Construction Law

A clear, concise introduction to construction law for professionals

Construction Law: An Introduction for Engineers, Architects, and Contractors offers a comprehensive review of the U.S. legal environment, focusing on the legal concepts and issues applicable to the design and construction industries. Topics covered include:

• Basic legal principles

• Project participants

• Project delivery systems

• Construction contracts

• The design process

• Procurement

• Pricing construction projects

• Subcontractors and suppliers

• Time for performance

• Construction scheduling

• Contract administration

• The payment process

• Changes to the work

• Differing site conditions

• Termination of the construction contract

• Mechanic's liens

• Construction insurance

• Surety bonds

• Liability for defective construction

• Calculations of damages

• The Economic Loss Doctrine

• Alternative dispute resolution

This book serves as an excellent introduction to construction law for students as well as professionals in the construction industry.

Autorentext

GAIL S. KELLEY is a Professional Engineer and LEED Accredited Professional as well as a licensed attorney in Maryland and the District of Columbia. Gail has an extensive background in design and construction having worked in construction management, structural design, and structural evaluation.

Klappentext
A clear, concise introduction to construction law for professionals Construction Law: An Introduction for Engineers, Architects, and Contractors offers a comprehensive review of the U.S. legal environment, focusing on the legal concepts and issues applicable to the design and construction industries. Topics covered include:

• Basic legal principles
• Project participants
• Project delivery systems
• Construction contracts
• The design process
• Procurement
• Pricing construction projects
• Subcontractors and suppliers
• Time for performance
• Construction scheduling
• Contract administration
• The payment process
• Changes to the work
• Differing site conditions
• Termination of the construction contract
• Mechanic's liens
• Construction insurance
• Surety bonds
• Liability for defective construction
• Calculations of damages
• The Economic Loss Doctrine
• Alternative dispute resolution This book serves as an excellent introduction to construction law for students as well as professionals in the construction industry.

Inhalt
Preface xix

1 Law and Government 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.1.1 The Powers of Governments 1

1.1.2 City and County Governments 2

1.1.3 The Powers of the Federal Government 2

1.2 The Sources and Hierarchy of Law 3

1.2.1 The Constitution 3

1.2.2 Statutes and Ordinances 3

1.2.3 Agency Regulations 4

1.2.4 International Treaties 4

1.2.5 Appellate Court Opinions 4

1.3 The American Judicial System 4

1.3.1 Structure of the Court Systems 5

1.3.2 Federal Trial and Appeals Courts 5

1.3.3 State Trial and Appeals Courts 6

1. 4 Common Law 6

1.4.1 Stare Decisis 7

1.4.2 Restatements of the Law 7

1.5 Legal Codes 8

1.5.1 Uniform Codes 8

1.5.2 The Uniform Commercial Code 9

1.6 Legal Doctrines 9

1.7 Choice-of-Law Clauses 10

1.8 Criminal Law versus Civil Law 11

1.9 Cause of Action 11

1.10 Summary Judgment 12

2 Basic Legal Principles 15

2.1 Legal Issues in Construction 15

2.2 Principles of Contract Law 15

2.2.1 Unilateral Contracts versus Bilateral Contracts 16

2.2.2 Oral Contracts 16

2.2.3 Third-Party Beneficiaries 17

2.2.4 Contract Interpretation 17

2.3 Principles of Agency Law 21

2.3.1 Apparent Authority 21

2.3.2 The Principal's Liability for the Agent's Acts 22

2.3.3 Ratification 22

2.4 Principles of Tort Law 23

2.4.1 Intentional Torts 23

2.4.2 Unintentional Torts (Negligence) 23

2.4.3 Strict Liability 27

2.4.4 Misrepresentation 28

3 Project Participants 29

3.1 The Owner 29

3.1.1 Access to the Building Site 30

3.1.2 Restrictions on Use of the Property 31

3.2 The Design Professional Team 31

3.2.1 Site Evaluation Consultants 32

3.2.2 The Geotechnical Consultant 33

3.3 The Construction Team 33

3.3.1 Subcontractors and Suppliers 34

3.4 Construction Lenders 34

3.4.1 Collateral Assignment to Lender 35

3.4.2 Other Lender Requirements 35

3.4.3 Construction Loans 36

3.4.4 Bond Financing 37

4 Project Delivery Systems 39

4.1 Design-Bid-Build 39

4.2 Multiple Primes 41

4.3 Construction Management 41

4.3.1 Agency Construction Management 42

4.3.2 Construction Management At-Risk (CMAR) 42

4.4 Design-Build 43

4.4.1 Design-Build Proposals 44

4.4.2 Advantages and Disadvantages of Design-Build 45

4.4.3 Bridging Consultants 46

4.5 Engineer-Procure-Construct (EPC) 46

4.6 Turnkey Construction 47

4.7 Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) 47

4.8 Fast-Track Construction 47

4.9 Public-Private Partnerships 48

4.9.1 History of Public-Private Partnerships 49

4.9.2 Constraints on Public-Private Partnerships 49

5 Construction Contracts 51

5.1 The Construction Contract 51

5.1.1 Prebid Conferences 51

5.1.2 Right to Reject Bids 52

5.2 The Contract Documents (Owner-Contractor) 52

5.2.1 The Contractor's Bid 53

5.3 Conflicts between the Documents 54

5.4 Errors in the Documents 54

5.4.1 Latent Discrepancies 55

5.5 Specific over General; Written over Printed 56

5.6 Interpretation against Drafter 56

5.7 Specifications 57

5.8 Description of the Work under a Construction Contract 57

5.9 Third-Party Beneficiaries 58

5.10 Industry Standard Forms versus Custom Forms 58

5.10.1 Drafting Custom Forms 59

5.10.2 AIA Contract Documents 60

5.10.3 Engineers Joint Contract Documents Committee (EJCDC) 62

5.10.4 Consensus DOCS 63 5.10.5 Comparing the A...