Design Economics & Cost Planning Flashcards
What is a good wall to floor ratio?
Between 0.4
What does it mean for a wall to floor ratio to be 1?
That the area of the external wall is equal to the area of the floor.
What are the different sources of cost data?
SPONS
BCIS
Tender Returns
Benchmarked
Who produces SPONS?
Aecom.
Name a pro and con of spons?
Pro - Can access useful cost data quickly (compared to market testing).
Con - Only updated once a year.
You worked on a project in Leeds, what was the location factor?
Leeds: 90.
London: 121.
-26% difference.
On Confidential Project South Wing, why was you measuring in accordance with NRM 1 at RIBA stage 4?
NRM 2 is for Detailed Measurement of Construction Works, such as BoQ. I was producing a cost plan, not a BoQ.
When is it necessary to apply for inflation?
My companies policy is to adjust for inflation on a quarterly basis, however this can be reviewed more closely depending on the item and volatility of the market. For example steel.
When market testing, how do you ensure the returns you are getting are an accurate reflection of what the Main Contractor’s would be?
1) Use the same subcontractors the Main Contractor would use
2) Give accurate information about project specifities (location / start-on site date)?
You mention on PwC Leeds that you advised on the rearranging of partitions. What impact did this have regarding abutments to mullions?
My advice was based on the value improvement that could made through rearranging the layout of the partitions. I proposed this to the design team who considered this impact, and subsequently developed a solution that worked.
You mention on PwC Leeds that you advised on the rearranging of partitions. What impact did this have regarding insurance for touching up the facade?
Impact to insurance is outside of my professional expertise and is excluded within my cost plans.
On PwC Manchester, how did you advise your Client about the risk of cost overrun between stages?
I held percentages from RIBA Stage 1 - RIBA Stage 3 as there was insufficient information available to produce a risk register.
On PwC Manchester, why at Stage 4 was it now overbudget? Did you not hold sufficient risk considering the level of design at that time?
The project was overbudget at Stage 4 due to the minimal design information produced prior to that. At “RIBA Stage 3” the design team had used floor plans rather than having detailed DWG’s, specifications to market test etc.
The issue wasn’t that I wasn’t holding enough in risk, the issue was that there were large changes from RIBA stage 3 to 4 around the assumptions i made and reviewed with the design team, such as the increase in feature lighting.
On PwC Leeds, you say there was an increased requirement for feature acoustic suspended rafts than what was allowed for at Stage 2. Why not just reduce the quantities back to Stage 2?
The issue was not the amount of ceilings, it was that the rates I included at RIBA Stage 2 where standard acoustic rafts, whereas in the RIBA stage 3 design they were more feature acoustic panels, with some of the ceiling finishes being as high as £2,000/m2 when market testing.
Can you tell what should be considered when adjusting cost data?
Project Specifities
Inflation
Location
Abnormals
What is the formula for adjusting cost data for inflation?
(New - Old) / Old
What are the four risk allowances as per NRM1?
Construction Risk
Employer Change Risk
Employer Other Risk
Design Development Risk
What would you expect construction risk to be at Stage 2?
It would depend on the nature of the project and the surveys / information available that could impact the Construction stage. For example, ground contamination, ordinance surveys, ground condition surveys.
Can you give me 4 elements as per NRM elemental breakdown?
Facilitating Works
Substructure
Superstructure
Finishes
What are the key cost drivers on a typical project?
On a new build:
Services
External Walls
Superstructure
Can you walk me through the process of getting cost data from sub contractors?
Depending on the confidentiality of the project, I would contact them typically via phone and follow up with an email, identifying what I need assistance with pricing. I would provide as much detail as possible to assist.
What would you say is the best method for gathering cost data?
It would depend on the projects priorities. For example, market testing is typically the most accurate however can be time consuming obtaining costs from the market.
What informed you that the ceiling finishes were too high?
I split the costs elementally and compared the costs/m2 against other CAT B PwC fitouts.
What was the target rate? Why this number?
£350/m2. I found on other PwC office Cat B fit-outs that this rate was more than sufficient to obtain a ceiling finish that met the Client quality and function. In Leeds, some ceiling finishes were as high as £2,000/m2.
