Contract Admin Flashcards
How is the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) important to Interior Design?
“governs the sale of goods in the United States and is applicable to the purchase and delivery of furniture and other moveable items”
In regard to interior design, what is substantial completion?
“the stage when the work or a designated portion of it is sufficiently complete according to the contract documents that the owner can occupy or use the site even though a few minor items may yet need to be finished or corrected”
What is involved in generating a fee projection?
“the total fee the designer will receive after amounts for profit overhead and other expenses are deducted is allocated to the schedule and to the various staff members who will be completing the project”
What is a performance bond?
“a statement by a surety company that obligates the surety company to complete construction of the owners project if the contractor defaults”
If all bids on a project exceed the owners budget, what four options are available to the owner?
“-rebid (or renegotiate) the contract
- authorize an increase in construction costs
- work with the designer to reduce the scope of the project -abandon the project”
What are seven of the items the contractor must submit to the owner during project closeout?
“-the bonds
- all warranties
- any extra stock of materials
- a set of record drawings
- the certificate of occupancy
- documentation required by the final application for payment
- maintenance contracts and equipment operating instructions”
What are four types of written modifications that can be made after the execution of a contract?
“-a change order
- an amendment to the contract
- a written order for minor changes in the work
- a written interpretation by the interior designer”
How is a negotiated contract different from a bid (or tendered) contract?
“a negotiated contract the owner selects a contractor to do the work and the two discuss the cost and terms of the contract in a bid contract several contractors view the contract documents and submit cost proposals”
What are six things the interior designer is NOT responsible for during contract administration?
“-the means methods or techniques of construction
- safety on the job sites
- fabrication shipment or installation of construction elements or furnishings
- acts or omissions of contractors subcontractors or suppliers
- stopping the work if there are problems
- receipt inspection and acceptance of furniture or fixtures”
What is the contract time?
“the period from the starting date established in the agreement to the time of substantial completion”
At an owners request, a contractor may include alternates in the bid documents. What is an alternate?
“a construction item that could at the owners discretion be substituted for a similar item in the base bid to reduce project costs”
What is the basic process for getting approval on submittals from subcontractors to suppliers?
“-first the submittals is sent to the general contractor who reviews it and then sends it to the interior designer for approval
- if the submittal also requires a review by one of the designer’s consultants it is sent to the consultant for review
- the submittal is then sent back to the contractor who returns it to the party who originally made the submittal”
What is a unit price?
“a set cost for providing a portion of the construction work that is based on an individual quantity such as per unit or per square foot”
What are two common types of construction claims?
“-claims for additional timer
-claims for concealed or unknown conditions”
What seven types of information are typically included in the instruction to bidders?
“-procedures for submitting bids -where to obtain bidding documents
-procedures for opening bidsr
-submittals required with the bidsr
-bidders representation statement
-required bonds
-procedures for issuing addenda and other modifications”
How is mediation different from arbitration?
“in mediation a neutral third party facilitates an agreement between the disputing parties but the agreement is not binding.in arbitration the third party hears arguments and renders a decision according to specified rules and the decision is binding”
What are the six basic components of an owner-vendor agreement (or owner-contractor agreement)?
“-the agreement itself “ -the conditions of the contract (general “” supplementary and other)
- the drawings
- the specifications
- all addenda
- all modifications issued after the execution of the agreement”
What is an addendum?
“a written or graphic document issued by the interior designer before the execution of the contract that modifies or interprets the bidding documents by additions deletions clarifications or corrections”
What are six common reasons why a designer might withhold payment to a contractor?
“-the work is defective
- the contractor failed to pay the subcontractors
- the contractor has damaged the property of the owner or another contractor
- third party claims have been filed
- evidence exists that the work will not be completed on time
- the contractor failed to conform to the contract documents”
Who is responsible for making the acceptance inspection of furniture or fixtures?
“the owner is responsible for acceptance inspection of furniture and fixtures (FF&E delivery)”
What part of a contract agreement may be used to include unique contract documents that modify General Conditions of the Contract for Construction?
“Supplementary Conditions”
What form does a vendor or contractor use to request a payment from the owner?
“Application for Payment form”
What two types of contracts are typically used on large commercial interior design projects?
“-construction contract
-contract for furniture fixtures and equipment”
What are the interior designers obligations during construction observation?
become generally familiar with the progress and quality of the work
- keep the owner informed about the progress of the work -endeavour to guard the owner against defects in the work
- determine in general if the work is progressing in such a way that it is in accordance with the contract documents”
What is the purpose of a labor and material payment bond?
“used to guarantee payment for labor and materials on a project if the contractor defaults or otherwise fails to make payments”
What is a punch list (known in Canada as a deficiency list)?
“a list of items made by the interior designer during the final inspection. It includes anything that needs to be completed or corrected by the contractor if not in accordance with the contract documents”
What is bid security?
“a certified check cashier’s check or bid bond requested by the owner to ensure that the successful bidder will fulfill the contract”
What are the two common ways to notify prospective contractors that a project is being bid?
“-advertise for bids in local newspapers and trade journals
-send Invitation to Bid forms to prospective bidders”
What is a construction change directive?
“a written order prepared by the interior designer directing the contractor to make a change before the owner and contractor have agreed on the amount of adjustment in cost time or both”
Who has the authority to stop construction?
“only the owner can authorize stopping construction”
What is a change order?
“a form used to authorize a change in contract time contract cost or both made after the execution of the contract. It is generally prepared by the interior designer and must be signed by the designer contractor and owner”
What are five of the responsibilities of the owner during furniture installation?
“-providing facilities for delivery unloading and staging -providing a route from the delivery point to the final placement point
- giving a firm schedule to the contractor for unloading facilities
- paying for costs due to the owners failure to conform to the scheduler
- providing security”
What are the four primary advantages of negotiating a contract?
“-the owner can use a specific contractor -a realistic project cost is developed from the beginning
- the contractor can assist in reducing the cost of the project
- the contractor can point out potential problems in the design”
In regard to interior design, what is an allowance?
“a set amount of money that the interior designer estimates will cover the cost of a particular item (construction or furnishing) when that cost cannot be determined precisely at the time of the bid or negotiated proposal”
In regard to interior design, what is a claim?
“a demand or assertion by the contractor or owner seeking payment of money an extension of time or an adjustment or interpretation of the contract terms”
What are shop drawings?
“detailed drawings diagrams and other data prepared by a subcontractor or supplier that show exactly how the provider intends to supply and install work to meet the contract requirements. they are submitted to the contractor and interior designer for approval”
What are five of the most common variables that can affect the cost of a project when bidding occurs?
“-actual costs to the contractor and subcontractors
- current competitiveness of the market
- project scheduler
- desire of a contractor to get the job
- level of profit required by the contractor”
Who has the authority to reject work that does not conform to the contract documents?
“the interior designer can reject work that does not conform to the CD’s”
What is retainage (also called holdback in Canada)?
“a percentage (usually 10%) of each payment to a contractor or vendor that is withheld by the owner for the purpose of protecting the owner against incomplete or defective work”
under what conditions can a contractor propose substitutions during bidding?
“bidders must request written approval for substitutions at least 10 days before bid opening. The request must include documentation showing that the proposal meets the requirements of the contract documents”
What does FOB factory” mean?”
“the title for goods purchased is transferred at the factory. The manufacturer pays for loading the goods onto a truck or train and the buyer pays for the transportation costs and is responsible for damage during shipping”
What are the five basic activities of project management?
- planning
- monitoring
- coordinating and directing
- documenting
- closing out a project
What are liquidated damages?
Moneys paid by the contractor to the owner for every day the contractor is late at completing a project.
What is a purchase order?
“a document sent to manufacturer or vendor that lists all the items to be purchased along with prices catalog numbers and shipping information”
What do most people perceive when a sound increases by 10 dB?
“when a sound increases by 10 dB most people perceive a doubling in loudness”
What is the typical spacing non residential studs and joists?
“16 inches on center”
What required at the top of a partition to accommodate deflection of the floor above?
“a slip joint”
What is a three-way switch
“a device that allows users to control a light from two different locations”
What are four types of fire detection devices?
- photoelectric detectors
- rise-of-temperature detectors
- ionization detectors
- flame detectors
What CSI division would contain the specification for doors?
“Division 08 - Openings”
What is a proprietary specification?
“the most restrictive kind of specification because it requires the use of specific manufacturers’ products”
What is a light emitting diode (LED)?
“a semiconductor device that uses solid-stat electronics to create light”
What are the two most important variables in controlling sound transmission through a building element?
“mass and stiffness”
What is a project manual?
This is a bound book that contains:
- technical construction specifications
- contract forms
- general and supplementary conditions of the contract
- bidding requirements (if used)
- supplemental bid forms (if used )
What is an access door?
“an opening used to provide access to mechanical and electrical components behind walls”
What is a vent stack?
“a vent pipe that is separate from a soil or waste stack”
What is the coefficient of absorption?
“the ratio of sound intensity absorbed by a material to the total sound intensity reaching the material”
What is the purpose of a performance specification?
“it shows what results the final construction assembly must achieve without stating exactly what the product must be or what procedures must be followed”
In regard to construction drawings, what does an elevation show?
“vertical dimensions and the configurations and finishes of wall surfaces”
What is the packing list?
“detailed list of item descriptions and quantities in a shipment that is attached to one of the items shipped”
What is the unit of measure for the frequency of sound?
“hertz (Hz) -one cycle per second”
What is a dedicated circuit?
“a circuit that contains a single electrical outlet”
What is a flight in a stairway?
“a flight is a series of two or more risers between one floor or landing and the next”
What are some ways to increase speech privacy in a large space?
“-use highly absorptive ceiling materials
- use space dividers to reduce sound transmission
- create distance between noisy activities
- arrange hard surfaces to minimize reflected sound
- use a well-designed background masking system”
What system was created to standardize the organization and writing of specifications and what group developed it?
“The MasterFormat system was developed by the Construction Specification Institute (CSI) and Construction Specifications Canada”
What does a typical floor plan show?
“the overall configuration of a building (or portion of an interior under contract). it includes all partitions, doors and other fixed elements and gives dimensions notes and references to elevations and details drawn elsewhere”