Once upon a time a man built a hut. He employed no architect, hired no builder and entered into no contracts. If it worked, he was happy – if not, he fixed it.
With industrialisation construction becomes an enterprise to be procured by clients who do not themselves build and may not occupy the completed buildings. They may have to borrow to finance and, in some cases, sell projects on concepts and promises long before they are built. To fulfil their undertakings, clients draw from the building trades and professions to form project teams. These teams will be bound by contract, regulated by statute and judged by the written authorities found in ever-evolving codes and standards. This brings with it scope for misunderstanding and sometimes disputes.
