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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Rod Bickerton "<FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3>The prime contractor is where the buck stops."</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>Sorry, Rod,
you're not having a good day. That can't be right. A contractor would be at
fault if he failed to adhere to the specification prepared by a supervising
architect. If, where there has been discussion, an architect fails to accept
alternative advice and insists on an unsatisfactory specification - and is aware
of the risk of failure or problems - then the architect should be held to
blame.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>It's high time
an aggreived parish tested the professional indemnity cover of architects who
behave like this. The trouble is, nobody wants the fuss - and litigation is
always expensive - but let's be clear that architects can't claim fees and walk
away scott free with no liability in cases such as these where "things go wrong"
and alternative practical advice has been ignored or brushed
aside.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>I can't say, of
course, how far these principles apply at Kings Lynn - I have not first-hand
knowledge of the job - and these are general observations on liability rather
than specific ones (ooh, is there a lawyer lurking somewhere nearby to urge such
caution?). But I did hear from an informed source (other than the contractor)
that the specification was unsatisfactory with regard to the foundation girders
and that several people had tried to sort this out before the job went
ahead.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>The unmentioned
tragedy here is what Norman Harding - whose estate went a long way towards
paying for the job - would have thought of it all. He just wanted his bells
rehung properly</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman"
size=3></FONT></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><FONT face="Times New Roman" size=3>CP</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV></FONT>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=roderic.bickerton@uebriZQhbgR5_Q8v0IEmWV1lvyJQfjHRWtjqjARbRY_EkKhQfUExPNsGFZdA9MzZri6u5qvAyrp0iZfZXiasA0qss6xzdLkCYjLp3Oc.yahoo.invalid
href="mailto:roderic.bickerton@FWk__yh9O4DCTEu8BcCx62eQhpFolOtka-6Ejwy8SwO7JHLCKI65Kpt8lHXaSZ-7S-lhavUHKx6nXtqX9_vKPbQQ34ErWWo.yahoo.invalid">Bickerton, Roderic K (SELEX)
(UK)</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
title=bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com
href="mailto:bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com">bellhistorians@yahoogroups.com</A>
</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Friday, February 23, 2007 6:42
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> RE: [Bell Historians] Steelwork
into masonary</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV id=ygrp-text>
<P><BR>Surly Bell contracts are like any other multi skill contract.<BR>The
contract is owned by the prime contractor and what ever goes wrong<BR>is
ultimately his responsibility. The prime contractor is where the
buck<BR>stops.<BR>That is fair, he is not forced to accept a contract if he is
not happy<BR>with it. He can price it to cover any "reservations" he may
have.<BR><BR><BR>"As in most professions, there is a range of abilities, for
want of a<BR>better word, in the world of the architect. There are those
whose<BR>opinion and recommendations you would trust entirely and also those
who<BR>insist on their own way irrespective of best practice and the advice
of<BR>the trade. King's Lynn and Kevedon fall into the latter
category.<BR><BR>What do you do? It is inevitable and understandable that the
bellhanger<BR>is the one that gets the blame but we are not the ones with
letters<BR>after our name taking the fees for our advice!<BR><BR>Andrew Higson
<BR>Taylors Eayre and Smith Ltd <BR>The Bellfoundry <BR>Freehold Street
<BR>Loughborough <BR>LE11 1AR <BR>Telephone: 01509 212241 Fax: 01509 263305
<BR>Registered in England No. 1352309
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