Because specification books are often 3 inches thick, many contractors only read the section that affects their trade. It is imperative, however, to review ALL specification sections before you sign a contract. The general conditions section, for example, contains contractual requirements for jobsite safety, submittals, cleanup, change orders and how to get paid. On a school project several years ago, an asphalt paving subcontractor got a call from the project superintendent that the locker room floor was ready to pave. A complete set of plans, specifications and the finish schedule would have eliminated this problem.
Every jobs look different in person than they do on paper.
Before committing to any project, make sure you completely understand and agree with the project schedule. Lost job profits generally can be attributed to improper scheduling of crews, poor supervision and lack of field coordination. And a schedule that's too optimistic will result in a crunch at the end of the project which costs everyone money. When reviewing contracts, use this simple project checklist so you and your project team won't overlook any important items. Contract close-out procedures 7.