Standard Contract Documents in Construction

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Construction contract documents define the basis of the contract including both parties’ roles, responsibilities, and detailed description of the work or service such as drawings, specifications, procedures, any other conditions, etc. Contract document include sufficient information to be able to complete the work or service.

Construction Contract Documents

The required contract documents for any building work as per the National Building Code (2006) are -

1. Contract drawings and specifications
2. Priced bill of quantities
3. Construction programme
4. Project quality management plan
5. Project health and safety plan
6. Conditions of contract
7. Risk insurance

1. Contract Drawings and Specifications

The contract drawings include the architectural drawings, the structural/geotechnical engineering drawings, and the building services engineering drawings. These drawings provide information regarding the arrangement of spaces, structural components, electrical, mechanical and plumbing installations etc.

Specifications simply amplif the information given in the contract drawings and bill of quantities. It describes in details the work to be executed under the contract and the nature and quality of materials, components, and workmanship.

2. Priced Bill of Quantities

A priced Bill of quantities is a required document of contract that has its rate and amount column filled by a contractor. A bill of quantities consists of a schedule of items of work to be carried out under the contract with quantities entered against each item, prepared in accordance with the Standard Method of Measurement of Building Works (Seeley and Winfield, 2005)

3. Construction Programme

This is a document that is prepared in order to provide the project participants a thorough appreciation of the work involved, to allow the site production team to sort out its main constituent and decide how, in what order and at what time to do them, and to ensure adequate coordination of the labor, materials and machinery requirements (Bamisile, 2004).

4. Project Quality Management Plan

The Project Quality Management Plan defines the various quality related activities and procedures which will be implemented on the project. It sets down requirements, gives guidelines, provides information and indicates to appropriate personnel, the procedures to be followed with respect to the Project Quality Management Plan. A sample outline of the Project Quality Management Plan is referred to in the appendix.

5. Project Health and Safety Plan

The Project Health and Safety Plan is a document developed to secure the health, safety and welfare of persons who will work or visit the site. It was also developed to control the emission of toxic substances into the atmosphere and control the keeping and use of substances that might be hazardous to health. An outline of the Project Health and Safety Plan is delineated in the appendix.

6. Conditions of Contract

The conditions of contract define the terms, under which the work is to be undertaken, the relationship between the client, architect and contractor, the duties of the architect and contractors, and the terms of payment. (Seeley and Winfield, 2005)

7. Risk Insurance

This is a contract document which shows that all the personnel and equipment associated with a construction project have been insured against loss or damage. By insurance, all the risks associated with personnel and equipment in a construction project is transferred to a third party.

Read More: How to Write Construction Specifications for Contract Documents?