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A time for compassion and understanding

The impression you get from Canterbury members is that everything is ok and then they let slip that there is some damage or someone else you have just been speaking to has some damage they have not mentioned.  You can sense some reluctance to talk and yet there is also a need to talk at the same time so as to be able to convey an appropriate message.  The most uplifted people sounded, was when they talked about messages of support received from outside of the affected area.  This simple gesture means a tremendous amount to them.  “The sympathy emails and the contacts we have received are just astonishing.”  There is no doubt the impact on the people of Canterbury is huge.  “She was a ripper.”  And probably not well understood outside of the region - “I don’t think you are seeing all of it.”

Quantity Surveyors (members) have been proportionally affected along with everyone else.  There is visible anxiety for some QS’s who are uncertain about the current future of their homes.  A greater number have been locked out of work short term and are having to adjust to alternative work and living arrangements.  Sleep has been hard to come by at times.  Sure no one was killed but in some places “The damage is horrendous down here.  ”While everyone has been affected, the rumbles are now “Ho Hum” for many, uneasy for some, but no doubt still quite disturbing for a few.  This is surely a time for compassion and understanding.

This issue is focused on the Quantity Surveyors of Canterbury 6 days after the big one on the morning of Saturday 4 September 2010 with contributions from local members and HQ on matters relating to being a member of NZIQS in the aftermath of a major earthquake event.

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President Keith Harvey Writes...

Dear Members,

As we all know the earthquake in Canterbury on the morning of Sunday 4 September and the subsequent aftershocks has caused massive damage to the physical environment of Christchurch and the surrounding area and more importantly has impacted so greatly on so many peoples' lives.

Everyone living in the region has been affected and on behalf of NZIQS I offer our support and best wishes to our members and their families in Canterbury.  While there is little we can do for you in a practical sense at this stage please be aware that you are in our thoughts and from a Quantity Surveying point of view, if any assistance is needed please let us know.

Yours sincerely,

Keith Harvey
President

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If you would like to share a message of support for Canterbury members
please write to them either directly or via johngranville@nziqs.co.nz

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The First 24 hours – QS Facebook Friends

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Stewart Harrison Interview 10 September 2010

[ME] How is everyone doing now?

[SH] We’re ok.  It’s pretty surreal actually; your senses become heightened to anything.  You can hear it coming.  You think… what the?   oh no, then it’s a train, or it’s a truck, then you think oh thank god for that.  But your hear them [earthquakes], and we’ve got a digger right next door to us now.  We have got an excavator breaking up a brick building next door to us and every time that thing gets a bit of weight up and hits the deck you think “oh my god what was that?”  You certainly become a bit more aware of what is happening around you and the sounds and the noises and waiting for the earth to shake.

[ME] Have people settled back into work this week?

[SH] Yes, we’ve been back all week.  Wednesday with that quake we had first thing in the morning,   just Ian and I came in.  The guys all had the day off.  But the Council are going around and if there is imminent risk to the building, they are putting stickers on the building saying Red – don’t enter, orange - etc.  We’ve a building next door which is unstable, so the council came around yesterday and put a sticker on our building saying “enter at your own risk.”  Which shut the café downstairs.

[ME] So Ian Harrison and Associates are practicing Quantity Surveying at their own risk?

[SH] Yeah. (laughing)

[ME] What workload changes have you had?

[SH] Nothing much from the earthquake has come in yet.  Other than helping the building owner next door to the south of our building assisting them with getting demolition sorted out or repairs, getting contractors involved, etc.

[ME] So you have been helping your work neighbours with industry knowledge and contacts?

[SH] Yes.  I can’t see us getting busy with this stuff for months though.  By the time you get through councils and Engineers do their stuff, the new drawings are done, etc.

[ME] Are there any ‘work in progress’ projects affected?

[SH]  Yes, a job we just scheduled.  It had been tendered.  We were assessing tenders and on Saturday it had substantial damage to it.  Cracks and so forth, the contract has not been let yet.  It was a strengthening job and fire reinstatement job combined.  There are usually discussions behind the scenes of any tender but this is one example where they get more interesting.

[ME] A case of a flat market not wanting to let a massive earthquake get in the way of starting a very much “needed” project!

[SH] Yes. The other thing we have been talking about in our office is how we now assess P&G, margins and labour rates for our estimates.  What’s the flow on effect of this?  Will there be contractors out there who will shoot themselves in the foot by charging more?

[ME] So you are considering what will be the anticipated effect on market pricing?

[SH] Yes.  I was talking with a couple of other consultants and the talk was of not upping our rates for our work.  But some of the tradesmen and consultants who bump up their rates too much, well, that might be to their detriment.  It might be supply and demand but I’d be disappointed if tradesmen simply up their rates just because of the max $100K from EQC on residential properties

[ME] For people working in stressful situations, would be fair to put the rate up a little bit?

[SH] Agreed a little bit, maybe where they were 18 months ago.

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   DEFINITION: Surreal   /sə'riəl, -'ril/  Spelled [suh-ree-uhl, -reel]  [ED - notes apt use of surreal above]    –adjective….1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of surrealism; surrealistic. 2. having the disorienting,    hallucinatory quality of a dream; unreal; fantastic: surreal complexities of the bureaucracy. [QS Link]

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Queenstown QS in the News

Rilean Construction senior quantity surveyor Mick Moffatt yesterday said the Queenstown commercial construction company would be keen to play a role.  "It's no secret - big commercial builds have tailed off in Queenstown, and we're well set up for large inner-city construction," he said.  Mr Moffatt said he anticipated a shortage of tradesmen and sub-contractors, and the company would use Queenstown-based staff if needed.  [SOURCE Stuff.co.nz]

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Peter Eggleton Interview 10 September 2010

[ME] Your house is Ok.  How about other staff members?

[PE] Yes.  One of our staff members has got a house which may or may not be habitable.  They are just waiting for an inspector to come and have a look at it today.

[ME] my sympathies to them.

[PE] She is obviously shaken up.

[ME] Were / are Rawlinson’s in the cordoned off area?

[PE] Yes we are.

[ME] how long since you’ve been able to get back in?

[PE] We are partially back.  We started partially back on Tuesday we had limited access to the building.

[ME] How has your building stood up?

[PE] We had limited damage.  We have got partition damage, a few files went west and we lost a couple of monitors but apart from that the biggest thing for us was the server went down and it took two or three days to get it back up.

[ME] So quite a bit of disruption in terms of your business operations?

[PE] Yes, luckily we are in a 1980’s building not a 1960’s building.

[ME] So does that mean the rest of the Rawlinson business has helped look after the business with your clients?

[PE] At the moment the most of our clients, and I think it is just generally speaking are only just coming to think about costs of reinstatement.  Most of the work to date has been about life safety, property safety, or just getting things back to where people can move without being endangered.

[ME] How is the general mood in the office at the moment?

[PE] Fine.  Everyone is probably a bit sick of the rumblings but spirits are good.  Obviously coming from the building industry we generally know what is going on.  We know about earthquake / building issues. Which ones have been prone and we have been working with various clients for a lot of years to either earthquake proof them or getting up to speed with what is happening now.

[ME] Are any ‘work in progress’ projects affected?

[PE] We just let a contract [prior to the quake] for one building affected down Manchester Street and [having seen the building now] I don’t think it will be done for the same price that was quoted.  It may now be a case of negotiating the cost of the demolition.

[ME] Any other ‘work in progress’ project issues?

[PE] We have got a bit of damage of materials that were paid for off site which we’re just notifying people of.  It is a bit unfortunate, you have business as usual situations where a lot of our business is out of town [read out of earthquake zone] some of them less happy with a disruption to their business, which is understandable.  But we have MAJOR disruptions here and [to balance this] the sympathy emails and the contacts we have received are just astonishing [very pleasing].  We have had them all the way from London, Ireland and all such places.

[ME] My sympathies too.

[PE] Obviously the shakes are still going on.  There was a big one this morning again.  Actually it was two simultaneously this morning so…

[ME] I assume the shakes are shorter in duration?

[PE] Short and sharp yes.  I wasn’t here for the first one but I understand it went off for about 20 seconds. The big one on Wednesday morning was right underneath the city in Woolston.  It was very shallow, but you could feel the effect of that going up and down rather than sideways.  But people are either getting sick of them or starting to ignore them.

[PE] It is really interesting that the geological nature of the ground under the buildings has seemed to have had a lot to do with the amount of destruction.  Kaiapoi has had a huge amount of liquefaction, acres or hectares of it.  Same in Avonside, but anywhere that seems to be built on the likes of shingle seems to have suffered much less.  It is going to interesting to go back to AMI stadium, where we spent $2Mil on ground improvement work underneath the Deans stand and so it is going to be interesting to see how that has worked?  That was stone columns.

[ME] You haven’t gone back there yet?

[PE] No.

[ME] Are you leaving it to the engineers this week?

[PE] We are starting to assess some of them.  We have basically started yesterday having a look at the cost of remedials.  One building which I went to have a look at, which was designed in the 80’s had a massive amount of movement but the engineers have said it has performed exactly the way the building was designed to behave.  It had a seismic joint which seems to have moved about 3 inches.  So obviously that has taken up all the carpets and vinyl’s and straight through bathrooms and stuff like that.  Yes, it is really interesting the engineers were very happy with that one.

[ME] Have you noticed an influx of people coming in to help out with the urgent things?

[PE] There are a few engineers from out of town.  In terms of the effect on the industry [current contracts] it is going to be quite interesting because some of them are already struggling getting their subcontractors to perform or stay on site.  So I don’t believe it is going to be a main contractor issue again.  It is going to be subcontractors.

[ME] Why will the current industry be struggling with subcontractors?

[PE] Because they are obviously, for example like plumbers and Gib stoppers and bricklayers ….

[ME] … will have more than they can handle and become a bit like pirates and take up better paying opportunities?

[PE] Yes.  It is already happening.  We have got projects where obviously you are now not allowed to work at heights right now.  So the contracts generally like 3910 make provision for these sorts of events.

[PE] Insurance is an interesting situation.  There were a lot of businesses that were struggling prior to this and some of them will take the opportunity to shut the door.  There will be some re-build but I don’t think every building that is going to be demolished is going to be rebuilt.

[ME] Not with the current owner?

[PE] More not in the current economic environment.

[ME] What of the question of getting things built now in Canterbury knowing there are issues in certain areas and very real risks are now clearly in the forefront of the thinking of councils, insurers and banks? E.g. questions for owners like; Will I get a Building Consent?  Will I get Insurance?  Will I get a mortgage?

[PE] Well [an insurance company] has already started that process.  They are basically saying to any new customers “we are not giving you cover unless you have got a geotechnical report.”  Who’s going to be able to get a geotechnical report for the next few months?

[PE] On the lighter side it has been amusing for us to observe the deconstruction going on outside our office window for a big block that has been going on for some months now and they are just about finished doing the deconstruction work and now we have lots of visitors in the street taking photographs of the demolition area thinking it was a building that has been knocked down as part of the earthquake.

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If you would like to share a message of support for Canterbury members
please write to them either directly or via johngranville@nziqs.co.nz

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NZIQS to Fast Track CPD Accreditation and Registration Applications
The Canterbury Earthquake Response and Recovery Bill (QS Link)

NZIQS wants to ensure that the messages from the public, are responded to by members and actions taken in the best interests of both members and clients.

Recent queries are that quantity surveyors are needed with the NZIQS stamp that they are maintaining their knowledge of changes in the industry and in legislation through a recognised CPD programme.  With the internationally recognised International Cost Engineering Council (ICEC) programme NZIQS can refer CPD accredited members and Registered QS’s as complying with the demand.

Currently there are only 135 CPD-accredited members and 133 Registered QS’s to fill this demand although interest with newer member is high.  The queries usually follow the remark that Engineers and architects must be CPD accredited and licensed or registered so they want QS’s with a similar ‘brand’. Government agencies, increasingly banks and EQC also want Reg.QS as a first choice.

If you are not yet CPD accredited, check out the CPD spreadsheet and guidelines on the WEBSITE.  If you have any queries after completing the spreadsheet send it to John Granville and he will advise you on what may assist your application before it goes to the QSRB to consider the application.  Any MNZIQS, ANZIQS and FNZIQS can be CPD accredited – Reg.QS requires 3 years of work experience following gaining your qualified member category,

Your application will be fast-tracked as NZIQS is keen to be able to offer more CPD-accredited members to the demand, but the standard to gain approval will remain consistent. 

Feedback / comments / enquiries to john@nziqs.co.nz

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Earthquake Commission FAQ’s + Links

Earthquake Commission FAQ’s. http://www.eqc.govt.nz/insurance/faq.aspx#anchor_7

EQC Internet Claim Form - As advertised on Facebook

Homeowners with insured properties damaged by the quake can lodge a claim with the Earthquake Commission.  Click here to make a claim. https://cms.eqc.co.nz/claimcenter/cms/public/fnol.form

Earthquake Commission Act. http://www.legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1993/0084/latest/viewpdf.aspx

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Dave Bufton Interview 10 September 2010

[ME] I take it you were in Christchurch last Saturday?

[DB] I was in Christchurch yes.  I came up [to Auckland] yesterday.  I didn’t get much sleep last night, I was waiting for the other quake.  But then realised I was in Auckland.

[ME] How is your house?

[DB] The house is fine.  The toilet twisted and the most damage was done to my car.  It was in the garage and I had a couple of wardrobes in there that fell against it.  Only minor damage though.

[ME] Which part of town do you live in?

[DB] I live in the city.  Kilmore Street.  About three houses from the pub at the end.

[ME] So close to the city centre then?

[DB] I am able to walk to work.  It’s nasty.  One of our lad’s, his house has shifted off its foundations. There is quite a lot of mess down there.  I don’t think you are seeing all of it.  They have stopped us going down the streets obviously, but we went outside early Saturday morning.  I had no idea until we went into work, there is just damage everywhere.  They started putting the cordons up.  But people were going out taking photographs, with their camera’s, phones and what have you.  There were a lot of people on the street.  Which goes to show how silly we are, because there could have been quite another nasty one?  A couple of hours afterwards, which was the time we were in there [city centre], it was about 7:00 o’clock-ish.  I caught up with Julian Mace.  He was walking around and taking pictures as well.

[ME] How was your office affected?

[DB] Well we can’t get into it.  It is the old Harvey Cameron Building by the Bridge of Remembrance.  On the corner of Cashel Street and Cambridge Terrace.  Where King Edward Barracks was.  On the Hospital side of the river.  The outside has been cleared but apparently, I mean I was in there last Sunday morning, and all our storage racks were wrecked.

[ME] So Davis Langdon office is out of action in Christchurch?

[DB] Yes.  But we are all sort of working from home and what have you.

[ME] How many Staff in the Christchurch Office?

[DB] Seven. [likely 6 out of 7 members, possibly all, are NZIQS members]

[ME] I am sorry to hear the Davis Langdon Christchurch office is currently affected.  What has happened in the last week then, if you couldn’t get into your office?  Did you actually get to do any work?

[DB] No No. Chris Sutherland said don’t go anywhere near it [the office].  He is down there now organising matters.  I am up here in Auckland working on a job that I was due to start for them on Monday down in Christchurch.

[ME] You’re based in Auckland for how long?

[DB] Next week probably.

[ME] What’s the next step for the Christchurch office?

[DB] We have to wait until the landlord’s engineers take a look.

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Post interview note.  In discussion with Chris Sutherland, (Davis Langdon NZ Director), the Christchurch office of Davis Langdon received the landlord engineers all clear to re-occupy Friday 10 September 2010 and damage was minor.  The council had already green stickered the building on Monday 6 September. The office was open and operational on Monday 13 September.  Chris advised that getting the server reconfigured last week to allow people to work from home “in this situation” helped a lot.  Also inevitably there are lessons one can learn from the experiences that follow an actual disaster that help improve future business disaster planning.  “On the whole the business is pleased with its ability to cope with the affects of this event.  We were able to address all our client’s needs as they arose” he said.

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If you would like to share a message of support for Canterbury members

please write to them either directly or via johngranville@nziqs.co.nz

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Liquefaction Links

Solid Facts Christchurch Liquefaction – ECAN Map

http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/General/solid-facts-christchurch-liquefaction.pdf

Jade Stadium

To reduce the potential for liquefaction-induced ground damage, an extensive network of stone columns was placed beneath the Paul Kelly Motor Company Stand at Jade Stadium.  The stone columns are 600mm in diameter and about 1.4 to 1.7m apart.  The stone columns, extending to a depth of 8 to 10m and covering an area of 12,500m, improve the strength and stiffness of the soil, as well as providing a path for the excess pore water during liquefaction.

Blog on the ECAN map by Brendan Burns (not bad work for a political website) http://blog.labour.org.nz/index.php/2010/09/08/some-facts-about-liquefaction/

Regional Liquefaction Study for Waimakariri District 2001 (11 pages with maps including Kaiapoi) http://db.nzsee.org.nz/2001/papers/30301paper.pdf

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Colin Toomey Interview 10 September 2010

[ME] How Are you?

[CT] Alright.  There is nothing much to report though.

[ME] How is your house?

[CT] Fine.  No problems at all.

[ME] You’re in Rangiora.

[CT] Yes.

[ME] So you’re a wee way from the action?

[CT] In earthquake terms, no.  But in the way that it transmitted itself, yes.  Like we are in a direct line, only about 20km, here from the epicentre.  And about 10-11km from the badly destroyed area of Kaiapoi.

[ME] Have you been into Kaiapoi.

[CT] No. I won’t go there.  A lot of it is all cordoned off anyhow.

[ME] you’re OK?

[CT] Yes.

[ME] How are friends and family or your QS colleagues that you have been talking to?

[CT] They are all OK.  No worries at all.  The issue is ground conditions.  Out Rangiora area, there is an underlay of either clay or shingle down about 500mm I suppose.  Whereas in Kaiapoi and these area’s where all the aquifers came through it’s sand or peat, and it has heaved.  And that is where all the damage has been done.  Apart from the straight shaking and the effect on older buildings.

[ME] So you’re feeling the effects of the earthquake but you’re not getting …

[CT] Oh hell yeah.  She was a ripper.  I have been into the city twice.  Around all the diversions and the damage to structures and roads is just unbelievable.  It really is and you know there are whole blocks cordoned off and to get from one side of the city to another is a real safari now.

[ME] is there an element of depression about all the damage?

[CT] Not amongst my close associates.  Um but… I am sure there is.

[ME] If you are getting aftershocks every half hour, its not exactly settling is it?

[CT] The strange part is, that’s now just become ho hum.  It’s just like er listening to a bus driving past or a heavy truck going past.  It’s just there.  It’s happened and we are all sort of blasé about it now.  I have spoken to several people and they all say the same thing.  They probably should be [unsettled], but…

[ME] We have to be sensitive to some people, as some people have been hit worse than others.

[CT] Yeah sure.  The damage is horrendous down here.

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If you would like to share a message of support for Canterbury members
please write to them either directly or via johngranville@nziqs.co.nz

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NZIQS Events Affected by Earthquake

1. National Marketing Voice meeting set for Monday 6 September 2010 lost two members attendance due to the earthquake and was cancelled.
2. Council meeting set for Wednesday 8 September 2010 in Christchurch was cancelled.
3. The popular Canterbury branch social pool night upstairs at the Dux de Lux set for Thursday 9 of September 2010 was cancelled.  A bugger as we had 40 coming.  Venue couldn't confirm till too late.  Will maybe try again in a few weeks.  Just had a very strong jolt! Mark. (Sunday 12 Sept)

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A bad earthquake at once destroys the oldest associations: the world, the very emblem of all that is solid, has moved beneath our feet like a crust over a fluid; one second of time has conveyed to the mind a strange idea of insecurity, which hours of reflection would never have created.

— Charles Darwin

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Otago, Wellington and Auckland Branches write…

On behalf of the Otago Branch.  I would like to pass on our deepest condolences to the Canterbury members, their Families and Friends for what they have had to endure over the passed 10 days.  Most of Otago woke to the initial quake, which was peanuts in comparison [with your experiences], but certainly sizeable enough to concern us.  In reality probably more like 1 of the 100’s of aftershocks that have kept you awake every night since.  Our thoughts go out to you all.              Regards, Alan Hoffman.

On behalf of the Wellington Branch and members we would like to offer our sincere best wishes to the Canterbury QS’ and their families in respect to last weeks quake.  I think we have all been shocked at the pictures and reports that we have seen and heard but have also been extremely impressed at the response and character shown by the Community.  Hoping that things can get back to some normality as soon as possible for you all.      The Wellington Branch Board.

On behalf of the Auckland Branch, we would like to extend our support and wish Canterbury members the best especially over the next couple of weeks as life starts to get back to normal.  Mother Nature has certainly done her utmost to address the recession and may the work that comes out of rebuilding your community be of some solace at this tough time.  Regards James White. Branch Secretary.

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An Independent Quantity Surveyor’s Account

We live in central Christchurch & like everyone else, were woken by the earthquake, not only the shaking but the noise which was incredible.  Pitch black, you could hear things rattling & breaking.  We chose to stay put in our bed as we felt safe & in the dark (the only light we had was from my cell phone) felt it was best to stay put as there was no need to get up, being that there was just ourselves in the house.  My thoughts were at least the chimney hasn’t come down & through the ceiling.  Crazy as it sounds when things settled down @ 5:30am we did in fact doze off until 7am, by which time it was light enough to see.

In the bedroom several pictures had come down, the TV had come off the dresser (our first casualty) but generally things had only rattled around.  Venturing downstairs a vase on the window sill half up the stair had shattered and downstairs several wine glasses had come off an open shelf and that was about it.  No power, but we have a gas burner so were able to have coffee before cleaning up.  Outside there was no visual damage around our house or to any of the neighbours, though at this stage I hadn’t gone out the back door & would later realise our two chimneys were down, thankfully falling mainly on our back path. By this time we were getting texts from family out of the Canterbury region and found out that buildings were down and things in the centre of the city were pretty bad.  With no power & no radio we didn’t fully appreciate the damage that had been done around the city.

We live in Manchester Street about half a dozen blocks from the buildings which were the focus for TVNZ for the quake, at this end of the street most of the houses only suffered from the loss of chimneys, sadly some going through the roof.  We can’t credit the stringent building code for the minimal damage as most houses were built in the 1920’s.  Our water was restored by lunchtime and power by mid afternoon.  Mid morning we went over to Sockburn to check on Gareth’s work warehouse, and saw some of the damage at the top end of Victoria Street where the front of some buildings had come down, but on the other side of Hagley Park other than a set of traffic lights not working you wouldn’t have know anything had happened. The warehouse looked Ok although the timber needed restacking; subsequently they have found a large crack in the floor.  Our final check was our partly renovated house at Governors Bay - sadly the old part of the house which was rammed earth suffered badly and will have to be demolished.  (If anyone has any costings on rammed earth I would be interested to hear from them.)

We were both back at work on Monday, by Tuesday we were over things and a lack of sleep was taking its toll.  Wednesday mornings 5.1 aftershock (a severe jolt) caused some damage & made work concentration hard.  Since Wednesday night I have only woken for one 4.5 aftershock & generally have not felt any of the minor tremors.  Geonet.co.nz is now a popular website for checking aftershock strength.  Today the scaffolding is up & the roofer is removing the last of the chimneys & repairing the roof.  One advantage of being in the industry.  We decided not to venture out beyond where we needed to be, i.e. see what the rest of city is like.  But as things have now settled we walked around the central city yesterday, it was interesting to note damaged buildings were quite random and there were whole blocks unscathed and businesses operating.  Talking to the builders I am working with, none suffered any real damage on their current building sites, and many were either at work last week or helping out with chimney removals and repairs.  I haven’t seen a great influx of out of town builders.  Life goes on.

Phillippa Goodman-Jones
Past President, FNZIQS
(Monday 13 Sept)

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If you would like to share a message of support for Canterbury members

please write to them either directly or via johngranville@nziqs.co.nz

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XD  NOTICES

From time to time EQC obtains from NZIQS the names of 2 or 3 members, held on a register at NZIQS national office, and contracts them for 2/3 days training at short notice in a training exercise following a ‘simulated’ earthquake.  Several of our members have this training experience where they work with other construction and infrastructure professionals and EQC personnel, mostly in the backroom (control) environment I believe.  I am using the Canterbury Earthquake event to renew my register and see if any members wish to be placed on the EQC register.

[By XD -Note 14 September there are thirty five (35) new members registered on the NZIQS EQC list.]

Reg.QSs, I want to give you the opportunity to have a contact linked to your name on the NZIQS website.  The contact can be a phone number, an email address and, if you have a company listed in our website - Business Listing it may be the company website address.

[By XD - 14 September eighteen (18) Reg.QSs, had provided contact details for the website]

NZIQS is to publish on the website advice for the public relating to the earthquake and QS services.  It will highlight “Qualified members” (MNZIQS, ANZIQS, FNZIQS & Life Members) of NZIQS as the appropriate professionals for costing of repairs and remediation work for building.  Some also have the additional award of Registered Quantity Surveyors (Reg.QS).  This denotes accreditation of ongoing professional development and additional work experience assessment by their peers.  Registered QSs and some QS firms are listed at www.nziqs.co.nz “.

Damage Advice for Earthquake Victims.  An e-notice was sent to qualified members re Earthquake Advice on 10 September 2010.  Please request a copy if you would like to review.  Watch for new website home page link for residential earthquake victims – what else can update this?

Feedback / comments / enquiries to john@nziqs.co.nz

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IMPORTANT NOTE - open for business as usual

IMPORTANT NOTE – In talking with members in Canterbury, ALL indications are that each business and practice employing members is functioning satisfactorily and are open for business as usual, notwithstanding the varied circumstances each has experienced following the earthquake event.  It has been indicated members are planning for industry adjustments and client’s possible needs.

We are grateful to the following members for ‘taking our call’ and the giving of their time and views;

Stewart Harrison of Ian Harrison and Associates, MNZIQS, Chair National Marketing Committee;
Peter Eggleton of Rawlinson’s, FNZIQS and Past President NZIQS;
Dave Bufton of Davis Langdon NZ, MNZIQS and Canterbury Councillor NZIQS;
Chris Sutherland NZ Director of Davis Langdon NZ, FNZIQS and Past President NZIQS;
Colin Toomey, Life Member (Retired) and Past President NZIQS; and
Phillippa Goodman-Jones of Independent Quantity Surveyors, FNZIQS and Past President NZIQS.

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Quasi-legal

Quasi-legal ­ a type of regulatory instrument, rule or regulation with strong legal aspects but without any binding force; mostly recommendations.

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Aug 2010 - Progress Payment Action Dates NZS 3910					General
Clause	WD's	Action Due	By	Served on	Date Due
12.1.1-3	0	Progress Payment Claim	Contractor	Principal + Engineer	Tue 31-Aug-10
12.2.1	7	Provisional Progress Payment Schedule	Engineer	Principal + Contractor	Thu 9-Sep-10
12.2.3	10	Principal's Amendments	Principal	Engineer	Tue 14-Sep-10
12.2.4	12	Progress Payment Schedule	Engineer	Principal + Contractor	Thu 16-Sep-10
12.2.6	17	Progress Payment	Principal	Contractor	Thu 23-Sep-10

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Some of Canterbury’s Earthquake History

Saturday’s Earthquake, 7:45am, 16 November 1901, Cheviot, Canterbury

This early report sheds very little light on the subject.  16 November 1901, [QS Link]  The next day a detailed account of the event and its effects follows…

Saturday’s Quake, Severe Damage in the Canterbury District.  A number of persons were injured, some severely by falling bricks.  One 2 month old child in a sod house died after the whole building collapsed.  There was hardly a house habitable in the township of Cheviot.  Houses have been deserted and people camping out. [QS Link]  The 1901 earthquake took its toll on much of Canterbury including some damage to the cathedral spire which was fitted with a weighted dampening device, most likely designed to protect the spire from earthquakes since the 1888 earthquake severely damaged it.  The article notes quakes effects on the region from 14 August 1868 (location South America), 5 December 1881, 1 September 1888 the latter two affecting the Cathedral and the last brought the spire down (The top 7.8 metres of the stone spire collapsed, in part because of the sway of the heavy iron cross secured to its top.).  The upper portion of the spire was rebuilt with fire brick rather than stone after the last great quake (1888).

Fissures at Kaiapoi.  The article goes on to provide early observations of liquefaction at Kaiapoi in the 1901 quake centred near Cheviot.  The article gives a detailed descriptive narrative of the unusual visual effects on the land and yet it records practically no damage to Kaiapoi infrastructure itself. [QS Link] [EQC Link]  Canterbury Library, Photograph of some of the destruction by the 1901 earthquake at Cheviot, North Canterbury, 16 Nov.  1901: back of McTaggart's butcher/baker shop [QS Link]

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Saturday’s Earthquake, 4:15 am, 1 September 1888, Amuri, North Canterbury

The 1888 Amuri North Canterbury quake 42.6°S, 172.4°E (referenced above) is listed by Te Ara as one of the major quakes in New Zealand modern history. [QS Link]  Refer “News report of the 1888 quake” web page for an unnerving report by "The Warrigal" Ferry Hotel, Waiau, September 6, 1888 [QS Link] “Eileen McSaveney. 'Historic earthquakes', Te Ara - the Encyclopaedia of New Zealand, updated 2-Mar-09”

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If you would like to share a message of support for Canterbury members
please write to them either directly or via johngranville@nziqs.co.nz

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QSnippets 1.    Photo of Alec Calderwood presenting Wintec Hamilton’s Tjaart Grove his Bunckenburg Diploma award.  The graduate winner Ellyse Shaw is currently working hard for Lobell Construction and was unable to attend a presentation.  A Trustee letter of congratulations and cheque was forwarded to her by mail 2.    Are you reading the news items on the NZIQS website - Time to Revisit your Emergency plans 3.    Advertising in E-Bulletin for members only special 4th slot available for members only use. QS Link. 4.    “Quantity Surveyor in the NEWS” - now on Facebook. QS Link.

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DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of NZIQS Council, Institute policy or advertisers and sponsors of the Institute. The content of this publication is not to be construed as legal advice.

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This Electronic Message is from NZIQS. T 0800 469 477
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