Meet the C4 team

Introducing the C4 team – Tonkin + Taylor’s unsung heroes - who provide our clients with accurate construction delivery costs through expert planning and estimation. 

With their expertise in cost estimation, commercial support, constructability, and carbon considerations, the C4 team plays a pivotal role in maximising project value.  

We asked James, Commercial Manager, about the C4 team and how their work contributes to setting up our clients’ projects to succeed.  

What is the role of the C4 team at Tonkin + Taylor, and what specific contributions do they make?  

The C4 team provides expertise directly with clients or alongside other disciplines in four key areas:  

Cost – The core capability of the team is providing our clients with robust construction cost estimating advice. We provide accurate and cost-effective budgets for projects , through all the stages of design as well as reviews of other party’s outputs for due diligence requirements.  

Commercial support – In parallel to cost advice, we frequently provide procurement and risk advice to clients. For example, how they might structure their contractor procurement process and shape their risk mitigation strategies. 

Constructability – We think through the practicalities of sourcing materials, plant, and labour for building the asset practically and efficiently.  This can often influence programme feeding back into the cost and commercial aspects. 

Carbon – In parallel to cost, the team provides expertise to estimate the cost of the built asset on the planet, in embodied carbon – CO2e.  

How does the C4 team provide extra value for clients by combining carbon-related advice with technical expertise?  

Alongside dollar cost advice for any given asset, we provide values/advice around the embodied carbon in the asset or fourth ‘C’. This helps establish a baseline upon which project teams/clients can measure options to reduce CO2e or compare different concept options against each other.   

As part of our skillset, we can also produce a schedule of quantities with an additional column of CO2e (embodied carbon values) as an output. This allows clients to see the total cost to the planet and any ‘hotspots’ - empowering them and their project teams to make more informed and sustainable decisions.  

How does the C4 team leverage their cost expertise to assist clients in making informed decisions about project budgets?  

Our team has a robust construction background. Our first-hand experience helps provide our customers with realistic project budgets - understanding where a first principles, bottom-up costing approach is required instead of a high-level rates-based methodology.  

What steps does the C4 team take to support clients in ensuring project feasibility and efficient construction, including activities like supply chain management and specification reviews?   

With that first-hand construction experience, we have deep knowledge of sourcing materials, suitable plant, and appropriately skilled labour, which is pulled together to form a construction price. This allows us to think through a project's practicalities, providing our customers with effective, buildable designs, and associated budgets.  

Can you share an example of successful projects where the C4 team's involvement significantly satisfied the client and achieved the project goals?  

The C4 team was recently engaged by a client to provide carbon assessment in their proposed asset. While the client already understood cost well, they required additional support to understand the embodied carbon. To date, carbon has been a secondary thought with some clients and with the majority, not a requirement at all. This is great to see – sustainability is core to who we are at T+T. On that project the ‘carbon thinking’ has driven reduced cost as well as reduced CO2e – a win: win for the client’s budget and the planet. 

For advice on cost estimation, commercial support, constructability, or carbon – get in touch with James Wood at JWood@tonkintaylor.co.nz