Quantification And Costing

Question 1

Talk me through NRM and differences between 1,2 and 3.

Answer 1

NRM_1 Order of cost estimating and cost planning
NRM_2 Detailed measurement for building works
NRM_3_Building Maintenance Works

Question 2

What is IPMS?

Answer 2

International property measurement standards. Introduced to standardise property measurement across the world. Research has found that measurements have been up to 24% different.

Question 3

Can you tell me what the difference between NRM 1 and 2 are and how this differs from the RICS Code of Measurement.

Answer 3

RICS code of measurement practice is now obsolete but described the different areas used in property.
NRM is measurement rules for construction and lifecycle costing work.

Question 4

GIFA v GEA v NIA

Answer 4

GEA - Gross external area (IPMS 1)
GIA - Gross internal area (IPMS 2)
NIA - Net internal area (IPMS 3)

Replaced by IPMS from January 2018, RICS professionals are expected to adopt the Property Measurement Professional Statement in place of the Code for offices and Residential unless local laws, or a client require an alternative. Professional Statements for other property classes including industrial and retail will be added over time as the IPMS is expanded.

Question 5

When did the IPMS residential come into effect?

Answer 5

May 2018

Question 6

What is the difference between IPMS and code of measurement practice?

Answer 6

IPMS defines GEA, GIA and NIA as IPMS 1, IPMS 2, IPMS3. It is used worldwide not just the UK, and there are slight measurement differences, most notably internal dominant face.

Question 7

What is the internal dominant face?

Answer 7

The inside finished surface comprising 50% or more of the surface area for each vertical section forming an internal perimeter.

Question 8

What are the benefits of having a standard method of measurement?

Answer 8

1) Provides structure for information
2) Defines units of measurement for different items (m, m2, m3, t)
3) Provides rules as to what is included within each item
4) Defines terms used to avoid disputes
5) Allows familiarity to development so measurement becomes quicker and easier
6) Provides clear system of structuring other project information

Question 9

What are the different methods of measurement for a Cost Estimate?

Answer 9

1) Functional Unit
2) Floor Area
3) Elemental
4) Approximate Quantities
5) Bill of Quantities

Question 10

What is a Prime Cost Sum?

Answer 10

The term ‘prime cost sum’ (PC sum) is an allowance for the supply of labour, plant and materials to be provided by a contractor or supplier that will be nominated by the client. The allowance is exclusive of any profit mark up or attendance (such as material handling, scaffolding and rubbish clearance etc) by the main contractor.

Question 11

What is the Contractor deemed to have allowed for within a prime cost sum?

Answer 11

A prime cost is exclusive of profit or attendance by the contractor.

Question 12

How are prime costs adjusted?

Answer 12

They are finalised based on invoices of the supplied items, plus an amount for overheads and profit for the main contractor.

Question 13

How would you advise preliminaries are cost on a CSA?

Answer 13

I would suggest that these are projected using NRM1 or NRM2 depending on the procurement of the project.

Question 14

What are the preliminaries?

Answer 14

These are part of the tender and contract documents which provide a methodology of the project and how it will be built. The costs of this will form part of the project cost however will not be part of the actual construction. The NBS provide a guideline of a preliminary document which describes the work in whole.

Question 15

What was the concrete rate in the Bristol area compared to London?

Answer 15

This was at £175/m3 compared to £185/m3 in London.

Question 16

Why do costs vary per region?

Answer 16

• Local labour costs
• Vicinity of sites in relation to amenity
• Travel distances and existing land conditions
• Availability of local and specialised labour
• Ease of access to the site
• Transportation routes and costs.

Question 17

What is the difference between IPMS 1 and GEA?

Answer 17

• Balconies are to be measured in IPMS but listed seperately. Excluded from GEA
• covered galleries are to be stated seperately in IPMS but as part of GEA in comp

Question 18

What is the difference between IPMS 2 and GIA?

Answer 18

• areas occupied by reveals of windows (IDF) included within IPMS but excluded from comp
• balconies, roof terraces and mezzanines to be measured seperately in IPMS

Question 19

What is the difference between IPMS 3 A, B and C?

Answer 19

• IPMS 3a is the effective internal areas including external walls and equates to GEA.
• IPMS 3b is the effective internal areas including internal walls and equates to GIA
• IPMS 3c is the area of exclusive occupation, excluding floor areas occupied by internal walls and columns.
• All of IPMS 3 excludes communal areas and voids.

Question 20

Why did the NRM replace SMM7?

Answer 20

• There was no distinguish between cost estimates, plans and BofQ.

Question 21

What does the NRM1 provide guidance for?

Answer 21

• OCE
• Cost Planning
• Includes:
• Facilitating works
• Building works
• Main contractor prelims
• Main contractor OHP
• Project/ design team fees
• Other development costs
• Risk (4 types)
• Cost limit
• Inflation

Question 22

What checks can you do to ensure BIM quants are correct?

Answer 22

• Compare 2D GIA measures with ceiling and floor finishes
• Check if elements stop at interfaces, eg. columns at slabs
• Have objects replaced elements that impact on quantity checks. Eg. Complete lift core as an object.

Question 23

What does the NRM state needs to be included for a provisional sum to be defined?

Answer 23

• The nature and construction of the work.
• A statement of how and where the work is fixed to the building and what other work is to be fixed thereto.
• A quantity or quantities that indicate the scope and extent of the work.
• Any specific limitations and the like.

Question 24

What does fair and reasonable mean under the JCT?

Answer 24

This means that an agreement must be made with the contractor and EA. The cost must be built up how it is in the pricing document – for example multiple quotes from subcontractors or through first principles.

Question 25

What is the steel rate?

Answer 25

Around £2,000/tonne.

Question 26

What are the problems with provisional sums to the PQS?

Answer 26

• Contractor may get economies of scale/ cheaper prices PQS would not know about.
• Not much incentive for contractor to bring cost down.

Question 27

How did Carillion get liquidated?

Answer 27

Carillion were liquidated because of excessive debts, taking on PFI projects that they could not afford and having massive liabilities. Effectively taking on too much risk.

Question 28

What risks are insurable under JCT all risks?

Answer 28

Contractors All Risk Insurance covers the work that you are currently doing on a building site, and can pay for the cost of repairing or redoing anything that is damaged or destroyed, including the cost of the labour, the materials and the tools.

Question 29

What is a way of assessing climate change risk in the property sector?

Answer 29

Institute of environmental management and assessment (IEMA) Principle series: climate change adaption and EIA.

Question 30

What are ways of mitigating risk?

Answer 30

• Delays/ LDs
• Solvency vetting
• Insurance including PI
• Special risks and force majeure
• Guarantees and bonds

Question 31

What is the NRM3?

Answer 31

Order of cost estimating and cost planning for building maintenance works.
NRM3 provides a structured basis for measurement of building maintenance works, encompassing the annualised maintenance and life cycle major repairs and replacements of constructed assets and building components – which are carried out post-construction procurement and throughout the in-use phases of the constructed assets, or built environment.

Question 32

What are the different types of data collection for BIM models?

Answer 32

• Measured building survey (MBS) (approach is very useful low cost approach to providing as-built information of existing structures.)
• 3D reflectorless wireframe surveys (Using total station equipment to survey the significant features of a building to produce 3D reflectorless wireframes. This is often combined with measured building surveys for complex areas of existing structures which cannot be completed using MBS.)
• Laser scanning (This process involves the use of laser scanners supplemented by a total station control traverse. Scan targets should be co-ordinated to produce a point cloud database of the structure.)
• New-build building information models

Question 33

What standard methods of measurements are you aware of?

Answer 33

CEMM4 Civil Engineering Methods of Measurements
- UK specification for Ground investigations
POMI - Principles of Measurements (International) for Construction works
IPMS - International Property Measurement Standards
ICMS - International Construction Measurement standards

Question 34

How did you measured façade on PW?

Answer 34

• In line with NRM1 element 2.5 - External walls
• the area measured is the area of the external wall measured on the center line of the external wall
• no deduction for windows or external doors
• façade cladding to be measured flat on elevation
• each facade system measured separately

Question 35

How did you measured pre-cast concrete facade

Answer 35

• in line with NRM1 element 2.5 External walls
• no deduction for windows or external doors
• façade cladding to be measured flat on elevation
• included allowances for cladding system and precast concrete, 200 mm tick mineral wool insulation, vapor control layer , sundries, subcontractor prelimis

Question 36

Explain pre-cast concrete cladding?

Answer 36

 Precast concrete cladding is formed by off-site manufactured precast concrete panels, which can be used to clad a wide range of buildings, such as commercial buildings, residential, retail, leisure, hospitals, schools, and so on.

 Due to innovative production methods, precast concrete panels can be manufactured in a wide range of colours, finishes, facings, shapes and sizes. It can replicate the colour and finish of stone, masonry or terracotta and can incorporate architectural details such as cornices, quoins, arches and decorative relief panels.
 Sculptured shapes such as recessed windows, shading devices and so on can be included, and insulation can be fixed to the back of the panels, or incorporated into a sandwich wall panel composition.
 Panels can be supported by fixing back to the structural frame of the building or can be self-supporting. They can also be designed themselves to parts of the building structure such as floors. Panels are typically in the range of 150 mm thick, designed to span either between columns or between floors.
 Having been transported to site, tower or mobile cranes lift the panels into position, with fixings restraining them back to the structure. This means that external scaffolding may not be required.
 Precast concrete panels can result in a thinner external wall construction than traditional walls, and so they can allow a larger lettable floor area.

Question 37

How did you measured curtain wall?

Answer 37

• in line with NRM1 element 2.5
• • no deduction for windows or external doors
• façade cladding to be measured flat on elevation
• including spandrel panels and vertical mullions

Question 38

What is curtain wall?

Answer 38

Curtain walling is where the window system is positioned to the exterior of the building structure, which allows the combined window and spandrel framing to span multiple levels, ultimately forming a continuous facade.

Question 39

How did you measure Rainscreen façade?

Answer 39

• in line with NRM1 2.5 (sub element 3) - as vertical rain screening
• • the area measured is the area of the external wall measured on the center line of the external wall
• no deduction for windows or external doors
• rates build up included allowances for Waterproof membrane, mineral wool insulation, vertical aluminum supporting rail, ventilation zone, rain screen and sub-contractor’s prelims.

Question 40

What is the rainscreen cladding?

Answer 40

The rainscreen cladding system is made with a bearing wall, an insulation layer and a cladding material that is fixed to the building using a supporting structure. Thanks to this structure, an air cavity is created between the load bearing wall and the cladding material, allowing continuous ventilation.
There usually is an insulation layer between the load bearing wall and the cladding, but it depends on the project. Sometimes the load bearing wall itself can be insulating or the insulating material can be placed inside the house.

Question 41

Most common types of frame?

Answer 41

• Concrete - concrete frames can be pre-cast off site under factory condition or cast in situ prepared framework
• Steel – steel frames are fabricated off site before being brought to the site and erected there
• Timber – timber frames are fabricated off sire using solid sections or are panelised