The Paper Trail
To all Contract Administrators that means you!
I’ve included this section mainly for builders and client representatives (this includes partners) who maybe could have avoided any dispute arising in the first place. Clear communication before, during and after the contract goes along way. If something is mentioned that never made the contract through other changes like price, raise the matter immediately rather than move on to something else expecting it will go away. Saying nothing will confirm the misunderstanding and the final account stage is not the best time to discuss anything.
The floor plan above the 2 pictures can look like either. Make sure your draughtsman has drawn your expectations.
You can get pictures from a CAD file quite cheaply these days about $100 each which is a lot cheaper than moving walls after.
It’s the client and builder working in collaboration, remember you are a partnership for the duration of the project
MS Project
On Commercial work shop fit-outs that have to be open for the Gala Opening and Schools that have to be ready for the kids at the beginning of term I use MS Project.
I update it weekly or when anything significent happens I email it to all the trades so everyone knows who’s coming and going so they can’t say “I didn’t realise the job was ready.” They would have given me the dates they were available before the job was started.
Places like MacDonalds won’t let you start without sighting the letting schedule, the MS Project and the Power Point Induction that will be held with the trades.
Variations and Extensions of time.
Most builders these days have electronic selections and ordering. You go into the showroom make a selection, a variation is raised as a result of the selection. ($75 per M2 allowed $50) You OK the variation after all it’s only a couple of hundred extra. The order is processed and the selection makes it’s way to the subby’s phone before you have left the shop.
But keep track of all these couple of hundreds as they can soon mount up. Most variations carry the clause “This Variation may affect the Completion Date” and that you are agreeing to these terms.
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