Project and Contract Administration
This domain tests project and contract administration: how the interior designer's services are contracted, documented, and delivered through construction. Expect questions on delivery methods, RFIs, submittals, change orders, schedules, budgets, and closeout.
Core rules
- Know the owner-designer agreement, consultant agreements, and the construction contract structure; the designer's authority must be delegated in writing.
- RFIs clarify the contract documents; responses should be timely, written, and distributed to all affected parties.
- Submittals are reviewed for design intent and contract compliance, not to verify the contractor's dimensions or means and methods.
- Change orders require written authorization, pricing, and time impact; oral directives create risk and should be confirmed immediately.
- Closeout includes punch list, warranties, as-builts, operations and maintenance manuals, and final payment certification.
Worked example
A base contract is $600,000 with a 120-day schedule. A change order adds $18,000 and 4 days. New contract value = $618,000; increase = 3.0%. New schedule = 124 days. If the owner has a $10,000 contingency, the remaining contingency is negative $8,000, so the owner must approve additional funding or reduce scope. The designer should document the change order, not direct the contractor verbally.
Traps
- Approving a substitution or shop drawing without checking the specification and design intent.
- Issuing oral instructions or accepting a contractor's verbal change.
- Missing notice periods or failing to document delays.
- Treating a punch list as a new work order rather than completion of the contract scope.