Plumbing and risers

FSPM was engaged for construction management services on a full perimeter heating line valve replacement on this 28-story luxury condo building. FSPM managed the complete scope to ensure the project was completed within the established schedule and budget.

Key components of project:

• Replacement of entire heating line in a 28-story condo building

FSPM was engaged by FirstService Residential and the Board at a Gold Coast Condominium Association to manage this extensive project which replaced the plumbing risers on 34 floors. Horizontal piping was replaced on the 34th, 20th, and 7th floors, as well as the piping within 198 units. After the piping replacement, the drywall was repaired and repainted in units, corridors, and stairwells.

Key components of project:

• Obtain all permits, licenses, and approvals
• Coordinate activities/schedule of all subcontractors, including daily COVID-19 screening, including temperature checks, face coverings, sanitizing stations, etc.
• On-site superintendent to ensure project efficiency
• Weekly progress meetings and daily construction reports
• Coordination with unit occupants to minimize conflicts and facilitate occupant usage
• Lobby monitor updating to keep residents informed of the project’s progress
• Community coordinator to field calls, emails, etc. from unit owners while scheduling unit work
• Unit protection and final daily cleaning

Project highlight(s):

With cost savings generated by the Project Management team, $100,000 was returned to the association.

  

 

FirstService Project Management was contacted to assess the condition of the existing domestic water booster pump system at the Gold Coast Condo Association. An initial cursory investigation noted that there appeared to be a large amount of water draining from the booster pump drain. FSPM partnered with a FirstService Residential In Good Company Plumbing Contractor to assess the existing pump and devise a plan to replace the existing one with a new system.

Key components of project:

• Isolate domestic water to the entire building to accommodate new isolation valves
• Provide and install (4) new 4” ball valves on the existing domestic water system to allow for a new booster system.
• Re-energize the system and return the domestic water system to operate under the existing pump. Provide a new Metropolitan VMS-MTIII-1000-PIH-50B domestic booster skid system. The new skid system includes a NEMA control panel, (2) variable frequency drives, 119-gallon hydro-pneumatic tank, gauges, and transducers.
• Install new skid system
• Extend new 4” suction and supply pipe and fittings and connect to newly install valves.
• Extend power from existing isolated pump to the new system and connect.
• Energize the new system via (1) of the variable speed drives and confirm the system is operating properly.
• Once verified, disconnect the existing booster pump and extend power to the 2nd drive unit.
• Insulate new piping to match existing.
• Disconnect and remove existing domestic booster system and remove from site.
• Plug existing new valves serving the old system for future use.

Project highlight(s):

Resident disturbances were kept to a minimum due to the creative installation process taken on this project. Booster pump comments were broken down into smaller pieces then reassembled onsite making for a simplified installation process that prevented the need to do a complete drain down of the domestic water pipes.

Project testimonial:

Everyone who I worked with on this project was accessible and helpful. In particular, Bob Stehman, who served as the site supervisor, was helpful and took the time to explain and answer any questions raised.

  

 

FSPM was engaged by the Gold Coast Association Board to manage a critical underground plumbing repair project. FSPM felt that the best approach to the repair solution would be to partner with a plumbing contractor that has the capabilities to perform the necessary repairs in a design-build fashion and include the required engineering. This approach proved to be the most economical solution while keeping the best interest of the Association in mind.

Key components of project:

• FSPM partnered with In Good Company to take on the extensive plumbing challenges
• A conceptual construction approach was used to re-route the underground waste pipe overhead with the help of strategically placed sump pits
• Minimal resident disturbance as excavation was re-routed to eliminate excavation through common resident areas
• Future plumbing challenges have been averted due to the installation of a new overhead sewer system making for easier future maintenance and repair

Project testimonial:

Everyone who I worked with on this project was accessible and helpful. In particular, Bob Stehman, who served as the site supervisor, was helpful and took the time to explain and answer any questions raised.

-Charles Stanford, Board Member and Chair of Building Committee

  

 

 

 

Asbestos was found on the cold-water line pipes of this residential property. FSPM successfully managed the domestic water line repair project where the property was experiencing serious issues due to leaking isolation valves. With FSPM’s careful oversight, this time sensitive project was completed with the partnership of construction contractors on time and under budget. The successful completion of this project entailed our team to run a new return header pipe to connect to new isolation valves. In order to minimize disruption to residents, and maintain building aesthetics, the install plan was engineered so that our team didn’t need to remove the main parts of the mezzanine ceiling.

Key components of project:

• Removal of galvanized steel on the 39th and 40th floors
• Installation of fiberglass insulation
• Removal and replacement of a number of mixing valves

Project highlight(s):

Project came in $54,000 under budget

  

 

 

FirstService Project Management was engaged by the Board of Directors and FirstService Residential at this Lincoln Park Condominium Association to manage the replacement of the domestic hot and cold risers in floors 20-38. This included a diligent pre-construction phase to establish the necessary requirements for the development of drawings and specifications for this high zone replacement. FSPM was engaged to perform this scope of work due to numerous leaks that have become evident in this riser. FSPM completed a number of site visits with representatives from In Good Company plumbing and engineer vendors to review the feasible scope options related to the riser replacement that would be best suitable to support the infrastructure of the building. Thoughtful and smart construction design allowed for minimal disruption to residents daily lifestyle.

Key components of project:

• New hot and cold risers installed and tied into the existing system at the 20th & 38th floors
• 8” existing common corridor wall build out to match existing bump-outs in the building
• Access panels installed in the common corridor at each isolation valve location
• Drill core locations through the floor slab from 20-38 to provide new hot and cold domestic risers separate from the existing system

Project highlight(s):

As a result of FSPM’s due diligence during the pre-construction phase, $65,000 was returned to the condominium association in unused contingency.

  

 

FirstService Project Management was engaged by the board at this Uptown Condominium Association to provide construction management services to support a limited plumbing riser replacement project. The scope of work was limited to seven plumbing riser locations. These are the only remaining units, with bathrooms, that were not on the new water distribution system. After completion of this final renovation, these risers now tie into the new system which improves water flow/ pressure as well as provides consistent hot water. During construction, the FSPM team performed the following:

Key components of project:

• Daily coordination and comprehensive on-site construction management of the project to ensure that the work is being executed per the design-build project, developed by FSPM and a FirstService Residential In Good Company plumbing contractor.
• Daily coordination with unit owners via a full-time unit coordinator. The unit coordinator is responsible for documentation of units prior to prep, notifications during construction, and direct contact with each unit owner. The unit coordinator handles any questions, comments or concerns that arise during the project.
• An FSPM onsite project unit coordinator prepares an e-mail delivery of a detailed progress report to inform the association of the project’s daily progression, any issues that may require a team discussion, as well as a weekly overall schedule update.
• FSPM laborers and carpenters are responsible for the prep and protection of each unit, as well as making the necessary openings for access to the plumbing risers. FSPM carpenters are responsible for replacing any drywall that is removed, as well as bringing that surface to a primed finish.
• Scheduled progress meetings with the association and contractors to go over the project’s progression to support the project’s established schedule and cost.
• Coordination and management of all city of Chicago building inspections.
• A project manager provides comprehensive project accounting and billing of the project, utilizing the project’s schedule of values to include obtaining all waivers of liens and sworn statements from sub-trades to support each progress payment.
• EPA and OSHA standards management: Safety inspections of the job site are performed daily by our onsite FSPM staff and periodically through safety professionals provided by Hygieneering, Inc. (to support a safe work site and ensure compliance with applicable.)
• Establish and execute the final punch list to deliver the project in a professional and time-efficient manner.
• Project submittal, clerical support, and delivery of the close-out package to include as-built drawings, applicable equipment manuals and warranties.

This FirstService Project Management asphalt and sewer repair project was performed in Willowbrook, IL. FSPM saved association funds by determining that individual systems should be replaced rather than the entire sanitation system as specified. Through project efficiencies and negotiation, we eliminated $500,000 from the initial estimate and returned $42,000 to the association at the project’s conclusion.

Key components of project:

• Removal and replacement of roughly 56,000 SF of HMA Pavement at 3.5” depth
• Use of integrated technology to scope all sewer lines to determine the condition of the pipes

Project highlights:

• Retained $500K+ by redesigning engineer drawings by scoping sanitation lines with a camera and questioning the engineers’ design.