Chartis
About
Ascentis Chartis is a senior-led advisory service that integrates design management, value engineering, and cost control from concept design through design development. Delivered on a monthly retainer, Chartis ensures that design evolution remains commercially grounded and technically viable as the project takes shape.
Led by the costing and hospitality specialists within our Ascentis 360 team, Chartis provides continuous oversight during the most decision-heavy phase of the project lifecycle.
Why Chartis?
Many projects lose cost and programme control during design development.
Design intent evolves, specifications expand, and coordination gaps emerge, often without a clear view of their commercial or operational impact.
Ascentis Chartis addresses this by embedding cost and constructability intelligence directly into the design process. Rather than reacting to design decisions after they are made, we guide them in real time.
Chartis provides:
Continuous cost planning aligned with design progression
Structured value engineering without compromising design quality
Coordination across architectural, structural, MEP, and interior scopes
Early identification of buildability and procurement risks
Strong preparation for tender and downstream delivery
The Chartis Journey
Ascentis Chartis typically spans the full concept and design development stages and is tailored to suit project scale and complexity.
Concept Design Alignment
We review early design proposals against budget, programme, and operational objectives. Facility planning, key specifications, and spatial strategies are tested to ensure they are realistic, efficient, and fit-for-market.
Integrated Design & Cost Reviews
As design progresses, we provide continuous cost planning and design reviews across all disciplines. Architectural ambition is balanced with structural efficiency, MEP rationalisation, and long-term operational performance.
Design Development
We lead structured value engineering discussions with the design team, focusing on materials, systems, and specifications that improve value rather than dilute intent. Decisions are assessed against capex, lifecycle cost, and constructability.
Tender Readiness
By the end of the Chartis engagement, the project is positioned for confident tendering. Design documentation, budgets, and procurement assumptions are aligned, reducing risk at the contractor engagement stage.
Built for Projects That Demand Control
Chartis is ideal for:
- Hospitality and mixed-use projects with complex design interfaces
- Owners seeking strong cost and design governance without full delivery management
- Projects where early design decisions carry significant financial or operational impact
- Developments preparing for competitive tendering
Ascentis Chartis gives owners confidence that design ambition, cost discipline, and delivery practicality are moving together. The result is a better-defined project, fewer surprises at tender, and a stronger foundation for construction. It’s the service that helps you avoid the wrong hires, prevent budget surprises, and keep the project on track from day one.