These services are provided to ensure that the contractor provides the quality of construction required by the drawings and specifications.

• Contractor Selection- Your architect will be familiar with the quality of work of several contractors and will be able to recommend a small group of qualified builders who provide good quality construction.
  
  
• Submittal Review -Depending on the project, the architect may require the contractor to provide some or all of the following :
  
  
  • Proof of insurance as required by the construction documents.
  • Construction schedule for completing the work on time.
  • Submittal of shop drawings, product literature, and samples of finish materials.
  • Proof of payments to subcontractors and material suppliers.
    
    
• The architect will also review the contractor's applications for payment to verify that the contractor is not paid for materials or work before they have been properly installed.
  
  
• Site Inspections - The architect will provide periodic inspections of job site as the work progresses. Inspection Reports include a written description of the quality and quantity of work in place at the time of the inspection. These meetings are also useful for identifying potential problems that might delay work.
  
  
• Project Close out - The final payment to the contractor is made when all work required by the construction documents is complete, and all close out documents are received.
  
  
  
  
  • One common point of confusion is determining the difference in work required by the construction documents, warranty work, and maintenance work.
  • The contractor is responsible for providing warranty service for the duration of the warranty period, (usually one year) but is not required to complete warranty work before receiving final payment.
  • Unless specifically stated in the construction documents, the contractor is not required to perform maintenance work.
  • Confusion most often occurs when the Owner occupies the structure before all the work required by the construction documents has been completed. If possible, allow a generous amount of time for compiling and completing the punch list before moving into the house.