Construction is a complex business, bringing together dozens of varied trades, crafts, and experts into a noisy, deadline-driven project that has nearly infinite details. The overall success of any construction project will come down to the general contractor ultimately running the show as well as the quality of the contract plans and the materials suppliers and subcontractors selected by the contractor.
Since structural steel is one of the products used to frame out a new building, the quality of the fabrication and the quality of the overall construction is of the utmost importance. A steel fabrication & erection expert is essential if problems arise during the fabrication or erection phase – and later, if litigation is proposed over in the steel framing.
Expert Issues
A steel fabrication & erection expert can offer insight on a large number of steel-related issues, including issues such as
- Claims associated with incomplete, poorly coordinated, “design as you go” structural and architectural contract documents.
- Claims associated with increased scope of work due to design changes and revisions.
- Claims associated with slow Request for Information (RFI) responses or contract modifications due to RFI answers.
- Claims associated with slow shop drawing approval or significant shop drawing approval changes.
- Claims associated with down time, inefficiencies and lost productivity issues resulting from A/E or owner actions.
- Claims associated with stacking of trade and schedule acceleration issues.
- Claims associated with prolonged overtime labor requirements or “over manpower” requests including any stacking of the trades’ issues.
- Claims associated with significant quantity variation from original as bid estimates.
- Claims associated with cancellation or suspension of the work issues.
- Claims associated with scope of work complexity issues.
Steel fabrication & erection experts can also comment on issues stemming from improper erection techniques, including
- OSHA steel erection requirements
- AISC steel erection bracing submittal requirements
Timing
A steel expert is often needed as soon as the initial work begins on the project, as many problems with steel fabrication and erection will manifest themselves when the fabricator and or erector begins its work on the project. If you see signs of steel issues at the start of a project, it is always a good idea to bring in an expert to consult with before the problems get out of hand.