Renovation Request Process and Timeline
Facilities Management and Development (“Facilities”) oversees all construction and renovation work for Toronto Metropolitan University. The timeline to complete a project varies based on a number of factors including the project’s complexity, scale and site or operational constraints. Requests for renovations, alterations or projects are made through the (google form) Renovation Requests (external link) form on the Facilities website.
To effectively plan Facilities resources, our early involvement helps align our staffing expertise with your requirements. Typically planning for spring/summer construction projects happens by the end of February. This provides sufficient time for planning and procurement activities.
General process timelines for projects
The following information will help familiarize faculty and staff with the process and timelines — from start to finish — of a typical renovation project. Timelines for laboratories and complex specialized spaces vary depending on the level of customization required and some specialized equipment can have unusually long lead times.
Some processes may overlap with some activities running concurrently, but the following stages represent an average baseline of the renovation process as it unfolds, from the initial project request to move-in readiness.
- The request is submitted by the client group. Once the project request has been received and reviewed, a member of the Project Management Office (PMO) will reach out to the primary contact person — usually within two or three days — to schedule a meeting to refine the project requirements and review the site and budget expectations.
- Initial assessment: The project is assessed against checklists and criteria, including: known hazardous materials, accessibility, IT, security, other facility renewal projects, and the Campus Master Plan. Facilities will prepare a preliminary estimate for the project or will recommend a feasibility study. The preliminary estimate of costs is a guideline and does not represent a quotation for vendor services.
- Space planning: For changes in use of a space, space planning staff will record initial requirements based on Facilities’ space guidelines. A detailed functional program is required for complex projects. (The functional program refers to an analysis of all the operational and functional space requirements of the users. It informs all subsequent design phases of the project.)
- Confirmation of funding and approval to proceed: The client group approves the preliminary budget estimate, project description and estimated schedule, and begins the transfer of funds.
- The project is assigned to a member of Facilities’ project management staff.
- Project staff develop a detailed project plan that includes:
- preliminary schedule
- description of work required by external vendors — “scope of work (SOW)” — to be used for procurement
- hazardous materials assessment
- preliminary furniture plan to identify user needs
- procurement plan
- Procurement for design consultant (architect): The procurement process for the design consultant typically takes two months.
- Design and furniture plan: A design — technical drawings, specifications and refined SOW — refined schedule, and detailed furniture plan are developed, which typically takes three months.
- Furniture: Project staff meet with client groups on finishes and then review the furniture plan with engineers and CCS to ensure that infrastructure supports furniture choices. Furniture suppliers must be able to satisfy the institutional standards of the university, including accessibility, durability, IT and health and safety requirements. Delivery and installation takes 9–11 weeks (minimum).
- General contractor: The procurement process begins when the design and contract documents are complete. If building permits are required, the permit application begins simultaneously.
- Demolition and abatement: Built-in furniture, partitions and walls are deconstructed. Any hazardous materials affected by the construction are removed.
- New construction: Contractor crews build and adapt the space to meet the designer’s specifications. If a permit is required a series of inspections may be conducted during this process.
- Commissioning: Mechanical systems and equipment such as the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), are brought online and a series of inspections, testing and calibration begins. Some commissioning may continue after the move-in.
- Operational readiness: the process of preparing clients for the transition to the new space, so the move goes as smoothly as possible and users resume their operations with minimal delay. For complex projects, meetings with users may begin during the early stages of construction.
- Move plan: Detailed instructions for move logistics is prepared in consultation with the client group. A walk-through is conducted with movers to prepare for the relocation.
- Deficiencies: The contractor and users identify any flaws in design, materials, workmanship or building performance and corrections are implemented. Deficiency identification and correction may begin during the final stages of construction and continue after users move into the space.
How to make a renovation or project request
Project requests are submitted through an online form. To ensure you have all the information you need to correctly fill out the online form, please review the information below, which reflects the questions that will be asked in the form. If you can answer the questions below for your project request, then you have everything you need to fill out and submit the form.
- Full name of contact person or project lead
- Department
- Faculty or unit
- Email address of dean or unit head
- Short project title (e.g. "KHW Entrance Improvement")
- Is this request being submitted as an emergency project — one that requires immediate attention due to a health and safety concern, a mission critical repair or a renovation that requires immediate action?
- Provide a description of the nature of the emergency (if applicable).
- Location of renovation
- Is a project estimate required?
- Renovation project description
- Are there communications requirements such as AV, IT or telephone?
- Are there security requirements?
- Are there moving or storage requirements?
- Is the funding source confirmed, anticipated or unknown?
- What percent of secured funding will be from the sources below?
- Departmental budget (your area of responsibility)
- Dean or senior director's budget
- Grant(s)
- Donations
- Other secured funding sources
- Do you anticipate additional funding to be required that is not yet confirmed?
- What percent of anticipated funding will be from the sources below?
- Departmental budget (your area of responsibility)
- Dean or senior director's budget
- Grant(s)
- Fundraising
- Other anticipated funding sources
- Fundraising status: please describe if fundraising for this project is a confirmed priority, if a fundraising plan is being developed, or if its status for fundraising is unknown.
An approved budget is not required to submit the form, however the request requires the approval of a department manager or dean.