Architect's certification in housing sale and purchase agreement

Abstract

In the course of administering a Building Contract or Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA), the architect is required to issue numerous successive progress certificates to the developer (employer) and contractor for the purpose of verifying that a calculated value and compliant quality of work has been achieved. This based on correctly documenting the various stages of works, decision and action taken during the contract implementation stage. The architect is empowered under the SPA and Building Contract to issue certain certificates which are authoritative in nature. For example, certify progress claims for payment to allow the contractor to claim from the developer and to certify payment for developer to claim from the housing purchaser the certified amount of money. Each type of certificate is issued for a very specific reason and the issuance of each has implications of which the architect responsible must be fully aware of. This paper discusses specifically the various certification aspects.