Clerk of the Works

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Author Message Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 857 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 04:15 pm:    In a privately funded project (non public) what is the role of a "Clerk of the Works"? Who does he/she work for? What might one look for in qualifications for a Clerk of the Works position? John Bunzick, CCS, CCCA, LEED AP Senior Member Username: bunzick Post Number: 1436 Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Thursday, August 09, 2012 - 04:23 pm:    The CoW would generally work for the owner, but could also be hired as architect's supplemental services. Since they are basically full time observers, you want someone well rounded in construction who can understand what they are looking at. But you also need someone diligent about documentation since that's a big part of the job. Be careful about those who want to take too much responsibility, or who get's too cozy with the contractor. I've seen some who try to do a lot of horse-trading on the site, allowing the contractor to get away with one thing if they'll do something else (all undocumented, of course). This can undermine the authority of the architect, who after all, has stamped the drawings. John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 567 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:53 am:    What is stated in the Owner-Contractor Agreement, the Owner-Architect Agreement if CoW is employed by Architect and the Owner-Clerk of the Works Agreement if CoW is directly employed by the Owner? What are Architect's contracted services to Owner during Construction phase of the project? If there's a Construction Manager, how does that entity fit into a CoW scenario (CM has unlimited authority but limited responsibility except for construction time and budget ... no responsibility for quality)? Make it truly confusing, figure out the roles of the third-party independent testing and inspection agency, the Owner's representative (especially an independent party hired by the Owner), the LEED consultant preparing documentation for submission of the LEED application and the Commissioning Agent (CXa) preparing Commissioning Plan and then carrying out the commissioning? Does Contractor have quality control responsibility formalized in a CQC program and staff? John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 568 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 12:56 am:    See definition/history of Clerk of the Works in Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerk_of_works John Regener, AIA, CCS, CCCA, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: john_regener Post Number: 569 Registered: 04-2002 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 01:03 am:    Architect's Field Representative: According to summary by AIA South Carolina. "AIA Document B207™–2008 establishes the architect’s scope of services when the architect provides an on-site project representative during the construction phase. B207–2008 provides for agreement on the number of architect’s representatives to be stationed at the project site, a schedule for the on-site representation, and the services that the on-site representative will perform. The on-site representative’s services include attending job-site meetings, monitoring the contractor’s construction schedule, observing systems and equipment testing, preparing a log of activities at the site, and maintaining on-site records. The owner will provide an on-site office for the architect’s on-site representative. AIA Document B207–2008 is a scope of services document only and may not be used as a stand-alone owner/architect agreement. NOTE: B207–2008 replaces AIA Document B352™–2000 (expired May 31, 2010)." Jerome J. Lazar, RA, CCS, CSI, SCIP Senior Member Username: lazarcitec Post Number: 862 Registered: 05-2003 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 10:36 am:    John, I was surprised you used wikipedia as a reference, I've been advised against using it for architectural or construction terminology. Am I wrong? Robert W. Johnson Senior Member Username: robert_w_johnson Post Number: 205 Registered: 03-2009 Posted on Friday, August 10, 2012 - 11:40 am:    Jerome - I don't think that John was trying to infer that Wikipedia is a definitive source - that source is really somewhat comparable to discussion forums where anyone can provide the input and anyone else can revise it - just more organized and formal. Some of the information may be authoritative and other information not - up to you to judge. If you go to his Wikipedia reference it is giving the UK background and history of term - some interesting information in relation to where the term came from - at least I did not know the history of term until I read it. Paul Sweet (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 12:39 pm:    This is from a contract for state work in Virginia, but most of it should also apply to private work. http://www.dgs.virginia.gov/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=TijfrpQxqFQ%3d&tabid=392 Project Inspector / Clerk of the Works qualifications & duties start on pg. 26. George A. Everding, AIA, CSI, CCS, CCCA Senior Member Username: geverding Post Number: 636 Registered: 11-2004 Posted on Monday, August 13, 2012 - 12:46 pm:    From CSI's CCA Practice Guide: "On some projects, the owner or A/E may have an individual who performs more of a monitoring function. This individual is often known as a clerk of the works. A clerk of the works does not typically make decisions on the owner’s behalf, but rather acts as an information conduit and reporter. The clerk may transmit correspondence to and from the A/E to the contractor, record the work that is done by the contractor each day, collect and record information for payment purposes, verify that buried items have been recorded on record drawings, and report to the owner and A/E occurrences that may impact the timely completion of the project." George A. Everding AIA CSI CCS CCCA Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies St. Louis, MO