Derek Gough Associates Limited

Derek Gough Associates (DGA) is a RICS-regulated, ISO 9001-accredited practice of chartered quantity surveyors, contract administrators and project managers. We specialise in high-end private residential work, from renovations and extensions to new-build homes, and work from offices in Knutsford, Cheshire and central London, with a growing presence in the Midlands.

DGA Plus: professional cost control for projects up to £1m
Most homeowners planning a renovation, extension or new home don't need, or want to pay for, a full professional appointment. But they do need to know what their project should cost before they commit to a design, a planning application or a builder. DGA Plus was created for exactly that.

DGA Plus is a self-led cost management toolkit for domestic projects up to £1m, used at the early design stages (RIBA Stages 1 to 3). You and your architect use a structured cost planning template, prepared for your region (Central London, Outer London or the rest of the UK), to build up and test your budget as the design develops. At set points you sit down with a chartered quantity surveyor for a review session, where we challenge the numbers, flag gaps and risks, and help you make informed choices on specification and scope.

What DGA Plus gives you:
- A clear, realistic budget before you commit to a design or a contractor
- A structured cost plan you and your architect can update as the design develops
- Review sessions with a chartered quantity surveyor at the key decision points
- Guidance on the costs homeowners most often miss, including professional fees, measured surveys and structural investigations, and when to commission them
- Confidence going out to tender, so contractors' prices can be compared on a like-for-like basis

DGA Plus is available nationally and works well alongside architects and designers who want their clients to start with an honest view of cost.

Full quantity surveying and project management
For larger or more complex schemes, DGA provides the full range of independent cost and project services:
- Cost planning and budget estimates
- Schedules of works and tender documents
- Tender management and contractor selection
- Contract administration and Employer's Agent services
- Project management from inception to completion
- Post-contract cost management, valuations and final accounts
- Fund monitoring on behalf of lenders
- Whole-life cost and whole-life carbon assessment

Why clients choose DGA
- RICS-regulated and ISO 9001 accredited, so you work with a regulated firm with audited quality procedures
- Independent advice: we act for the client, not the contractor
- Deep experience in prime private residential property in Cheshire, London and beyond
- A practical, transparent approach that keeps you in control of your budget

Areas covered
Knutsford, Cheshire and the North West, including Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Prestbury, Hale and Manchester; London, including Belgravia, Chelsea, Kensington, Knightsbridge and Mayfair; and the Midlands. DGA Plus is available across the UK.

Get in touch
Knutsford office: The Old Hay Barn, Mere Hall Estate, Knutsford, Cheshire WA16 0PY
London office: 10 Buckingham Place, London SW1E 6HX
Website: www.dgough.co.uk