Project: Bios Building Teesside Uni
Client: Teesside University
Main Contractor: Wates
Value: £2.8 million
The Challenge
Hewitson Ltd secured its first contract with Wates Construction under their Scape framework after a number of years. Engaging with us early in the design phase, Wates Construction sought our input on buildability and program efficiency to navigate the tight site constraints. The project included bulk earthworks and pile mat installation, pile caps and ground beams, suspended ground floor slab drainage with an attenuation tank and flow control, external services, and hard landscaping. Additionally, Hewitson Ltd completed the upper floor concreting works, including filling the delta beam and grouting precast concrete planks in preparation for the screeders. The project was further complicated by budget constraints, a confined site, and the requirement to operate within a live university environment.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Hewitson Ltd adopted a collaborative and strategic approach. We worked closely with the client to identify value engineering (VE) options, finding cost-saving measures that ensured the project remained within budget without compromising quality.
Just-in-time deliveries were employed to manage the limited site space efficiently, reducing the need for on-site storage and minimizing disruption. Deliveries were scheduled outside peak times to lessen the impact on university activities and local traffic, ensuring smoother operations.
Prefabricated steel components were assembled in a separate area, further streamlining the construction process and reducing on-site congestion. This method not only enhanced buildability but also minimized the project’s impact on the surrounding community and university environment.
The Results:
The project with Wates Construction was completed successfully, demonstrating Hewitson Ltd’s capability to manage complex projects under stringent budgetary and spatial constraints. Our collaborative approach to value engineering significantly helped in keeping the project within budget. The implementation of just-in-time deliveries and off-peak scheduling minimized disruptions to the university and the local area, ensuring smooth progress.
The use of prefabricated steel components reduced on-site assembly time and congestion, contributing to the overall efficiency and success of the project. This strategic approach reinforced Hewitson Ltd’s reputation for innovative problem-solving and effective project management, leading to the successful delivery of a high-quality project under challenging conditions.
Hewitson Limited have become a key and trusted supply chain partner of Wates in the North East, thanks to their hard work and determination to complete works on time, excellent programme, safety, environmental, budget and quality management, and the integral part they played on the scheme through collaboration with the wider team meant they were key to the overall success of the BIOS project.
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