Construction Planning: Proposed Low Cost Boarding Houses in Newcastle, NSW

This report focuses on the construction planning for proposed low-cost boarding houses in Newcastle, NSW. It discusses the requirements of the State Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 and outlines the work breakdown structure (WBS) for the project. The WBS includes various construction tasks, their estimated duration and cost.

Construction Planning 1
CONSTRUCTION PLANNING: PROPOSED LOW COST BOARDING HOUSES IN
NEWCASTLE, NSW
Name
Course
Professor
University
City/state
Date

Construction Planning 2
Table of Contents
1. Introduction.......................................................................................................................................3
2. Project Scope......................................................................................................................................4
3. Project Objectives..............................................................................................................................4
4. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS).................................................................................................5
5. Conclusion..........................................................................................................................................9
Bibliography..............................................................................................................................................10

Construction Planning 3
1. Introduction
The state government of New South Wales (NSW) recently enacted the State Environmental
Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009, which requires the state to provide or put in
place strategies that will promote provision of low cost rental accommodation (boarding houses)
near major employment areas. One of the strategies that the NSW state government is using to
attract private investors to maintain, upgrade or develop low cost boarding houses in these areas
is to provide land tax exemptions, grants and financial assistance for existing and new projects.
A developer has already identified a potential site in the City of Newcastle where he can
build affordable boarding houses in accordance with the recently passed law. The developer has
consulted relevant state and local government authorities and already drawn plans by following
the requirements of affordable rental housing policy. The requirements include: layout of the
boarding units, specific rooms in each unit, number of floors, services, facilities and parking
areas, among others. The developer has by this time submitted a development application (DA)
to the council. The proposed three storey property comprises of the following elements: 27
boarding house units, three studios (with separate bedroom) and a small commercial/retail space
distributed on the three levels (ground floor, first floor and second floor); a kitchen, laundry,
drying areas and a common recreation room located on the upper-ground floor; seven car spaces
for off-street visitor parking and bike storing facilities for tenants on the ground floor.
Completion of the project is expected not to take more than two years and the total cost should
be realistic.
The purpose of this report is to prepare a tender construction program for the proposed
boarding house project, specifically the work breakdown structure (WBS). The WBS should

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outline the various construction tasks to be executed at different stages of the project, the
estimated duration and cost for each task.
2. Project Scope
The main scope of the proposed project is to prepare the site and building the 27 boarding house
units together with the other facilities and services. Some of the elements of the project scope
include the following:
 Prepare the site identifies in the City of Newcastle by surveying, clearing and levelling it.
 Construct the building foundation in accordance with the drawings.
 Construct the structure of the building, including all its components.
 Install the necessary services in the building.
 Complete the required facilities of the building.
 Completing the internal and external finishes so as to make the building attain the desired
look and quality standards.
 Complete the external works of the building as specified in the drawings.
 Construct a perimeter wall around the property developed.
The rental boarding house units are reinforced concrete structures that will provide affordable
accommodation to people working in the neighborhood. The property will be developed within
the plot boundaries.
3. Project Objectives
The main objectives of the project include the following:
 Obtain all relevant approvals and permits before commencement of construction works.

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 Build the property (27boarding house units, services, facilities and other features) as
stipulated in the project drawings and specifications.
 Ensure that the property is constructed in accordance with the requirements of the State
Environmental Planning Policy (Affordable Rental Housing) 2009 and other relevant
Australian standards.
 Complete the project within the stipulated timeline.
 Complete the project within the stipulated budget.
 Ensure that the boarding house units constructed offer affordable accommodation for the
tenants.
4. Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)
WBS is used to breakdown project activities and organize the scope of work in a
hierarchy that will enable the project team carry out the construction work systematically so as to
create the desired deliverables and accomplish the project objectives (Project Management
Institute, 2013). The main objectives of a WBS include: identify and organize work packages of
the project; identify appropriate construction methods for each work package; identify the
activities needed for each work package; and identify resources needed for each activity (Latief,
et al., 2019). WBS is useful in planning, scheduling, managing and controlling the project
(Kerzner, 2017); (Sutrisna, et al., 2018). The WBS of the proposed boarding house units is
presented in Table 1 below
Table 1: WBS of the proposed project
Leve
l
Activities and Tasks Duration
(Days)
Budget
($)
Human resources
1 Site Preparation
1.1 Survey the site 10 50,000 PS, CM and S

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1.2 Fence and/or hoarding the site 2 20,000 CM and CW
1.3 Disconnect utilities and services 2 5,000 CM and TM
1.4 Hire necessary equipment/tools for site preparation 10 150,000 PM, PrM and CM
1.5 Clear the site (cutting down trees, grass and
vegetation)
2 25,000 PS, CM and CW
1.6 Demolish existing structures on the site 5 25,000 PS, CM and CW
1.7 Site excavation (hand and mechanical excavation) 10 100,000 PS, CM and CW
1.8 Dispose demolished and other waste materials 5 20,000 PS, CM and CW
1.9 Carry out onsite soil tests 3 25,000 PS, CM and TM
1.10 Grade the site by filling, levelling and compacting
using approved soils
5 30,000 PS, CM and CW
Total for site preparation 54 450,000
2 Foundation
2.1 Excavate foundation trenches 8 50,000 PS, CM and CW
2.2 Install the foundation formwork and support
systems
10 20,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
2.3 Install the foundation rebars 10 150,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
2.4 Prepare, pour, vibrate and compact foundation
concrete
15 450,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
2.5 Strengthen the foundation by filing and
compacting the foundation
8 50,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
2.6 Cure the concrete structures of the foundation 10 30000 CM and CW
Total for foundation 61 750,000
3 Structure
3.1 Procure necessary materials 15 200,000 PS, PrM and CM
3.2 Hire necessary equipment and tools 10 100,000 PS, PrM and CM
3.3 Assemble the construction team 10 150,000 PS and CM
3.4 Set up the construction camp on site 8 50,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
3.5 Construct reinforced concrete (RC) columns 20 200,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
3.6 Construct floor RC floor slabs 20 550,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
3.7 Construct external masonry walls and partitions 25 220,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
3.8 Construct the balconies 10 50,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
3.9 Install the roofing system and fixtures 10 200,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
Total for structure 128 1,800,000
4 Services
4.1 Install electrical fixtures 15 50,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
4.2 Install plumbing fixtures 15 30,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
4.3 Install water tanks 10 20,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
4.4 Build elevator/lift boxes and install elevators/lifts 30 75,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
4.5 Connect to the electricity and water mains 4 5,000 PS, CM and TM
Total for services 74 180,000
5 Internal finishes
5.1 Plaster internal walls 25 20,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.2 Paint internal walls 15 50,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.3 Install floor and wall tiles where necessary 15 100,000 PS, CM, TM and CW

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5.4 Install and paint other desired floorings 10 20,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.5 Install and paint the ceiling 10 10,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.6 Cut and build interior and exterior door frames 10 30,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.7 Cut and build interior and exterior window frames 15 40,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.8 Fix interior and exterior doors 10 75,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.9 Fix interior and exterior windows 12 90,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.10 Install electrical plugs, switches and lighting
fixtures
5 10,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
5.11 Install water and electricity meter boxes 5 5,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
Total for internal finishes 132 450,000
6 External finishes
6.1 Render external walls 10 10,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
6.2 Paint external walls 10 10,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
6.3 Paint or install name tags of each boarding house
unit
5 5,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
6.4 Install rainwater harvesting system 5 20,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
Total for external finishes 30 135,000
7 External works
7.1 Build the perimeter wall 15 100,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.2 Install main external gate 2 20,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.3 Make the garden space 5 20,000 PS, CM and CW
7.4 Build the common open space 5 80,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.5 Lay walkways and driveway 15 200,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.6 Plant saplings 2 10,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.7 Set up lawns 7 10,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.8 Construct the bicycle store 10 80,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.9 Construct the visitors’ parking space 15 250,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.10 Construct the courtyard and drying area 10 80,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.11 Install security systems (cameras and alarms) 5 50,000 PS, CM, TM and CW
7.12 Collect and dispose waste materials 3 30,000 PS, CM and CW
Total for external works 94 900,000
8 Handing over
8.1 Inspection and testing of the completed work 10 80,000 PM, PS, CM and BI
8.2 Commissioning and handing over 2 20,000 PM, CM and client
Total for handing over 12 100,000
GRAND TOTAL 585 4,765,000
Legend: PM = project manager, PrM = Procurement manager, PS = project supervisor, CM =
construction manager, S = surveyor, TM = technical/tradesmen, BI = building inspectors, and
CW = construction workers.

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From the WBS in Table 1 above, the project is scheduled to be completed in 585 days (slightly
less than two years) at an estimated cost of $4,765,000.
The WBS can also be presented as shown in Figure 1 below
Construction of Low Cost Boarding House Units
Site
preparation
Foundation Structure Internal
finishes
External
finishes
External
works
Handing
over
Services
-Site survey
-Site fencing
or hoarding
-Disconnect
utilities
-Hire
equipment
-Site clearing
-Demolish
existing
structures
-Site
excavation
-Dispose
demolished
and other
waste
-Perform
onsite soil
tests
-Site grading
by filling,
levelling and
compacting
-Excavate
foundation
trenches
-Install
foundation
formwork
and support
systems
-Install
foundation
rebars
-Prepare,
pour, vibrate
and compact
foundation
concrete
-Strengthen
foundation
by filling and
compaction
-Cure the
concrete
structure of
the
foundation
-Procure
materials
-Hire
equipment
and tools
-Assemble
constructio
n team
-Set up
onsite
constructio
n camp
-Construct
RC columns
-Construct
RC floor
slabs
-Construct
external
walls and
partitions
-construct
balconies
-Install
roofing
system and
fixtures
-Install
electrical
fixtures
-Install
plumbing
fixtures
-Install
water
tanks
-Build
elevator
or lift
boxes and
install
elevators
or lift
-Connect
to the
electricity
and water
mains
-Plaster
internal
walls
-Paint
internal
walls
-Install
floor and
wall tiles
-Install
and paint
flooring
-Install
and paint
ceiling
-Cut and
build
interior
and
exterior
door and
window
frames
-Fix
interior
and
exterior
doors and
windows
-Install
electricity
and water
meter
boxes
-Render
external
walls
-Paint
external
walls
-Paint or
install
name
tags of
each
boarding
house
unit
-Install
rainwater
harvestin
g system
-Build
perimeter
wall
-Install
main
external
gate
-Make
garden
space
-Build
common
open space
-Lay
walkways
and
driveway
-Plant
saplings
-Set up
lawns
-Construct
bicycle
store
-Construct
visitors’
parking
-Construct
courtyard
-Install
security
cameras
-Collect and
dispose
waste
Inspec
tion
and
testing
of
comple
ted
work
Commi
ssionin
g and
handin
g over

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Figure 1: WBS
The estimated labour rates of the human resources needed in executing the work packages in the
WBS above are provided in Table 2 below
Table 2: Human resource labour rates
Human resource Labour rate
($/hr.)
Overtime rate
($/hr.)
Project manager 110 55
Procurement manager 120 60
Project supervisor 100 50
Construction manager 100 50
Building inspector 100 50
Technical/tradesmen 50 25
Construction workers 30 15
5. Conclusion
WBS helps in breaking down a project into manageable work packages, objectives and
deliverables. The WBS presented in this report has divided the proposed project of constructing
low cost boarding house units into 8 main work packages (activities): site preparation,
foundation, structure, services, internal finishes, external finishes, external works and handing
over. Each of these activities has tasks and sub-tasks. The duration, cost and human resources
required for each task have also been identified. Based on the WBS developed, the duration of
the project is 585 days and it will be completed at an estimated cost of $4,765,000. Nevertheless,
it is important to note that both the duration and cost are just preliminary estimations subject to
change after conducting comprehensive analyses to determine the feasibility and limitations of
the project. In the meantime, the WBS provides a guideline for planning, scheduling, managing
and controlling the project to ensure that it is completed successfully.

Construction Planning 10
Bibliography
Kerzner, H., 2017. Project management: A systems approach to planning, scheduling and controlling.
12th ed. New Jersey: John and Wiley Sons, Inc..
Latief, Y., Nurdiani, D. & Supriadi, L., 2019. Development of work breakdown structure (WBS) dictionary
for the construction works of lower structure steel bridge. MATEC Web of Conferences, 258(1), pp. 1-6.
Project Management Institute, 2013. Project Management Body of Knowledge. 6th ed. Pennsylvania:
Project Management Institute.
Sutrisna, M., Ramanayaka, C. & Goulding, J., 2018. Developing work breakdown structure matrix for
managing offsite construction projects. Architectural Engineering and Design Management, 14(5), pp.
381-397.