Steve Holloway and the Holloway Consulting Group are experts in the review of contract documents. The analysis of construction bid documents for indications of changes in plans and specs is an element of our services. We often begin with comparisons between the bid/contract documents and final construction documents. Our review of construction bid documents begins with indications of changes in plans and specs.
Review of Plans and Specs
It may become apparent to the contractor while reviewing the plans and specifications that old specification sections have been rewritten, typical design details have been changed, and material and equipment added or deleted. While there’s nothing necessarily wrong with any of these, last-minute modifications may have been made for any number of reasons. They may include correction of architect/owner oversight or simply a change in the owner’s requirements. Whatever the case, these corrections may have been made at a time when the plans and specifications are or were thought to have been, complete. Dimensions had been confirmed, the design disciplines had been coordinated, and the final design checks had been completed. Each last-minute modification should have been re-coordinated with the other areas of the documents.
The design re-coordination process is typically performed after the plans and specifications have reached substantial completion and after all systematic coordination efforts have stopped. The potential for oversight and error with the introduction of each last-minute design change is considerable.
Telltales Signs
Some of the telltale signs to look for in the documents that will help to confirm the existence of hastily made changes:
- Different style type in the specifications.
- Handwriting in the specifications.
- Incomplete erasures on the plans.
- Out-of-sequence reference marks and details.
- Out-of-sequence or inserted pages in specifications and details.
- Different handwriting on the plans.
- Different use of industry language and terms.
As the contractor uses the contract documents, he/she should study the form of the presentation, as well as the content. Observe the general care with which they have been prepared. A large amount of these telltale signs may be an indication that the design coordination process or even the design itself had not been completed properly or that the owner wasn’t sure of the requirements in the first place. Either way, it can mean a poor set of documents, riddled with problems.
The next article begins with DESIGN DISCIPLINE INTERFACES from Part I FINDING CHANGE ORDERS IN BUILDING PROJECT PLANS AND SPECS.