Construction Documents and Contraction

Construction Documents and Contraction

This book provides readers with detailed coverage of the documents generated during the building construction process. Introducing readers to the major participants and their responsibilities to the documents commonly produced during the design and construction of a building, the First Edition focuses on the origin and format—which documents are used and why, how documents are used in the real world, and how they work together as a system, which ties the whole process together. For professionals with a career or interest in residential construction, construction law, commercial construction, construction claims, and/or construction management. This new text/reference work will provide readers with comprehensive coverage of the documents generated during the building construction process. The focus i5 on the origin and format of construction documents, which documents are used and why, how documents are used in the real world, and how they work together a5 a system. Some of the key features include: The documentation used in a single case project from beginning to end provides a realistic overview of the process. - Readers are introduced to the participants in the project, their responsibilities, and relationships. - Drawings and specifications are covered. Students often have trouble relating the content of their courses to actual conditions in the world of work. Textbooks can be organized to make this transition easier. To this end, I have presented the documents generated during a building project as they occur in the process of design and construction, beginning with the conception of a project through its completion and occupancy. The result is a textbook that is more than a recitation of the documents of construction, but one that provides a complete overview of the design and construction of a building. In this context, the student is introduced to the major participants in a building project and their responsibilities and relationships to the common documents used during the design and construction of a building. To some extent, I have put, if not a face, a profile on those who generate the documents from which a building is built and how these documents affect the participants in the design and construction process. After studying this text, students will have gained some insight into the: What and why of the various documents used - Origins and format of documents - Function and use of documents - Relationship between documents With the exception of the chapters on drawings and specifications, the book is organized to represent clearly defined steps in the design and construction process. Chapters 5 through 9, describing the drawings and specifications, are presented in some detail for those students who have not been introduced to construction drawings and specifications in other classes. For more advanced classes, these chapters may be dealt with superficially by the instructor. The questions at the end of each chapter are designed to test the student's overall familiarity with the content of the chapter. They also provide a chronological series of exercises, taking a hypothetical project from beginning to occupancy, which will help students see a real-world application of what they are studying and stimulate some continued interest as the course progresses. Only partial examples of most documents are provided. The major contract documents should be available in current editions in college libraries. If not, complete documents can be obtained from professional and trade organizations. Because the organizations that produce standard documents are constantly in the process of reviewing their documents. More recent documents may have been issued since the publication of this book. My approach has been to discuss general and well-established concepts in the contract documents presented. I have quoted directly from some documents to illustrate these concepts. Although I have been careful to select passages that are well established, there is no guarantee that changes will not be made in the phrasing in more current editions. Instructors should double-check these passages if more recent standard documents and forms have been issued and assess their relevance. In some cases, I quote controversial passages or ones that may be redundant or in conflict with other documents. These should be looked at carefully and critically. With this caveat, bear in mind that this is not a textbook on construction law, although some legal issues are discussed. The purpose of this book is to familiarize the student with the documents generated during the design and construction of a building. More in-depth and analytical efforts are up to the instructor. I would like to acknowledge the assistance and inspiration of Dr. Richard Schneider of the University of Florida, Dean Gayle Brooks of Pasco-Hernando Community College, and my colleagues at the University of Cincinnati who provided advice and encouragement