Construction Bid
If the lowest bid from Contractor is over the Owner's budget during the bidding phase, Is the Architect required to adjust scope, quality or design of construction documents at no additional fee? Is there a max percentage of the bid construction that would require this? i.e. if lowest bid is are10% or less over owner's budget, Is the Architect required to adjust construction documents at no additional architecture design fee?
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This is a question straight out of the AIA contract, you can use a simple search function to find the answer in owner-architect agreement.
Learning how to search will help you in real ARE exams too.
Gang Chen, Author, AIA, LEED AP BD+C (GreenExamEducation.com)
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Ronald Martin
I hope you found the answer in AIA contract using the search function as Gang Chen suggested.
AIA contracts do not specify the exact percentage excess, which would require the Architect to adjust the project program, scope, or quality for free. It spells out a more nuanced approach.
§ 6.7 of B101 contract states that if the Architect's Cost Estimation is below the lowest responsive bid and the Architect couldn't reasonably anticipate unusual market conditions, then the Owner shall pay for a redesign as an Additional Service. But if market conditions were steady and do not give an Architect an excuse to be wrong with the Cost Estimate, then such normal market conditions remove the basis for the Architect to ask for Additional Services.
If I would encounter a similar question on the exam I would be looking out for any mention of market condition. If the market conditions are normal then Architect should redesign for free. If the market conditions are abnormal Architect can ask for Additional Services to revise Construction Documents.
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