Becker & Poliakoff is proud to announce that George Burgess, COO of the firm and co-vice chairman of its Public Private Partnership (P3) Practice Team, has been appointed to serve on the task force created by the state's new P3 legislation....
Isaac is slowly moving and appears to be taking a more westward trajectory. Per the National Hurricane Center: A Hurricane Warning is in effect for: The Florida Keys including the Dry Tortugas, The West Coast of Florida from Bonita Beach southward and Florida Bay. This means that hurricane conditions are expected in these areas and the tropical storm force winds can be expected in 36 hours. A Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Florida East Coast from Golden Beach southward. This means that hurricane conditions are possible (as opposed to expected) within the next 24-36 hours. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for: Inland Collier County, the Florida East Coast from Jupiter Inlet southward and Lake Okeechobee. This means that tropical storm conditions are expected in these areas within 36 hours. A tropical storm watch is in effect for the Florida East Coast north of Jupiter Inlet to Sebastian Inlet. This means that tropical storm conditions...
As of 8AM this morning, the entire state of Florida is in the 5-day projected path for Tropical Storm Isaac. Isaac is predicted to become a hurricane before hitting Cuba. If you want to follow Isaac's path you can go to www.noaa.gov and do so. Although things may change it is always best to be prepared. For individuals this means securing adequate food, water and medication as well as ensuring personal safety along with the safety of loved ones and pets. For Condominium and Homeowner Associations Becker & Poliakoff has a 12-point Hurricane Preparedness Checklist to prepare for Hurricane Isaac: 1. Disaster Plan – If you have a disaster plan be ready to implement it. At a minimum, designate a responsible community member as Disaster Plan Coordinator and another as Information Facilitator to field queries and respond to from community members. These individuals should be outside the impacted areas so that they...
Unfortunately for property owners, manufacturing and workmanship defects are prevalent in the building industry.Such defects not only represent a large cost to Community Associations and homeowners in terms of repairs, but they can also present serious health and safety issues and reduce the value of the property. I am going to identify and address, in a series of postings, some of the building products which have been alleged to be defective, and about which lawsuits have been filed.If your property was constructed with any of these materials, or you have an issue with a different material, it may be in your best interest to contact a professional in order to protect your rights and interests. If you are unsure whether any of these products were utilized in the construction of your home or condominium, it may be necessary to consult any warranty you may have, speak with your property manager or hire...
There are several types of contracts which are used in between owners and contractors. The primary ones are lump sum contracts, unit price contracts, time and materials, construction manager and design-build.
Lump Sum:
A lump sum contract is the most basic agreement between a contractor and owner. The contractor agrees to provide specified services for a specific price. The owner agrees to pay the price upon completion of the work or according to an agreed payment schedule. T lump sum includes the costs of labor and materials and the contractor’s overhead and profit. The benefits of a lump sum contract for the owner are primarily that the costs are known at the outset of the project and the contractor has the risk if additional materials or time is needed.
Unit Price:
In a unit price contract a fixed price is established for each unit of work. A common example for condominium associations is a unit price for cubic feet of concrete repair on a balcony renovation project. This is useful as the price is set for the that unit of work. Like a lump sum contract, the contractor is paid an agreed upon price, regardless of the actual cost to do the work. Unlike a lump sum contract the agreed upon price is usually for a small component of the work and not the entire project so the final cost may not be known at outset since the contract quantities at bid time are only estimates. Any contract for cost plus should require the contractor to keep careful records so as to be able to show quantities.
Time and Materials:
In a time and materials contract the contractor charges an hourly rate for labor, and there can be a certain percentage added to the materials and labor for profit. The perceived benefit for the owner is that they are not paying for any fluff that a contractor may build into the lump sum, and contractors are ensured that they will a fair profit. However, this contract shifts the price risks completely from the contractor to the owner. In the absence of checks and balances for the types of materials used and the actual time spent, including a guaranteed maximum price the owner could be giving the contractor a blank check.