PTM Group were engaged to carry out the extensive redevelopment and upgrade to the 50 year old Ludmilla Primary School for the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics.

Design

The redevelopment of the school and upgrade of the school consisted of the following works to be carried out:

  • Upgrade of the existing school entrance, facade and carpark, including landscape work along Bagot road.
  • Construction and commission of new accessible lift to the entry area.
  • Refurbishment of the existing two storey GLA block, including extensive mechanical works to incorporate chilled water air conditioning to the classrooms.
  • New preschool, which will be relocated into the ground floor eastern section of this building, including a large undercover play area and landscaped outdoor play space.
  • Refurbishment and fit out of the existing two storey Administration Building including all services upgrades.
  • Landscaping and civil (flood mitigation) works to the front of the school.

Construction of this project was undertaken with processes common to the industry and consisted of both the construction and fit out of the building. The finishes were of a high quality as required by the client and in line with PTM Groups standard work practices. The building and its general aesthetics are modern, neat, tidy and sit well within its surroundings.

Management

The efficient management of the subcontractors by the Project Manager and the implementation of our Integrated Management System enabled PTM Group to hand over the project ahead of schedule and on budget with no major issues in quality and no OHSE incidents reported.

Much of the praise goes to suppliers and subcontractors, not just PTM Group – for achieving a high quality project on budget and on time. A substantial 120 people worked on the Ludmilla Primary School project, including both PTM Group and subcontractors. At its peak there were approximately 90 workers on site at the same time. Twelve local subcontractor companies were involved in the project and all materials were sourced from local suppliers. More than 31.86% of people employed on the Project identified as an Indigenous person and at completion of the project we had a total of 7 Indigenous Apprentices as well as 14 non-indigenous.

In addition to the personnel component, a program management system was integral to the success of the project. The tool allowed PTM Group to provide Monthly progress reports and updates to our client. The success of a project hinges on the project management tool which assists to priority tasks and track what’s happening on site. It was also essential to manage budgetary components and cash flows. The tool set out the stages in the project and tracked progress and outcomes.

Management of the project was not possible without regular fortnightly meetings with DIPL and DOE personnel, as well as other stakeholders. Adherence to communication protocols was a high priority.

Challenges

The main challenge, which is unique to the Top End of Australia, is trying to get ahead of the wet season. This is why it was essential to have full proof project plan from the outset. Resources were sequenced, orders coordinated, and materials onsite and ready for each phase of the project. Flow and sequencing is really important, from engaging the subcontractor right at the start to making sure they know what their role is.

Environmental concerns were a high priority and PTM Group were very sensitive to the issues with dust from the site potentially affecting neighboring suburbs.

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PTM Group takes pride in having completed this project on time and on budget. Overall the project ran very smooth and progressed without major incident, the client was very happy with the end product and has received compliments from the end user.