KI1, Opt 3

Question 1

What was Option 3?

Answer 1

Reduce Scope of Works.

Question 2

Please elaborate further on what reducing the scope of works would involve? (reduction workshop; amending ERs; agreeing costs; client approval)

Question 3

What were the communal areas? What furniture was included? Why removing furniture would be ‘minimally disruptive’? Would residents be left with no furniture? Would there be plans to procure new furniture later on?

Question 4

What were the provisional sums and contingency allowance for this project? Why was there an original psum allowance for asbestos removal at £80k - did you think this appropriate? How did you identify that ceilings and floors would contribute significantly to removal costs? Did you estimate these costs? If you estimated that more savings than £20k would be achieved why did you only reduce the psum by £20k and not more? If you could save a lot more to asbestos removal costs, did you then reconsider the first two options, given that these may be now more achievable - [more achievable - yes, but then additional expense of time associated with those options which could be used towards contributing to funds for furniture procurement later on]? What other potential asbestos removal costs would remain for the contract?

Question 5

What was involved in changing the specification for light fittings and floor finishes? Was this a reduction in quality? Was this specification change conveyed to the contractor that variations would be Instructed later on? Was there a change in costs/duration as a result of these changes [direct costs - no; duration - there would be but duration in this instance is covered by an undefined PSUM, and implications for not needing to remove flooring would be dealt with as part of the Instruction]?

Question 6

Cost assessment -
- You mention minimal increase in professional fees - what would this involve exactly? Did you estimate these costs?

Question 7

Time assessment -
- You mention minimal increase in time - did you estimate this and would would it involve?

Question 8

Quality assessment -
- You mention quality maintained for items retained, but the items you will be taking action on ie specification change and using existing furniture also seem to be retention of quality - is this option in fact value engineering rather than scope of works reduction [ref my answer in Emily Law mock flashcards]?

Question 9

Risk assessment -
- You mention ‘very little risk’, however you are omitting furniture which will be procured later on (inflation? market?); and asbestos will still be present in ceilings and floors - did you consider these remaining risks?