CONSENSUS DOCS Challenges AIA on "Who's in Charge"

Read this article on a new group challenging AIA's dominance on contract documents...

A new challenger to AIA documents

ConsensusDOCS, a new family of construction documents, puts the owner in charge of the project.

By TIM CALDERBANK, JOE STRAUS and JANET KIM LIN
Bullivant Houser Bailey

After an intensive three-year effort, a consortium of owners, contractors and trade groups joined together and have published what they consider to be contract documents based on best practices and proper risk allocation, for the benefit of the construction industry at large. The result is a new family of construction documents entitled ConsensusDOCS, where “DOCS” stands for designers, owners, contractors and sureties.

ConsensusDOCS is endorsed by 22 construction organizations — including the Associated General Contractors of America, Associated Builders and Contractors and National Electrical Contractors Association — that represent a wide selection of industry members, from developers to owners to general contractors to subcontractors.

Despite the wide consensus represented by these national trade organizations, proponents of the long-standing contract documents published by the American Institute of Architects argue that the oft-revised AIA documents are more than sufficient and there is no need for another family of construction documents. For the reasons below, we disagree with that conclusion.

The owner is in charge

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Pulte Homes Gets Lemons Delivered by Construction Workers

Workers, Homeowners Deliver Lemons to Pulte Exec

by James Parks, Mar 26, 2009

A Pulte Homes executive got a special delivery this morning, when 50 angry workers and supporters dropped lemons in front of him at a state board meeting. The workers and homeowners in three western states say buyers should beware before they purchase a home built by Pulte or its subsidiaries.

The protest at the Nevada Contractor Review Board meeting in Las Vegas came on the same day that Building Justice released a report that shows nearly two-thirds (63 percent) of respondents to a survey of owners of homes built by Pulte and its Del Webb subsidiary reported their homes had construction defects. Building Justice is a partnership comprised of the Painters and Allied Trades (IUPAT), Sheet Metal Workers (SMWIA), the AFL-CIO, community members, Pulte homeowners and elected officials to improve conditions at Pulte developments.

Ironically, the contractor review board investigates complaints of poor construction workmanship. Some homeowners expressed outrage that Pulte Homes is represented on a board entrusted with ensuring quality construction within Nevada’s building industry.

The workers also announced they had revamped their website, www.poorlybuiltbypulte.info, to allow homeowners to tell their stories about poor work by Pulte and Del Webb. The site enables homeowners to complete a survey and keep up with the latest news about Pulte, as well as links to services across the country where dissatisfied homeowners can seek relief.

The report, “Poorly Built by Pulte, No Different at Del Webb,’” is based on surveys of 872 Pulte and Del Webb homeowners from Nevada, Arizona and California. According to the report, another 43 percent of respondents reported they would not buy another Pulte or Del Webb home.

The homeowners claimed defects with nearly every aspect of home construction: foundation, roofing, electrical, stucco, air conditioning, windows, plumbing, drywall, painting among others. Click here to read the full report.

READ THE REST OF THIS ARTICLE BY CLICKING ON OUR HEADLINE!

CLICK HERE TO READ the "POORLY BUILT BY PULTE" WEBSITE, FROM "BUILDING JUSTICE".

ICC-ES' President John Nosse to Retire, Successor Named

In a press release received in at Deck Expert central late this afternoon, the announce ment that ICC-ES President John Nosse has announced his retirement.

ICC-ES' Mark Johnson will succeed Nosse as President on April 1st, and Nosse will become President Emeritus until his retiremnet in 2010.

Will new blood bring new changes to ICC? Some transparency and a new public face that is open to questions about it's cherished ICC-ES reports? Time will tell.

We wish Mr. Nosse well and hope he enjoys his new freedom.

Read the press release from ICC if you care too below...

Johnson Succeeds Nosse as ICC-ES President

The ICC Evaluation Service (ICC-ES) Board of Directors has selected Mark Johnson to serve as the ES President, following the announcement of John Nosse’s January 2010 retirement. Johnson will assume the ES President role April 1 when Nosse will move to President Emeritus status. ICC-ES is a subsidiary of the International Code Council. “These changes,” according to Code Council CEO Richard P. Weiland, “will assure an effective transition for a very important organization. John has built an organization whose quality is without peer, and he remains a vital and revered resource for all of us.” “I’ve worked alongside Mark for many years,” Nosse said, “and as President Emeritus, I have the opportunity to support him in his transition to the ES presidency. We have developed a very effective working partnership, and I know Mark cares deeply about the success of ES. He respects the high quality of both our work and our staff. I am proud of what we have accomplished and know that the future is in good hands under Mark’s capable leadership.” Johnson has worked closely in the past year with the ES organization and its customers to refine its business model. He began his career with a Code Council legacy organization, the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO), rising from a part-time, high school shipping clerk into management, and orchestrating the makeover of its product and business development department. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration. “Mark’s skill sets, and his longtime commitment to the mission, customers, and staff at the Code Council, make Mark the ideal choice for this position,” said ES Board President Steve Regoli. A nonprofit, public-benefit corporation, ICC-ES is the United States’ leading evaluation service for innovative construction materials and systems. ICC-ES performs technical evaluations of building products, components, methods and materials. Its evaluation reports, including listing programs for plumbing, mechanical and fuel gas products, provide evidence that products and systems meet code requirements. ICC-ES recently developed the SAVE Program in conjunction with International Code Council activities to provide reliable information about claims made by manufacturers of sustainable products, and to develop and advance sustainable design and construction. ICC-ES is a subsidiary of the International Code Council. ### For more information about Mark Johnson, click here to review his biography. For high-res photos of Mark Johnson and John Nosse, click here.

Pacific Polymers Elastodeck 5000 FR Walking & Roof Deck System Has Class A Fire Rating in Newly Issued ICC ES Report

Issued February 1st of 2009, ICC-ES's first published report in 2009 on Pacific Polymers Elastodeck 5000 carries a Class A fire classification rating when installed in conformance with the report's instructions.

This product would not be able to be used on an area where a "One Hour Assembly" is required in public buildings and homes; but can be used anywhere just a Class A is required. Make sure to read your specs before spec'ing this product, a One Hour Assembly may be required on your job.

Click our headline to read the report at ICC-ES's site yourself...

No Need to Hire a Pro, These Pics Prove It!

Ahhh, humor...where would we be without a little humor on a Tuesday morning?

Especially a little black humor. These
pics came to me from Mike DeJong/Don Roberts down at All-Seasons Restoration, forwarded from an email to them...

RCI So Cal Invites You to Westcon's WINDOW & FLASHING Symposium

So Cal Chapter of RCI, Inc. presents the WESTCON WINDOWS AND FLASHINGS SYMPOSIUM Proper Selction, Installation, Flashings and Forensic Processes Monday, May 11, 2009 8 am - 5 pm A continuation in a series of annual symposiums expanding on the ASTM E2266 presentation of 2006 Session 1 Understanding AAMA Window Selection Guide & California building code. Structural, thermal, rain, wind, fire & other considerations. Session 2 Window Types & Frame Materials. Session 3 Storefront window frame types and how they manage water. Session 4 Glass installation/glass materials. Strength, uses, temper, reflective coatings & insulating. Session 5 Sealant types, performance uses adhesion & joint design. Session 6 Laboratory & Field Tests for Water, Condensation, Thermal & Structural. Session 7 Understanding ASTM E2112 the guide for installation & flashing windows. Session 8 Results of new storefront window flashing mock-up tests Speakers: David Green - Senior Associate with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Fred Harter - Sacramento Branch Manager for Royal Glass Co., Inc. James Strong - Associate Principal with Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates Chris Nelson -Senior Consultant with Technical Roof Services, Inc. Continuing Education Credit: The So Cal Chapter of RCI will offer attendees to this program the following continuing education credits: RCI - 8.0 Continuing Education Hours (CEUs) AIA - 8.0 Learning Units (LUs) CREIA - 8.0 Continuing Education Credits (CECs) Registration Time: 7:15 am Program: 8 am - 5 pm Continental breakfast, coffee breaks and lunch will be provided. Registration Fees: Early Bird (on or before March 30, 2009) RCI / AIA / CREIA / WESTCON Member: $185 Non-Member: $225 Pre-registration (March 31 - April 24) RCI / AIA / CREIA / WESTCON Member: $235 Non-Member: $275 After April 24, 2009 RCI / AIA / CREIA / WESTCON Member: $275 Non-Member: $315 Additional attendees from the same firm receive a 5% discount for attendees #2-#5. Firms sending more than 5 people should contact the SOCAL Chapter of RCI for additional discounts Parking: Free Location: Grand Long Beach Event Center 4101 E. Willow Street, Long Beach, CA 90815 (562) 426-0555 To register, go to www.RCISoCalChapter.org Questions call: 866/914-4RCI