The Holloway Consulting Group, LLC are experts in analyzing valid and requested change orders in building plans and specs. Therefore, in this post, we continue our analysis of change orders in building plans and specifications and examine the causes:
- Ceiling Space Conflicts
- Column and Beam Locations
- Changed Site Conditions
- Design Changes
- Design Discipline Interfaces
- Duplication of Design
- Designer Notes
CEILING SPACE CONFLICTS
It is also common for project design and cost objectives to conflict. When structural, plumbing, heating, fire protection, insulation, light fixtures, and wiring are designed into the same small area to cut costs, above-ceiling workspace is often compromised. Generally, the smaller the available space the:
(1) greater the importance of effective design and construction coordination to minimize conflicts,
(2) more complex the building systems are likely to be, and
(3) greater the probability of design conflicts, change order requests and disputes.
In fact, a consistent source of problems on many of the building projects Holloway Consulting has worked on in recent years is the process of fitting all trades into the restricted spaces above the ceilings. Accordingly, many contractors begin the work with the assumption that conflicts in the ceiling spaces will occur between two or more of the following trades:
a. Ductwork
b. Water piping
c. Sanitary, waste, and vent piping
d. Sprinkler mains and branches
e. Sprinkler head locations
f. Light fixtures
g. Structural steel beams
h. Structural concrete
i. Ceiling suspension systems
j. Architectural soffits and similar structures
k. Electrical commodities
Therefore, contractors are advised to familiarize themselves with the General Conditions, subcontracts, and any other relevant contract documents to confirm the parties responsible for coordination of the respective building systems. As a result, relevant contractual provisions should be identified, and the respective subcontractors should be notified of the potential for conflicts.
Potential Areas of Conflict
Consequently, regardless of how formal contract responsibilities fall, the contractor should review the plans to consider each area of potential conflict including the:
a. High and low elevations of all drain lines.
b. Elevations of the plumbing lines at the points they cross structural steel or concrete beams.
c. Distance between beams and the top of the ceiling construction at the points where ductwork is shown to cross.
d. Areas in which multiple trades occupy the same space.
e. Total space necessary for all trades.
f. Sizes of the H.V.A.C. ductwork at the points where it crosses beams or other work.
g. Total heights of all light fixtures.
Additionally, regular on-site coordination meetings between the general and specialty contractors can also be effective in reducing conflicts.
The next topic will be Changed Conditions.