During summer 2022 Jupiter Construction successfully completed a 19 week construction project at Harrogate Grammar School, aimed at expanding dining hall facilities and refurbishing netball courts. The project involved site clearance, construction of a new dining hall connecting two existing buildings, and refurbishment of netball courts. Additionally, internal remodelling and alterations were made to create new offices and dining space.
Harrogate Grammar School is a co-educational academy school and sixth form with around 1,900 pupils. The school, founded in 1903, has undergone significant growth over the years, with expansions to accommodate a growing student population.
Before approaching Jupiter Construction, the school identified the need for dining hall expansion and internal remodelling. Working with the Trust, the Jupiter Construction team undertook a Value Engineering exercise in order to align costs with budget expectations leading to works beginning. Safely managing and segregating works in a busy, live school setting were significant considerations to factor in.
Jupiter Construction was responsible for elements of Stage 4 and all of Stages 5 & 6. This included technical design for mechanical and electrical systems, assistance with pre-commencement planning conditions, construction phase plan preparation, information exchanges, and more.
The contract was a JCT Intermediate Building Contract with Contractor's Design 2016, secured through a competitive bidding process based on quality (40%) and price (60%)
Working within a live school environment demanded meticulous planning. Site Management, periodic Security checks, access and vehicle movement was tightly controlled as was the movement of materials. Noise management was carefully addressed as works commenced. A 'just in time' system was employed, and deliveries were scheduled to avoid peak school times.
The team involved in this project were very experienced from Contracts Management to Quantity Surveyor, Site Management and Health and Safety support, this extended to a robustly managed team of sub contractors, Jupiter Construction prides itself on a reliable and suitably competent supply chain with a solid Pre Construction phase built into all projects.
Comprehensive planning included design team meetings and co-ordination for the contractors design portion (M&E) site setup, asbestos removal (completed prior to works commencing) and a detailed construction programme. Regular fortnightly meetings between Jupiter and subcontractors, along with daily briefings, ensured effective communication. Topics covered included progress updates, health & safety reports, financial updates, and issue resolutions.
The importance of detailed planning, coordination, and proactive resolution of potential issues were highlighted, a specific standout issue was the fact that an adjoining and existing part of the building was “out of square/plumb” leading to a separate design meeting to remedy, this was achieved with no impact on the project timeline, noisy works were identified and carried out “out of hours” where possible to minimise the impact upon a school that was trying to carry on, planning meant that this concern was addressed to prevent any program delays.
Jupiter Construction achieved success for the client, delivering a timely project completion whilst adhering to budgetary constraints, the value engineering element was crucially important with this project, sectional handovers worked well with the schools strategic plans. A cornerstone of Jupiter Constructions methodology is the strict adherence and commitment to rigorous quality assurance inspections conducted by the Site Manager and Contracts Manager.
In summary, our successes in this project encompassed a comprehensive commitment to quality, timely delivery, budgetary adherence, value engineering, and strategic sectional handovers. These achievements underscore Jupiter Construction's dedication to excellence, client satisfaction, and the efficient execution of construction projects.
