Firemen's Cottages Flashcards
At what stage was this cost estimate?
The first cost plan I did. After the Feasibility Report - RIBA Stage 1 (Preparation and Brief).
Was it based on GIFA/Functional Unit/Elemental?
A mixture of:
i) Elemental Breakdown based on high level elemental measures;
ii) approximate quantities eg brickwork repairs
iii) GIFA eg services.
What was the ‘format’ of the estimate?
Contents:
Executive Summary;
Introduction;
Design Basis of Report;
Financial Basis of Report;
Schedule of Accommodation;
Exclusions and Qualifications;
Estimate Analysis;
Appendices: Breakdown;
Document Register.
Breakdown:
Facilitating works;
substructure;
superstrucure;
internal finishes;
ffe;
services;
complete buildings and building untis;
work to existing building;
external works;
prelims;
OHP;
Project/design team fees;
other development/project costs;
risk allowance;
inflation
What changes were requested?
Did it change, and how?
Changes:
requested that I make changes to the Executive Summary section
Incorporated the same format and information of their internal reporting summary forms for ease of transfer of information.
Was the discussion over the phone/on-line meeting?
How was it arranged?
First a telephone call, then over a Teams meeting where I shared the document and went through each page.
In what way does this demonstrate client care?
Rather than send out the standard Ridge template I wanted to be sure that the Client could easily understand the document, if there were any difficulties, I wanted to make the document as presentable as possible so that any key information the client wanted could stand out.
Looking after client’s best interests and level of service that satisfies the client’s needs and ahieves VfM by: professionalism; competence; punctuality; trust; reliability; presentation; regular communication; review of services provided and standard; KPI; client performance feedback.
What were these ‘cracks’/how did they manifest themselves? (Feasibility Report)
Substantial cracks observed in flats 1-4 and internal walls.
Front elevation affected; no cracks noted in the rear elevation.
Signs of movement in northwest corner foundations.
Various types of cracks observed: horizontal, vertical, diagonal.
Additional issues: missing vertical tiles, cracks near stairs, entrance lobby, etc.
How was it suspected the cracks were due to ‘subsidence’/who raised this?
Haringey Council notes structural damage at Firemen’s Dwellings over 5/6 years.
Suspected cause: trees in front of the building, now removed.
How did the Feasibility Report come about?
Ridge and Partners hired by Haringey for surveys on subsidence and building stabilization methods.
Surveys include structural investigation and condition assessments for flats and communal areas.
Surveys provide descriptions and recommendations for repairs or replacements.
What exactly was surveyed, and what was included in the corresponding Estimate?
The elements surveyed included:
building services,
roofs, chimneys, fascia’s, soffits, bargeboards, rainwater goods,
external walls,
walkways, external steps,
windows,
external decorations, external doors, communal and front entrance doors, external lighting,
internal staircases, internal common parts, internal communal decorations, internal communal lighting, communal electrical installations,
landscaping, boundary walls, fencing, footpaths, paving, external drainage.
What is ‘subsidence’?
Soil can’t support building weight.
Leads to settlement or sinking.
Causes: poor soil, design, construction.
Why was it important to know the type of foundation for the property?
Various types of foundations and sizes
The necessary repairs can’t be made until the foundations are known.
Analysis of the existing foundation will lead to understanding of insufficiencies and to make up for these.
What does ‘high plasticity’ and ‘subsoil’ mean?
Plasticity: Soil’s ability to deform without fracturing.
High plasticity: Greater capacity to deform under stress.
High plasticity indicates significant fine particles, like clay.
Fine particles bind together forming a plastic matrix in water.
Subsoil: Layer beneath topsoil, supporting plant growth and water infiltration.
Who carried out the investigation of the type of foundation and ground conditions?
Site investigation conducted by Ridge Structural Team
Trial pits and boreholes revealed made ground to depths of 0.6-1.0m.
Natural soils of London clay formation found underneath to a depth of 5.0m in boreholes.
Building foundations exposed at front elevation, consisting of concrete strip foundations.
Foundations located approximately 0.45 - 0.6m below ground level and 0.36 - 0.5m deep.
Who recommended the ‘rectification works’?
Structural Engineer following Report:
Concrete strip foundations were also noted to be weak and easily fractured by hand tools used in the excavations.
It is likely that the foundations for Flats 1-4 will need to be strengthened to stop further movement of the building. Traditional underpinning will be needed in stages to include possible replacement of existing weak concrete foundation on the front and side elevation of the building.
What is ‘underpinning’?
Underpinning strip foundations involves strengthening or stabilizing existing foundations that have become inadequate or compromised
What did underpinning involve in this project?
For the external wall:
Break through hardstanding like concrete or paving.
Excavate pits or trenches beneath existing foundation in sections along the wall.
Provide temporary support to the structure above with props, shoring, or bracing systems.
Common underpinning methods: mass concrete, mini-piled, jet grouting, or screw piles.
Fill excavated voids with grout or concrete to support underpinning elements and distribute loads.
Ensure proper compaction and consolidation of backfilled materials to minimize settlement and ensure stability.
For the internal walls:
Take up carpetting
Remove floorboards/beak through screed and concrete slab,
Excavate and underpin (as external wall
Reinstate (as external wall) including ground concrete slab, floorboards, carpetting.
How did you ‘estimate costs’ for this?
I knew the measures and dimensions from the Report
Broke down the works in accordance with NRM
Applied rates obtained from our benchmarking/spons/BCIS/quote for the underpinning procedure;
For taking up floorboards and reinstatement I used rates for floorboarding together with labour hours to undertake to remove and reinstate (benchmark, national rates?, SPONs ‘alteration works’ rates).
What was the composition/construction of the existing ‘external walls’?
Solid masonry (brickwork).
What was the composition/construction of the existing ‘internal loadbearing walls’?
Solid masonry (brickwork).
Were decant costs included in your ‘allowances’ for the works?
Not for the building works but the client was informed (making an allowance of 2 weeks to complete the works) and we received approximate costs from them for temporary decantation and storage (furniture, etc) and housing for the residents, which we added to the ‘other costs’ section of the Estimate
What RIBA Stage did you carry out this ‘order of cost estimate’?
Following Feasibility Report
[and FRA Reports - use this along with SE Report as ‘further information’ in developing Estimates?]
[and SH: 2nd OoCE or Cost Plan: Structural Report, Topographical survey, Retrofit Assessment Report, M&E Surveys]’.
This Project Estimate has been prepared in order to provide an estimate of the costs involved in the works ascertained as required by the Ridge Feasibility Report (refer to Appendix B. Register for list) to the internal, external elements and building services of the flats and communal area of 1-8 Firemen Dwellings
