competency questions Flashcards
What are some common defects with a pitched timber roof?
BS5534 should be adhered to, where it isn’t multiple issues arise;
Keeping water out;
- Pitch - minimum/maximum
- Long rafters - runs of 10m + flat tiles are less affective
- Eaves course - incorrect fascia hights
- Drainage design - bottle necks & overloading
Keeping tiles on;
- fix every tile once, perimeter twice
- avoid small tiles no less than 1/2 tile
- mechanically fixed, mortar has no tensile strength
- fixings must be specified
Managing internal condensation - BS52550
- Blocking eaves vents with insulation
- Not cutting back ridge underlay
Preventing movement;
- roof spread due to overloading
- sagging due to skinny rafters and purlins
What are some types of piles and when are they used?
There are many types of piles for different uses, using differing materials, to name a few;
Sheet pile wall - retain earth or water used on waterfront structures such as wharfs and piers
Contiguous piled walls - used in dry and cohesive soils and are often the quickest and more economical method of constructing retaining walls.
Friction piles - used where the load-bearing strata is too deep they are held in place by shear stresses along the sides of the pile
Carrison/end bearing - used where the load-bearing stratum is close to the surface and bears directly against it.
What is the typical construction of a warehouse?
The construction varies as many different factors would have been considered but typically;
- Steel portal frame structure
- Pad foundations
- Profiled metal sheet cladding, sometimes composite -sandwich panel
- Brick/block wall, typically only on small sections i.e. where apertures
- PVCU profiled skylights
What are the changes to the RICS rules of conduct?
The Rules of conduct for firms changed in 2020 The rules include;
Ethical behavior - Competence - Service -
Continuing Professional Development - Solvency -
Information to RICS - Cooperation
Some alterations include;
- Principles for better regulation have been simplified and some omitted
- Combining the principles of taking responsibility and maintaining public confidence in the profession
What are the changes to the 2020 Plan of Work?
The green overlay has been adopted into the main plan.
Stage 2 Preparation and brief were changed to Preparation and briefing to demonstrate that the brief is an ever-evolving document.
Stage 3 changed developed design to spatial design. To show it’s not changing the concept but coordinating the spaces.
the 2013 guide was unclear when planning permission should be submitted 2-4 the 2020 plan clearly states at the end of stage 3.
Stage 5 changed to manufacturing and construction from construction as I now recognize. modern methods of construction such as offsite manufacturing and offsite construction.
What was the hackitt review?
A series of 53 recommendations to improve the safety of construction and buildings. Her recommendations formed “Building a safer future review” which identified unsatisfactory processes and practices within the industry. Some of her recommendations include;
- Ban of the use of combustible cladding - EWS1 process
- Improve regulatory oversight - Building Safety Act - Gateways
- Improve the change control process
- Introduce a new building safety regulator - Building Safety Act - Regulator intervention
What is the hackitt golden thread?
The ‘golden thread’ seeks to extend fire safety best practice beyond fire professionals to wider society, relaying key information about a building through a chain of stakeholders, from architects to fire engineers through to building safety managers to end-users and is a focal pint of the new Building Safety Act.
What is the building safety act?
The Building Safety Bill 2020 was announced in the Queen’s Speech in December 2019 following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. The Bill will reform safety in construction by placing a focus on the The ‘golden thread’. The Bill introduces various new mechanisms to improve safety;
what is the new building safety regulator?
The Building Safety Regulator - The duties of the new Building Safety Regulator are mainly two-fold: to introduce a better safety system and impose sanctions and regulations to ensure this happens.
What roles did the building safety act introduce?
The bill introduces new roles;
Accountable person - Introduced at (usually the owner) at the occupation stage. Required to register the building with the Building Safety Regulator
Building safety manager - Their main role will be to support the accountable person in the day-to-day management of the building to ensure safety standards are adhered to.
What are the 3 gateways in the building safety act?
The Bill introduces three gateways where information is assessed at each gateway by the regulator.
Gateway 1 - Planning Stage - Requiring fire safety information to be submitted to the local planning authority as part of the planning application. The Building Safety Regulator a required consultee for higher risk buildings
Gateway 2 - Replaces the current ‘deposit of full plans’ stage in the Building Regulations - The regulator must be satisfied that the design meets the functional requirements of the building regulations. The contractor cannot commence on site until this is achieved.
Gateway 3 - Completion - At the final certificate/completion stage, to ensure that the information provided in stage 2 is built or any variations are picked up and approved. Once the point at which they are happy a ‘golden thread’ of information
What impact does the building safety act have on Building control
All Building control bodies will be required to be registered with the inspector’s register and prove their competence. The new building regulator will act as building control on higher-risk buildings.
What are the differences between JCT and NEC contracts?
JCT and NEC are both contract suites, JCT established in 1931 with it’s current edition being 2016 and NEC established 1993 with its current edition being NEC4. They are generally similar however there are some key differences;
Extensions of time and loss and expense - JCT deals with delay extensions of time and loss and expense as two separate mechanisms, relevant matters and relevant events. NEC deals with extensions of time and loss and expense as a single compensation event.
Provisional Sums - JCT has provisions for provisional sums NEC does not.
Programme - JCT contract does not have a programme as a contractual document. NEC has the programme as a contractual document.
Price - The JCT Contract is a fixed price lump sum contract. NEC Option B offers a fixed price lump sum contract but Options C and D are target cost contracts.
Roles - The JCT suite employs the use of a contract administrator who executes the contract whereas the NEC contract has no Contract Administrator, no Clerk of Works and no Architect. As such, the Project Manager is the focal point of the contract.
What are the main suites of contracts?
There are many suites of contracts that are used throughout the industry;
JCT including - Minor works, Intermediate works
Standard building, Sub-Sub contract, Major works, Management, Construction Management, Repair and maintenance
NEC4 including - Supply Contract, Design-Build and operate, Engineering and Construction, Engineering and Construction subcontract, Professional service
FIDC including; Red Book - Building and Engineering works Yellow Book - Plant and Design-Build Silver Book - EPC/Turnkey Projects Green Book - Short Form of Contract
There are multiple other more specialist contracts that can be used for example I have used NFDC on a dilapidated cottage demolition project.
What are the responsibilities of a contract administrator?
The roles and responsibilities of a Contract Administrator are set out in the Contract administration RICS Practice Standards, UK 1st edition, guidance note and include;
- Keeping records
- Conducting site inspections
- Attending and recording meetings
- Reporting to the client / employer
- Issuing instructions
- Interim valuations of the works
- Issuing certificates
- Manage the insolvency of a contractor
- Adjust the contract sum
- Loss and expense claims
What are key dates for valuations?
Contractors application: -7 days Due Date: 0 day Vlauation: +7 days Pay less: +9days Final Date for Payment: +14 day
How do you avoid conflicts?
Change control - Have a clear and robust change control process
Clear communication - so that there is no room for misinterpretation
Monthly valuation with the contractor - so there are no surprises
What is a Principal Designer?
A principal designer can be an organisation or individual who is appointed by the client to take the lead in planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety during the pre-construction phase.
What design standards have you used that are not the approved documents?
There are a few design standards that I have used when dealing with specific clientele. A few examples are;
When completing a scheme for Healthcare clients I use the Health Technical Memorandum and Health Building notes. HTMs & HBNs are focused towards delivering practical health care spaces which have different requirements to the building regulations such as medical gases and infection control. Whilst working on a dental refit project I produced a derogation schedule of items that the client had specified that deviated from the HTMs & HBNs.
When completing a scheme for education clients I use the Building Bulletins and The Output Specification. Building bulletins and The output specification are focused towards delivering safe and functional education spaces which have different requirements to the building regulations such as improved safeguarding measures produce Condition Improvement Funds bids annually that utilise both of these design standards such as Eggbuckland, Leigham, Ashburton and Lipson safeguarding bids and Widewell and Victoria Road window replacement bids.
What is included within a tender pack?
The information would vary depending on the size and scope of the project but typically I include;
Preliminaries - Description of the works
Specifications - Performance Specifications or Prescriptive Specifications
SoW - Pricing schedule or if a larger complex project a BoQ
Communication - Post and pre tender
Drawings
Pre-construction information - any additional information e.g. utilities & asbestos
What would you include within a major works pack that would not be included within a smaller works package?
BIM requirements - Public procurement require BIM level 2 PAS 1192
Bill of Quants rather than a Schedule of Works
Sustainable aspirations
Pre-qualification questionnaire
How is the client protected by a contract?
Insurances Defect liability period Damages Parent company guarantees Performance bonds
What is the procedure to deal with a default?
Employer issues warning notice specifying default and related contract clause. If no attempt is made to rectify within 14 days the CA or employer can issue a termination notice within 21 days of the expiry of the warning notice. If multiple warning notices have been issued the contract can be terminated without waiting for the 14 day notice period to expire.
Typical contractor defaults include;
Failure to proceed with the works in a timely manner
Failure to complete works competently
Abandoning the site
Failure to remove or rectify defective works
Typical employer defaults include;
Breach of CDM
Interferes with the issuing of a certificate
Does not pay by the final date on multiple occasions
How is a delay caused by COVID dealt with?
Disruption to the supply chain, lack of labour and the governmental site shut down due to COVID 19 has been treated as a relevant event and the contractor shall be awarded an extension of time.
How is a consultant appointed?
A description of the service to be provided
Terms and conditions
PII requirements
QP5 - quality management questionnaire
How would you select an appropriate contract?
Typically I would use the “Guide to selecting the appropriate JCT main contract 2016” which is produced by the Joint Contract Tribunal. It consists of a flow chart that takes into consideration;
- procurement route,
- design responsibility,
- size of the project,
- if BoQ are required,
- subcontractors
- various other factors that have a bearing on the type of contract.
