Builder – Project Management Services
The undertaking of ‘Builder – Project Management Services’ is a specialist role which can be commonly referred to as the ‘Superintendent’ whom performs administration, advisory and management services for a consumer or a principal, for all classes of building work (eg commercial, industrial, residential, retail etc). Superintendent, under a building contract, means a person who is not a party to the contract and is appointed under the contract to perform the following:
- administer the contract on behalf of a principal for the contract; and
- certify timing, quality and cost matters under the contract.
StruXi is highly qualified and experienced to undertake Builder – Project Management Services:
- It holds a specific Queensland Building Services Authority (QBSA) licence “Builder – Project Management Services, no.1080847” that is regulated to perform the role in the state of Queensland. Technical qualifications and proven experience is required in gaining this licence. StruXi can act in this position to the construction of any project type without having performed any design undertaking; it can be a third party to the Builder and design consultants as explained below;
- Real project manager experience exists. Nathan Harmsworth is a Director and the Operations Manager of StruXi Design. Nathan holds a Bachelor of Civil Engineering (hons.) and has a strong background in construction management having spent 14 years with Leighton Contractors, performing a key role as Project Manager. He also holds QBSA supervisor licences for Builder Open, and Builder Project Management Services; and
- StruXi continues to have real time industry experience to understand what it takes with coordination of design, the right composition for a tender package, together with the right approach to the on-site Superintendent’s role as the Client’s representative.
Dependent on the type of project and contract agreement, in most cases from the Client’s standing, considerable time is needed to be applied if it is to act without a Superintendent. StruXi as the Superintendent allows the Client to not be directly and emotionally linked to the Tenderers & selected Builder, and gives them independence to maintain their commitments and leisure activities elsewhere. With a Superintendent on board, the Client is not removed from the goings-on as StruXi will make regular reports, including any established cost authority protocols.
Not only is this Superintendent role linked to the construction phase, it can also be applied to the preceding tendering phase that starts with the composing and release of tender documents to pre-selected Tenderers. The tender documents comprise an invitation letter setting out the rules of tender, the right choice of contract agreement, tender forms for completion by the Tenderer and the selection of design documents. This is not as simple as ‘1,2,3’; the right composition consists also to the correctness and completeness of the documents, all the way to developing special conditions to the general conditions of contract in capturing all deliverables required. A ‘no surprise’ mandate has been established at StruXi; the Tenderer (Builder) will receive a contract type during tender that it is expected to execute if successful in winning. This way, all Tenderers are pricing off the same conditions. Of course, there will be trimmings and additions to be made to the contract as a consequence to the post tender clarifications, but these will be made under a controlled process. During the tender phase, we will also answer information requests with the coordination of input from design consultants, analyse the tender submissions comparatively and against budget and key criterion, make clarifications with the Tenderers, facilitate Client liaison with the preferred Tenderer, recommend the Tenderer, make the relevant contract amendments and coordinate its execution with both parties.
During the construction phase for any problems that may arise, StruXi proactively makes personal inspections of the issues (when necessary) to assure that the proposed solutions will work and that it is the most cost-effective solution available. A formalised paperwork process is a must to ensure transparency with all contract related matters such as extensions of time, requested variations, progress claims and other conditions. Above all, StruXi prides itself in being responsive to the Builder’s requests to ensure matters are closed out in a timely matter so delays are prevented.
StruXi as said with its QBSA licence does not need to be involved in the design. There will be situations where we may not have had an opportunity to be considered for a design role. It makes sense however to position StruXi as the ‘lead consultant’ performing the architectural aspect design whilst coordinating the other specialty design disciplines, to then make a smooth transition into the Superintendent role. Core knowledge of the design and the decision makings along the way would not be lost. The ‘blue print’ of the defined project outcome is well established for when StruXi acts as the Superintendent during construction.
