Construction Administration In Architectural Practice

An On-the-Job Construction Administration Resource for Architects Co-written by an architect and an attorney, this is the ideal desktop guide for architects, engineers, and other design professionals in need of expert advice on navigating the construction process and anticipating, avoiding, and managing liability risks. This invaluable construction administration resource leads you, step-by-step, through a typical project--from contract to closeout. Construction Administration for Architects provides tested techniques for proactively minimizing potential construction problems, and responding strategically when unforeseen events occur. Covering private and public sector work, this comprehensive handbook contains essential information for emerging professionals as well as in-depth strategies for experienced industry veterans. Useful tips, checklists, and real-world examples are included throughout the book. Construction Administration for Architects covers: Agreements and contracts Construction document details, such as specifications, drawing notes, project scope, credits, and cost estimates Requests for proposal, bidding, and construction contract negotiation Field testing, inspection, and certification of work Documents management, including requests for substitution, requests for information, submittals, and applications for payment Problems and disputes, such as poor workmanship, hidden conditions, and change order requests Contract closeout details, including schedule claims, retainage, and liens Post-construction warranty work and records retention Managing and limiting liability risk

A practical guide for architects working at the construction site, showing them how to avoid lawsuits and other problems by explaining exactly what their role is during the construction phase of a project--as well as the responsibilities of owners, contractors, developers, and construction attorneys. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

Learn the Tips, Become One of Those Who Know Building Construction and Architectural Practice, and Thrive! For architectural practice and building design and construction industry, there are two kinds of people: those who know, and those who don't. The tips of building design and construction and project management have been undercover-until now. Most of the existing books on building construction and architectural practice are too expensive, too complicated, and too long to be practical and helpful. This book simplifies the process to make it easier to understand and uncovers the tips of building design and construction and project management. It sets up a solid foundation and fundamental framework for this field. It covers every aspect of building construction and architectural practice in plain and concise language and introduces it to all people. Through practical case studies, it demonstrates the efficient and proper ways to handle various issues and problems in architectural practice and building design and construction industry. It is for ordinary people and aspiring young architects as well as seasoned professionals in the construction industry. For ordinary people, it uncovers the tips of building construction; for aspiring architects, it works as a construction industry survival guide and a guidebook to shorten the process in mastering architectural practice and climbing up the professional ladder; for seasoned architects, it has many checklists to refresh their memory. It is an indispensable reference book for ordinary people, architectural students, interns, drafters, designers, seasoned architects, engineers, construction administrators, superintendents, construction managers, contractors, and developers. You will learn: 1. How to develop your business and work with your client. 2. The entire process of building design and construction, including programming, entitlement, schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding, and construction administration. 3. How to coordinate with governing agencies, including a county's health department and a city's planning, building, fire, public works departments, etc. 4. How to coordinate with your consultants, including soils, civil, structural, electrical, mechanical, plumbing engineers, landscape architects, etc. 5. How to create and use your own checklists to do quality control of your construction documents. 6. How to use various logs (i.e., RFI log, submittal log, field visit log, etc.) and lists (contact list, document control list, distribution list, etc.) to organize and simplify your work. 7. How to respond to RFI, issue CCDs, review change orders, submittals, etc. 8. How to make your architectural practice a profitable and successful business. About the author Gang Chen holds a master's degree from the School of Architecture, University of Southern California (USC), Los Angeles, and a bachelor's degree from the School of Architecture, South China University of Technology. He has over 20 years of professional experience. Many of the projects he was in charge of or participated in have been published extensively in Architecture, Architectural Record, The Los Angeles Times, The Orange County Register, etc. He has worked on a variety of unusual projects, including well-known, large-scale healthcare and hospitality projects with over one billion dollars in construction costs, award-winning school designs, highly-acclaimed urban design and streetscape projects, multifamily housing, high-end custom homes, and regional and neighborhood shopping centers. Gang Chen is a LEED AP and a licensed architect in California. He is also the internationally acclaimed author for other fascinating books, including Planting Design Illustrated and LEED Exam Guides Series, which include one guidebook for each of the LEED exams.

Explains construction professional practice in an appealing, succinct, and relatively informal way This book details the management of construction projects from beginning to end, concentrating on the principles underlying what construction professionals like architects do. It covers the entire process—from the initial meetings with clients through the design, recruitment of a contractor, contract management, construction, and handover—all without referencing legal cases, contract clause numbers, laws, statutes, or the complex jargon that can muddle comprehension. The first part of Professional Practice for Architects and Project Managers offers enlightening chapters that cover: professional standards, perks of the job, bonds and parent company guarantees, office meetings, letter writing, the RIBA Plan of Work, and Building Information Modelling (BIM). The second section teaches all about dealing with the clients, and includes chapters that discuss the extent of services, fee negotiations, conflicts of interest, and more. Next the book looks at such on-the-job responsibilities as surveys, ground investigations, cost estimates, work schedules, letters of intent, etc. The final section goes over everything readers need to know about dealing with a building contract in progress, informing them about advance payments, insurance, site inspections, contractor disputes, terminations, final certificates, and more. Details the entire process of managing a construction project, including dealing with clients, the design process, running a construction project, and more Highlights what the construction professionals do in their positions Shows how principles of construction management are applied in practice Written in a reader-friendly and accessible way Professional Practice for Architects and Project Managers is an excellent resource for architects and other construction professionals such as contract administrators, project managers, quantity surveyors, and contractors.

This is your essential one stop shop for information on starting and running a practice. Case studies and advice from practitioners, big and small, run alongside outlines of all the key topics, to give you an insight into the problems and challenges others have faced when setting up a design business. Accessible and informative, this handbook is the ideal first point of reference when starting a practice. Architects have many different reasons for setting up in practice; equally, there are many ways of running your own business. This handbook helps you consider whether or not you should set up on your own, examining issues such as financing, office space, recruitment, IT and workingo ut a business plan. Some architects want to stay small, while others have ambitions to grow into large businesses. Some grow big accidentally. And then there are those who pick and choose their work carefully, and even turn down undesirable contracts, while others will grab at everything possible. This book woudl explore these different models and illustrate how different kinds of practice develop into successful businesses. Importantly, the book will stress that these issues are crucial - you may be the best designer in the world, but unless your business is well managed you will fail. On the other hand, some successful architects spend a lot of time looking for new work and attending to management issues, rarely finding the time for design work. This book would illustrate how architects have struck a balance between these two extremes.

"This updated resource covers all aspects of architectural practice, featuring: new material of sustainable design, managing multiple offices, lifelong learning, mentoring, and team building; revised content on programming, project management, construction contract administration, risk management, and ethics; and coverage of small firm considerations as well as emerging issues such as integrated practice and integrated project delivery."--Jacket.