Module Details

Module Code: BULD8026
Title: Pre-contract Management
Long Title: Pre-contract Time and Cost Management
NFQ Level: Advanced
Valid From: Semester 1 - 2022/23 ( September 2022 )
Duration: 1 Semester
Credits: 5
Field of Study: 5821 - Building Science
Module Delivered in: 2 programme(s)
Module Description: This module involves an in-depth examination of the project and commercial management issues associated with a construction project in the pre-contract stage including the effects of design choice and health and safety issues.
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Select and apply theory, concepts and methods of project management, cost control and time management to achieve effective commercial management of a construction project.
LO2 Manipulate and modify historical cost data to formulate cost plans and cost control mechanisms.
LO3 Undertake pre-contract cost planning, monitoring and reporting to identify the potential for value management and improvement.
LO4 Critically examine the cost drivers of construction safety, health and welfare obligations.
LO5 Evaluate different methods of component assembly of buildings to produce product solutions including applying constructability and buildability to the construction project.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is strongly recommended before enrolment in this module. You may enrol in this module if you have not acquired the recommended learning but you will have considerable difficulty in passing (i.e. achieving the learning outcomes of) the module. While the prior learning is expressed as named MTU module(s) it also allows for learning (in another module or modules) which is equivalent to the learning specified in the named module(s).
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module. You may not earn additional credit for the same learning and therefore you may not enrol in this module if you have successfully completed any modules in the incompatible list.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed. You may not enrol on this module if you have not acquired the learning specified in this section.
No requirements listed
 
Indicative Content
Construction Health and Safety Obligations
Appraise the various documents required in construction to support the H&S process and costs associated with them.
Component assembly of buildings
Planning of construction projects, producing product solutions, component assembly on and off site prefabrication, total quality management.
Constructability and buildability
Understand the importance of and how to apply constructability and buildability techniques to the construction process.
Achieving value for money
Establishing a cost management system, implementing company strategy and policies, documenting the cost management system, interaction with the design team, economic design reports required for cost monitoring, understanding contractor estimating and procurement policy.
Pre-contract time and cost management
Project scheduling, time management, budget setting, designing to a cost, monitoring and reporting causes of cost deviation as design develops, identifying remedial action. Relating cost to construction methods. Preliminaries estimating and tender preparation.
Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown%
Coursework20.00%
End of Module Formal Examination80.00%

Assessments

Coursework
Assessment Type Short Answer Questions % of Total Mark 20
Timing Week 5 Learning Outcomes 1,2
Assessment Description
1 Hour exam
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Formal Exam % of Total Mark 80
Timing End-of-Semester Learning Outcomes 1,2,3,4,5
Assessment Description
End-of-Semester Final Examination
Reassessment Requirement
Repeat examination
Reassessment of this module will consist of a repeat examination. It is possible that there will also be a requirement to be reassessed in a coursework element.

The University reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Theory on course topics and worked examples. Every Week 4.00 4
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Review, augmentation and application of lecture material. Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
Workload: Part Time
Workload Type Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Theory on course topics and worked examples. Every Week 4.00 4
Independent & Directed Learning (Non-contact) Non Contact Review, augmentation and application of lecture material. Every Week 3.00 3
Total Hours 7.00
Total Weekly Learner Workload 7.00
Total Weekly Contact Hours 4.00
 
Module Resources
Recommended Book Resources
  • CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building). (2014), Code of Practice for Project Management for Construction and Development, 5th Ed.. CIOB, [ISBN: 9781118378083].
  • Alan Griffith and Tony Sidwell. (1995), Constructability in building and engineering projects, Macmillan, Basingstoke [England], [ISBN: 9780333588154].
  • Richard Kirkham,. (2014), Ferry and Brandon's Cost Planning of Buildings, 9th ed. Wiley-Blackwell, [ISBN: 9781119968627].
  • Allan Ashworth, Srinath Perera. (2015), Cost studies of buildings, 6th ed. Routledge, [ISBN: 9781138017351].
  • Ashworth, A; Hogg, K; Higgs, C. (2013), Willis's Practice and Procedure for the Quantity Surveyor, 13 th. Wiley-Blackwell, [ISBN: 9780470672198].
  • Gerard de Valence (Ed.). (2015), Modern Construction Economics: Theory and Application, Routledge, [ISBN: 9781138861336].
Supplementary Book Resources
  • CIOB (Chartered Institute of Building). (2018), Guide to Good Practice in the Management of Time in Complex Projects, 2nd Ed. CIOB, [ISBN: 9781119428398].
  • Allan Ashworth,. (2008), Pre-contract Studies: Development Economics, Tendering and Estimating, 3rd Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, [ISBN: 9781405177009].
  • Griffiths, Phil; Birchall, Simon; Ramus, J W. Contract practice for surveyors, Butterworth-Heinemann, [ISBN: 9780750668330].
  • Jim Smith and David Jagger. (2016), Building cost planning for the design team, 3rd. Elsevier Butterwworth-Heinemann, Amsterdam, [ISBN: 9781138907379].
  • Rick Best and Gerard de Valence (Eds.). (2002), Design and construction, Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford, [ISBN: 9780750651493].
  • Brian Greenhalgh. (2013), Introduction to estimating for construction, Routledge, [ISBN: 9780415509879].
  • Duncan Cartlidge. (2013), Estimator's Pocket Book, Routledge, [ISBN: 9780415527118].
  • Danny Myers.. (2016), Construction economics: A new approach, 4th. Routledge, [ISBN: 9781138183728].
  • Donald Towey,. (2017), Construction Quantity Surveying, 2nd. Wiley-Blackwell, [ISBN: 978111931290].
  • Duncan Cartlidge.. (2017), Quantity surveyor's pocket book, 3rd. Routledge, [ISBN: 9781138698369].
  • Ian Carroll. (2019), The Quantity Surveyors bible, Oakamoor Publishing, [ISBN: 97819107736].
Recommended Article/Paper Resources
  • Lexology. Various Articles.
Supplementary Article/Paper Resources
  • CIRIA. (2005), integrating Value and risk in construction.
Other Resources
 
Module Delivered in
Programme Code Programme Semester Delivery
CR_CCNMG_8 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Construction Management 7 Elective
CR_CQTSU_8 Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Quantity Surveying 7 Mandatory