Contract Administration in Alexandra Park

Documented building context

Haringey’s Muswell Hill appraisal, adopted in February 2008, describes the odd-numbered 51–65 Alexandra Park Road terrace with red brick, pitched slate roofs, porches and distinctive corner bays. It separately records 67–83 as linked semi-detached houses from the 1920s or 1930s, with rendered upper floors and hipped tiled roofs. These are different groups on the road’s western section, not a description of every Alexandra Park address.

Existing-building records for the tender

For an address described as Alexandra Park, assemble the title or lease, current floor plan and alteration chronology before assuming that a park, conservation or listing boundary covers the whole plot. Ask the council about the particular building and work, with the mapped source identified.

Alexandra Park tender and contract decisions

For work to the 51–65 Alexandra Park Road group described by Haringey, distinguish the corner bay, porch and main slate covering in the tender schedule. A single roof-repair allowance can obscure where the contractor expects to work. Ask for the proposed access, temporary protection and quantities against each identified position. Where the corner projection belongs to a different elevation, locate that return on the drawing and include it in the agreed inspection sequence. The appraisal supplies a starting description; the current survey must establish the actual materials and repair needs.

An instruction for one of the later linked pairs at 67–83 needs a different component breakdown. Identify the hipped tiled roof, rendered upper wall and linking element separately. Record which surfaces are retained and what the design proposes to open, repair or replace. If investigation at the link reveals a different construction from the tender assumption, keep the photographs and designer's detail with the proposed change. Under the selected JCT form, use the agreed instruction and valuation procedures; the name of the road does not establish a contractor's entitlement.

Before inviting prices, put the actual plot, occupied rooms and access routes beside the priced work sections. A scaffolding proposal for the terrace's corner bay should not silently become the access assumption for a linked semi-detached house. Confirm the permission position for the particular building with the appropriate adviser. At handover, compare the completed work with the specified bay, roof or rendered section and list unfinished items by location. Retain the accepted material references, alteration drawings and relevant guarantees in the project file so a later maintenance enquiry can identify what this contract actually covered.

HCS cannot act as independent contract administrator where HCS is the contractor.

Contract scope

• Haringey: Muswell Hill Conservation Area Character Appraisal, adopted 11 February 2008 — PDF page 58 / printed 53, paragraphs 10.13–10.15, Alexandra Park Road; cover page 1 records adoption 11 February 2008.

• Major works
• Tendering
• Clerk of Works
• Employer's Agent
• Insurance reinstatement

• Haringey area guide
• Muswell Hill
• Hornsey
• Wood Green
• Crouch End
• Highgate

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