Mainbrace entered into an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) agreement with Coles. We undertook six weeks of design development to ensure a quick start on site in early 2017. The team had a strong focus on targeted cost saving items for the project. At the end of the ECI agreement the project was converted to a fixed lump sum D&C contract. The project was handed over within budget and ahead of the contract program for Coles Developments.
Mainbrace employed several innovative design solutions that helped value engineer the project, saving the client time and money.
– The Coles trading floor and carpark level heights were raised during the design period from the original tender design. This helped reduce the amount of rock excavation required. It also reduced the amount of fill to be removed from site which delivered cost and time savings for the client during the ECI agreement period.
– Mainbrace increased the size of the structural steel trusses over the fresh produce section of the store. This removed all structural steel columns in this area of the trading floor.
Like any project, various challenges arose during construction. A highlight on this job was the teamwork displayed, making these challenges a lot easier to overcome. Some of the examples include:
– We encountered rock in areas of the building pad. This required a quick redesign of foundations from bored piers to pad footings. We also had to redesign the stormwater and sewer in ground services to allow works to continue.
– The team had to prepare two pad sites on adjacent subdivided blocks. Each site had to be complete with connected services ready to allow other builders time to complete their construction works. All the projects needed to open on the same date. Ensuring focus on these extra areas had them ready early for the other builders to start.
