OK General Contractor key terms

A percentage of each progress payment withheld by the owner until substantial completion or final acceptance, protecting the owner against defective or incomplete work and unpaid subcontractors.

The stage when the work is sufficiently finished for its intended use, triggering start of warranty periods, retainage release, and the owner's right to occupy the project.

A written inventory of minor incomplete or defective items identified at substantial completion that the contractor must correct before final payment and closeout.

A scheduling technique that identifies the longest sequence of dependent activities, showing which delays directly push out the project completion date.

The amount of time an activity can slip without delaying the project finish, calculated as the difference between late and early start or finish dates.

A written, signed modification to the contract documents adjusting scope, price, or time, executed by the owner and contractor after agreement on cost and schedule impact.

An unapproved change resulting from owner direction, defective plans, or differing site conditions that entitles the contractor to an equitable adjustment even without a formal change order.

A formal written query from the contractor asking the design professional to clarify or interpret ambiguous drawings or specifications, with responses becoming part of the contract record.

A written modification to bidding or contract documents issued before bid opening that clarifies, corrects, or supplements the drawings and specifications for all bidders.

The systematic measurement of materials and labor from drawings and specifications, organized by work item, forming the basis for pricing a construction estimate.

A budgeted allowance added to an estimate to cover unknown costs, scope uncertainty, or risk, typically reduced as design and construction information become more definitive.

A fixed reference point of known elevation or horizontal position from which site grades, building corners, and elevations are established and checked during construction.

The process of excavating soil from high areas and placing it in low areas to achieve design grades, ideally balancing volumes on site to minimize hauling costs.

Mechanical densification of soil by removing air voids, measured as a percentage of maximum dry density determined by a standard laboratory test such as Proctor.

Subsurface or physical conditions materially different from those indicated in the contract documents or unusually different from those normally encountered, entitling the contractor to an adjustment.

A field test measuring concrete consistency by the vertical settlement of a molded cone, used with specified tolerances to verify workability before placement.

Maintaining adequate moisture and temperature in concrete after placement so cement hydration continues, developing specified strength and durability without premature drying or freezing.

Temporary molds and supports that hold fresh concrete in shape and position until it gains sufficient strength, often designed for pressure and removal at specified times.

The layer of mortar bonding masonry units, whose thickness, tooling, and type affect wall strength, water penetration resistance, and appearance.

Impervious material installed at roof, wall, and opening intersections to direct water away from the building interior, including through-wall and counterflashing in masonry construction.

A material with low permeance installed to limit moisture diffusion through building assemblies, typically placed on the warm side of insulation in cold climates.

A path of high-conductivity material through insulation, such as steel studs or concrete slabs, that reduces overall assembly R-value and can cause condensation.

A measure of thermal resistance per unit thickness of a material; higher values indicate better insulating performance, and assembly values combine layer resistances.

A structural steel joint that restrains rotation, transferring bending moment and shear between members, typically using welded flanges or high-strength bolted plates.

A steel joint designed to transfer vertical shear only while allowing rotation, commonly using simple bolted framing angles or seated connections.

A structural fastener installed to a specified tension, often by turn-of-nut or tension-calibrated methods, used in steel connections requiring slip resistance.

Using a shared three-dimensional model to detect clashes among structural, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems before installation, reducing field conflicts and rework.

Software analysis that identifies geometric conflicts between building systems or components in a coordinated model so they can be resolved before fabrication and installation.

A contractor-prepared detail drawing showing fabrication and installation of a specific component, submitted to the design professional for review before manufacture or erection.

An individual capable of identifying existing and predictable hazards and authorized to take prompt corrective measures, required for excavations, scaffolding, and other high-hazard tasks.

Sloping, benching, shoring, or shielding used in trenches five feet or deeper to protect workers from cave-ins, designed by a qualified person for soil conditions.

A space with limited entry and exit that is not designed for continuous occupancy, requiring hazard evaluation and, for permit spaces, an entry program with atmospheric testing.

Systems such as guardrails, personal fall arrest, or safety nets used to protect workers exposed to falls of six feet or more in construction, per OSHA requirements.

A statutory claim filed against real property by a contractor, subcontractor, or supplier who furnished labor or materials and was not paid, securing payment through the property.

A statutory notice, sometimes called a pre-lien notice, given by a potential claimant to the owner and general contractor early in the project to preserve lien rights.

A written document in which a claimant relinquishes lien rights, either conditionally or unconditionally and for progress or final payment, in exchange for payment received.

A surety instrument guaranteeing that a bidder will enter the contract and furnish required bonds if awarded, typically forfeiting a percentage of the bid if the bidder fails.

A surety bond guaranteeing the contractor will complete the work according to the contract, giving the owner a remedy if the contractor defaults.