General Flashcards
Why do you believe you’re competent to be a Principal Designer (CDM)?
- APS accredited course (Association for Project Safety).
- Technical knowledge and experience.
- Design involvement allows me to compile PCI and plan works with the principal contractor.
How did you identify possible EPC upgrades?
Energy consultant was used to advise on this who suggested including the heating and cooling unit.
How did you achieve an EPC B rating in a Victorian age property?
- Energy efficient heating and cooling.
- Double glazed sash windows.
- LED lighting.
- Insulation to suspended ground floor.
Did you approve the contractor’s designs?
Got Building Control Approver sign off at design stage. I reviewed the energy consultant’s sign off to be sure it achieved EPC B.
How was the design repsonsibility split between you and the contractor?
- Contractor undertook designs for the terrace and M&E.
- I undertook design for remaining building fabric (performance spec).
- Structural engineer: Floor structure [and chimney for KI 1].
- Energy consultant: EPC B rating.
How are sub-contracts warrantied? What forms were used?
- Collateral warranties.
- JCT form (as a deed).
What are the current MEES ratings and their dates?
C - 2028, B - 2030, net zero - 2050.
Chimney (KI 1): How much more would it cost to go with Option 2 rather than Option 3?
£5,000.
Chimney (KI 1): How much longer would Option 2 have taken versus Option 3?
Around 1 week.
How did you report to the client in terms of project costs?
Provide a breakdown showing:
- Original contract sum.
- Costs to date.
- Payment certificates.
- Variations.
[Check interim payment certificates and variations for costs to date]
How did you deal with the variation of the works on a contractual basis?
I agreed the works with the contractor, put this onto a variation order with costs, issued to contractor.
How did you value the variations?
- Tendered works (one other contractor).
- Previous jobs of similar nature where possible.
[- Cross-checked with BCIS.]
Could the contractor have refused the variation? If so, on what basis?
Yes, based on quantity [or quality] the works, changes to the design, [or site access].
How was the structural engineer appointed under the works?
Appointed directly through the client.
What would the procurement route be for Windsor Walk?
- Traditional procurement route.
- Single stage tender of 3 contractors and selected Quinn.
Why did you decide to use a MW contract?
- JCT guide (decision tree).
- Contract value around £250k.
- Complexity of the project.
[- Traditional procurement route.]
You have stated that you prepared the preliminaries on the project, what did you include in these?
Described the nature of the works and how these should be carried out.
What information did you include in the preambles?
Background information and objectives.
What provisional sums did you include?
Asbestos discovery.
What was the tender period?
- 3 week tender period.
- 3 week lead-in to begin works.
What did you check regarding the contractor’s insurance?
- PII (negligence).
- Public liability (accidents).
- All-risk (property) [covers the value of the works].
- In-date.
What were the variations on the project?
- Chimney breast (originally localised repairs > structural works).
- Flat roof repairs (originally localised repairs > overcoating roof, water ingress repairs).
- Lintels to basement (contract instruction).
What was your role for releasing the retention at Windsor Walk?
I released 2.5% on PC. [2.5% released when Making Good Certificate issued but I left Hollis before that].
Is the Contractor’s Design Portion optional?
Yes.
What stage did you do the design to?
Stage 4 (Technical Design).
Can you provide an example of an instruction on Windsor Walk?
Removal of graffiti.
Note:
AD A (structure).
AD L (EPCs, air conditioning - conservation of fuel and power).
AD M (accessibility).
AD H (flat roof and pipework – drainage and waste disposal).
Note: Liquidated Damages could not be claimed by the client as they had suffered no direct loss. These were set at £1,000 per week in the contract, calculated as the loss suffered by the client from future rent.
Why was the project over budget?
- Chimney issue.
- Lintels issue.
- Asbestos removal.
How did you ensure the Contractor’s Design Portion was built correctly?
Contractor issued drawings which were forwarded to the Building Control Approver to ensure they met building regs.
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.]
How was the budget cost calculated?
- Costs from previous projects of a similar nature.
- BCIS [cross-checked with BCIS].
Note: Liquidated damages sum: £1,000 per week [not required on this project].
The extension of time – was that a Relevant Event or Matter?
It’s not referred to a Relevant Event in a Minor Works contract - called Extension of Time.
[Relevant Event is related to an Extension of Time.
Relevant Matter related to loss and expense claim.]
What would you have done if the time claimed by the contractor was deemed excessive?
Complete my own assessment of the time required and feed it back to the contractor if it was less.
What were the implications when the BSA came into force during the project?
Act partly came into force in June 2022 and fully in October 2023. Not much impact as not HRB. [Building safety regulator, accountable person].
Why was Variable Refrigerant Volune/Flow (VRV) used instead of Variable Air Volume (VAV)?
It’s more energy efficient.
Please explain the contractor dispute in more detail. Had they not realised the extent of the works required at tender issue?
- Didn’t price for some of the works despite it being in the spec.
- Cost of materials had increased so they wanted more fees.
Flat roof works dispute: What works had the contractor included in the tender and what works had the contractor not allowed for?
Hadn’t allowed for undertaking liquid repairs. Allowed for the flat roof works but underestimated the extent of repairs required (underpriced it).
You mentioned that the contractor claimed costs which had increased since tender stage. Does the form of contract used deal with cost fluctuation in any way?
- MW: No - contract amendment required.
- IC: Included if selected (not included by default but contract allows for them).
Contractor attempting to claim costs for variations: Did the contractor accept the fault or dispute it further?
They accepted that they had not priced it correctly and that the works were in the spec.
Who designed the M&E works on the project?
This was part of the contractor’s design portion.
What piece of legislation do the MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) ratings derive from?
The Energy Act 2011.
Who was the Principal Designer (BSA) on the project?
External consultant appointed by the client. [Not competent to fulfil this role].
Not required - required from October 2023 onwards (PC was 20 September).
How did you establish the brief with the client?
- Inspected the site together.
- Took notes, photos.
- Confirmed in writing.
[Refurbishment, ground floor structure, EPC B rating.]
What information could you have used to develop the client’s brief?
O&M manuals [none available on this job].
What advice did you give regarding fire safety in terms of design?
- Must comply with AD B.
- Fire escape door widths - 750mm.
[Actual width 775mm, 1000mm - new build]
You said as part of the client’s brief the property had to be accessible, what legislation or regulations were you working to?
- Equality Act 2010.
- Approved Document M.
- BS 8300.
What provisions were there to ensure the property was accessible?
- Accessible WC.
- Ramps (level access).
- Doors were wide enough (AD M).
Windsor Walk: Talk me through the build-up of the flat roof.
- Warm roof: Deck, vapour control layer, insulation, covering.
- Cold roof: Plasterboard, vapour control layer, insulation (between beams), deck, covering.
- Inverted: Deck, covering (asphalt), insulation, membrane, ballast/concrete slabs.
[Vapour control layer always goes before insulation.]
Did you write the specification?
What did you use to write this?
- Yes.
- BS 8000.
- Previous jobs of a similar nature.
[- NBS Chorus.]
- Was planning permission required and were you involved?
- What did planning permission involve?
- Yes required, I wasn’t involved (client did this prior to my company’s involvement).
- Change of use to cafe.
- New windows.
Was the lime plaster applied to lath and plaster?
What technique is used to apply the lime plaster?
- No, masonry [no hair required within the plaster as it was applied to masonry not lath and plaster].
- 3 coat system.
What was:
- Contract sum.
- Final account.
- Contingency (% and £).
- Contractor prelims.
- LDs.
- Tender period and lead in.
- Contract sum: £243k.
- Final account: £260k.
- Contingency (% and £): 4.5% and £10,000.
- Contractor prelims: £3,000 p/week.
- LDs: £1,000 p/week.
- Tender period and lead in: 3 weeks for each.
Did you need consent from Network Rail?
Yes, produced a small report detailing works with photos.
How were you appointed?
- Single stage tender.
- Submitted lump sum cost - percentage of the works at 10%.
[I wasn’t involved in this process - chartered suveryor].
- What was the manufacturer of the floor insulation?
- What was the thickness of the floor insulation?
- What was the U-value of the floor insulation?
- Knauf.
- 150mm.
- 0.16W/m2K.
The chimney appears to have damp staining to the outside. What could have caused this?
- Poor ventilation (fire place no longer in use).
- Warm air from building could condense on the chimney when it meets cold air outside.
What were the range of tenders?
£243k-£270k.
How did you assess whether the contractor’s were competent?
- CHAS (Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme).
- Constructionline [certifications].
- PII.
What were the main costs on the project and what were the amounts?
- New ground floor £15k.
- New windows £35.
Note:
- Basement walls - lime plaster.
- Floor joists - 400mm centres.
What manufacturer did you use for the liquid repairs to the flat roof?
Sika - 2 coats.
What was the insurance option selected?
What was the benefit of this?
What happens at Practical Completion?
- Insurance for existing structures (option C).
- Suitable for refurb projects, no disputes if existing structure is damaged.
- Insurance responsibility passes to the client.
What was the cause of the cracking to the brick arches?
Arch failure (undertook research to ascertain if this was arch failure - cracking to corner of the arches, dropped bricks).
What Approved Documents did you use for the air conditioning unit with heat pump?
- AD F (ventilation) [fan].
- AD L (conservation of fuel and power).
Why did the final account differ from the contract sum?
- Variations: chimney breast, lintels.
- Asbestos provisional sum not enough (£1500 allowed but was £8k).
Who was PD? How did they manage the risk of the dilapidated state of the building?
- Chartered surveyor who supervised on the project.
- RA.
- PCI.
- Requested building information from the client.
What RIBA stage did you prepare your specification to?
RIBA Stage 4 - Technical Design.
What was the existing use of the property?
What was the planning use class?
- Office.
- No change of use (use classes updated so office and cafe fall into same class).
Who was responsible for discharging the planning conditions?
- The client.
- Contractor follows planning conditions on-site.
What stage did you prepare the M&E specification to?
RIBA Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination.
[Going to Stage 4 Technical Design would mean I wrote the spec detailing how they completed these works which wouldn’t make sense if they were completing the design of this element of works]
