Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-04-06
BUILDERS EXCHANGE CODE
For the Government of Contractors In the
Building Trades.


Building Trades.
PLANS.
l. Drawings, when answered for hnal
or competitive estimates, should be suffi-
cient In number and character TO repre-
sent the proposed works clearly; should
be at scale of not less than one-eighth
of an inch to the foot, and be rendered
in ink, or some permanent process.
DETAILS.
.. Proper details for a thorough COM
prehension of what will be demanded,
should be furnished at the time when es-
Inmates are solicited.
SPECIFICATIONS.
3. Specifications should be in ink, or
some permanent process. They should
be definite where not sufficiently defined
and explained by drawings, and every
thing that will be required in the vari-
Gus branches of work should be men,
toned in the specification, CLASSIFIED and
placed under its appropriate heading.
Plans and specifications should be CO.
operatives; when demands are made by
the drawings that do not agree with the
specifications, the latter shall control.
All such indefinite demands as 'the
contractor must furnish all work that is
necessary" or ''all work that the archi-
tect might require. etc." are improper,
and shall be eliminated before estimates
are given.
RESTRICTION AS TO sUB-coNTRAcToBS'
4. Contractors, when required to es-
innate for work involving any or all
sub-contracts, should not be restricted
as to whom they shall employ as SUBJ
contractors, ltnleSS previously notified.
sUB-EsTIMATEs IN ARCHITECTS OFFICE.
5. Sub-estimates for portions OF the
work which principal bidders are re-
CURED to include in their original esti-
mates, shall not be received in archi-
tect's Office, either as an accommodation
to principal bidders or for any other
purposes.
PRESERVED" SUB-CoNTRAcTs.
6. Contractors shall be allowed COM
pensation OF 10 per cent. upon all
amounts up to $500, and five per cent.
on all amounts over $500 on sub-con-
tracts, which at the time OF estimate
are reserved" or not called for in
their portion Of the specification, but
which may be assumed by them by di-
rection of the owner or architect.
Contractors shall not be denied con-
tracts upon portion of work covered in
their original estimate, on account OF
declining to assume at any price the
aforesaid reserved sub-estimates in theii
contract.
METHOD OF TAKING ESTIMATES.
:. The architect shall invite the con-
tractors who are TO bid upon the work.
and shall post the names Of the invited
bidders before the estimates are solicit
ed.
Contractors shall decline to give arch
fleets or owners estimates in the aggfe-
gate, when said architects or owners
are soliciting estimates in detail, nor
should estimates be furnished in detail,
when estimates are being solicited in
the aggregate.
OPENING OF BIDS.
s. Invited bidders should receive due
notice of time and place OF the opening
Of bids. Bids upon being opened shall
be Immediately displayed to the inspec-
tion Of all bidders, and for a period OF
three days thereafter.
No additional bids shall be received
after the opening Of the invited bids,
and no second bids shall be given unless
radical changes are made in plans and
specifications.
BINDING LIMIT OF ESTIMATES.
Q. Estimates shall not be binding more
than fifteen days after received, unless
stipulated beforehand.
RIGHTS OF LOWEST BIDDER.
When work is to be let, for which es-
Inmates have been solicited, the lowest
invited bidder shall be entitled to the
contract, and all minor charges shall be
agreed upon with him, provided his
prices are equitable.
If radical changes are made then the
whole competition shall be ro-opened.
Bidders should not be allowed to amend
their estimates after the bids have been
opened, and before the award.
BY order.
w. A. WILSON,
w. II. KLEIvEs, President
Nc,.rSf1VtJ