FROM THE GROUND UP: CONSTRUCTION OR RECONSTRUCTING A MODERN FIREHOUSE
FIREHOUSE CONSTRUCTION
How you approach this undertaking could have repercussions for your department and your community many years down the road. Part one of a series.
THE STATION from which a fire department operates represents a major portion of its capital expenditures and consumes a large part of the operational budget. The renovation or construction of a firehouse, and the way it is done, will have a major impact on the finances and operations of the fire department for years to come. It is important, therefore, to ensure that the fire department receives the best possible facility for the expenditure involved.
Why build a firehouse? Obviously, to provide the best possible fire service to the community. If you are considering such construction, you have recognized a need for expansion or provision of new facilities. The first step in this whole construction process is trying to determine exactly what that need is. Repair and modernization? Additional bay space? Entire new facility? These questions must be answered at the start.
Generally, of course, the district commissioners, mayor, or company directors will bear the ultimate responsibility for these decisions. However, it is useful at this point to appoint a specific group to investigate the options. This group can be drawn from the commissioners, the officers, or the membership. Too large a group will only hinder the process: A building committee of three to five members is generally a good size for an efficient analysis of the problems.
Taking part in a building committee for such a project is a serious responsibility. You are, after all, planning the construction of a facility with an anticipated life span of 50 to 100 years. Hie project will entail the expenditure of anywhere from SI50,000 for major alterations to as much as $5 million for a new firehouse.
The people appointed to this committee do not necessarily have to be construction or financial wizards. However, they should keep in mind the functional capacities of the building, not its aesthetic value, and that the building should suit the needs of the fire service and the future needs of the district. They should also be aware of the financial restraints of the fire service. Decisions should be based on firematic expertise and long-term overview of the fire department’s ultimate responsibilities and goals.
From first step to wet-down generally takes three to five years. The building committee will spend many hours investigating the various aspects of construction under the supervision of superiors. The public will in one way or another be asked to finance the project, and they will expect their elected officials to have given serious consideration to any proposal.
DETERMINING NEEDS
A fire department undertakes a construction project for any number of reasons. The district’s size and population may have increased to the point where response time to certain areas is dangerously long. Construction of a new firehouse in a better location would cut the response times considerably. A number of firms conduct studies on response times, alarm groupings, and traffic patterns. A risk and capabilities analysis must be undertaken before new construction is considered.
Some departments undertake construction when the existing fire stations are inadequate in some way. For example, they may be simply too small, with insufficient bay space to handle additional apparatus. In older fire stations, in particular, the bay heights and widths are not able to handle the larger, more modern apparatus. Older houses may not be suited for other new developments in the fire service, such as hazmat facilities, EMS facilities, SCBA fill systems, maintenance requirements, heating/air conditioners, and air handling. Changes in the manning of the fire district may also prompt the need for new construction. For example, the change from a volunteer to a paid department and the inclusion of women firefighters would both require redesign and modification of most fire stations.
It is easy to see w hy so many departments haven’t paid enough attention over the years to maintaining their physical facilities: It is not the principal focus of fire personnel. They are most interested in properly providing emergency service; thus it is easy for them to overlook the slight but steady deterioration of their physical facilities. However, to function properly buildings must be maintained. Lack of maintenance over an extended period of time will result in the need for major renovations to bring the building back to acceptable standards and to allow fire personnel to function properly and efficiently. Some fire stations have been allowed to deteriorate to the point where their continued usage is actually hazardous to personnel. Such a condition cannot be allowed to continue.
After determining the fire department’s needs, consider the possible solutions. The solution may not involve construction. Making operational changes may eliminate the need for any construction. For example, the purchase of different equipment or minor reorganization of space within the existing fire station may solve the problem.
HIRING AN ARCHITECT
At this point in the process, before final decisions are made, the committee should hire a design professional (an architect). In most parts of the country you are required by law to retain the services of a licensed professional — that is, an architect or engineer—to design any significant structure. The definition of a significant structure varies from state to state, but in general, a fire station fits that definition. Commissioning the services of design professionals is crucial to the success of your project. Only a qualified professional can understand the many aspects of a building project in terms of structural safety, fire safety, economy, functional design, weatherability, durability, and the various trade-offs that must be made between them. In general, architects coordinate the design of multi-use facilities for the public such as housing, government buildings, fire stations, and schools.
An architect must have certain qualifications. First, he must be licensed to practice in your state. The practice of architecture by an unlicensed individual is a criminal offense in most states. Second, the architect should have experience in the design of firematic facilities. The modern fire station is not just a garage with a siren outside; it is a complex structure serving a variety of functions. Designing it requires specialized knowledge in multiple fields. Third, if you are a municipal department or district, the architect should have prior experience working for government agencies. The laws governing the letting of contracts by governmental bodies in most states place additional and unusual constraints on the construction process, which have a major effect on building design and the project in general.
Start looking for an architect by asking other fire departments who they have used in the past. Ask if they were satisfied with the architect, if the work was done at a reasonable cost, if the project was completed within a reasonable amount of time, and if the building functions properly for their needs. Take tours of a number of fire stations in your area. Contact the local chapters of the American Institute of Architects and Society of American Registered Architects for a list of architects practicing in your area.
Interview five or six prospects in person. Ask them about the history of their firm, their past experience, their workload and how it would affect your project, how they manage their projects, what services they provide, and the probable fee.
PAYING THE ARCHITECT
Although fees for architectural services can be calculated in three different ways, they usually work out to the same final amount. The first system is called cost plus. The architect is paid for all his costs, which he must itemize, plus a guaranteed overhead and profit. This type of fee is generally used for projects where the final scope of work is completely unknown and where multiple changes and revisions are expected along the way. Since cost plus is completely open-ended and could eventually result in unanticipated costs, I do not recommend it for most fire departments or fire districts.
“The second method is a flat-fee system. The architect is paid a fixed fee for whatever work he does. The disadvantage is that the scope of the project must be very rigidly defined in the beginning (for example, a four-bay fire station of a specific number of square feet sitting on a very specific site). Your architect will bill you for additional services over and above this basic contract. This system restricts design freedom and usually results in shortcuts and ill feelings.
The third payment method is the percentage fee. The architect charges you a percentage of the construction costs. If die architect’s fee is 10 percent and your building costs S1 million, you owe $100,000. If your building costs only S 500,000, you owe S 50,000. This generally results in the best-designed building, since the architect is under no pressure to restrict the amount of time and effort put into your project. There is some concern that the architect will try to increase the cost of your project to increase the fee. However, in the case of a fire department, your architect is restricted in at least two ways. For one, your budget will probably be fixed. If the project goes significantly over the budget it cannot be built, and the architect will have to redesign the project, probably at a loss. Also, if a firm’s projects regularly come in significantly over budget, that firm will soon find itself with fewer and fewer jobs. Expect the fees to range from six percent of construction costs (for a large project or one with very limited services) to 14 percent (for very small jobs or ones with complex services).
PROJECT PHASES
After you have selected and signed a contract with an architectural firm, you must provide topographical surveys and test borings of the property to determine soil conditions. After that the architect will prepare preliminary sketches, revising them with your input to achieve the best possible design.
The architect has a number of responsibilities during the various stages of the project. Stages include programming, where the needs of the department are outlined; design, where these needs are answered; construction documents, where the design is translated into realistic plans for construction; the bidding process, where a contractor is obtained; and finally, the actual period of construction.
The following are the services a fire department requires. You must establish the architect’s ability to perform these services before signing a contract. If the architect cannot provide them, someone else will have to.
PREPARATION OF SCHEMATIC DESIGN DOCUMENTS
- Assist the fire company in analyzing the needs for the building and the property in order to establish a written program. Prepare various schemes (preliminary floor plans, building elevations, and site plans).
- Provide preliminary outline specifications of the work prepared.
- Provide preliminary cost figures.Attend all meetings necessary to explain and discuss various preliminary schemes.
CONTRACT DOCUMENT (after approval by the fire company and notification to proceed with final drawings and specifications)
- Prepare final working drawings.
- Prepare final detailed working drawings, including final drawings for architectural, structural, heating and ventilation, plumbing, sanitary, and electrical systems.
- Prepare technical specifications.
- Prepare general conditions, supplementary general conditions, and bidding documents.
- Meet with the fire department in order to include in the final bid documents detailed information as to equipment and materials to be used for final construction.
- Provide economic study regarding the use of various mechanical systems for the purpose of providing construction cost and energy consumption cost over the course of the life of the building. This is called life-cycle costing and also includes studies of various components of the building.
- Secure approval from the health department, the building department, and any other agencies necessary for the construction of the project.
BIDDING
- Assist the fire department in securing bids from various contractors.
- Provide copies of drawings and specifications necessary for bids.
- Prepare bid sheets for the tabulation of bids and attendance at bid opening.
- Give the fire department the background of the various low bidders and input as to who should be awarded the contract.
- Prepare construction contracts and present to the fire department’s attorney for approval.
- Attend contract signing to assist the attorney in approval of the contractor’s bonds and insurance companies.
CONSTRUCTION
- Inspect construction at least once a week.
- Attend and schedule job meetings with the contractor.
- Receive and check shop drawings and the contractor’s submissions to ensure that the materials and methods used for the construction meet with the provisions of the specifications.
- Check all requisitions submitted by the contractor and forward recommendations to the department as to monthly payments due the contractor.
- Prepare punch lists advising the contractor of work that should be completed or corrected in order to meet the requirements of the contract when the building is substantially completed.
- Assist the contractor and owners in the preparation of a cash flow schedule.
- Check references of subcontractors and materials used by the contractor.
- Prepare suggested color schedules of all rooms and present to the department for approval.
- Attend meetings occasionally and assist the contractor in correcting any default in material or workmanship during the one-year maintenance period that follows completion of the project.
