Property developers, construction owners, quantity surveyors, and contractors face many challenges as they navigate through mostly uncharted territory with their projects experiencing mounting risks from the effects of COVID-19. Dr Hendrik Prinsloo, former Senior Lecturer at the Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology of the University of Pretoria, recently published his book entitled Construction Delay Analysis Simplified: A Step-by-Step Guide for the Analysis and Formulation of Delay Claims.
Quantity surveyors will have to deal with increasing risks after Covid-19. Image credit: Homelife.com
Christelle Bown, president of the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors, says the book provides the much-needed guidance the industry is looking for to make sure that delay claim-assessment processes are managed in a way that is fair and transparent to employers and contractors.
“Across the globe, construction projects are impacted by the pandemic in myriad ways including reduced or compromised the availability of materials, slow-downs in production rates, non-availability of specialist resources, site closures where the number of infections is high, and a reduction in the availability of labour due to compromised health workers, among other challenges. Dr Prinsloo’s new book succeeds in simplifying the many complexities associated with the delay claim-assessment process at a time when we need it most,” says Bown.
Dr Prinsloo, who now resides in San Diego, conducted intensive research on delay claims over many years, and this research produced a ground-breaking New Delay Analysis and formation method. The method, which is covered in the book, has been presented at numerous international conferences and is being in several countries. The ASAQS, who has worked closely with Dr Prinsloo over the years, is co-publishing a South African version of the book.
“The book gives guidance on how disputes can be minimised, and it is written in such a way that it can be used for an in-depth study into delays or as a quick reference guide for the assessment or formulation of delay claims. Dr Prinsloo was a panellist on a recent ASAQS webinar about the contractual consequences of COVID-19 and attendees – including myself – were impressed by his knowledge on this topic. We are excited to launch the co-published version of his book to the local built environment,” says Bown, who was invited to write a foreword for the book.
Professor Tinus Maritz, CEO of the Joint Building Contracts Committee (JBCC), who also wrote a foreword for the book, says the book is particularly helpful in how it gives guidance on how delay claims analysis is formulated using the JBCC and FIDIC standard forms of contract.
“Dr Prinsloo’s book ensures that the delays experienced on construction projects, which in most cases might be excusable delays, are dealt with and analysed fairly and transparently. It provides a better understanding of the administration and good practice in this particular area of contracting, and it will undoubtedly be used by many practitioners, clients, contractors, and subcontractors throughout South Africa and its neighbouring countries,” says Maritz.
An industry-wide invitation is open to all, to attend for free, a webinar presented by Dr Hendrik Prinsloo on Construction Delay Analysis from 2:00-5:00 pm on Wednesday the 12th August and repeated on Tuesday the 22nd September 2020. To register for these webinars, please click HERE.
To order your copy, contact Gwen Mlondobozi at the ASAQS on edutech-admin@asaqs.co.za
