“Quantity Surveying BSc Defective Work Scenario 3. During a site inspection of a new hotel complex the architect expressed dissatisfaction at the standard of workmanship on the feature brickwork boundary walls fronting onto the main road. He issued the contractor with a written instruction to demolish the unsatisfactory work and re-execute it. The contractor refuses to carry out the work unless he receives payment for what he considers to be additional work. He states that the boundary walls had been completed six months ago, the architect had driven by them numerous times without any comment and the work had been included in previous interim valuations and certificates which confirmed that both the quantity surveyor and architect must have been satisfied with the work. Also the clerk of works had never expressed any dissatisfaction with the quality of the work. Discuss.”

In respect of quality standards that must meet the architects reasonable satisfaction and with which he is dissatisfied, clause 3.20 requires the architect to express any dissatisfaction within a reasonable time from execution of the unsatisfactory work.  (Note though that this clause has no relevance where workmanship, materials or goods have been fully described in the contract documents or where no standards have been specified). Our scenario tells us that the architect has had six months to identify and give instruction to remedy the wall, but we need to know is six months reasonable? Has the Architect missed the opportunity to express his dissatisfaction? There is speculation as to what may be considered a reasonable time for the architect to express his dissatisfaction. If no agreement can be reached between the parties, as to the timing of the notification, the dispute may b…(short extract)