CHOP 6.4 - CONSTRUCTION DOCUMENTS

Question 1

Attribute

Answer 1

Data (such as a door number or column) attached to an entity, block or symbol within a CAD drawing.

Question 2

BIM or Building Information Model

Answer 2

A building information model (BIM) is a digital representation of physical and functional characteristics of a facility. As such, it serves as a shared knowledge resource for information about a facility, forming a reliable basis for decisions during its life cycle, from inception onward. A basic premise of BIM is the collaboration between stakeholders at different phases of the life cycle.

Question 3

Construction Documents

Answer 3

The working drawings and the specifications. When combined with the contract and contract conditions, these documents form the contract documents.

Question 4

Coordinate

Answer 4

To bring (parts, movements, etc.) into proper relation; cause to function together in proper order.

Question 5

Coordination

Answer 5

The arrangement and direction of work of others by a person (e.g., supervisor) or entity (e.g., general contractor) in a special manner to minimize conflicts, delays, interferences, etc., among such others.

Question 6

Deliverables

Answer 6

In the context of this chapter, refers to the output of the final design work in the form of “instruments of service” required to provide all construction stage stakeholders and participants with the information necessary for the performance of their respective obligations and roles during construction.

Question 7

Drawing

Answer 7

Graphic information, which may also contain text, organized on a two-dimensional surface for the purpose of conveying information about a specific portion of a project.

Question 8

Layer

Answer 8

A group of functionally similar bits of information that can be manipulated or displayed as a unit and that possess common attributes; a property of a CAD drawing used for classifying information in order to control visibility and manipulation; sometimes called a “level.

Question 9

Process

Answer 9

The scope and requirements applicable to design work to be performed as the immediate precursor to the procurement and execution of actual construction work.

Question 10

Schedule

Answer 10

Tabulated information on a range of similar items, such as a “Door Schedule” or “Room Finish Schedule.”

Question 11

Construction Documents

Answer 11

The construction documents stage of the design services is generally where:

1) the client’s project objectives as defined at the pre-design stage are captured for construction, especially with respect to costs, time and overarching considerations such as sustainability, durability, life cycle, etc.

2) the architect’s design intents formulated at the schematic design and design development stages are also described in detail in both drawings and text for construction.

Construction documents are also the architect’s primary reference and resource in performing construction contract administration services. Construction contracts usually name the architect (or engineer) authoring the construction drawings and specifications as having primary authority over these documents for the purpose of evaluating construction work, quality and conformity.

The quality of information developed at this stage also directly impacts the architect’s services during the construction contractor procurement and construction phases. Finally, this information will generally be the basis for obtaining necessary permits for construction from the authorities having jurisdiction (AHJ). Therefore, the information in construction documents needs to clearly describe conformance with regulatory requirements.

Question 12

The Process

Answer 12

The construction documents phase is when the building and site design has been:

1) formulated through the schematic design stage

2) elaborated at the design development stage

3) validated for feasibility

4) accepted and approved by the client

5) further studied and developed to the level of detail, accuracy and interdisciplinary integration required to validate technical design choices for building materials, systems, and technologies against governing project requirements.

Question 13

The Deliverables

Answer 13

Construction document deliverables are essentially, but not exclusively, comprised of:

1) drawings which illustrate the spatial arrangement.

2) specifications which describe the material, quality and workmanship, requirements and the criteria and methods to be used to validate.

3) schedules in tabular form (Building code, doors, floor, wall, ceiling finishes, electrical panel config. etc.)

4) complementary documents developed as appropriate to the project’s context, all at the level of detail necessary to direct builders in the execution of construction work, so that the completed building conforms to design intents and technical performance requirements as per the owners’ expectations documented in contract documents.

Question 14

General Requirements for Construction Documents

Answer 14

Clarity: Documents need to convey design information in a manner that minimizes the risk that information could be misinterpreted or misunderstood,

Readability: Document layouts and presentations, especially drawings, are uncluttered.

Intelligibility of design solutions: The documents, drawings, should be as transparent as possible in representing the design intents, especially with regards to architectural features. Construction assembly detail drawings or specifications should be reasonably self-explanatory to qualified and experienced users.

Constructability/feasibility: Includes the actual, material, and technical feasibility of the design solutions with respect to the foreseeable sequencing of the construction work by various trades. The design is constructible in the location of the work with available materials, products, equipment, and skilled trade labour.

Usability: Adequacy and sufficiency of the construction documents relevant to: Bidders for tendering, general and trade contractors, project stakeholders.

Quality of graphic and written language: Documents free from structural, orthographic, grammatical, syntactic or semantic errors

Question 15

Planning the Production of Construction Documents

Answer 15

Architects should refrain from undertaking the preparation of construction documents prior to obtaining client approval of the deliverables of design development.

the project architect or project manager is usually the individual responsible for planning the production of construction documents. When scheduling this work, the project architect must consider the following factors:

• available production budget;
• available human resources;
• firm’s material resources and computer systems (hardware and software);
• time frame for production of the construction documents;
• human and material resources available to the other consultants.

The project architect in charge of managing the production of the complete set of construction documents coordinates the work of the design team (engineers and other consultants).

Especially in the case of large or technically complex projects, construction management contracts usually provide for the construction manager’s involvement in the project at the pre-construction stages:

1) to provide advice and counsel to the design professionals team regarding design decisions related to the project’s goals

2) to prepare advance construction stage work plans, including work sequence and time schedules to inform design decisions that can be affected by constructability or the feasibility of achieving technical performance requirements

3) to develop, with the collaboration of design professionals, general contract requirements applicable to all work packages (“Division 01” specification sections) where such requirements may affect the form and contents of construction documents (drawings or specifications) with respect to their use for construction work

4) to collaborate with design professionals in the initial detailed definition of the information to be developed for construction contract documents

Design and construction are interrelated. The planning and scheduling of the design work has a direct impact on the development of designs to the level required for construction contracts. The most common contexts generated by construction management are:

1) Sequential tendering of work packages to follow either the phasing of the work or the physical sequencing of the work as logically governed by physical characteristics of the building’s design.

2) Fast-tracking of design and construction is also often used where projects are sought to be completed in the shortest possible time frame. In this case, the development of design is taking place concurrently with early construction tasks. It is important for architects and the design team to understand that the logical sequence of work featured in the construction schedule does not mirror the logic of the development of the design.

Question 16

Construction Documents’ Quality Assurance and Quality Control

Answer 16

Construction document quality concerns have a direct impact on the client’s satisfaction with the architect’s services. The quality of construction documents has a direct impact on the time and effort required of the architects in the performance of services at the next stages of a project.

Key issues to be addressed as part of quality reviews include:

1) continuity and compatibility with approved design development documents and requirements implied in the construction procurement process

2) consistency of document format, form and presentation standards established at start-up

3) errors, omissions or ambiguities in document contents and form

4) sufficiency, completeness, relevance and internal consistency of construction information within drawing sets and specifications

5) compatibility and consistency of detailed design solutions between disciplines and between related trades on specific building elements or systems.

Question 17

preparing the bid package

Answer 17

In preparing the bid package, the architect should refer to CCDC 23 – A Guide to Calling Bids and Awarding Contracts. The excessive use of supplementary general conditions should be avoided in the preparation and use of CCDC documents. The CCDC will not endorse any supplementary general conditions; the modification of CCDC contracts by way of addition, deletion or revision should be kept to a minimum and only considered after thorough review. Users are cautioned to avoid arbitrary revisions which may weaken the documents’ provisions and create serious problems.

Question 18

Previlege clauses

Answer 18

In the past, it was customary for owners and architects to exercise some control over the tendering process by inserting a “privilege clause” in the bid package. A typical privilege clause read as follows:

“The lowest or any tender shall not necessarily be accepted.”

This type of clause is no longer appropriate. It was believed that this clause allowed owners to justify a decision to award a contract to someone other than the lowest bidder.

Accepting a non-conforming bid is considered a breach of the duty of fairness to all other bidders. A privilege clause does not permit the owner to accept a non-compliant bid.

Question 19

Distribution of Bid Documents

Answer 19

Usually, the notice of tender indicates where and under what conditions contractors can obtain the bid documents. The administration and distribution of the bid documents can be a service provided by the architect or alternatively, in the case of an experienced or sophisticated client, it may be the client’s responsibility.

Question 20

Number of Sets of Bid Documents

Answer 20

Clients, consultants, contractors, and subcontractors all have vested interests in having easy access to the drawings and specifications during the bid period.

When determining how to distribute bid documents electronically and how many sets of hard or paper copies to print, architects should consider the following factors:

1) requirements of the client and consultants
2) requirements of authorities having jurisdiction
3) type and number of electronic tendering services
4) sets for construction association plan rooms
5) size and complexity of projects (number of trades involved)
6) number of contractors and subcontractors expected to bid
7) sets required for execution of the contract

It is important to always issue complete, and not partial, sets of the bid documents.

Question 21

Deposit

Answer 21

Contractors customarily obtain bid documents by providing a deposit to ensure their safe return. The deposit amount is generally the cost to reproduce a full set of documents plus a nominal handling charge. The deposit is refunded when bid documents are returned within a specified time, provided that the documents are complete and in good condition.

Question 22

Construction Associations and Bid Depositories

Answer 22

Access to information is critical and should be easily obtainable to ensure the best bids. A complex or large project may require the distribution of extra or additional sets of bid documents or the use of an electronic tendering service.

Question 23

Addenda

Answer 23

A detailed analysis of the documents by contractors, subtrades and manufacturers in the preparation of their bid may reveal omissions or contradictions in the project documents or items which need clarification or correction.

The architect and engineers may also discover inconsistencies or omissions. Additional products which are approved as alternatives may have been identified. Moreover, the client may wish to make minor changes to the project.

In the cases described above, the architect should prepare “addenda” to the bid documents. The addenda modify or interpret the bid documents. The addenda may include both text and drawings, or text only. Each addendum should be numbered and dated and becomes part of the contract documents when the construction contract is executed.

Question 24

Bid period and bid closing