KENNEL DESIGN
Managing Building Projects

David Key

Once you have decided that new-build is the option for your business then some fundamental issues need to be resolved, these are:

Project Brief – Even if you choose to construct the buildings yourself it is essential that you have a clear understanding of what you are trying to achieve from the buildings, how they will fit onto your site, the materials to be used, the overall cost of the project.

Site Survey – if you are constructing a new building particularly on a difficult site eg unusual ground conditions, sloping site etc it is worthwhile investing in a full measured survey of your boundaries, existing buildings etc. A simple method of obtaining fairly accurate plans showing boundary lines and footprint of existing buildings is to purchase a Superplan from Ordnance Survey. These come in a range of scales and can be used for planning purposes, plotting for additional buildings etc. A scale of either 1:500 or 1:200 is normally sufficient to show building lines etc.

Ancillary Cost Items – often these tend to be overlooked, as the main focal point tends to be towards the animal buildings only. It is essential to look at all areas that make up the working environment. These can be storage buildings, drainage, adequate and safe access, demolition of redundant buildings, additional insurances and any legal conditions that might be imposed by the statutory authorities.

CHOOSING YOUR BUILDING PROCUREMENT METHOD

As most commercial kennel and cattery projects are (in construction terms) fairly straightforward uncomplicated buildings, this allows the use of a wide range of methods of producrement. I would suggest that the following are the more common methods used by most kennel/cattery owners. There are other methods available but these tend to be for more specialist projects.

Method A: The owner has the necessary skills and time to construct the buidings him/herself. This is obviously the cheapest method with the owner carrying out the building works and bringing in local subcontractors for the more specialist trades as and when necessary. This method also means that the owner locates and purchases all of the required materials.

Method B: The owner employs all local subcontractors on a direct labour method. This is normally a mixture of the owner purchasing some of the larger items directly such as concrete blocks, roofing materials etc. For smaller, more specialist items such as electrical and plumbing fittings it might be preferable to let the contractor purchase these.

Method C: To use a main building contractor, typically a small/medium sized, local construction firm. This can be either self-managed or managed by either a surveryor/architect or project manager.

Method D: To employ a surveryor/architect to design, project manage and issue interim payment schedules for the duration of the project.

Method E: Design and Build – this is where a main contractor designs the building for you and constructs it from day one to completion. The owner has the necessary skills and time to construct the buildings him/herself. This is obviouslythe cheapest method with the owner carrying out the building works and bringing in local subcontractors for the more specialist trades as and when necessary. This method also means that the owner locates and purchases all of the required materials.

Clearly methods A and B allow the most flexibility, with the option for owner to stop/start the project as funds permit, or to alter the specification without incurring any contractor related penalties that might be imposed with option D.

With options B, C and D it is assumed that a greater level of design work has been carried out to allow the contractor to accurately cost the project. This normally takes the form of detailed drawings showing various elevations, setting out plans giving the correct sizes for the building, kennels etc, section drawings giving heights and the required pitch of the roof. All of these will normally form part of the planning application. Any planning authority will require to see what the building will look like externally in terms of size, material choice and textures.

Assuming that you have opted for option C as your preferred method to construct a new kennel/cattery and that you have had some detailed plans drawn up by another party, these are some of the things that should be considered during the construction period.

Construction Cost – The Contract Price is the lump sum given by the builder. It is essential to establish what has been costed before the contract starts and any queries or “grey” areas ironed out. Often it is the lack of detailed information that accounts for final increased costs.

Materials – Have a clear understanding of the materials you wish to use. Most general builders will not know why you want to specify a particular product when there are many alternatives available.

Contract Documents – All documents used in conjunction with the project should be made part of the contract documentation. These might include detailed drawings, survey plans, existing services on the site, these should all be used by the builder to ensure that he/she has covered all areas of work to allow the completion of the building/s.

Start Date and Contract Period – These are mutually agreed dates between the contractor and owner. These should be realistic and take into account weather conditions, how much access the contractor is given, any restrictions that might apply etc.

Payments – The method of payment to the builder should be ratified before the contract commences. The three methods often used are:

Generally, with any new construction that is likely to last over four weeks, most builders will want to use either methods 1 or 2. The advantage of Fixed or Stage payments is that the owner will know beforehand what the monthly costs are likely to be. Again, these would need to be discussed with the builder prior to work commencing and the amounts agreed.

Variations – All variations to the project will have a cost implication either £+/-. There is nothing unusual in varying minor items in the project; even with the most detailed schemes there are always areas of work that have to be altered. The main point to remember is that any variation should have a cost set against it before the work commences, this needs to be recorded by both parties and signed for. This will help prevent problems nearer the end of the project if the builder asks for additional payments for work that has not been agreed to

Special Conditions - These might be:

Building Regulations – who is responsible for payment and coordination of these?
Access – How is the builder going to gain access to the site? Who will pay for any damage to grassed/paved areas caused by heavy machinery?

Contractors’ Claims – Building is an unpredictable profession, as a client you must be prepared for things not to go to plan. If the builder submits a claim for additional money that has not been discussed it is essential that you investigate the claim and do not simply reject it out of hand. The aim for the successful completion of any project is:

Avoid legal arbitration if at all possible – the only winners from this route will be the legal representatives!

All projects should have some form of contract between both parties. This can be a formal building industry document, a simple letter from the client or a document available from Essential Kennel Design that covers the main areas.

A contract document will not eliminate all of the above problems but will provide a framework that both parties have agreed to. This provides a basis of understanding that will hopefully remove many of the problem areas and issues that so often dominate and spoil projects.

And finally – ensure that you inform your insurance company of any new development. If you have taken the responsibility for the construction it must be insured as it progresses. If a main contractor has insured the project while he constructs it you need to notify your insurance company once Practical Completion has been reached.