Construction Documentation and Project Delivery
This domain covers how design intent becomes a biddable, buildable, administrable package: drawing organization, delivery method, and the paper flow of construction administration.
Core rules
- Drawing set organization. General (G), architectural (A), structural (S), mechanical (M), electrical (E), plumbing (P), fire protection (FP), and civil/landscape as needed. Sheets progress from plans to elevations to sections to details, and every detail should be referenced from a key plan or wall section.
- Delivery methods change your risk. Design-bid-build gives the owner the lowest competitive price and the architect a defined role under AIA B101, A101 (stipulated sum), and A201 (general conditions). Construction management at risk (A133) brings the builder in early for constructability and cost. Design-build creates one contract for design and construction, which shifts design responsibility away from the architect of record.
- The document flow. Submittals (shop drawings, product data, samples) are reviewed for conformance with design intent, not approved as a warranty of correctness. RFIs ask questions; ASIs and bulletins instruct changes without a price change; change orders modify cost and time. Pay applications use G702/G703, typically with 5–10% retainage.
- Completion and closeout. Substantial completion transfers beneficial occupancy while a punch list remains; final completion follows as-builts, O&M manuals, warranties, and lien waivers.
Worked example
During construction a beam conflicts with a duct. The contractor issues an RFI; the architect responds with a supplementary sketch. If the resolution changes contract cost or time, it must become a change order with a breakdown of labor, material, equipment, overhead, and profit. A direction given only as an ASI creates an unresolved cost claim later.
Traps
- Treating submittal review as approval that shifts design responsibility.
- Issuing verbal field direction that later cannot be priced or defended.
- Forgetting retainage and lien waivers when certifying payment.
- Confusing substantial completion (beneficial occupancy, warranty start, retainage release triggers) with final completion.