Which phase involves site visits, responding to RFI's, and ensuring the built work complies with the project documents?

• A. Schematic design
• B. Design development
• C. Construction documents
• D. Construction administration

Answer: (D)

Construction administration is the phase where the design team actively oversees the project during construction, conducting site visits to observe progress and quality, responding to RFIs to clarify design intent, and verifying that the finished work complies with the project documents. Site visits allow inspectors to confirm that installations match the drawings and specifications in the field. RFIs (requests for information) provide a formal way for contractors to seek clarifications, which the design team answers to prevent misinterpretations from becoming problems. Ensuring compliance means checking that workmanship, materials, and installations align with the contract documents, coordinating with contractors and consultants, and managing any needed changes through submittals, addenda, or change orders. The earlier phases focus on planning, defining, and detailing the design, while the construction documents phase provides the detailed drawings and specs for bidding and construction rather than ongoing field oversight.