Volume 3 - Number 10

  October 2008

Efficient Resolution of Construction Disputes
Alternative Dispute Resolution
By: Arthur O'Leary, FAIA, MRIAI
    Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) refers to the various private voluntary dispute resolution methods available to us in addition to the state-provided court system. Most are a practical, usually faster and less expensive, alternative to the usual court litigation.
    The public courts of justice are open to all citizens who wish to use them. Court costs are nominal but the procedures are so ponderous and time consuming that legal fees and related costs can easily get out of hand. Court backlogs have become prodigious, running from several months up to five years.
    Many construction industry disputes are based on misunderstandings related to the practical and technical aspects of design or construction rather than on strict application of complicated legal principles. Other disputes are based on different interpretations of customs, standards, and practices in the industry. Legally trained judges are well equipped to hear arcane legal arguments presented to them by lawyers educated in the nuances of the law. However the court system is not at its best when making judgments on many construction industry matters.  Read More

The Anatomy of a Perfect Bid
DCD, Industry Associations Announce Best Project Estimate Challenge 
   Preparing an accurate, complete construction bid requires the perfect intersection of a unique (and often evasive) combination of elements. Project knowledge, design insight, historical data, the ability to predict and adjust for ever-changing variables, and a healthy dose of luck all factor into the estimating equation. Cost estimating can be both challenging and frustrating, but it’s the exactness of the science – and the lack of it – that attracts and entices estimating professionals constantly trying to hit the moving target.
   It seems simple enough: An estimate is a calculation of the quantities of various items of work and the expenses likely to be incurred during the course of that work. How the estimate compares to the actual costs, however, depend on the accuracy of the professional’s methods and his ability to visualize the work. Under-estimating can result in a shock to the client – and possible abandonment or drastic modification of the project. Over-estimating may lose the estimating professional his client, his job – or at very least, his confidence. Read More

    DCD Subscribers: The archives of Design Cost Data are available online at DCD.COM in the DCD Archives™. The DCD Archives™ contains over 1,200 completed projects, and their actual cost to build, to assist you in developing preliminary cost estimates, building type research, cost modeling and more. The DCD Archives includes cost escalators through 2011 and regional modifiers in an easy-to-use cost modeling database.
    Access the DCD Archives with your DCD Subscriber Number that is located on your DCD Magazine mailing label next to your last name. To become a subscriber of DCD, you can subscribe online at DCD.COM or call us at 800-533-5680.

• American Institute of Architects Releases Six New Documents Including a First of its Kind Building Information Modeling (BIM) Protocol Exhibit 

• Duro-Last® Roofing, Inc. Donates New Roof To Beacon House

• New Hurricane-Rated Door Solutions from Horton Automatics

• Duro-Last® Roofing, Inc. Announces New Roofing Blog Added To Web Site

• PPG introduces SOLARBAN 80 OPTIBLUE glass

• Saint-Gobain Technical Fabrics Announces Launch of New Web Site

• High Performance Sto Coatings Now Meet California Low VOC Standards

• Arch Debuts New, Improved Aluminum Website Section

Bluebeam Software Saves Time, Money and Paper for AEC Industry
   “Going Green” by saving resources is a major part of doing business for most organizations today, and this is especially true for the AEC industry which is striving to reduce the massive amounts of paper used on a project. To help the AEC industry reduce its paper usage, Bluebeam Software, Inc., offers powerful PDF technology that allows electronic sharing of information. Bluebeam’s PDF program can be used to mark-up and edit plans during the design review process, submit RFIs, send out bid documents, perform on-screen take-offs for estimating, and archive files.
   Bluebeam PDF Revu® is a simple and more affordable alternative to current PDF editing tools, which are difficult to use and prohibit an electronic workflow. It has a simple interface that allows the user to view large format PDF drawings. Key benefits include reduced paper costs, time savings, clear communication (leading to less confusion and fewer mistakes), and more efficient workflow.  Read More

e-SPECS Selected by DLR Group as Enterprise Specification Solution 
   InterSpec Inc., the industry leading provider of BIM integrated construction specification software and services, today announced DLR Group has selected its patented e-SPECS solutions as the firm’s Building Information Modeling (BIM) Specification Solution. DLR Group is an integrated design firm providing architecture, engineering, planning, and interior design for corporate, higher education, justice, K-12 education and sports clients. Each of the firm’s 15 offices across the country has embraced BIM and uses it to enhance the design services available to clients.
    InterSpec’s patented e-SPECS software solutions automate the preparation of construction specifications and selection of products and materials that are incorporated into commercial construction projects. InterSpec’s e-SPECS products are used by thousands of architects, engineers and construction professionals to help them keep their construction drawings and specifications in sync while reducing the overall cost of development.  Read More

DCD Cost Trends
Design Cost Data™ magazine and BNi® Building News are devoted to bringing the industry critical information to assist in developing reliable cost estimates. To help the construction professional project future building costs, each issue of Design Cost Data includes an editorial section on Cost Trends. Read More

The DCD Sq. Ft. Cost Guide
DCD maintains the DCD Archives, an archive of over 1,200 actual projects featured in DCD online at DCD.COM. The following cost guides have been compiled from projects archived in the DCD Archives and escalated to the month and year of the DCD publication date and to a historical location factor of 1. To read more
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From Eyesore to Opportunity: Adapting an Older Building for a New Use
   It is inevitable that structures will age and outgrow their original intended function. With changes in technology and lifestyle, construction design is constantly updated to meet modern demands and older structures are left in the wake of change. Those sensitive to history may prefer to restore older structures to their former glory, however, associated costs often make this plan unrealistic. An alternate concept is adaptive reuse – a process of retrofitting buildings for new uses, which allows structures to retain their historic integrity, while providing for the occupants’ modern needs.
   In the pursuit of sustainable development, communities have much to gain from adaptively reusing buildings. Bypassing the wasteful process of demolition and reconstruction alone sells the environmental benefits of adaptive reuse. Environmental benefits, combined with energy savings and the social advantage of recycling a valued heritage place make adaptive reuse an essential component of sustainable development. Historic buildings give us a glimpse of our past, while lending character and serving a new practical purpose in our modern communities. An old factory may become an apartment complex, a run-down church may find new life as a condominium building, or an old office building may be transformed into a vibrant retail facility. In many ways, an adaptive reuse project can invigorate a community by meeting the changing needs of the population.  
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