Once the design is finalised, the contract is signed, and preliminary council approvals are achieved, we then move on to construction documentation. However, we have often gone into this phase at risk, which has hurt us a few times in the past. This is a tricky situation to navigate, with a lot of factors at play and you often find yourself there very quickly. However, it is imperative that you remember to inform your client upfront that you cannot proceed without a contract in place. In this phase of the project, we take everything we designed previously and make it work. Every junction needs to be thought about, and every material or element needs to be specified. Essentially this is where most of the time is spent. As indicated in the Fee guidelines by SACAP, 30% of the work goes into construction and council documentation. Statutory Compliance All SANS 10400, Zoning and other building regulations need to be adhered to. Careful coordination must take place with the consultants. Once this is achieved building plans can be submitted for approval and the tender process for the main contract can take place. In a perfect world, the latter needs to happen before tender can proceed. Yet, due to time constraints, these two often happen simultaneously. Detailing and Specifications In my experience, I have come to realise that no building is simple. There is always an extreme level of detail and care required especially in this phase. Regulations change, materials advance and services improve. You are constantly learning. Working as a technologist for so many years, my primary focus from the beginning has always been detailing. Since a child, I enjoyed making things work and learning how things work. Using textbooks is a great source of information, however, it cannot replace actual on-site experience. Seeing how they put things together informs how you detail. Visiting factories or workshops are incredibly useful in understanding when to use specific products. Consultants Drawings Something I have increasingly come to realise over the years is the importance of checking consultants’ drawings. The builder or subcontractors seldom use architect’s drawings for specific services and structures. They assume the information is coordinated and correct. The most essential discipline to coordinate upfront is structural and civil information. If these drawings do not align with the architects, you will have an endless number of mistakes. Roofs can be at the incorrect height due to not coordinating the steel drawings, slabs can be at the incorrect height and size, or columns can end up in the middle of rooms. This can greatly impact the client’s use of the space and sometimes render the space unusable. It is imperative that a good amount of time is meant meeting and coordinating with consultants. Managing Time We currently monitor time spent on projects using an outdated clocking system. (I am looking at bringing in a new system). What I have come to realise is that if you exceed your time allowance on a project, you still need to continue and get it done. Once the fee is settled with the client, it can be very difficult to ask for more money. This is usually due to design changes, substantial discounts on SACAP rates, or incorrect estimation of hours when fees are hourly based. Obviously, mistakes are learnt and changes must be made, but what matters at the end of the day is that your list of project income minus your list of expenses comes out at a positive and worst case a zero. |
Seth AlfinoProfessional Architectural Technologist working in Cape Town, South Africa Blogs |