CRC Construction Management & Project Planning 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A subcontractor fails to meet a project milestone, causing a 10-day delay. The general contractor incurs additional supervision costs. What type of damages would the GC likely seek?
- Liquidated damages
- Consequential damages (Correct answer)
- Punitive damages
- Nominal damages
Correct answer: Consequential damages
Consequential damages (also called special damages) compensate for losses that result indirectly from a breach, such as additional supervision costs caused by a delay.
Question 2: On a residential project, the contractor identifies a potential conflict between the architectural drawings and the structural engineer's specifications. What is the proper course of action?
- Follow the drawings since they are more detailed
- Follow the specifications since they take precedence
- Issue a Request for Information (RFI) to the design team (Correct answer)
- Proceed with whichever interpretation is less expensive
Correct answer: Issue a Request for Information (RFI) to the design team
An RFI (Request for Information) is the proper formal channel to resolve conflicts or ambiguities between project documents before proceeding.
Question 3: Which scheduling technique involves overlapping project phases that were originally planned sequentially to compress the project timeline?
- Resource leveling
- Schedule crashing
- Fast-tracking (Correct answer)
- Milestone scheduling
Correct answer: Fast-tracking
Fast-tracking compresses the schedule by performing activities in parallel that were originally planned sequentially, increasing risk.
Question 4: A contractor is planning a custom home build and needs to identify long-lead items early. Which procurement item typically requires the longest lead time on residential projects?
- Drywall and insulation
- Standard interior doors
- Custom windows and exterior doors (Correct answer)
- Standard plumbing fixtures
Correct answer: Custom windows and exterior doors
Custom windows and exterior doors are fabricated to specification and often require 8–16+ weeks of lead time, making early procurement critical.
Question 5: A contractor uses a 'look-ahead schedule' on a residential project. What is the typical time horizon for a look-ahead schedule?
- 1 year
- 6 months
- 3–6 weeks (Correct answer)
- The entire project duration
Correct answer: 3–6 weeks
Look-ahead schedules (also called short-interval schedules) typically cover 3–6 weeks and focus on near-term work to identify constraints in advance.
Question 6: A residential contractor is considering adding scope to an existing contract. What document formalizes changes to the original contract scope, schedule, and price?
- A Request for Information (RFI)
- A submittal log entry
- A change order (Correct answer)
- A punch list item
Correct answer: A change order
A change order is the formal contract document that authorizes modifications to the original scope, schedule, and/or contract price.
Question 7: During a residential project, the contractor discovers soil conditions that differ materially from what was represented in the contract documents. This scenario is known as a:
- Force majeure event
- Differing site condition (Correct answer)
- Consequential loss
- Scope gap
Correct answer: Differing site condition
A differing site condition (also called changed conditions) occurs when actual site conditions differ materially from what was indicated in contract documents, entitling the contractor to an adjustment.
CRC Construction Management & Project Planning 3
A subcontractor fails to meet a project milestone, causing a 10-day delay.
The general contractor incurs additional supervision costs.
What type of damages would the GC likely seek?