If asbestos has been found in your property, the abatement process can be complex and the approach should be customized to the specific property.
This week’s post, part of our April series on Asbestos, will highlight the benefits of project management services for asbestos abatement.
Strategic Planning
Our recent post referenced a project for which EBI Consulting provided asbestos investigation and remediation services. After the site investigation confirmed the presence of asbestos, it was clear to the client that they needed experts to advise and monitor the abatement process as the building underwent massive renovations. EBI worked closely with the client to implement a 4-step process specific to the client’s needs, regulations, and the property.
In-Depth Investigation and Budgeting
Two years after the initial inspection took place (Step 1), EBI conducted a more intrusive investigation based on updated renovation plans, looking for hidden hazardous materials within building cavities and structural elements. To support the architect’s project budgeting, EBI provided budgetary estimates for abatement, abatement oversight, and other hazardous materials cost contingencies to be expected during the project. The investigation also allowed EBI to complete a detailed inventory of all identified hazardous materials for Step 3, Abatement Design and Bidding.
Abatement Design and Bidding
This step involved creating a series of design documents which depicted the locations of identified hazardous materials, detailed what each material was, and provided step-by-step procedures for abatement to be distributed to contractors bidding on the abatement work. EBI then walked the bidders through the buildings, explaining the scope of the abatement, answering questions, and issuing addenda as needed.
This service allows contractors the opportunity to provide the most accurate bid possible, which minimizes costs to the client down the road. With an accurate understanding of the scope of remediation work, contractors are less likely to run into issues that trigger a stop work or change order, saving the client time and significant costs, as change orders are often double the cost of the bid.
Abatement Oversight and Construction Administration
As the final step in the process, EBI had suggested oversight of the abatement by an in-house Abatement Manager and Construction Administrator to assist with the hazardous materials work. The Abatement Manager can conduct daily or periodic review and oversight of the abatement contractors, ensuring compliance with regulatory and project-specific requirements; they also provide testing to confirm no hazardous materials escaped the work area, which the owner retains as a permanent record.
While some projects may only call for periodic abatement monitoring, there are many advantages to daily monitoring that can appeal to those with strict timelines and budget concerns. With a daily presence, we can help you by anticipating and preventing stop-work conditions when days or weeks of productive construction work might otherwise be lost.
EBI can also manage contractors and find time-saving and cost-cutting procedures. With our Construction Administration service, EBI acts as the hazardous materials arm of the architect/owner team. EBI inspects and reviews unforeseen conditions and provides direction to the architect, owner, general contractor and subcontractors as authorized. At the end of the project, EBI provides documentation of the hazardous materials abatement close-out for the owner’s permanent records. This provides a lifetime record of work for the owners of the property, which can be provided to potential buyers down the road, lessors, or others looking to understand the preexisting work done to the building.
Summary of Benefits
EBI Consulting’s approach ensures the client is in compliance with federal, state, and local regulations, balanced with their business concerns. Through proper, timely investigations of the property and through coordination with not only the client, but the contractors, architects, and others hired by the client, retaining EBI as the sole environmental consultant for a project allows us to deliver a customized, organized, and efficient solution to the client’s problem. This process also gives a consultant ownership over each step of the project, from initial inspection to final closeout, minimizing confusion and duplication of work, not to mention mitigating unexpected surprises, delays, and regulatory issues which can occur when multiple consultants are hired over the course of a project. Investing in these services up front can save big costs down line.
An additional benefit of hiring EBI Consulting as a comprehensive solution to hazardous materials needs is the network of contractors with whom we’ve built strong relationships. We bring our teamed contractors to your project to obtain the most cost-effective abatement bidder through competitive bidding. Our relationship with preferred contactors and our reputation for quality testing gives contractors and clients confidence in our work.
With over 28 years in the environmental due diligence business, EBI Consulting has the knowledge and experience it takes to customize a solution to fit any client’s needs. If you have concerns about asbestos in your property, consider the benefits of investing in EBI’s reliable, honest, and professional asbestos regulatory experts.
