CONSULTANTS Flashcards
- What are consultants, what services do they provide and who pays for their services
Specialist consultants are other professions within the building and construction industry that provide specialist advice and information for a particular field. They contribute to parts of the design but usually not the whole. They are engaged on a project where the architect does not have the knowledge or experience to design these areas (i.e. electrical, mechanical, structural etc). They are engaged in either the form of secondary consultant (engaged and paid by the client) or sub‐ consultant (engaged and paid by the primary consultant, or architect). It is advised that architects don’t engage consultants directly to limit their liability and also maintain good cash flow.
Why are consultants required when you have already explained to a potential client the services you will provide?
As above, they provide advice and information for the design that the architect has not got the knowledge or training to provide this advice – outside of the architect’s scope.
The AIA Practice notes use the terms Specialist Consultant, Secondary Consultant and Sub Consultant. Is there any difference in these terms and if so explain what they mean?
Specialist Consultant: specialist in a particular field, contributing to part of the design. Either Secondary or Sub‐Consultant.
Secondary Consultant: Engaged and paid by client, coordinated by primary consultant. Sub‐Consultant: Engaged, paid and coordinated by primary consultant. Primary consultant assumes responsibility for quality and output of sub consultant’s work.
- Name the typical consultants required for a small domestic alteration
E.g. Land surveyor, arborist, structural engineer, landscape architect.
- Name the typical consultants required for a large hospital complex.
Land surveyor, arborist, landscape architect, structural engineer, geotech, mechanical, electrical, hydraulic, civil, interior architect, acoustic, access, BCA, traffic etc.
If your client engages the consultants but your services include “Coordination of the consultants” what is your responsibility when a consultant fails to produce the relevant documents in accordance with your program and causes delays to the tendering of the works?
Your role is only to coordinate the work of the consultants when it is received. If they do not submit their information to you on time, you are not responsible for this. The client has engaged the consultant as Secondary Consultant to you.
Who is responsible when errors are found in (say) the structural drawings resulting in a major claim for a variation by the contractor? Remember you agreed with your client to “coordinate the work of the consultants”
It depends if the structural engineer has been engaged as a sub‐consultant or secondary consultant. In both cases, you will coordinate the work of the consultant so you would assume some responsibility. If the engineer is a sub‐consultant, you would be liable and the client could claim against you (in which you might then counter claim against the engineer). If they are a secondary consultant, the client may have a claim against you and the engineer.
- During the construction phase of a project an error is discovered in the electrical documents which show a large switchboard in the main entry of the building. There is nothing on your drawings to show this item and to create a suitable cupboard will cost a lot of money. What do you do and how do you explain the additional cost to your client?
The builder should refer to the order of precedence in the documents, and the electrical switchboard would be described in the specification. The builder should pick up any discrepancies in the documents when reviewing at tender. However, as a switchboard is a large item and vital to connect all the power in the building to it, you may be at fault for overlooking this item and not including on your drawings. Therefore you may have to re‐document at no cost to the client, and the builder may be entitled to a variation.
- What is a quantity surveyor and what services does a QS offer.
A QS is used to prepare a cost plan for the works, based on ongoing information and resolution of drawings/design prepared by the architect and engaged consultants. They may update this several times during the documentation of a project to achieve an accurate as possible cost of the project.
- Who pays for the services of a QS
Ideally, the client should engage and pay for the services of a QS.
What is a bill of quantities and how is it different from a specification. Would a B of Q be part of the set of contract documents?
The breakdown and costing of individual building/trade elements for improved accuracy of a project (usually more complex projects). A Bill of Quantities will form part of the contract documents, typically towards the end of the order of precedence.
