Land & Architectural Survey Blog

Category: RICS

  • What is Stage 4 Design of the RIBA Plan of work

    A construction project usually consists of four stages. Stage 4 deals with gathering information required to manufacture and construct the building. This requires input from the design team and specialist subcontractors employed by the contractor, regardless of how they got the project. Any changes in this stage may alter the cost in later stages.

    All the designing must be done in Stage 4 before the construction phase starts in Stage 5. It is common for the specialist subcontractor’s design work to be completed in Stage 4. The RIBA Plan of Work intends that Stage 5 exclusively consists of manufacturing, construction, related inspections, reporting, and resolving site queries.

    For example, on a two-stage design-build project, the client may be content to sign the Building Contract after major packages are secured; however, in a traditional project with design ahead of construction, the designer’s work should substantially be complete before signing the building contract with the specialist subcontractors’ work completed after appointing a contractor.

    By keeping all design work within Stage 4, the lead designer can prepare a Stage4 Design Programme covering all elements of the design team’s and specialist subcontractors’ work.

    The interface between design team and specialist subcontractors and the procurement route can be a tough decision to make. However, they are not the same thing.

    Prescriptive elements are common in traditional projects, whereas descriptive specifications are more typical of Design & Build projects.

    The value brought by the design team in delivering prescriptive information varies depending on the building type and desired outcomes.

    Many clients prefer products to be specified by the design team, while allowing others to be chosen by the contractor.

    Specialist subcontractors often possess design skills that surpass those of traditional designers, adding value to the design process.

    Setting up a Responsibility Matrix at the initial stage is essential, acknowledging that it can be updated as the design progresses.

    Interior designer making hand drawing pencil sketch of a bathroom

    Interior design

    At this stage, you might want to look at getting existing plans of your property (either your landland or your buildingbuilding.) These measured building surveys and topographical surveys would be the starting point of the design team to build upon. You could consider it the foundation of the design.

    The RIBA has seen a spike in interest in offsite manufacturing methods, as well as other modern construction technologies.

    But these things need to be contemplated at Stage 2, and embedded into the design from the earliest stage.

    If you want to be sure that the building is constructed through a specific modern method of construction by the architect, it’s best to mention it in your project brief for Stage 2.

    If not, it may be wise for the designer to consider what different types of construction might work best based on a consultation with their construction adviser and some research done at Stage 2.

  • What is Deep Excavation – Construction Technology RICS

    Excavating on a building site poses the same risks as any other work, and although-statistics show that out of the more than 46,000 accidents on building sites each year, excavations are not the major hazard, they can often be serious. Indeed, about 10% of these accidents result in fatalities.

    The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations, the Construction (Health and Safety) Regulations, the Confined Spaces Regulations, and Work at Height Regulations

    Under these two acts, statutory instruments were drafted. The Design and Management Regulations were designed with the intention of decreasing operative injuries in the process of construction. The Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations detailed rules for excavations, shafts, tunnels, demolitions, and work near water. Lastly, the Confined Spaces Regulations covered chambers, pits and trenches. All four regulations applied to building operations and engineering construction because the risks faced by employees in the two industries are similar; therefore it is desirable to have a unified code of practice.

    The Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 12 and 13 mandate the standards for the supply and use of adequate support to excavations. They must be installed by qualified or trained operators, or supervised and inspected by a competent person. Construction work involving excavation must be inspected every shift, with reports filed detailing each inspection.

    The Health, Safety and Welfare Regulations 12 and 13 mandate the standards for the supply and use of adequate support to excavations.

    They must be installed by qualified or trained operators, or supervised and inspected by a competent person.

    Construction work involving excavation must be inspected every shift, with reports filed detailing each inspection.

    All employees and contractors have a duty to ensure the safety of their own workers.

    If you, as an employee, discover any defects or unsafe conditions in your workplace, it is your responsibility to report the facts to your employer, foreman, or designated safety supervisor.

    Drilling - Bridge Footer - Montgomery County, VA

    Deep excavation

    Deep excavation trench

    Deep excavation

    Deep trenches are those that are over 3 meters in depth. They are usually required for the installation of equipment like cables or drains because you don’t need a deep foundation often.

    The excavation shouldn’t be opened too far in advance of any proposed work, and it should be backfilled as soon as practical after the completion of the project.

    These two precautions will lessen the risk of falls, flooding and damage to completed work as well as releasing timbering for reuse at the earliest possible date.

    Great care must be taken in areas where underground services are present: they should be uncovered with care, protected and supported as needed.

    The presence of services in an excavation area may restrict the use of mechanical plant to the point where its use becomes uneconomical.

    Hand trimming should be used for bottoming out a trench, side trimming, end trimming and for form the gradient just before pipe laying or cable laying.

    When excavating, it’s necessary to close board or sheet the foundation to protect from any potential rock falls.

    However, the main exception is a hard and stable rock subsoil. Whenever working on a project in a rock layer, be sure to examine its stability closely.

    Fissures or splits that slope towards the cut face could lead to crumbling or rock falls when exposed to the atmosphere for long periods of time.

    If this is the case, than it would be prudent to timber the faces of your project according to how extensive and systematic the fissures are.

    When excavating, it’s necessary to close board or sheet the foundation to protect from any potential rock falls. However, the main exception is a hard and stable rock subsoil.

    Whenever working on a project in a rock layer, be sure to examine its stability closely. Fissures or splits that slope towards the cut face could lead to crumbling or rock falls when exposed to the atmosphere for long periods of time.

    If this is the case, than it would be prudent to timber the faces of your project according to how extensive and systematic the fissures are.

    In areas with hard or firm subsoils, it might be possible to excavate the site before putting in timbering. The method of support for excavation sides is similar to that used for shallow and medium-depth trenches, except for the use of bigger sections to resist the increased pressure caused by being in a more deep area.

    Driving timber and steel runners, trench sheeting, or interlocking precast concrete piles ahead of your excavation can be necessary when the subsoil is either weak, waterlogged, or running sand.

    Timbering refers to any form of temporary support for the sides of an excavation. Some common purposes include:

    Driving to a depth exceeding the final excavation depth or by using the drive-and-dig system will accomplish this.

    Long runners and steel piles will require a driving frame, while tucking and pile framing methods allow shorter members to be driven.

    All these methods require that both ends of consecutive members be secured with a single strut.

  • prevent the walls of your excavation from caving in;
  • To complete the task, keep the excavation open for the necessary time period.

    • The term ‘timber’ is often used when the material itself is employed, but it can also refer to different materials that fulfill the same function.

  • Stage 3 of the RIBA plan of Work

    This blog post is part of the RIBA plan of work series RIBA plan of work series. Here we’ll be covering Stage 3 of the RIBA plan of work which covers spatially coordinated design.

    The purpose of Stage 3 is to spatially coordinate the design. The information at the end of this stage needs to be coordinated sufficiently so that minor changes can’t happen at Stage 4 and you can submit a planning application with detailed information for the design.

    The purpose of Stage 3 is to spatially coordinate the design. The information at the end of this stage needs to be coordinated sufficiently so that minor changes can’t happen at Stage 4 and you can submit a planning application with detailed information for the design.

    Stage 2 of the Architectural Concept should be finalized and approved, along with the Project Brief before proceeding into Stage 3. The project shouldn’t proceed to Stage 3 if any spatial requirements spatial requirements or adjacencies adjacencies remain inconclusive. During Stage 3, the Change Control Procedures should be used to manage any functional changes to the Project Brief and Architectural Concept. Minor aspects of the design may need to be adjusted in response to tasks underway. For example, a core might need to be rearranged in order for the toilet and riser layouts to work out.

    To design a Stage 3 Spatially Spatially Coordinated, each design team member would work independently at Stage 4, or you could coordinate with specialist subcontractors on design. All of the project information should be coordinated too.

    The majority of project strategies, produced by specialist consultants, should be coordinated and concluded by the end of stage 3. Allowing work on other strategy items to enter stage 4 is only disruptive to the design process if the designer has not been included in early discussions on a strategy matter.

    We expect the lead designer to review the services schedules for specialists and comment on what tasks have been proposed when they will be undertaken, and if any tasks may interfere with the stage 4 design process.

    The design team may want to consider changing the design process, including early stage 4 information delivery, in order to make the procurement process more effective. For example, being able to provide a scope of work or detailed design for a complex area of the project, like the cladding, will have an immediate benefit. The contractor will have an easier time bidding on items because they don’t have to assume what they will be responsible for. All aspects of the project are listed out in depth so that contractors know exactly what needs to be done.

  • Stage 2 of the RIBA plan of work

    Following our main post on RIBA Plan of workRIBA Plan of work we’re going to cover the RIBA Stage 2.

    Stage 2 is all about getting the concept design right and making sure that the visuals of the building are proceeding according to the client’s vision. The critical challenge of this stage is to make sure that the tasks undertaken are aligned with the goals of Stage 2. Going into too much detail too early can divert the attention away from what matters most for Stage 3; but if there’s not enough detail, Stage 3 becomes inefficient.

    Dealing with Planning first

    The RIBA recommends dealing with any developer obligations and levies before submitting an early planning application, because it’s quite risky. You may encounter clarity regarding these additional costs when you submit an early application. if not, you risk running into many project risks.

    One of the most difficult tasks for a project team is determining where Stage 2 begins and ends. The RIBA Plan of Work requires that a design Concept be produced first before moving but not get into the detail design.

    Dealing with the right amount of design concept design

    Dealing with the right amount of design concept design

    One challenge at Stage 2 is determining what tasks and information requirements are needed to achieve the goal of the stage. In some cases, a designer might need intuition to design or make an architectural concept. In other situations, a detailed analysis might be required in order to test the design that has been created.

    One challenge at Stage 2 is determining what tasks and information requirements are needed to achieve the goal of the stage. In some cases, a designer might need intuition to design or make an architectural concept. In other situations, a detailed analysis might be required in order to test the design that has been created.

    For example, some clients might be happy with ‘rule of thumb’ calculations for stairways and toilets in an office building, or for light touch engineering inputs for other elements. Others may want greater certainty in the design, requiring detailed calculations for these elements. It’s important that the lead designer focuses the designing team on tasks which support and underpin the goals of Stage 2 and that will make the design as resilient as possible when Stage 3 starts up, when work will need to intensify on engineering teams and specialists needs to accelerate with work on this project.

    For example, some clients might be happy with ‘rule of thumb’ calculations for stairways and toilets in an office building, or for light touch engineering inputs for other elements. Others may want greater certainty in the design, requiring detailed calculations for these elements. It’s important that the lead designer focuses the designing team on tasks which support and underpin the goals of Stage 2 and that will make the design as resilient as possible when Stage 3 starts up, when work will need to intensify on engineering teams and specialists needs to accelerate with work on this project.

    Clients need to decide what information is required at this stage. Do you want to invest in large quantities of 2D content? 3D technologies, including VR and AR, are no longer gimmicks. They’re valid ways of undertaking Design Reviews and their usefulness should be considered alongside the requirement for traditional deliverables.

    Do you want to invest in large quantities of 2D content?

    3D technologies, including VR and AR, are no longer gimmicks.

    They’re valid ways of undertaking Design Reviews and their usefulness should be considered alongside the requirement for traditional deliverables.