COVID-19 POLICY
The government guidance notes that, despite restrictions being lifted, “this does not represent a return to normality”. The advice remains that people should be staying at home as much as possible, including working from home if they can, limiting contact with other people, maintaining social distancing, washing your hands regularly, and not leaving home if they or anyone in their household has symptoms.
Please note that this policy will constantly be reviewed and updated in line with the government guidelines.
CURRENT OFFICE ARRANGEMENTS
BGA Architects are currently operating a skeleton staff and are largely working remotely. The office is not fully manned at this time, although BGA Architects are able to operate as if they were office based with the use of technology.
NEW ENQUIRIES
All new clients will be asked to complete the online client enquiry form to enable us to provide an estimate of the works. Assuming you are comfortable with the budget estimate BGA Architects will attend a face to face meeting on site. After the meeting a formal quotation will be sent to you via email for your approval.
Where possible access to the property should be limited and meetings should be held in the open air and respect the social distancing rules.
Where physical viewings of a property take place, we shall try to maintain a minimum of 2m distance from others wherever possible and face coverings will be worn when visits involve enclosed spaces. We also advise clients to wear face coverings when participating in meetings.
To limit any potential risk, we ask that the meeting involves no more than 2 people plus ourselves.
SURVEYS
When carrying out the surveys this will be done using a 3D laser scanner where appropriate to limit the number of people visiting the site.
The property would ideally be vacated during this time whilst the survey takes place (on average a 3 bedroom property would take approximately 2/3 hours to survey), although we appreciate that this may not be practical for everyone, therefore where this is not possible occupiers of the property will be asked to maintain a minimum of 2m and to stay in one designated room for the duration of the survey, then leave that room when the surveyor needs to survey it.
We ask that occupiers leave all internal doors (including cupboards) open, to minimise the need for surveyors to touch surfaces.
The surveyor or booking team will confirm whether anyone who lives at the inspection property is shielding, self-isolating, or has any symptoms associated with coronavirus (a fever, a new & persistent cough or flu-like symptoms).
If there is deemed to be a risk, the survey will be postponed to a later date.
All staff have been asked to refrain from excepting any refreshments of any kind and decline handshakes.
PROGRESS MEETINGS AND DESIGN REVIEWS
BGA Architects are not participating in any face to face meetings in the office or on site to discuss design options etc. All meetings will be carried out via online Zoom meetings where staff will be able to share their screen with clients and other members of the design team to discuss alternative options etc.
ON SITE PROGRESS MEETINGS
Where BGA Architects are appointed as the contract administrator for a project which was closed and has been reopened, we are now carrying out site visits as before (whilst respecting the social distancing rules). To limit the level of exposure BGA Architects are carrying out meetings in the open air and where possible work on site is restricted in certain areas while the visit takes place.
All staff will be supplied with appropriate PPE, which consists of a mask, and hand sanitiser which will be applied before entering and upon leaving the site.
All other members of the design team, contractors and clients will be expected to wear the same level of PPE as minimum during the meeting where they are unavoidably held indoors.
All staff have been asked to refrain from excepting any refreshments of any kind and decline handshakes.