PRECONSTRUCTION TOOLS

Pre-Construction Decision Support Tools

Overview of Preconstruction Planning (PCP)

  • Definition: PCP encompasses various phases of a project such as project development, preliminary engineering, bidding, contract negotiation, engineering design, and procurement.

  • Duration Factors:

    • Laufer and Tucker (1987): Indicates construction cost and contract period guide duration but highlights that complexity can significantly affect it.

    • Example: A $20 million project with an 18-month period may invest 3 months in PCP.

    • Kerzner (2001): Notes that up to 50% of labor hours and costs may occur during preconstruction due to necessary quality planning.

Importance of Forecasting in PCP

  • Laufer and Tucker (1987): Identifies forecasting as vital for preconstruction planning.

    • Early reorganization of events can mitigate project delays.

  • George et al (2008): Emphasizes that front-end planning enhances the project team's influence over the project.

  • Gibson et al (2006): Stresses the need for the project team to document scope elements to ensure proper transition from planning to construction.

Planning in Preconstruction

Standard Preplanning Process

  • Recommendation: Utilize a standard process with technically proficient personnel and owner involvement.

  • Key Elements:

    • Right project selection aligned with business drivers.

    • Understanding client organization behavior.

    • Coordination of planning aspects including people and processes.

Challenges in Early Planning Stages

  • Need for coordination across various stakeholders (e.g., banks, legal authorities, contractors) for effective planning.

Project Life Cycle Phases

  • Kerzner (2001): Outlines six project life cycle phases:

    1. Conceptualization

    2. Feasibility Study

    3. Preliminary Planning

    4. Detailed Planning

    5. Execution

    6. Commissioning

  • Goodman (1988): Offers an alternative framework:

    1. Project Idea

    2. Project Identification

    3. Brief

    4. Project Formulation

    5. Viable Project Shortlisting

    6. Feasibility Study and Appraisal

    7. Design and Documentation

Value Stream Mapping

  • A graphical representation of the planning process, showing stages from project idea to design and documentation.

Critical Activities in PCP

  • George et al (2008): Identified seven critical activities:

    1. Public Relations

    2. Start-Up Requirements

    3. Safety and Quality

    4. Scope and Execution Planning

    5. Site Utility Considerations

  • Studies highlight the correlation between effective PCP and overall project success.

Feasibility Study and Appraisal

Definition and Components

  • Ramakrishna (2010): Defines feasibility study as a detailed analysis of a project for technical and commercial viability, involving analysis and appraisal.

  • Purpose: Determines project implementability and evaluates potential success.

Factors Impacting Implementation

  • Key factors include technical, economic, social, political, environmental, management, financial, and risk management factors (Goodman, 1988).

  • User Involvement: Significant for project success as emphasized by Kerzner (2001).

Aspects of Feasibility Study

Technical Feasibility

  • Involves the selection of production processes, construction methods, resource forecasts, and preliminary cost/time estimates.

Environmental Feasibility

  • Assess impact on ecology, noise control, waste management, and health safety.

Social Political Feasibility

  • Analyzes social impacts, including benefits and potential negative effects on community services.

Administrative and Managerial Feasibility

  • Evaluates organizational structure crucial for effective contract administration.

Financial Feasibility

  • Involves cash flow development focusing on net present value, internal rate of return, and payback period analysis.

Risk Management in PCP

Risk Management Plan

  • Documents processes and tools to mitigate project risks.

  • Follows international standards and includes steps for risk identification, assessment, and treatment.

Risk Identification

  • Ongoing throughout project development phases including scoping and construction.

  • A preliminary risk register is essential for documenting identified risks and their characteristics.

Value Engineering (VE) and Management

Definition and Application

  • Defined as optimizing costs during project implementation while meeting client functional requirements at the best possible cost (Kelly et al, 2007).

  • VE focuses on improving functions needed to achieve project goals while considering overall efficiency and cost.

Benefits of Value Engineering

  • Achieves decreased costs, increased benefits, and improved project quality (Pulasti and Horman, 2005).

  • Encourages stakeholder understanding and cooperation, optimizing resources.

Designing and Documentation

Design Process Overview

  • Establishes programmes, allocates responsibilities, defines activities/resources, and prepares project blueprints.

  • Challenges: Often faces issues with inadequate data and stakeholder coordination.

Involvement of Contractors

  • Constructability Planning: Advocates for early contractor involvement to enhance input on scheduling, budgeting, and method selection (Gil et al, 2004).

Additional Decision Support Tools

Bill of Quantities (BQ)

  • Prepared by quantity surveyors to ensure logical pricing for contractors, enables fair tendering, and keeps project costs low.

Construction Manager’s Handbook

  • Provides guidelines for construction project management throughout all phases.

  • Acts as a resource for team duties, responsibilities, activities, and project processes.

Planning and Programmes

Effective Planning Considerations

  • Involves defining project duties and using scheduling techniques (e.g., bar charts, networks).

  • Coordination of team activities and timeline management are critical for project success.

Progress Monitoring

  • Regular monitoring and reporting mechanisms ensure alignment with project goals and timelines.

Final Notes

  • Emphasizes the importance of comprehensive planning and documentation in successfully executing construction projects.