Reducing Construction Costs

Reducing Construction Costs
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 68
Release: 2007-10-09
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 030917998X

The National Academy of Construction (NAC) has determined that disputes, and their accompanying inefficiencies and costs, constitute a significant problem for the industry. In 2002, the NAC assessed the industry's progress in attacking this problem and determined that although the tools, techniques, and processes for preventing and efficiently resolving disputes are already in place, they are not being widely used. In 2003, the NAC helped to persuade the Center for Construction Industry Studies (CCIS) at the University of Texas and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation to finance and conduct empirical research to develop accurate information about the relative transaction costs of various forms of dispute resolution. In 2004 the NAC teamed with the Federal Facilities Council (FFC) of the National Research Council to sponsor the "Government/Industry Forum on Reducing Construction Costs: Uses of Best Dispute Resolution Practices by Project Owners." The forum was held on September 23, 2004, at the National Academy of Sciences in Washington, D.C. Speakers and panelists at the forum addressed several topics. Reducing Construction Costs addresses topics such as the root causes of disputes and the impact of disputes on project costs and the economics of the construction industry. A second topic addressed was dispute resolution tools and techniques for preventing, managing, and resolving construction- related disputes. This report documents examples of successful uses of dispute resolution tools and techniques on some high-profile projects, and also provides ways to encourage greater use of dispute resolution tools throughout the industry. This report addresses steps that owners of construction projects (who have the greatest ability to influence how their projects are conducted) should take in order to make their projects more successful.

Completing the "Big Dig"

Completing the
Author: Transportation Research Board
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 60
Release: 2003-03-21
Genre: Transportation
ISBN: 0309088879

Boston's Central Artery/Tunnel Project, a 7.8 mile system of bridges and underground highways and ramps, is the most expensive public works project ever undertaken in the United States. The original cost estimate of $2.6 billion has already been exceeded by $12 billion, and the project will not be completed until 2005, seven years late. The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority (MTA), the public steward of the project, requested that the National Research Council carry out an independent assessment of the project's management and contract administration practices, with a focus on the present situation and measures that should be taken to bring the project to a successful conclusion. This report presents the committee's findings and recommendations pertaining to cost, scheduling, and transitioning from the current organization dominated by consultants to an operations organization composed largely of full-time MTA staff. The report recommends that MTA establish an external, independent, peer-review program to address technical and management issues until the transition to operations and maintenance is complete; begin a media campaign now to teach drivers how to use the new system safely; and develop, immediately implement, and maintain a comprehensive security program.

FIDIC 2017

FIDIC 2017
Author: Nicholas Alexander Brown
Publisher: ICE Publishing
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2025-01-20
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9781836084679

FIDIC 2017: A definitive guide to claims and disputes is an indispensable resource for professionals engaged with FIDIC contracts. It provides comprehensive treatment of the multi-tiered dispute avoidance and resolution process within the 2017 FIDIC suite of contracts.

Contractual Procedures in the Construction Industry

Contractual Procedures in the Construction Industry
Author: Allan Ashworth
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 436
Release: 2018-03-13
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 1315529041

Contractual Procedures in the Construction Industry 7th edition aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the subject, and reinforces the changes that are taking place within the construction industry. The book looks at contract law within the context of construction contracts, it examines the different procurement routes that have evolved over time and the particular aspects relating to design and construction, lean methods of construction and the advantages and disadvantages of PFI/PPP and its variants. It covers the development of partnering, supply chain management, design and build and the way that the clients and professions have adapted to change in the procurement of buildings and engineering projects. This book is an indispensable companion for students taking undergraduate courses in Building and Surveying, Quantity Surveying, Construction Management and Project Management. It is also suitable for students on HND/C courses in Building and Construction Management as well as foundation degree courses in Building and Construction Management. Key features of the new edition include: A revised chapter covering the concept of value for money in line with the greater emphasis on added value throughout the industry today. A new chapter covering developments in information technology applications (building information modelling, blockchains, data analytics, smart contracts and others) and construction procurement. Deeper coverage of the strategies that need to be considered in respect of contract selection. Improved discussion of sustainability and the increasing importance of resilience in the built environment. Concise descriptions of some the more important construction case laws.

The FIDIC Contracts

The FIDIC Contracts
Author: Andy Hewitt
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 356
Release: 2014-04-25
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1118291786

It is vital to ensure that your company complies with its contractual obligations. It is also vital to check whether the other parties are complying with theirs. This book was written to help those involved in the management of busy construction projects to find answers to contractual issues arising from the FIDIC forms of contract. The book is organised in such a way that you can find answers in a fraction of the time it would take to study the full conditions of contract. This book sets out the contractual obligations of the Employer, the Contractor, the Engineer and the DAB in a simple tabular form, together with the time-frames in which they should be performed and the consequences of non-compliance. This means that you will have all the information at your fingertips without having to study lengthy contractual clauses. For those using the FIDIC forms for the first time, or perhaps not using them too often, this book is a must, whilst experienced users will find it provides a valuable checklist. Whichever category you fall into, using this book should improve both knowledge and efficiency. The book is ideal for engineers, quantity surveyors, contract managers and any person whose job it is to understand the workings of a FIDIC contract. Roger Knowles had this to say: "The most important part of any contract is the obligations of the parties, the time frames in which the parties must perform these obligations, and the consequences of failing to meet them. Failure to carry out obligations correctly is a serious risk and common source of contention or claims. This practical ready-reference on the contractual obligations of the various parties for a FIDIC construction contract promotes efficient administration of construction projects, prevents contention and aids an easier understanding of their obligations." The FIDIC Contracts: Obligations of the Parties is presented in an easily-referenced, tabular format. The Red, Pink, Red Book Subcontract, Yellow, Silver, Gold, Pink, Green and White Books are all included and for ease of reference, each contract is separated into sections relating to the Employer, the Contractor, the Engineer (or the equivalent) and the DAB. This guide's accessible style will enable all parties and personnel involved in the project to quickly check that their company is performing the required obligations correctly - and also to ensure that other parties are doing the same.

Introduction to Construction Contract Management

Introduction to Construction Contract Management
Author: Brian Greenhalgh
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 255
Release: 2016-08-05
Genre: Architecture
ISBN: 1317549422

This book is an introduction to construction contract administration and management, covering the delivery and execution stage of a construction project and the various issues which the contract administrator needs to proactively manage. It can therefore be used as a contract administrator’s resource book covering what needs to be done (and why) to keep a construction project on track from a commercial and contractual perspective. It is particularly appropriate for students and new practitioners from varied construction professions and whilst it covers domestic (UK) projects, it will be particularly useful for those studying and working on international projects where terminology, procedures and legal systems may differ from the UK. The content is split into four parts and is subdivided into easy-to-read chapters replicating the timeline of a project during the construction stage: Part A covers initiating the construction stage, project delivery mechanisms, contract administration and health and safety management; Part B covers managing the construction stage, contractor performance and relationship management; Part C covers finalising the construction stage, project completion and close-out; Part D covers claims and disputes. Introduction to Construction Contract Management will be particularly useful for students enrolled on global construction programmes together with international distance learning students and non-cognate graduates starting out on an international career in construction contract administration and quantity surveying.

Construction Contract Claims

Construction Contract Claims
Author: Reg Thomas
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Total Pages: 320
Release: 2020-10-16
Genre: Law
ISBN: 1137520388

Now in its fourth edition, this textbook confronts many of the major problems which can arise in claims situations. It employs a systematic approach and is supported by extensive reference to UK and international case law. The negotiation and settlement of claims is an essential – but often overlooked – element of the construction industry, and this troubleshooting guide can help construction professionals, students and contractors to protect themselves against costly claims. Helpful explanatory diagrams make this book an indispensable resource for tackling various types of claims both in the UK and internationally. This text is the essential guide for construction professionals, contractors, undergraduate and postgraduate students alike. It will save professionals and contractors time and money and will prepare students for the reality of the construction industry. New to this Edition: - Chapter 1 revised to limit historical material and allow space for comment on the development of construction law, particularly in the field of extensions of time and 'time at large' - Includes expanded and clarified sections forming new individual chapters on claims for time and claims for money - Updated with the results of recent landmark rulings in cases such as Walter Lilly & Company Limited v. Giles Patrick Cyril Mackay & another and Osbrascon Huarte Lain SA v. Her Majesty's Attorney General for Gibraltar

Building Contract Claims

Building Contract Claims
Author: David Chappell
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Total Pages: 568
Release: 2008-10-07
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9781405117630

Many building contract claims are ill-founded, often because the basic principles are misunderstood. This highly regarded book examines the legal basis of claims for additional payment, and what can and cannot be claimed under the main forms of contract. It includes chapters dealing with direct loss and expense, liquidated damages, extension of time, concurrency, acceleration, time at large, common law and contractual claims, global claims, heads of claim and their substantiation. The new fourth edition has been substantially restructured and updated. Nearly 100 additional cases have been added as well as four new contracts : the JCT Construction Management and Major Project contracts, the JCT Standard Form of Domestic Subcontract, and the Engineering and Construction Contract (the NEC Form). The book continues to use the JCT Standard Form (JCT 98) as the basis of the text, with important differences highlighted in the other forms. Seventeen forms are dealt with and they have all been updated since the last edition of this book. This new edition is essential reading for architects, contract administrators, project managers and quantity surveyors. It will also be invaluable to contractors, contracts consultants and construction lawyers. David Chappell BA(Hons Arch), MA(Arch), MA(Law), PhD, RIBA has 45 years' experience in the construction industry, having worked as an architect in public and private sectors, as contracts administrator for a building contractor, as a lecturer in construction law and contract procedures and for the last fifteen years as a construction contract consultant. He is currently the Director of David Chappell Consultancy Limited and frequently acts as an adjudicator. He is Senior Research Fellow and Professor in Architectural Practice and Management Research at the Queen's University, Belfast. He was appointed Visiting Professor in Practice Management and Law at the University of Central England in Birmingham from 1 March 2003. David Chappell is the author of many articles and books for the construction industry. He is one of the RIBA Specialist Advisors and lectures widely. Vincent Powell-Smith LLM, DLitt, FCIArb was a practising arbitrator and formerly Professor of Law at the University of Malaya and the International Islamic University, Malaysia. He was author of many books on construction law. John Sims FRICS, FCIArb, MAE, FRSA is a chartered quantity surveyor now practising as a consultant, arbitrator, adjudicator and mediator in construction disputes. He is author of a number of books on building contracts and arbitration. Also of interest Building Contract Dictionary Third Edition David Chappell, Derek Marshall, Vincent Powell-Smith & Simon Cavender 0 632 03964 7 The JCT Minor Works Form of Contract Third Edition David Chappell 1 4051 1523 8 Parris's Standard Form of Building Contract Third Edition David Chappell 0 632 02195 0 The JCT Major Project Form Neil F. Jones 1 4051 1297 2 Evaluating Contract Claims R. Peter Davison 1 4051 0636 0 Construction Adjudication Second Edition John L. Riches & Christopher Dancaster 1 4051 0635 2 The Arbitration Act 1996 A Commentary Third Edition Bruce Harris, Rowan Planterose & Jonathan Tecks 1 4051 1100 3 In preparation The NEC and JCT Contracts Compared Deborah Brown 1 4051 1823 7 Cover design by Workhaus