Despite widespread owner dissatisfaction with American Institute of Architects (AIA) forms, they are commonly used, particularly on small repair and renovation projects. Because of this, we are often asked what are our basic objections to the frequently used B101 (Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Architect) and A107 (Standard Form of Agreement Between Owner and Contractor for a Project of Limited Scope) forms. What follows are simplified bullet point lists of our objections to these forms and our suggestions for modification.
The B101 Form
The B101 agreement is a standard form of agreement between owner and architect that covers both building design and construction administration. Services are divided into basic services (schematic design, design development, construction documents, bidding or negotiation, and construction) and additional services. The agreement may be used with a variety of compensation methods, including percentage of construction cost and stipulated sums. Nevertheless, this form of agreement is architect-friendly and should be revised with the following considerations:
