All posts in Certificate for Payment

in category Architectural Projects, Cash Allowance, Certificate for Payment, General Contract Administration and 0 comments.

Cash allowance or contingency?

You are designing a new condominium building, and you’re not a landscape architect, however the development company your client has requested that the the landscaping for the building be included in the construction contract. You are behind schedule, the tender deadline is nearing, and there is no time to hire a landscape architect. What do you do? Postpone the tender? This is a case where a Cash Allowance may come to your rescue. Read More…

in category Architects, Certificate for Payment, Change Orders, General Contract Administration, Request for Information, Schedule of Values, Submittals, Supplemental Instruction, Transmittals and 0 comments.

Process is the answer, now what’s the question?

Have you ever had to deal with:

  • Marking up a set of drawings, only to find out that really basic information is missing time after time; North arrows, references, sheet titles not matching the index page?
  • Each employee re-inventing the wheel or doing it their own way when it comes to contract administration forms? Everyone having their own special template or spreadsheet tracking system?
  • Looking for information on the office server, only to find out that it was saved locally on a personal computer and that the employee is not around when you need it?

Read More…

in category Certificate for Payment, General Contract Administration, Schedule of Values and 0 comments.

Timing is everything

building-construction-building-site-constructing2

Money makes the world go round. This is particularly true when it comes to a construction project. Think of all the different stakeholders involved and the different financial requirements of each:

  1. Employees
  2. Sub Contractors
  3. General Contractor
  4. Owners juggling the financing
  5. Consultants and Project Managers
  6. Banks (covering everyone from employee mortgages, to general contractor loans, to project financing)
  7. Insurance and bonding agencies
  8. Material and equipment suppliers and manufacturers

And the list goes on.. so it should come as no surprise that every month the general contractor will submit a progress claim for work. Not to put pressure on the consultant, but once the progress claim is received it should take centre stage.  Do you know what the critical milestones are to make sure the world continues to go round? Read More…

in category Architectural Projects, Certificate for Payment, General Contract Administration, Schedule of Values, Substantial Performance, Uncategorized and 0 comments.

Site photos with purpose

A good photograph is knowing where to stand – Ansel Adams

How many times have you taken site photos and then once back in the office you realize that the photos are missing parts of the room, details or some other information you desperately need that minute? Have you ever sent a junior on site to take progress photos, but when you see them it’s obvious that the photos won’t be of much help to certify that progress claim? Great shots of the footing, but what about the rest of the building?  Here are a few suggestions that will help to improve the process of taking better site photos. Read More…