Replacement Window Project: St Georges School

  • Replacement Window Project: St Georges School
  • Replacement Window Project: St Georges School
  • Replacement Window Project: St Georges School
  • Replacement Window Project: St Georges School
  • Replacement Window Project: St Georges School
  • Replacement Window Project: St Georges School

The Project

The Challenge

Graham Ellis Associates (GEA) were commissioned by St Georges School to prepare a CIF Bid application to the ESFA, to secure grant funding for an urgent replacement window and asbestos removal project at the school.

The school identified four Blocks at the school that were a priority and in urgent need of upgrading.

A full condition survey was commissioned by GEA on behalf of the Academy to all elevations of the Blocks, to determine the current condition and thermal efficiency of the existing windows.

An initial budget was set by GEA of £400,000.00 to include the replacement of the existing windows with high performance timber frame windows to match that of the existing school and professional fees.

The CIF Bid

The Application for Grant Funding required the format of the Bid to focus on the following criteria:

  • Project Need
  • Project Planning
  • Value for Money

Project Need – required GEA to provide information on the urgency of the need, strength of evidence of the need and the nature and extent of the impact the refurbishment works would have on the school.

Project Planning – needed to address the appropriateness of the solution put forward by GEA, the time scales and a delivery plan.

Value for Money – GEA competitively tendered the project prior to submission of the Application to give ‘cost certainty’ before works started on site.

The preferred Contractor was Chase Windows Limited

The accepted tender £374,869.00 was within Budget.

The CIF Bid proved to be successful, and the School was notified.

The Remedy

The Professional Team

Once notification had been received via the ESFA, that funding was available for the project, GEA were appointed as Contract Administrators, Quantity Surveyors, Principal Designers and Project Managers.

The replacement windows were a SAPA product and the replacement cladding was Rock panel.

The Construction Project was carried out using the JCT Minor Building Works Form of Contract with Contractor’s Design.

Professional Fees were charged at 8% of the Contract Value (below those recommended by the ESFA) to cover all of the above services.

Consultancy Services – Pre and Post Contract

The services provided by GEA on this project were as follows: 

  • Budget Estimates, Feasibility Studies.
  • Preparation of Specification, Description of Materials and Workmanship.
  • Agreeing fenestration design principles
  • Advice on Procurement and Contract Selection.
  • Preparing Tender Documents.
  • Analysing Tenders returned, preparing Tender Report with recommendations.
  • Producing Site Specific Priced Scope of Works for the site and agreeing the Contract Sum with Contractor.
  • Monitoring Contractor’s Progress on site.
  • Cost control – Interim Valuation payments and monthly Financial Statements.
  • Monitoring Health & Safety on site.
  • Agreement of Contractors Final Account.
  • Sign off at Practical Completion (PC).

Scope of Works

GEA were tasked with providing the most cost-effective solution to deal with the problems encountered by the leaking and thermally inefficient windows at the Academy.

The Contract Documents provided for Preliminaries, a Description of Materials and Workmanship and a Scope of Works

A detailed Options Appraisal was undertaken to establish the most suitable and cost-effective solution.

SAPA double glazed aluminium windows were the preferred option to replace the existing single glazed crittal windows, as they provided the most cost-effective solution, both in terms of thermal efficiency and life expectancy.

The works took into account the following

  • Water ingress: the external fabric was not watertight due to faulty windows.
  • Disruption to Boarding had been experienced due to water ingress via the damaged windows.
  • Reduce Health and Safety issues by removing ‘fixed shut’ windows.
  • Injuries caused by defective window ironmongery and cracked glass.
  • Curtail on-going repairs and maintenance and replace with high performance treated softwood units.
  • Reduce energy and carbon emissions with improved U-Values.
  • Reduce heat loss and draughts.
  • Reduce noise pollution (Luton Airport airspace)
  • Improve Security by replacing single glazed windows with double glazed units and ironmongery.
  • Reduce maintenance costs.

Before Commencement on Site:

GEA chair a pre commencement meeting on site, with all the parties present, to establish and agree the following:

  • The Contractors Programme
  • To sign the Contract Document
  • To discuss any obligations imposed by the Employer on the contractor working at the school
  • To discuss the site access route and position of the compound
  • To agree Health and Safety rules, CDM Compliance
  • To agree a start date on site after mobilization of the Contractor

During the Project:

Weekly site visits were made by GEA to monitor progress on site.

A photographic record is maintained throughout the contract period on site.

Monthly site meetings were chaired and minuted by GEA and distributed to the school and the project team.

Monthly Financial Reports were provided to the Client to ‘firm up’ costs of any provisional sums or variations and to forecast the anticipated Final Account figure.

The End Result:

The project achieved Practical Completion on time and to an excellent standard of workmanship.

The project was completed within the specified contract sum, with the Academy being kept fully informed with monthly financial reports during the construction phase, as to the anticipated final cost.

The before, during and after photographs show a vast aesthetic improvement to the refurbished blocks, with the additional benefit of thermally efficient windows and external doors to keep heating costs down to a minimum.

Please visit www.geaonline.co.uk for further project profiles and services provided by GEA.

Description

CLIENT: St Georges School

LOCATION: Sun Lane, Harpenden

Start Date: 23rd July 2018

Project Duration: 7 Weeks

Completion: 12th September 2018

Project Value: £400,000 (inc Fees)

 

The Professional Team

Once notification had been received via the ESFA, that funding was available for the project, GEA were appointed as Contract Administrators, Quantity Surveyors, Principal Designers and Project Managers.

The Construction Project was carried out using the JCT Minor Works Building Contract with Contractors Design 2016.

Fees were charged at 10% of the Contract Value (in line with those recommended by the ESFA).

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