the course he was taking.
“Now, Gurney, do you know who I am?” he went on. “I’m an
inspector from Scotland Yard and I’m down here to try to solve these
two mysteries. Because, Gurney, do you know what I think? I think
that on that night the body of one of these two gentlemen was taken
to the works and put into the crate.”
Gurney started and paled. “Lord save us!” he muttered. “But wot
about the accident?”
“There was no accident,” French replied, sternly. “There was
murder. Who committed it, I don’t know at present. Where the other
body is, if there is another body, I don’t yet know. But I have no doubt
about one of the bodies. It was put into the crate on that night.”
Gurney moistened his dry lips.
“But——” he began, and his voice died away into silence.
“That’s it,” French went on, impressively. “Now, Gurney, I’m not
accusing you of anything. But you know something. You needn’t
attempt to deny it, because it has been plain to me from the first
moment I spoke to you. Come now. Something out of the common
took place that night. What was it?”
Gurney did not deny the charge. Instead he sat motionless, with
scared, unhappy eyes. French remained silent also; then he said,
quietly:
“What was it? Were you away from your post that night?”
“No, sir, not that. I was there all the time,” the other answered,
earnestly. Again he paused, then with a sudden gesture he went on:
“I didn’t know nothing about what you ’ave been saying, but I see
now I must tell you everything, even if I gets the sack over it.”
“You’ll not get the sack if I can help it,” French said, kindly, “but go
on and tell me, all the same.”
“Well, sir, I did that night wot I never did before nor since. I slept
the ’ole night through. I sat down to eat my supper in the boiler-’ouse
like I always does, an’ I didn’t remember nothing more till Peter
Small ’e was standing there shaking me. ‘Wake up,’ ’e says; ‘you’re a
nice sort of a night watchman, you are.’ ‘Lord,’ I says. ‘I never did
nothing like that before,’ an’ I asks him not to say nothing about it.
An’ ’e didn’t say nothing, nor I didn’t, neither. But now I suppose it’ll
come out an’ I’ll get wot for about it.”
“Don’t you worry about that,” French said, heartily. “I’ll see you
through. I’ll undertake to get Mr. Fogden to overlook this little
irregularity on one condition. You must tell me everything that took
place that night without exception. Go ahead now and let’s have the
whole of it.”
The old man gazed at him in distress.
“But there weren’t naught else,” he protested. “I went to sleep, an’
that’s all. If there were anything else took place, w’y I didn’t see it.”
“That’s all right. Now just answer my questions. Go back to when
you left your house. What time was that?”
“The usual time, about twenty minutes to seven.”
“You brought your supper with you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Who prepared it?”
“My wife.”
“Did you meet anyone on your way to the works?”
“Well, I couldn’t rightly say. No one that I remember.”
“No one could have got hold of your supper, anyway?”
The man started. “You think it might ’ave been tampered with?”
he queried. He thought for some moments, then shook his head.
“No, sir, I’m afraid not. I don’t never let my basket out o’ my ’and till I
gets to the boiler-’ouse.”
“Very well. Now when you got to the boiler-house?”
“I put it where I always do, beside one o’ the boilers.”
“And you left it there?”
“While I made my rounds, I did. But there wasn’t no one else in
the works then.”
“How do you know?”
Gurney hesitated. In the last resort he didn’t know. But he had not
seen anyone and did not believe anyone had been there.
“But suppose some one had been hidden in the works,” French
persisted. “He could have doctored your supper while you were on
your rounds?”
“If there ’ad been ’e might,” the man admitted. “But I didn’t see no
one.”
“What time do you have your meal?”
Gurney, it appeared, had two meals during the night. Time hung
heavy on his hands and the meals made a break. He had his dinner
about six, started work at seven, and had his first meal about eleven.
His second meal he had about three, and he was relieved at six.
On the night in question he had his first meal at the usual time.
Until then he had felt perfectly normal, but he had scarcely finished
when he found himself growing overpoweringly sleepy, and the next
thing he remembered was being wakened by the fireman at six the
next morning.
“It’s clear that your supper was doped,” French said. “Now think,
did nothing in any way out of the common happen between six and
eleven?”
Gurney began a denial, then stopped.
“There were one thing,” he said, slowly, “but I don’t believe as ’ow
it could have ’ad anything to do with it. A little before ten there were a
ring at the office door. I went to open, but there weren’t no one there.
I didn’t think naught of it, because children do ring sometimes just by
way o’ mischief. But there weren’t no children there so far as I could
see.”
“How far is this door that you opened from the boiler-house?”
“At t’other end o’ the building. Two ’undred yards, maybe.”
“Is that the only door?”
“No, sir, there be a gate near the boilers for lorries, but people
going to the office use the other.”
“Is the large gate locked at night?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Who keeps the key?”
“I do. There’s a key in the office that any o’ the gentlemen can get
if they wants, but I carry one with me.”
For some moments French sat thinking, then a fresh point struck
him.
“What did your supper consist of on that night?”
“Tea an’ bread an’ butter and a slice o’ meat. I have a can o’ tea. I
leave it on the boiler and it keeps ’ot.”
“You mean that you don’t make your tea separately for each
meal? You drink some out of the can at the first meal and finish what
is left at the second?”
“That’s right, sir.”
“And the same with food?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Now on the night we’re talking about you had only one meal.
You slept through the time of the second. What happened to the tea
and food that was left over?”
“We ’ad it for breakfast, my wife an’ I.”
“That is what I wanted to get at. Now did either of you feel sleepy
after breakfast?”
A mixture of admiration and wonder showed in the old man’s
eyes.
“Why, no, we didn’t, an’ that’s a fact,” he said in puzzled tones.
“An’ we should ’ave if so be as wot you think is true.”
This looked like a snag, but French reminded himself that at the
moment he was only getting information and his theorising could wait
till later. He continued his questions, but without learning much more.
“Now, Gurney,” he said at last, “under no circumstances are you
to mention what we have been speaking of—not to your wife nor to
Mr. Fogden nor to anyone. You understand?”
“I understand, sir, right enough.”
“Very good. Now I’m anxious to go into this matter further, and I’ll
call at the works to-night.”
“Right, sir. I’ll be on the lookout.”
It was dark as French rang at the big gate of the works. Gurney
soon appeared at the wicket and French followed him across the
yard to the boiler-house, a distance of perhaps forty yards. It was a
fair-sized shed, housing five Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers
with mechanical stokers and the usual stoker engines and pumps.
On a ledge of the warm brickwork near one of the ash openings
stood the old man’s can of tea, and his basket of food was placed on
the repair bench close by. French took in these details and then said:
“I want now to try an experiment. Will you lend me your key of the
wicket. I will go out, lock the wicket behind me, and go round to the
office door and ring. When you hear the ring you go and open.
Repeat everything exactly as you did that night so as to get back
here at the same time. In the meantime I shall let myself in again by
the wicket and see if I should have time to dope your tea and get
away again before you appear. You understand?”
This program was carried out. French went out and rang at the
office door, then ran round to the large gate, let himself in through
the wicket, found the can of tea, opened it and counted ten, closed it
and relocked the wicket. Then he began to time. Three minutes
passed before Gurney appeared.
So that was all right. Anyone who had access to the key in the
office could have doctored the watchman’s food. Moreover, the fact
that the Gurneys had breakfasted without ill effect on the remainder
was not such a difficulty as French had at first supposed. The
criminal might have doped the tea on his first visit and during his
second poured away what was over and replaced it with fresh. In
fact, if he were to preserve his secret he must have done so. The
discovery of the drugging would have started an enquiry which might
have brought to light the whole plot.
Though French was enthusiastic about his discovery, he saw that
it involved one disconcerting point. What about the theory of Berlyn’s
guilt? The ring at the office door had come shortly before ten. But
shortly before ten Berlyn was at Tavistock. Therefore some other
person was involved. Was this person the murderer and had he
made away with Berlyn as well as Pyke? Or was he Berlyn’s
accomplice? French inclined to the latter supposition. In considering
the timing of the car he had seen that it could have been used to
carry the body to the works provided an accomplice was ready to
drive it back to the moor without delay. On the whole, therefore, it
looked as if the murder was the work of two persons, of whom Berlyn
was one.
But whether principal or accomplice, it was at least certain that
the man who had drugged Gurney’s food knew the works intimately
and had access to the key in the office. Only a comparatively small
number of persons could fill these requirements and he should,
therefore, be quickly found.
Well pleased with his day’s work, French returned to the hotel
and spent the remainder of the evening in writing up his diary.
Chapter Twelve: The Duplicator
The saying “it never rains but what it pours” is a popular
expression of the unhappy fact that misfortunes never come singly.
Fortunately for suffering humanity, the phrase expresses only half
the truth. Runs of good luck occur as well as runs of bad.
As French was smoking his after-breakfast pipe in the lounge
next morning it was borne in on him that he was at that time
experiencing one of the most phenomenal runs of good luck that had
ever fallen to his lot. Four days ago he had proved that the dead
man was Pyke. Two days later he had learned how the breakdown of
the car had been faked. Yesterday he had found the explanation of
the watchman’s inaction, and to-day, just at that very moment, an
idea had occurred to him which bade fair to solve the problem of the
disposal of the duplicator! Unfortunately, nothing could be done
towards putting it to the test until the evening. He spent the day,
therefore, in a long tramp on the moor, then about five o’clock
walked for the second time to Gurney’s house.
“I want to have another chat with you,” he explained. “I haven’t
time to wait now, but I shall come up to the works later in the
evening. Listen out for my ring.”
He strolled back to the town, had a leisurely dinner, visited the
local picture house, and killed time until after eleven. Then when the
little town was asleep he went up to the works. Five minutes later he
was seated with Gurney in the boiler-house.
“I have been thinking over this affair, Gurney,” he began, “and I
am more than ever certain that some terrible deeds were done here
on that night when you were drugged. I want to have another look
around. But you must not under any circumstances let it be known
that I was here.”
“That’s all right, guv’nor. I ain’t goin’ to say nothing.”
French nodded.

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RIBA Architect s Handbook of Practice

Management 9th Edition Nigel Ostime

Small Projects Handbook 2nd Edition Nigel Ostime

Small Projects Handbook 2nd Edition Nigel Ostime

Essentials of Operations Management 2nd Edition Nigel

Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management

Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management

Operations Management 10th Edition Nigel Slack

Armstrong's Handbook of Human Resource Management

The Basic Practice of Statistics 9th Edition David S

Published by RIBA Publishing, 76 Portland Place, London W1B 1NT

ISBN 978 1 85946 505 9

Stock code 80465

British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data

Publisher: Steven Cross

RIBA Publishing is part of RIBA Enterprises Ltd.

Part 1: The industry 1

3.2 Claims in contract 66

Part 2: Practice management 85

7.3 Establishing a financial system 155

Part 3: Project management 195

10.11 Email 241

This ninth edition of the Handbook of Practice Management was prepared

sustainability. Chapter 4: Setting up a practice, has new advice on business

About the author

Nigel Ostime is an architect and Project Delivery Director at Hawkins\

The construction industry

being better than the private, where sub-contractors and consultants

1.2 Contracting and procurement

are the construction professions, who have traditionally protected the 1

Partnering involves the sharing of risk, and an emphasis on longer term

1.3 Future trends

1.3.1 Equality and diversity in the workforce

one of the following characteristics: 1

• The UK’s population is • So, on average, are architects

• Make diversity an integral part of your business, not just an HR function.

1.3.2 Risk management

1.3.3 Health and safety

1.3.4 Technological advances

increasing specialisation has meant that a great deal of technical and 1

1.3.5 Electronic communication

1.3.7 The global context

architects in Europe. The principal function of the ACE is to monitor 1

1.4 Key roles in the construction industry

Information published by the Government Office for National Statistics

The roles listed in the RIBA Plan of Work 2013 are:

• Chapter 6 – People management (Sections 6.2, 6.3) 1

1.4.5 Cost consultant

Titles such as cost consultant are now frequently used in preference to

1.4.6 Structural engineer

1.4.7 Building services engineer

1.5 Key representative bodies

British Property Federation (BPF)

Local Government Association (LGA)

Constructing Excellence (CE)

Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA)

Federation of Master Builders (FMB)

National Federation of Builders (NFB)

Contractors Legal Group (CLG)

Part 1: The industry 1

3.2 Claims in contract 66

Part 2: Practice management 85

7.3 Establishing a financial system 155

Part 3: Project management 195

10.11 Email 241