Archive for August 2014
Innovations in HVAC
This is one of the many innovative ideas being employed in the renovation work with tight working conditions.
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Preconstruction Budget Risks for Local Government Projects (3 of 3)
Part Three: Human Error and the Unknown
On any local government construction project, human beings
design and build every aspect and every human is fallible. Anyone who says they can build a perfect job
on a school or jail or courthouse is lying.
After decades in the business, Shireman Construction has
built up a list of “lessons learned” that we use as a checklist to eliminate
errors. We catch numerous design errors and poor choices and save
the owner money on every job we work as a construction manager.
In fact, most of the cost savings are wrung out of the job
in the design stages –see the graph above. That’s why it’s critical to get a CM
on board as early as possible to team closely with the Architect and bring a
fresh set of eyes to a project.
But try as we might, there is no way to eliminate all
unforeseen costs on a construction projects. The “unknown” is a big risk, and on new construction you might uncover rock, sinkholes, or
old buried fuel tanks that the geotechnical report couldn’t catch.
On renovations you might uncover previously unknown
asbestos, pests, structural problems, lead paint, poor foundations, etc. that
were undiscovered despite thorough investigations by the design team.
Then there’s human error. The architects and engineers make tens of thousands of
decisions and product choices, and all of them won’t be perfect. A team of low-bid contractors will go out and dig a hole in
the ground and build a multi-million dollar facility from scratch.
So knowing that we’re all human and some mistakes and
unforeseen challenges will emerge, Shireman uses a unique “built-in contingency”
system to plan ahead.
Within each low bid contract will be contingency funds to be
used when unforeseen difficulties emerge, with the approval of Shireman, the
architect and owner.
What make this so great? Because we have planned ahead
together, and the funds can be expended and issues promptly fixed in the field.
For government officials, this also means that instead of
going over numerous “change orders” and annoying the general public in open
meetings, these issues can be planned for and adjusted immediately in the
field. Imagine monthly public meetings where instead of approving
every tweak and minor change order request while the project is held up, you
can truthfully report to the satisfied taxpaying public that the project
remains under budget.
By planning ahead for the unknown and human errors on local
government construction the project budget will be saved and the public will be
happy.
Thanks for reading our
three-part series on preconstruction budget risks.
Let us help you avoid
budget pitfalls.
For more tips and tricks on local government construction and
real life examples – s
Controlling Moving Materials
Buildings
move, always have and always will. They expand and contract so control joints
must be employed. Wood expands when it gets wet and contracts when it dries.
Wood is always accepting or getting rid of moisture and no amount of nailing,
gluing, or screwing will keep wood from moving.
Masonry
swells when it gets wet and shrinks when it dries.
Concrete
is the most universal of all structural materials employed. Concrete cracks,
moves, shrinks, and sometimes “curls”. Concrete always has and always will
crack. Doesn’t matter if it’s reinforced or not. The use of control joints via
saw cutting or mechanical design can direct the cracks into a straight line and
make them more aesthetic. Cracks do not necessarily mean the concrete is weak.
Control
joints should be designed in concert with your water management system because
your building, in practical terms, cannot be penetration free.
Normally
water will follow the path of least resistance. Provide an easy path for water
to travel and let it follow that path away from your building envelope.
Concrete Repair: Taking the First Steps
Concrete repair is much more than "Let's jump in and do a patch." Interesting article here:
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Preconstruction Budget Risks for Local Government Projects (2 of 3)
Part Two: Single Source Specifications
The second way Shireman Construction sometimes serves as the
“bad guy” in the preconstruction design meetings on local government projects to
save your project budget is fighting single-source specifications. Your
architect will put together (with our help and advice) a list of every product
in the building, usually the size of two to three large phone books. This is
called the “Spec Book” and is part of the bidding documents.
ART: Single Source Specifications
– Pictures of Shireman spec books
Usually the architect will specify materials with multiple
manufacturers and suppliers. But occasionally the design team or the local
government staff in love with a certain product will list a product with only
one supplier.
Unfortunately, the supplier can also read that they are the
only source allowed for that product and will sometimes take advantage and double
or triple their price. On large components, like detention equipment for jails,
major heating and cooling system components, generators, controls, etc., this
could blow up your entire budget.
So we read every word in those books with our team of
specialty subcontractors before they go out to public bid. We work to find ways
to list multiple suppliers and alternative products to keep everyone honest.
Also, if there is a product later that the Owner’s team or
architect must have, we can use alternates to keep all the pricing honest. By
fighting single-source specifications with alternates we can get it substituted
at a lot lower price level later than just listing it alone.
Let us help you avoid
scope creep and other budget pitfalls. For more tips and tricks on local
government construction and real life examples – see our website at
Check back next week (August 26) for part three of this series.
More Thoughts on HVAC...
What heat sources are available
-Natural Gas
-LP Gas
-Electricity
-Geothermal
-Solar
-Natural Gas
-LP Gas
-Electricity
-Geothermal
-Solar
Next is how do you ventilate?
-The introduction of outside air
-The number of air changes
-The circulation
-The exhausting
The interior equipment and appliances
must be considered. Watch out for air spillage or backdrafting.
HVAC must be properly signed
depending upon clients orientation N.S.E.W, building occupants, building design
and flexibility.
Keep cooling coils and drain pipes
clean. Periodically clean the duct interior and replace the filters. If using a
HEPA filter system. The furnace has to be designed to pull the air through that
specific filter to avoid pressure drop.
HVAC is greatly affected by the
exhaust system. Too much exhaust causes too low pressurization. Too little
causes over pressurization. One can over ventilate or under ventilate. A
controlled ventilation system can balance your interior air and account for
season changes, orientations, and occupant changes.
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-Mark
