To Sub or Not to Sub

Posted by & filed under BDP Blog.

March 14, 2023

To sub or not to sub, that is the question.

Should a firm retain a subconsultant that flows through them on a project, or should a firm let the owner directly retain the other design professional?

It’s probably not the first time that an architect or engineer has seen this question posed, nor will it be the last.

I raise this question not because it is an exciting topic, but because it is a very relevant claim scenario that I have seen time and time again.

Here are some things to think about:

  • Has your client considered what it would do if its subconsultant stopped responding to phone calls or emails?
  • What would happen if the subconsultant simply shut its doors without notice to your client in the middle of a project?

I know that a firm would not think this scenario would happen to them, especially if the subconsultant is a firm that your client has worked with in the past and has a good relationship with. But it happens.

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Free Webinar: Pre-Construction Services: Cure or Curse?

Posted by & filed under Events.

Presented by:
David A. Ericksen, Esq., Attorney at Law, Collins + Collins
Andrew D. Mendelson, FAIA, Executive Vice President, Chief Risk Management Officer, Berkley Design Professional

Thursday, December, 8, 2022
10:00 a.m. Pacific Time/1:00 p.m. Eastern Time
Submitted for AIA CES Approval
1.5 RCEP Professional Development Hours

Berkley DP policyholders who participate in this program can qualify for a 15% Risk Management Education credit. Contact your agent for further information*

This webinar has been recorded and is available on demand for Berkley Design Professional policyholders and our appointed agents and brokers on the BDP Risk® Learning Management System.

bdp Risk® lms login

Third-party review and comment on any design professional’s work product can be uncomfortable. It exposes the design to critique, second guessing, and “alternative” views. However, it can also validate and improve the design before any deficiencies lead to economic harm and consequences. Drawn from real-life cases in the media and courts, this program will highlight the potential risk and risk management opportunities emerging from third-party pre-construction design review by other design professionals, contractors, and construction managers. In addition, it will offer corresponding strategies to help you successfully engage in those processes as the designer or the reviewer.

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