RIBA PART 3 EXAMINATION IN PROFESSIONAL PRACTICE

March 2010 Practice Problems Day 1 Questions 1-5

SCENARIO
NDG Architects Ltd is an established design consultancy organisation undertaking a broad range of architectural services to clients from both the public and private sectors. The company was established in 2001 following the merger of two North West based architectural practices. Following a fit out contract completed in January, NDG now occupy new office premises in a converted mill building in Central Madchester. Their satellite office in the West Mudlands which was opened in 2008 is now fully established and framework agreements with two major local education authorities have generated a number of commissions. Never the less the companys turnover in 2009 had been significantly below budget exacerbated by poor outturn figure for the last quarter. The directors forecast a similarly difficult trading period during 2010 but their long term forecast based on economic research and supported by a new marketing initiative suggests a significant upturn in commissions and workload in 2011. NDG Architects Ltd currently has three directors and two associate directors. James Noble architect and MD of the company is largely responsible for practice management and contractual issues. James contracted swine flu whilst on holiday and has only recently returned to the office after a protracted period of sickness absence. Belinda Carter architect. Her supplementary role within the company is to maintain the marketing operations, which hitherto have generated significant new multi million pound commissions. Jill Reading, architect; appointed as director in 2008. Jills primary responsibility is to manage the activities of the practices satellite office. She relocated to the West Mudlands area in 2008 and spent the remainder of the year establishing their new office premises which are located in the Black Country Enterprise Park. Michael Hart AABC, an architect accredited in building conservation and recently listed on the Diocese schedule of approved architects. His reputation in this field has resulted in the practice being commissioned to carry out larger conservation projects attracting lottery funding. Michael is also listed as a Client Design Advisor on the RIBAs CDA register. Sue Allen, architect and associate director is very largely involved in interior architecture projects having completed an interior design course prior to embarking on a career in architecture. Sue acts as the companys quality manager, responsible for the ongoing development and maintenance of the quality assurance system and manual . Certain significant projects in the two offices: New Area Office for Welsh Power, Madchester NDG are currently acting as lead consultant and providing a full architectural service for a new area office premise for the energy company, Welsh Power. Belinda Carter is the Director in charge at NDG Architects assisted by the candidate. John Watt is the clients technical director and the architects day to day contact point. The client has directly engaged a structural engineer, mechanical and electrical engineer and quantity surveyor for the project. The development is being procured under a traditional standard form of building agreement. JCT05 (SBC/Q) NDG are named as architect in article 3: the contractor is Bmec plc. The project is currently 14 months into the contractors

construction programme and already has been delayed by a period of approx two weeks following the failure of the water authority to attend at site.

QuadraPac PLC UK Headquarters Building.Halls of Residence, St Clares College, Madchester Works are currently progressing on site on a prestigious development for an international packaging company to create their new UK headquarters complex. NDG Architects are named as architect in the articles of agreement of the contract which is the JCT05 Standard Form of Building Contract (SBC/Q) Rev 1 2007. James Noble is the director in charge of the project assisted by the candidate. Construction works are currently well advanced and the contractor appears to be adhering to his published programme. The client contact is Ronald McDonald, the companys Chairman and Chief Executive. West - Grovesnor Mixed Use Development, Caistor. Following their earlier commission to undertake outline designs and clients requirements for this 100 million mixed use development, NDG Architects have been novated to Lace ORound who were successful in their bid for this design and build project. Madchester Council Framework Agreement for Architectural Services. NDG have received positive feedback on a number of their previous architectural design services commissions and are hoping to secure further projects before their current framework agreement lapses in 2012. Development at Prescott Hall, Lamcashire Prescott Hall, is an 18 century listed stately building standing in its own 2Ha estate in West Lamcashire. The property is owned by an IT entrepreneur who acquired the estate from its former owner, Lord Leverage. NDG Architects have been commissioned to undertake a limited architectural design service (RIBA stages C and D) on a project for the conversion and extension of the ground floor of the North wing to accommodate a small visitor shop and caf area. Bottling Plant for Get Smashed Inc James Noble has received a preliminary enquiry from a former client who has developed a new alcopop drink for the UK market. Advisory Centre for the Charity, Caring for the Elderly and Infirmed NDG Architects have received a limited commission to undertake a partial architectural service for a small extension and alterations to their existing NW premises. Staff and Salaries James T. Noble Belinda C. Carter Jill Reading Michael Hart Sue Allen Dareem Patel Sven Berg Tomas Hjeltnes George Gee Director Director Director Associate Director Associate Director Architect Architect Architect Architectural Technologist 65,000.00 65,000.00 65,000.00 45,000.00 45,000.00 36,000.00 36,000.00 34,000.00 29,000.00

Ben Dooly Candidate Olga Poulicek Mark Jones Jo Cheung Mary Watts Sarah Jane Key Sophie Bright Jane Dudley Anne Holding

Architectural Technologist 29,000.00 Architectural Assistant 25,000.00 Architectural Assistant 25,000.00 Architectural Technician 23,000.00 Year out student 15,000.00 Year out student 15,000.00 Administrative assistant Receptionist/ Clerical assistant Clerical assistant Accounts assistant

NB All of the characters, locations and projects of the scenario and the practice problems are entirely fictitious and any similarity or resemblance to persons, places, projects or practices is totally coincidental.

QUESTION 1 Page 1 of 1

ndg architects ltd

Interoffice memo
Date: 10th March 2010 To: Cc: From: James Noble Re: Candidate

Edward Gouldens son James has been in touch . He will be getting married in the spring of 2011 and has his eye on that delightful little cottage in Great Bundling. He tells me the property is Grade 2 listed and was designed in 1867 by John Douglas, one of our famous Cheshire arts and crafts architects with a reputation for decorative brickwork and render gables . He wants to demolish the old timber garage, and extend and renovate the original building to bring the thing up to 21st century living standards and wants us to look at it for him. I have warned him that such projects in the villages conservation area can be time and cost consuming, but hes in dreamland and nothing will deter him. The local villages conservation group is chaired by one of my ex college pals who is as keen as mustard on the observance of high standards on his patch we will get a very fair but rigorous ride on this one I promise you. I dont want to end up with a problem leading to tears in this case, Edward was my best man and indeed as you will recognise, he is one of the companys regular and loyal clients. I would like to provide a short two/three page review of the actions to be taken and a programme showing the time line needed to be ready for a start on site .We need to take care that all the statutory requirements are considered and set out with adequate time to deal with each. Please let me have a report to show James ( and copy to Edward). Thanks James Noble

QUESTION 2 Page 1 of 2

ndg architects ltd

Interoffice memo
Date: 10th March 2010 To: Cc: From: Re: Bottling Plant for Get Smashed Inc Candidate

Having only recently returned to work from a protracted period of illness, I was disturbed to realise that our total bill for paying the staff, directors, and national insurance contributions is so large. I am at a loss to know how we are going to find so much money during the current recessionary period. As however a significant proportion of our work has been postponed until after the election in May, we critically need to keep our team together so we can respond when our clients are ready. Clearly this further exacerbates the cash flow situation. It seemed opportune therefore to be approached by one of our established clients who has developed a new type of alcoholic drink which he believes will be a great national success. He is in a hurry to build a new bottling plant of approximately 5,000 square metres in the Noselea Industrial Estate to cope with the expected demand. He wants the plant to be fully operational to cope with the Christmas rush in December this year: This, clearly, may be difficult to achieve. I know from experience that we will only be responsible for the building and for designing the floor to accommodate the installation of machinery, which will cost much more than the building itself. In view of the short timescale he has offered us a lump sum fee of 250,000.00 to provide full architectural services for the project which unusually, given the nature of the development, is to be procured using a standard building contract SBC/Q 2005. The total fee will be paid to NDG Architects Ltd as soon as an appointment agreement is signed . Having discussed this with my fellow directors I am willing to accept his proposal and have said so to him - even though the full scope of the works are not yet known. It is not very often one receives money before one does the work and it will help our cash flow in the immediate future. Anne Holding was annoyed that we have not yet calculated the work to be done or indeed the staffing requirements: Standard office procedure is to do this and then, and only then, to sign the fee agreement. I am afraid that I will be breaking our own rules but then again, these are not normal times.

QUESTION 2 Page 2 of 2 You have a list of all the salaries so I would be grateful if you could first of all work out the cost of salaries plus NI per month for all the technical staff and then double it to cover the office overheads. We will work without profit to keep our team together for as long as possible. How long will 250,000.00 last us? Next, prepare a schedule of the staff that you will need to do the job, and a bar chart based upon the RIBA stages, to show how and when they will be employed? You will be one of the team yourself. Remember that we have a lot of staff free between now and May/June. Finally draft out a letter to the client accepting the commission for 250,000.00 and stating clearly what is, and is not, included in our quotation and what other services such as QS will be required to complete the job and their likely charges. Is there scope for us to be Project Manager as well and therefore earn an extra fee? I like the idea of having fees in advance for once but would the Inland Revenue tax us as if we had earned all the money in this financial year? Would there be any advantage if we made a charge monthly for the fees instead of the generous offer of the total fee when we sign the agreement?

QUESTION 3 Page 1 of 4

ndg architects ltd

Interoffice memo
Date: 10th March 2010 To: Cc: From: Belinda Carter Re: Caring for the Elderly and Infirmed Alterations and Extension to Premises Candidate

No.14 Whetstone Lane is currently an Advice Centre with a single storey extension to the rear. It has a front entrance for the public onto Whetstone Lane. It also has access into a rear yard, which in turn has access to a courtyard, which is not used, and side access into a jigger, which is used, behind the properties in Borough Road. However, the yard is owned by no.4 Whetstone Lane. The other properties onto Whetstone Lane consist of shops with flats over, similarly the properties onto Borough Road. No.4 Whetstone Lane is a house in the courtyard with windows facing into the courtyard. Our client has received planning permission for the attached proposals and wishes us to progress this project to building regulation application stage. Ultimately we hope to take the project onto site, but the client only wants us to submit a building regulations application for the moment and will then have the project costed. The client has also requested windows to rooms C2 and C6, which will be into the wall facing onto the courtyard. Please could you draft a memo for discussion by the partnership, laying out what information is required to proceed. Also, advise the partnership of all the searches and notices that have to be served.

QUESTION 3 Page 2 of 4

QUESTION 3 Page 3 of 4

QUESTION 3 Page 4 of 4

QUESTION 4

Page 1 of 2

ndg architects ltd

Interoffice memo
Date: 10th March 2010 To: Cc: From: Sarah Jane Key Re: Area Office for Welsh Power Candidate

Isnt it odd that whenever Belinda is away from the office for a few days, problems always seem to arise on her jobs. Anyway, I am attaching a letter that we have received from the contractor which I suspect needs your urgent attention. James has asked that you formally respond to letter and knock this on the head. Please can you leave your letter on his desk for signature.

QUESTION 4 Page 2 of 2 Bmec plc Building and Civil Engineering Contractors Gayton Moor Industial Estate Madchester MA99 9BC

NDG Architects Bridgewater Mill Paccadilly Wharf Madchester AP PDA 8th March 2010 Dear Sirs,

IC/223344/10

New area office for Welsh Power, Ivor Way, Madchester. We wish to formally advise you that the progress of the work has been further delayed. This current delay has been caused by the insolvency of the mechanical subcontractor and our inability to agree a continuation plan with the receiver and manager. We have however reached an agreement with an alternative contractor to complete the remaining mechanical installation and under clause 3.7.1 seek your agreement to sublet these works to Heat Vent (Madchester) Ltd. Once we have better information on the exact delay to the contract we shall apply for a further adjustment (extension) to the contract completion date in accordance with clause 2.26 and 2.27. In addition we refer to your previous notification of a revision to the completion date which was issued subsequent to our request for an extension of time of 10 days (under relevant event 2.29.7) following a delay by a statutory undertaker in installing the water main. Under clause 4.23 we now give you notice that we have incurred direct loss and expense as a result of the statutory authoritys non performance and we shall be making an application for reimbursement of such costs in due course. Yours faithfully,

I M A Crook Contracts Manager.

QUESTION 5 Page 1 of 1

ndg architects ltd

Interoffice memo
Date: 16th March 2009 To: Cc: From: Re: West Grovesnor Mixed Use Development - Caistor Candidate

There is to be a meeting with the directors of Lace ORound next week to discuss progress for the 100m West-grosvenor mixed use development in Caister. They will want to hear how we will fit in with the novated integrated design team operations planned for the development from stage D Design and Build Tender level to completion. I am aware they will have the state of the art information handling systems and will require us to make full use of these in working with the team, they have also expressed the requirement to go out to package contracts for all the building elements which will follow the CPI elemental structure. They are talking about specialist specifications being needed for different sections of the work, some prescriptive, some descriptive, and some performance. Quite frankly I am lost since the last specification I wrote was in 1979 for the St Georges School extension. I would greatly appreciate a briefing document from you explaining the background of what they will be looking for , including the latest integrated Information systems and how they work, and what differing types of specifications there are and for what purposes.

END OF DAY ONE Please ensure that you hand a copy of your draft answers to your exam supervisor by 5.30pm