Definition of Working Areas and shared buildings

Definition of Working Areas: Can one floor of a building (used by the Contractor’s design team in a multistory building) be designated as the working area? If so do you have to consider it as part of the total building as it might share some costs (ie heating, lift maintenance….). How would core clause 11.2 (18) “used only for the work in this contract” apply in this context? Where do you draw the line? Could you argue that the building is not a discrete area as it may share costs with other buildings on the same site?

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I see no problem with defining a floor (or indeed a room on a floor) of a multi-storey building as being part of the working area.

The cost of providing that “accommodation” would then be dealt with in exactly the same way as the cost of any other accommodation being mindful of what might be covered by the Working Area Overhead.

11.2(18) is a definition with a definition within it. So, first you have to go the Contract Data to see what specifically is identified as being the “working area” (italics) then you check if it is necessary to Provide the Works (answer yes as the works need to be designed) and is it used only for work on this contract. If less space is needed later in the project then the working areas can be redefined under Core Clause 15 (it talks about adding to the working areas but if done properly this amounts to changing the working areas)