My AE Prep (Module 3) Flashcards
The work done before a project starts in order to verify that it is possible. Usually include financing and site possibilities.
Feasibility studies, or due diligence
What are the five phases of the Architect’s Basic Scope of Services?
Schematic Design Design Development Construction Documents Bidding & Negotiation Construction Administration & Observation
What are the steps to define the scope of services?
1) Determine what services are needed
2) Prepare a proposal for services
3) Negotiate the final scope of services
4) Prep the Professional Services Agreement
5) Monitor and Manage changes in scope (for additional services)
What are some QA/QC methods?
Procedure Checklists Drawing Content Checklists Clear Channels of Communications Standard Details & Detail Libraries Standard Office Specifications Project Contact Lists File Naming Standards CAD Layer Name Standards In-House or Peer Reviews Senior Project Manager Review Backup and Archive of Older Versions of Drawings Standard Project Manuals
What are the benefits of a constructability review?
Reduced construction costs.
Identification of potential risk areas.
Contractor’s ability to provide valuable input into the construction schedule and cost.
What types of projects should use a constructability review?
Complex or large projects with staging concerns.
Projects with tight schedules.
Projects using new construction methods
Innovative projects.
When should a Constructability Review be performed?
About halfway through the design.
At or near the plan approval stage.
When the materials are close to being finalized or initial quantities are determined.
To avoid a risky project, what should the architect team consider having?
Staff
Experience
Time
Cash Flow
What are the three typical categories of Owner-driven conflict/delays?
Financial
Informational
Approval-Related
What are the architect’s options when a client isn’t paying?
Make future deliverables contingent on payment. Remain in communication. Try to find out why. Charge interest. Suggest alternative payment options. Provide info to support the invoice. Have your attorney send a strongly worded letter. Stop all work. File a lien. Take legal action.
What is a lien?
A claim of interest in a property until a debt is paid. Property owner cannot finance, refinance, or sell the property until the lien is removed.
Who can place a lien on a project?
Anyone who provides labor or materials for a project. Architects, GCs, Subcontractors, Material Suppliers, Vendors… etc.
What are the three types of liens in construction?
Mechanics Lien
Design Professional’s Lien
Stop Notice
What are the steps in a mechanics lien?
1) Serve: lien served to the owner by registered mail.
2) Record: lien filed at county recorders office.
3) Enforce: file a lawsuit to foreclose the mech’s lien.
What is a Stop Notice?
A document given for the purpose of stopping, intercepting, or freezing funds that have not yet been paid on a construction project in an attempt to ensure payment. (Only effective against unpaid money)
The main benefit over mech’s lien is that a Stop Notice can be used on public projects.
What should be included in a fee proposal?
Description of the Project. Scope of Services. Additional Services. Proposed Schedule. Fee.
What three factors determine compensation for a project?
1) The Value of the services
2) The Effort and experience required for the project
3) The Risks of the project
You should be compensated more for a quick project that may get you sued than a quick and easy project.
What Value does an Architect provide?
Design Reputation Expertise Quality of Service Project Management Uniqueness Understanding
What is a bottom-up analysis?
When one determines the fee for a project based on the effort required.
What is a Top-Down Analysis?
Determining the fee for a project based on an analysis of similar past projects, or some rule of thumb.
What is a Staff Analysis?
Determining the fee phase-by-phase by considering the number of staff and number of weeks it will take to complete.
What is a Contingency?
An extra fee that is only used if something happens that you didn’t expect.
What is Retainer?
Up-front money from the client to start the project. Usually some % of the total fee.
What is a Fixed Fee structure?
Aka “Stipulated Sum”
Works well on projects with a clearly defined scope.
Offers the greatest chance of profit.
Reduce risk by building in a contingency.
What is an Hourly Fee Structure?
Arch. bills time like an attorney. Staff track hours accurately. Clients billed on hourly rates. Works best when the scope is undefined. - Fails to take into account value
What is an Hourly, Not-To-Exceed Structure?
Hourly structure with a maximum amount, so the owner doesn’t have to worry about a massive bill. Used when the arch will help the owner decide the scope.
What is a Unit Cost fee structure?
A fixed amount based on square footage for each type of room. Great for hotels or hospitals with unknown overall size. Can later be converted into a fixed fee.
What is a Percentage of Construction Cost fee structure?
Used when basing fee off the Owner’s budgeted construction cost. (Ex. 6% of a 400m project)
What are the different types of invoicing?
Hourly (sent monthly)
Regular Fee Schedule (based on total fee, monthly)
Percent Complete (25% comp, 50% comp, etc..)
Milestones (SD, DD, CD, etc.)
Work When Paid (Up front, or deliverable based)
What kind of agreements are in the AIA A-Series Contracts?
Owner + General Contractor
What kind of agreements are in the AIA B-Series Contracts?
Owner + Architect B101 - Standard B102 - Flexible B103 - Complex projects B104 - Medium projects B105 - Small projects B106 - Pro-bono projects
What kind of agreements are in the AIA C-Series Contracts?
Architect + Consultant
What kind of agreements are in the AIA D-Series Contracts?
Misc. Architect Industry Documents
D101 - Methods of calculating areas & volumes of buildings
D200 - Project Checklist
D503 - Guide for sustainable projects
What kind of agreements are in the AIA E-Series Contracts?
Digital File Management
E203 - BIM data rights
E204, 234, 235 - Sustainable Projects Exhibits
What kind of agreements are in the AIA G-Series Contracts?
Contract & Office Administration Forms G201 - Establish protocols for digital data G202 - Establish protocols for BIM G701 - Change order G702 - Application for Cert. for Payment G704 - Cert. of Substantial Completion G709 - Proposal Request G716 - RFIs
many more administrative forms…
What is a Fiduciary Duty?
a fiduciary is a person entrusted to manage assets for someone else. Their duty is to act in their beneficiaries’ interests, rather than their own.
What is Indemnification?
a contractual obligation whereby one party agrees not to sue another party against loss or damage. Aka “Hold Harmless Clause”
What is Retainage?
the process by which the Owner withholds money from the Contractor as a protection in case the Contractor fails to complete the work.
What are Liquidated Damages?
an amount of money stipulated in the contract to be charged to the Contractor as a reimbursement for damages suffered by the Owner because of the Contractor’s failure to fulfill contractual obligations. (Ex. a substantial completion date isn’t met, the owner can’t operate the building and start generating profit)
What is the B101?
The standard Owner-Architect agreement. Can handle most of the typical scopes of work.
What is the A101?
The standard Owner-Contractor agreement. Where the basis of payment is a stipulated sum.
What is the A201?
The General Conditions for Contract for Construction.
What are the sub-categories of B101?
1) Details of the project
2) ARCH responsibilities
3) ARCH basic services (5 phases)
4) Additional services
5) Cost of the work
6) Copyright
7) Claims & Disputes
8) Terminating the Contract
9) Misc. Provisions
10) Fees.
Simpler:
A) The project, what the architect is & could be doing, how much it will cost
B) All the legal shit: Who owns what, disagreements, stopping, misc & fees
What is the B102?
Owner-Architect agreement (without pre-defined scope of architect’s services)
What is the B201?
Standard Form of Architect’s Services: Design and Construction Contract Administration
What is the B202?
Standard Form of Architect’s Services: Programming
What is the B203?
Standard Form of Architect’s Services: Site Evaluation and Planning
What is in the 1st section of the B101?
Initial Information (Details of the project):
Project's site and program Owner's consultants/contractors Arch's consultants Owner's budget Owner's anticipated dates Authorized representatives
What is in the 2nd section of the B101?
Architect’s Responsibilities
Identify a representative
Arch’s insurance
Standards of professionalism, service, timeliness, with good judgment.
What is in the 3rd section of the B101?
The Architect’s Services
Struc/MEP Arch's consultants Arch's schedule SD Services DD Services CD Services Bidding/Negotiation Services CA Services
What is in the 4th section of the B101?
Additional Architect’s Services
The basic services & payment don’t speak 4 these ^
What is in the 5th section of the B101?
The Owner’s Responsibilities
Information in a timely manner
Written program
Budget
Surveys & Geotech
(I should plead the fifth if asked to do these things)
What is in the 6th section of the B101?
Cost of the work
remember with: most of our projects COST 6 figures
What is in the 7th section of the B101?
Copyrights and Licenses
Tim Horton was #7 and copywrighted his coffee
What is in the 8th section of the B101?
Claims and Disputes
You are really going to h8 someone you are in arbitration with
What is in the 9th section of the B101?
Termination or suspension
If I often show up to work at 9, I will be terminated.
What is in the 10th section of the B101?
Miscellaneous Provisions
Miscel1ane0us -> MISC10
What is in the 11th section of the B101?
Compensation
How much the architect is to be paid…$$ looks like 11 with two SS
What is in the 12th section of the B101?
Special Terms and Conditions
Any additional terms
What is in the 13th section of the B101?
Scope of the agreement
Last one, just stating that both parties must sign to amend this document
What factors should be considered when choosing a project delivery method?
Project Considerations: Construction Cost Construction Schedule Project scope & complexity Project Risk
Considerations about the Owner:
Owner’s financing
Desired project quality
Capabilities of the owner, arch, or contractor.
What are the four types of project delivery methods?
Design-bid-build
Design/build
Construction Management at Risk (CM@R)
Integrated Project Delivery (IPD)
When COST is the primary driver for the decision about the project delivery method, what method should be used?
Design-bid-build
Remember, cost is usually the primary driver, and design-bid-build is usually the method
When RISK is the primary driver for the decision about the project delivery method, what method should be used?
Depends on the secondary driver:
Cost - Standard Design/Build
Quality - Bridging Design/Build or CM-Adviser
Time - CM-Agent
(I think it’s RISKy to have so many methods available
When TIME is the primary driver for the decision about the project delivery method, what method should be used?
CM-Constructor
When SCOPE is the primary driver for the decision about the project delivery method, what method should be used?
Cost Plus Fixed Fee
What is GMP?
Guaranteed Maximum Price
Which two AIA contracts are used in IDP projects?
B195 & A195
What is a Fast Track Process?
an approach to speeding up construction by starting to build one part of the project while the remaining parts are still being designed or drawn up. Can reduce project time by 10-30%
What is the process if the Owner makes a change after the design is approved?
Prepare a proposal for additional services for approval before doing any work.
What concerns should you have about persuing a project type you have no experience doing?
Staffing, schedules and making it profitable, to start. A joint venture with another firm might be smart.
What’s a good reason to partner with another firm?
If they have experience or skills you lack, but will help you get a new project you both want.
Owner needs help in figuring out if they can build 200 condos on a site given their budget, schedule and the site constraints in the planning code. They ask you to do this as a favor as you’ll get to “do the entire project if it goes ahead. “ thoughts?
Don’t work for free. Doing this feasibility study show the project cannot be built in might and there and leave you with nothing.
Owner hires you to do some pre-design work for a hotel, but don’t know their budget or size yet. What’s a good way to determine a fee?
Try a unit cost approach and set a fixed fee for each type of room. You can later change the fee structure once you know what you’re designing.
Owner wants a single point of contact for the whole project. What’s the best project delivery method?
Design-build will shorten the schedule and provide that single entity they want.
What is the best type of contract for a quick project with a tight budget.?
Fixed fee and scope of work
What are some ways to manage the quality of project documentation?
Checklists, team coordination meetings or standardized details
How can you reduce (or maybe eliminate) small errors in the documents?
Use quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) measures, such as drawings checklists or standard details.
What should you do if the owner asks you to remove the handrails from the stair after the building inspector leaves?
Don’t do it. The architect is responsible for compliance and interpretation of all applicable codes
One of your clients is consistently late in paying their invoices. They are nice, so what can you do?
Don’t be a pushover. Make future project deliverables contingent on receiving payment first. Charge interest on late payments
What’s the best way to get paid by a client who owes you money but refuses to pay?
File a lien. It will get the owner’s attention and is more likely to result in you getting paid than mediation will
The owner asks you to select the furniture and artwork for the project. Next steps?
These are not part of the basic services and would be considered additional Services. Send a proposal to the owner for approval before starting that work. Track the hours spent on this work separately
