Page 113 - Civil Engineering Project Management, Fourth Edition

Civil Engineering Project Management
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• Examining all claims from the contractor, preparing data relevant to such
claims, sending to the contractor an initial response to every such claim.
• Reviewing dayworks sheets, increase of prices, and all other matters requir-
ing accountancy checking.
• Checking the design of contractor’s temporary works for compliance with
safety regulations and satisfactory construction of permanent works.
• Acting as the engineer’s Safety Supervisor on site (see Section 9.6).
• Reporting on all the foregoing to the engineer in the form he requires.
9.4 Some common problems

The following are typical of some common problems the resident engineer –
frequently referred to as ‘the RE’ below – may have to deal with.
1. The contractor will not undertake some variation of the work the RE orders
unless he receives a VO signed by the engineer in advance. This usually
means the contractor wants to know in advance what he will be paid for the
varied work. In most cases the RE should have enough experience to advise
how the varied work will be paid for. The contractor is, however obliged to
carry out such work as instructed and the engineer will have to issue a VO
stating the pay rates to be applied as determined by the contract.
2. The contractor claims that the RE’s clarification of the details of some work
varies that work and entitles him to extra payment, but the RE decides no
payment should be made. If the contractor continues in his claim, the RE
should forward it to the engineer with details, forewarning the contractor
that if the engineer agrees no payment is due, the contractor will have to
decide if he will take the matter to adjudication.
3. The RE approves some material, workmanship or method of working
of the contractor, but later finds the engineer thinks the RE’s approval was
wrong. If the error is one which the engineer feels he must rectify, he must
do so by negotiation with the contractor, if necessary agreeing some extra
payment to the contractor for abortive work. But, if the engineer suspects
the contractor has taken advantage of the RE’s failure to appreciate the con-
sequences of the contractor’s proposal, or has concealed such consequences
from the RE, he may decide to countermand the resident RE’s decision
without agreeing any recompense to the contractor.
4. A problem frequently occurring is when the RE has to consider whether
some excavation for a foundation has reached satisfactory foundation mater-
ial. The problem can be compounded by the fact that to refer it to the engin-
eer may cause a delay to the job, giving the contractor reason to make a
delay claim. But, if the RE is in doubt as to whether the material is satisfac-
tory he must refer the matter to the engineer (or his geotechnical adviser).
However, the RE should have foreseen the problem and taken steps in good
time to investigate what the ground conditions are likely to be, either by