December 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
34
Building Contractors
A
2
BMW Supertech
Project information
• Name of project: BMW Supertech
• Company entering: Stefanutti Stocks Building
KwaZulu-Natal
• Project start date: August 2011
• Project completion date: June 2013
• Client: Mountbatten Investments
• Project team: Stefanutti Stocks Building
KwaZulu-Natal
• Main contractor: Stefanutti Stocks Building
KwaZulu-Natal
• Architect: MG Architects
• Project manager: MG Architect
• Quantity surveyor: BTKM
• Project value: R47-million
S
tefanutti Stocks Building KZN has built numerous vehicle
showrooms andworkshops inKwaZulu-Natal includingprojects
for big vehicle brands such as Ford, Mazda, McCarthy, Toyota,
Lexus and Mercedes.
BMW Supertech Showroom for Mountbatten Investments is a
10 000m
2
complex consisting of a lower ground floor, upper ground
floor and first floor with a roof that has a part concrete slab, with
numerous skylights which harvest the natural light to minimise
electrical costs. The external envelope of the building is made up of
shop fronts, curtainwalls, brickwork, plaster and paint, for internal as
well as external walls, andwas imported fromGermany as it needed
to comply with BMW’s high standards.
The lower ground floor houses a washbay, staff canteen facilities
and parking for new vehicles. The front of the upper ground floor
will be the showroom, reception and coffee bar with the service
bays sitting behind the public area. The first floor contains offices,
the boardroom and a prayer room.
Ancillary buildings being constructed in addition to the main
showroom building includes a guard-hut, a stand-by generator
room, an electrical sub-station and a refuse room.
The difficulties experienced in this project were the extent or
quantity of rock that had to be excavated for the foundations, which
required the earthworks contractor tobring in four huge track-driven
woodpeckers in order to remain on programme.
In addition to the strain on the programme due to the unforeseen
geological conditions, a servitude running across the site had to be
located and protected.
The construction took place within the Edwin Swales Light Indus-
trial Business Park, for which a Scoping Report was carried out and
subsequent positive Record of Decision received (12March 2000) from
the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Agriculture, Environmental Affairs
and Rural Development.
Stefanutti Stocks Building KZN management takes responsibility
for the safety and health of all our employees, clients, contractors and
the public seriously by promoting a safety culture.
Regular audits were done by the Department of Labour and the
client’s safety agent where the site has always achieved compliance.
The BMW site was also audited by the Master Builders Association
(MBAKZN) and achieved a 4-star rating. This site also participated in
the MBA regional safety competition and was awarded with a highly
commended certificate.
This sitewas entered into theMBA 2013 Excellence in Construction
Awards and won in the retail buildings above R40-million category.
Due to the high BMW South Africa specifications, quality was impor-
tant, so was delivering a prestigious project within time and within
budget to a prestigious client.
