Robin Akers Projects

Project Case Studies

Client:  Lincoln College, Oxford

Project: Refurbishment of 12 student rooms to include ensuite facilities and connection to the new heating system

Budget: £130,000

Background to the brief

The College Finance & Domestic committee requested that the surveyors office undertake the full refurbishment of staircase 13 in order to provide improved living accommodation for residential undergraduates. The rooms would also form part of the main accommodation for summer conference delegates.

The existing comprised of a stand alone building containing 12 rooms on three floors with corridors, landing areas, communal showers, wc’s, storage areas and a central staircase.

Central to the scheme was the desire to remove the old communal bathrooms and to provide all student rooms with ensuite facilities. As well as the desire to upgrade the building generally in order to meet current fire and safety standards, the college had also recently installed new boilers as part of a separate project. As each staircase was refurbished the intention was therefore to install new central heating and hot water supplies connected to these boilers. This would enable the old electric heaters to be removed, thus resulting in significant revenue savings.

Finally the work had to be carried out during the student summer vacation and completed before they returned, a period of just 13 weeks.

My Role

My first task was to carry out a full dimensional survey the building as no records existed.

After this was complete my second task was to set down using AutoCAD LT the existing plans and elevations of the structure.

After discussion with the college surveyor, electrician and plumber I established what needed to be achieved in order to facilitate connecting onto the new main services.

Now I could consider how best to replan the room layouts on each floor involving the minimum of structural alterations. This had to take into account various factors such as soil stack positions, existing drainage, service risers, existing window positions and most importantly the fact that the building was grade 2 listed. This meant that external alterations would be strictly limited and that all work would have to meet with the approval of the City Planning Authorities.

Prior to the new proposals being submitted for approval by the college directors, a budget cost for the work was also required. This involved drafting a preliminary specification and scope of works for certain elements. These were then priced by outside contractors. Together with our own internal estimates for other works, such as furniture & provisional sums for unspecified work, a picture of the cost was collated. All the information was summarised into a report, which was then presented to and approved by the college.

Following budget approval I completed a full set of working drawings and tender documents for pricing by three contractors. (This included builders work, electrical layouts, plumbing and heating layouts, furniture plans, fire alarm layouts, ironmongery & door schedules and decoration schedules). The plans were also submitted to the local authority for approval under the Building Regulations (also covering fire regulations) and Planning (including Listed Building Consent).

After appointment I supervised the Building Contractor as work progressed on behalf of the college. I also continued to liaise with the local authority to ensure they were aware of the status of the work.

Upon handover by the contractor I inspected the work for defects and supervised the installation of new furniture.

My final task was to complete “As Built” drawings for the college records.

The project was completed within the programme time and on budget

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