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Construction glossary

What is a Release?

In the construction industry, a release is a legal instrument that acts to terminate any legal liability between the releasor and the releasee, signed by the releasor. It is often used to settle disputes or claims, with one party agreeing to release the other from any existing obligations, responsibility or further legal action in return for a negotiated compensation. It may also refer to a point in a construction project where work is considered complete to a given level, allowing for payment or the transfer of responsibility to the next party involved in the process.

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Other construction terms

Overhead Allocation

What is Overhead Allocation?

Overhead Allocation in the construction industry refers to the process of distributing indirect costs or overheads related to a project, amongst the various direct cost items within the project. This process allows all associated project costs to be accurately reflected, providing a holistic understanding of a project's total expenses. Overhead costs could include equipment rents, electricity, insurance costs, etc. The allocation can be based on certain criteria like the rate of resource consumption. It's a fundamental aspect of financial management, allowing the accurate pricing of projects, assisting in budgeting, and providing key insights that can guide decision-making.

Underbillings

What is Underbilling?

Underbilling refers to a scenario in the construction industry where the actual costs incurred on a project surpass the billed amount for a specific time period. Often occurring unintentionally due to unexpected cost variations, it results in a deficit situation for the contractor. It is essentially an imbalance where the contractor has delivered more work or materials than they have billed the client for. Underbilling can strain cash flow and disrupt project schedules if not addressed promptly. While this might prove beneficial to the client in the short term, contractors need to ensure that they identify and rectify underbilling to maintain project profitability and financial stability.

Back Charges

What are Back Charges?

Back Charges are bills sent to subcontractors or vendors for unforeseen work that a general contractor or project manager had to complete on their behalf within the construction industry. This generally occurs when the subcontractor or vendor fails to complete their work scope to the specified standards, misses deadlines, or omits parts of their contracted responsibilities, and someone else must step in to rectify the issue. Therefore, the party who had to complete or redo the work sends 'back charges' to the original contractor, expecting reimbursement for labor, services, materials, or other costs involved in the completion of the task. They serve as a form of financial protection for the companies against contractual breaches in the construction projects.

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