Choosing a temporary works consultancy · A fair comparison
Andun Alternatives for Temporary Works Design
Andun Engineering Consultants is one of the best-known temporary works consultancies in the UK. If you are searching for an alternative, it is usually because your job needs a different shape of service — not because anything is wrong with theirs. This page sets out, fairly and from public information, where a large multi-office consultancy fits and where a remote, fixed-price Chartered Civil Engineer fits better.
How this comparison was written
Everything stated about Andun below is taken from their own published website (andun.co.uk) as read in September 2026, and is credited as such. Nothing is inferred about their pricing, turnaround or quality. Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd has no affiliation with Andun Engineering Consultants Ltd; “Andun” is their name and is used here only to identify them. If you are Andun and something here is out of date, tell us and it will be corrected.
Two different shapes of temporary works consultancy
Most “which consultancy” decisions come down to shape, not skill. Andun publish a clear picture of theirs; here is ours beside it so you can see which fits the job in front of you.
| What you are comparing | Andun Engineering Consultants as published on andun.co.uk | Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd |
|---|---|---|
| Structure | Established consultancy stating 30 years’ experience in temporary works design and demolition engineering, delivered by a team of specialist temporary works designers. | Independent practice led by David J. Miller, Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng MICE). David is the engineer on every job, from first call to issued drawings. |
| Where the work is done | Head office in Chelmsford, Essex, with regional offices in the East Midlands, West Midlands and Scotland. | Remote-first. Design, checking, RAMS/ITP review and site audits are delivered online, so location does not set the price. UK and international. |
| Typical clients | Tier 1 and tier 2 contractors, supported through the project lifecycle. | Main contractors, specialist subcontractors, scaffolders, groundworkers, piling and HV/energy contractors — from a single item to a retained weekly arrangement. |
| Sectors they highlight | Rail and nuclear environments in particular, plus demolition sequencing and specialist lifting equipment; projects listed include HS1, Crossrail and Birmingham New Street. | Substations and HV energy, scaffolding interfaces, excavations and propping, working platforms and crane mats, hoardings and edge protection. See the portfolio. |
| Design checking | Independent BS 5975 Category 3 checks by their team, with feedback rather than a bare pass/fail. | Design checking support with reference to BS 5975:2024 check categories 0–3, with written comments the designer can act on. |
| Pricing basis | Not published on their website — request a proposal from them. | Every quote is a fixed price, confirmed in writing before work starts. Retained clients agree a weekly figure. |
| Ongoing support | Consultancy support through the project lifecycle, including tender support. | Weekly support retainer: priority turnaround on design queries, TWR reviews and RAMS/ITP comments, at a weekly figure you can budget. |
| Standards and procedures | Publishes guidance on BS 5975 check categories and the TWC’s role. | BS 5975:2024 support: procedures, registers, design briefs and TWC/TWS coaching, plus one-to-one tutoring. |
| Free tools and resources | Webinars and articles on temporary works topics. | Free BRE470 piling mat designer, Scaffold Master, Temporary Works Toolbox, practice exams and the three Mastering Temporary Works volumes. |
| Who you speak to | Their specialist designers and consultants. | David, directly, on WhatsApp, phone or email. No account manager in between. |
Andun’s column summarises statements on andun.co.uk (About, Temporary Works Design and Cat 3 Checks pages), September 2026. It is not exhaustive and their offer may have changed since; always confirm with them directly.
When a larger consultancy like Andun is the right call
Be honest with yourself about the job before you shop on price. A multi-office team is the right answer when:
- You need several designers working concurrently on a large rail, nuclear or major-infrastructure scheme with many live packages.
- Your Category 3 check must sit with an organisation that is demonstrably independent of your designer and has a track record in that regulated environment.
- The work is demolition sequencing or specialist lifting equipment design, which Andun publish as core capabilities.
- Your framework or client requires a multi-office consultancy with regional presence written into the contract.
In those cases, get a proposal from Andun and from at least one other consultancy of similar scale. That is good procurement, not disloyalty.
When Temporary Works Consulting & Design fits better
A remote, fixed-price Chartered Civil Engineer is usually the better shape when:
- You have one item or a steady stream of items — a scaffold tie-in, an excavation, a crane mat, a propping scheme — and you want a written fixed price this week, not a framework.
- You want the engineer who does the work on the phone, not a triage desk.
- You are in substations, HV energy, scaffolding or groundworks, where most of our portfolio sits.
- You need BS 5975:2024 procedures, registers and TWC support as much as you need drawings.
- You would rather retain a weekly arrangement so queries, TWR reviews and RAMS/ITP comments get a priority response.
- Your site is outside the UK and you want UK-standard temporary works delivered remotely.
Other ways to resource temporary works design
“Andun alternatives” is wider than one competitor. Depending on the item, these routes are all legitimate, each with a trade-off worth knowing.
Large multi-office consultancies
Capacity, regional presence and sector track records. Best for big, multi-package schemes and formal frameworks. Expect a proposal rather than a price list.
Equipment suppliers’ design services
Falsework, formwork, propping and shoring hirers often design around their own kit. Efficient when you are hiring that kit anyway; the design is tied to their system and you still need an independent check where the category requires it.
In-house temporary works departments
Fastest for standard, repeated items and closest to the programme. Peaks, unusual items and independent checks usually still go outside.
Independent chartered engineers
Direct access, fixed prices and continuity of one engineer. Capacity is finite, so ask about lead time before you commit a large package. This is where we sit.
How to compare any temporary works consultancy
Whoever you shortlist, ask the same questions. The answers below are ours; a good consultancy will give you theirs without hesitation.
1 · Who actually does the design?
Ask for the name and registration of the engineer who will sign the calculations. Ours: David J. Miller, CEng MICE, Engineering Council registration 094002192, verifiable on RegCheck.
2 · What is the price, and when is it fixed?
A fixed price in writing before work starts protects both sides. Ours is always fixed and confirmed before we begin.
3 · Which check category, and who is independent?
BS 5975:2024 sets the categories; the TWC decides. Make sure the checker’s independence matches the category you have assigned.
4 · What do you get back?
Drawings, calculations and a clear list of the assumptions the site must control. Ask to see a sample pack from any consultancy.
5 · Insurance
Ask for the professional indemnity certificate. We carry £2m Professional Indemnity and £10m Public Liability cover.
6 · What happens after issue?
Site conditions change. Ask how RFIs and revisions are priced and how quickly they are answered. Retained clients get priority turnaround with us.
Frequently asked questions
Who are the main alternatives to Andun for temporary works design in the UK?
The realistic alternatives fall into four groups: other large multi-office consultancies, the design services offered by falsework, formwork and shoring equipment suppliers, a contractor’s own in-house temporary works department, and independent chartered engineers such as Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd. Which one is right depends on the size of the package, the check category required and how quickly you need a fixed price.
What does Andun Engineering Consultants do?
According to their own website, Andun Engineering Consultants Ltd is a UK consultancy with 30 years’ experience in temporary works design and demolition engineering, headquartered in Chelmsford, Essex, with regional offices in the East Midlands, West Midlands and Scotland. They support tier 1 and tier 2 contractors, provide independent BS 5975 Category 3 checks, and highlight rail and nuclear environments in particular. Confirm current details with them directly.
How is Temporary Works Consulting & Design different from a large consultancy?
The work is done personally by David J. Miller, a Chartered Civil Engineer (CEng MICE), delivered remotely across the UK and internationally, and every job is quoted at a fixed price confirmed in writing before it starts. Contractors who need ongoing help can retain a weekly support arrangement. The trade-off is capacity: one engineer cannot run a multi-package rail scheme with several concurrent designers, and we say so.
Can a remote temporary works engineer do the job properly?
Yes for the large majority of items. Temporary works design runs on drawings, loads, ground information and constraints, all of which can be exchanged online, and site verification can be done by the site team against a clear list of design assumptions. Remote delivery is why location does not affect our price. Where a site visit is genuinely needed, it is priced as a separate line so you can see it.
Can Temporary Works Consulting & Design carry out Category 3 design checks?
We provide design checking support with reference to BS 5975:2024 check categories 0 to 3. For a Category 3 check the checker must be independent of the originating designer, so the answer depends on who designed the item. If we designed it, we will tell you to check it elsewhere; if someone else designed it, we can act as the independent checker.
How much does temporary works design cost?
It depends on the item, the check category and the information you already have. What we can promise is that every quote is a fixed price confirmed in writing before work starts, and that retained weekly support is agreed as a weekly figure so it can be budgeted. Send the item, the programme date and what information you hold and you will normally have a view the same working day.
Is this page endorsed by or affiliated with Andun?
No. Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd has no connection with Andun Engineering Consultants Ltd. Their name is used only to identify them, and every statement about them is drawn from their own published website as read in September 2026. If any of it is out of date, contact us and it will be corrected.
Scope & competence note
Temporary Works Consulting & Design Ltd provides design, checking, advisory, training and support services subject to agreed scope, competence requirements and project-specific information. Statements about third parties on this page are summaries of their own published material and are provided for comparison only; readers should verify current details with the organisations concerned. Nothing here is a substitute for a competent, project-specific engineering assessment.
Compare us properly
Send the item. Get a fixed price.
Drawings, loads, ground information and the programme date — you will normally have a practical view on scope the same working day, and a written fixed price before any work starts.