What are the challenges?
Any job involving fixing something has challenges. The complications found in doing high rise repair jobs usually give contractors something extra to think about.
High rise projects comprise of anything related to apartments, office buildings, condos and even industrial buildings. They are almost the same as other residential and commercial projects with the primary difference being that most of the job is done above the ground. In that regard, issues that come into any repair job such as accessing the workspace, establishing relationships with the tenants and investors, and keeping a clean safety record are often prioritized.
One of the most significant challenges that a high-rise repair job faces is accessing the work area successfully
The best things to use are the swing stages. They give you the chance to focus on the parts that need to be repaired. However, these types of structures might not be very suitable for some specific kinds of structures. In such cases, building mast climbing platforms that can be put all over the whole building can help experts to gain access to the areas of focus. Accessing the areas of focus can be one of the most costly and cumbersome things about this job, especially if only minor repairs are required.
Do not attempt to use shortcuts
Do not attempt to use shortcuts when it comes to quality to forgo the cost of accessing the area as it could backfire. This can be especially true if the repairs you are making are covered under warranty.
Using a swing stage to do the work
Putting up a swing stage is not always very straightforward. The ends of the platform are held in place using stirrups that are connected to large electric motors. These motors are run using traction pullers that drift up and down of a series of diameter wire cables. The cables are linked to the beams on the roof of the holding structure, and the weight of the poles are expertly counter weighted to avoid overturning. The beams must be connected back to the holding structure. Going through the mentioned procedure needs some significant amount of skills and knowledge about the spreading of loads, selecting the right amount of counterweight and several other notable safety concerns. The entire system should be designed by an expert who has the necessary experience in installing, maintaining and changing the various parts.
the elevator, hoists or crane?
At the onset of the job, all the weights, beams, drop cables, tie back cables and roof protection should be ferried to the roof using the elevator, hoists or a crane. In some cases, these pieces of equipment need to be carried to the roof by hand as some elevators do not reach the rooftops. After everything has safely arrived at the roof, the suspension part can be installed first followed by the drop cables that go from the side of the structure to the swing stage down the building. You need to get an electric cord to power the motors. Furthermore, you will need to address several other concerns such as car traffic, pedestrian traffic, landscaping structures and glass walls among others.
planning and organization of the work is critical
When dealing with massive repair jobs, the planning and organization of the work is critical. High rise work will most probably have between ten and twenty repair jobs being done at a particular instant. The nature of the work may differ from one job to another but typically include everyday tasks such as waterproofing, grinding, chipping, forming, blasting and pouring simultaneously. This is a different level of multitasking, and it calls for careful planning and execution. It is important to have a clear and detailed sequence strategy before the project starts as it allows you to manage the people working there and how they time their tasks. Taking an example, when fixing damaged concrete parts, the reduction of capacity from the removal of some parts must be held into consideration. One must design and install the shores before concrete is removed whole all the other affected parts need to be repaired and reinforced as the removal can make them weaker.
ensure that all the protective parts are installed on the building
One must also ensure that all the protective parts are installed on the building before the demolition work begins. Common protection parts include plywood over windows, netting, overhead protection in places where people are passing by and simple fences. When repairing areas near balconies, pedestrian lockouts should be put in place to keep people away from the working areas.
Factors that impact productivity
When planning for the sequence in which the job will be done, it is important to investigate things that can have an impact on the productivity of the job. Some things may seem to be negligible but end up having a massive effect on the job. For example, the size of the repair space can affect several things such as the number of feet you can cut or how efficiently one can move equipment around the job, or even how you will place specific structures once all the repairs are done. The kind of material you use affects the planning of the job. For instance, will you mix all the packed material in the workspace or use premixed concrete that is just pumped into the area. What ways will you use to clean reinforced steel? Which is the best coating for you? These are the concerns that should be addressed during the planning phase so that they can be resolved very fast on site.
Consider the possibility of unforeseen situations
It is evident that even the best planning in the world cannot avoid the possibility of unforeseen situations. Most contractors have measures in place to deal with apparent issues for instance weather conditions and differences between the planned and actual conditions, but these measures cannot completely prevent the occurrence of more significant challenges on high rise repair projects. Just as it is with other projects, high rise repairs are checked before the actual job begins to assess the scope of repair required. However, in most cases, only a small part of the building is tested and the rest of it is forecasted from the results obtained from the check meaning that once the contractor starts working, they may meet conditions that are entirely different from the familiar ones such as hidden flaws in the concrete.
Final considerations …
Other challenges that come into play are significantly underestimating the magnitude of repairs needed, development of mould on the wall and lead-based paint in various parts of the structure. Since such unexpected issues can always have a huge effect on some important project variables such as time and cost, it is vital to be transparent with the investors during the planning phase.
For a full range of specialized services to meet all your high-rise needs in the Toronto, GTA area, contact Excel Projects today to discuss your upcoming project.
You must log in to post a comment.