Holdfast Training Services Trial Blog

As most of you are probably aware, the US placement is a little different to what most of you are probably up to on site.  I’m not working for a contractor per se, our role as USACE is really one of contract management, i.e. being the client’s representative on site, and making sure the contractor delivers what he’s meant to as per the (unbelievably strict) contract.  This (apparently) was relatively easy during the heavy civils stage; what could possibly go wrong with concrete columns and slabs etc.?  Anyway, now that the project has progressed to the close-in and fit-out stages the contractor is struggling, and has started cutting as many corners as possible whilst taking as many liberties as he can.  Seemingly in an attempt to try and get the job done to the lowest possible acceptable standard (though this is doubtful at the moment).

The suspicion is that the contractor (more used to building hotels and apartments for developers rather than “weapons systems” for the government) has massively underbid on the project, and is now facing a catastrophic loss.  They appear to have completely abandoned their QC plan in order to try and pull the plug and get out as quickly and painlessly (for themselves) as possible.  Unfortunately the Federal government has rather large pockets (and me working for them) so it’s unlikely they’ll get far.  It appears that the contractor simply wasn’t expecting the level of QA and scrutiny into every aspect of the build that USACE are now applying.  Also, as a design, bid, build, project the contractor is struggling to some extent with the idea that every single change needs to be approved, rather than having the freedoms afforded by the more ‘traditional’ design and build type contracts.

I’ll break here, unfortunately, due to the sneaky-beaky nature of the site I’m working on I’m not actually allowed to take any pictures of the work I’m doing, which could be interesting with upcoming presentations and reports etc…  So to keep you all interested (vaguely) and to prevent this from being just a big block of writing here are some nice architects impressions of how the fancy building I’m working on will look once it’s finish.

The US Government’s new toy

Back to the blog, here are some examples of the kind of corner cutting being taken by the contractor:

• Building block walls to the wrong specifications (including using weak mortar, and failing to install lintels above penetrations), then deliberately painting over and installing services on top of deficiencies to try and cover up the issues in the hope that they won’t be noticed.  Or, they might be gambling that our QA checks will take so long to uncover the issues that we wouldn’t then order defective work to be corrected because it will have too much of an adverse impact on the rest of the project?

• Using inadequate stud walling systems, being notified of the errors, then completing the wall anyway and installing doors and services etc..  Basically a continuation of the first point!

• Running out of concrete during the pour of a footing, then instead of creating a construction joint with appropriate dowel-bar and correctly positioned re-bar, just covering it up and hoping to finish the pour the following day without us noticing!

• On a slightly different note:  I walked the site with one of the contractor’s representatives in order to agree on the ‘cost of work done to date’ so that payment could be made for the months work.  The whole process took about three to four hours; we came to schedule/percentage agreements on site.  But when the claim was subsequently submitted the figures in a number of key areas had been adjusted in their favour; which I found quite insulting.  I know this isn’t quite the same as producing sub-standard work and trying to cover it up, but it does none-the less seem to be symptomatic and consistent with poor practices at the management level?

Some of the issues are quite innocuous, but others are more serious.  If the contractor was allowed to get away with everything he’s tried then a truly sub-standard building would be delivered at the end.

My question (in many parts) to all of you working for contractors is this:

I wouldn’t expect anyone to be working for a company that is quite as blatant as this, and I know the situation is slightly different.  But has anyone encountered similar issues on site from the perspective of the contractor?  And if so what did you/the company do about it?  Also, in this particular instance the (contractor’s) QC manager is in the process of losing his job, and whilst there has undoubtedly been a complete failure of their QC process, I believe he is something of a fall-guy for managerial failures elsewhere in the company.  Has anyone encountered any other particular drivers of bad performance on site?

So this week has highlighted a couple of things that can go wrong when you don’t pay attention to what is going on site. In order to keep this short.   I have drawn up my top 3 list of needless errors.  So you can understand my pain.

In reverse order.

Spot the oddity

3.  A column orientated in the wrong direction.  If you look to the left of the wall you will see a column orientated left to right and not up and down.  The bars had to be cut out and drilled 800 mm then grouted  in the right direction.  See below.  Cause lack of supervision and not looking at the drawings.

2.  Concrete Placing Boom 200 mm off centre.  You will notice a pad footing with an metal X on top.  This was 200 mm out so instead of halting the pour and reforming, the ‘engineer’cracked on – this has a major impact all the way up the tower but heyho he has quit.

1.  The plumber who are sorting the drainage for site were due to backfill around the water tanks with gravel (in top left of photo).  They decided to save a buck and used recycled concrete.  Not a problem I was on site and when they were dropping it in and although this is not my area, I am responsible for environmental issues, so I asked them for their free from contamination certificate – they didn’t have one.  I gave them time to chase it down but they still didn’t have one.  We have now had a union walkout for potentially importing asbestos on to site.  Cause – lack of supervision and corner cutting by subbie.  Solution take a sample then cover in concrete -bung the union 20k. Discuss!

 

In order to further procrastinate from the job in hand, I thought I would write a quick blog about it and ask for pointers from anyone that has done something similar.

I have been given the responsibility for managing the tender, survey and installation of a new campus wide DAS (mobile phone coverage) and wifi system for the hospital’s existing buildings.  We have been given 5 weeks to survey the hospital, given that most of the drawings are sub-optimal (see link below for a wonderful example of what I am working with) the survey will also involve an architect’s surveyor to update existing drawings or generate new ones.

EYE_CLINIC_EVAC_PLAN[1]

We have 122,000m2 to survey and 25 days to complete it, therefore we have to maintain a rate of approx 5000m2 per day, inside a live hospital just to keep to the original timetable.  Add on top a PM who wants to complete everything early.

Whilst this should be a “great learning opportunity” and will cover all sorts of IMechE competencies from design to QA to financial it is starting out as a bit of a head-ache due to all the unknown-unknowns.

In order to help expose some of these unknowns, a bit of assistance would be great.  What else should I be considering whilst planning the survey stage:

• Low hanging fruit to get ahead of schedule e.g. corridors, open spaces, offices.
• Restricted access areas that will delay timetable.
• Areas that don’t need DAS and/or wifi which can be ignored.
• Asbestos and hazardous substances.
• Access/working at height.

Thanks in advance for the help….