Construction Terms

Addendum

Written information that clarifies or modifies the bidding documents, often issued during the bidding process.

Alternate

Additional design or material options added to the construction documents and / or specifications to obtain multiple possible cost estimates for the project.

Add-alternate

Imply added material and cost

Deduct-alternate

Imply of removal of certain elements to lower the project cost as necessary.

American National Standard Institute

ANSI stands for?

As-built drawing

Contract drawings that have been marked up to reflect any changes to a project during construction. Differentiating them from the bid documents. Also know as record drawing.

Bid

Is to offer a proposal or a price. When project is 'put out to _________' contractors are asked to submit their estimates as to the time and the cost of the project.

Building permit

Written documents issued by the appropriate government authority permitting the construction of a specific project in accordance with the drawings and specification that the authority has approved.

Certificate of occupancy

documents is issued by the appropriate local government agency, stating that the building or property meets local standard of occupancy and is in compliance with public health and building codes.

Change of order

Written documents between and signed by the owner and contractor authorizing a change in the work, or adjustment in the contract sum or length of time. Architects and Engineers may also sign a change order, but only if authorized (in writing) by the owner to do so.

Charrette

Intensive design process for solving architectural problem quickly; often undertaken by student of architecture, but also employed by professionals in various stages of the design process. The instructor Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris would use this. French for 'small wooden cart' for collecting the design work of the students after such a process.

Construction cost

Direct contractor costs for labor, materials, equipment, and services as well as overhead and profit.

Construction management

Organization and direction of the labor force, materials and equipment to build the project as designed by the architect.

Construction management contract

written agreement giving responsibility for project planning and accomplishment and overall project planning, design and construction to a construction management firm or individual, called the construction manager (CM)

Consultant

Hired by the owner or the architect to provide information and to advice the project in the area of his or her experience.

Contract administration

Contractual duties and responsibilities of the architect and engineer during a project's consultation.

Contract over-(or under)-run

Difference between the original price and the final completed cost, including all change order adjustments.

Contractor

Licensed individual or company that agrees and perform the work as specified, with the appropriate labor, equipment, and materials.

Date of substantial completion

Date certified by the architect when the work is to be completed.

Design-build construction

Arrangement wherein a contractor bids or negotiates to provide design and construction services for the entire project.

Estimating

Calculation of the amount of material, labor, and equipment needed to complete a given project.

Fast-track construction

Method of construction management in which construction work begins before the completion of the construction documents, resulting in a continuous construction situation.

FF&E

Moveable furniture, fixtures, or equipment that do not require a permanent connection to the structure or utilities of a building.

Field order

Written order calling for a clarification or minor change in the construction work and not involving any adjustment to the terms of contract.

General contractor

Licensed individual or company with prime responsibility for the work.

Indirect cost

Expenses that are not changeable to a specific project or task, such as overhead.

National Institute of Building Sciences

NIBS stands for?

Owner-architect agreement

Written contract between the architect and the client for professional architectural services.

PARTI

Central idea governing and organizing a work of architecture, from the french "partir" to depart with the intention of going somewhere.

Program

Desired list of spaces, rooms, and elements as well as their sizes, for use in designing a building.

Progress schedule

Line diagram showing proposed and actual starting completion time in a project.

Project cost

All cost for a specific project, including those for land, professionals, construction, finishing, fixtures, equipment, financing, and any other project related expenses.

Project directory

Written list of names and addresses of all parties involved in a project, including the owner, architect, engineer, and contractor.

Project manager

qualified individual or firm authorized by the owner to be responsible for coordinating time, equipment, money, task and people for all portions of a project.

Project Manual

detailed written specifications describing acceptable instruction materials and methods

Request for information

Written request from a contractor to the owner or architect for clarification of the contract documents.

Request for proposal

written request to a contractor, architect, or subcontractor for an estimate or cost proposal.

Schedule

Plan for performing work; also a chart or table within the drawing set.

Scheme

Chart or diagram or outline of a system being proposed.

Scope of work

Written range of view or action for a specific project.

Shop drawing

Drawings, diagrams, schedules, and other data specially prepared by the contractor or subcontractor, manufacturer, supplier or distributor to illustrate some portions of the work being done. These drawings show the specific way in which the particular contractor or shop intends to furnish, fabricate, assemble or install it's product.

Site

Location of a structure or group of structure.

Soft costs

Expenses in addition to the direct construction cost, including architectural and engineering fees, permits, design/consultancy fees, project management fee, permit fees, insurance, contingencies, legal and financing fees, construction interest and operating expenses, leasing and real estate commissions, advertising and promotion and supervision. This specific cost and construction costs add up to the project costs.

Standard of professional practice

Listing of minimum acceptable ethical principals and practices adopted by qualified and recognized professional organizations to guide their members in the conduct of specific professional practice.

Structural system

load bearing assembly of beams and columns on a foundation.

Subcontractor

Specialized contractor who is subordinate to the prime or main contractor.

Substitution

Proposed replacement or alternate for a material or process of equivalent cost or quality.

Tenants improvement

Interior improvements of the project after the building envelope is complete.

Time and materials

Written agreement wherein payment is based on actual cost of labor, equipment, materials, and services rendered in addition to overhead.

Value engineering

Process of analyzing the costs versus the value or alternative materials, equipments, and systems, usually in the interest of achieving the lowest total costs for a project.

Zoning

Restrictions of areas or regions of land within specific areas based on permitted building size, character and uses as established by governing urban authorities.

Zoning permit

Document issued by a governing urban authority that permits land to be used for a specific purpose.

Hard costs

Includes the : construction, fixtures, furniture, and equipment

Design contingencies

Money for design changes that may be needed in the design in order to accommodate new project requirements

Construction contingencies

Money that may be needed to pay for unforeseen work or materials necessary to complete the construction work.

Owner contingencies

Money allocated by owner to possible fund additional work or materials during the course of the project

Escalation contingencies

Money that may be needed to pay for significant increase in construction cost -- particularly cost of materials.