Contract Administration and Project Management
Contract Administration and Project Management covers the documents and deadlines that decide who gets paid and who bears risk: contract formation, changes, submittals, schedule, closeout, and above all the Florida Construction Lien Law (Chapter 713) and the construction-defect notice statute (Chapter 558). This is the highest-yield deadline domain on the exam.
The private-work lien timeline
- Notice of Commencement: recorded by the owner before work begins (required when the improvement exceeds $2,500) and posted on the job site; a failure to record can be cured within 90 days of permit issuance.
- Notice to Owner: subs and material suppliers not in privity with the owner must serve an NTO within 45 days of first furnishing labor, services, or materials.
- Claim of Lien: recorded within 90 days after final furnishing; a copy must be served on the owner within 15 days after recording.
- Suit to foreclose: within one year of recording the claim of lien, shortened to 60 days if the owner records a Notice of Contest of Lien.
- Final payment affidavit: the contractor must furnish it before suing on a lien; a Notice of Termination recorded by the owner cuts off later lien rights.
Chapter 558 pre-suit process
A claimant must serve a written notice of claim at least 60 days before filing suit on an alleged construction defect. The recipient may inspect and offer to repair or settle; the statutory response periods are short and the notice is a condition precedent.
Administration mechanics
- RFIs clarify intent; an architect's supplemental instruction directs work; a change order adjusts price and time. Never let field direction substitute for written change authorization.
- Differing site conditions, delay, and acceleration claims require contemporaneous notice and records.
- Closeout is substantial completion, punchlist, final payment, warranty, and as-builts.
Worked example
A drywall subcontractor first furnishes on March 3 and last furnishes on August 20. NTO deadline: March 3 plus 45 days = April 17. Claim of lien deadline: August 20 plus 90 days = November 18. Suit deadline if no Notice of Contest: November 18 of the following year. If the owner records a Notice of Contest on December 1, the suit window collapses to 60 days, expiring January 30.
Traps that cost marks
- Running the NTO clock from the permit date or the contract date instead of first furnishing.
- Serving an NTO on a party already in privity with the owner.
- Forgetting the 15-day service of the recorded claim of lien.
- Assuming a Notice of Contest ends lien rights outright rather than starting a 60-day suit clock.
- Suing without the 558 notice or without the final payment affidavit.