40 years of bespoke projects

PRINCIPAL
John Yates trained as an electrical engineer before joining the original team of Lord Foster + Partners, world-renowned architects. During a nine-year period at Fosters all aspects of total in-house integrated engineering design expertise were applied to the highly acclaimed, award-winning buildings. The thinking and approach gained from this experience formed the ethos of the company he formed - Yates Associates … Mechanical, Electrical, Public Health (MEP) and Specialist Lighting Design Consultants.
John Yates
m.  +44 (0)7870 675 080

PHILOSOPHY
The company has a 40-year track record of designing MEP services for bespoke projects, and 100 of these projects can be viewed on our website - YatesAssociates.co 
We are extremely proud of this because they are all good projects and have been a joy to work on. The practice has had a strong architectural slant and we endeavour to engineer in a similar vein.
With the ever evolving environmental impact on the planet, everyone knows that steps must be taken to reduce the carbon footprint, and for our part we follow a strict regime on sustainability requirements.

THE TEAM
Yates Associates has always had a great team of engineers. Back in the eighties we were in competition with the top six UK engineers. Interviews for Channel 4 Headquarters, Rada and Terminal 5 bears this out. Staffing levels were around 25 engineers and 5 admin staff but have since declined recently due to Covid and the proposed impact of a 4-day working week, staff shortages and the impact of the electronic revolution.

FROM START TO FINISH
Our approach to any project involves obtaining optimum design engineering solutions within the limitations imposed by the various building forms. It is therefore our objective to work closely with all members of the design team and to have an appreciation of each member’s requirements and aspirations for the project. The selection of the right contractors, our on-site attendance and our insistence on high quality workmanship are also an essential factor.

Architectural practices tend to prefer MEP consultancy on a full duties design input package to eliminate major co-ordination exercises and liaison problems so often experienced with contractual personnel. At Yates Associates we would carry out each project in the following manner:

- Establish communications with the client’s representative to define a clear brief for the project.
- Prepare a fee proposal for approval by the client.
- Attend meetings as appropriate for discussions and development of the design.
- Produce an outline design with associated budget costs.
- Produce a detailed design and tender policy to meet the established programme and provide a list of suitable contractors for discussion and approval.
- Initiate the tender, analyse the returns and make recommendations in conjunction with the Management Team.
- Attend site meetings and monitor cost control procedures.
- Ensure 'as fitted' drawings and maintenance manuals are produced for the client by the contractor.
- Demonstrate the systems installed.

SERVICES
Yates Associates offer an extensive range of services to their clients, including:
- Initial surveys and appraisal of site infrastructure
- Incoming utility supplies
- Air conditioning and mechanical ventilation systems
- Heating installations
- Sustainability
- Solar control
- Boiler plants and auxiliaries
- Hot water services
- Cold water services
- Public Health Services
- Smoke and environmental control
- Above ground drainage services
- Electrical distribution systems
- Specialist lighting
- Fire detection, including sprinklers and alarm systems
- Communication, security and television systems
- Telephone and IT distribution services
- Lightning protection
- Testing and commissioning

FEES
Our fees are normally carried out in accordance with the latest edition of The Association of Consulting Engineers, Agreement 1 Design.
The fees can either be based as a percentage of the total overall main contract value or the total MEP cost of works.
The fee is retrospective to the input being provided, which is normally retrospective to the type of contract, programming time, architects requirements, etc, etc.
Alternatively, the fee could be fixed, negotiable, with time-based hourly charges.
The fee can be billed over the various stages of the project.
Disbursements and VAT are added to the fee.



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