Mock 1 Flashcards
What is a contingency?
Allowance for the unknown risks associated with a project
How much was the contingency on this project?
£50k (approx. 5%)
Why was 5% contingency chosen?
During the early design stages it was 10%, however as the design developed the contingency was reduced to 5%
Why was a traditional procurement method used here?
Procured using the framework agreement, but traditional contract used.
Why was it a JCT MW without quantities?
- Project not complex enough to require BoQ
- Price was a lump sum
What impact could using a JCT without quantities have on the contractors tender?
Contractor may factor in more risk allowance to facilitate errors with quantities
What is life cycle costing?
Process of economic decision analysis, which helps taking decisions on investments in new construction - Considers the overall cost of a product over its life cycle
Simple English, what is value engineering?
An exercise that involves most of the project team as the project develops. It is about taking a wider view and looking at the selection of materials, plant, equipment, and processes to see if a more cost-effective solution exists that will achieve the same project objectives
How does VE differ from VM?
VM is a method of highlighting possible opportunities to create value within a project and subsequently managing those solutions to ensure value is continuously delivered.
Whereas VE is a method used to eliminate any unnecessary costs, in order to achieve value for money on a project. VE methods and techniques can be used throughout the life cycle of a project, from strategic definition (very early design) to handover and close out
What is “Float” in relation to programme?
The amount of time a task can be delayed without impacting the overall programme
Single stage tendering – What are the advantages?
- Early cost certainty
- Competitive price
If you did make an allowance for inflation, how could you do that?
Take advice from the BCIS and apply and % to the rates
Tell me some methods of natural ventilation?
Openable windows
UJ- You mention you made an allowance for acoustic products. Can you tell me what one of those was?
Acoustic floor boards
Acoustic floor boards – tell me what they are and how the work (what is the build-up?)
Cellecta Screedboard 28, interlocking tongue and groove, 20mm gypsum with 8mm fibre acoustic fleece.
What is an acoustic flooring panel purpose?
Designed to reduce reverberation and reflection of sound within rooms. By absorbing sound energy, they stop this energy from continuing to bounce around the room helping to reduce reverberation
Asbestos Survey at UJ
I advised my client to instruct a specialist asbestos removal company to remove the identified asbestos to provide a safe environment for the contractor and future tenants
Feasibility Estimating – what is that?
Produced up to stage 1 - Feasibility estimates are used to give clients a rough order of magnitude of the cost of the project. These estimates are intended to be a tool to help a customer decide to proceed on the articulated quote or scale the project up or down keeping in mind several feasibilities may be required before moving to the conceptual phase
Why do we have the RIBA Plan of Works?
The RIBA Plan of Work organises the process of briefing, designing, constructing, and operating building projects into eight stages and explains the stage outcomes, core tasks and information exchanges required at each stage
Give me a take-off list under NRM1 for those partitions
- Walls + Partitions (stating thickness) measured = m2
- E/O internal walls for forming openings = Nr
Tell me how you updated your cost plans UJ as the design moved through the RIBA stages?
i. Following receipt of the developed design information, I would carry out a take-off of the new information
ii. I would then update the cost plan to reflect these adjusting rates where necessary
iii. Finally, I would review the cost plan with the designers to ensure allowance are in line with their expectations
How did you deal with any unknowns or any queries
Q&A - Raise with relevant member of the design team
KN – you mentioned you reviewed the design with the design team and advised the client with some options/considerations, which include specialist lighting – What was your advice in relation to these specialist light fittings
My involvement was advising of the impact from a commercial perspective (i.e. costs + lead in time)
What factors can affect cashflow for a contractor?
i. Late payment from the client
ii. Pay Less Notice issued by the client
iii. Materials off-site not being paid for
What is a provisional sum?
A provisional sum is an allowance (or best guess), usually estimated by a cost consultant, that is inserted into tender documents for a specific element of the works that is not yet defined in enough detail for tenderers to accurately price
What is the difference between a defined and undefined provisional sum?
i. Defined provisional sums are those which have been described in sufficient detail that the contractor is expected to have made allowance for them in their programming, planning, and pricing preliminaries
ii. Undefined provisional sums are less well described and so the contractor cannot be expected to make allowance for them in their programming, planning, and pricing preliminaries.
Cubico – What were the stages of the change control procedure?
i. Introduced change control forms, which included a description of change, effects of the change from cost and programme perspective, and reason/benefit of the change
ii. Any variation over £10k would require approval at board level
KN – what is the agenda for a regular change control meeting with the Contractors QS?
i. Contractor to submit a copy of the latest change log + substantiation
ii. I would then review the information provided + make an assessment prior to the meeting
iii. I would then meet with the contractors QS to discusses each variation + substantiation with the aim of agreeing items
Talk me through the schedule 2 quotation process under the JCT?
i. + sufficient information must be provided to the contractor to enable preparation of a quotation
ii. + prescriptive time periods exist for the preparation and acceptance of a quotation
iii. + the quotation must include the value of the varied work and the effects on any other work
iv. + supporting calculations should be submitted, with appropriate reference to the Valuation Rules
v. + any requirements for an Extension of Time
vi. + any amounts to be paid in lieu of ascertaining Loss & Expense
vii. + a fair and reasonable amount in respect of the cost of preparing the quotation should be included. This fair and reasonable amount is to be paid even if the quotation is not accepted
viii. + method statements and resource requirements should be included if asked for by the instruction to provide the quotation
KN – unagreed variations totalling £50k, tell me the process you went through to deal with these items?
i. Requested the contractor provided all relevant substantiation
ii. I then reviewed these and identified a number of CSA rates has not been applied
iii. Responded with my assessments
iv. Discussed my position with the client
v. Agreed a figure with my client to propose as the Final Account to contractor
Why was the external terrace works a CDP item on KN (terrace)
Works had not been fully designed at this stage, so put the design risk onto the contractor
What are the benefits of CDP for a client?
i. One contractor retains overall control and accountability
ii. Reduces expenditure on professional fees
How does a verbal instruction process work under a JCT?
i. Contractor issues Confirmation of verbal instruction (CVI) within 7 days of receiving verbal instruction
ii. If the architect/contract administrator does not dissent from that confirmation within seven days from receipt of the written confirmation, the instruction then takes effect
What is the timeline for the CA to reply to a confirmation of verbal instruction?
Seven days
Collateral Warranty – can you give me an example of where a Collateral Warranty may be used?
i. Funders - banks and other lenders funding construction works who are taking a charge over the property, rather than purchasing it, will require collateral warranties
ii. Purchasers - a party that buys the development
iii. Employers to sub-contractors
Schedule of Amendments – Can you give me an example of some of the amendments?
i. Payment dates (example – change from 14 days to 28 days)
ii. May be amendments relating to Covid & Force majeure
What is a vesting certificate?
A vesting clause is a contractual term which deals with the transfer of ownership of goods and materials and a vesting certificate is a document evidencing that transfer of ownership of those goods or materials
Off-site joinery at KN – tell me the tasks and actions you carried out in relation to this?
I visited site with the architect to ensure the MOS were there and clearly labelled
Did you go on your own to look at these or did you take anyone else with you?
No, I went with an architect and took a copy of the specification
What does Residual Valuation mean?
Residual valuation is the process of valuing land with development potential
Festival House – How did you use historical data to produce the new cost plan
I used rates from a previous fit-out I did the year before for the same client, who was rolling out the same scheme across different locations. I applied the TPI from the BCIS to ensure an appropriate percentage had been applied for the inflation
Practical Completion – give me a list of the consequences of Practical Completion
i. Rectification Period starts
ii. Clients’ ability to apply liquidated damages becomes void
iii. Client is not responsible for insuring the building
iv. Half of retention is released
How would develop good relationships with clients?
i. Establish open, consistent lines of communication with your client
ii. Understand their needs and requirements
iii. Provide diligent service
iv. Offer solutions
What are the pitfalls of communication via emails?
i. The recipient needs access to the internet to receive email
ii. No guarantee the mail will be read until the user logs on and checks their email
iii. May take few days for person to respond
The Adelphi – How did you prepare for contractor interviews?
i. Prepare and circulate an agenda
ii. Understand what the client is looking to achieve from the interview
iii. Identify queries that should be raised
CDM Regulations – tell me some of the tasks and actions of a principal designer?
i. Project set up assistance
ii. Coordinate the pre-construction phase
iii. Assist compiling the pre-construction information
iv. Identify, eliminate and control foreseeable risks
v. Ensure designers comply
vi. Advise on time and resources
vii. Liaise during the construction phase
viii. Prepare the health and safety file
What is included within the Health & Safety at Work Act?
i. Adequate training of staff to ensure health and safety procedures are understood and adhered to
ii. Adequate welfare provisions for staff at work
iii. A safe working environment that is properly maintained and where operations within it are conducted safely
iv. Suitable provision of relevant information, instruction and supervision
What is the purpose of CHAS?
Type of accreditation that proves a business’s health and safety processes meet excellent standards
There are various H&S accreditations – how do you know which ones are reliable
Ask principal designer for advice
Why do company’s prepare accounts?
i. help companies make informed decisions
ii. Requirement by law
What would you expect to see in an operational business plan?
i. Clear Objectives Processes
ii. Activities to be delivered Progress
iii. Quality standard
iv. Budgeting
v. Procedures
vi. Desired Outcomes
What are some of the disadvantages of litigation?
i. More expensive - It can last between 12 - 18 months
ii. Potentially longer time period to obtain a judgment
iii. Proceedings are generally conducted in public
iv. Judgment will be subject to appeal
How does adjudication work?
i. One of the parties requests an appointment of an adjudicator by serving a Notice of Dispute. Adjudicator must be appointed within 7 days of serving Notice
ii. Referral Notice must be issued at the end of 7-day period of notification. This sets out the details of the dispute and provides supporting document for the adjudicator to review.
iii. The adjudicator has 28 days from issue of the Referral within which to issue a decision but can be extended by 14 days on agreement from both parties
What happens at the end of adjudication?
Adjudicator issues their decision
Who pays the adjudicators fees?
i. Depends on the terms of the contract. Most standard forms and adjudication rules provide that the parties cannot recover their own expenses in the adjudication.
ii. Both parties are jointly liable for the adjudicator’s fees. Standard forms usually provide that the adjudicator can decide who is to pay their fees
What is the general ethos of GDPR?
Designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and to reshape the way organisations across the region approach data privacy
What does Tuckman’s Team Theory relate to?
i. It relates to how a team of people tackle a task by breaking it down into 5 stages
1. Forming
2. Storming
3. Norming
4. Performing
5. Adjourning
What does Approved Document M relate to?
Access to and use of buildings – ensures buildings are accessible, not only to disabled people, or those with limited mobility but also to people who use prams etc.
What is the purpose of BREEAM?
i. Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method
ii. Best practice guidance and standards for the environmental performance of buildings through design, specification, construction, and operation
International Property Management Standards – What is the purpose of them?
Aims to bring about the harmonisation of national property measurement standards through the creation and adoption of agreed international standards for the measurement of buildings
Can you name me the 5 RICS rules?
i. RESPECT - Treat others with respect
ii. RESPONSIBILITY – Take responsibility for your actions
iii. INTEGRITY – Act with integrity
iv. COMPETENCE - Maintain their professional competence
v. SERVICE - Provide good-quality and diligent service
Can you give me an example of where you have applied one of those within your career?
Acted with integrity and declined a hospitality invitation, which could be held against me in the future to influence a decision
What is run off cover?
Run off’ insurance is professional indemnity insurance which covers the historic liabilities of a business and its directors when the business ceases or is acquired
How are premiums for PI calculated?
Calculated based on the firm’s turnover
What are red flag indicators?
Red flag indicators are something that happens, which raises suspicions relating to money laundering
Let’s say you passed your APC, left your firm to set up a RICS regulated firm- how would you go about setting that up?
i. Make an application to the RICS ensuring compliance with the Rules For Registration
ii. provide information to RICS in such form as prescribed by the Standards and Regulation Board
iii. Advise on the service the firm will be providing
iv. Have a CHP in place
v. Have PII and run off cover in place
vi. Confirm if the firm will handle clients’ money
vii. Nominate a contact officer
A Contractor invites you to corporate sporting event, all expenses paid - what would you do?
Politely decline the offer. May constitute a bribe and be held against me in the future to influence a decision
A relative ask for some cost advice for an extension, what would you do?
Decline. Would not be covered by PII. Advise them to use the “find a surveyor” tool on the RICS website
What is the RICS Black Book?
collection of guidance notes that define good technical practice for quantity surveying and construction professionals
A contractor makes an error within their tender (£20k), what would you do?
Be honest and act with integrity – give them the opportunity to stand by their tendered rate or correct it
What are the RICS rules on CPD for chartered surveyors?
20 hours per year (10 hours formal + 10 hours informal)
How do you find out if something is formal or informal CPD?
RICS CPD Decision Tree
What impact do you think inflation will have on the construction industry?
i. Increase in cost of construction (materials + labour)
ii. Workload may slow down due to increase in finance charges for developers/clients
