January 24, 2007

OSCAR CONSTRUCTION

The cafeteria at St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Windsor boasts a clean, open design concept by J.P. Thomson Associates Ltd., Architects and Engineers.

Construction

Windsor firm perfects fast-track construction

IRWIN RAPOPORT

correspondent

MONTREAL

A fast-track construction project creates pressure on a general contractor to deliver the structure on time and on budget, and ensure the building meets specifications and code requirements.

Windsor-based Oscar Construction Company Ltd. met this challenge when it completed the $31 million Saint Joseph’s Catholic High School for the Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board.

In fact, the company has developed a reputation for fast-track projects.

The 174,000-square-foot high school took 11 months to complete, from excavation and site preparation to hammering in the last nail. It was finished in August.

Oscar Construction received plans for the two-storey school, designed by J.P. Thomson Associates Ltd., Architects and Engineers, six months into the project.

“We had sufficient information about the interior finishes to keep going,” said A.M. Razak, the president and owner of Oscar Construction.

The planning packages arrived in stages, meaning a limited timeframe in which to select sub-contractors.

To ensure schedules were met, Razak organized weekly, on-site meetings with the sub-contractors, which resulted in creation of a master schedule and mini-schedules to deal with specific time frames.

OSCAR CONSTRUCTION

The library at St. Joseph's Catholic High School.

“We began on-site meetings right away,” said Razak. “The initial meeting included a couple of site contractors — structural steel, excavation and site preparation, and plumbing and electrical — and it grew as more sub-contractors came on board.”

More than 70 sub-contractors were hired and project peaked at the sixth-month mark once the walls were up and the structure was enclosed.

“Since we started in late summer, we had to do everything we could to get the building closed in for winter,” said Razak. “We began the drywall, flooring, millwork, painting and other trades right after Christmas.”

It was essential that materials be ordered in advance and arrived on time to ensure sub-contractors could meet their schedules.

The planning team consisted of Razak, head office employees and two full-time on-site superintendents.

“Our master schedule was very descriptive; it had in excess of 300 line items,” he added. “It was a very sprawled out project. We divided a 106,000-square-foot footprint into four wings — gymnasium, administrative, cafetorium and technical.

“We progressed from one end to the other.”

Having two superintendents maintained the speedy schedule.

“It was too much for one superintendent,” said Razak.

On-site meetings often took between three and four hours.

“We monitored schedules and developed mini-schedules. We knew what to do for the upcoming two weeks and had plenty of communications between the sub-contractors and management team. We were very proud of it,” said Razak.

“We have built three schools in eight years either on or ahead of schedule. We have this developed to a science. On a fast-track project, you have to be proactive. You hardly have time to react to a problem. You have to anticipate every step of the way and avoid any crisis. The sub-contractors welcomed the input.”

Oscar Construction is one of the few contractors in Windsor registered under the ISO Protocol.

OSCAR CONSTRUCTION

The exterior of St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Windsor.

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