Construction claims cost money. Many of these claims are caused by errors in the contract documents or errors in the interpretation of the contract documents. If your design team is not taking part in claims prevention and mitigation efforts, you’re putting yourself at risk. It’s no longer an option to wait until the project is complete before claims are filed.
Cost of construction claims
There are many factors that influence the cost of construction claims, including the performance of the contractor, unexpected events, and weather conditions. Several strategies can be used to reduce the likelihood of a construction claim. While many construction claims are unwarranted, there are ways to reduce the number of these claims and keep construction costs within budget.
One method is total cost approach. This approach determines the value of the disputed activity by deducting the claimant’s bid prices from the actual performance costs. Another method involves comparing actual versus bid labor hours. The total cost approach is not perfect, but it can be an effective means of determining the cost of a claim. However, it has certain criteria that need to be met in order to make it successful. There are also modified total cost methods that consider imprecision and causation issues.
Construction claims are expensive and time-consuming to settle. While claim management is inevitable, the best way to minimize the impact of these claims is to align project documents and schedules before construction begins. This will reduce the possibility of disputes and ensure smooth communication channels between parties. Ideally, disputes will be resolved as quickly as possible before the project begins.
The majority of claims rely on mistakes or omissions in the contract documents. A well-written contract contains provisions that will protect the contractor from legal actions. An accurate certificate of insurance tracking system is also important to minimize the costs. Finally, both parties should carry adequate insurance limits. As a result, construction claims can be avoided in the long run.
Preventing claims is vital to avoid fatal damage to a project. Mismanagement of claims can lead to millions of dollars in costs. In addition, claims may result in fatal damages. As such, claims management must be handled thoroughly and in the correct manner to avoid them. For this reason, construction project managers should take steps to avoid claim breeding grounds and entertain issues early.
Moreover, prequalification of contractors helps identify qualified contractors who are more likely to avoid claims. A dispute review board should also be involved on bigger projects, which acts as an arbitration panel. This board will help to reduce the risk of claims by turning potential claims into changes. Joint recognition of changes reduces the risk of claims and the costs associated with litigation. Failure to acknowledge changes in a project is one of the major factors in perpetuating claims.
The process begins with the development of the project plan and contract documents. A risk management plan will help prevent claims and assign risk based on which party has more control. Mishandling of disputes leads to strained relationships between the parties, delay in work, and, ultimately, a claim.
Cost of resolution of construction claims
There are several ways to reduce the cost of construction claims. One of them is alternate dispute resolution (ADR). Arbitration, mediation, mini-trials, and other methods are less costly than litigation. However, it is not always possible to eliminate the cost of litigation entirely. Nevertheless, these methods do have some disadvantages.
Another way to reduce the cost of claims is through proactive claim management. This process can prevent or limit the occurrence of construction claims by recognizing potential claim situations and taking appropriate action to prevent them. Claims management is an important component of good project and contract management. By taking proactive steps to avoid potential claim situations, you can significantly reduce the cost of claims and maintain the quality of your work.
Cost of mitigation of construction claims
Construction claims are an important aspect of any construction project, and managing them is key to minimizing their impact. This is accomplished by taking several steps before any claims arise. The first step is developing a project plan that clearly outlines the project scope and timeline. It is also important to develop the right methodology to execute the project, which should be appropriate for the type of project and its risk factors. Once these steps have been taken, the next step is drafting contract documents that establish clear expectations and responsibilities for the project participants.
The construction claims engineer will then finalize the findings in the preliminary construction claim review. Only after these findings are finalized will payment be authorized. Moreover, an independent cost analysis of the construction claims must be conducted, which should be submitted along with project records. The results of this attempt should be provided to the Construction claims engineer at the district level by day 200.
The construction claims process follows a cause-and-effect approach to determine the full impact of the activity being claimed. In addition to the direct effect, there are often indirect effects that result in higher costs and delays in other aspects of the construction project. Such indirect effects are also justified as a part of the total cost of the claim.
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