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Best Practice: Differing Site Conditions Are an Owner Risk Before They Become a Contractor Claim
I was recently contacted about a site in Philadelphia. The owner had purchased a corner lot at a prominent intersection. The site had clearly been developed before. In its current condition, it had a large concrete pad and two dilapidated buildings connected to each other. The owner’s plan was simple. Demolish what is there and…
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Commentary: Proactive Contract Writing Prevents Construction Problems Before They Become Claims
Over coffee the other morning, I was reading this Lexology article on data centre disputes: “Dispute resolution in data centre projects: Proactive strategies for a high-stakes environment”. It is written from a legal perspective. But the owner-side lesson is broader. Disputes do not usually begin when lawyers get involved. They begin much earlier, when project…
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Industry Watch: How CCDC 5B-2025 Signals a More Modern and Collaborative Construction Contract
I’ve spent years treating pre-construction as its own phase of work. On many projects, that simple distinction improved clarity, reduced friction, and strengthened owner–contractor relationships. So when I reviewed the 2025 update to CCDC 5B, I recognized familiar territory. Many of the contract revisions reflect practices I’ve used for a long time. They aren’t perfect,…