Accelerating a Project to Meet Client’s Wishes
On certain projects, usually in excess of £50,000 and planned to be completed to an agreed works programme, allowing for various phases to be undertaken, often with multiple trades working together as a team, the client will request that the time scale is reduced, for whatever reason (often, a wedding reception or birthday party they had forgotten about prior to works commencement).
These requests cannot be handled by means of Variation Orders, as nothing is being varied – only accelerated – with no variations in the works schedule, only in the original agreed time-scale. It is often the case that the customer has had enough disruption, with limited parking, tradespersons on site, noise and equipment, and wish to enjoy the fruits of their investment, sooner rather than later, using an event as an excuse to shorten the time scale on site.
The length of time that may be reduced from a programme will vary from project to project. On planting schemes, provided that the site is ready and prepared, and deliveries are on site, or imminent, it may be a case of additional labour, or mechanical plant moving equipment will help to speed up progress. On hard landscaping projects, curing times for various levels and bases are not so easily accelerated, and logical working sequences, and matters of health and safety brought into any equation to ensure safe handling techniques are not compromised.
In simple terms, the wish to speed up works progress in a meaningful manner may be possible, by working outside of the original planned programme, by agreement, and careful thought as to what methods can be employed. Any such actions will require a logical method of evaluation and fiscal calculations.
It is good policy to be aware of the potential to satisfy the customer’s request, by introducing a system known as an Acceleration Package. It is referred to as a package, as it involves packaging together a list of potential means of quickening the pace of the works – if possible- by examining alternative working methods. I suggest it should never be mentioned, except in response to such a request, as it is a means of communicating to the customer, the costs and implications of accelerating a project programme, and not a way to make extra profit.
These may include bringing additional/different machinery and equipment in to site, with all the attendant costs of hiring and transporting, (plus off-hiring at the end of the job); hiring additional skilled labour (extra ‘bodies’ brought on to site may impede progress if they require supervision or training) costing premium rates if short notice; working agreed overtime (subject to any site restrictions regarding working periods or noise) using the existing site team; use of additional covers/tentage and space heaters to accelerate drying/curing times of wet trades and a host of other factors.
If we look at paving as an example of a scheme, where the customer can see a great feature, with various patios and footpaths all ready to use – except they have not been grouted or pointed – and they are keen to start to enjoy their investment.
Contractors are obliged to wait for certain periods of time, dependent on temperatures, weather and moisture readings to be met before starting work on grouting, otherwise the risk of failure is too great, with cracking/crazing/shrinkage and discolouration of the compounds creating problems and complaints.
The only way to reduce the time-scale of these works is by isolating and protecting the environment by use of tentage and space heaters to reduce the amount of moisture in the foundations, laying bed and joints. These all cost money that has not been allowed in the quotation, as time was not of the essence.
It is useful to have an idea of the costs involved in accelerating a project beforehand, even as a guide for the customer.
Working on a weekly cost basis, a team of two (skilled artisan and a labourer) is likely to cost £2,500.00, plus transport, tools and equipment – say £3,000.00. The cost of hiring extra marquees and heaters, with fuel costs, may be around £500.00 per week, plus profits and overheads at 20%, (£700.00) bringing the total up to £4,200.00 per week, or £840.00 per day.
As it unlikely that anything less than two weeks reduction in the time-scale will be acceptable, it necessarily follows that the minimum cost of any acceleration package is likely to cost £8,000.00 for a two-person crew, with all tools and equipment for two weeks on site.
One of the benefits of having these pre-assessed figures in mind when questioned, is that the customer will realise and appreciate the costs involved in landscape construction, and be more willing to accept that these works cannot be rushed, except at substantial additional cost to themselves.
