Construction management: mobilisation

Revision as of 14:46, 4 February 2013

Mobilisation refers to the activities that should be carried out after the client has appointed the trade contractors, but before the trade contractors commence work on site. It is a preparatory stage during which the majority of activities are managed by the construction manager.

The tasks described below are based on the route taken by a project following a construction management procurement route where a construction manager is appointed early in the project as a consultant, and then takes on a management role for the construction of the project.

Project plans for other procurement routes are available on the Designing Buildings Wiki home page.

NB This article is locked to preserve the logic and continuity of the full work plan. If you would like to propose changes or additions, click on the 'submit comment' button at the bottom of the page.

A. Starting the work stage.

1. The construction manager arranges a pre-contract meeting with the consultant team and trade contractors to discuss procedures that will be adopted during the construction stage.

NB CDM planning periods are now a requirement of the CDM regulations, intended to allow contractors (including trade contractors) sufficient time to assess health and safety issues and plan their works before starting construction.

B. Preparing for the construction stage.

1. The construction manager co-ordinates the issue of production information for construction.
2. The client and construction manager prepare and agree schedules of conditions for adjacent properties or structures that will be retained.
3. The client and construction manager check that all necessary insurance policies are in place for construction work and site ownership.
4. The client and construction manager check that all necessary permissions, approvals, party wall agreements and other statutory requirements are in place and that all necessary planning conditions have been satisfied.
5. If necessary, and if it has not already been done, the client appoints party wall surveyors. Go to work stage: Construction management: appointment.
6. If necessary, and if it has not already been done, the client appoints an approved inspector. Go to work stage: Construction management: appointment. If an approved inspector is appointed, the client and approved inspector must jointly issue an 'initial notice' to the local authority. Unless the local authority reject the initial notice, responsibility for verifying the project complies with the building regulations will then fall to the approved inspector.
7. If necessary, and if it has not already been done, the client appoints site inspectors. Go to work stage: Construction management: appointment.
8. The client appoints an in-house or outsourced engineering team to witness testing and commissioning and to take over the running of the services as soon as practical completion is certified. Go to work stage: Construction management: appointment.
9. The trade contractors each prepare detailed programmes for their works and issue these to the construction manager. The construction manager incorporates these into an overall project programme and short period programmes for the co-ordination of the works. The construction manager may wish to bring key dates to the attention of the client or consultant team, such as dates for decisions, dates for the release of information, or dates for works outside of the trade contracts. The client should not approve any programmes as approval might be considered to relieve the trade contractors of liability for programming the works in such a way as to achieve the completion date.
10. The CDM co-ordinator ensures that co-ordination procedures are in place for design carried out by the trade contractors.
11. The construction manager briefs site inspectors regarding procedures for inspecting and reporting on work on site as it progresses. This might include specific monitoring and reporting arrangements relating to the implementation of client policies such as environmental policies (on a large project this might involve the appointment of an environmental consultant specifically to perform that role).
12. The client may need to put procedures in place to move some of its staff and equipment so that it can continue to operate effectively during construction.
13. The construction manager agrees the basic principles with the design team to be used for grid lines and setting out of the site.

C. Mobilising.

1. The construction manager co-ordinates the preparation and issue of a project handbook setting out responsibilities, procedures, and lines of communication for the construction stage.
2. The construction manager prepares method statements and obtains method statements from trade contractors.
3. The construction manager prepares a site layout plan for construction.
4. The construction manager makes arrangements for site communications such as the receipt and distribution of post and information and communications technology (ICT).
5. The construction manager manages specialist design and drawing approval. The construction manager may wish to appoint a design co-ordinator to be responsible for this.
6. The construction manager advertises and selects remaining contracts such as catering, security and cleaning contracts. NB as with trade contracts, these contracts are placed with the client, but managed by the construction manager.
7. The construction manager establishes a contract register scheduling: the contracts that have been placed, who signed them and when, what the value of the contract is and where it is stored. This can be crucial information if for example the construction manager becomes insolvent.
8. The construction manager establishes an asset register scheduling what assets there are on site and who they belong to. This information may later be incorporated into the building owner's manual.
9. The construction manager establishes all statutory site registers such as; lifting equipment, dangerous and explosive substance storage, scaffolding and accident reports.
10. The construction manager complies with any statutory conditions that must be satisfied prior to construction (such as tree protection, submission of contaminated soil disposal plans, approval of work adjacent to an operating rail track and so on).
11. The construction manager (in their role as principal contractor) ensures that workers are provided with a suitable site induction, training and information to be able to work without undue risk to their health or safety.
12. The construction manager establishes inspection regimes and quality assurance procedures for construction.
13. The construction manager commissions any further geotechnical survey work required.
14. If it has not already been done, the construction manager obtains statutory utility drawings of all existing and surrounding services including details of any telecoms, wells and hydraulic mains.
15. The construction manager arranges necessary road closures and restrictions, diversions of services and connections necessary for the works to be carried out.
16. If it has not already been done, the construction manager obtains legal documentation describing precisely the site boundary and ownership.
17. The construction manager (in their role as principal contractor) prepares an initial construction phase plan, if this has not already been done.
18. The construction manager (in their role as principal contractor) develops the site waste management plan.
19. The construction manager notifies the local authority (or approved inspector) of their intention to begin construction. Construction must not being until at least 2 days after notification has been given, or if an approved inspector is appointed, until the 'initial notice' to appoint an approved inspector has been accepted by the local authority (acceptance may be assumed if no valid rejection has been received 5 days after issuing the initial notice). The construction manager should also agree the procedures and programme for inspections by the local authority or approved inspector (such as drains, foundations and damp proof courses).
20. It is good practice for the construction manager to inform the emergency services of their intention to begin construction.
21. The construction manager commissions a survey team to establish semi-permanent setting-out theodolite base plates.
22. The construction manager arranges for the statutory utilities to provide the necessary water, power supplies, and ICT services required for construction activities.

• Next work stage: Construction management: construction.
• Previous work stage: Construction management: tender trade contracts.
• Return to: Construction management: outline work plan.