The definitive contracting reference for the construction industry, updated and expanded Construction Contracting, the industry's leading professional reference for five decades, has been updated to reflect current practices, business methods, management techniques, codes, and regulations. A cornerstone of the construction library, this text presents the hard-to-find information essential to successfully managing a construction company, applicable to building, heavy civil, high-tech, and industrial construction endeavors alike. A wealth of coverage on the basics of owning a construction business provides readers with a useful "checkup" on the state of their company, and in-depth exploration of the logistics, scheduling, administration, and legal aspects relevant to construction provide valuable guidance on important facets of the business operations. This updated edition contains new coverage of modern delivery methods, technology, and project management. The field of construction contracting comprises the entire set of skills, knowledge, and conceptual tools needed to successfully own or manage a construction company, as well as to undertake any actual project. This book gives readers complete, up-to-date information in all of these areas, with expert guidance toward best practices. Learn techniques for accurate cost estimating and effective bidding Understand construction contracts, surety bonds, and insurance Explore project time and cost management, with safety considerations Examine relevant labor law and labor relations techniques Between codes, standards, laws, and regulations, the construction industry presents many different areas with which the manager needs to be up to date, on top of actually doing the day-to-day running of the business. This book provides it all under one cover – for the project side and the business side, Construction Contracting is a complete working resource in the field or office.

The turnover rate for companies in the construction industry is high. This book identifies the ten key elements of contractor failure and shows how to avoid them. Each element of failure is defined, illustrated by real examples, and ways are discussed to avoid or minimize the risks involved. The final chapter shows how to bring all these elements together to develop a positive and workable management strategy. This survival guide should prove invaluable to the 1.4 million individual construction-industry businesses in this country.

Understanding and Negotiating Construction Contracts The complexities of construction contracts are made easy with this thorough and readable guide Construction contracts can be complex for both owners and contractors. For contractors, negotiating fair and balanced commercial terms in contracts is just as important as properly managing projects; a properly negotiated contract can mitigate unnecessary risk and unnecessary risk transfer. This, in turn, reduces exposure to financial liability for the contractor and for avoidance of contract claims and disputes. Understanding and Negotiating Construction Contracts provides a comprehensive and readable introduction to the world of construction contracts. Providing, for example, coverage of the four most common types of contracts—lump sum/fixed-price, cost-plus, time-and-materials, and unit-pricing—it promises to reduce uncertainty and allow contractors to enter contractual negotiations with greater confidence to be able to achieve a fair and balanced contract. This updated new edition reflects the up-to-date best practices to understand how to better negotiate the commercial terms and conditions in construction contracts. Readers of the second edition of Understanding and Negotiating Construction Contracts will also find: Updated information on indemnity, insurance, and negotiation An all-new chapter with a contract analysis checklist Real-world examples drawn from small residential, retail, large commercial, and international projects Understanding and Negotiating Construction Contracts is essential for construction professionals and college students studying construction contracts and the liabilities arising out of them.

Risk, and the headaches that go wit it, have always been a major part of any construction project -- risk of loss, negative cash flow, construction claims, regulations, excessive changes, disputes, slow pay -- sometimes you'll make money, and often you won't. But many contractors today are avoiding almost all of that risk by working under a construction management contract, where they are simply a paid consultant to the owner, running the job, but leaving him the risk. This manual is the how-to of construction management contracting. You'll learn how the process works, how to get started as a CM contractor, what the job entails, how to deal with the issues that come up, when to step back, and how to get the job completed on time and on budget. Includes a link to free downloads of CM contracts legal in each state.

Construction Project Management offers some of the best project management studies commissioned by ELECTRI International: The Foundation for Electrical Construction that were selected, coordinated, and monitored by some of the most progressive contractors and performed by outstanding scholars from top U.S. universities. Topics include pre-construction planning, early warning signs of project distress, impact of change orders, project sequencing, ideal jobsite inventory levels, tool and material control systems, recommended safety practices, partnering, total quality management, quality assurance, performance evaluations, and contract risk management. All specialty and general contractors will find value in this practical book. The concepts presented will improve your understanding of the main issues affecting construction project management and will provide you with tools and strategies to enhance your company's productivity and profitability.

A clear, concise introduction to construction law for professionals Construction Law: An Introduction for Engineers, Architects, and Contractors offers a comprehensive review of the U.S. legal environment, focusing on the legal concepts and issues applicable to the design and construction industries. Topics covered include: Basic legal principles Project participants Project delivery systems Construction contracts The design process Procurement Pricing construction projects Subcontractors and suppliers Time for performance Construction scheduling Contract administration The payment process Changes to the work Differing site conditions Termination of the construction contract Mechanic's liens Construction insurance Surety bonds Liability for defective construction Calculations of damages The Economic Loss Doctrine Alternative dispute resolution This book serves as an excellent introduction to construction law for students as well as professionals in the construction industry.