The Role of the Client in the Design Process

The Client's Responsibilities

Ø The client as the owner of the project has the responsibility of ensuring proper management strategies are put in place for the project. For example, it is the role of the client to ensure that a good team of designers and quantity surveyors are available for the project. The designers are supposed to advise the client on measures that should be taken while the surveyors should provide the most realistic budget approximations.

Ø The client has the responsibility of appointing or rather selecting a principle designer who is competent and resourceful (CDM, 2015,p. nd).While the designers can work as a team, it is the responsibility of the client to have one individual who is qualified to lead them and be responsible for answering any question concerning the designs that the client might have about the project.

Ø A client has the role of acquiring a highly resourced and competent principle contractor (CDM, 2015,P.nd). The client has to be responsible for identifying a competent contractor to be in charge of the construction. The contractor has to be able to sign off the project a few weeks in particular two weeks to the estimated project’s deadline.

Ø The client has to ensure that there are adequate resources as well as time for successful completion of the various stages of the project as planned. The client has to take into consideration that any changes he might require or additional inputs he or she may find necessary on site would cost money. As such, it is imperative that some money is put aside and only distributed at the completion of the project.

Ø The client is responsible for ensuring that basic welfare facilities are put in place before the project begins. The client would be liable for any damages, loss of lives, or destruction of property of the neighbors. Therefore, there is the need to ensure that the site has safety measures and that there is adequate security.

The Design Team

Ø Client/Project sponsor

ensures that there is effective coordination among the other key designers for the successful completion of the project.

Ø The project manager would be responsible for planning as well as the execution of the various phases of the project until it is eventually closed.

Ø An architect

constitutes the designer team since he or she is a qualified person with general knowledge in all aspects of the built environment from project conceptualization to its end use.

Ø An engineer or engineers are an important part of the team since they work in collaboration with the architects. Civil and mechanical engineers are necessary for their expertise in the site and construction-related aspects.

Ø Interior designers

are the basic part of the design team to provide knowledge on the various lighting pattern, interior finishing, furnishing, color choices, and various essential equipment.

The Design Built Up Stage 0 to Stage 4, Expectations at Each Stage, and Expected Payments

Based on the lecture readings, the design built up stages include stage 1-Pre-Design or the design, stage 2- Procurement and Contract, stage 3- the construction stage, and stage 4- Post construction. In view of the traditional contract, stage one of the design and build would involve specific activities which are expected to include the definition of various strategies for the project, preparation for the project, conceptualization of the design, and development of the design. Similarly, the development team is selected and the benchmarking options are taken into consideration.

In stage two, expectations are mainly focusing on procurement options, types of contracts, particular contracts, and their features. For instance, it would be expected that the project is advertised so that various tenders can be awarded to those who would have expressed their interests based on specifications, capabilities, and resources and ability to offer prices that are advantageous in terms of economic values. In terms of contracts, the architects would be expected to design while the contractors will bear the obligation of the building.

In stage three, the expectations are aimed at health and safety issues where risks have to be assessed, pre-contract health and safety health plan looked into, and health and safety plans fully posted. Nevertheless, in the construction program, the expectations would be that respective architects take charge of their teams and contractors take responsibility to handle their respective specific tenders. In terms of control of costs, the tenderer would provide the full cost of the tender and include the bill of quantities for determination of tender rates. In regards to practical completion, the projected is expected to be complete 2-3 weeks before the projected date.

In stage four, the expectations are focused on checking the possible defects such as cracks and shrinkages the building to which the contractor would be obliged to repair within a given period after completing the project. Examine the benchmarks to assist in determining whether the full objectives were met, and assess whether the product is effective to help in claiming collateral warranty. Finally, the expected payments would be determined based on the value of the projects and the activities of each stage. For instance, the design team fee would range between 9-15% of the value of the project; an architect may claim 5% while a quantity surveyor would need 2%.

How a Design and Built Differ From Traditional Form of Contract

In reference to the lecture materials, it can be noted that in the traditional form of contract, the design team dictates the quality and influence the cost of the project. Contractors bid for tenders and if awarded, they have to build as per the designers’ specifications. The designing team checks to verify whether or not the contractors have met their specifications. On the other hand, the design and built contract form is an integration of both design and built whereby, the design team do the planning of the general design including the designs layouts and determine the quality and the desired cost. However, the contractors make bids for the tenders against limited specifications. For example, unlike in the traditional form where they have to meet certain specifications, novation of the design is possible and the contractors proceed to build based on the agreed packages while the design team evaluates the progress quality.

The Clients, Designers and Contractors Duties under the CDM Regulations

According to the Construction Design and Management (CDM) (2015), the client has three main duties which he or she is obliged to meet. First, the client has the responsibility of appointing a principle designer. Secondly, the client has the duty of appointing a principle contractor. Thirdly, the client has the responsibility of notifying the Health and Safety Executive body of the project prior to the planned commencing date. Similarly, the principle designer of a project like a client has duties to fulfill as stipulated by CDM. The duties encompass taking control of the pre-construction in particular, health safety concerns, managing the safe design, provide pre-construction information to the contractor, work collaboratively with the contractor and assist in receiving health and safety file. The principle contractor has the duty to prepare a project’s construction phase plan, manage safe conduct on-site through making sure that the contractors perform risk assessments, manage the welfare provisions as well as safe passage on site and public sites and finally deliver health and safety files.

Practical Completion and Its Consequences

Practical completion as inferred from Chappell (2017, p.97) refers to the point at which a construction project has been completed successfully and signed off on the date that had been indicated on the contract. However, there could some minor defects that can easily be corrected on site by the contractor without interfering with occupiers.

On one hand, failure to complete the project on the agreed data has certain consequences including deductions of the liquidated damages since it is considered that the contractor has breached the terms and conditions for the project. On the other hand, contractor’s liability to insure site as well as patent defects’ ends and the risks are passed to the client.

Question B

Factors Influencing the Determination of Foundation

Ø First, there is the depth of the suitable bearing strata. The foundation of a structure is dependent on the pattern in which the layers of the rocks are arranged within the soil. For instance, if the strata are extensively sandy, the foundation would have to go deeper compared to when the layers of rocks can be found near to the surface.

Ø Secondly, there is the amount of load the client wants the structure to support on a particular type of soil. The load and the building materials that the client wants to be used determine the type of the foundation for the building.

Ø Thirdly, the structure’s proximity to other neighboring buildings influences the type of the foundation. The closer the building is to other buildings around it, the more stronger foundation it would require.

Potential Risks Related to soil the Site

Ø Due to soil contamination as result of past activities, the project can be delayed since it is not easy to determine the specific area within the site that is contaminated.

Ø Poorly drained soils can lead to budget overrun when a lot of footing materials in excess of what the projected budgeted are required to withstand the possibilities of capillarity.

Ø Soils highly reach in chemicals destroy structures and their foundations. For examples, structures constructed on sites with sulfidic soils do not last longer as expected due to increased rate of corrosion which requires constant renovation services.

Ø Soils that are poorly drained result into water clogging. Due to capillarity, the walls absorb the water and molds as well as algae tend to grow on the walls. This poses health hazards to the people who might occupy buildings erected on such sites (Sarkar et al., 2017, p.8).

Question C

Important information for structural, mechanical and electrical, and fire surveys

Ø It is important to know whether power capacity as well as its distribution addresses the client’s needs.

Ø It is necessary to understand the conditions of the existing buildings.

Ø Understand the conditions of the lighting levels and the durations after which they are replaced.

Ø It would be necessary to be informed on whether the construction meets the statutory approvals.

Ø Know how often fire risk assessments are conducted.

Ø Strategies put in place for fire protection and mechanisms of escape in the event of fire.

Ø It would be important to know whether there are fire protection services.

Ø Understand how regularly the buildings are inspected for adherence to fire protection provisions.

References

CDM, U., 2015. The construction (design and management) regulations 2015.

Chappell, D., 2017. The JCT Minor Works Building Contracts 2016. John Wiley & Sons.

Sarkar, D., Meena, V.S., Haldar, A. and Rakshit, A., 2017. Site-specific nutrient management (SSNM): a unique approach towards maintaining soil health. In Adaptive soil management: from theory to practices (pp. 69-88). Springer, Singapore.