Content area
Full Text
Most construction projects, especially ones of any significant size, involve teams of engineers (civil, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, to name a few) led by an architect. Early on in the planning stages of a project, developers interact with the architect to determine a conceptual design, and the architect determines which engineering disciplines need to be involved during the conceptual design process. However, to take a design from concept to reality, design professionals must prepare construction documents that detail the components, materials, and systems for the project. These construction documents, consisting of drawings and specifications, provide specific information to a general contractor that details how to achieve the end result, whether it is a single-family home, an elementary school, a hospital, or a high-rise office building.
The cost of professional design services to prepare the construction documents can be considerable. By necessity, developers are cost conscious. Their pro formas indicate the dollars to be spent and the profit to be made. The more dollars that are spent, the less profit will be made. Some developers often attempt to save money by minimizing the cost of the design services, requesting that the architect, and its design team, provide only the content needed to obtain a building permit from the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ). Or as a developer might say: "All I need are drawings that will get me a permit." It is important to keep in mind that the detail and type of drawing content that are necessary to obtain a permit are not sufficient to construct a building and are not to be used for that purpose. In this scenario, it is incumbent upon the design professional, even when only providing a permit set of drawings, to ensure there is sufficient detail to adequately construct a safe and habitable building. Not only is this the best practice for architects and design professionals, it will reduce potential liability for errors and omissions.
A set of drawings that is only intended to be sufficient for obtaining a permit-or a "permit set," as they are commonly called-is almost always insufficient to properly construct a sound building. This is where problems for the design professional often arise. Due to the competing interests of the developer's concern for the cost of...