Summary of Experience

Question 1

What is included within a CPD Decision Tree

Answer 1

Does the CPD have a formally structured programme

Does the learning involve classroom like interaction with others

Question 2

What are your firms policies on gifts

Answer 2

All gifts must be added to a gift’s register, the timing of the gift has to be properly considered

Anything over the value of £100 has to be raised with your line manager and declined

Question 3

On Laindon Place, what were the abnormals causing costs which exceeded the typical range

Answer 3

Large roof voids increased the w:f ratio

A high concentration of smaller units, meaning more M&E required

Question 4

What is the H&S at Work Act 1974

Answer 4

Legislation which governs H&S in the UK

Aims
a. Protect health,safety and welfare of people at work
b. Protect others against risks to H&S at work
c. Control dangerous Substances
d. Control emissions into atmosphere
e. Firms must have written H&S docs

Question 5

How can you ensure safe working when asbestos is present

Answer 5

Use appropriate PPE
Asbestos Survey
Do not undertake work where there may be exposure to asbestos

Question 6

What is the difference between assests and liabilities

Answer 6

Assets are what is owned by a firm

Liabilities are what is owed by a firm

Question 7

What information are companies required to submit under Companies Act 2006

Answer 7

income and expenditure,
assets and liabilities
key details about the company and the people who control it.

Question 8

What is shown on a balance sheet

Answer 8

Assets
Liabilities
Capital

Question 9

What is within the RICS’s business plan

Answer 9

Greater engagement with members

Greater participation in RICS Communities

Digitisation

Increasing diversity of members

Question 10

What are the three volumes of NRM

Answer 10

Volume 1: OCE and Cost Planning for Building Works
Volume 2: Detailed Measurement for Building Works
Volume 3: OCE and Cost Planning for Building Maintenance Works

Question 11

What were the changes to the RIBA Plan of Work in the 2020 update?

Answer 11

Improved guidance in relation to BIM and sustainability

Question 12

What is the difference between tender price inflation and construction inflation

Answer 12

An allowance included in the OCE or cost plan for fluctuations in the basic prices of labour, plant and materials during the period

TPI - from the base date (date of rates in cost plan) to the date of tender return

CI - from the date of tender return to the mid-point of the construction period

Question 13

What is an ideal w:f ratio

Answer 13

0.5-0.6

Question 14

What is an ideal net to gross ratio

Answer 14

Between 70-80%

Question 15

On PP, what allowances did you have to make in your Stage 3 cost plan for temporary works

Answer 15

Scaffolding to install the hand laid brickwork

Question 16

What was included in the value engineering document on PP

Answer 16

Changing the façade from brick to cladding

Changing the glass balustrades on the balconies to metal railings

Reducing the Floor to Floor Heights

Question 17

What is the Payment Timeline under the JCT D&B 2016

Answer 17

Interim Valuation Date is agreed in the Contract Particulars

The Due Date is 7 days after (works valued to this date)

5 days later, the Employer must issue a Payment Notice

Final Date for Payment is 14 days after the due date

Pay less notice date is 5 days prior to the final date for payment

Payment Mechanism is Contractor led

Question 18

What is the Payment Timeline under the JCT SBC 2016

Answer 18

Interim Valuation Date is agreed in the Contract Particulars

The Due Date is 7 days after

5 days later, the Employer must issue a Payment Notice

Payment Mechanism is not Contractor led. CA/A must make own assessment if no application is submitted

Question 19

What was included in the Preliminaries document on Newton Road

Answer 19

Project Particulars

The Site and Existing Buildings

Description of the Works

Form of Contract

Health & Safety Information

Practical Completion requirements

Question 20

What were some of the requirements for PC on Newton Road

Answer 20

All statutory provisions complied with

Contractor to provide a month’s notice of anticipated PC

Schedule of meter readings

Key and Fob requirements

O&M Manuals - test certs, description of system installed

Question 21

What are modern methods of construction

Answer 21

Off-site construction techniques

e.g. prebarication

Question 22

What are the advantages and disdvantages of MMC

Answer 22

ADV
- Built in factory - better working conditions, not weather dependent and better h&s
- Less material waste

DISADV
- Cost to transport to site
- Damage to materials - risk
- Specialists required to assemble works
- Parts may not fit with other elements or may be missing

Question 23

What was the value engineering process on Prestage Place

Answer 23

Cost plan was over the client’s budget and they wanted to bring it back in line with their budget, whilst maximising value

I attended a meeting with the project team to discuss value engineering ideas

I then created a value engineering register and presented the suggestions and effects of those suggestions for the design team to advise

Question 24

What was returned in the PQQ on DPL6/ how was the PQQ scored

Answer 24

They were based on:

Organisation & CVs

Financial Standing

Previous Experience

Health & Safety

Subcontractors

Question 25

On DPL6 - what was included in the tender documents

Answer 25

Design Information

Draft programme

Instructions for tenderers

A form of tenders

ER’s

Question 26

What was the process of carrying out the normalisation exercise

Answer 26

Following opening of the tender returns, I checked for errors and omissions

I then created a table which broke down the figures into the pricing schedule provided

I then created a normalisation section below and adjusted any omissions with the RLB’s PTE

Question 27

What does the JCT Tendering 2017 Practice Note say about errors and omissions in Tender Returns

Answer 27

2 ways to deal with errors

Alternative 1 - Tenderer should be informed and given the opportunity to confirm or withdraw. The process then begins with the next tenderer

Alternative 2 - Tenderer should be informed and given the opportunity to confirm or amend. If the tender is then not the lowest, the next offer should be examined

Question 28

What is included in the Dashboard Reports on CIW

Answer 28

Progress Update

Programme status

Cost Changes

Procurement Update

Health and Safety Update

Question 29

What is the Change Control process on CIW

Answer 29

COs received from client

Logged on a tracker

CO issued to Contractor

Contractor shares time/cost implication

Reviewed by client and myself

If client is happy to proceed, EAI is issued

Question 30

What was included in the cost breakdown for the LV Room works and Basement Roof

Answer 30

Prelims

Underpinning

Breaking out and excavation

Drainage

Finishes

Question 31

What is BREEAM and how does it work

Answer 31

Building Research Establishements Environmental Assessment Method

Rates the sustainable performance of a building

It is based on Energy, Land use, Water, Health and wellbeing, pollution, transport, materials, waste management

A BREEAM certified Assessor will then provide a rating based on the criteria

Question 32

On NR, they were looking at a BREEAM of ‘Very Good’ - what % rating is this

Answer 32

Betweeen 55-75%

Question 33

What is ‘Passivhaus’

Answer 33

A method of reducing heat losses from a building so it requires less heating
It uses passive heat sources like the sun, human heat, heat from appliances
How - airtight buildings, high performing windows with insulated frames, insulated envelopes

Question 34

How would building to Passivhaus affect the cost

Answer 34

It can increase the cost of a building between 3-8%