Superstructure

The Superstructure part of your project is where, hopefully, you will see a change most days on your project, as the building comes out of the ground, and the roof goes on. The weather will effect this progress, so fingers crossed it doesn't rain.

From a costing element of this section, they are usually broken down into similar sections as below.

 

 

• Brickwork - DPC to Joist
• Brickwork – Joist to Plate
• Brickwork - Gables or topping out
• Scaffolding
• Joists
• External Frames
• Roof Construction
• Roof covering

 

If you are looking to manage your own project, one of the main things that you will need to remember in this section, is that historically, bricklayers and carpenters have been ‘labour only’ or ‘labour and plant/tools’. This means that you will be expected to supply the materials!

Do not panic with this, as most tradesman will give you an idea of what they need, or you can work it out, or your local builders merchant can normally help aswell. This is not such bad news, as although you will have to organise the deliveries at the right times to suit your programme, and for when your tradesman want them, YOU will be the one paying for them without any overheads and profit that the carpenter or bricklayer may add on.

 

When finalising your contracts, always make sure it is clear and agreed who is supplying what. It may often be easier, and more cost effective to ask the carpenters to allow the supply of nails, screws, bolts and other fixing materials. They will usually add a % to their cost to cover buying them, but you will not get caught short for a pack of nails, and be paying for unproductive labour, or over estimate to have a lot left over that cannot be returned, so we would recommend this path(** always ask the carpenters to clarify what they will supply, as you will still need to order restraint straps, or joist struts**) – likewise with the bricklayers, whilst you can supply bricks, blocks, sand, insulation, try and get them to supply wall ties and insulation retaining discs, for the same reason as the nails and screws with the carpenters.