All posts in Schedule of Values

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 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…

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

Quick guide to cash allowances

Cash Allowance 1

You are designing a renovation to an airport departures terminal, and a constant problem in the design process has been the excessive amount of time required to obtain approvals and finalize details from the many stakeholders in the project (including airport authorities, security agencies, airlines and many others). You are behind schedule, the tender deadline is nearing and the design for the ticketing counters is still in progress. It doesn’t look like you are going to obtain review and approval to proceed in time to make the deadline. What do you do? Postpone the tender? This is a case where a cash allowance may come to your rescue. Read More…