ETC 4242- Construction Contracts and Specifications

ETC 4242- Construction Contracts and Specifications Standard Course Outline (Updated: Spring 2010)

Catalog ETC 4242- Construction Contracts and Specifications (3 credits) Description: The role of construction contracts, architectural specifications, product specifications, industry standards and building codes in the process of building construction. Course prerequisites: None Objectives of the This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of construction laws, course: contracts, and specifications. The role of construction contracts, architectural specifications, product specifications, industry standards and building codes in the process of building construction will be covered in this class. Engineering and engineering technology students should be well aware of the laws and regulations governing their field of interest. Practical examples from construction industry will enhance students’ hands-on learning of the world of construction and its legal challenges. The class is accompanied by live and remote discussions and case studies to provide the students with enhanced hands-on application of what they learn in class. Course CO1: Students will be able to demonstrate mastery of the knowledge of Outcomes: construction laws, contracts, and specifications used in today’s construction industry.

CO2: Student will be able to demonstrate ability to apply current construction business practice laws in analyzing the back-bone of diverse construction industry litigations, and adapt to build better construction documents to shield against costly litigations.

CO3: Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the recent construction legal issues for simple to complex construction projects.

CO4: Students will be able to apply basic construction contracts using the latest version of American Institute of Architects (AIA) documents.

CO5: Students will be able to demonstrate understanding of the role of construction contracts, architectural specifications, product specifications, industry standards and building codes in the process of building construction. Relationship to ETC 4242 contributes the following to the ET program outcomes: ET Program Outcomes: PO1 PO2 PO3 PO4 PO5 PO6 PO7 PO8 PO9 PO10 PO11 CO1 X X CO2 X X X X X X X CO3 X X X X X CO4 X X X X X CO5 X X X X

Textbook: Legal Aspects of Architecture, Engineering, and Construction by Sweet and Schneider (7th Edition, 2004, Thompson, ISBN 0-534-46467-X) References: 1. Book: Construction Contracting by Clough and Sears, 7th Edition, John Wiley and Sons 2. Book: Project Management in Construction (5th Edition) by Sidney M. Levy, Published by McGraw Hill (ISBN: 0071464174) 3. Website: http://www.aia.org/docs_newtitles_2005 (American Institute of Architects) 4. Website: http://www.construction.com (McGraw Hill Company) 5. website: http://www.asce.org (American Society of Civil Engineers) Topics Covered: 1. Introduction I. Construction Process II. Construction Teams III. Construction Stakeholders: Owner, Architect, Engineer, Contractor IV. Public vs. Private Projects 2. Forms of Association 3. Agency 4. Contract Formation 5. Compensation and Organization 6. Contract Documents 7. Contract Interpretation 8. Changes 9. Performance Problems 10. Defects 11. Owner Contractor Agreement 12. General Conditions 13. Performance Bonds 14. Subcontractors 15. AIA Contract Forms 16. Application of the State-of-the-Art Technology in Contracting Computer All assignments and projects involve utilization of computers and spreadsheet using Usage: MS Word and for assignments and projects. The use of the discussion board in class website is highly encouraged. Projects: A total of 7 Case Studies are conducted throughout the term to review, examine, argue, and apply the latest and classical construction legal cases to enhance the material covered in the lectures. Library Usage: Students are highly encouraged to consult library and other references to aid in researching course material. Course Useful methods for assessing the success of this course in achieving the intended Assessment: outcomes listed above:  CO1: Assignments, projects and exams.  CO2: Assignments, projects and exams.  CO3: Assignments, projects and exams.  CO4: Assignments, projects and exams.  CO5: Assignments, projects and exams. Technology Expectations for Use Requirements E-mail: Course mail and discussion board are used in this course. All mails and discussions should be directly related to the course content or they will be removed from the site. Use common sense and good judgment when posting, and avoid personal messages on the course site. Use the discussion board if you would like to discuss a topic among your classmates. Professor’s email address should be used for direct contact. Web: World Wide Web will be used in this course for both live and remote classes. Students are expected to login to their account as often as possible but no less than three times a week for the latest updates and information. Projects, activities, organizations, and their due dates will be posted on course website and discussed during the course. Special tools: None at this time Tape recording: Each class is video streamed, tape-recorded and is available via the internet. Calculators: Calculators are allowed in the classroom and are used in this course if necessary. However, appropriate formulas and calculations must be defined and clearly presented to receive proper credit. Cellular and Please make sure that they are completely off (no vibration mode) during the class Mobile Phones time. and devices: Oral and Written All assignments must be presented in a format that is clear, concise, and Communication: grammatically correct. Calculus Usage: No calculus is used in this course. Policies and 1. Exams: All exams are conducted online for this class. Students will be given a Guidelines: time window during which the exam can be taken. If students have problems submitting their exam for any reason (system is down, etc.), they need to get in touch with the professor as soon as possible. Please consult the course website. Make-up exams are not permitted. However, please consult with the instructor only if you have missed an exam under unforeseen circumstances, such as the death of an immediate family member. Such cases require valid and provable documentation before the student is eligible for the make up exam. Such documentation must be given to the instructor NO LESS THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE the due date and NO MORE THAN 48 HOURS AFTER the due date. 2. Assignments: Absolutely NO Late assignments will be accepted. There are no make-up assignments. Assignments are assigned randomly in advance and due via course website, unless specified otherwise, on or before the due date. Consult the course website for the due dates. All assignments must be typed using MS Word in a high-quality and professional format. They should be well-written, clear, and concise. The steps/methods of solving the problems should be clearly stated. Students are encouraged to collaborate outside of class to discuss and debate course concepts. However, all assignments MUST be completed and written up individually. Each student is required to turn in his or her own solutions. If the assignment has been designated a team assignment by the instructor, one copy of the assignment solutions containing the names of all team members is required. Please be mindful that assignments can be submitted BEFORE the due date. 3. Students are responsible for reading the textbook and other supplemental materials assigned by the professor. Students are also responsible to attend all live classes and or view all video-streamed live and taped lectures remotely. The class is accompanied by live and remote discussions and case studies to provide the students with hands-on application of what they learn in class. Students are also encouraged to share their first hand experiences with the class. Students may require to present their assignments, projects, and reports of case studies to the class if required by the professor. 4. Due to the nature of this course, there is always materials, examples, etc. covered in class that is not from the text book. Therefore, to enhance their learning process, the students should take and keep well-documented notes. 5. Academic Conduct: Students are subject to federal and state laws and local ordinances as well as regulations prescribed by the College and the Florida Board of Governors. The breach or violation of any of these laws or regulations may result in disciplinary action. 6. Students should only present material that they can demonstrate they have studied and learned from course documents and approved activities. Plagiarism and cheating of any kind on an examination, quiz, or assignment will result at least in an “F” for that assignment (and may, depending on the severity of the case, lead to an “F” for the entire course) and may be subject to appropriate referral to the Office of Student Conduct for further action. Course Grading Case Studies and Assignments 50% Policy: Exam 1 15% Exam 2 15% Final Exam 20% Total 100% Grading 90 - 100 = A Scheme: 80 – 89.9 = B 70 – 79.9 = C 60 – 69.9 = D 59.9 and below = F Course Faculty Dr. Ali Mehrabian