Contract administration is a traditional and formal manner for architects to be involved during the construction phase of the project.

It works best when the builder is highly ethical and can be trusted to maintain quality without undue pressure and influence from the architect.

This service follows a traditional format whereby the contract is a lump sum with no transparency.  Key inspections are made at critical stages and the architectural quality is administered under the framework of a MBA/AIA lump sum contract.  Progress payments are made on the basis of claims made by the builder and the project architect makes payments after authorization.

From our experience is involves less control over the contract as we have with the project management service but if the builder has a very good reputation and complete integrity there may be no need to scrutinize the work and costs as is done with the project management service.

The decision to proceed with contract admin or project management is usually addressed at the end of the working drawing stage when the type of contract with the builder needs to be specified and the ongoing involvement by the architect during the building process.

Refer to the general list of residential projects on the 'Full Architectural Services' section of the website.  Approximately 50% of our significant projects have been constructed using the contract administration method.

For more comprehensive control the Project management Service is recommended but the decision usually rests upon how much involvement is desired by the client and the reputation of the building in minimizing supervision needs by the architect.

The usual fee is about 2% to 2.5% of the contract cost of the project.  Refer to our fees section of the website (Travel and disbursement charges apply).

Interested in this service? Why not contact us for information on how we can work with you.