Civil Engineering Project Management (4th Edition)

If an instruction does not vary the works or does not entitle the contractor to
varied or additional payment, this should be stated. If the instruction does
vary the works, a statement should be added indicating how it is to valued: for
example, at dayworks rates; or bill rates; or at varied rates to be proposed by the
engineer. If payment rates will have to be discussed with the contractor, the note
can simply say ‘at rates to be agreed’. A copy of each instruction must be kept
on file. They can be handwritten.
There is no need to issue an instruction to the contractor if, for instance,
an inspector or assistant engineer finds some formwork out of line and orally
requests it to be corrected. Matters requiring compliance with the workmanship
specified are only oral restatements of the contract requirements. If any such
oral request results in a CVI from the contractor which implies a claim will be
submitted for extra payment, the CVI should be promptly countermanded by
a formal letter, rejecting any basis of claim.
Dimensions given orally should, for clarity, be confirmed by a written memo.
13.4 Register of drawings
Drawing registers are required:
• one should be for ‘Drawings Received’ logging – title; reference; who from;
date received; size and type; how many copies received;
• the other should be for ‘Site Drawings’, that is, drawings made on site,
logging – consecutive site reference number; subject/title; size and type;
to whom copies sent and when.
Logging size and type of drawing is useful when trying to find a drawing.
13.5 Daily and other progress records
The resident engineer’s office records 147
The principal records that have to be kept in this category are:
• the inspectors’ daily returns;
• the site diary and weather records;
• the RE’s diary;
• weekly and monthly progress records;
• progress charts (these are dealt with in Chapter 14).
The inspectors’ daily returns are a vital record. If no inspectors are
employed, then each assistant engineer should complete a data form for his
own section. If the RE is on his own he should endeavour to keep the necessary
log going himself. A typical inspector’s return is shown in Fig. 13.1. The
sheet is purposely simple because it hopes to encourage the inspector to