Who Made the Team? Before you start anything at all, you decide you want to construct a new building or refurbish/ extend an existing building. From that point you usually commence in one of two ways : As client, you discuss the proposed construction work with a couple of designers to see who gels and who you could come to trust. One designer is appointed as team leader (contract administrator), layout and elevations are proposed, approved and fixed. You are aware of a builder who can do the type of job you know you want and they arrange a special design for you or they offer a standard building from their catalogue. Layouts and elevations are proposed, approved and fixed. Some clients initially prefer to appoint a Project Manager but this is relatively rare. For both 1 & 2 before submission to the planning authorities, you may need input from other consultants, perhaps not. After permission to commence work is granted, you appoint other specialist consultants who overlay their designs onto the fixed and approved scheme. What will probably occur. You will for example, engage a consultant structural engineer who will have opinions on an appropriate structure for the house. They will have considered previous land uses, adjacent trees, plants and site conditions, tested the soil type and considered the dead and live loads you are imposing. They will have looked at the layout and thought through issues leading them to conclude on a recommended foundation. The team will continue this process for each structural element of the walls, floors and roof and manufactured components such as windows, doors, and services such as heating & cooling etc. The team will complete the design to meet current regulations and this is a lot to take in and question. If you have concerns and wish to bring them forward for inclusion in the design process, then you are leaving it too late if you only know what is planned on completion by reading their drawings. For you to have an input you will need to have engaged with all the team members earlier and kept up with the design deliberations. This does not normally occur as clients do not usually have this much detailed input. Its more that you employ specialists and they bring their specifications forward in isolation. The danger in this approach is that consultants only design within their specialism. They add to what went before. They do not offer innovation, as they have pre-set guidelines to work within. Fitzpatrick Team look at things differently. We propose that the members of the consultant’s team should not work separately and just bring their expertise individually to bear on the pre-fixed proposal. They should from the beginning feel that they are in a partnership to produce the best overall solution that they can. By the specialist consultant’s early involvement, they influence choices available and selections made. Not only does their input include valuable insights and joined up technologies it also allows items that seem obvious and costly to be omitted or made redundant. The selection of one technology negates or reduces the size of another. This can produce an energy-saving design and reduce costs. The concept of how the team will operate is an excellent starting point in the earliest conversations. Discussion should include your vision for your business, and your take on sustainable design. By raising these points early in preliminary meetings, you are setting the scene for a collaborative or ‘integrative’ approach. Fitzpatrick Team are very focussed on leading the right team to deliver what you want, not what complies with a distant and out of touch regulation. Give Mark a call to discuss your project.

Do I need a hoarding or a security fence? In Melbourne all demolition works require secure fencing to protect passers-by and restrict access. This is invariably a temporary fence erected for the duration of the works. If the boundary is beside a public throughfare it can only be a wire security fence if the distance from the structure is more than the measurement of twice the height of the existing building. Otherwise, it must be a solid hoarding. How high should hoardings be? Australian standards call for perimeter security fences/hoardings to all building and demolition sites. The minimum height is set at 1.8m high above an adjacent public throughfare. The three most popular security fences are:- Solid Timber Solid timber hoardings are constructed by concreting large robust timber posts into the ground and fitting timber runners between. Bracing may be added for extra stability. Sheets of ply are fixed to the timber structure facing out of the site to the public area. They are often 2.4 m high as the lower minimum of 1.8m is often considered a little modest. Sheets of ply are produced at a standard 2.4 x 1.2m and this has become the default height of typical hoardings. In order to increase their aesthetic appearance, a skirting/plinth or a frame is often fixed to the external face edges. The hoarding is painted and signage fixed to the face with public warnings and information. In order to impress potential purchasers/customers or because of the prestige of the building behind hoardings are often ‘wrapped’ in a plastic sheeting with high quality images or signs. Solid Steel Solid steel is used where a solid hoarding is required but it does not have to be as robust as a timber post ply hoarding. The factory formed panels are all made to standard sizes and pre-painted. They are supported by purpose made concrete or weighted plastic feet. They are placed on the ground and do not need to be secured down as they rely on self-weight. They are coupled together laterally by connectors that are manufactured as part of the kit. Standard size gates can be included in the package. Signage can be fixed to the face of the solid panels. Wire Panel Wire panel fences are similar to solid steel although obviously they are wire with openings. They can be left as a finished product or often netting is fixed to the panels still allowing vision from external areas but stopping items protruding through the fence. The netting can be printed with information or warnings. These kits can be purchased outright or hired for the works duration. One benefit of the solid steel or wire panels is that they are speedily demountable and moveable whereas the timber fencing is static. Should Hoardings be lit in Melbourne? On Melbourne demolition sites lighting should be provided so that operations and obstructions are clearly visible. Basically, we want to protect any person working on site or passing by. So, if lighting inside the assists, then provide lighting. If lighting the hoarding prevents people or vehicles colliding with the hoarding then light the hoarding. This will be determined by an on-site risk assessment. Construction sites are similar but other concerns are also raised. It may also be a consideration that security lighting reduces the likelihood of unauthorised entry. As part of our hazard identification and site risk assessment procedure, we assess what protections and security should be in place. Give us a call to discuss risk management and protection. Do Hoardings Have to be Designed by an Engineer in Melbourne You can only erect hoardings with the land owner’s approval. Permission from a private owner can be either formal or informal. If the owner is a council or public body this is always ultra-formal and detailed authorisation is necessary. They sometimes publish application requirements on their websites and you need to follow their conditions to the letter. When you progress into discussion, they often ask you to supply structural calculations from an engineer for the hoarding to demonstrate that it will be stable. They will more than likely ask for design drawings, work plans, details of plant and tools, certificates of insurances, traffic management plans, health and safety documents etc. This leads to a formal agreement between you and the authority. Fitzpatrick’s are well versed in these negotiations and the compilation of fully compliant documentation. Give Mark a call and we can take over this for you!