Tom's questions - SoE Flashcards
Can you give an example of a gift you would need to record in a company register, and what you would need to record?
Any gift or offer of hospitality above a nominal value of £15 should be recorded.
Why is it important to undertake conflict of interest checks.
Carrying of CoI checks is professional due diligence; an undisclosed conflict of interest could call into question the impartiality of the work carried out.
What type and/or age of building would you associate with RAAC.
I suspect RAAC in local authority built buildings such as schools, hospitals, colleges, social housing and fire stations built between 1950 and 2000
How could you manage a conflict of interest if it arose?
Depending on the conflict, if it is deemed to be manageable, this can be done by being open with all parties about the conflict and receiving written.
If the conflict is with the company such as working for two rival firms, the projects could be covered by use of a NDA and internal management such as keeping the projects in separate offices
What do you understand by the term ‘non-intrusive’ inspection, and what is the importance of identifying this as part of your appointment?
Non-intrusive means that any concealed or covered areas will be outside the survey’s scope. And further opening up would be required before reinspection.
What would you expect to include in a fee draw?
The total anticipated fee, the contract value of a percentage-based fee, and a schedule of expected invoicing amounts. I also include details of invoices sent and if they are paid.
What is the purpose of a fee draw?
A fee draw can help project managers to plan their income and invoices. and it clearly sets out what is remaining to be invoiced.
It can also be shared with the client so they can plan their cash flow.
What is the purpose of a cash-flow forecast and why is it important?
A cash flow forecast helps to manage finances, insuring they have enough cash to cover outgoings over a set period of time.
Why is it important to identify project stakeholders and manage their expectations?
Identifying the relevent stakeholders makes it more likely the project will successfully meet the needs of the people who will use the building.
stakeholders whos expectations are suitably managed will be less inclined to complain or be disappointed in a service if it does not match what they ere expecting
What would you include typically in a well-defined fee proposal?
a Fee proposal should inculde;
- a outline of the client request and our understanding of their needs
- The property it concerns
- Our reccomended services
- exclusions, limitations and caveats
- the terms and conditions
- the proposed fee
Why would you obtain a record of appointment from the client?
-a written confirmation of appointment is the acceptance of the terms of business and the proposed fee
- having a record can help with disputes, such as the client claiming you have caused a delay when they did not formally appoint you until late
In your example of Ledbury market House, are there any risks of providing advice to a client without an appointment agreement? What action would you take?
Providing professional advice without an appointment still creates a duty of care, and negligent advice could result in a claim.
by keeping advice broad and generic, not specifying that the advice given is not to be relied on or acted upon without liability.
In your Franks Lane flood reinstatement works project, what did you include in your weekly update report?
The weekly update was only a short email rather than a report, that would cover the current project programme and where we were up to and set out any information required from the client.
In our industry where there is a lot of technical detail language, why is it important in some circumstances to use plain language?
When talking to people from outside the industry, technical jargon can be a barrier to clear communication.
Can you give an example of limitations you might include in a fee proposal?
Limitations might include that only high-level areas safely accessible from a three-meter ladder will be inspected, and unboarded roof voids will have a ‘head and shoulders’ inspection only.
What different formats of reports might you use in different circumstances?
The format of report is dictated by the clients needs. When under taking PPM surveys on a portfolio of buildings a lengthy written report for each building could be information overload for a client. A simple photographic report with cost data is more suited to the level of detail required.
In your Fire Service Training Centre project, what do you mean by the term ‘real-time’ when assisting stakeholders to visualise proposed layouts?
During the in-person meeting I brought up AutoCAD on my laptop and cast it onto the big screen. Using pre-drawn shapes indicating rooms I was able to move these around on the screen to show different suggestions from the client.
When undertaking surveys of domestic properties, what risks might there be to consider and how do you manage them? What action / precautions do you take? What guidance is available to assist you?
During surveys at domestic properties there are various risks I might encounter;
-The tenants/ home owners are unknown to me - They may be vunerable, or have issues such as drug/ alcohol abuse
- The properties could be in poor condition - there may be trip/ fall hazards as well as mould spores
- there may be dogs at the address
I use the RICS surveying safety guidance and my company’s internal health and safety guidance. During lone working I make sure a manager or, at minimum, another colleague knows where I am and when I expect to leave.
Can you explain what was included in your ‘Quality Monitoring’ role for Norham Gardens? Can you give some examples of what you identified and included within your reports?
My role at Norham gardens was to act on behalf of the client to identify risks to the project programme or quality as it was a design and build project.
for instance, I identified that the CLT moisture management plan specified that weep holes should be included in the roof structure to provide an early warning system for roof leaks. However, it also specified that these were taped over during the air tightness testing, which I queried as this would give a false reading on the air tightness and building performance (Passivhaus).
In respect of your role as a Building Surveyor, what are the Principal ‘regulations’ and considerations under the Building Safety Act?
it has introduced new duty holders similar to those of the CDM regulations, these apply to almost all building projects:
- principal designer must be appointed in writing before construction begins
-Principle Contractor
- the Client
The BRPD’s role is to audit the design process and challenge design changes to ensure compliance with building regulations.
What are the hazards associated with entering basements and roof voids?
Basements and roof voids, can both be confined spaces where I could encounter hazards such as vermin faeces, asbestos, unstable surfaces (put foot through a ceiling), low lighting levels, fall hazards at access hatches. ladders
What regulations cover these activities? (entering basements and roof voids)
The health and saftey at work act
The working at height regulations
In using the drone for Rectors Lodge, what did you assess when compiling a Flight Plan? What goes into a Flight Plan?
The flight plan looks at the site location, potential risks in the area and mitigation for those risks or restricted flying areas, the details of the nearby hospital, and where the pilots will locate themselves during the flight and the planned path of the flight.
Whose responsibility is it to provide pre-construction information under the CDM regulations?
This is a duty of the client. However, it is typically passed with an agreement to the principal designer.
