Construction Technology

Question 1

Only certain forms of construction are suitable for certain building types?

Answer 1

No. What I mean is certain types of construction are more typically found in certain building types, eg
structural frames, piling, suspended ceilings, in offices;
strip foundations, structural cavity external walls, plasterboard ceiling, in dwellings.

Question 2

Why strip foundations might be preferred to piled foundations?

Answer 2

Strip foundations: Lower cost, simpler construction.
Suitable for stable soil, lighter loads.
Economical and practical for specific projects.

Question 3

Difference in costs? (strip vs piled)

Answer 3

Strip foundations: Less costly, simpler construction.
Piled foundations: Higher initial expenses for equipment, materials.
Cost-effective in soil-specific or load-heavy scenarios.

Question 4

What are the statutory requirements for meeting planning conditions and buiding regulations approval?

Answer 4

Follow approved plans and regulations.
Obtain permits and approvals.
Ensure safety, sustainability, and quality standards.

Question 5

What is subsidence? (Firemen’s)

Question 6

Why might ‘high plasticity clay soils’ be a problem? (Firemen’s)

Question 7

How did you put together the costs for underpinning? (Firemen’s)

Question 8

What was the cost? (underpinning, Firemen’s)

Question 9

Can you give me some examples of the differing requirements between small scale residential building and larger scale communal buildings? (Monica’s)

Question 10

Why a steel framed building rather than say concrete? (Monica’s)

Question 11

Costs for the steel frame? (Monica’s(

Question 12

What materials/build up were there for
the (Monica’s):

flat roof (cost?; warm roof?)?

rooflights (cost?)?

glazed curtain walling (cost) (how fixed? how sealed? why this system - benefits?)?

acoustic partition (cost) (acoustic! dB rating?)?

floor finish (cost) (durable! how long? warranty?)?

Question 13

Did you recommend and approve the specification for the mansafe!? (Cremer)

Answer 13

No I only recommended this form of solution to the problem.

Question 14

Wouldn’t there still be a need for handrailing - safety of those enjoying the roof? (Cremer)

Answer 14

There was no resident access to the roof. The purpose of the handrail was to provide edge protection for maintenance workers.

Question 15

What were the costs for both the mansafe and the handrail? (Cremer)

Answer 15

Mansafe £32k;
Handrail £48k;
saving £16k.

Question 16

What were the costs for this initial solution to water penetration? (BM)

Answer 16

Omit: £17k

Question 16

What was the saving? (Cremer)

Answer 16

£16k.

Question 17

What was the cost of the proposed solution? (BM)

Answer 17

Add £12k

Question 18

What was the saving? (BM)

Answer 18

saving £5k

Question 19

Did you approve the specification!? (BM)

Answer 19

No, I only recommended the methodology. The contractor, structural engineer, and RIW consultants got together to propose a solution, to which costs were submitted that I reviewed and agreed. The final approval of specification was by the client via the architect advise.