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Details Matter!
24 May 2004 | Link | by John A. Herbert
Communication is a vital element of every construction project, ensuring that all
parties understand one another avoids misunderstanding and reduces the potential for delay
and dispute. Where a thousand words cannot communicate the goal, one robust detail drawing
clearly demonstrates the requirement. Their importance cannot be understated, in fact
companies have been formed just providing construction details.
Design lives in the details, over the years Kelcroft has compiled thousands (about
5036) of tried and tested CAD engineering details, ready for execution, ensuring rapid
design development and deployment. A robust library reduces production time by nearly 50%,
saving valuable time and expense.
Is Detailing Important?
Why detailing is critical for successful projects:
Quality, Quality, Quality
It may seem obvious, but continuously reinventing the wheel for every project is a time
consuming, wastes valuable resources, introduces opportunities for error and slows the
development cycle. Robust details can be incorporated into any construction documentation
speeding delivery and assuring quality.
Of course, details must be rigorously checked and pre-approved before included in any
detail library, preferring that electronic versions are designated read-only. It is
important to remember that every detail library must be maintained, a collection of
details ten years old is more than useless, organisations need effective protocols to
manage this valuable asset.
Kelcroft's approach, every month, one section is reviewed. This ensures that revised
regulations are reflected. In addition, post-project analysis identifies potential
candidates for entry into the library. A sample detail (1page /PDF/36k) from our library.
Intellectual Property
Whilst on the subject of details, I just received another inquiry regarding copyright, therefore a few words regarding ownership and intellectual property are pertinent.
Judging from the increasing inquiries, there is certainly an increased awareness regarding intellectual property. Most agreements contain reference to copyright matters. Actually, the clause is not necessary because ownership and copyright is automatically vested with the creator (or creators employer) whether or not it is detailed in the Agreement.
Copyright and ownership is automatically vested with the creator
Initially, I found that it's inclusion often drew demands for copyright assignment,
ownership or indemnification for the design team. Often buyers believe that since they are
paying for the design services, they are entitled to own the copyright too, this is not
the case. Like software, and other creative endeavours copyright belongs to the creator.
Assignment would prevent using detailing across multiple projects, increasing time and
expense, and technically preventing us doing our job, no assignment is not the answer.
The solution is rather simple, the creator may “License” individuals and
organisations to duplicate construction documentation for the execution of the specific
project, protecting both parties.
Conclusions
Of course, detailing cannot solve every problem, there are NO standard buildings. However, robust details help speed delivery of quality projects, reduce costs for owners.