Who is typically responsible for verifying the contractor’s schedule of values?

The architect, in their role as the administrator of the construction contract, is typically responsible for reviewing the contractor's schedule of values. This schedule serves as the basis for all subsequent applications for payment. The architect must verify that the schedule is balanced, meaning the values allocated to various portions of the work are reasonable and proportional to the contract sum. This review is a critical step to prevent "front-loading," where a contractor overvalues early construction activities, and to ensure that payments certified by the architect accurately reflect the value of work completed.

A. Owner: The owner ultimately pays the contractor but relies on the architect's professional expertise to review and certify the technical accuracy and fairness of payment requests.

C. Contractor’s project manager: The contractor's project manager is responsible for preparing and submitting the schedule of values, not for independently verifying it on behalf of the owner.

D. Construction manager: While a Construction Manager as Advisor (CMa) may assist in the review, the architect typically retains the primary responsibility for certification in standard contract forms.

1. AIA Document A201-2017, General Conditions of the Contract for Construction. Section 9.2, "Schedule of Values," requires the contractor to submit the schedule to the architect. Section 9.4.1 states the architect will review the contractor's Application for Payment, which is based on the schedule of values, before issuing a Certificate for Payment.

2. The American Institute of Architects, The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 15th Edition. Chapter 10, "Construction Contract Administration," Section 10.2, details the architect's role in reviewing and processing contractor payment applications, which begins with the review of the schedule of values to ensure it is properly balanced.

3. Demkin, J. A. (Ed.). (2008). The Architect's Handbook of Professional Practice, 14th Edition. John Wiley & Sons. In the section on Construction Administration (Chapter 1.10, page 728), it states, "The architect reviews this schedule [of values] to see that the values are reasonable for the work they represent."

4. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, School of Architecture. (Courseware for ARCH 576: Architectural Practice). Lecture materials on Construction Administration specify that the architect's review of the first pay application includes a thorough analysis of the schedule of values to ensure it is not unbalanced or "front-loaded."