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Cooke says knowledgeable contractors study the bid
“If your specifications are wrong, or you have to issue
documentation, and when they see the sloppiness, they
change orders, or take remedial action, this results in
know they can turn a “low bid” project into highly prof-
more action on your time or the time of your staff. You
itable work through effective change orders.
are already paying for your mistake.”
“They (the contractors) will go through it with a fine-
“This results in longer site meetings and fighting over
tooth comb to find things that aren't specified, or where
interpretations of the specifications,” he said. The time
things are specified that contradict the drawings. They
wasted and extra costs means that the architectural or
will use that in most contract specifications to override
engineering practice ends up paying out far more than
the drawings.”
the savings achieved by rushing or inadequately prepar-
“They (the contractors) will price according to spec,
ing the initial specifications, regardless of the actual de-
knowing that that is not the intent of the designer.”
sign fee.
Thurston agrees that change orders are a problem
“If you have good specs, you should be able to oper-
arising from incomplete or inaccu-
ate within five to 10 per cent of an
rate specifications, though he
overage for change orders,” he said.
doesn't suggest that contractors
“When you go above that, you are
are actually looking forward to
going to have an impact on costs.”
them. Cooke says the cost in time and
“If my guys get really good
money to send architects, engineers
specs, they (offer) better pricing,
and technologists for specifications
and fewer change orders,”
writing training is insignificant com-
Thurston said. “We have trouble
pared to the savings that can be
with public owners who don't go
achieved through clear specifications.
that way, because they think 'low
CSC, for example, offers courses
bid' is the way to go.”
that can be completed either on line
He said, however, when New
or in classroom settings, require a
York State introduced a qualifica-
modest amount of time and cost only
tion-based design selection (QBS)
a few hundred dollars to complete.
process, it reduced its cost over-
“The costs for this training would be
runs. (The U.S. federal govern-
recovered in a single project that
ment, and several state and local
doesn't go wrong,” he says.
authorities, have for many years
He says clear specifications
mandated QBS through Brooks Act
need to be combined with a system-
provisions, which make it clear that
atic inspection program to ensure the
price should not be a primary con-
specifications are observed through-
sideration in selecting architects
out the construction process. “You
and engineers for public projects.)
need to have someone on site hold-
OGCA president Clive Thurston
Thurston says if architects need
ing the contractor accountable,” he
to compete on price, with the low
said. “You can't wait until the job is
bid winning, “architects don't build
finished for this inspection – you
in enough visits to the site.” This leads to the change
need to catch things when they are visible.”
orders – where “contractors will hit you on anything not
These site inspections could add some short-term
specified. Owners then try to remove the change-order
costs, but, Cooke says, will save money long-run, and
risk by building risk-transfer provisions into their con-
avoid the consequences of building systems failures
tracts, denying contractors the right to be compensated
after the work is finished.
for legitimate change orders.
Cooke says, conversely, general and trade contractors
The result: Unmanageable contract documents that
might benefit from CSC courses to understand the spec-
deter contractors from bidding on the work, resulting in
ifications process more clearly, and be better equipped
significantly higher costs because of less competition
to see discrepancies and potential change order oppor-
and more stress (and completion risk) on the part of the
tunities. contractors who accept the work under these circum-
“There are far fewer structural engineers who take the
stances. CSC courses, and mechanical and electrical engineers,
Cooke says the problem with poor quality specifica-
even less,” he said. 'There are more contractors who
tions isn't entirely with owners not willing to pay for qual-
take the courses than there are consultants – so contrac-
ity. There are challenges within the design industry as
tors know what to look for.”
well. Many architectural and engineering practices are not
For more information about CSC's certification
“spending enough time on the specifications,” he said.
program, see http://csc-dcc.ca/Certification.
The Canadian Design and Construction Report — Summer 2014 – 15