Cooperation with METIB from the General Contractor’s Perspective – Frequently Asked Questions (Q&A) – Part 2

Date of last update: 12.11.2025

Execution, Quality, and Construction Support

The second part focuses on work during the execution phase: cost optimization, design changes, construction support, quality control, handovers, and as-built documentation. This section is more “operational,” relevant for site managers, construction engineers, fabricators, and personnel responsible for supervision and acceptance procedures.

Table of contents:

1. Costs and Optimizations (Value Engineering)
2. Changes, Claims, and Risk Management
3. Construction Support and Author Supervision
4. Materials, Tolerances, and Handovers
5. Fire Protection, UDT, and Special Facilities
6. Formalities, Responsibility, and Intellectual Property
7. Safety, Environment, and ESG
8. Completion and Post-Construction Support
9. Practical Deliverables Standards (Summary)
10. How to Start – “Fast-Track” Mode in 5 Steps

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Costs and Optimizations (Value Engineering)

Q: Do you propose cost-effective alternative solutions?
A: Yes – as a standard, we analyze profiles, sheet thicknesses, support spacing, structural schemes, prefabrication methods, node repetition, material alternatives, and assembly simplifications. Each proposal is supported by calculations and an assessment of its impact on time and cost.

Q: How do you avoid “false savings”?
A: We use a cost–time–risk decision matrix. We evaluate the entire cycle: design → production → transport → assembly → operation. We eliminate variants that reduce material quantities but increase manufacturing costs or extend assembly time.

Changes, Claims, and Risk Management

Q: How do you handle changes during the project?
A: Every change follows a Change Request workflow: description, justification, impact on time/cost/quality, and final decision. All changes are tracked in the CDE, and drawings/models receive clear revision marks and modification lists.

Q: How do you manage RFIs from the construction site?
A: RFIs are logged and prioritized (critical/planned). Responses are linked to specific model elements or drawings so that the contractor has one consistent point of reference.

Q: How do you manage technical risk?
A: We maintain a risk register with assigned mitigation measures (e.g. additional testing, load tests, alternative details), decision milestones, and designated risk owners.

Construction Support and Author Supervision

Q: What kind of on-site support do you provide?
A: We participate in coordination meetings, site visits, rapid variant analyses, RFI responses, approval of material/joint substitutions, tolerance interpretation, and verification of assembly plans and sequences. We ensure our presence (on-site/online) at critical stages.

Q: Do you prepare installation manuals and assembly details?
A: Yes, when required by the scope – for example, detailed bolting sequences, temporary bracing, or supports. We consider the actual equipment capabilities available on site.

Q: How do you support prefabrication and workshops?
A: We provide workshop drawings with cutting lists and material schedules, tolerances and welding/bolting sequences, element marking standards, and CNC-ready files – upon agreement.

Materials, Tolerances, and Handovers

Q: Is the selection of steel/concrete grades on your side?
A: Material selection is based on calculations and exposure/fire resistance requirements. We coordinate material grades and protective coatings with the general contractor and inspector.

Q: How do you handle tolerances and deviations?
A: We design with construction and assembly tolerances in mind. Drawings indicate critical points and acceptable deviation ranges. During handovers, we verify key elements (anchors, load-bearing joints, fire-rated areas).

Q: What is the documentation acceptance procedure?
A: We deliver a complete package: drawings, calculations, models, schedules, verification protocols, a list of open comments (if any), and collision status. Acceptance is recorded in the CDE.

Fire Protection, UDT, and Special Facilities

Q: Do you integrate fire protection requirements into the structural design?
A: Yes – we define fire resistance classes for elements, thickness of fire protection coatings, and their impact on dimensions/weight. We cooperate with a certified fire protection expert.

Q: How do you handle structures with components subject to UDT or other inspections?
A: We design in compliance with applicable regulations and inspection body requirements, preparing the structural part of documentation for official approvals.

Q: How is the completeness of documentation verified and accepted?
A: The acceptance process includes the transfer of all deliverables – models, drawings, calculations, material lists, clash reports, and verification protocols. A list of open comments is also attached. The completeness criterion is the preparation of all workshop drawings for a given package before release to production.

Formalities, Responsibility, and Intellectual Property

Q: What are your professional liability and insurance principles?
A: We hold the required professional licenses and designer liability insurance. The scope and coverage are confirmed before project start.

Q: Who owns the intellectual property rights to the documentation?
A: Economic copyrights for the purpose of the specific investment are transferred under contract. We reserve the right to reuse design solutions as know-how (without sensitive investor data).

Q: What is the signing and responsibility process?
A: Documentation is signed by authorized designers/checkers. If lead designer signatures are required, we ensure inter-discipline coordination before approval.

Safety, Environment, and ESG

Q: Do you consider health, safety, and environmental aspects in your designs?
A: Yes – we minimize assembly risks (element weights, lifting points, work sequences) and aim to reduce waste and material footprint. Upon request, we prepare variant comparisons in terms of CO₂ per ton of structure (using EPD data where available).

Completion and Post-Construction Support

Q: Do you prepare as-built documentation?
A: Yes – we update the model/drawings to the “as-built” status, integrate site changes, and deliver final schedules and operation manuals for the structural scope.

Q: Do you provide support during commissioning or operation?
A: We can offer post-construction consulting, assess planned modifications and load changes, and prepare expert opinions.

Practical Deliverables Standards (Summary)

Q: What do you typically deliver for steel/reinforced concrete structures?
A:

• BIM/IFC models with agreed LOD/LOI.
• Drawings: structural layout, reinforcement, details, steel/prefabrication workshop drawings, bolt/weld/anchor schedules.
• Structural calculations with assumptions and ultimate limit state checks.
• Material take-offs (BoQ/Bill of Materials) in XLSX/CSV format.
• Clash and coordination reports, quality verification protocols.
• Installation manuals (if within the scope).
• As-built documentation after completion.

How to Start – “Fast-Track” Mode in 5 Steps

Q: What are the steps to launch cooperation quickly and safely?
A:

1. Kick-off: confirm scope, input data, roles, CDE, SLA.
2. Checklist of missing inputs + documentation package schedule.
3. Base model/reference grid and preliminary loads – approval.
4. Design iterations with inter-discipline coordination and VE.
5. Design freeze → workshop drawings → site support → as-built.

A well-designed project cooperation with the General Contractor means a clear scope, complete input data, disciplined version control, short decision paths, and accountability for deadlines.
METIB brings expert structural knowledge, proven quality procedures, and a practical approach to cost and assembly. As a result, documentation becomes real support for production and construction – not a bottleneck in the project.