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Construction Project Documentation

Successfully building a construction project is an exhaustive process requiring a great deal of construction project documentation. Every step of the process needs to be properly documented; in case something goes wrong, construction project documentation may help find the source of the problem and be of use in legal proceedings.

Construction project documentation should include any contractual agreements, budgets, estimates and the original bid for the project. In some cases, it should include architectural drawings as well. Change orders and changes to the design are also important.

With the traditional design/bid/build method, the construction company's role begins with construction. Once that design is completed in approved by the client, the architect then puts the design out for bids. The construction project documentation should include any aspect of the project the contractor actually works on, as well as contract agreements with subcontractors. Any changes to the project should be documented.

With the design-bid construction method, the construction project scope covers more information than just the price to build a building. The design-build method combines the architect and contractor as a unified team, where they present not only their price to build the project, but their architectural design as well. As a result, the construction project documentation begins with the start of the design process instead of the start of construction.

The construction manager at-risk (CM at-risk) method is another way projects can be delivered. Under the CM at-risk method, the contractor and architect operate separately, but the contractor is involved in the process from the beginning and serves as a liaison for the client in dealing with the architect. In this case, the documentation the contractor should have includes any work done on behalf of the project during the pre-construction phase as well as during construction itself.

Construction project documentation is a critical element of any construction project. Having every detail of the project on file is important for a number of reasons, including having a paper trail to fall back on if there are problems with the project or contract disputes.

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