Business matters and job planning

Early decisions can have wide-ranging implications, so a fundamental aspect of project management (whatever your interpretation of that term) is to be prepared for where your decisions and actions are leading you. Think carefully before committing yourself (or your client) to any particular strategy.

The checklist below is designed to act as a prompt during project assessment and planning. It can also form the basis of an agenda for recording pre-start or site meeting minutes with the client and contractor.

Not all of the headings will apply to all jobs, and it may be too heavy duty for simple one-off repairs. But where you are involved in altering, adapting or extending buildings or building new ones, it should give you a start point.

• Phase 1 is intended to follow the desk-top study stage, while all the planning is in hand.
• Phase 2 looks at issues once ‘feasibility’ has been established and design work or specification has been commissioned.
• Phase 3 looks ahead to once the work starts, but some of the headings may be useful if reviewed out of sequence.

Phase 1: Feasibility study and information acquisition and appraisal

1. General information review

• Receipt of trigger notice (or client's initial instructions)
• Confirm receipt of any paperwork or information relating to location of statutory services such as gas, electricity, water and so on
• Title information: verify legal aspects
  • Boundaries
  • Title
  • Adopted roads and path
• Planning use (Use Classes)
• Frame manufacturer and type (if prefabricating); or confirm ‘traditional’ route

2. Engineering and planning review and information requirements

• Desktop study and briefing notes
• Digest from similar nearby sites and information transfer/input
• Historical/anecdotal information from any in-house property database (e.g. title, leases/sub-leases,‘as built’ drawings, maintenance data)
• Previous health and safety file notes/ asbestos survey/geology from housing records, the original building records, etc.
• Topographic reports
• Soil/geophysics reports
• Drainage (existing)
  • Surface water
  • Foul water
  • Highway
• Asbestos (existing)
• Eco-survey/Environmental Protection Act 1990 (e.g. any protected species such as bats, or invasive plants such as Japanese Knotweed?)
• Flood risk assessment
  • Verify with local authority
  • Verify with Environment Agency
• Disabled access issues
  • Verify with local authority
  • Verify with Building Control
• Party wall issues
  • Engineering impact
  • Foundation depths
  • Subconsultants required? (Collateral warranties and subconsultants)
• Initial preparation of briefing note for architects and core design group
• Feasibility issues/engineering opinion
• Any existing/previous planning permissions to inform design process?
• Site constraints
• Traffic and parking surveys
• Use Class and any changes to Use Class Order (UCO) category
• Existing statutory services (check capacity, diversions required etc.)
  • Gas
  • Electrics/cables (pylons/poles/overhead cable; high voltage lines)
  • Drains (foul water, surface water)
  • Water (potable)
  • Telecoms/cable
• Archaeological risk
  • Consider insurance, conservation area, etc.
• Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs)
• Any known road widening schemes/development plans
• Boundary ownership
• Known soil problems
• Covenants and restrictions
• Right to Buy/Buy Back properties which may interfere with site (if within public rented sector)

3. Planning/design strategy requirements

• Review current employer's requirements
• Any specific changes, e.g. for EcoHomes rating?
• Define which template version is operating, if using standardised designs (social housing only)
• Advise frame manufacturer accordingly, if using standard timber/steel/concrete off-site manufacture and/or prefabrication
• Security requirements specific to site?
• Plans for future nearby expansion/tie-in developments strategically with adjoining sites

4. Financial

• Funding restrictions/timetable
• Grants, subsidies/tax advantages
• Budget setting
  • Total internal measurement (in m2)
  • Basic budget (or agreed £ per m2)
  • 'Abnormals' subject to ringfenced contingency (identify 'fixed' costs and variable 'abnormal' items)
  • Total project budget
  • Agreed maximum price
  • Cash flow
• Risk register
  • Initial financial risk items to be scheduled within core group minutes

5. Health and safety issues

• Initial risk items
• Possible design risk items
• Decant (occupied sites) or special protection
• Access to adjoining land and buildings
• Any additional survey advice needed?
• Traffic movement patterns and planning
• Vehicle access/plant and restrictions on access
• Site slope and contours
• Stiles/gates/rights of way
• Flooding
• Unsafe trees
• Properties adjoining site
• Sensitive neighbours – schools, hospitals, courts etc.
• Pre-tender plan
• Pre-contract plan
• F10 Health and safety notification
• Health and safety file

6. Programming and target dates for design team

• Target practical completion date
• Target date for frame on site (if prefab)
• Target start on site date
• Target frame order date (to achieve delivery on site)
• Target agreed maximum price (AMP) date
• Target detailed design date
• Target planning application
• Target client final approval date
• Target completion of tenants' consultation date

7. Engineering

• Roads and footpaths
  • Stopping up orders
  • Section * (Insert details of any relevant statute (e.g. Highways Act) that needs to be checked or permissions obtained at this stage. Section agreements may be required for a number of specific actions; see item 8.)
  • Section *
  • Section *
  • Wayleaves/easements
  • Design
• Drainage
  • Section *
  • Section *
  • Section *
  • Wayleaves/easements
  • Design
• Foundations (design)
• Supporting structures (design)
• Structural calculations
• Environment Agency approvals
• Services – quotes
  • Gas
  • Electric
  • Telecoms/cable connections
  • Water
• Services – enquiries
  • Gas
  • Electric
  • Telecoms
  • Water

8. Section agreement schedule and advice with section agreement progress

(Insert extra lines here for each separate section agreement listed in item 7).

• Aide memoire and section agreement purpose
  • Person tasked for action
  • Progress/notes/target date

9. Handover

• 'Shared ownership' checklist (social housing)
• Handover forms
• Effects forms
• Tenants' pack
• Phased handover
• Special requirements
• Gas and electric certificates

Phase 2: Design evolution

10. Design and planning

• Stage 1 - Design protocol - externals
• Highways
• Turning heads
• Footpaths
• Drying areas
• Bin stores
• Bike stores
• Fences
• Parking
• Water butts
• Stage 2 - Design protocol
• Internals
• Extras
• Stage 3 - Design protocol – materials
• Stage 4 - Design protocol
• Planning statement
• Traffic/parking surveys
• SAP calculations/energy use
• Secured by Design
• Energy rating certificates/design targets

11. Planning application

• Pre-application consultation
• Submission/progress timetable
• Amendments
• Approval
• Appeal/progress
• Conditions and condition discharge
• Landscaping

12. Building Control and building warranties

• NHBC/Zurich/Building Control
• Appointments
• Inspection: progress and feedback
• Building Control and working drawings progress/timetable
• Issues raised from above special resolution

13. Special requirements

Compliance:

• Housing Corporation Scheme Development Standards (SDS)
• Employer's design brief
• Housing quality indicators (HQIs)
• EcoHomes
• Discharge planning conditions
• Building Control
• Key performance indicators (KPIs)
• Any special needs tenants? (Adaptation to design? Cross refer: risk register?)

14. Construction issues

• Schedules of Condition pre-works
• Site accommodation
• Insurance/warranties
• Drawing issue
  • Does contractor have all the most up-to-date drawings?
• Updated drawings

Phase 3: Execution stage

Review all of the Phase 1 and 2 headings plus ...

Contract

• Pre-possession agreement?
• Agreed maximum price (AMP) approval
• Agreement drafted
• Agreement signed

Design information flow

• Frame supplier (timber or steel/prefab frames)
  • Check coordination of planning and working drawing packages and site delivery programme
• Architect/designer
  • Resolution of detailed working items if previously deferred, e.g. design and build contracts

Cost review during process

• What are the effects on agreed maximum price (AMP) if in Framework Agreement/Partnering or Contract Sum?
• Unforeseen costs
• Register of Change Instructions and cost effect
• Tracking of costs within minutes - variations/instructions issued
  • Add/omit to track valuation and post-contract
• Projected final account
  • A rolling tracker report to be updated say, fortnightly or monthly