Builders and Architects

[Bryson]

This is a little "venting" I needed...

 

As some of you will know, I'm in the middle of a new building project. I joined the project a little late and they didn't have any production or technical staff before, so some of the stuff has gone a little unattended to. Today they fitted the control room windows...with 3 great big vertical uprights in them. So I have a quite badly obstructed view of the stage. Unfortunately, we (the organisation) has signed off on the drawings. What really riles me about it is the "attitude" that I'm getting from the Architect and the Builders...they just can't see what my problem is.

 

What would you do?

[bruce]

.... Unfortunately, we (the organisation) has signed off on the drawings. 

 

These things happen. It's a pity, cos if it had been picked up BEFORE the sign-off, it could have been changed at virtually zero cost. But since it's been signed off, any changes are going to be regarded as "extras", and charged.

 

Personally, I'd be talking to the project manager/site agent/builder before the architect. For "minor" items, it's often easier than going through the formal channels...

 

Bruce.

[w/robe]

The only chance of getting it changed now is by being nice to people but your probably stuck with it until you are in the building.

 

I'm about to move in to a new building where I have been involved in all the design and equipment spec. for my areas, which is much worse as it will be my fault when it is crap!

[emj]

Most importantly be nice

 

Trick is when you do the snagging before taking final hand over of the building. Snag the living hell out of the place, The bigger your snagging list the better position you are in to negotiate extras and changes.

The project managers will have a final completion date when they need to be on to there next job and they may have penalty for over run.

So if they have 30 or 40 pages of snagging ( which is quite easy to get to on a new build) you can barter by loosing pages or lots of pages to get the changes or extras you need as it can be cheaper and quicker for them.

Just make shore what you say is correct in your snagging. If you need to get friends and friends of friends in with more specialist knowledge in do so.

 

Em

[paulears]

The worst thing is when you are the plonker who actually specified the thing that is annoying when you have to use it! Designed a room once, and realised when the timber framing for the control room was being built that I'd put a doorway in totally the wrong place. I went in when the frame was up, the day before the sheetwork was due to be started by a different team, and added a missing stud to the doorway, and removed another making a new doorway where it should have been. They sheeted the room out, the chippies came back and framed the doorway - and NOBODY noticed!

[JimWebber]

Having spent my entire working life with the MoD/Royal Navy, I am used to contracts/plans being drawn up with no consultation with the user.

 

It is then usually the user's job to modify whatever has been don eto make it actually work, as the legal and procedural routines are far too complex.

 

Admittedly I don't know the extent of work involved, but I find a "Modify it yourself" attitude often saves a lot of headaches in the long run.

 

It's not the best way, I know.....

[eldar]

Hi

 

I have the 'luck' to be in a listed building. It's a new conversion but I still have a very large beam across my view from the box and you can't hear anything at correct levels.

 

My solution, move out of the box. I operate everything from the back row of the seating with cables thrown out of my tiny little window. The house has lost 8 seats but at least I can see my cues and have stopped deafening the audience.

 

It's not the ideal solution by far, but I wasn't in on the design process so I'm stuck with it. At least I don't have to run through the auditorium, two heavy soundproof doors and up a vertical ladder just to raise one fader anymore.

 

Eldar

[jexjexjex]

At this stage, I'd try to speak to the site staff first and if that fails, go with the snagging option.

 

This may sound like a stupid question, but what sort of size are these verticals and could they be structural?

 

If they are, you cold be sunk without spending a LOT of extra money.

[Bryson]

Not structural. The window opening was open and lovely until last week.