BYTNAR - TALKS
EPISODE 007 - STAGE 5 - MANUFACTURING AND CONSTRUCTION
This episode is for people who want to know more about the process of project design and delivery.
If you ask yourself questions:
What is the Architect's Perspective in Stage 5?
What is the Engineer's Perspective in Stage 5?
What are the 4 typical procurement routes and how do these influence the work at this stage?
Who is involved in the Stage and what do they do?
This episode should give you a broad idea of how the construction stage of the project in Architecture Engineering or Construction is delivered.
This is Bytnar Talks the Engineer Takes on Construction episode 7 hi I'm P bitar each day I help my clients plan and design building projects through Bytnar Limited a Consulting Chartered Structural Engineers practice my biggest passion and the cornner tone on which I've built my business is find finding clever solutions for construction projects I am a chared structural engineer and a bing software developer so you can rest assured that I will strive to talk about the best practices and the use of new technologies in the industry and if you're embarking on a construction project or are involved in planning designing and building the world around us you'll find this podcast useful this episode is about stage five of the plan of work manufacturing and construction hello guys how are you today I'm excited to be back with you with The Following episode starting the exciting phase of the project definition process which is construction and Manufacturing the stage where all the planning and designing efforts described in the previous episodes culinate in the physical action of project construction and where contractors take the main stage but before we get there let me recap the last episode so I can transition well into this stage in the last episode I told you about the last of the design stages stage four technical design where the architectural process evolves to detailed design development involving the collaborative effort of all designers and Specialists producing technical drawings specifications and gaining regulat approvals here Structural Engineers ensure seamless alignment of design details and consider the buildability and strategic consideration of temporary works for for construction Structural Engineers collaborate with manufacturers and contractors specifying construction details and ensuring quality assurance I've mentioned that overly precise design at this stage can lead to unrealistic expectations and sight rework and also that the fallacy of Soul Reliance on subcontractors or So-Cal specialist subcontractors may result in less cost effective Solutions I concluded that small projects face challenges in reaching stage four due to time cost constraints and competitive bidding often described by the industry as the race to the bottom now we move to the stage where construction takes place so without further Ado let's get to [Music] it with this seventh Pod episode on the plan of work but the fifth stage in the process we have finally reached the moment where shovels hit the ground and we can get down and dirty with the execution of the project on site at the manufacturing construction stage there are often still some technical designs lagging behind or still need to be developed by so-called specialist contractors you know your typical Steel Fabricators concrete concrete detailers or Carpenters as the building is being erected but those designs are often anciliary to main structures and will not significantly delay the project program if there are issues with them it should tell you now that no one stage of the project should start if the full definition from the previous stage is not known but this does not mean one cannot start with a particular phase of the building project if information for the deliver delivery of that pH is good enough project program or procurement route will often influence the design delivery time and the process should be flexible enough to allow for such overlaps stage five is all about creating that physical thing however some designs may still happen at this stage but this design it should not be considered to fall under the remid of this stage all design considerations are encompassed within stages 2 to four specialist contractors designs and the review of this information is all stage four whether it happens prior to the start of the construction or doing the during the [Music] construction in the main body of this podcast I'll tell you about four different points aspects that I think is worth considering as however the number one will be Architects perspective number two will be Engineers perspective in point number three I will address I'll briefly tell you about four typical procurement rots and how this three typical procurement RS and how this influence the work at this stage and who and what mysterious who and what so without further Ado let's get to the main part of this podcast shall [Music] we so yeah so what's the architect's perspective then right the first thing that pops into one's mind is that the archit architect perspective should be overseen overseen manufacturing construction and commissioning of buildings should form a large part of their job it involves working closely with contractors and Builders to ensure that the design intent is accurately captured in the constructed elements it is Paramount to ensure that the correct transation of the comprehensive technical drawings and detail specification developed in stage four Finds Its resemblance into physical structure during the construction phase Architects should respond to side queries and that's that's another part of the architect's consideration for this stage life throws different balls at us and unfor seen challenges are always a problem sometimes requests for Change and variations may also happen during construction with all these changes or challenges we need to appreciate the Integrity of the building itself to find the right local solution whatever the sort of circumstance revealed themselves during construction Architects we we monitor progress and check and report on construction quality administering the construction contracts we produce defect list prior to practical completion being certified and we plan for the project Hova which I will talk more about in stage six we also prepare the building manual with health and safety file and fire safety information for the client to take over one the construction is completed that will be six things that Architects usually are considered with but obviously there there's there's much more than that similar to Architects the engineers perspective considers let's say six different six different things as well with one would be temporary work and its review it might happen that contractor won't be able to or won't have capacity to design temp work so so engineer may prepare that for the contractor however very often contractors do design temp works but it is good to to have a extra eye reviewing that in the form of structural engineer temporary Works can badly impact the permanent works and that's one of the things that we' like to avoid similarly to architectural consideration the engineer can and should monitor quality of the construction and contractor's adherence with the technical design and and Engineers should should be able to verify and review testing information of different parts of the construction Engineers should resolve any side queries or requests for changing device solution for parts of work which do not conform but perhaps are salvageable to reduce unnecessary waste perhaps prepare as build information if such requirement has been identified in the responsibility Matrix add to the Handover documentation and identify snugging defects for correction and number six assist in the creation of building manual health and safety file Etc so similar to architectural consideration but obviously in the realm of of engineering the great deal on the determination of how and who and where and why work is is the way we procure other the proc procurement routes and and all different ways influence the process slightly differently and projects that therefore become delivered differently maybe engineers and Architects won't be won't be in won't be included Within within each and every single route to the the same to the same extent however the plan of work stays the same whichever procurement route you'll take but the roles may change so for example one of the typical typical procurement routes are number one the traditional route where a contractor is appointed for a competitive tender process and that competitive tender is being based on complete technical design where where where that can be taken and tested and compared on the on the costs the complete technical design may not always be representing all elements and there are options to allow for provisional sums or or contractor design portions to be developed at the later stage but most of it should be should be specified and tabulated and some costs plan should be associated with as well so we can compare apples to apples and peirse to purse rather than than going blindly into the market another procurement route would be designed and built this type of procurement may allow for an early engagement with the contractor perhaps one well place to deliver the type of the building in the local market the contractor can be involved as early as stage two but usually they follow stage three and the grant of planning permission in some cases of more involved projects it may be prudent to have a two-stage design and build process in place where contractor is appointed preconstruction for the necessary input into the design process and then for the execution of work and the next very often occurrence in procurement routes are management contracts where a managing agent will coordinate the efforts of the design team and the work packages designed by contractors and subcontractors SoCal specialist contractors and whoever and will often extend well into the construction phase that design unfortunately do that's very often the case when everything is greatly disjointed to put it all together isn't an easy isn't an easy fit obviously there are more ways to arrange how the project is going to be delivered and who will fulfill their roles within the project definition process but there's not enough storage on this recording device to describe this all now I will perhaps talk about it in another episode or a series where I will maybe talk about different contracts and different Arrangements we will see so you see with all different procurement routs you may think that you know as you can see this all well and clear but but it is but is it there is a number of ways to Define and contract The Works the plan of work is the process at the high definition is shown at the high definition level It Is by no means a legal requirement so the actual arrangement of the stakeholders and team members is specific to the project risk appetite of the client maybe experience of of of the people involved of the client of delivery of the type of the project considered possible contract types and procurement roots that all influence who and what you can hear from my podcast that I see the world from the perspective of a professional consultant whether architectural or engineering but the matter of fact is that Arrangements maybe and usually are flexible often appointments change or are developed further at least looking at different procurement routs which will require different engagements at different times of different stakeholders can show how intricate the process may become it is therefore imperative to define the procurement route The Matrix of responsibility and information requirements together with what technology and to what deta it shall be prepared by each involved party it is a mouthful but without such a comprehensively defined document at the start of the process I mean at stage one preparation and brief one embarks on an adventure not on a well- defined journey and as much as I like to help people get out of the problems when they inevitably find themselves in following ill or non defend process I trust you would not like to risk your time and M on such so why would you okay so this is it for today let me summarize the above points I think it's quite quite easy and and con concise guide to that part let's get on and build it but depending on the contract Arrangement procurement Arrangement all different people may be may be responsible for different things but having said that this isn't a d game or hit and miss game we need to have have all of the P all of the responsibilities defined very early in the process so whichever way we go whoever we employ when for what we know what to expect from them and when and to what level of detail so summar summarizing it all up as consultants we wear many hats during stair 5 first and foremost we the Guardians of the project making sure that what was envisioned in the design phase is accurately brought to life by working closely with contractors it's like orchestrating a symphony of construction elements to ensure our vision becomes a tangible reality right we also play the troubleshooter role addressing unexpected challenges that inevitably pop up whether it's dealing with side queries or requests for change during construction we navigate these hurdles while keeping the essence and integrity of the building intact it's about finding local solutions that make the whole process smoother we track progress and show quality and manage construction contracts as part of our daily tasks before we give the green light with practical completion certificate we meticulously create a defx list ensuring everything is in top-notch condition and let's not forget about planning for the project Handover to Stage six and compiling in a comprehensive building manual complete with health and safety file and fire safety information all essential elements of our role as Engineers we ensure everything runs smoothly reviewing temporary Works monitoring quality and providing solutions for any bumps in the road we there to assist in creating manuals identifying defects and supporting a seamless Handover process now when it comes to procurement routes it's like choosing the best path for the journey the traditional route is like a tried and test road map competitive and based on a complete design design and build is more like a collaborative road trip allowing early engagement with contractors and the management route is the cruise control with a managing agent coordinating efforts there are more routs to explore each influencing how our team is structured and how we navigate the project in the grand scheme of things it's like deciding who's who and what's what in a well-coordinated dance flexibility is key and the plan of work is our trusty guide ensuring everyone is on the same page plan of work might not be a legal requirement but it's our guide helping us avoid unnecessary detours and ensuring a smooth Journey from start to finish after all who wants an adventure when you can have a well-defined successful Journey especially in that one that cost so much as a building project [Music] right few words from me as thanks a lot for T tuning in to this episode I hope you found something useful for yourself today if you are just embarking on a project I trust some of this information will guide you in the right direction but if you are well vered expert perhaps this episode has freshened up your knowledge and Enlighten your perspective there's not a week that passes I do not receive distressed emails or calls from homeowners and landlords who have been taken advantage of by not so scrupulous designers designers who take some take them to planning or permitted development definition without considering the project enough to provide a buildable and correct solution for their needs hell often is simply and blatantly incorrect clients often do not understand that the process they taking through they taken through does not mean that the local Council checks the accuracy of the provided information or its buildability as I like to say whatever you write whatever you draw paper will take it all alas the first step where the most experienced Consultants should be used people people often choose the cheapest option or the option that shouts the loudest on their website unfortunately an untrained eye will not be able to distinguish bad practices from the good often till the time the contractor is well on site struggling to make heads or tails of the presented drawings even if this podcast leads to only one such client who will save himself herself from the Peril of appointing rotten Consultants I'll be glad to have helped thank you again for listening please voice up your opinions I'm waiting for you on LinkedIn and I want to hear from you Toodloo!
Piotr Bytnar BEng (Hons) MSc CEng MIStructE
Chartered Structural Engineer who deals with the Architecture of buildings. His Master's Studies led him to an in-depth understanding of risk and contract arrangements in construction as well as specialist knowledge in soil mechanics.
He and his team help homeowners and property developers to design and deliver construction projects reducing waste in time and the cost. He believes that the construction project is an iterative process that can be well managed and it is best managed if all the aspects of the project definition and management are dealt with in-house or coordinated by one organisation. His team works to all stages of RIBA and ISTRUCTE stages of work and enables contractors to deliver projects on-site providing risk evaluations, methodologies for execution of works and temporary works designs.
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