This is part of the previous article where we introduced mobilisation. As part of the construction team, the consultant team that includes engineers, architect, designers and the client also have a part to play in mobilisation as the project commences:
Consultant team
During mobilisation the consultant team might undertake a range of activities:
- The contract administrator may wish to bring key dates on the contractor’s master programme to the attention of the client or consultant team (for example dates for decisions or information, or for works outside of the contract). The contract administrator should not approve the master programme as approval might be considered to relieve the contractor of liability for programming the works in such a way as to achieve the completion date.
- The contract administrator should brief 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).
- The contractor administrator should arrange for production information to be issued to the contractor.
- The lead consultant ensures that checks have been done on all necessary insurance, permissions, approvals, party wall agreements and other statutory requirements and that all necessary planning conditions have been satisfied.
Client
During mobilisation the client might:
- Appoint party wall surveyors.
- Appoint an approved inspector. 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 rejects the initial notice, responsibility for verifying that the project complies with the building regulations will then fall to the approved inspector.
- Appoint site inspectors.
- Appoint 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.
- Put procedures in place to move some of its staff and equipment so that it can continue to operate effectively during construction.
REFERENCES
1. Mobilisation. (n.d.). Designing Buildings. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.designingbuildings.co.uk/wiki/Mobilisation
2. Experts, C. T. E. A. (2022, May 18). Building contractors in Kenya: registration, roles, responsibilities and rates. Retrieved September 9, 2022, from https://www.eaconstructionexperts.com/2022/04/building-contractors-in-kenya.html