Decide before committing major spending
The decisions with the greatest influence on a project’s cost and success are made at the very beginning, when information is still partial. A feasibility study exists to reduce that uncertainty before major financial commitments: land acquisition, detailed design, contractor tendering. This is the stage at which FINC Solutions’ technical expertise adds the most value.
Its deliverable is not a designed project but a reasoned answer to a simple question: can the project be delivered, under what conditions, at what cost and over what timeframe? A study that concludes a project should be revised or abandoned has done its job: it has prevented a poorly founded investment.
Everything starts with a clear brief: needs, floor areas, uses, expected performance, target budget and timeframe. A vague brief produces a vague study. Part of the work often consists of helping the client clarify and rank their expectations, separating non-negotiable requirements from desirable extras.
The dimensions to analyse
Feasibility rarely hinges on a single criterion. A technically simple project can be blocked by a regulatory constraint; a project that looks attractive on paper can turn out to be unaffordable once ground conditions are known.
- Technical: ground, existing structure, utilities, site access
- Regulatory: planning, safety, accessibility, environment
- Economic: capital cost, whole-life cost, funding phasing
- Environmental: energy, materials, water, impact on neighbours
- Programme: permits, duration of design and construction
The technical condition assessment
When a project involves an existing building or site, the technical condition assessment is its foundation. Original drawings are often incomplete or missing, and structures may have been altered over the years without the changes being recorded.
The structural assessment evaluates the condition of load-bearing elements, visible defects and the structure’s capacity to carry new loads. It relies on surveys, visual inspections and, where necessary, intrusive investigations or testing.
The energy assessment analyses the envelope, systems and consumption to identify potential savings. Other surveys complete the picture depending on context: utilities, fire safety, presence of hazardous materials.
Digital surveys, such as laser scanning, make it possible to reconstruct a reliable geometry of the existing building and produce a digital model that will serve as the basis for subsequent design stages. This upfront investment reduces errors and rework later on.
Compare options rather than validate an idea
A good feasibility study does not merely check that one solution works. It compares several options, for example major refurbishment, targeted refurbishment or new build, against explicit criteria agreed with the client.
This comparison takes whole-life cost into account, not just the initial investment: operation, maintenance, energy and service life. An option that costs more to build may prove more economical over time.
At FINC, each option comes with its risks and the assumptions still to be confirmed. The decision is then made with full knowledge of the facts.
A sensitivity analysis usefully completes the comparison: how does the ranking change if energy prices rise, if works are delayed or if a ground assumption is not confirmed? A robust option remains relevant in most scenarios.
What a good report should contain
A useful feasibility report can be read by non-technical decision-makers. It opens with a clear summary, presents the options in a comparable way and makes a reasoned recommendation.
It also states its own limits: assumptions made, further investigations required, accuracy of the estimates. This transparency is what makes an informed decision possible.
- Summary and recommendation at the start of the document
- Options compared against explicit criteria
- Cost estimates with their level of accuracy
- Register of risks and assumptions to be confirmed
- Next steps and outline programme
A feasibility study tailored to each country
In Canada, Morocco or elsewhere in Africa, a feasibility study answers the same question: can the project be built, on what conditions and at what cost? But the inputs differ from one country to another.
Regulations and permitting procedures, applicable design standards, natural hazards (earthquake, flood, drought, frost), the cost and availability of materials and labour, funders’ requirements: all of these change the scenarios and their costing.
As a Canadian consultancy active in Morocco and Africa, FINC Solutions brings together experts who know these contexts. Our studies rely on the standards of the project’s country and on verified local data, for recommendations that decision-makers and funders can act on directly.
Technical expertise at FINC Solutions
FINC’s technical expertise team carries out in-depth studies, assessments and analyses to ensure the feasibility, safety and performance of projects. Our engineers rely on hard data, on-site surveys and modelling tools, then present compared and prioritised options.
The full assessment we carried out before rehabilitating an industrial hub made it possible to organise the works by zone and target priority equipment. If you are considering a project, an initial review can help you ask the right questions.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a feasibility study take?
It depends on the size of the project and the investigations required. A desk study can be quick; ground investigations or structural testing take longer but provide far greater reliability.
What is the difference between a feasibility study and a condition assessment?
A condition assessment describes the state of an existing structure. A feasibility study uses that assessment, among other inputs, to evaluate whether a project can be delivered and under what conditions.
What information should be prepared before the study starts?
The intended brief, an indicative budget, the desired timeframe and all available documents about the site: drawings, previous reports, consumption records, existing permits.
