Contractual Documentation and the Planning of Operational Requirements - Assignment Example

Name: xxxxxxxxxx Course: xxxxxxxxxx Institution: xxxxxxxxxx Title: Building and Construction Date: xxxxxxxxxxxxx Task 1 Contractual documentation and the planning of operational requirements Construction permits The building permit will be the formal permission that is supposed to be gotten before the construction and any demolition starts. The authorities will review the construction plans in order to make sure that they comply with each and every applicable regulation. The construction permit will make sure that the building meets all building standards. This is very important since the construction permit will protect the interest of the company’s construction and also the interests of the community at large. The permit is also important in making sure that the building construction is safe and any structural change that might take place is safe. Failing to take a proper construction permit can eventually lead in costly construction delays, unending legal battles and legal actions or even the entire construction being removed even after completion which will incur great losses. In this construction, the designer of the building will get the permit on behalf of the management. However the construction manager will ensure the authentic permit is used since he is the one who is ultimately accountable for complying with each and every construction requirement (Gahlot 2007). Moreover, a plumbing permit has to be taken since it a permit is necessary for any proposed plumbing in any new building. A sign permit will also be gotten since a permit is need for ground signs situated on the building. In some instances, the construction might not fulfill the by-law requirements and hence a sign variance application is also important. The construction manager should also contact the different provincial ministries as well as other agencies in to ensure that checks for compliance to their regulations have been met. For instance, if the building will be located 45 meters of a provincial highway, an approval is required from the Ministry of Transportation. Finally, there is a need to contact the local utilities which included telephone, hydro and cable companies. This is necessary since their specific approval is needed in addition to their inspection requirements. Before any digging is done, the local utilities should be contacted for the location of any underground services (Gahlot 2007). Construction problems and solutions The subcontractors may at times unknowingly work of an old set of blue prints. This is the contractor’s problem but it can delay the construction schedule. Therefore, there is a need to prevent this by making sure that all set of drawings are dated and that the subcontractors will work using the most recent construction plans. Another problem could be extra cost emerging during the construction. Unexpected conditions, such as bad soil, weather changes or dry rot may be established during the construction. Is such a problem will be encountered, emergency spending will be necessary since it is better that stopping the entire project construction. Still, delay of the construction might occur. This can be solved by making sure that there is a production schedule with the construction contract and this will enable the construction manager to be able to monitor the contractor’s progress (Gahlot 2007). Another problem could be incorrect custom orders. The main use of construction specifications is ensure there is definite and clear detail of the materials that will be ordered for construction. In case the wrong order will be received during the construction, comparison of the project specifications and a replica of the custom order that the contractor placed with the supplier will be used to establish the responsibility of the problem (Gahlot 2007). Task 2 Implementation of medium rise construction operations The invention will consist of a novel, helpful as well as a non obvious vehicle tracking and auditing system which will be used in tracking of the vehicles that would be transporting construction materials. There will be a vehicle identification means which will be attached to the vehicle, a detecting means, an operator that will identify the means, a construction activity identifying means, a mean of identifying construction activity, a job number identification, means of identifying construction materials, load ticket identification means and both report and invoice for generating and processing stored data. Moreover, there will be computer means and storing means (Harris 2006). The way to ensure and utilize a tracking and auditing system for monitoring construction material in a successful way is to make sure that a precise compilation of the hauling trips are documented devoid of any introduction of the chance for any fraud or inconsistency. The tracking system during the construction will have numerous embodiments. The first embodiment will enable the general contractor to track and monitor the construction undertaking of sub-contractors that tow material onto or away from the site of construction (Harris 2006). The contractor tracking system will do way with the ticket matching within the office and will prevent independent drivers from making duplicates and utilizing fraudulent tickets. The system will also ensure that timely reports are produced daily with wide-covered detail, determine haul times of the construction vehicles for augmented productivity, will establish precedence and control for the entrance and leaving of construction materials to the construction site as well as ensure that the need to return the tickets to the contractor’s office after distribution are eliminated. Furthermore, the construction tracking system will ensure there fast audits billing from the same sub-contractors and hence increasing productivity during the entire construction. Another part of the tracking system will include employment of a trucking company. This will enable the trucking company to track the ticket routing as well as the specific trucks that would be ferrying construction materials to the construction site. There will be independent drivers who will return the tickets to the trucking company and hence the company will be able to analyze the driver’s productivity and therefore make use of universal database (Harris 2006). The tracking system will also enable the quarry owners to track construction material leaving the site and quantify the clients’ total volume every day. The quarry tracking system will provide an effective method of tracking construction materials which will be leaving the quarry, offer a detailed quantity analysis for client billing, produce timely reports with broad detail every day. It will also eradicate keypunching ticket information into a computer every day. Again, this will offer the capacity of the construction manager to have inventory control on all materials leaving the quarry to the construction site and hence will help in fast auditing billing from the same subcontractors and hence escalating accounting productivity. The associated drawings, which will be incorporated within and include component of the specification will assist in illustrating embodiments of the current invention and together with the general description will bring out the principles of the current invention. The invention accordingly will consist of the features of construction, amalgamation of elements in addition to arrangement of components (Harris 2006). Task 3 Planning schedule for the Community Centre Project An optimization methodology which will assimilate discrete event simulation with heuristic algorithm will be created in order to optimize dynamic allocation of the resources for the scheduling of construction. The heuristic algorithm will be founded on the aim of reducing project duration and would take into consideration activation of multiple activities systematically based on restricted quantities of resources (Levey 2009). The optimization will be implemented using a discrete simulation which will be able to describe multifaceted operational systems through using simulation models without any requirement to build mathematical models. The success of the simulation based optimization is illustrated through an application, where the impact of the optimitized allocation will be compared with the others. As a result, the proposed methodology will offer an option to optimize resource flow for the scheduling and hence will widen the application prospective of discrete-event simulation during the construction. Since the construction project is complex, the tasks will be specifically controlled for the project to run smoothly, on time and also within the planned budget. Judicious scheduling and resources allocation will be carried in order for the construction project to be completed. Since manpower, equipment and construction materials are significant project resources, they will be managed closely. On the other hand, the supply and availability of such resources can overlooked because of regular shortages, labor disputes and the breakdown of construction equipments, competing demands, deferred deliveries and other several related uncertainties (Levey 2009). For the time schedule and cost budgets to be met the construction work will be supplied with the required staff, equipment and materials at any time they are required at the construction site. The main aim of the resource planning and allocation of the resources is for the supply and support of the field operations as this will ensure that time goals are met and that the costs will be maintained within the construction budget. For that reason, the project manager will identify and establish any future job requirement in order for the most effective employment of the available resources to take place. The project manager will thus establish long-range resource needs for the general planning as well as the short term resources for a detailed planning. This means that the manager should identify the required resources, the time the resources should be on the site and the required amount of the resources. Furthermore, the project plan and schedule can be modified with time in order to contain and lessen supply problems which might take place during the construction (Levey 2009). Construction schedule (Levey 2009). Task 4 Review of existing on-site buildings or structures Contractors who are specialist in building demolition will be hired and the contractors will develop the demolition schedule and also manage the project. The demolition schedule will be important in avoiding interference regarding any concurrent operations and it will also reduce any disruption of utilities and services. There will be several restrictions to the building during the demolition period. Some of distinctive restrictions which will be considered when scheduling the demolition process consist protecting the exterior stairs, loading docks and entering to the adjacent buildings in addition to limiting the hours whereby the demolition will be taking place. Each supplementary restriction that will be managed will be indicated within higher demolition costs. During demolition, there will be a careful, piece by piece dismantling of the building and finally materials will be sorted on the demolition site (Baker 2004). An architect specialist will be consulted to give specifications to which the entire demolition process should conform. The architect will also give the required documents which will evidently give the requirements for protecting people, buildings neighboring the building being demolished as well as any remaining site enhancements and utilities over the demolition process. Some of the conditions which will be monitored and controlled in order to ensure the area is safe for both people and property in the vicinity consist of: the amount of dust that will be produced during demolition, the potential release of mold into the environment and the quantity of vibration generated which can affect neighboring structures or the activities of nearby equipment. Local authorities with jurisdiction will be consulted in order to review the rules and regulations before the demolition for specific requirements for the control of both dust and other pollutants over the demolition process. Since the demolition will be conducted for a new construction to start on the site, the recycling of demolition waste will cont for the LEED objectives for the new building. Therefore, one point can be earned in case 50 percent of the construction, demolition and land clearing waste is recycled and two points will be earned in case the percentage is 75 percent (Baker 2004). Environmental concerns Demolition contractors will have green as the mainstream since there are long economic incentives for recycling of material like wood, metal, brick or even concrete. Consequently, the demolition contractor will be required to have greater awareness of construction waste management as well as disposal. There will be bigger interest in deconstruction the building in order to reduce the quantity of waste that will end up in land fills. Such a method would allow the contractor to recuperate, reuse and recycle most of the demolition waste. Hazardous materials A comprehensive survey will be conducted in order to know the kinds, extent and the state of hazardous materials that might be present. The safe abatement of all anticipated and concealed hazardous materials will be required to conform to a range of Federal regulations. The most important hazardous materials which will be taken care of include asbestos, polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB), in addition to lead even though other hazardous materials will be analyzed (Baker 2004). Task 5 Supervising the staff This will entail the senior manager organizing and monitoring the staffing levels. The senior manger will do this through the departmental managers whereby each and very manager will be required to maintain the staffing records in his/her department and make sure that such managers are responsible for supervising workers as part of their responsibility. Organizing and monitoring of staffing levels and workload Each and every departmental manager should make sure that: The workers are rosterd in accordance with the work-section needs, expected peaks and that there are safe working requirements. A corrective action is implemented as required in accordance with the availability of the staff. The worker’s workload should be constantly examined during the entire construction. The workers are helped out in prioritizing workload. Both the staffing levels and rosters are kept within the budget and according to the working policy and processes. Feedback on the on-going and potential staffing requirements are communicated to the senior construction manager (Gregory 2008). Monitoring and maintenance of effective and team performance The departmental managers should make sure that their departments are being run effectively and that the workers are carrying out the construction efficiently. Therefore, the managers should make sure that: There is continuous monitoring of both individual and team performance during the entire construction period. They regularly asses the workers’ conformity with the applicable legislation and regulations. Feedback regarding personal/teams performance is communicated according and through a constructive way. Any problem present with either individual or team performance is identified and tackled according to the workplace workforce and employment guiding principles and procedures (Gregory 2008). Identification of individual worker potential The managers should identify the skills and expertise in each and every worker and hence should place the workers to the area that suits their skills and professionalism best. In regard to this, the managers should make sure that: Expertise in every worker is identified, acknowledged and included when allocating the tasks during the construction. Worker’s skills and acquaintance are identified according to the specific area and that they are assigned to the area they fit best. Opportunities to relocate and apply expertise are offered. Opportunities for workers professional improvement are identified and offered. Maintenance of staffing records The managers should carefully store and maintain the records of the workers. This is very important when addressing the working period of the workers as well as during payments. Therefore, the managers should ensure that: Workers records are created and maintained according to workplace guiding principles and procedures. The system that is used in recording and retrieving workforce and the payment information is monitored and accurately maintained. Additionally, the managers can seek special advice when necessary to make sure that the process is correct and efficient. The safety of workers’ records is effectively maintained in accordance with the workplace guidelines and procedures and that there are valid legislation and regulations. The managers should therefore monitor and handle the entire construction process effectively and communicate the undertakings to the senior manager (Gregory 2008). Bibliography Baker, K.R., 2004, Introduction to Sequencing and Scheduling, John-Wiley and Sons, New York. Gregory T., 2008, Effective Work Breakdown Structures. The Project Management Essential Library Series, Sage, London. Levey, M., 2009, Construction process planning and management: an owner's guide to successful projects, Butterworth-Heinemann, New York. Gahlot, P., 2007, Construction Planning And Management, New Age International, Toronto. Harris, F., 2006, Modern construction management, Edition6, Wiley-Blackwell, London. Read More