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Business Continuity – the chief client concern

Fit out and refurbishment projects are complicated.  The construction company responsible for the fit out work has to liaise with both architect and client; sometimes working alongside other project teams as well, perhaps in the role of sub-contractor on a large project.  It’s demanding work that requires skills far in excess of those required on an ‘average’ build, further complicated if the client business has to continue uninterrupted.

This case study demonstrates best practice in fit out or refurbishment projects that take place whilst the client business is in occupation.

The Project

Two projects, lasting 21 and 26 weeks respectively, were undertaken for the client.  The first involved an extensive re-fit over three floors of the client’s headquarters, including removal of a low level roof to provide a glass and steel atrium and fit-out of office space, restaurant and servery areas.  Work in the second phase entailed refurbishment of 40,000 sq ft office space, provision of new mechanical, electrical and IT services, installation of a centre-piece bespoke staircase in the design of a ship’s sail, construction of a secure entrance system for staff, and a completely refurbished reception area with new joinery, plasma displays and mood lighting.  

Coping with the Inevitable

- Disruption to the client business
This is first on the list for a very good reason. Major disruption to client business is unacceptable; the client has stated its requirement for the fit out or refurbishment work to take place alongside ‘business as usual’ and the contractor should have agreed to terms that make this workable on both sides. Business continuity is essential for the client and therefore must be a priority for the contractor.  Nevertheless, both client and contractor will experience difficulties unless expectations are set and agreed at the outset of the project. Thorough planning and a certain level of research – not only into the client’s business but also into how the client actually works on a day to day basis – will be very worthwhile.The skilful project manager will be able to use this data to anticipate problems and find solutions acceptable to both parties.

- Noise
Carrying out any type of construction work without noise is impossible…fact!  But there are many ways in which noise levels can be reduced, such as erecting temporary sound proofing barriers, ensuring equipment is up to date and well maintained (poorly maintained equipment will always make more noise), muffling equipment where possible and scheduling noisy work to coincide with less busy staffing periods or times when offices are almost empty.  

- Safety
The contractor will be responsible for health and safety issues surrounding his own employees and sub-contractors as well as the client’s workforce and any visitors to the site.  The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations  2007, known as the CDM 2007, places legal duties on the construction company and its workers. Every contractor will be familiar with these rules and the obligations that they are under to ensure sites match up to recognised safety standards. Part of the CDM 2007 regulations cover communication – one of the most significant aspects if the objective of ‘safety for all’ is to be achieved. Planning access routes, providing alternative access and/or working arrangements for staff when required, screening off areas from dust or contamination, and other similar activities, all need to be planned in accordance with the client’s business needs.  

- Delays
In a perfect world projects would be completed on time every time but delays are a fact of life, often unavoidable because of circumstances beyond the control of those immediately involved. Carrying out the project whilst the client is in occupation is likely to increase the incidence of delays, yet conversely, delays  are less acceptable because the client needs the construction work to conclude quickly so that the business isn’t impacted.  Once again, project planning and  ongoing communication are the only ways to tackle such issues. Realistic timetables must be set at the time when the terms of reference are agreed so  that problems can be anticipated and potential solutions identified through a  thorough risk analysis.  Regular meetings with client and architect will help resolve minor issues before they turn into time consuming problems.  

This case study is based on work carried out for the Thomson Holiday Group by Phelan Construction. Both projects were gained via competitive tenders. Phelan Construction has worked in partnership with Thomson throughout, concluding fit out and refurbishment on time, on budget, and – importantly for the client – without significant disruption to the business of the country’s leading package holiday company.

Phelan Construction is delighted to announce the appointment of Alan Cansell to the role of Business Development Manager.

Alan has a strong background in cultivating long term relationships with customers and a proven track record in maintaining a high level of customer support.   He comes to Phelan with a wealth of management experience having headed up business development functions and managing a customer base that extended across the UK and into the Far East.  Alan has also worked in Europe and his career has included time spent as a partner in a company specialising in supply chain development, where he was responsible for the sales team, sales strategy and product management.

This breadth of experience in sales, marketing and product management, together with key knowledge of how supply chains work and how productivity is increased, will enable Alan to identify new business opportunities and implement the objectives of planned growth supported by Phelan’s directors. 

Alan’s responsibilities in his new role will include the creation and execution of effective sales strategies; management of the company’s presence in the market place together with wider CRM and marketing responsibilities; cross selling, budgetary control and other business development activities.  A major focus for Alan will be customer service at Phelans.  The company has a reputation for being responsive to the needs of its market; Alan’s knowledge of customer relationship management will be put to good use as he looks to enhance the customer experience from pre sales through to project completion and after care.

Although only recently appointed, Alan is already setting expectations for what is to come and says: “Phelan is a company that has an outstanding reputation for both service and quality, so I feel that we’re starting from a position of some strength.  But I’m not complacent about what needs to be done, or the challenges we’re likely to face as the recession bites.  We work across industries as diverse as leisure and health and this extensive platform is likely to serve us well when trading conditions are difficult.  Everything I’ve seen at Phelan bears out the stated culture of providing excellent work on time and on budget.  My job is to make sure we’re using all the tools at our disposal to create an impact on our target market.”

Director, Kieran O’Phelan, added: “There’s no doubt that Alan will be an asset to our team.  What clearly came across when we read his c.v. and met him at interview was a “can do” attitude; added to such a strong career background, we know he’ll make a difference.”

Phelan Construction undertakes construction, refurbishment and fit-out projects for commercial clients of varying sizes from a wide range of business sectors.  The company is happy to work with other contractors or take on the complete project from design to completion, providing a ‘design and build’ service at the outset and skilled project management throughout.

Phelan Construction wins Travelodge contract

Essex based Phelan Construction has been awarded a £3.75M contract to develop a site in Jackson Road, Clacton on Sea, for mixed residential and commercial use.

The existing office building, which was owned by Barclays and once housed a Woolwich contact centre, was empty for several years before being sold to the Ascott Group – an established property developer with expertise in the leisure market. When complete, the Travelodge will provide 57 bedrooms over 3 floors, but unusually, the top 2 floors of the 5 storey building will be given over to private residential apartments that will enjoy excellent views out to sea. Travelodge operates over 330 hotels in Ireland, Spain and the UK, and has ambitious plans to be the biggest operator in London by the 2012 Olympics. To this end it is focussing growth on the East of England.

An annexe to the main building at Jackson House will provide 3 floors of social housing comprising of 12 apartments, and on the ground floor 2 commercial retail units are to be made available, one of which will be let to a restaurant/bar that will serve the Travelodge itself, Clacton residents and visitors to the town.

Work starts on the 6-month project in late January and will be completed ready for handover by 27 July 2009. The construction and refurbishment of Jackson House is good news for the local economy: Phelans carries out work across the UK but is based in the town and employs a workforce drawn largely from the surrounding area. When it opens, the new Travelodge and associated leisure/retail outlets will bring welcome employment opportunities at a time of economic downturn.

Neil Coy, Commercial Director at Phelans, said: “This is an exciting contract that Phelans is delighted to have won. The façade of the building will be changed significantly to become a landmark building in the town centre. There are particular challenges in the build such as the complex roof extension on the front of the building and the annexe, but we are confident that we can bring the project in on time. Our team is skilled in fast-track remodelling and refurbishment as well as construction, and they will be overseen by first class project managers.”

Phelan makes way for 2012 Olympics!

Phelan Construction have been awarded a multi-million pound design and build project to construct a new Salmon Smokery on a brownfield site in Bow for  H. Forman & Son, the oldest established curing company in the UK.  The new site is bounded by the River Lea Navigation and is sandwiched between two existing buildings, providing a confined and challenging site for the construction team.

The project is associated with the Olympic Delivery Authority and will be the first business relocation completed in readiness for the 2012 games. 

The factory covers 50000 ft2 and incorporates specialist smoking kilns along with extensive fish processing and production areas.  There are also offices and a restaurant and visitor centre planned for the building.

The current factory sits within the proposed Olympic Stadium site and is scheduled for demolition in August 2007.  Work began in October 2006 with a 36 week programme and Phelan are now nearing completion of this high-profile contract.

 

H. Forman & Son, Bow