QWERTYOverview

Architectural ‐ Operations Manual – November 2014 337
QWERTY CONSTRUCTION ‐ OVERVIEW

TM
SYNERGY AND TRANSPARENCY IN CONSTRUCTION

Designed and developed by:

(Patent Pending AU2011901536 & AU2011902183)

IMPORTANT NOTICE

“The ARCHITECTURAL systems, methods and products are covered by patent
applications AU2011901536 and AU2011902183, with international rights reserved in
all countries party to the Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property. The
systems, methods and products are also subject to international copyright laws.”
OVERVIEW

The system is a patented online program that has been developed specifically for the
residential construction market. It is based on complete synergy between:
1. The Owner / Architect / Developer (the owner of the property looking to have construction
performed to their requirements and standards).
2. The Builder (the licensed builder or the “owner builder” who will actually build the project and
engage all parties involved in the process).
3. The Supplier (the approved suppliers who generally supply the manufactured goods used to
build the house. This can also include labour to complete their task).
4. The Trade (the works performed by a tradesman or tradesmen that may include labour, supply
and labour or even hire aspects of a construction project).

The main reason that this system works is because of this synergy. If one part of this
interaction does not work, then the whole process becomes less impacting. Each of these roles has been
carefully designed to ensure that each interacts the way they should so that all parties are happy. In
some cases, the way that the works have traditionally been done for years have been changed (not in
practice, but the approach) to give a much better outcome that is more fair for all.

The fundamental outcome that needed to be reached for this system is fairness. Not just for the builder,
or the owner, but the trade and supplier also. Fairness is the foundation for everything, as if things are
not fair, through experience we find that by the end fairness to those who have missed out (often the
builder or the trade), they have evened up the score by charging “extras” or “variations” which we feel is
unfair and not in good business practice.

At a glance this system may be looked at as a form of “Network Building”. To some
degree this is correct as with the combined buying power of all builders going through the one system,
purchase prices are significantly reduced. However, this is only a small part of the value of
. The main value of is found:
 An online specifications tool that allows the owner (or architect) to make very specific choices
that not only determine the price of construction instantly, but get saved in the database for
auto ordering by the builder (ie ensuring that what the owner has asked for is what they get).
 Instant pricing. The online database is formed from a combination of information, rates and
options provided in real time via their own online pages from the Builder, Supplier and Trade.
As a result, all pricing shown on the system is real, accurate and live. An updated price can be
obtained at any time giving the owner every opportunity to change the inclusions until they are
happy with the resultant price.
 Supplier information including:
o Cost (this is calculated automatically based up on the current rate x qty x builders
margin)
o Showroom address
o Image of the product (where appropriate)
o Rep details
o Supplier’s website details for further exploring.
 Construction tools throughout the process that aid both the owner and the builder including:
o Gantt Charts with current progress and expected timeframes.
o Online progress payments
o Time extensions / Variations
o Handover tools

o Warranty Period tools
 Builder tools including
o Builder’s own online page that allows them to insert previous projects, current
workloads, and general snapshot of them to provide the best chance for an owner or
architect to select them. This page can include their own logo so that it is perceived by an
owner that this is their site. This logo is then also used for the printing of the
specifications and documents.
o List of trades with reviews, comments and ratings from other builders. This aims to
maintain a list of good and reliable trades while eliminating poor performing trades. It is
a good way to expand a trade list. These trades are generally the same as used by major
volume builders due to a similar methodology and pricing.
o Purchase Order system / Calendar that has the stored items selected by the owner and
has formed the contract. All the builder needs to do is select the date, the supplier or
trade and what category of work is to be done, and the rest is done for the builder. No
quotes required by the builder as it is already done for them. Once the builder selects
“send”, the supplier or the trade is automatically sent an email purchase order based on
current rates along with drawings or other documentation they requested.
 Supplier tools including:
o Online page to maintain current pricing and keep products up to date.
o Supplier credit applications upload
o Document selector
o Quote upload tool for those suppliers who need to provide a unique quote for each
project.
 Trade tools including:
o Online page to maintain current pricing.
o Document selector

The result really is a comprehensive system to ensure that an accurate, efficient and fair process is
maintained while achieving the cheapest prices reasonable. Better yet, this is all completely achievable
from any computer that has access to the internet.

THE INITIAL PROCESS:
The entire process from inception of the project through to signing contracts and starting construction
is all done via a systemized process that is available online. This will keep you up to date in real time as
to what you have done and what to expect to be done via the course of the process. Not all projects are
the same, but the most common structure is:

Stage 1:
1. Client Estimate (quote your own
project). We provide support for
this step and can even do this step
for the owner / architect /
developer.
2. Review by Consultant. This is
where we check to make sure that
everything is real and has been
allowed for. If not already done,
we will also add items not
commonly known such as
engineering requirements and
building code requirements.
3. Client Quote Adjustment – now
the quote is more accurate, this
gives the owner another chance to
make changes.
4. Particulars Meeting – this is the
detailing of specific items, colours
and materials via a “Materials
Selection” meeting. During this
meeting a small deposit is
requested so that early permits
can be applied for (PIC and
Demolition permits to name a
few). The builder will also be
selected during this meeting.
5. Collect Fixed Quotes (the system automatically collects fixed quotes for some items by suppliers that are
too hard to have rates set for all projects (for example roof trusses, internal stairs etc).
6. Builder to approve quote.
7. Owner to approve final quote
8. Owner to nominate the expected commencement date (to allow for contract dates and planning).
Stage 2:
9. Construction Strategy. This is the input from the builder to nominate amount of days and types of stages
required for each project.
10. Preparation of Contracts. This is also done via the online contracts provided by the MBAV (Master
Builders Association Victoria) using our preset templates.
11. Contracts issued to the bank for funding approval
12. Bank Approval
13. Builder to sign contracts
14. Owner to sign contracts
15. Owner to pay 5% deposit (this is sometimes paid by the bank).
Stage 3:
16. Builder to obtain Home Owners Warranty
17. Lodge building documents to the building surveyor
18. Owner to supply “proof of ability to pay”.
Start Construction Process.

HOW IT WORKS – THE OWNER / ARCHITECT / DEVELOPER
Each Owner is provided with their own unique
online page that they access via their secure
logon and password. From here this opens up a
list of their projects that they can access.

OVERVIEW PAGE:
The initial page (shown on the right), is an
“Overview” page that is accessible by the
construction administrator, the builder, the
suppliers and the trades. The idea of this is so
that everybody has current and accurate
information and documentation that is
accessible from even a laptop on a building site.

The top section displays the current price. This
is real, accurate and current. This price is based
on the inclusions that the owner selects –
nothing more, nothing less.

The next section down shows the project
schedule including:
 Floor areas / total areas
 Perimeters / total perimeters

These should be filled out accurately (as should
all sections within this system) as these figures
are used to calculate price and ultimately
provide actual purchase orders for the builder
that will actually be delivered on site.

The lower section is a list of documentation that
is available for download. This will show the
date of upload and what it is. This is usually the
same information that has been obtained during
the permit stages and used as part of the
building permit application and approval.

The second last section is the list of quotes that
have been provided by the supplier as part of
the process. Here they can be accessed by all.
These are uploaded by the supplier via their
own page, but viewed here by the owner.

The final section is a list of approved documents.
These will normally be:
 Building Permit approval
 Home Owners Warranty Insurance
 PIC Permit (plumbing permit)
 Bank Loan Approval (proof of payment)
 etc

SITE REQUIREMENTS PAGE:
The second tab takes you to the “Site
Requirements” page. This page focuses mainly
on the items that are not traditionally included
in a traditional construction contract such as:
 Driveways
 Landscaping
 Site Cuts / excavation
 Common Drainage
 Subdivisions
 Etc.

The main reason for the inclusion of this is to
have one contract that can cater for all aspects
of the project and enable a bank to fund
everything in the one process. This is an
extremely useful approach to developers and
even owners wanting a full package without
constantly being hit for extra costs that were not
allowed for in the original contract.

The other items that are included in this section
are those that are generally mandatory
requirements and would only get done once (ie
one allowance) for a project whether there was
one house or 10 units. These items may include:
 Building Permit Application
 Temp Fencing
 Temp Toilet
 Temp Power Pole
 Security Cameras
 Insurance(s)
 Etc.

The way this section works is the same as the
selections for each of the items of the house(s),
see the following pages for more information on
how this actual process works.

You will notice 2 “buttons” at the bottom of the screen. These allow you to:
1. Save the project and return at any time without notifying anyone.
2. Save and submit the project to the construction administrator for assessment (this is where it is
first checked for accuracy and all required inclusions). It is quite expected that the first version
of this quote / estimate will not be complete and may exclude many items that are simply not
known. This is fine and normal. During this process all these items will be dealt with in due
process.

UNIT PAGE:
The Unit page is designed to cater
for 1 unit (which would generally
be a single house) up to unlimited
units / townhouses / flats etc.
Each unit would have a separate
tab and page that all work the
same.

More detail into how each
component of these pages work is
explained in the following pages
of this document.

The top 3 row options are
mandatory sections for most
projects. They are:
1. Structure (generally the
structural requirements
and some tasks required
to complete this stage).
This may be loosely
looked at as “Base” and
“Frame” stage.
2. Façade is the external
cladding and “Lock Up”
stage of the house.
3. General covers the items
that are general to the
house and are not
necessarily specific to a
room. This may include
heating / cooling,
painting, insulation etc.

The following rows are rooms that are within the unit. These are inputted manually by the user through
the “Manage Rooms” tool. This is one of the first steps that must be completed in order to begin fully
quoting your project. Once complete, each room can be selected and a vast array of options are
presented to the user to enable them to specify, quote and set what they would like to be ordered for
their house.


MANAGE ROOMS:
The Manage Rooms tool allows you to enter in
as many rooms as you have then input their
width, length and ceiling height along with
some other options. This helps the system auto
calculate certain requirements for this room in
doing so, saving heaps of time in the quoting
process.

The reason the system requires you to quote
the project room by room is not only so it can
be extremely specific and customised, but to
reduce the overwhelming nature of having to
look at an entire project and think of
everything at once in terms of inclusions and
decisions.

If you have a multi‐unit development, copy tools have been included to make this process more efficient.
Once the rooms have been defined, you will
now be able to fully customise your project.
Each room has a number of options or
requirements that can be detailed.

Each option you chose will be specific to that
particular room. The more detail you chose for
each room, the more certain the end result will
be as you desire. As with the very clear
direction of this system, each
option you select and define will automatically
be forwarded to the builder, supplier and trade
as clear instructions as to what you want (and
what you have paid for). So there really is no
question or second guessing.

Once you selection a category to
define, a “pop‐up” window will appear
with all your options.

From within this window you will see
a picture of what each option looks
like, and a title of what this option is.

When you “hover” the mouse over
each option, another “pop‐up” window
will appear individual to each option
that will display:
1. Brief description of the option
2. Sub Options available
3. Price of each item as what will
be allowed for in the contract.
This price you see will be the
sum of:
a. The raw actual cost as
supplied and update
constantly by the
supplier (this is a real
cost with no mark‐ups,
rebates etc).
b. Cost for installation
(generally the trade
component).
c. Builders Margin.
So the cost you see here is the
actual cost you are paying with
everything accounted for.
Please note that this cost is for
the rate (per m2, m3, l/m etc),
so this cost will be multiplied
by the quantity required.

All you are required to do is click onto the item you require based on the information you have viewed.
Once you have selected your item, this will
be displayed in the specifications summary
(ie the page you were on previously).

Now you have the ability to:
1. Enter in the quantity required.
2. Enter in the options to this item
along with quantities required.
3. Enter in comments. These can be
anything – generally instructions to
clarify anything or specific install
requirements the user / owner may
have. This will be passed on to the
builder, supplier and trade
automatically

As each of these items are filled out, the
costs are accumulated in the overall
construction contract price. So you are only
paying for what you ask for – no inflated
costs, extras, etc. You can view an updated
cost on the overview page any time as it is
all calculated in “real time”.

Another option that you have available as a
user / client is the suppliers details. Each
supplier is mandatory to the builder, so
there will be no question as to what you
are getting (ie you are not selecting a
general type of inclusion, but a very
specific and guaranteed inclusion from a
known supplier that you can trust).

By clicking on the “View Supplier” button,
you have the ability to view the suppliers
details so you can:
a. See a display address
b. Get their web address
c. Get the reps contact details
for further information
This allows the user / owner to get all the required information to make good unpressured decisions.
This general process is repeated for all aspects of the build enabling the user / client to include as much
as they would like into the overall contract. You even have the ability to include:
 Subdivision
 Landscaping
 Fencing
 Letter boxes
 Sheds
 Driveways
 Paving
 Pergolas
 Swimming Pools
 Spa Baths
 TV’s
 Fridges
 Furniture
 White goods
 (anything from Harvey
Norman)
This means that everything can be in the one fixed price contract all paid for by the bank under one low
interest, long term loan. This is not a required thing, but an option available to the user / owner. It just
goes to show how flexible and beneficial this system is to the owner / architect / developer.
Once all these requirements are detailed (and checked by the construction consultant), you are then
ready to produce all the documentation required by the bank, builder and building surveyor for further
assessment. These include:
1. Specifications
2. Building Contracts
(it is assumed the other requirements are completed such as working drawings, soil test,
engineering etc).

At this point, the owner / architect / developer are able to select the preferred builder for the project
from a list of preferred registered builders who all use this system.

SPECIFICATIONS

At the completion of the selections / quoting of the project, an automated “Construction Specifications”
document is produced. This is a professionally presented document that lists every single item that has
been selected and what is to form part of the contract. This lists everything the owner has requested
from the item, style, size, quantity, colour and even finish. The options and comments that were
inputted during the quote stage have also been included here as this is what constitutes a good and fair
project.

*please note – a typical Construction Specifications document is at least 20 pages long – only sample pages are
shown above.

CONTRACTS

At the point where all parties are
happy with the content, contracts
(template by the Construction
Manager) are produced. These are
“Master Builder Association of
Victoria (MBAV)” standard
contracts (generally accepted by all
parties) are what are used. These
contracts look at the interests of
both the builder and the owner and
present the project to the owner
with:
 Fixed price
 Liquidated Damages (for
compensation to the owner in
the event the builder finishes
the project late).
 All standard items normally
included or required to
further clarify the intent of the
project that you would expect
in a building contract.
As the contract stage is quite straight
forward and generally managed by all
parties concerned solicitors, we will
not go into any more detail here as this
manual is more about the system itself
rather than the specifics of contracts
that are general heavily regulated by
law or the building commission.

CONSTRUCTION FEATURES AND BENEFITS
A whole host of features and benefits have been designed within to make sure that the
process is as user friendly as possible, while maintaining the constant theme of being fair throughout
the entire project. The designers of the system are constantly looking for ways to improve the features
and benefits of this system, and they will continually grow and become more extensive. Following is a
list of current features and benefits to help:
DURING CONSTRUCTION
GANTT CHARTS (TIME SCHEDULING)
At the point of when the contracts are
being prepared, the builder is asked
how long each of the nominated stages
will take to complete. To this,
foreseeable rain periods, weekends,
holidays, etc are added (which
calculates the contracted period for
construction) but also supplies a Gantt
Chart (time graph) that is shown within
the system to allow the
owner see if the project is on schedule.

If any time variations or additional (allowable) time is added to the contract this
Gantt chart is automatically updated to show the real “legal” time the builder has to
finish the project prior to the “liquidated damages” can be enforced being the true
time the builder has to complete the project. This feature helps reduce much of the
“grey area” in regards to the timing allowed for construction as allowed for in the
contract.
VARIATIONS
A variation to the contract may be done by both the owner and the builder with the
permission of the other party. A formal tool has been added to the
system to facilitate this. All contracts allow an owner to make a variation, in fact it is
the right of the owner to have exactly what they want as it is the owner is left with a
product for years to come once the construction is complete. The issue experienced
in the past with traditional building is that the original cost of the product or service
to be varied was never known prior. The result was often a “credit” for the original
product or service of significantly less than what was allowed for in the contract.

With the variation feature within , the varied product is refunded at
exactly the cost of what was originally allowed. Furthermore, the new item to
replace it is of course only charged at the same price as you would have originally
paid in the first instance.

As soon as the variation has been completed and approved by the builder, this new
item is automatically stored in the database ready to be used as part of the builder’s
automatically generated purchase order (see builders section). This step reduces
risk of the tradition of paper work going missing or being forgotten until it is too
late as this system has it all arranged instantly.

TIME EXTENSIONS
Time extensions (if any) experienced with a project are very important as they
contribute to the contracted period the builder has to complete a project. As a
result, this requirement is very important it is done right and fairly to ensure that
this contracted item is not abused.

The system allows for this time extension to be done in real time
online. Once approved this extension of time is updated into the Gantt chart (see
Gantt Chart on previous page) so that a real end date is always displayed as the legal
and required time to have a project completed.

STAGE PAYMENTS
At the completion of each stage, the builder will issue a stage invoice to the owner to
present to the bank (where applicable) for payment. With the
system, the builder will upload this invoice online. At this point the following things
occur:
1. Invoice is immediately emailed to the owner along with an automatically
generated email stating that the stage is completed and payment is now due and
payable. (at the time of preparing this document, talks are being made with
certain banks to allow for direct submission of invoices along with certain
details to make this step much more efficient for all).
2. Gantt Chart is updated as being complete.
3. Next stage is started on the Gantt Chart.


The information is stored online for access by the owner at any time.

DEVELOPMENT PHOTOS
From time to time the builder
(or construction manager) will
take photos of the development
and upload them online for
access by all. This allows for a
picture time line of events and
will give good insight for those
people who do not have the time
to

AFTER CONSTRUCTION
o Hand Over – The “hand‐over” process is an important step of the development. It is the point
where the builder decides that the house is in practical completion and it is time for the owner
to view the house prior to the formal handing of the keys over. During this onsite meeting, the
owner will be able to identify items of:
 Errors from the agreed specifications
 Reasonable imperfections or touch‐ups
 Rectifications
 Etc.
To make this stage clear and fair for all, the system allows the owner and the
builder to make a separate entry for each item to be addressed along with the ability to upload
a photo. This will create a one‐off list that the builder will now go and address and simply
“tick” them off the list. This means that the final / formal handover is clear and easy and only
minor issues need to be looked at. NB – any additional items that are deemed unsatisfactory to
industry standard would be handled during the “Defects Period”, so it is not vital that all items
are 100% dealt with as often you will find new ones once moved into the home.

At this hand‐over point, you will be provided with all the sub‐contractor certificates, keys,
remotes, manuals and certificate of occupancy.

o Warranty Period – the warranty period is the 7.5 year statutory period whereby the builder
must warranty the house for all structural and commissioned items.

The reality is that of the main items, it is not in fact the builder who is liable for them. Many of
the sub‐contractors have their own industry requirements for warranty and liability, for
example:
 Plumber:
o Drainage
o Internal Plumbing (ie fixtures and fittings)
o Roofing
 Electricians
 Heating / Cooling
So even though the builder is sent to be responsible for these items above, they simply will
contact the trade and have them come to address any warranty issue. Now this all seems fine in
theory... however, sometimes to get a builder (now they have ended the main portion of the
contract and been paid in full) is a little slow and sometimes difficult, so the
system has addressed this so that any warranty issues raised by the owner will be sent DIRECT
to the trade who performed the task and issued the certificate. The builder is also notified,

however they do not need to formally act unless they feel there is an issue or error with the
claim.

All claims are logged to show a history and a copy of the certificates is also kept within the
database.

HOW IT WORKS – THE BUILDER

The builder is the centre of all the action. These days most builders do very little “hand‐on” work such
as carpentry and hard labour, but act more like project managers with the key additional roles of
funding the project and taking the responsibility for all that happens on site.

With the system, the builder’s role is significantly reduced in terms of time required
and administration work. Once the system has been quoted as a result of the combined
efforts of the owner, estimator and the builder, all pricing is set, specification are established and all
purchase ordered are ready for a simple “click” to be sent.

Furthermore, the errors with interpretation of specifications, colours and styles are also minimised, as
the builder simply sends the purchase order that the owner has requested during the quote stage,
therefore minimising error and time wastage.

If this is not enough, the builder now has access to bulk buying power through the
networks, so all the builders quotes and pricing has been pre‐determined via the real‐time supplier /
trade to links. Once again reducing the amount of time required to detail the project by
a considerable amount.

So this is not just about making the life of the builder easier and less time consuming while increasing
accuracy, it actually reduces actual direct costs for a builder to complete a house / development.

The Process:

The process for the builder is very similar to the owner / developer / architect in the way that the initial
process is handled, please refer to this section for the main steps in the initial stages. There are
however, some specific differences to these stages:
 Approve Quote
 Construction Strategy
 Standard Legal Requirements

APPROVE QUOTE
At the point where the owner / developer / architect has completed their requirements, the estimator
has fully checked the quote, a few limited quotes are sent off to the suppliers for more accurate quotes
(whereby it is too hard to have fixed rates). These items would include (but not limited to):
1. Roof trusses & prefabricated walls / subfloor.
2. Stairs
3. Metal roofing (including fascia, gutter, capping, flashings etc).

Once these items are uploaded onto the system by the supplier, the builder is then asked to check this
project for the first time. At this point everything has been done for the builder including specifications,
quotes, rates, etc, etc, and all is needed is a thorough checking and approving. This is a very important
stage, as after this step of checking that everything is as to the builders requirements, the builder
hereby takes on responsibility of the build in all areas.

The builder is supplied with an enormous
amount of information in order to make their
final approval. This includes all the
documentation that has been prepared for the
building permit including (but not limited to):
1. Working drawings
2. Soil Test
3. Engineering (structural and civil)
4. Energy Rating reports
5. Sewer details
6. Property Information
7. Legal Point of Discharge
8. Town Planning Permit (where
applicable)
9. Etc, etc

All these documents are stored online for access
at any time via the internet, whether this be in
the office or on the building site.

On top of this documentation, the builder has immediate access to all the pricing. The pricing is broken
up into 3 categories:
1. Quotes
These are the items that had to be sent away for formal quoting due to their complexity (where
are rate is near impossible to apply and maintain accuracy). These would already have been
done for the builder and simply can be accessed via their designated page. This is stored for
future reference. When the purchase order is sent by the builder at a later stage, this quote is
automatically attached as confirmation with no extra effort to the builder at all.
2. Suppliers
The supplier through negotiation
and careful set up all provide the
system with
agreed rates; this is sometimes
for supply only; and sometimes
supply & install depending on the
item and the supplier. There is
only 1 supplier per product, this
ensures that it is the
responsibility of the supplier to
keep the price updated,
competitive and accurate.

The builder has access at any time
to the current rates from the
suppliers through the “Items
Summary” page. Here the builder
can see all the items that are
included in
along with the options, images,
pricing and contact details direct
to the rep.

This section acts like a dashboard and provides pricing and information across the whole
industry.


3. Trades
The trades work very similar to the suppliers, however, with the trades the builder has a choice
of which trade they use. As there will be multiple trades for any one council, the likelihood is
that there will be some differentiation between the pricing that each trade provides.

When the builder examines the pricing under the same “Items Summary” page (this time under
the trades sub menu), the price show will be the actual amount allowed for in the contract. This
allowance is the average of all trades prices. This is a fair way of allowing the builder to chose
their trade not only based on price, but performance and prior builder’s comments and ratings.

The idea of this is not only to be
supportive to the builder by providing
a list of trades that are aware of the
system and
understand and see benefit in how
this works, but to provide very
important information to the builder
as to their previous work standards,
ethics to help make informed
decisions. This aids the administrators
to only maintain good reliable trades
and remove all poor performing
trades that we do not want associated
with this network.

If a (new) builder has a trade that they have been using for a long time and they have great
relationships and recommend a trade, they are encouraged to have the trade uploaded into the
system to allow for all builders to access this trade to continue to grow the
network of great operators; this will in turn benefit the trade also due to additional
opportunities of work.

also allows for a project summary for a snapshot of allowances for the builder so if
they require, they can budget, plan and compare the pricing as a summary rather than item by item
(simplified but summarised information).

For all of these 3 categories noted above, direct contact information is provided for verification of rates
or terms. Credit applications are also provided online (where allowable by the supplier) once again for
ease.

CONTRUCTION STRATEGY
During the pre‐construction stages,
the owner is asked to set the date that
they expect that the development will
start (taking into account the finance
and other external constraints). Once
this (approximate) date is determined,
the builder will then work out a
schedule with the construction
manager allowing for the time they
believe they will take for each stage,
plus allowance for items such as
holidays, weekends, weather, etc. This
information is stored on a database
and is used for:
1. Contracts (construction
period)
2. Online Gantt charts informing
the owner the general timing
of the project and whether the
project is on schedule or not.
3. Liquidated damages – as the
“real” construction period
generally differs from the
contracted one due to factors
such as bank delays, building
permit issue, owner variations,
etc, this “real time” Gantt chart
*construction strategy tool

is a very valuable tool as it
provides for a real date of
completion taking all items
into consideration as they
occur, not just a prior date that
seems to be focused on even
though it is likely to be
outdated by the end of
construction for various
reasons.

This is an unbiased and
accurate tool that will
minimise many disputes at the
end of a contract.

*Gantt chart as seen by the builder and the owner.

STANDARD LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
As with all typical developments, the builder will involved with and responsible for the items they will
be liable for such as:
 Signing Contracts
 Warranty insurance
 Building Permit issue (liaising with building surveyor)
 Etc.
These items are noted within the system, but essentially done outside of the online
platform.

All these legal items are then uploaded by the builder for instant access by all parties concerned. As each
item is finalised and uploaded, the owner is informed via email once again streamlining the process.

THE CONSTRUCTION PROCESS

This is the stage where really starts to get impressive and makes the life easy for the
builder.

Once all the pre‐construction requirements are all completed and the project is ready for an official
start, all the builder needs to do is “check” the box titled “Tick to commence stage” and 2 things happen:
1. The system activates the clock / Gantt chart and informs the owner that the construction is now
ready to proceed via an email.
2. Automatically emails the owner a pre‐configured “commencement letter” stating this date along
with some general guidelines of the conduct of the project including notice that they are not
allowed on site without permission / accompaniment, OH&S requirements and other important
messages it is better to declare now rather than later when it may become a problem.

Unless already done, it is now time
for the builder to plan their stages
and works on site. This is all done
through the very exciting “Event
Calendar” feature.

The image to the right is of a blank
calendar that is unique to each
project. This is a “loaded” calendar
that links direct to the database of
information that the client (owner),
supplier and trades have all
previously entered.

By the time a builder has detailed their month for this project, the calendar will look something similar
to the calendar completed below.

This “Event Calendar” has some components in green which shows that purchase orders have been sent,
others are yellow showing that these are the dates you would like, but have not confirmed with a
purchase order at this stage.

How to create an event:

1. Simply click onto the date you
would like the item to commence
on site (this is the actual date on
site, not the date you send the
purchase order as sometimes you
will need 6 weeks lead time for
items such as stairs etc).

A new pop‐up box will appear
“Add New Event” which contains
all the information you will need
to enter with the builders
requirements.

The first step is to nominate a completion date for this item (for a delivery it would be the same
day, for a trade it may be 2 weeks later).

2. Nominate whether the task will be performed by a supplier or a trade as these are treated quite
different within the system. If you select a supplier, only those suppliers with products or
services directly relating to this project will be shown to select from. If you select trades, only
trades within the locality of this project (or trades that are willing to travel to this locality) will
be shown.

3. Select the supplier (or trade) that you require for this item.

1. Chose the category that they will be
required to complete (some suppliers
may have multiple areas that they
deal with and all at different stages
during the construction process,
therefore there is the ability to
separate these).
2. Chose the Unit(s) that they are
required to do. For example, the
project may be 10 units all done in
stages, and only 2 at a time are being
constructed.

3. Confirm this entry by clicking onto “Generate Purchase Order”. This will then provide the
builder with an updated calendar with this entry shown for the month. It is a good idea to create
extensive scheduling at the one time, as this system will allow you to quickly
drag the item into different dates and push back entire chunks (due to delays) and completely
plan for efficient yet accurate scheduling all in a very visual and a clear way. It will quickly
become apparent if certain dates and activities will not work prior to sending out purchase
orders.

4. Once the builder has finalised the dates, they
simply need to click onto the “Send Purchase
Order” within the Event box and all the rest of
the important work is done automatically by
the system. Instantly a
purchase order will be produced based on all
the information provided by the designers,
owner, supplier / trade including:
 Name of the Supplier / Trade
 Address for this project
 The builders name and billing address
 Brief description of the project
 Detailed list of items including any
comments provided by the owner,
options, colours and other relevant
information contained within the
database.
 An item summary listing bulk supply
quantities and relevant rates as agreed
for each.
 Total contract amount (ie the purchase
order amount)
 Date required on site (start date)
 Number of days allocated for works
(this is a deadline to ensure that they
do not slow down or delay overall
construction scheduling and timing.
 A note that the builder has the right to
charge penalties for delayed works
whereby it is not reasonable or
justifiable.
 A comments section whereby the
builder can specify detailed
instructions or customised
specifications.
 A list of notes ensuring that good
practise is followed such as cleaning
up after themselves, communication
standards etc. Generally all the factors
or instructions that should be
discussed prior to works or issues
rather than later.
Upon confirmation by the builder that all
information contained within the purchase
order is to their satisfaction, a simple click to
“Approve & Send” will automatically send to
the supplier or trade this purchase order along
with:
1. Copy of working drawings or whatever
documentation the supplier / trade has
prior requested
2. Copy of their applicable specifications.
A copy will also be sent to the builder via
email for their record.

Once this step has been done, the event will turn green showing that it has been created and sent.

FEATURES DURING CONSTRUCTION

During construction, may features have been included within to help preserve the
relationship between the owner and the builder. At the time of creating this booklet there are 7 separate
construction features that should be used consistently throughout.
1. Invoicing
2. Extras / Variations (by builder)
3. Variations (by owner)
4. Time Extension
5. Incident Reports
6. Photo Boards
7. Communication Logs

INVOICING

At the completion of each stage, the builder will issue a stage invoice to the owner to present to the
bank (where applicable) for payment. With the system, the builder will upload this
invoice online. At this point the following things occur:
 Invoice is immediately emailed to the owner along with an automatically generated email
stating that the stage is completed and payment is now due and payable. (at the time of
preparing this document, talks are being made with certain banks to allow for direct
submission of invoices along with certain details to make this step much more efficient for
all).
 Gantt Chart is updated as being complete.
 Next stage is started on the Gantt Chart.
The information is stored online for access by the owner or builder at any time.

EXTRAS / VARIATIONS (BY BUILDER)

A variation to the contract may be done by both the owner and the builder with the permission of
the other party. A formal tool has been added to the system to facilitate this.

In the case of the builder it will generally be a result of:
1. Supplier not having stock of a particular item (whether this be stocking issue or
discontinued line)
2. Site reality that a particular item will not work due to building constraints etc.
3. Etc.

It will be necessary for the builder to change the specifications in order to maintain the legality of
the contract and protect the interests of all concerned.

This step allows the builder to nominate a new product or service, allocate a cost for this and
perhaps make an extension of time request. All of which should be approved by the owner via this
formal process which is recorded in the database and log system.

VARIATIONS (by owner) – see owner section.

TIME EXTENSION

Time extensions (if any) experienced with a project are very important as they contribute to the
contracted period the builder has to complete a project. As a result, this requirement is very
important it is done right and fairly to ensure that this contracted item is not abused.

The system allows for this time extension to be done in real time online. Once
approved this extension of time is updated into the Gantt chart (see Gantt Chart on previous page)
so that a real end date is always displayed as the legal and required time to have a project
completed.

INCIDENT REPORTS

An incident report tool is available as part of the OH&S requirements to log any incidents that occur on
site and what actions (if any) have been done or to be followed up. There is an opportunity to upload
photos all to be stored as one incident report.

This tool is ideal for situations whereby the builder may need to provide evidence to insurers, to court
or other situations. It acts as a legal log showing real events and comments. This may also be used for
situations whereby the owners have been caught on site without permission and formal warnings are
issued.

It is an important element for situations we all hope do not occur on a good building site.

PHOTO BOARDS

From time to time the builder (or
construction manager) will take photos
of the development and upload them
online for access by all. This allows for a
picture time line of events and will give
good insight for those people who do not
have the time to go past the site.

It may also be used by the builder to log
events or requirements to be actioned at
a later date.

COMMUNICATION LOGS
These are an extremely valuable tool for simple communication of events or discussions that are often
forgotten over time. They can either be used as a reminder of what was agreed, or perhaps a log of who
was on site and when.

A well‐kept log is a legally recognised form of evidence of events, actions and comments and should be
used often and thoughtfully.

A builder can leave a log for their own use, or check the “email to owner” for an automated email of this
log to be sent to the owner for their inclusion.

WHY IS THIS SO ATTRACTIVE TO BUILDERS?


We have discussed in reasonable detail all the features and benefits of the specific features of
. However, is so much more than patented systems, techniques and
features, as this works only as a result of synergy (everyone working together to get a better result than
what you could by your own).

By default, this system only works when both suppliers and trades are happy and tuned in to the
method. All of the suppliers selected as mandatory to the system are generally those who:
1. Are larger companies with their own systems and scheduling that is tried and tested (and
enforced by a hierarchy of management).
You can always find a cheap supplier if you look hard enough, but will you get the
warranties, reliability and the other requirements you need to make sure that the cheaper
rates do not become financial nightmares over the course of time...

2. Are national companies (as is set to be a national system used throughout
Australia and beyond). This means that these companies can see the benefits of being within this
network as a mandatory supplier. Along with the ease of quoting, ordering and scheduling, the
potential to access a vast number of builders through the one system all combines to force very
good pricing that a “stand‐alone” builder simply cannot compare to.

Imaging being able to buy materials for the same price as a builder who builds 300 homes a year
yet you only build 3! Plus getting the service and support to match.

3. Would be very focused on support and good service. As a group or network, the “stand‐alone”
builder will become part of something bigger and be able to play by the same rules and have the
same opportunities as the larger volume builders that are slowing forcing out the smaller
builder.

So... if the patented systems, techniques, features and support don’t excite you as a builder, then surely
the pricing will!

Traditionally the builder cares about the builder (and they should as they need to stay profitable and
liquid). But in the past very little emphasis has been placed on the owner / client. There are heaps of
estimating systems on the market. There are generally 2 issues with these:
1. They are not internet based which means they have to be loaded statically onto a computer and
all the products, information and pricing has to be done manually done by the builder. There are
heaps of issues with this which have been touched on earlier in this document. The biggest issue
(apart from direct access to your suppliers and trades), is that every time there is a price change,
the builder must initially be notified of this, then secondly update manually all the pricing. This
is inefficient and simply too exposed to risk.
2. They do not have the owner / client be involved in the process to get the foundation of trust and
transparency.

Simply put, if the owner / client is not happy, the builder will not get the contract.

This is where stands out as it completely involves the owner / client to the point where
they are completely creating the game plan. They will initially have all the information they need to
make good informed choices while controlling the cost to their budget. They know what they are getting
and know what is or isn’t included. They are then presented with very accurate specifications
documentation which is included in the contract. They also know that whatever they have selected will
be delivered on site as the system only allows for this to happen. So there is
established confidence and clarity (as well as great pricing).

So if a builder has this calmness from the owner to start with, much of the hard work is done (literally –
as they have also done all your hard work in the process; quotes, purchase orders etc).

is about an attitude as much as it is about protecting the builder, supplier, trade or
even the owner / client. If more builders realised that TRULY giving the owner / client what they want
their sales campaigns would be significantly easier. This is what provides by simply
doing what it does.

Simply put, helps any builder regardless of their experience become a professional
entity with great systems, presentation and legal features to aid them to become very successful at what
they do. Throw in great pricing advantages, everyone will benefit from the experience which is where
your next project will come from.

HOW IT WORKS – THE SUPPLIER

It is very important that the supplier within the system recognise that their inclusion
within this system means that they are the mandatory supplier for all builders contained within.

What this means is that by simply accommodating to the one online webpage created for them, they
have guaranteed access to potentially hundreds of builder and owner builders throughout Australia.
Only once will the supplier have to change a rate / price, and instantly all these builders will have this
updated in their own database.

Furthermore, the same rules, prerequisites, and approach would be administered for each project by
each individual builder, so the predictable relationships will create very efficient projects for all.

Generally they have been very carefully selected as a result of some of these factors:
 National company with many outlets around Australia. This is so that as the
system expands and grows, they will be able to quickly accommodate in each new region
(preferably all with the same rates where reasonable).
 Great track record of systems, products, support and service.
 Availability of showrooms
 Warranties and after sales support that can be relied on.
 The ability to work within the system and will be loyal / protective of the
relationship.

The supplier within the system has a very important role. They need to upload their
products, images, descriptions and pricing, and continue to maintain these for as long as the
relationships last.

At the front of this relationship, support, product and reliable service is essential, but as a result of the
volume of building projects presented as a group along with the ease of transactions, pricing will be
extremely important.

INITIAL SETUP

Initially there will need to be 4 main things created prior to launch of suppliers products:
1. Supplier Profile
2. Default Requirements
3. Credit Application
4. Product Information.

SUPPLIER PROFILE

This is simply entering in the details of the supply
company. What is more important here is the
details for the rep, showroom address, web
address and email address for the purchase
orders (often different from the rep). Much of
these details will be shown to the client / owner,
so they need to be accurate.

The intent here is that the owner / client will
have access to real information so that they can
make good, informed decisions with their
specifications. Through use of your website, or
your showroom, they will be able to see this
information and access it at their leisure with no
pressure.

DEFAULT REQUIREMENTS

In the theme of having great relationships, it is presented to the supplier to nominate:
1. A lead time for delivery of goods or service. For example a supplier may need 3 days to process
an order and have ready for delivery. This would be noted as a default requirement and the
builders purchase order would be determined around this.

This feature will aid in good organisation, quicker projects and less stress for all concerned.

2. Documentation that is required for each project. Here the supplier can chose from a list of
documentation already prepared and on the system such as:
a. Working drawings
b. Engineering
c. Materials Schedule
d. Landscape Plan
e. Civil drawings
f. Etc, etc.

At the point of when the builder authorises the purchase order, these documents will
automatically be emailed to the supplier as part of this purchase order. This will reduce
unnecessary follow phone calls requesting further information and the like. It will also ensure
that the documentation that is sent is current.


CREDIT APPLICATION
For those suppliers who
do not need specific
credit applications
printed on specific paper,
they can upload a copy of
their credit application
form for the builder to
download, fill out and
send back. This once
again helps reduce the
amount of wasted time
with meetings, travel etc
which all equates into
cost. Of course those
suppliers who would
prefer to meet the builder
and get a better one‐on‐
one relationship, this can
all be done as desired.
The intent of this feature
is to provide
opportunities to be more
streamlined with our
profession.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

The supplier will initially work close
with the administrators to create list of
products that are to be included into
the system. Often this will already be
done for the supplier while they take
the time to understand the way it
works and the benefits, so essentially
they will just need to maintain them.
There are a few components to a
product using the
suppliers system:
1. Item – this is simply the name
of the product or service that is
descriptive and may possibly
have a product code within it.
This item name must be unique.
2. Image – “a picture tells a
thousand words”. Very
important to a client and
perhaps a builder to be very
clear what the owner / client
wants or expected. All images
must be .jpg and can be viewed
by all throughout the system.
An image is not essential for all

products.
3. Description – a brief
description of the product
benefits or perhaps even what
is included within a service.
4. Rate extension – here the supplier will nominate what the price refers to (ie m2, m3, l/m, $, etc).
The item rate extension can be different from the option extension (see point 5 below).
5. Options – where a product as options or pricing cannot be determined by one value (for
example the install may include a base rate to cover delivery and admin, plus a m2 rate for the
actual install), this can all be accommodated for in the options section.
6. Category – a category must be determined to separate the stage that the product or service may
be expected to be performed. For example a plumbing supplier may supply both wall mixer taps
as well as basins – these would be quoted in separate areas and delivered at separate times. This
is all determined in this admin page.
7. Price – This price is set by the supplier and is in “real time”. If there are 150 pending quotes /
estimates in the system, and the supplier changes the price of one or more of
their products, it will instantly update all quotes / estimates. What is noted here as a price is
what will be sent back to you in the purchase order, so it is important that these are current and
real pricing.
Note: failure to have real and accurate pricing (ie rates or pricing that different
from what is eventuating on site) will lead for the full extraction of the supplier
from the system altogether and replacement with a more reliable and ethical
supplier.

USEFUL FEATURES FOR THE
SUPPLIER

To make the relationships as
beneficial as possible, the following
features have been added to either
create transparency or provide more
efficient transactions:
1. Builders List – this is a simple
list of builders within the
network.
This can either be used to
obtain contact details, provide
a list of potential rep
visitations or simply see how
powerful the
system is for your company.
2. Project list – here the supplier
can see a list of current
(approved) projects and their
current status. This is a useful
tool for those suppliers who
would like to plan their year
and get an indication of how
many projects are
approaching and when. This
feature also includes details of
the project address, the
builder and the owner (useful
for when they visit a
showroom you know that they
are genuine).

The exciting aspect here for a
supplier, is that only those
projects which are confirmed
and contracted are shown
here. This means that there
will be very few cases where
the supplier / rep will waste
time with “window shoppers”,
so that any
referral should have better,
more thorough service and
attention.

PURCHASE ORDER & WORKS
DIRECTION

Generally the supplier will be directed
to commence works via an
automatically generated purchase
order authorised by the builder.

This purchase order will be sent via
email to the email account nominated
in the suppliers profile page. This
purchase order will be similar to the
one depicted in the image to the right,
but will also come as .pdf attachments
that you have requested.

The rates / pricing, product
information and almost everything
contained within is a direct response
to the data and information that is
currently contained within the
suppliers page. So if the information
within the purchase order is not right
in terms of pricing or content, it is
likely that the same supplier needs to
update their information to ensure
accurate legally binding purchase
orders.

This purchase order must be read and
actioned very carefully. There may be
specific instructions contained within
that need to be considered.

It will be likely that some purchase
orders come with errors, or obvious
omissions. It is expected that the
supplier will communicate direct with
the builder as first witness to any
issues (including delivery delays, etc).

It would be desirable that each
purchase order received was followed
up with a courtesy call to notify the
builder of confirmed dates and
receipt. This would be done direct
between the supplier and the builder.


EXPECTATIONS FOR THE SUPPLIER

As part of the relationship with and remain as the mandatory (sole) supplier, it is
expected:
1. Pricing is best possible with rates that the normal builder could not get access to by themselves.
2. Service / support is uncompromised.
3. Loyalty to the program is uncompromised (builder can only get access to the better pricing if
connected to the system and done ONLY via the online
purchase order system). Any supplier found dealing direct with a builder or client will face the
possibility of being removed from the system in its entirety.
4. Ethical and reliable site conduct.
5. Continued and regular maintenance to the suppliers page in regards to current product
information and pricing.

HOW IT WORKS – THE TRADE

The trade component of the system works very similar to the supplier’s component,
with one main differentiation; the trade is not mandatory. This is for 2 main reasons:
1. It is expected that the trade will concentrate to certain areas and cannot perform their role in
entire regions; this is not to say that some trades will, but the system allows for all situations.
2. It should be the right of the builder to select their preferred trade as a result of many factors.
Often a builder has used the same trade for all their projects over many years with great success.
This cannot be interfered with.

INITIAL SETUP

Initially there will need to be 3 main things created prior to receiving purchase orders and commencing
works contracts :
1. Trade Profile
2. Default Requirements
3. Rates / Pricing

TRADE PROFILE

This is simply entering in the details of the
entity that the trade trades under. In
addition, contact details such as postal
address, phone number and email address
for the purchase orders. Much of these
details will be shown to the builder, so they
need to be accurate.

DEFAULT REQUIREMENTS

In the theme of having great relationships, it
is presented to the trade to nominate:
1. A lead time for time expected to be
available on site for a typical period.
For example a bricklayer may need
30 days to process an order and
schedule for a time that can be
guaranteed. This would be noted as a
default requirement and the builders
purchase order would be determined
around this.

This feature will aid in good
organisation, quicker projects and
less stress for all concerned.

2. Documentation that is required for each project. Here the trade can chose from a list of
documentation already prepared and on the system such as:
 Working drawings
 Engineering
 Materials Schedule
 Landscape Plan
 Civil drawings
 Etc, etc.


At the point of when the builder authorises the purchase order, these documents will
automatically be emailed to the trade as part of this purchase order. This will reduce
unnecessary follow phone calls requesting further information and the like. It will also ensure
that the documentation that is sent is current.

RATES / PRICING

The trade has the ability to upload their rates based on the pre‐defined options. These options have
been pre‐defined with very close work of trusted trades (often coming from the volume builders
networks) combined with fairness and initiative. What has resulted is a set of rates and practices that all
trades need to adhere to. These have been created by trades for the trades and cannot be compromised
on (within reason).

The trade can logon to the system and nominate each of the requirements that their trade represents.
The way the system has been created is that the trade will get paid for every item that
they do. By this we mean that it is generally not done on a total house m2 rates, but a rate for every
component of what task you would perform. This is done this way to ensure that the
system can allow for almost all situations (not just the simple stand‐alone houses on a flat site the
volume builders currently are set up to do). This is not only fair, but make for more accurate pricing
without the need for quotes and the time required for the quotes.

The price set by the trade is in “real time”. If there are 150 pending quotes / estimates in the
system, and the trade changes the price of one or more of their services, it will
instantly update all quotes / estimates. What is noted here as a price is what will be sent back to you in
the purchase order, so it is important that these are current and real pricing.
Note: failure to have real and accurate pricing (ie rates or pricing that different
from what is eventuating on site) will lead for the full extraction of the trade from
the system altogether and replacement with a more reliable and ethical trade.

A tool that is added to this pricing feature is that if the rate a trade enters is more expensive or cheaper
by a significant amount, the system will alert the user ensuring:
 The pricing is accurate
 Flag any confusion with what the rate relates to (ie help predict errors with the trades pricing)

USEFUL FEATURES FOR THE TRADE

To make the relationships as beneficial as
possible, the following features have been
added to either create transparency or
provide more efficient transactions:
1. Council selector – this allows the
trade to nominate the councils
(areas) of what they are better set
up to service. This helps the builder
not waste time sending purchase
orders to a trade that is not willing
to work in their region.
2. Builders List – this is a simple list of
builders within the
network. This can
either be used to obtain contact
details, provide a list of potential
rep visitations or simply see how
powerful the
system is for your company.

PURCHASE ORDER & WORKS DIRECTION

The purchase orders are sent and received exactly the same way as the supplier. Please refer to the
supplier pages for more information with this topic.

EXPECTATIONS FOR THE TRADE

As part of the relationship with , it is expected:
1. Pricing is best possible with rates that the normal builder could not get access to by themselves.
2. Service / support is uncompromised.
3. Loyalty to the program is uncompromised (builder can only get access to the better pricing if
connected to the system and done ONLY via the online
purchase order system). Any trade found dealing direct with a builder or client will face the
possibility of being removed from the system in its entirety.
4. Ethical and reliable site conduct.
5. Continued and regular maintenance to the pricing page in regards to current rates.

QWERTYOverview

Recommandé

Recommandé

Contenu connexe

Similaire à QWERTYOverview

Similaire à QWERTYOverview (20)

QWERTYOverview