Building – 37 Cross Street, Manchester
Nature – Passive Fire Protection Works – Block of Residential Apartments
Client – 37 Cross Street Management Company
Project Value – £65
Project Management & Contract Administration – Read more…
37 Cross Street is a Grade II listed building in the centre of Manchester. Originally built in 1895 for Northern Rock Building Society, the property is constructed of stone with slate roofs and multiple architectural features. Converted in 1980 into modern residential apartments, the premises were noted to be lacking in passive fire protection during a fire risk assessment.
Torside Building Consultants were instructed to design and oversee the remedial works to remedy the passive fire failings.
Design, Tender Preparation & Principal Designer
We inspected the site and created a schedule of works to address each item independently. Our surveyors sent the project to selective tender to ensure the successful contractor is appropriate and competent to carry out the works and that value for money will be achieved.
Works included installing fire batts and intumescent collars, caulking & grills to improve compartmentation in addition to replacement of fire doors and protection of the historic spiral staircase within the communal area.
Torside Building Consultants also acted as Principal Designer (PD) under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM). This included ensuring client responsibilities under the CDM regulations were acknowledged and carried out. Our surveyors prepared all relevant H&S documents at the pre-construction stage, undertook site audits throughout the project and ensured the principal contractor was keeping up to date with their H&S files.
Tender Stage & Contractor Selection
The building surveyors at Torside diligently analysed the tenders to ensure each item would be addressed and had reasonable proposed costs. Preliminary costs for site management, dust protection, waste removal and site clean-up following completion were all included in the tenders.
Following instruction of the successful contractor, all H&S, insurance and programming documentation were verified, and a commencement date agreed.
Contract Administration Role
Our building surveyors selected, issued and administered the JCT Minor Works (2016 ed.) contract with the agreed terms. Both the client and contractor received a fully signed copy.
Accompanying contract documentation included the following:
Project Management
Throughout the project, Torside managed the works from start to finish. As commercial building surveyors, we are experienced in the management of works including arranging and chairing pre-start & progress meetings, monitoring works, assessing progress in-line with the programme and managing quality of construction works.
We were able to act as a professional point of contact for contractors, sub-contractors, the property manager, the fire risk assessor, leaseholders and tenants to ensure the project ran smoothly.
Although fire protection works are often hidden elements and not transformative aesthetically, we pride ourselves knowing the properties we complete passive fire protection works on are safer for residents to accommodate.
Our commercial building surveyors at Torside Building Consultants are experienced in managing construction projects of all natures and sizes.
If you have a construction project in mind, get in touch via the Contact Us page.
