Why did you use the JCT Intermediate Building Contract and not the Standard Building Contract?
- ICD contract more appropirate for the scale of the project providing the right level of detail. Whereas Standard Building Contract is more typoical for larger scale projects.
- The client had also experienced working with an Intermediate Bulding Contract on another recent project and favoured using this form of contract again.
Why did you use the JCT Intermediate Building Contract and not the Minor
Works?
- More appropriate given the projects scale and complexity
- General consensus with minor works contracts is they are more appropriate simple projects with values typically less the £500K (although this value is not a hard and fast rule)
- Allows sectional completion although not required for this project
Why did you prepare a Stage 4 Cost Plan? What was the benefit?
- Pre-tender estimate, last cost check of the project before is issued to tender.
- Can be used to compared it against tender submissions
Why was a BOQ the most suitable form of pricing documents?
- Provides a robust and detailed document that details the works requiring pricing.
- This is favourable for the tendering process as all tenderers price the same BQ, therefore makes it easier to compare tenders and contractors also favour pricing BQs.
- It also offers the benefit post contract with a document that can be easily used for Interim Valuations and an extensive library of contract rates that can be used for pricing variations (if required)
What are the steps involved with producing a BoQ?
1) Separate the works out into key elements or packages e.g. substructure, frame, roof, external walls
2) Create a take off list for each elements identifying from the design information all the works items that need to be measured and billed (in
accordance with NRM2)
3) Allocate the elements to certain colleagues to share the workload
4) Measure measure and measure (in accordance with NRM2) - this could involve back and forth query and answer sheets with the design team
5) Input measure in BQ format using software such as Masterbill or CATO
6) Thoroughly quality check the Draft BQ and associated measures to ensure everything is correct and has been picked up, and is fully coordinated with the design information.
7) Finalise the BQ to form the pricing document for the tender
What were the Tender documents you issued?
1) Design Information
2) Instruction to Tenderers
3) Project Particulars
4) Contract Particulars
5) Pricing Document (i.e. BQ)
6) Form of Tender - which the tenders fill out and sign it includes their details, price and programme duration
7) Prelimianies and workmanship documentation
8) Supporting Docs - including
- Pre Construction Information Pack, -Contractor Design Portions,
- Bond requirements,
- Planning information
- draft example of Sub-Contractor Warranty required for the Employer
What is a Pre-Construction Information Pack?
The Pre Construction Information Pack (PCIP) is a document which provides the information already in the Client’s possession, or which is reasonably obtainable, to relevant CDM Duty Holders, such as Designer(s), Contractor or Principcal Contractor.
The client is responsible for providing this, although it is usually completed by the CDM pronciple designer.
Includes information such as:
- Description of poject
- Clients management requirements
- Envrionmental restrictions
- Health and Safety Information and requirements
- Hazards or risks
- Construction Phase Plan
What is a Construction Phase Plan?
A Construction Phase Plan is a key document that details the health and safety risks associated with the construction phase of the project and the control measures that will be implemented to minimise risks or where possible, eliminate them.
What were the Contractor Design Portions?
a) Precast concrete staircases:
b) Precast concrete upper floors
c) Beam & block floors
d) Structural connections, including thermal break connections
e) Secondary steelwork
f) Light gauge metal infill studwork to external wall construction
g) Architectural metalwork, balustrades, including fixings
h) Lintels
i) Piling
j) Roof purlins, metal deck system and associated detailing
k) Metal louvered fence to plant room roof
l) Roof hatch and access ladder
m) Proprietary masonry support systems and details
n) All proprietary cladding and curtain walling
o) Lift
p) Final coordination of mechanical and electrical installations
What was the projects GFA?
1,182m2
What is the £/m2 of the project? How does this compare to BCIS analyses / average prices?
- Overall project equated to approx £3,350/m2 based on GIA.
- The contract cost equated to approx £2,765/m2 based on GIA.
- This was comparable with BCIS cost data for similar schemes at that time, which showed the scheme was in line with benchmarking expectations.
What is the £ / classroom?
Approx £330K per classroom (based on overall project cost)
What is the £ / pupil?
The projected equated to approx £13.5K per pupil (based on overall project cost), which was well within the Department For Education (DfE) benchmark data, rebased to Kent (approx £27K per placement for permanent expansions to existing secondary schools).
- This showed Value of Money for the project
How did the you benchmark the cost of the project to demonstrate value for money (VFM)?
- Compared it to benchmark data for similar projects (e.g. from BCIS and in-house cost data)
- Compared it to Department for Eduction benchmark data
How did you account for risk in your cost plans?
Design Development Risk
Construction Risk
Employer Risk
How did you calculate inflation estimates?
Using tender price inflation data from BCIS. And calculating this for the require timescales associated with the cost plan and project
What problems did you encounter when shortening the pre-contract programme and how did you mitigate these?
- Reduced tender period - made sure this was communicated to the tenders at the earliest possibility to ensure they could adequately prepare for the tender period
- Reduced time to prepare the tenders docs - allocated more resource to achieve the reduced timescales
If the contractor submitted after the tender deadline what would you do?
Tenders must ensure they submit tenders within the timescale set out in the tender documents. If a late tender was received, I would discuss this with my client and it would be up to their desecration whether to accept the late tender or not.
How did you assess the tenders received?
- Reviewed them all and depending on how close the prices working returns were, decide how many submissions to evaluate in details.
- one this project, it was decided to do a detailed assessment on the lowest 3 returns (given they were close in price)
- this detailed analysis included reviewing for arithmetical errors, normalising the returns if certain items had not been priced, reviewing the clarifications and qualifications, review the programme timescales, identifying any risks in the tenders etc
- this analysis process ultimately facilities normalising the tender to aid the comparisons of the returns
How did you go about the VE process?
Must haves - elements that are key to the brief of the project.
Should haves - elements that are good practice and of inherent value for the project
Could haves - elements that are potentially achievable within the project budget.
Won’t haves - elements which need to be avoided; from lessons learned on previous schemes
What were the potential VE savings that could have been obtained?
- Changing the windows and external doors to UPVC from aluminium = £50K
- Change the spec for mechanical and electrical installations = £100K
- Reduce extent of cladding to external walls = £30K
- Omit folding external doors = £15K
Explain the contractual process for dealing with an EOT?
- Contractor provide written notice to the CA / when it becomes reasonably apparent that there is or will likely be a delay.
- This notice must identify the relevant event that is the cause of the delay
- CA then assesses is the EOT is accepted (8 weeks in JCT2024 and 12 weeks in JCT2016)
- Under JCT 2024 if the employer requires additional info this must be requested within 14days of receipt of the EOT claim
- If accepted the completion date is adjusted accordingly
Explain the contract process for dealing with a Loss & Expense Claim?
- Direct losses and/or expense incurred by the contractor as a result of the progress of the works being materially affected by a relevant matter.
- These direct losses can include preliminary items such as management staff, site welfare, scaffolding etc.
Relevant events include:
- Variations or client changes
- Failure to give contractor possessions of the site
- Delays receiving instructions
What was the Relevant Matter on your project?
Variations - drainage rupture within the existing school required additional works and the client also instructed a change to the external works (new access arrangements)
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