Spec Finish

Technical www.thefis.org 13 NEWGUIDES FROM FIS AIMS TO REDUCE THE 97% OF DRYLINING JOBSWHICH STARTWITH INSUFFICIENT INFORMATION FIS member Matt Taylor , Director at Taylor Design Consultancy tells us about the unsettling results identified from the FIS Tendering, Procurement and Contracts Research Survey and that this gives rise to FIS writing two new guides; a Pre-construction guide and a Site Guide that will be released in quarter one of this year. I NDecember 2017, following the Grenfell Tower fire, Dame Judith Hackitt issued an InterimReport, which presented her initial findings and those of her team. One of the statements included was “A cultural and behavioural change is now required across the whole [construction] sector to deliver an effective system that ensures complex buildings are built andmaintained so that they are safe for people to live in for many years after the original construction. Themindset of doing things as cheaply as possible and passing on responsibility for problems and shortcomings to others must stop.” Five years have passed, yet we still frequently see built defects making their way into constructed works, cost savings taking precedence above all else, and responsibilities being passed down through the supply chain, rather than being responsibly addressed. Unsettling results In 2021, FIS released the FIS Tendering, Procurement and Contracts Research Survey amongst its member base. The intention of the survey was to obtain an accurate representation of the working processes, that form a drylining contract and how these operate under contractual and site conditions. The survey was introduced for the purpose of identifying where, in reality, processes ‘break down’, or do not perform as they are proposed to, in theory. The results returned were unsettling. 97% of the organisations who took part had been asked to commence construction, without having sufficient information to accurately detail the installation of the work. Concerningly, the survey also returned a 96% response from participants, stating discrepancies/ambiguity within specified/ drawn information as one of the main complications at the tender stage. Other issues were also identified, such as communication problems within project teams, unavailability of information/ reluctance to provide information upon request, and insufficient timescales to effectuate resolution of design/construction issues; all of which were stated as causes of reworking, delays, and unforeseen costs. The absence of information and errors contained within the design information often causes significant delays, which cause projects to overrun on programme and exceed the budget. More seriously, these are also two of the major causes of built defects within the finished works. As a consequence, more than 90% of construction projects experience some level of delay greater than 10% beyond the planned schedule. Most often, this is due to the cumulative build-up of a high volume of small tasks within a project each experiencing an issue resulting in a short delay. Simply, well designed and managed projects cost less, are less subject to delays, and have a lower percentage of built defects, than poorly designed and managed projects. The launch of two new FIS Guides At Futurebuild on 9March FISwill be releasing two new guides; a Pre-construction guide for Drylining and a Site Guide for Drylining. These guides follow the FIS Specifiers’ Guide and continue the provision of information and guidance to point of installation. The FISPre-constructionGuide is aimed at reducing risks, encouraging responsible planning and assessing compliance, prior to construction start. It will focus on the lead up to commencing installationworks; tendering and checking bids for compliance, understanding the time requirements and site conditions to ensure a compliant bid and ensuring that design information is both sufficient andfit for purpose, respecting the limitations of the materials and systems proposed. The FIS Site Guide is aimed at reducing risk and ensuring compliance, to bring the project in on time, and within budget. It focuses on acknowledging preparatory works, sequencing, checking of design information prior to construction, recognition of common issues and how to address them and quality checking, to ensure build compliance. Whilst the FIS Specifiers Guide provides specifiers with guidance to assist in the correct specification of drylining works packages, these two site-related sector guides are aimed at continuing this guidance, through the lead up to construction, to point of handover. Drylining has been previously considered a non-skilled trade package, yet the drylining systems within a building formfirewalls and fire escape routes, providing internal passive fire protection within the building. Whilst much of our recent focus has related to the façade, typically we see fire compartment walls, formed of Shaftwall, spanning floors through the formation of riser and core walls. It is therefore paramount that responsible pre-construction arrangements are both acknowledged and adhered to and a competent contractor, capable of adhering to and continuing these arrangements, is appointed, to ensure that drylining constructions achieve their required performances. The FIS Pre-construction Guide and FIS Site Guide will utilise the information, knowledge and good practice employed by its members, allowing retention and communication of this information, to improve works package delivery, enhance quality, and to encourage cultural and behavioural change within this area of construction. When launched the guides will be available to all FIS members at www.thefis.org/membership-hub/ publications/site-guides/ Matt Taylor, Director at Taylor Design Consultancy