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The new specification writing and consultancy service from NBS

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NBS Chorus Plans and Features ROI Calculator NBS Source NBS Schumann New

NBS SCHUMANN

A specification writing and consultancy service from NBS.

Help keep your designers doing what they do best, honing their creativity and designing beautiful and functional buildings. 

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Specifications

Our specialised team have been writing specification information since 1986, and over the years have written thousands of specifications on projects around the world, from houses through to megaprojects, costed in billions. There are many ways NBS can help meet the demands of every business, every project and every budget:
 

Specification writing

Specifications are no longer just about words in a contractual document. They are fundamental pieces of structured and integrated data.  Our team have the knowledge and experience of our award-winning specification platform NBS Chorus, so we can make the most of its features and deliver robust data quickly. With this full-service solution, one of our consultants will write the specifications for you, as well as build you your own masters and system libraries such that future specifications can not only benefit from our expertise and experience but also become more efficient and quicker to produce.

Specification Management

This service is for senior leaders looking to improve upon thought leadership around specifications. Our expert consultants will review your current working practices and provide independent advice as to how best to carry out specifications through the implementation of appropriate systems.

Specification Reviews

Many practices write their own specifications in-house. If so, our specification reviews can be a very useful option for those looking to ensure the basics are correct so that the specification is robust and overall risk is minimised.

 
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Design management

Design Management is the application of a project management mentality within a design team environment. Our role is to ensure fulfilment of contractual obligations through good managerial and administrative procedures, allowing your team to focus on design. Typically, we offer two types of support role on a project; day to day support (also called light-touch support), or full project support in any of the below scenarios: 

Single contractual responsibility

Where, for example, an Architect is taking on a multi-disciplinary contract and is required to appoint sub-consultants to formulate a single design team.

Small practice - large project

A small or new practice enters a design competition for a huge project and wins! In these circumstances, your practice may not be set up to handle such a scale or have the necessary experience to deliver.

Unfamiliar territory

You may be working internationally in an unfamiliar place. In these instances, you will need support with local procedures and processes.

In-house skills gap

You may be a business with some skill gaps in the area of design management.

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Nick Schumann

Nick has 50 years of experience in the construction industry, 35 of which have been spent collaborating with and assisting many of the top architects and engineers in the world on significant projects.

Throughout his career, Nick has been engaged in the formation and development of numerous companies, including Rider Levett Bucknall, Davis Langdon, Schumann Consult, and Schumann Smith. NBS acquired Schumann International in 2023.

With an emphasis on procurement, legal, and technical challenges, Nick has always assisted architects in the delivery of top-tier projects through design management and specification consulting.

He is a recognised expert on design management and specifications, particularly how they relate to costs, purchasing, risk management, and various construction contract types. He consistently contributes.

Mark Schumann

Mark has over 21 years of experience within the construction industry, including 11 years at Partner level with independent international consultancy firms including Davis Langdon, SCL and RLB, working with major architects on projects in the UK, Europe, Middle East, USA, Australia and Hong Kong.

Mark specialises in providing specification consultancy, design management, business management and contract advisory services, possessing extensive knowledge in the management of multi-disciplinary design teams and specification.