General Flashcards

1
Q

Why do you believe you’re competent to be a Principal Designer (CDM)?

A

Involved in design so can co-ordinate pre-construction works, technical knowledge.

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2
Q

How did you identify possible EPC upgrades?

A

External consultant was used to advise on this, who suggested including the AC unit.

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3
Q

How did you achieve an EPC B rating in a Victorian age property?

A

Energy efficient AC (heating and cooling), double glazed sash windows, LED lighting, insulation to suspended ground floor.

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4
Q

Did you approve the contractor’s designs?

A

Got Building Control Approver sign off at design stage. I reviewed the energy consultant’s sign off to be sure it achieved EPC B.

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5
Q

How was the design repsonsibility split between you and the contractor?

A

I wrote a performance spec for the building fabric and the contractor undertook designs for the M&E and terrace.

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6
Q

How are sub-contracts warrantied? What forms were used?

A

Collateral warranties.
JCT form (as a deed).

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7
Q

What are the current MEES ratings and their dates?

A

C - 2028, B - 2030, net zero - 2050.

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8
Q

How much more would it cost to go with Option 2 rather than Option 3?

A

£2,500.

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9
Q

How much longer would Option 2 taken versus Option 3?

A

Around 1 week.

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10
Q

How did you report to the client in terms of project costs?

A

Had a schedule of interim valuations showing the costs to date and project budget.

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11
Q

How did you deal with the variation of the works on a contractual basis?

A

I agreed the works with the contractor, put this onto a variation order with costs, issued to contractor.

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12
Q

How did you value the variations?

A

Got additional quotes to compare costs, checked BCIS.

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13
Q

Could the contractor have refused the variation?

A

Yes, based on changes to the design, quality or quantity of the works, [or site access].

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14
Q

How was the structural engineer appointed under the works? (direct to client or contactor?)

A

Appointed on the client’s side.

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15
Q

How was the structural engineer’s appointment arranged?

A

Appointed directly through the client.

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16
Q

What would the procurement route would be for Windsor Walk?

A

It was a traditional procurement route, single stage tender of 3 contractors and selected Quinn.

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17
Q

Why did you decide to use a MW contract?

A

Because of the contract value being around £250k, complexity of the project, traditional procurement route.

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18
Q

You have stated that you prepared the preliminaries on the project, what did you include in these?

A

Described the nature of the works and how these should be carried out.

19
Q

What information did you include in the preambles?

A

Background information and objectives.

20
Q

What provisional sums did you include?

A

Asbestos discovery.

21
Q

What was the tender period undertaken?

A

2 week tender period and 2 week lead-in.

22
Q

What did you check regarding the contractor’s insurance?

A

PI (negligence), public liability (accidents), all-risk (property), in-date.

23
Q

What were the variations on the project?

A

Lintels to basement, flat roof repairs.

24
Q

What was your role for releasing the retention at Windsor Walk?

A

I released 2.5% on PC and 2.5% when Making Good Certificate issued.

25
Q

Is the Contractor’s Design Portion optional?

A

Yes.

26
Q

What stage did you do the design to?

A

Stage 4 (Technical Design).

27
Q

Can you provide an example of an instruction on the Windsor Walk?

A

Removal of graffiti.

28
Q

Note:
AD A (structure).
AD L (EPCs).
AD M (accessibility).
AD H (flat roof – drainage and waste disposal).

A
29
Q

Note: Liquidated Damages could not be claimed by the client as they had suffered no loss. These were set at £1,000 per week in the contract, calculated as the loss suffered by the client from future rent.

A
30
Q

Why was the project over budget?

A

Chimney and lintels issue.

31
Q

How did you ensure the Contractor’s Design Portion was built correctly?

A

Checked the Building Control Approver Final Certificate and EPC consultant sign off.
As long as you can show it meets requirements you don’t need to conduct a check of their designs e.g. building regs, EPC consultant - send details to them for them to check certificates and sign off.

32
Q

How was the budget cost calculated?

A

Used BCIS and costs from previous projects of a similar nature.

33
Q

Note: Liquidated damages sum: £1,000 per week [not required on this project].

A
34
Q

The extension of time – was that a relevant event or matter?

A

Both, it was a Relevant Event so qualified for an extension of time and it was a Relevant Matter so qualified for a loss and expense claim.

35
Q

EOT: “I also checked the time and loss and expense amount requested by the contractor to ensure these were all correct.” How did you do this?

A

I checked the time by looking at the programme and the breakdown of the contractor’s quote to see if it was reasonable.
I checked the Loss and Expense claim by looking at the contractor’s prelims stated in their tender.

36
Q

What would you have done if the time was deemed excessive?

A

Complete my own assessment of the time required and feed it back to the contractor is it was less.

37
Q

What were the implications when the Act came into force during the project?

A

Act partly came into force in June 2022 and fully in October 2023. Not much impact as not HRB. [Building safety regulator, accountable person].

38
Q

Why was Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) used instead of Variable Air Volume (VAV)?

A

It’s more energy efficient.

39
Q

Please explain the contractor dispute in more detail. Had the they not realised the extent of the works required at tender issue?

A

They hadn’t allowed for undertaking the works despite it being in the spec, cost of materials had increased so they wanted more fees.

40
Q

Flat roof works dispute: What works had the contractor included in the tender and what works had the contractor allowed for?

A

They allowed for the flat roof works but underestimated the extent of repairs required.

41
Q

You mentioned that the contractor claimed costs had increased since tender stage. Does the form of contract used deal with cost fluctuation in any way?

A

There’s no provision for cost fluctuations in MW contracts.

42
Q

Did the contractor accept the fault or dispute it further?

A

They accepted that they had not priced it correctly and that the works were in the spec.

43
Q

Who designed the M&E works on the project?

A

This was part of the contractor’s design portion.