Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 2:22:00 PM
From: Gustavo A. Lima AIA
Subject: RE: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
Michael:
Thanks for the clarification. I agree: as long as you follow up with a full response to the RFI, and, when that response includes a drawing, this is issued officially, with a number, date and revision entry, everything is fine.
So that later, when somebody consults the "current" set of drawings in order to implement a change, they find that the drawings contain ALL the previously issued instructions.
Otherwise, if the total body of the instructions issued to the contractor is made up of a series of hand drawn sketches not registered anywhere, and issued by different people, those drawings in your iPad would not be up to date.
The point is that all instructions issued to the contractor ought to be (sooner rather than later) formally issued via a modified drawing or spec section.
Otherwise, we'll end up with chaos.
Gustavo A. Lima, AIA, MRAIC, DBIA, LEED AP
www.LimaArchitecture.com
Sent from Gus' mobile device
Original Message:
Sent: 11/20/2024 1:24:00 PM
From: Michael D. Miller AIA
Subject: RE: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
Gustavo,
Perhaps a bit of clarification is in order. For the most part, my sketches are either a part of an RFI response or generate a confirming RFI, which then will end up as a part of a true change document.
On the contrary, my field sketches are not "a 'shoot from the hip' solution". They are thought out in collaboration with the contractor and the team. It is what I do for a living and have been for many years. Them becoming a part of an RFI waylays your concerns regarding number, date of issuance, revisions number, etc. The sketch gets incorporated into the documents by the team.
"Will the sketch be in conflict with other changes that other members of the team may have introduced in the documents before, and that you didn't see because you just drew the sketch on your pad?" That assumes I am not looking at the current documents with the current updates, which is not the case. I have the current documents available on my iPad.
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Michael Miller AIA
HKS, Inc.
Richmond VA
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2024 12:59 PM
From: Gustavo Lima
Subject: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
Michael: a quick sketch is fine as a stop gap measure. But it seems to me you will want to follow that with a true change document (ASI, Bulletin, answer to an RFI, Change Proposal Request).
Field sketches are a "shoot from the hip" solution, which can be very helpful to clarify conditions for the contractor, but which may also lead to plenty of problems. For example:
Do they have a sketch number and date of issuance? Does the drawing that this sketch modifies show now a new revision number for this sketch? When other members of the CCA team are revising the drawings, will they be aware of the changes you introduced through this sketch? Will the sketch be in conflict with other changes that other members of the team may have introduced in the documents before, and that you didn't see because you just drew the sketch on your pad?
we are never going to abandon the ability to resolve a pressing problem via a an illustration, we are architects, after all! But we need to use these tools judiciously, or we risk creating all sorts of problems.
Best regards,
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Gustavo Lima AIA, MRAIC, CCCA, DBIA, LEED AP
Gustavo A. Lima Architecture, PC
Buffalo, NY
Original Message:
Sent: 11-20-2024 11:43 AM
From: Michael Miller
Subject: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
While I do agree, depending upon how the contract is written, the contract drawings should be kept up to date. That said, I do disagree with the following:
"All this is no longer valid: producing a sketch on a 8,5" x 11" takes the same time as producing a full drawing, and both can be transmitted with the same speed.)"
As a full time CA, who travels to multiple job sites, in my back pack is an 8 1/2 x 11 gridded pad and my drawing instruments. It is much, much quicker for me to sketch a detail in the field, take a picture with my phone or iPad and email to the contractor. They love it as they don't have to wait for a drawing to be formally issued. My laptop does not even have Revit nor to my team members want me working in the model. Don't summarily discount "old school" ways of doing things.
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Michael Miller AIA
HKS, Inc.
Richmond VA
Original Message:
Sent: 11-19-2024 04:54 PM
From: Gustavo Lima
Subject: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
Adding my two cents:
Seems to me that maintaining the documents that we ourselves are producing ought to be our responsibility.
When you are working on a large project, with many actors, and work on the field and in the offices of the subs, proceeding simultaneously over many fronts, it is essential that the contract documents be coordinated at all times.
As Sean says, the way to do this would be for the A/E to work directly on the model, which would keep it up to date at all times. The model would then be uploaded periodically (up to once a week, depending on the frequency of the changes). The design team would tag each change with a delta and note it accordingly on the title block, since each time that one issues a sketch depicting a portion of a drawing, one is in fact, re-issuing the drawing. In fact, it would be preferable and all around easier if you simply re-issue the drawing in its entirety instead of just a portion of it. (Using sketches is a remnant of a time when producing a copy of a full drawing was very laborious, and the product could not be sent to the contractor quickly, whereas a sketch could be faxed. All this is no longer valid: producing a sketch on a 8,5" x 11" takes the same time as producing a full drawing, and both can be transmitted with the same speed.)
Note: The same rationale should be used for specs: If you issue a revision to the section, you ought to issue the full section, including the header and footer, which should contain the dates of original issue and the revision in question (just like we do with the drawings).
Gustavo Lima, AIA, MRAIC, DBIA, CCCA, LEED AP
Original Message:
Sent: 11/15/2024 8:39:00 PM
From: Sean Catherall AIA
Subject: RE: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
To Joel's insightful remarks, I would add:
To me, the contract language implies an assumption that the "change documentation" will be generated from a Building Information Model that is being shared with the General Contractor and Owner, resulting in the Construction Documents being kept current more or less automatically (at least accordingly to the Client's understanding of Building Information Modeling). Perhaps the Client has borrowed language from a project with a shared BIM model. If that is not the type of the project in question, additional contract negotiations are definitely called for.
In any case, I think some discussion and negotiation is warranted surrounding the issues of: the time, effort, and practicality involved in issuing updated CD sets with every change; standard construction practice of requiring the General Contractor to track contract changes and record them in a record set (along with the transference of the costs and liabilities of this responsibility from party to party); and perhaps the number of changes expected.
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Sean Catherall AIA
Murray UT
Original Message:
Sent: 11-14-2024 06:26 PM
From: Janene K. Christopher AIA
Subject: Updating the CDs during CCA phase
The following is an excerpt from a Client contract; "Architect shall (and shall cause its consultants to) routinely and progressively update and
revise the Construction Documents to keep them current with all supplemental and change documentation during the Construction Phase including but not limited to closed addenda, requests for information (RFIs), ASI's, bulletins (poster's comment: what ever those are as it is not defined in the Contract), approved change orders and construction change directives. " My understanding is many owners want these "updated" sets as it gives them a nicly bundled "Contract Set" for any future litigation issues.Is this standard? Should we consider this to be an Additional service or at least ensure it's part of the CCA fee? I would actually change the paragraph to indicate; "Architect shall (and shall cause its consultants to) routinely and progressively update and revise the Construction Documents to keep them current with all supplemental and change documentation during the Construction Phase including but not limited to closed addenda, requests for information (RFIs), ASI's, approved change orders and construction change directives. This RECORD Drawing (GC As-builts are not included) will be given to Owner at Project's completion." I may have answered my own question, but thoughts anyone? Has anyone done this progressive update issuance?
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Janene Christopher AIA
Steinberg Hart
San Diego CA
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