Bidding and Contracts

Creating the specifications is the architect's job- your job is to make sure that the architect has included everything that you believe is part of the Work. Common areas of confusion are where the new Work intersects with the existing house or yard. For example, if you were adding a new front vestibule, does the Work include painting the existing front hallway? If so, does the hall painting extend up the stairwell into the second floor? If not, where does it end? Or, if adding a rear addition necessitated demolishing part of a patio, does the work include rebuilding the patio? Will the new stones be required to exactly match the old?

It is typically these types of questions that cause disagreements between homeowners and builders. We've been called in to mitigate many disputes, and they are often caused by inadequate documentation. Homeowners naturally assume that any work that needs to be done to make the project "finished" is included in the contract. However, the builder assumes that only that work which is specified in the drawings and contract is included. It's important for you to put yourself in the builder's shoes as you review the contract documents, to make sure that it's perfectly clear what is included in the Work.