Vocabulary Flashcards
Addition (to the contract sum)
An amount added to the contract sum either by an accepted additive alternate or by change order.
Advertisement for Bids
Published public notice soliciting proposals for a construction project.
Agent
One who acts on behalf of another.
Alternate Bid
Proposal by bidder for an amount to be subtracted from or added to the base bid if the corresponding change in the work is accepted.
Application for Payment
Contractor’s written request for payment of amount due on account of work completed and/or materials suitably stored on the site. Also called Payment Request.
Approved Equal
Material or method that is approved by the architect as being equivalent to what was originally specified.
Arbitration
An alternative to litigating a dispute, in which one or more arbitrators hears the evidence and renders a decision.
Barrier-Free Provisions
Regulations that provide for accessibility to buildings and sites for persons with disabilities.
Base Bid
The sum of money stated in the bid for which the bidder offers to do the work, not including any alternate bids.
Basic Services
The architectural services normally required for a building project, usually consisting of SD DD CD bidding or negotiations and construction contract administration
Bid
A proposal by a contractor to do the work required by the contract documents for a stipulated sum of money.
Bid Bond
A surety bond guaranteeing that the bidder will sign a contract, if offered, in accordance with his or her proposal
Bidding Documents
The invitation to bed, instructions to bidders, bid form, and the contract documents.
Bonus and penalty clause
A provision in the construction contract for payment of a bonus to the contractor for completing the project prior to a specific date, and for a charge, penalty, against the contractor for failing to complete the project by that date.
Cash Allowance
An amount included in the contract sum to cover the cost of certain items not specified in detail. Hardware and other finish items are often handled in this manner.
Certificate for Payment
A statement by the architect informing the owner of the amount due to the contractor on account of work completed and/or materials suitably stored.
Certificate of Occupany
A document issued by the governing authority stating that a building complies with applicable laws and permitting occupancy for its designated use.
Certificate of Substantial Completion
A document prepared by the architect stating that the work is substantially complete, thereby establishing the date of substantial completion. It generally fixes the time within which the contractor must complete the unfinished work listed.
Change in Services (of the architect)
Professional services rendered by the architect, upon the owner’s request, I’m addition to the basic services identified in the basic services identified in the owner-architect agreement. AKA Extra or Additional services.
Change Order
A written order to the contractor, prepared by the architect and signed by the owner, contractor, and architect, which authorizes a change in the work, contract sum, or contract time.
Clerk of the Works
The owner’s job site representative.
Completion Bond
A bond obtained by the contractor or owner that guarantees the project will be completely free of liens
Comprehensive Services
The architect’s basic services expanded to include certain additional services, such as programming, land use studies etc.
Construction Budget
The sum established by the owner as available for construction of the project.
Construction Change Directive
A document signed by the architect and owner which authorizes a change in the work, the contract sum, or contract time. Used when there is not complete agreement in the terms of a change order.
Construction Documents
Working drawings and specifications.
Construction Management (CM)
Management services performed by the architect or others over and above normal architectural services that contribute to the control of time and cost in the construction of a project.
Consultant
An engineer or other specialist retained by the architect to provide specified professional services to the architect that the architect is required to provide to the owner under the owner-architect agreement.
Contingency
An amount of money set aside in a budget to cover unanticipated expenses.
Contract Documents
Working drawings, specs, addenda, general conditions of the contract, supplementary conditions, and the owner-contractor agreement.
Contract Sum
The total amount payable by the owner to the contractor as stated in the owner-contractor agreement, for performing the work under the contract documents.
Contract Time
The period of time within which the work must be completed as established in the contract documents.
Cost Plus Fee Contract
An agreement under which the contractor or the architect is reimbursed for his or her cost and in addition is paid a fee for his or her services.
Critical Path Method (CPM)
A project management procedure in which all events and operations are charged in a way that establishes the optimum sequence and duration of operations.
CSI Masterformat
a systematic listing of construction trades, materials, systems and administrative requirements published by the construction specifications institute (CSI) for the purpose of organizing construction specs.
Addenda
Statements or drawings that modify the basic contract documents after the CDs have been issued to the bidders, but prior to taking of bids
Date of Substantial Completion
The date, certified by the architect, when the construction is sufficiently completed, in accordance with the contract documents so the owner can occupy the project or specified area of the project for the intended use.
Davis-Bacon Act
A federal law that requires the department of labor to set prevailing wages for government financed construction projects.
Deposit for Bidding Documents
A deposit of money required of each bidder as security for the bidding documents, to ensure the return f the documents by unsuccessful bidders.
Direct Expense
Expense items directly incurred by or attributable to a specific project.
Direct Personnel Expense (DPE)
Salaries and wages attributable to a specific project, plus benefits such as employment taxes, insurance, sick leave, holidays, vacations, pensions, and similar contributions and benefits.
Division One
The General Requirements Division of the specs that establishes the administrative and procedural duties of the contractor, architect, and owner during construction.
Due Care
The requirement that a professional exercise reasonable ability and judgement in a specific circumstance, the absence of which constitutes as negligence. Also called Standard of Care.
Estimate
A forecast of probable costs, as opposed to a firm bid.
Express Warranty
A legally enforceable promise made by the warrantor.
Extra
An item of work involving additional cost.
Fast-Track Construction
A construction technique by which construction on each element of a project is begun as soon as the design for that element is completed, without waiting for completion of the design for the entire project. Its principal objective is to shorten the overall construction time.
Final Completion
The completion of all work in accordance with the terms and conditions of the contract documents.
Float
The extra time available for a construction activity above its estimated time duration, without causing any delay of project completion
General Conditions
The part of the contract documents that states the rights, responsibilities, and relationships of the parties involved, usually by meals of a standard document published by the American Institute of Architects.
General Contract
The part of the contract documents that states the rights, responsibilities, and relationships of the parties involved, usually by means of a standard document published by the American Institute of Architects.
Guarantee
A legally enforceable assurance of the quality of materials and labor furnished for a project, or of the length of time that a project or a part thereof will perform satisfactorily. AKA Warranty.
Guaranteed Maximum Cost
The amount established by agreement between owner and contractor as the maximum cost of performing specified work. AKA Guaranteed Maximum Price GMP and Upset Price.
Hold Harmless Clause
Indemnification.
Incentive Clause
Clause in a cost plus fee contract between the owner and contractor in which the savings between the guaranteed maximum cost and the actual project cost are proportionally shared.
Indemnification
A contractual obligation whereby one party agrees to guarantee another party against loss or damage from specific liabilities.
Indirect Expense
Overhead expense; expenses indirectly incurred and not chargeable to a specific project.
Instructions to Bidders
instruction in the bidding documents for preparing and submitting bids for a project. AKA Notice to bidders
Insurance
Coverage by contract (insurance policy) where on party - the insurance company - agrees to indemnify or reimburse another - the insured - against loss from a specified hazard. AKA Liability Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance.
Invitation to Bid
An invitation to a selected list of contractors soliciting bids for a project.
Labor and Material Payment Bond
A bond guaranteeing to the owner that the contractor will pay for all labor and materials used for the project
Letter of Intent
A letter signifying intention to enter into a formal agreement and setting forth the general terms thereof
Liability Insurance
Insurance that financially protects the insured against liability on account of bodily injury or property damage sustained by another.
Liquidated Damange
A sum chargeable against the contractor as reimbursement for damages suffered by the owner because of the contractor’s failure to complete the work within a specified time.
Lowest Acceptable Bona Fide Bid
The lowest bid that complies with all the stipulated requirements.
Mechanic’s Lien
A claim on property by those who furnish material or labor for the construction of a building. Clear title to the property cannot be obtained until the claim is settled.
Multiple of Direct Personnel Expense Agreement
An agreement providing payment for professional services based upon the direct personnel expense multiplied by an agreed factor.
Observation
A term used for on-site examination of the contractor’s work by the architect to determine in general if it is proceeding in accordance with the contract documents
Option
A choice given to the contractor to provide specified alternates without prior approval of the architect.
Percentage Agreement
An owner-architect agreement under which the professional fee is based upon a percentage of the construction cost of the project.
Performance Bond
A bond that guarantees to the owner that the contractor will perform the work in accordance with the contract documents
Post-Completion Services
Additional services rendered to the owner by the architect following the actual completion of the project
Prime Contractor
Any contractor on a project was has a contract direction with the owner
Professional Liability Insurance
Insurance that financially projects an architect against claims for damages resulting from professional negligence. AKA Errors and Omissions Insurance.
Program
A written statement of the owner’s conditions and requirements for the project
Project Budget
The sum established by the owner as available for the entire project, including the construction budget, and cost, equipment cost, financing cost, cost of professional services, and contingency allowances.
Progress Payments
Payments made to the contractor during progress of the work on account of work completed and/or materials suitably store.
Project Manual
The manual prepared by the architect for a project, including the technical specifications, bidding instructions and forms, general conditions, supplementary conditions, special conditions, and other legal and administrative documents
Project Representative
The architect’s representative at the site, who assists the general administration of the construction contract for a project.
Punch List
A list of items to be corrected or completed, which is provided by the contractor and usually expanded by the architect based on a detailed inspection of the work prior to substantial completion.
Record Drawings
Drawings revised to show changes made during construction. Sometimes wrongly called As-Built Drawings
Release of Lien
A legal document signed by a supplier of material or labor for a project, which releases his or her mechanic’s lien against the property. Mechanic’s Lien.
Retainage
An amount withheld from each payment to the contractor in accordance with the terms of the owner-contractor agreement.
Sample
Material or assembly submitted for the architect’s approval prior to manufacture or delivery to the project
Schedule of Values
A statement furnished to the architect by the contractor reflecting the amounts to be allotted for the principal divisions of the work. It serves as a guide for reviewing the contractor’s periodic applications for payment.
Separate Prime Contract
One of several owner-contractor agreements for a project, each of which provides for construction a major portion of the work (general construction, electricity, mechanical, etc) by a different contractor.
Shop Drawings
Drawings prepared by contractor, subcontractor, manufacturer, or supplier showing how specific portions of the work shall be fabricated and/or installed.
Sick Building Syndrome
A term used to describe poor indoor air quality, which can lead to discomfort and possibly disease.
Single Prime Contract
A contract for building construction under which one prime contractor is responsible for the entire project, in contrast to having separate contracts.
Special Conditions
Part of the contract documents, other than general and supplementary conditions, describing unique conditions of a project
Specifications
Part of the contract documents that comprise of written descriptions of materials, construction systems, and workmanship.
Statute of Limitations
An ordinance that specifies the period of time within which legal action must be brought in order to obtain legal relief for damage or injury.
Stipulated Sum Contract
An agreement under which the architect or contractor is paid a specific amount as the total fee for services performed. AKA Lump Sum Contract.
Subcontractor
One who has a contract with a prime contractor to perform a portion of the work.
Submittal
A shop drawing, project data, or sample submitted by the contractor to the architect for review prior to incorporation in the work
Subrogation
The substitution of one entity for another with regard to legal rights
Substantial Completion
As defined in the AIA General Conditions, completion of a project to the point where the owner can occupy all or designated portions of the work for eh purpose for which intended.
Superintendent
The contractor’s representative at the site.
Supervision
Direction of the work by the contractor’s personnel. Supervision is not the responsibility of the architect.
Supplementary Conditions
Part of the contract documents, prepared by the architect, which may modify provisions of the general conditions of the contract
Surety
An individual or company that guarantees to make good to another party the debt, default, or failure to perform of a third party.
Surety Bond
An agreement under which one party (the surety or bonding company) guarantees to make good to another party, the obligee or owner, the debt, default, or failure to perform of a third party - the principal, or contractor.
Total Quality Management (TQM)
An approach to the delivery of goods or services in which quality is determined by customer satisfaction and conformance to requirements.
Trade Discount
The difference between the list price and the actual price paid.
Unit Price
An amount, stated in dollars per unit, provided by the contractor with his or her bid for adding or deleting specific portions of the work.
Vapor Barrier
A membrane that prevents the passage of water vapor through a wall or roof.
