City of Fontana’s Post

GLENFELL TOWER FIRE The case as reported highlight two primary causes they are: 1. Use of Aluminum Composite Cladding: The use of flammable materials, like aluminum composite cladding, significantly contributed to the rapid spread of fire. 2. Failure to Adjust the "Stay Put" Policy: The failure to adapt this policy during the emergency worsened the situation, trapping people inside the building. Additional contributing factors include: Absence of an Evacuation Plan: The lack of a clear evacuation strategy led to confusion and panic. Corporate Accountability: Companies involved failed to take responsibility for their part in ensuring safety. Government Oversight: Insufficient regulation and enforcement allowed unsafe practices to persist. Erphan S Desai Chartered Fire Engineering Consultant

Guiding the construction process through the last phases and organizing the final inspection is crucial to ensuring compliance with all building codes and regulations. Final inspections are more than just a box to check - they're vital for confirming every aspect of your building is safe, functional, and ready for business. 🔍 This thorough review covers: ✅ Electrical systems - properly and safely installed ✅ Plumbing systems - leak-free and up to code for waste disposal ✅ Structural integrity - able to withstand intended loads and usage Once your space gets the official stamp of approval, you'll receive a Certificate of Occupancy - the legal green light to occupy and operate commercially. 💯 Avoid potential fines and legal issues by scheduling this inspection well before your target opening date. The final inspection is the last key step before your grand opening. Make it a success! 🥳

Lessons Burned 02 In construction, every mistake leaves a mark— “When it comes to procurement, from a superintendent's point of view, we would rather be looking at it than looking for it.  It’s better to know that you’re on your game and that materials are ready to go when needed versus being ready for an install and being tripped up with missing materials. I had been involved with a project early on in my career where we had been installing insulated metal panels on the exterior of a building.  The installation had been going on for about a month, and everyone had been happy with the installation.  As we got close to the end of the installation someone had brought the approved color sample over and noticed that the color was slightly off from the approved sample.  As a result, the subcontractor/manufacturer needed to remove and replace the panels with the correct color. The lesson learned from this experience was that when a new material or product arrives on site a first delivery inspection should be done to confirm that you have what’s approved.  This is such an easy and simple step that can save time and cost for a project.” Matthew Champoux - Superintendent at Lee Kennedy Co., Inc. #construction #community #MaterialProcurement #Koncurent #LessonsBurned

As a general contractor, our goal is to be a trusted steward for our clients’ projects. One way we do this is by identifying issues with the plans that could lead to change orders and delays during budgeting and bidding. Addressing scope gaps at this stage benefits not only the owner, by reducing the costs of the added work (buy out vs. change order) and eliminating a potential delay, but it also helps the subcontractors be more profitable in being able to perform the scope efficiently.   In the drawing below, the vapor barrier for the new addition must overlap the existing vapor barrier by 6" to prevent water infiltration at the cold joint (light blue area). The existing area (orange) is only called to be painted, but the existing stucco will need to be recoated to blend in the new 6" strip. By adding this to the stucco bidders’ scope and clarifying this in our qualifications at bid time, the addition will look seamless. The owner will get a high-quality finish instead of a dispute about the visible patch and "what the drawings called for". #bergman #bergmanbuilds #buildleadserve #generalcontractor #nationwidegc #construction #columbus #ohio #regionaldirector #trust #constructionproject #budgeting #bidding #quality #constructiondrawings

Is inaccuracy killing your bidding process? I see a lot of construction companies not learning from past bidding mistakes. This is largely because they aren't even aware there were mistakes made. If you aren't reviewing your bids upon completion of jobs, you're likely leaving a lot of money on the table in your future bids. Here's what I mean... Let's say you bid a job and your estimated costs to complete the job were $100K. You add your 25% markup and bid the job for $125K. To make this example easy, we'll say the estimated costs were for a $50K commercial HVAC system, and a $50K roof. You complete the job and review your bid performance. Turns out, you hit the $50K roof cost estimate on the head. However... You underbid the HVAC system by $10K! Your $25K profit just became $15K profit. If you don't review your bids after job completion to make sure you understand any mistakes made in the bidding process... You're very likely to make those same mistakes again. Review your bidding accuracy so that you don't leave money on the table.

Changes Coming to NYC Building Code: Effective December 11, 2024 - the definition of a "Major Building" within Section 202 of the NYC Building Code (Chapter 2) will be modifed from the existing threshold of 10+ stories (or 125+ feet in height) to 7+ stories (or 75+ feet in height)... This change will impact the requirements for Construction Superintendents, Site Safety Managers and Site Safety Coordinators and will trigger additional compliance obligations for Demolition and Alteration of buildings which presently would not qualify as a "Major Building" under the current standard... In the event you are in the process of preparing a bid for such type of work, on a project involving seven stories or more - take into account this new requirement if the Project will not mobilize unitl 2025...

Not defining what the finished installation should look like to the main supplier prevented the start-up of a £7m investment. 🗝️What is the specification for the finished product? This statement covers many angles. It could be : The type of a car The flavour of a cake The size of a house Or, in this unlucky investor's case, the equipment's colour when it was delivered. Sometimes, the most unlikely problem stops us in our tracks. This client had obtained all the correct planning permissions and worked with the council to get the plans passed. But, the detail 📝🔎 is what matters. One of the key planning conditions was the colour of all external equipment. It had to be forest green to blend into the surroundings. The problem was that they didn’t supply this vital information to subcontractors.  When some of the equipment turned up bright blue, no one passed a comment. When the building inspector arrived with their planning condition checklist, they immediately saw the error. As it was a clear planning condition, they stopped the plant from being started 🤯 So whatever the specification constraints are, please ensure that you get them clearly defined and shared with all potential suppliers and your own teams, even if it is just a colour.

As a professional who inspects & moisture scans new roofs for construction projects, I can confirm that many of them are WET due to a variety of factors. Wet materials being installed, trade damage, inadequate temporary tie-ins, and readiness of walls and penetrations are just a few of the reasons. If you're an owner, general contractor, roofing contractor, or design professional, I highly recommend using an enclosure consultant to mitigate your risk. These experts can assist with system reviews, submittal review, quality assurance, inspections, and moisture scanning. By utilizing their knowledge, you can ensure a better long-term product. Don't risk the integrity of your project. Consider bringing in an enclosure consultant today to address any potential issues before they become major problems. #ConstructionTips #RoofingProjects #EnclosureConsultants

FAQ: Our building regulation application has been submitted, when can we start the building work? A: Generally it takes 4- 6 weeks for a ‘Full Plans’ Building Regulation Application to be vetted and granted approval, however you can commence building work within a few days if your contractor is lined up and ready make to start. 48 hours after the submission of the application, contact can be made with Building Control to inform them of your intention to commence works on site. Building Control will organise to undertake the initial site inspection (and provide a site-specific inspection schedule), allowing you to progress with the building works whilst your application is still being vetted. We can advise regarding contact details if required.

Join our comprehensive course led by industry experts Sam Wood and David Whitfield [to stay informed about the latest Plumbing, Drainage and Gasfitting Standards Updates, including AS/NZS 5601.1:2022 and the compliance pathways for Building Code Clauses E1, G12, and G13. This course covers important changes ensuring you're well-prepared to implement safe practices and stay ahead in your field. https://lnkd.in/gggSuQQP