The days of a simple handshake holding the various parties involved in a project nowadays belong to a bygone era. In the building industry, in particular, entering any contract - small or large - without a formal contract is a recipe for disaster, says Uwe Putlitz, CEO of the Joint Buildling Contracts Committee.

"A building or construction contract is a binding agreement between the employer for the building project and the building contractor and sub-contractors responsible for carrying out the construction work. JBCC has developed and authored a comprehensive suite of building contracts, meticulously drafted to comply to South African conditions and legislation, and to ensure equitable distribution of contractual risk," Putlitz explained. JBCC is a non-profit company which represents building owners and developers, professional consultants, and general and specialist contractors who provide input for the compilation of JBCC documents that portray the consensus view of the constituent members. 

JBCC documents  carry Construction Industry Development Board approval. JBCC will stage two seminars on the Principal Building Agreement and Nominated/Selected Subcontract agreement in Gauteng later this year. The seminars will be presented from 8am to 4.30pm on September 7 at the Johannesburg Country Club in Auckland Park, and October 25 at Bytes Conference Centre in Midrand. Each will earn delegates a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) point.

The interactive seminars will deal with the various agreements and application of the contracts and supporting forms as a contract administration tool. The target audience includes principal agents, project managers, architects, quantity surveyors, engineers, building contractors and subcontractors, employers, building owners and developers  and procurement officers. It is also aimed at project finance providers and legal advisors. The programme will cover various facets of contracts, the role and appointment  of sub-contractors, the execution and completion of works, final accounts and payments, insurances, securities, suspension, termination, as well as dispute prevention and resolution.

"The training will provide  delegates with  a working knowledge of all JBCC agreements and forms, the competent administration of agreements, and knowledge on how to maximise productivity, and minimise claims for delays as well as the cost of programme overruns," Putlitz stated.

Putlitz, who will present the seminar, is a qualified architect and project manager with diplomas in financial and  project management obtained from the University of the Witwatersrand where he has lectured part-time and acted as external examiner. His career has included work at several architectural practices, and serving as 'client's representative' for Phase 2 of the SABC TV Centre in Auckland Park, and various healthcare, as well as leisure and retail and industrial premises. He was part of the professional team for the Gautrain Hatfield Station and has conducted a wide range of feasility studies for the construction industry.

More information about the seminar can be obtained by phoning 011 482 3102 or emailing info@jbcc.co.za or visiting the website www.jbcc.co.za The training will also be presented in East London (August 17), Port Elizabeth (August 18), Cape Town (October  19), and Durban (November 9).