BOYLE FACTORS FOR SUCCESS The Questions you should ask yourself about your current or upcoming projects.
Is the project site raw land or has it been previously developed? Is the Phase I being performed only to meet Lender requirements? Is the company or individual performing the Phase I licensed and experienced in your specific type of project? Has the property been in continual usage or abandoned? Will the Seller be allowed to “clean-up” the property prior to the Phase I?
Is the site accessible to the drilling equipment? Is the drilling plan preliminary or based on final design concepts (grading and structural loads)? Will the drilling plan address seismic considerations at the site? Does the expense outweigh the benefit? Are the number and depths of the borings commensurate with the structures? Has the drilling plan been limited by on-site vegetation or existing structures? Is the scope of drilling exploration limited due to unavailable due diligence funds compared to design funds? Is the site suitable for the intended weight of the buildings? Is there enough suitable soil available on-site or will expensive trucking of soil be needed? If shallow rock is present, has the civil engineer considered alternative placement of utilities and other deep structures? Have the likely earthwork costs been considered in the project pro forma? Are on-site soils unstable and potentially dangerous for workers during construction? Will any excavations require expensive shoring? Will on-site soils be problematic during periods of wet weather? Will all members of the design and construction team receive the report? What follow-up is planned to ensure report recommendations are followed? Are the limitations within the site concerning a geotechnical study understood by all parties involved in construction? Is the correct testing of soils being performed during the geotechnical study of the site? Does the laboratory participate in an accredited continuous quality assurance program? Has the recommended testing been justified from a liability or project benefit rationale? Do all parties understand the limitations in reusing available on-site soils?
Are your Special Inspectors qualified, licensed, and registered to provide services? Is your facility one that will have significant public traffic of more than 300 people on a regular basis? Is the county your project is located enforcing the Special Inspections Chapter 17 International Building Codes? Are Special Inspectors being called in at the right time to ensure complete inspections so the project keeps moving? Does the Special Inspector have access to all the materials testing data? What are the potential problems at the site as outlined in the geotechinal report? Have plans been made to address these issues? Does the geotechnical report provide a review that conforms and specifically addresses development recommendations and cost factors? Is the budget for field testing commensurate with the scope of the project? Are testing resources being allocated based on risk? Do the personnel providing the field documentation and monitoring / testing possess credentials in the areas of earthworks and materials testing? Are engineering resources readily available to assist in problem resolution without significant construction delays? Does the project detail testing requirements? If not, who has determined the scope of the testing program and why? Are you performing testing and inspections only as required by the local building code official? Are all reports comprehensive and complete with supporting test data? Has the General Contractor been provided with a detailed scope of work for the testing agency? Does the laboratory provide strong support to the field testing effort by ensuring real time dissemination of calibration test standards? Does the laboratory provide real-time feedback to field personnel to assist in field construction decisions? Is laboratory testing being used during the project to verify field decisions? Is the laboratory being provided with sufficient field parameters to conduct accurate testing and engineering analysis?
Is the aerial and/or ground program routine enough to document the flow of construction? Are the angles of view adequate to observe and effectively document all critical parts of the site? Are vertical aerial photographs, along with site grading plan overlays, being used to document site grading progress? Are the photos being analyzed by the construction manager with other information sources to detect problems early on? Are the photos available on-site to assist with construction briefings? Are the photos being used in routine reporting to document site conditions over time? Have you considered the value of photographs if a dispute occurs during the progress of construction? Have you considered the value of photographs should a failure occur and a repair method needs to be determined? Have you considered the value of photo documentation to remote members of the project team (owners, investors, etc)?