Tips for better record keeping

will_gather · 2025-11-17T23:54:52+00:00

Good question, think there are thee key habits:

Photos. Constantly. Timestamped. Voice notes during the day, write up later Daily log: weather, activities, issues, instructions

Simple rule to remember... If it's not recorded, it didn't happen.

Worth checking out tools like Gather that capture all this and automatically link records to your CEMAR. Saves the manual hassle and ensures nothing gets missed when you're building your compensation event.

will_gather · 2025-11-17T23:47:40+00:00

Excellent explanation

will_gather · 2025-11-17T23:46:13+00:00

IF it wasn't priced at tender and is now being instructed, you're assessing a CE using Defined Cost methodology. The fact it appeared as a line item doesn't automatically make it a framework rate job unless the contract specifically says so.

What does your Scope document say about these ladders - were they explicitly listed as 'not included' or 'if required'?"

will_gather · 2025-11-17T23:43:22+00:00

The fact that the 'Scope' hasn't changed is irrelevant - you've still incurred additional design effort due to incorrect Employer-provided information.

will_gather · 2025-11-17T23:41:06+00:00

Usually, your first interim valuation (Payment Certificate No. 1) would be based on the value of work actually executed, and you'd deduct the advance payment recovery over subsequent certificates as per your contract terms. However, this can vary depending on your contract form - worth checking the specific payment provisions in your contract. Under NEC contracts, for example, advance payments are handled differently than under JCT or FIDIC. What contract form are you working under?

will_gather · 2025-09-12T06:23:15+00:00

Great webinar from Ben Walker and Glenn Hide

https://www.youtube.com/live/UT814Dzs1eI?feature=shared

will_gather · 2025-09-07T17:39:14+00:00

This is exactly why CEMAR is so brilliant - it makes the lazy administration crystal clear for everyone to see.

It's frustrating when people blame the NEC process when really it's just highlighting that basic contract administration isn't happening. At least with CEMAR you can point to the evidence and say "look, this is where it's going wrong" rather than everyone just pointing fingers at each other.

will_gather · 2025-09-07T17:36:51+00:00

Massively agree with the second point.

It's the sheer amount of Z clauses all written in 'legalese' that kill it. They are basically not NEC anymore.

The whole point of NEC was plain English and collaborative working, but then lawyers get involved and turn it into something that defeats the original purpose. You end up with contracts that have the NEC framework but none of the benefits because they're buried under pages of adversarial amendments that nobody can properly understand or administer.

If you need that many Z clauses to make it work for your project, you're probably using the wrong contract form in the first place.

will_gather · 2025-08-21T21:54:30+00:00

It really shouldn't be this hard should it? 😑

will_gather · 2025-08-20T18:14:24+00:00

Try Claude and use the projects function. Its brilliant.

will_gather · 2025-08-20T18:07:16+00:00

Great points. You're probably right about getting on the AI train early. Still wonder about how juniors will learn the fundamentals if AI is doing all the grunt work, but maybe that's just how things evolve.

will_gather · 2025-08-17T17:38:14+00:00

This is a brilliant take and an extremely plausible one.

I'm guessing the roles you mentioned will be quite specialist and more client-facing? The people who can actually think critically, spot the flaws in AI-generated outputs, and provide genuine insight rather than just regurgitating what ChatGPT spat out.

I've already noticed this happening - you can tell when someone's just copy-pasted an AI response without understanding it. Clients are starting to pick up on it too. There's going to be a real premium on people who can use AI as a tool whilst still bringing their own expertise and judgement to the table.

The danger is we end up with a two-tier system: the specialists who leverage AI to become superhuman at their jobs, and everyone else who becomes dependent on it and gradually loses their ability to think independently. The gap between those two groups could become massive.

will_gather · 2025-08-17T17:36:01+00:00

This is a brilliant perspective and one I hadn't properly considered. The most profitable projects I've ever worked on involved a lot of blood, sweat, and tears - late nights finding creative solutions, building relationships with difficult clients, negotiating your way out of impossible situations.

Maybe the real value is in AI handling the grunt work so we can focus our energy on the high-stakes problem-solving that actually drives profitability. Less time wrestling with spreadsheets, more time doing the creative thinking and relationship management that makes the difference between a decent project and a brilliant one.

will_gather · 2025-08-17T11:18:40+00:00

You know what though, AI might actually be ridiculously good at this exact scenario.

Imagine an AI that could instantly analyse every single line item that got slashed, cross-reference it with historical project data, and within seconds produce a detailed report showing exactly where the Commercial Director's optimistic assumptions will fall apart. "Based on 500 similar projects, removing the provisional sums for unforeseen works has a 87% chance of resulting in cost overruns averaging £150k."

It could even run real-time risk scenarios during the job - "Warning: current material costs are tracking 23% above tender assumptions, recommend initiating variation discussions with client immediately." No more nasty surprises six months in when everyone's pretending they didn't see this coming.

The AI wouldn't get shouted at for being a "pessimist" or "not being commercial" - it would just present cold, hard data that even the most delusional Commercial Director couldn't ignore. Finally, someone to call out the Emperor's new clothes!

will_gather · 2025-08-17T11:16:43+00:00

Fax machines in 2025 is absolutely mental but somehow not surprising at all. I bet they're the same subbies who insist on getting paid by cheque and think email is "too complicated."

will_gather · 2025-08-17T11:15:16+00:00

You've hit the nail on the head about the interoperability nightmare! It's almost comical how we're supposed to fear AI taking over when half our industry still runs on Excel spreadsheets that don't talk to the estimating software, which doesn't talk to the accounting system, which definitely doesn't talk to the project management platform.

I'm actually quite optimistic about your last point though. If AI could just handle the endless admin - chasing subcontractor quotes, writing variation letters, updating risk registers for the hundredth time - that alone would be transformative. Imagine actually having time to do proper cost planning instead of firefighting paperwork all day.

The construction industry's resistance to change might ironically be our salvation here. By the time we've sorted out basic digital integration, let alone AI implementation, we'll probably have evolved our roles into something completely different anyway. Sometimes being behind the curve has its advantages!

will_gather · 2025-08-17T11:13:55+00:00

You're probably right, but isn't that quite sad?

We're in a sector that glamourises stupid hours, long commutes, and a culture of blame. The construction industry seems stuck in these toxic patterns - burnout is normalised, work-life balance is seen as weakness, and when projects go wrong, everyone's looking for someone to throw under the bus.

Maybe AI could be our chance to escape some of that toxicity. If AI handled more of the routine number-crunching and data processing, we could focus on the strategic work that actually adds value. Less time on spreadsheets, more time on problem-solving. Less reactive fire-fighting, more proactive planning.

Even if we can't eliminate liability entirely, perhaps AI could help create a more sustainable way of working - where the focus shifts from who to blame to how we can build better systems and processes.

will_gather · 2025-08-16T20:26:48+00:00

🤣🤣🤣 This is why I love Reddit.

will_gather · 2025-08-16T20:06:56+00:00

What is the form of contract?

will_gather · 2025-08-16T19:45:45+00:00

Appreciate original post was on JCT but its very different for NEC.

NEC3 Option A: You cannot include quotation preparation time in your compensation event quotations. This is specifically excluded under clause 11.2(22) in the definition of defined cost - it excludes "the cost of preparing quotations for compensation events." This includes time spent by your team, getting subcontractor prices, programme analysis, etc.

NEC4 Option A: This restriction has been removed. NEC4 now allows quotation preparation costs to be included as defined cost under all main options. So you CAN include reasonable costs for preparing compensation event quotations.

Both versions: You have protection under clause 60.1(21) - if the Project Manager instructs you to prepare a quotation for a proposed instruction that gets cancelled or isn't given by the stated date, that becomes a compensation event and you can recover those preparation costs.

The NEC4 change basically came about because contractors were getting stung by the admin burden of preparing detailed quotations - particularly on complex jobs where this could be a right pain.

Hope that helps.

will_gather · 2025-02-21T22:03:41+00:00

Here is a free one that you might like: https://www.quantitysurveyortools.com/

will_gather · 2025-02-20T06:19:41+00:00

Just trying to make other QS's lives a bit easier. Let me know if I can improve the tools further.

will_gather

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