Project Schedule- Written and/or graphic schedule of the planning and construction of the building project that identifies the stages of the project and identifies the tasks of responsible parties.
Financial Preparedness- The means of funding the project include: determining the Project Budget, means of funding the project, owner (church) decision-making process, who will review contracts, authorized (church) financial officer, fund-raising program, line of credit for construction period, workman's comp & builder's risk insurance, pay requests process, lien-waiver forms, and approved permanent financing.
Retainage vs Performance Bonds- Retainage (predetermined agreement) is the practice of the owner (church) withholding 10% of each pay request by the builder until the construction project is 100% complete. The alternative is the procedure of the builder submitting proof of a Performance Bond (insurance policy) naming the owner as beneficiary, should the builder fail to complete the project. Usually the cost of the performance bond is passed along to the owner through higher profit margin of the builder.
Pre-Construction Meeting- an introductory orientation meeting to review the scope and schedule of the construction project and introduce all responsible contact persons. This usually includes all the primary parties: owner, architect, builder, primary sub-contractors, primary specialists, and sometimes, a building official and/or the lender.
Standing Construction Meetings- the (highly recommended) practice of agreeing to a standing meeting on a specified day each week at the construction site with the builder and the owner’s representative. Often the architect attends several (but not all) of these meetings. This practice yields good communication, responsive decisions, steady progress and limits surprises to the owner.
Three person Liaison Committee- the (highly recommended) practice of the church appointing only three people as a liaison committee with one lead person designated as the owner representative to communicate with builder and architect during the construction phase. The liaison committee usually attends the Standing Meeting each week with builder.
Communications person- a designated person responsible for providing brief news updates through newsletter, email, website and announcements to the congregation regarding the progress in the planning and construction stages of the building program. This is often combined with the financial fund-raising efforts.
Punch List- an accumulated list (prepared by the building and the owner's rep together) near the end of a construction project that identifies items that still need to be completed or corrected such as soiled areas, damaged items or incomplete assemblies.
Project Closeout and Warranty Notebook- a specific meeting for "final walk-through" with the builder, the owner and the architect, to confirm the project is near100% completion. The Warranty Notebook (written warranty certificates, owner's manuals, call-back phone numbers for contact people) is handed off to the owner with keys to the building.
One Year Review- a scheduled meeting with the owner, architect and builder one year after the building project is completed to address any unresolved issues related to the building project.
Copyright 2022 Church Architecture Resources - for church use only, prohibited for reproduction or distribution by others. This information is opinion based on experience and does not replace legal counsel.
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