CAI-NJ Dec. 2018 (w)

prior community association work, whether they are a certified installer, how they handle subcontracted work, how they manage supervision of the work, the geographic area they ser- vice, etc. It is critically important that the contractor be responsive and be able to provide quality service in the timeline required. What does contractual transfer of liability mean? Contractual transfer of liability is when you enter into a contract that will transfer the community association’s legal responsibility for any loss. Why does this matter? It matters because the preparer of the specifica- tion or bid document is liable for the method of repair or replacement pre- scribed – whether it is the property man- ager, the contractor or the engineering professional. This concept continues to apply to inspection oversight for the contracted work. The engineering team provides oversight throughout the con- struction process to review for general conformance to the design specifica- tion. They will attend preconstruction meetings, evaluate the progress of the work, prepare reports, prepare punch lists, inventory additional materials used beyond the base bid, and approve contractor invoices. In closing, the goal of this course was to empower the property man- ager to feel comfortable with a set of plan specifications, to understand why a bid package is important, to edu- cate their boards on the importance of utilizing a qualified contractor, and most importantly — to make sure they do not make decisions that transfers liability to them and their management company. Please remember to utilize your professionals as a resource! n

Tavarious Butts, VP, Relationship Manager 703-284-0561 • Tavarious.Butts@BBandT.com

Branch Banking and Trust Company is a Member FDIC and an Equal Housing Lender. © 2018, Branch Banking and Trust Company. All rights reserved.

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