Building Capacity for Delivery

Transcription

1 Building Capacity for Delivery Rob Johnson Pr.CM Executive Director Master Builders Association Western Cape

2

3 The GOOD the BAD and the UGLY

4 THE UGLY

5 Causes and Reasons for many construction failures and defects Lack of competent supervision Lack of necessary skills Lack of appointed contractor s overall technical competency Lack of sub-contractors technical competency

6 COMPETENCY? What do we mean? Competence is the acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities at a level of expertise sufficient to be able to perform in an appropriate work setting (within or outside academia

7 INCOMPETENCY

8 Incompetency

9 WEEP HOLES BELOW NATURAL GROUND LEVEL

10 Incompetent Supervision and Management

11 Inadequate Technical Competency

12 Floor level higher than sliding door rail Incompetency

13 Unsupervised Workmen on a R6m new house

14 Is this a competent/trained/ painter?

15 This is the result!

16 New door after hanging and painting

17 COULD THIS INCOMPETENCE HAVE BEEN AVOIDED? IN MOST CASES YES

18 Collapses and Defects In buildings are not PLANNED Collapses Failures Defects Patent and Latent CAN BE AVOIDED WITH THE RIGHT SYSTEMS IN PLACE AS WELL AS THE RIGHT KNOWLEDGE

19 Three very simple reasons which need addressing!!! Lack of competent supervision Lack of appointed contractor s overall competency Lack of subcontractors or co-contractors competency

20 Regulators The primary regulator, other than the statutory bodies such as SARS and the Built Environment Professional Councils, for our industry is the : cidb

21 CONSIDER THE FACT THAT AN ESTATE AGENT IN SOUTH AFRICA HAS TO HAVE AN NQF4 QUALIFICATION OF COMPETENCY TO SELL A HOUSE BUT THE HOUSE CAN BE BUILT BY ANYBODY calling himself a Builder!

22 Have Wheelbarrow - will build? It is easy as this

23 ALTHOUGH SOME PROGRESS IS BEEN MADE TOWARDS REGULATING the COMPETENCY OF A CONTRACTOR? FOR CIDB Registered Contractors There exists NO regulator for the licensing of a contractor operating in the Private Sector in RSA. Registration with the NHBRC is not a license for competency

24 CONTRACTORS Employing unqualified supervisors Lack of experience of principals in basic business processes. Inaccurate measurement and inexperience in formulating quotations and tender procedures. Unqualified labour force

25 Competent or Skilled?

26 SUPERVISORY STAFF Lacking experience & not qualified to supervise/manage the project Inexperienced supervisors ignoring routine inspections as the work proceeds. Inability to read and understand or interpret plans. Poor communication between the owner, architect/engineer, project manager

27 SUB-CONTRACTORS No formal training Lack of knowledge and expertise in production of the finished product. Making use of defective or damaged formwork to save money. Non-conformance with standard practice and specifications. Lack of the proper equipment

28 There are other reasons Defects resulting from the wrong selection and specifying of materials Use of unsuitable materials for the climatic conditions Use of cheap materials Inadequate storage facilities Conflicting details on drawings

29 CHEAPEST PRICE! All too often the cheapest price gets the job. What results is the use of inferior materials, which are installed by persons with no knowledge of proper requirements. Too often I see companies advertising that they are plumbers, builders, tilers, electricians, painters and waterproofers (ALL UNDER ONE ROOF)?? Profess to be specialists in all these trades, but they are what one calls jack of all trades and masters of none.

30 EXPECTATIONS IS IT UNREASONABLE FOR ANYONE EMPLOYING THE SERVICES OF A BUILDING CONTRACTOR TO ACCEPT THAT ALL CONTRACTORS WHO RESPOND TO A REQUEST TO PRICE/TENDER OR OFFER TO DO BUSINESS WITH THEM ARE:

31 TECHNICALLY MANAGERIALLY FINANCIALLY COMPETENT

32 Is it unreasonable for a prospective purchaser of a so called spec house or plot & plan development to expect the Builder of his biggest investment to be Competent? Is it unreasonable for the technically competent builders to be set apart from the bakkie brigade and the fly by nighters? Is it unreasonable that unqualified and not technically competent persons should be disqualified from undertaking building work?

33 A defect within a building may be a result of sub-standard work or lack of expertise at time of construction or BOTH.

34 Defective Building Construction Not only contributes to the final cost of the product but also to the cost of maintenance, which can be substantial, especially in State owned buildings. Defective construction includes activities such as compaction not done to correct specifications leading to ground subsidence and eventual early deterioration of foundations. This may lead to the complete failure of a structure.

35 ONE OF THE FAMOUS FAILURES Tower of Pisa Built in ft (60 m) tall Inclined 5.5 but now 3.9 deg. Constructed over a period of 177 years Extensive efforts to determine cause Many efforts to correct problem

36 Conditions under which building construction takes place? are often far from ideal with the focus mainly being on speedy delivery.

37 Code of Hammurabi (2200 B.C.) King of Babylonia Adherence to a set of rules 1. If a builder builds a house collapses and causes the death of the owner of house the builder shall be put to death 2. The builder shall rebuild the house at his own expense 3. If there are regulatory failures they will be put right at the builders own expense.

38 Common Law in England (15 th Century) If a carpenter undertakes to build a house and does it harm, an action will lie against him Napoleonic Code (1804) If there are failures in the structure within 10years the builder and the architect will be sent to prison

39 How do we deal with this? We take the legal route and make the lawyers rich

40 How do we as MASTER BUILDERS ASS s deal with this? Formed in 1891 Oldest employers association in SA Membership? Contractors Sub-Contractors Suppliers Manufacturers Associates anyone who delivers a service to the industry

41 Our Primary Role? TO ENSURE THAT THE REPUTATION OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN BUILDING INDUSTRY REMAINS HIGH THUS ENSURING THAT INVESTMENT IS DRAWN TO OUR AREA TO THE BENEFIT OF ALL

42 We are a VOLUNTARY association s NOT statutory like the NHBRC/CIdB etc You register with them With us you join as a member

43 shall Members of MBA s 1. Conduct their business affairs in a just and honourable manner with all their partners in a project. 2. To possess the necessary technical qualifications 3. Observe the spirit and comply with the letter of his contractual obligations to his client and co-contractors 4. Maintain adequate financial resources at all times. 5. Comply with all statutory and legal requirements The MBA s undertake to investigate all complaints against our members and act appropriately if deemed necessary.

44 OUR INDUSTRY MUST AVOID BEING CONSTANTLY TARRED WITH A BAD NAME BY CONTRACTORS AND SPECIALISED TRADES THAT BRING THIS INDUSTRY INTO DISREPUTE THROUGH POOR AND UNPROFESSIONAL WORK AND IF THAT MEANS ADDITIONAL REGULATION THEN, SO BE IT

45 Competency and co-operation

46 THANK YOU