CHOP | Chapter 2.3.11 | pp. 3-4
Procedure for Field Review
The architect should establish credibility on the job site from the start of the project. This is accomplished through a detailed knowledge and understanding of the project and the contract documents. The architect must conduct reviews systematically. Upon completion of a field review, the architect should prepare written reports for the owner and the contractor and, when required, for building officials. Site observations should be consistent, responding to the stage, progress, and quality of the work. Some architects bring reduced-size sets of drawings to the site. These are very useful for comparing observed work with the contract documents." Depending on the project it may be useful to provide a variety of other tools. "Upon arrival at the site, the architect should either:
- talk to the site superintendent or leave a note for the superintendent; or
- contact the contractor’s other site personnel.
A site visit can include:
- a quick overview, to get a general impression of the progress of the work relative to the schedule and to the last site visit;
- a tour with the contractor and/or owner to
- understand their problems and concerns;
- a tour with the general contractor and a single sub-contractor to concentrate on key trades in progress at the time.
The architect should not leave the site without speaking with the site superintendent or the contractor. Observations should be reported to the contractor’s superintendent at the conclusion of the visit in order to indicate to the superintendent any problems which have been noted.
The architect should endeavour to promote good communication and a close working relationship at all times with the contractor. However, if it is not possible to resolve on-site problems, the architect should ensure that the deficiencies are recorded in a field review report." [CHOP. Chapter 2.3.11 pp. 3-4]
I) Frequency and Timing of Site Visits
II) Field Review by Consultants
III) From Architect's Act
IV) Tool Kit for Site Visits
NOTES
Design-Build
Typically the Design-Builder wants the consultant on site when they need assistance in sorting out issues that pertain to the authorities having juridiction (Eg. building inspector). At the least, the architect must visit the site enough times during construction to be able to certify, at the end of the project, that the construction has been carried out in general conformity with the architectural documents which formed the basis for the issuance of the building permit.
Chapter 2.3.11 of CHOP is very comprehensive and adherence to the fundamentals will produce good results. Field reviews of essential elements should be scheduled in consultation with the consultants and contractors to be timely. They may not necessarily correspond with the schedule for Site Meetings. Detailed reports must be prepared for each visit and filed with the appropriate parties. A Field Review Report form prepared in advance of going to the site will be useful for organizing notes and ensuring critical reviews are carried out. It will also be prudent to review with the contractor’s site personnel at each visit the status of CO’s, SI’s, RFI’s and Shop Drawing Reviews. A systematic approach to conducting site reviews is recommended. If you start in the same place and proceed in the same manner each time, you are less likely to miss parts of the project. It also helps when reviewing any photographs taken on site. By default the photos will be in chronological order even if you haven't found the time to rename each photo according to location. If you always review in the same sequence you can compare photos from several site visits. This will allow you to identify an otherwise obscure image.
Information
General Depending on the requirement of the Authorities Having Jurisdiction, they may have different requirements regarding circulation of reviews: 1) Provide hard copies in a book on site for the use of the authority. 2) e-mail copies to the authority. 3) mail or fax hard copies to the authority. The contractor, owner and other authorities including the Tarion consultant where required should also be copied. Chapter 2.3.11 of CHOP is comprehensive in describing this activity. Schedules for critical reviews should be established in consultation with the consultants and inspection and testing agencies. The architect is responsible for the management of these reviews and maintaining records of the results achieved.
Updated: 2020/Jun/28