In a recent project, the Civil and Infrastructure Group stepped out on a limb. The Group decided to offer a scope of work to a contingent of clients that would, in the opinion of WBI, allow the overall project to move forward in a more efficient and schedule driven manner.
Prior to the start of the project, the management team recognized that the main risk on the job ran through the underground utilities that were both inside and outside the building footprint. There were seven layers of utilities (domestic water, fire water, sewer, storm, telecom, electrical and force main) that wove in and around each other. WBC&I offered to a series of clients the option to excavate, backfill and in some cases install each of these utilities. The Group felt that one contractor taking on each of these scopes would allow better planning, work flow and quality of work. Luckily for WBI, the Group of clients agreed and accepted that offer. While this was what WBC&I felt, was a huge win for the project as a whole, it did put the Group in a precarious position. As always, not only was it absolutely necessary that the project team deliver on the promises made related to schedule, safety and quality but the deal also made almost every subcontractor on site, a client of WBI. Each of which had differing needs but all had the common goal of a safe, successful project.
Prior to striking these deals, WBI’s virtual construction team began modeling the entire project. This rough model was used to pre-plan the job and provide the necessary info to the group of clients that allowed them to have faith WBC&I could plan, execute and complete the suggested scope of work. After award, through the GC and owner, WBI’s team coordinated with all of the other subs on site to put together what would become the BIM model used in the field on a daily basis. The Group set up its trailer with two 48” monitors which would allow WBI and all of its clients to view full size drawings on one screen while maneuvering the 5D model on the other. This area became a usual gathering spot for discussion and planning for many of the trades and General Contractor.
The project continues and the group of clients will be the final judges but as the critical path has moved off the underground work, all signs point to a successful first venture into the scope offering of full project subsurface construction.
This combined with the already popular combined scope of Civil/Infrastructure and Building Concrete, the Mission Critical site has become a great project for WBI as a whole. We look forward to many more opportunities where we can provide another full project subsurface construction scope to all of our clients on a job site.
