UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY SARAWAK

Semester 2, 2022/2023

Project Management
Individual Assignment

Title:
Project that delayed due to Covid 19 pandemic

Prepared By:
Ngiam Li Jie (BTM21090001)

Lecturer:
Dr Suman Tiwari
 Build-To-Order (BTO) Projects

Section 1

The Housing and Development Board (HDB), usually known as Housing Board, is a statutory
organization under the Ministry of National Development in Singapore that is responsible for
public housing. As a result of efforts in the late 1950s to create an agency to assume responsibility
for public housing from the Singapore Improvement Trust (SIT), the HDB was established in 1960
with an initial focus on building emergency housing and relocating kampung residents into public
housing. They are doing a projects which are Build-To-Order projects.

Build-to-Order (BTO) projects is a property development programme developed by the

Housing and Development Board (HDB), the government agency in Singapore responsible for
public housing. Initiated in 2001, it is a system of apartment allocations that provides homeowners
the option of when and where to purchase new public housing in the United States. Singaporeans
who want to move into a new HDB apartment in the near future may now apply for a unit in their
desired location through a newly-launched website. If the number of bidders does not exceed at
least 70 percent of the number of flats under a given contract, construction of the project will not
proceed. However, the projects are affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

HDB expects that will complete BTO projects which delayed due to Covid-19 pandemic in two
or three years. On July 30, 2020, HDB released an update on these projects, noting that there are
currently close to 100 HDB projects with expected waiting times ranging from 2 to 5.4 years, with
an average waiting time of 4.3 years. While chief executive Tan Meng Dui of HDB recognized
that delays brought on by Covid-19 "cannot be totally recovered," he also claimed that the building
industry was recovering after two years of severe disruption. According to HDB, this year's tally
of projects finished exceeds that of 2020 and 2021, when building activity was limited by border
restrictions and security management procedures brought on by the Covid-19 outbreak. Three of
these projects were finished more than a month early. Homebuyers were advised about three to
nine months ago that the initial completion dates of all six projects had been delayed as a result of
the pandemic, according to HDB.

There are some reasons cause the projects delay. One consequence of the border closure was a
shortage of labour in the building sector because work was stopped entirely during the circuit
breaker. Continuous supply chain interruptions will also be ineffective. Most of us are aware that
having few resources and employees means either missing deadlines or working beyond the
normal schedule. Many employees made the decision to leave their positions due to their concern
about getting COVID 19 while working on construction sites. The solution to solve the issues are
the shortage of manpower can be achieved by recruiting more employees for construction or
properly arranging the projects that each employee needs to complete, so that even if there is a
lack of human resources, the construction time can still be maintained without delay. Due to the
country's shutdown, it is only possible for local factories to produce new materials to replace those
that are unavailable. Not only that, each employee must verify they are healthy and symptom-free
prior to construction work. Lastly, the company needs to hire employees and purchase construction
materials at high prices, which may exceed the budget. So the government also provides subsidies
in this project.

Section 2

The reason why BTO projects are delayed is due to problems with Covid 19. First is the
shortage of manpower caused by the Covid 19 epidemic. As a result of the pandemic, the
construction sector is experiencing an unprecedented manpower shortage. Border control
procedures have substantially restricted the number of new migrant workers. By July 2021, HDB
must have around 25,000 employees across all sites. However, around 19,000 people are now
available for deployment, representing a shortfall of 24%. About fifty percent of our active projects
have less than eighty percent workforce. The entire building timeline was forced to be pushed back
due to a shortage of manpower. The management did not anticipate that the pandemic would be
so severe that the city would be closed and there would be an insufficient number of construction
workers. Additionally, the staff feared that Covid19 would catch them.

Next, the pandemic has affected supply lines for construction materials in addition to manpower.
A portion of the construction supplies are imported from China, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand,
among others. These include apartment-specific prefabricated components, landscape elements
such as plants and soil, and flat finishes such as tiles, doors, and drywall. Even if there are
employees can come for build, but because of the impact of the supply chain and the closure of
the country, the construction work cannot continue because there are not enough materials to build.
This also caused the construction work to be delayed until the necessary construction materials
could be received to the country.

Moreover, the health of employees is also one of the issues. Because Covid19 is a highly
contagious virus, if the construction starts and there are almost 10,000 employees in construction,
if one employee has Covid 19, all the employees will get Covid 19 because of this employee. Some
employees may choose not to continue to participate in this construction process due to fear of
getting Covid 19. It can be seen how terrible the contagion rate is, and in the end, it will experience
manpower shortage again because employees get Covid 19. Not only that, employees also have
family members, and they also have to think about the health of their families, so they also have
to worry about whether this Covid 19 will affect their work and family.

Lastly, due to the shortage of manpower and lack of building materials, the company had to
hire employees at high prices and buy some building materials at high prices to continue
construction. These expenses have begun to exceed the original budget of this project, and if this
continues, it may end up exceeding the budget by more. In severe cases, the company may go
bankrupt due to the project's exceeding budget. So the company also chose to stop the construction
until it thought of a better way to solve the high-cost problem.

These issues will affect the delay of the project, and at the same time make the customers who
have paid the rent feel dissatisfied and question the company's construction ability. Any further
delay would cause customers to ask for a refund and not invest in the project

Section 3

Solving method

The delay in the completion of new HDB flats has caused homebuyers inconvenience and
disrupted their life plans. This is why HDB has gone to great efforts to collaborate with contractors
and organizations to guarantee that construction goes according to plan and homeowners receive
their apartments. HDB has taken a number of measures to reduce construction delays, including
assisting contractors in identifying priority work areas, allowing contractors to take advantage of
a diverse supply of resources, ensuring a safe working environment for workers, and optimizing
allowable construction work hours.

To solve the issues of manpower crunch, to overcome the manpower shortage, contractors had
to utilize their limited workforce through meticulous planning. To hasten the construction of the
units, HDB has engaged in discussions with our building contractors and experts to identify and
prioritize work areas. For instance, deploying available employees to finish construction and
remodeling work on units before completing work on common spaces, such as precinct amenities.
HDB has collaborated with appropriate agencies and industry partners to recruit and bring in
employees from other countries for regulated deployment on our building sites. HDB is also
considering additional measures to expedite the construction, including as requesting for
exemptions to conduct quieter construction on Sundays and public holidays. This can add 20 to 30
days per year to our workers' on-site hours, assuming they receive enough breaks. In order to
guarantee a safe working environment, all HDB building sites must also comply with industry
safety regulations.

Due to the disruption in the supply of precast parts, HDB is collaborating closely with the
contractor to identify alternate options that would lessen the impact on the building schedule. This
involves harnessing the capacity of local precast companies and obtaining alternatives to
temporary construction sites for the fabrication of certain prefabricated components. In addition,
consultants and contractors may acquire relevant items and materials from other countries, such as
doors, metal fittings, plumbing fixtures and fittings, tiles, etc., by using the curated list of vendors
available on HDB InfoWEB. Supply chain interruptions. When supplies of building materials were
delayed as a result of border restrictions in China and Malaysia, contractors were able to utilize
supplier lists to continue receiving items from Thailand and Indonesia.

To solve the issue of employee’s health problem, HDB collaborates with our contractors to
establish stringent Safety Management Measures (SMMs) on building sites in order to provide a
safe working environment. These measures include automatic temperature and safety entry checks
at site entrances, demarcation of zones within the site with designated rest areas and toilet facilities
for each zone, and daily briefings and posters reminding employees of the significance of safety
management measures and personal hygiene. sex. These procedures aid in reducing the danger of
Covid-19 transmission among construction workers and preventing further building delays. In
addition, HDB performs routine audits to see whether the SMM is being strictly implemented. The
audit inspection findings are shared with our industry partners. These best practises include well-
designed dedicated walkways and safe distance demarcations to lead visitors and employees to the
major entrances of the site, clearly delineated breakout sections for use by separate work teams,
and the display of worker information on each Work Area. Additionally, HDB offers our
contractors with the most recent assistance measures and safety management rules on a regular
basis. HDB is also collaborating with the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) to do a pilot
test of the Antigen Rapid Test (ART) at 35 construction sites beginning in June 2021. This is a
requirement of the additional testing of BCA in addition to the 14-day routine roster testing for
early identification of Covid-19 and site safety. Our contractors were better prepared for BCA's
mandated deployment of ART thanks to the pilot project.

The government has implemented a variety of aid measures to assist builders and their staff at
this time. For instance, the $1.36 billion construction assistance programme contributes to the
sharing of the expenses firms pay to adopt safety management measures and the non-labor-related
delay charges of public sector building projects. Companies have also received manpower cost
assistance through employment support programmes, foreign worker tax relief and refunds, and
employment support programmes. In addition, we grant rent exemptions to renters and lessees of
government-owned buildings for industrial, commercial, and agricultural uses, and we share the
risk of bridging loans to help qualifying Singaporean businesses improve their cash flow. In
addition, we have established unprecedented legal instruments to alleviate the strain on the
building industry. For instance, the COVID-19 Act mandates that project parties pay
proportionately the additional cost of foreign manpower resulting from COVID-19. HDB
acknowledges that the construction sector faces significant obstacles and that certain contractors
are suffering cash flow problems. In response to a recommendation from the government, 36
contractors received financial advances to help with their cash flow. Separately, HDB also aids
contractors by contributing to the cost of project delays. This reduces contractors' non-personnel
operating costs, including equipment rental, on-site maintenance charges, project insurance
premium deferrals, and off-site storage rents. As of the end of July 2021, HDB has paid $22 million
to 40 contractors on 80 residential projects to cover the cost of the postponement. HDB would also
give contractors with additional compensation to offset the rise in expatriate manpower expenses.
Benefits

Due to these safeguards, HDB has been able to continue its building schedule without
interruption during the epidemic. These solutions also provide several benefits to the business. The
greatest benefit is that development may proceed without delay. If things had gone more smoothly,
it would have been able to complete all tasks sooner. In addition, even though there were many
challenges due to the effect of the pandemic that hindered building progress, the corporation
simultaneously considered solutions to these issues. The business has acquired a great deal of fresh
information and management techniques. In the event that the same outbreak or problem arises in
the future, they will be able to handle their difficulties efficiently. If the project is not delayed,
consumers will return to purchase and invest, and also customer’s satisfaction and trust will be
restored.

Statement of Work

1.0 Introduction

Build-to-Order (BTO) projects is a property construction plan developed by the Housing and
Development Board (HDB), the legislative agency responsible for public housing in Singapore.
First implemented in 2001, it consists of a system of apartment allocations that provides
homeowners options in when and where they acquire new public housing in the country.

1.1 Purpose

To allow customers to purchase the living environment and location that fit their needs and to
provide a comfortable living environment, it is necessary to provide them with a choice.

1.2 Scope

It is a form of Singaporean public housing. Typically, BTO flats are released before to
construction. At each auction, qualified purchasers reserve a condo, agree to purchasing it, and
then wait between two and four years for the development to be constructed. There are several
varieties of BTO apartments available, including studios, 2-room flexi, 3-room, 4-room, 5-room,
and 3Gen apartments. There are priority programmes, such as the Parenting Priority Program and
the Multi-Generation Priority Program, to assist prospective purchasers in securing condominiums.
1.3 Where

HDB will build the projects in Singapore.

1.4 Tasks

1.4.1 Project Definition

1.4.1.1 Hold a project meeting

1.4.1.2 Confirm the demand of the customers

1.4.1.3 Wait for the approval from the government

1.4.1.4 Get the approval from the government for the construction

1.4.2 Design and Engineering

1.4.2.1 Prepare the projects design and the construction planning

1.4.2.2 Wait for the approval from the top management of HDB

1.4.2.3 Get the approval from the top management

1.4.3 Preparation

1.4.3.1 Hire the workers for the construction

1.4.3.2 Procurement

1.4.3.3 Get the supply chain of the construction materials

1.4.4 Construction

1.4.4.1 Excavation and piling

1.4.4.2 Do the formwork and rebar

1.4.4.3 Concrete
1.4.4.4 Erect steel frame

1.4.4.5 Cladding

1.4.4.6 Roofing

1.4.4.7 Floor slab

1.4.4.8 External and internal brickwork

1.4.4.9 Plumbing and electric

1.4.4.10 Joinery

1.4.4.11 Plastering

1.4.4.12 Decorating

1.4.5 Closeout

1.4.5.1 Checking all the works completed and no mistakes

1.4.5.2 Submit the report to the top management

1.4.5.3 Get the approval to close the project

1.5 Milestone, Deliverables and Schedule

NO Milestone Date
1. Get the approval of BTO projects January 2001
2. Planning the construction of BTO projects February 2001
3. Procurement the materials February 2001
4. Begin the BTO projects April 2001
5. Finish the project July 2027
1.6 Standards

The standards of this project is that the all measurement and structure must be precise because
if there are any mistakes in the building, it may cause human life safety. It also has to meet to the
demand of the customers.

1.7 Success

The success of this project will bring many benefits to the company. Customers will be satisfied
because they get the living conditions they want. This will make more people want to buy
apartments of BTO projects, and at the same time gain the trust and support of customers. Not only
that, but there may be foreigners who want to live in these apartments. This improves the living
conditions and the economy of Singapore and also the company.

1.8 Requirements

Construction will only begin when demand for the number of apartments in a particular contract
exceeds 70%.

1.9 Payment

Construction Pay ($)

Contracts 3,000
Design 64,000
Engineering 21,000
Materials 1,500,000
Mobilization 350,000
Water and electric 200,00
Total 2,138,000
1.10 Close

After all is done, send the report of the whole progress of the project to the top management to
sign off and get the approval to close the project.

Section 4

In conclusion, because of the Covid 19 pandemic, BTO projects have to be delayed. However,
due to good project management, the project can continue to be carried out during the pandemic,
and it can resume its normal work schedule and efficiency after the pandemic is over. So, we can
see that project management is very important to a project because it allows you to know the
problems a project faces and how to solve them. It can also analyze the details of each process of
the project, so that the project can be completed more smoothly.

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