(iii)
Some form of prefabrication or precasting of concrete units, (beams, columns, floor joists, hollow blocks) means faster and cheaper construction, but is only fully applicable to large schemes.
(iv) The general adoption by designers of standardization of units such as windows and doors, will also reduce building costs. Many countries are now setting up a Standards Committee with a view to standardization of sizes and saving in production costs.
H.
BILLS OF QUANTITIES
(i)
(ii)
(iii)
The use of bills of quantities in Hong Kong is com- paratively recent and still not general practice. Whenever the building owner can fully determine his requirements and desires a firm competitive tender for the work before authorising it, a contract embodying bills of quantities is the one that should be used. A contractor cannot, merely by looking at the draw- ings and specification say exactly what price he would If, however, he is require for carrying out the work. given an itemised list of the various component parts of the building with the description and quantity of each, he can, by putting a price to each item, build up a total sum for which he is prepared to carry out the work. (iv) The stages in translating the building owner's require-
ments into a firm estimate are:-
(v)
(a) First, they are converted by the architect into plans. detail drawings and specification of materials and workmanship.
(b) Secondly, these latter are analysed and converted into terms of measurement by the quantity surveyor, the result being set out in a form suitable for pricing, which will give contractors a clear and
for their tender. The bill uniform basis
of quantities is the result of this analysis. (c) Finally, the bill of quantities is sent to every contractor tendering; he then puts a price to each item and so builds up the total of his tender. The best results are obtained from this procedure only if the quantity surveyor is supplied with the fullest particulars by the architect, who in his turn needs all Time possible information from the building owner. spent on planning and co-ordinating the work before putting it in hand will be found to save both time and money in the end.
(vi) It is only thus that keen competitive prices can be obtained for so complex and detailed an operation as building, involving, as it does, many different trades and types of material. The procedure outlined results in tenders which are the outcome of pricing on a carefully prepared common basis and are therefore properly com- parable with each other. It removes the element of gambling, which would be present but for the analysis which the bill of quantities provides, and for which the owner must eventually pay, still leaving to the contractor the assessment of his proper risks and the opportunity to display his estimating skill-the most important factor in securing work on reasonable terms. (vii) It is recommended that wider use of bills of quantities based upon clear specifications be made in Hong Kong. These bills of quantities need not be too elaborate involving the separation of each minute labour. In fact it is preferable in Hong Kong to incorporate with the main items of work the sundry labours etc. in connection therewith.
The following are examples and the local contrac- tors are quite conversant with pricing works based upon such comprehensive items:
as
(a) Excavation including planking and strutting. (b) Reinforced concrete including timber form.work and sundry labours such as perforations or chases. (c) Brickwork including sundry labours such
perforations, chases, cutting and pinning ends of lintols. (d) Plaster including narrow widths and corners.
J. DESIGN.
(1)
(ii)
(ii)
It is the responsibility of the engineer or architect to design buildings for simplification of workmanship, the maximum of mechanisation in construction work and the use of factory made components so as to involve less skilled labour on site, and avoiding, where com- patible with the clients wishes, any process involving long or costly operations.
Since in Hong Kong almost every site has its own individual peculiarities, standardization of design of houses cannot well be considered unless and until a large area is made available for development. In any case the proposed buyer, as opposed to the unknown tenant is entitled to his own choice of design and layout, with the result that a multiplicity of designs is required. We consider that no useful purpose would be served by the erection of experimental houses embodying the latest designs and using improved methods. (a) The experimental features of such construction would not be apparent to the layman whose criterion would be cost, and the cost of construction of houses similar to the prototype would vary according to the location (cost of land & transport), the contractor and the architect. (b) In addition, we are of the opinion that the public would be willing to rent such houses but would be reluctant to buy. This would involve the question of finding cheap finance for the construction of such houses to ensure reasonable rent. (iv) Prefabricated houses, that is built entirely of factory produced components, have been built in many coun- tries and we have investigated the cost of such build- ings for Hong Kong and find that they are more expensive per cubic foot than locally constructed per- manent houses.
K.
(i)
(ii)
(a) The design of such available prefabricated houses is based on temperate zone requirements and does not conform with Hong Kong Buildings Ordinance or Health regulations.
(b) Their life is a matter of conjecture even in tem- perate climates where the disadvantages, such as we have in Hong Kong, of typhoons, great varia- tions of humidity and heat as well as white ants and other pests, are not present.
(c) Prefabricated houses are generally of single storey construction which at present day land values in the Colony is uneconomic.
REVISED BUILDING REGULATIONS
Although the present Ordinance is not a major deterrent to the construction of buildings nor the sole cause of the high cost of buildings, we consider however that it is a contributory cause of high costs and should be revised to allow of modern development and cheaper methods and materials of construction. Certain revisions to the existing Buildings Ordinance 1935 were recommended in a brief interim report to Government on 11th December 1947. Fuller and more complete recommendations for such revision are being made.
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