Articles for Interface Consulting

This article is the first in a two-part series about how Project Lead the Way, HISD’s Chavez High School, and the East End Chamber of Commerce are making a difference in students’ lives and the engineering profession. In the United States, the number of college graduates earning engineering degrees each year is rising slowly after a major decrease a decade ago. While this is good news, the number of US engineering professionals retiring in the next ten years is out-pacing the number of new... [More Info]

An article in Time reported “the U.S., the world’s greatest technological civilization, is running short of engineers.” It stated that the shortage also meant that “most engineering graduates have a least a half dozen offers, with an average starting salary of $350 a month.” Not a bad salary for April 21, 1952, when the article was published. It was a time when “the basics” were not emphasized in school and fewer students were entering science, engineering, and math careers. Scientists and... [More Info]

Colleges around the nation prepare future construction managers for promising careers Construction management-bound college graduates today are finding that, more and more, universities are responding to the challenges of an ever advancing field. Higher education programs around the nation are collaborating with industry leaders and accreditation agencies to develop specialized curriculums to prepare students for successful careers. As engineers and architects try to keep up with global... [More Info]

Part one of this two-part series addressed change order management and claims from the contractor’s perspective. This article will focus on techniques from the owner’s perspective for planning for and managing project change and avoiding claims. Although this information is geared towards owners, the information can help all parties on a construction project. Construction is not a one-way street, and it is beneficial for each of the parties to have a more complete understanding of the other... [More Info]

Every construction project, regardless of its size, inevitably encounters change. Changes can be minor, such as field rerouting of pipe to avoid an interference, or they can be major, such as a massive acceleration effort costing millions of dollars for additional personnel and overtime premiums. Managing change is an important aspect of construction project management and successful project completion. This article is the first in a two-part series that addresses issues relevant to managing cha

There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not it is advisable to use experts in mediation. In many cases that go to mediation, the issues in dispute are often relatively simple, strictly fact-based, and do not require damage calculations. In such cases, experts are often not required. This is generally not the case in the engineering and construction industry. Issues and disputes that occur during construction projects are typically not black and white issues. Using experts in these... [More Info]

In the construction industry, the ability to manage change can determine the success or failure of a project’s objectives. The failure to recognize and promptly manage change frequently costs the parties involved money and time. Establishing a change order management process using either contractual change order requirements or a firm’s proprietary system increases the effectiveness of progress reporting, labor productivity evaluation, work scheduling, and other elements of project change. The... [More Info]

In general terms, force majeure is considered to be “an act of God” or an occurrence outside the control of the parties which impacts or delays the project. Force majeure includes issues such as unusually severe weather, labor strikes, natural disasters, or governmental actions/changes in law that negatively impact the work. Typically, force majeure is not considered to be a compensable delay, meaning neither party is entitled to compensation as a result of the impact of the... [More Info]

Introduction This year, exceptionally high construction material price increases have caused problems for the construction industry. A major factor is the current economic and construction boom occurring in China. China’s rapid growth and tremendous construction activity are creating shortages in the US and throughout the world. Background Basic economics dictate that, in an open marketplace, prices will rise when demand increases or when supply decreases. Demand is... [More Info]

Contractors frequently experience site conditions differing from those anticipated in their bids. An example would be existing facilities, which are to form part of the contract work, that differ in their location, makeup, or state of repair from information in the bid documents or from what would be apparent to a contractor making a responsible, prebid inspection. If the differing site conditions should have been discovered or anticipated by the contractor and the contractor failed to do so,... [More Info]

Over the past 20 years, the design-build process has gained popularity throughout the engineering and construction industries. The Design-Build Institute of America estimates that by 2010, approximately 50% of all construction projects in America will use design-build. Regardless of whether these projections prove to be accurate, it is impossible to ignore that more projects are employing this alternative project delivery method. As shown in the table below, some projects lend themselves... [More Info]

Overview The special or general conditions of many construction contracts contain warranty provisions. A typical warranty clause may require the contractor to repair or replace defects in materials or workmanship for up to one year after acceptance of the work by the owner. This type of provision reflects risks that most contractors or subcontractors can identify and analyze based on experienced warranty or call-back costs. When dealing with equipment vendors, contractors and... [More Info]

Documentation is a vital function of construction management. If your profitability depends upon the collection of extras or the defense of claims made against you, and you have no records, the world's best consultants and lawyers will be unable to create them for you. And if you do have the records, but your documentation's organization and quality are poor, the cost of compiling suitable information for the pursuit or defense of a claim may be high. Effective documentation is the... [More Info]

I. Introduction As experts in construction claims, Interface Consulting evaluates and analyzes a wide array of engineering and construction related disputes. Many of these disputes center around increased costs, project delays, and productivity impacts. This paper discusses the most common problems and claims related to design documents based on our experience dealing with hundreds of projects and thousands of claim issues. Awareness of the most common engineering document-related... [More Info]

The Risks vs. The Benefits Before agreeing to furnish materials for a construction project, owners must evaluate related risks and benefits to factor these into procurement decisions made during the sensitive preparation phase. Unfortunately, while the immediate monetary benefits of using owner-furnished items are easily ascertained, the risks are difficult to quantify. Owners often take on considerable liability in return for small, immediate gains. In effect, owners take on... [More Info]

Contracts, which are intended to eliminate problems, can be the open doorway to disputes and claims. Contracts that are one-sided promote dispute resolution through litigation. Bias in contract language and interpretation leads to increased costs for all parties. The following article suggests ways in which owners and contractors can work toward equitable contracting. Disruptions or Disputes Are Expensive to Both Owners and Contractors Construction contracts are drafted to... [More Info]

A claim is an unresolved change order. Conversely, a change order that is agreed upon and processed does not become a claim. Change order situations that are resolved knowledgeably, fairly, and promptly will benefit both the owner and the contractor. Federal government studies have shown that early settlement of change order problems minimizes cost to owners. Likewise, contractors benefit by avoiding disruption to their project schedule and cash flow. Know and Use the Contract ... [More Info]

Objective Is Prompt Resolution of Change Orders A claim is an unresolved change order. Fortunately, a change order upon which all parties agree does not become a claim. Change orders that are resolved fairly and quickly benefit both the owner and the contractor by avoiding costly and time-consuming dispute resolution processes such as mediation, arbitration, and/or litigation. Prompt resolution of change orders is essential as this would typically minimize the total project cost to an... [More Info]

Negotiation is a process for satisfying needs. People negotiate daily in various situations. Individuals negotiate with others for everything from the cost of a car to the choice of restaurant for dinner. Negotiation is a form of cooperation and leads to compromises acceptable to both sides, bringing business projects to fruition. Many individuals become particularly skilled in negotiation through their life experiences. Others study the traits and techniques of successful negotiators. A... [More Info]

"I'll see you in court!" Those volatile words are not uncommon when conflicts arise on a construction project. But nobody really wants to be in court. There is an alternative - mediation. Construction projects require contractual interdependence between many parties and frequently the complexity and nature of those relationships lead to conflict. Construction disputes are usually intricate and when they are not resolved, they commonly escalate to legal action involving arbitration or... [More Info]