When working on a construction project it is important to have a good contract in place. In many cases, a standard form contract can be used to help facilitate communication between the various parties involved with the project. The most commonly used contracts like this are known as AIA contracts. The AIA is the American Institute of Architects, which is the group that came up with various contracts that can be used in a variety of situations.
Types of AIA Contracts
There are multiple different types of AIA contracts that can be used based on the situation. The following are the categories of AIA contracts that can be used:
- A Series Contracts – These are contracts used between the project owner and the contractor(s) involved.
- B Series Contracts – These are designed to be used on agreements between the owner and the architect.
- C Series Contracts – Other agreements that don’t fall in another category will typically use this set of contracts.
- D Series Documents – These are not contracts, but miscellaneous documents that are used in many agreements.
- E Series Documents – The E-Series documents are for digital practice documents that are used in specific situations.
- G Series Forms – This category is for contract administration and/or project management forms.
The AIA is committed to helping contractors, architects, project owners, and others involved in the construction process with the various contracts and other agreements that are needed. Using the AIA contracts can help make it a lot easier and less expensive to insure a construction job has the necessary legal documents in place to protect everyone involved. In addition to these contracts and other documents, the AIA also offers educational materials to help ensure their contracts are used properly. Their training and educational materials can be found on their website, HERE.
Get the Legal Help You Need
While AIA contracts are commonly used for construction projects, that does not mean that an attorney is not needed. Whenever starting a new project it is a good idea to go over the arrangement with an experienced construction law attorney who can help ensure everything is covered. Here at FCLG we can let you know when AIA contracts are going to be sufficient, and in what situations you may need a more customized approach. Please contact us to discuss your next construction project and what type of legal contracts you need. We can also help to enforce existing contracts to ensure your rights are protected.
