Regardless of the size and type of construction project being considered, there must be a framework in place that defines the roles, responsibilities, and “work” to be undertaken by a contractor, their employees, and all those connected to the project. The creation of contractual documents provides the basis for the undertakings of owners, contractors, subcontractors, and workers in their quest to deliver the product in an orderly and trackable fashion that is also legally binding. This section will concentrate of the description of the contractual documents involved in residential, commercial, and institutional construction, with a focus on requirements specific to British Columbia.

Some Helpful Acronyms

In British Columbia, there are several associations that can be accessed for guidance through the construction process. Some of them and their acronyms are:

• BCCA – British Columbia Construction Association
• CCA – Canadian Construction Association
• AIBC – Architectural Institute of British Columbia
• ACEC – Association of Consulting Engineering Companies of British Columbia
• CCDC – Canadian Construction Documents Committee
• BCDC – British Columbia Documents Committee
• SAC – Surety Association of Canada
• CSI – Construction Specifications Institute
• CSC – Construction Specifications Canada

Although the focus of the associations listed above leans toward commercial and industrial projects, the information within them can be applied to residential installations as well. On a residential construction level, the two associations that can provide additional information and guidance are:

• CHBA – Canadian Home Builders’ Association, and
• CHBA BC – Canadian Home Builders’ Association of British Columbia