VPRS 3157 Contract Documents, Architectural and Engineering

Full description

This series consists of Architectural and Engineering contract documents. The Architectural and Engineering branches were part of the Technical Division of the Housing Commission. The divisions major responsibilities were the servicing of land and the letting of contracts.

Under the provisions of the Slum Reclamation and Housing Act 1938, the Housing Commission was given wide ranging powers for the making of by-laws to regulate the erection and construction of buildings. The Housing Commission was able to regulate the type of materials used and the manner in which they were used.

As a consequence, plans and specifications by an interested Contractor had to be submitted before any works could commence. The contract documents were therefore crucial to ensure that the Housing Commission and the Contractor were in mutual agreement on Housing Commission standards and obligations.

This series provides a record of the erection and construction of Housing Commission estates that continue to be inhabited today. This series also defines Housing Commission standards and specifications.

The majority of the contracts were for construction of Housing Commission estates, however some were for demolitions and removals. The envelopes often contained plans and some envelopes also included correspondence of the tendering process.

The contract documents outlined the terms and conditions of the Housing Commissions contractual process. The contracts contained the following information:

Letter of Contractors acceptance
Summary of tender
Applications of rise and fall
Schedule of costs for individual dwelling units
Schedule of basic costs
Bill of quantities
Appendices
Time schedule
Housing Commission Standards ie. standard villa specifications.