10

Contractor’s pre-contract
work
10.1 Planning work
Taking possession of site without previous planning could be both costly and
wasteful in time caused by delays in obtaining the necessary approvals,
licenses, permits, labor, materials, equipment and information on time.

Those delegated with responsibilities can proceed with the preparation of the
following major areas of pre-contract organization:
I. Method Statement
II. Contract Program
III. Site Layout Plan
IV. Schedules and other requirements
10.2 Method Statement
It is used as a guide to everyone within the contracting firm regarding the
method and sequence of construction

During the preparation of the Method Statement the construction work should
be broken down into operations, and the labor and plant requirements
decided upon by those responsible for the documents' preparation.

10.3 Contract Program

A normal perquisition to the preparation of a Contract Program is that the
duration of each of the major operations outlined in the Method Statement is
calculated.
Bar Chart: is the commonest and most popular method of illustrating the
sequence of operations of a contract and the expected durations.

Critical Path Charts or Critical Path Method (CPM): As an improvement and

more precise system of programming than the Bar Chart.

This form of chart shows which activities or operations are more important
than others. Those activities which are most important are generally the ones
that need to be completed on or before the end of the durations allocated to
them.
In the same way as Bar Charts are initially dealt with, the preparation of
networks begins by :
● Listing the activities/operations of the proposed project in the approximate
order of execution,
● Calculating the durations of each activity.
● Now continue the preparation of the network as follows,
● Sketch out a network chart in a logical way after first asking the question,
'What operations can bee done first or simultaneously with others?
● Add to the chart the durations Of each activity.
● Calculate the earliest and latest start and finish times and critical path(s)
10.4 Site layout
The most convenient method of instructing a site manager as to the best positions
for hutting, temporary service points, equipment and materials is by a site layout
plan drawn to a suitable scale.

10.5 Schedules and other requirements

Schedules On completion of the Method Statement, Contract Program and Site
Layout Plan.
The most common schedules are:

1. plant schedules
a) Mechanical
b) Non-mechanical
2. site supervisors and administration staff schedule
3. labor Requirements schedule
4. Schedule of Subcontractors' Work
a) Nominated subcontractors
b) Contractor's own subcontractors
5. materials Schedules
a) Nominated suppliers
b) Contractor's own suppliers
6. Schedule of Detail Drawings Requirements
Other arrangements

1. Insurances
2. Licenses
3. Rates
4. Public undertakings
5. Commencement Notices. Local Authority
6. Meals on-site
7. Closure or Part Closure of Highways
11
Contract work and other
considerations
11.1 Setting up site and controlling works

●It is now assumed that all relevant Notices, Permissions and

Licenses have been givers or obtained prior to commencement of
work on-site by those responsible for doing so at the contractor's
head office.
In taking possession of the site, the project/site manager has many tasks to
perform, for example:

● The setting out of the access position for the excavator driver
● The preparation of a site grid
● The recording of site levels from a Temporary Bench Mark (TBA)
● Establishing the boundaries of the site, the building line, and improvement
line
● Setting out the positions for hutting, compounds, storage areas, stand-pipes,
etc.
● Fixing of danger signs for overhead lines and underground cables and service
positions to minimize damage.
● The actual setting out of the building, drainage and roads, using pegs,
profiles, sight rails, batter rails, etc.
Preliminary requirements

The contract manager or some responsible person at head office would have
by now requisitioned all the preliminary requirements for the site, namely:

● Hutting and ancillary equipment (chairs, desks, etc.).

● Administration Documents. Stationery, Prescribed Forms and Registers,
Regulations
● First Aid Box (or facilities).
● Materials. Preliminary list used for immediate requirements, and
Schedules in other cases.
● Plant. From Schedules, Method Statement or Contract Program
● Small Plant and other Equipment. Standard check-list suitable.
● Temporary Services. Subcontractors notified.
On-site arrangements
The site manager should be prepared to delegate responsibilities to individuals
at an early stage in the contract regarding the following
● Security - opening up and closing the site daily
● Temporary Services Control - turning water, electricity. etc. on and off
before and after weekends, holidays, or providing protection during low
temperatures (Ganger).
● Start and finish signals - sounding the whistle, bell and busier at starting
and finishing times, and for tea and lunch breaks (timekeeper or general
foreman could do this).
● Cleanliness of huts - ganger could organize this on a once-weekly basis, but
the canteen would be the canteen manager's responsibility.
● Site tidiness - each trade foreman and gangers to be responsible for their
own materials and equipment,
● Holidays - it may be necessary for the site manager to prepare a Rota to
ensure that a reasonable level of supervisors and administrators are
maintained during the petit holiday period
Control
Administration and site work during a contract can be divided into many
important areas which require some degree of control, the ultimate
responsibility for which lies with the site manager.

● Communication control: Mail, Drawings Registers, filing, telephone

● Operation control: contract program , method statement
● Quality control
● Materials control
● Plant control
● Subcontractors’ control personnel control
● Progress control