Handrails to the perimeter of 150m of the roof for the 10 weeks period that workers will be required to work on the roof in an exposed manner.

INSTRUCTIONS TO CANDIDATES

ANSWER ALL QUESTIONS

1. A main contractor’s (Bumpy Construction Ltd.’s) estimator has been told by his managers the company is very keen to win the tender for the construction of a five story classroom block with a ground floor atrium area for the University of Leicester.

          The estimator has to price for the following two items of work that are to be built into the tender price:

         (i)      Handrails to the perimeter of 150m of the roof for the 10 weeks period that workers will be required to work on the roof in an exposed manner.

(ii)     Earthwork support to the excavation faces of 3,000m² of very deep basement excavations, 1,000m² of trench excavation of various depths and 500m² of shallow trenches for concrete kerb footings.

                   The estimator has made notes on how rates are to be priced, calculated some rates, and obtained a subcontract quotation which are discussed below:

                   A scaffold subcontract quotation has been obtained for providing the 150m of handrails to the roof for 5 weeks amounting to £7,500.00. The quote includes an extra hire period rate of £300.00 per week if the roof handrail is to be on-site longer than the 5 weeks period.

          The estimator has calculated rates for providing earthwork support if required to:

• The basement excavation faces at £20 per m².
• The trench excavation faces at £10 per m².
• The shallow concrete kerb excavation faces at £5 per m².
  
  

          The estimator’s notes record the scaffold quote needs 5 - 10% adding because its fixed price term expires before the project commences.

          The estimator’s notes record there is a belief that Bumpy Construction Ltd will be the lowest tender if the price does not include for providing all the excavations with earthwork support and that there is an additional competitive advantage that can be taken if Bumpy Construction Ltd does not price the roof handrail for the full 10 week period.

 The estimator’s notes also make reference to what the ground report states about the ground conditions and the discussions that have been had with managers as to how to build this project and construct the roof work in a safe manner.

  The estimator notes record that all the rates discussed above should have added 10 – 20% for overheads, profit & general attendance.

• Provide a build-up and explain how you as the estimator would calculate the figures for the roof handrails and the earthwork support that you decide needs to be included in the tender price. Also provide an outline of your reasoning as to why you have priced the work in this manner.

                                     

• Explain and discuss by reference to your answer to this question whether an estimator is in fact pricing up “work” or pricing up “risk” when building up a tender price.

         Ensure your answer to this part of the question makes reference to:

 

• Health and safety risk.
• Financial risk.
• Ethical considerations associated with taking measures to remove or minimizing risk.

• Discuss whether the course of action that you have proposed to take as an estimator can be justified as correct from:
  
  
  • A commercial perspective.
    
    
  • A Health and Safety perspective.
    
    
  • An ethical perspective.

                                                                           

2. “If in the Architect/Contract Administrator’s opinion completion of the Works or Section has been, is being or is likely to be delayed beyond the relevant Completion Date by any of the Relevant Events, then, save where these Conditions expressly provide otherwise, the Architect/Contract Administrator, as soon as he is able to estimate the length of the delay beyond that date, shall by notice to the Contractor give a fair and reasonable extension of time for completion of the Works or Section.” JCT, ICD, Intermediate Building Contract, 1st Edition, 2016, London, Sweet & Maxwell Clause 2.19.

          Standard forms of construction contracts such as the JCT and the NEC suite of contracts contain provisions in respect of time to complete the construction works.

         

• Discuss the general scheme for time found in most standard forms of construction contracts.

(8 Marks)

 

         (b)     Ensure your answer makes a brief reference to contract law and considers the following matters:

(i)      The notices that are required to be issued by the main contractor to request grants of extension of time and recover additional prolongations costs caused by the delays.

(ii)      The certification of practical completion.

(iii)     The original contract period.

(iv)    The delay period beyond the contract original completion date.

(v)     The amount of liquidated damages that the employer may be able to claim from the main contractor. 

(vi)    The amount of prolongation costs that the main contractor may be able to claim from the employer.

3. A senior manager assembled a workshop team at initial concept stage to steer a massive proposed expansion to the old DRI hospital site in Derby. The manager understands it is imperative the existing hospital is to remain in use whilst the construction work takes place. The workshop team included the facilities management contractor who currently runs the site and handpicked construction professional such as an architect, civil engineer, quantity surveyor and the hospital health and safety manager. Later a main contractor is selected to build the works.

          One risk that did not register high as a priority at initial concept stage was the risk associated with the existing fabric of the building. The overall scheme eventually became a construction contract comprised of retaining 50% of the existing building unaltered and refurbishing the balance of the existing building, to which a new build extension was the attached. Initially an overall budget of £6,000,000 was decided upon.

          Standard forms of construction contracts such as the JCT and the NEC suite of contracts contain provisions in respect of time to complete the construction works.

           Discuss the risk associated with the asbestos in the fabric building from a health and safety, financial and time perspective.

• The discussion should indicate how the risk of asbestos should be managed and dealt with at each stage of the development of the hospital expansion project during the RIBA Plan of works 2013 stages 2, 5 and 7 as discussed below:

(b)     Stage 7 in use
The facilities management contractor has a survey of the existing building that identifies a minimal amount of asbestos exists in the building which they have used to operate and manage the building over many years

(c)     Stage 2 Develop Design
The facilities management contractor provides the workshop team with their survey of asbestos identified in the existing building.

(d)     Stage 5 Construction Stage

                   The existing survey undertaken before the works have

                   commenced was found to have failed to identify

                   massive amounts of asbestos that exist in concealed

                   areas that the proposed work will disturb.

 

4. A master bar chart programme is regularly drawn up by parties who are involved in the construction process.

 

• Draw a simple bar chart programme for a single house for a four-person family that builders often erect on the estates around Derby.

 

(b)     Describe and discuss how you would use this program to enhance your ability to manage the erection of this single      house.

Ensure your answer to this question discusses the following matters:

• Critical path.
  
  
• The essential activities involved in constructing the house.
  
  
• The estimated length of essential activities.
  
  
• The period to complete the whole of the works in.
  
  
• Features on the programme that are significant.
  
  
• Works that are not on the critical path.
  
  
• The advantages that can be gained from updating the programmes with actual progress on site.

 (Total 25 Marks)

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