The forms of tender, agreement, conditions and bond published by the Institution of Civil Engineers have been designed to standardise the duties of contractors, employers and engineers and to distribute fairly the risks inherent in civil engineering.This classic guide to the contracts provides and authoritative reference, and also a rich and practi

For the past 25 years, Joe Goldbloom and I have conducted a running debate over whether specifications writers engage in the unlawful practice of law. Joe's position is that lawyers have no business writing specifications, that being the designer's province. Having been given the honor to write this foreword, I have the opportunity for the last word, at least for now. Joe Goldbloom and I first met in 1964, while serving together on the ASCE Committee on Contract Administration. Joe became my teacher, mentor, and friend. Underlying our good natured debate was the serious issue of the technical qualifications required of a specifications writer. As a matter of fact, specifi cations writing traditionally has fallen in a crack between the two professions. Specifications writing typically is neither taught in engineering school nor in law school. Engineers are taught how to design; lawyers are taught how to draft contracts. Specifications writing requires mastery of the technical elements of design as well as the skills of contract drafting. Specifications writing is neither glamorous nor sexy; it is often viewed as a necessary evil of the designer's job.

Hudson's is recognised as a source of reliable information on the interpretation and drafting of building and civil engineering contracts. This edition covers recent developments in the law on construction contracts.

Engineering Contracts is intended for those who wish to acquire skills in drafting, negotiating and working with commercial and engineering contracts. It aims to bring a different approach to the subject; combining the traditional legal perspective of the law of contract with the needs of the commercial manager or engineer who is seeking solutions to technical and commercial problems.The context within which these matters are examined is as wide as possible; for the purposes of illustration cases are drawn from the fields of mechanical, electrical, chemical, electronic and civil engineering, as well as from construction and building contracts. In many cases the important points are common to all disciplines, for instance the importance of ensuring that what has been specified is what is delivered by a supplier, and that any such delivery or indeed any event critical to the timely conclusion of a project takes place when arranged.There is advice on how to the concepts broached relate to real-life requirements and the reader will benefit from the helpful 'Legal Questions Answered' section that is included in most chapters. In addition there is a summary guide to drafting an engineering contract, a section on the relevant statutes and other legislation in force, and a list of the engineering institutions and their standard forms of contract. Case-studies of genuine and practical origin from the author's wide-ranging experience in industrial practice complete this comprehensive treatment of the subject matter.