Clerk of works

The Clerk of Works (or Clerk of the Works), often abbreviated CoW, is employed by an architect or a client on a construction site. The role is primarily to represent the interests of the client in regard to ensuring that the quality of both materials and workmanship are in accordance with the design information such as specification and engineering drawings, in addition to recognized quality standards. The role is defined in standard forms of contract such as those published by the Joint Contracts Tribunal. "Clerks of works" are also the most highly qualified non-commissioned tradesmen in the Royal Engineers. The qualification can be held in three specialisms: electrical, mechanical and construction.

Historically the Clerk of Works was employed by the architect on behalf of a client, or by local authorities to oversee public works. The CoW can also be employed by the client (state body/local authority/private client) to monitor design and build projects where the traditional role of the architect is within the design and build project team.

Maître d'oeuvre (master of work) is a term used in many Francophone jurisdictions for the office that carries out this job in major projects; the Channel Tunnel project had such an office. In Italy, the term used is direttore dei lavori (manager of the works).

The job title is believed to derive from the 13th century when monks and priests (i.e. "clerics" or "clerks") were accepted as being more literate than the builders of the age and took on the responsibility of supervising the works associated with the erection of churches and other religious property. As craftsmen and masons became more educated they in turn took on the role, but the title did not change. By the 19th century the role had expanded to cover the majority of building works, and the clerk of works was drawn from experienced tradesmen who had wide knowledge and understanding of the building process.

The role, to this day, is based on the impartiality of the clerk of works in ensuring that value for money for the client - rather than the contractor - is achieved through rigorous and detailed inspection of materials and workmanship throughout the building process. In many cases, the traditional title has been discarded to comply with modern trends, such as site inspector, architectural inspector and quality inspector, but the requirement for the role remains unchanged since the origins of the title.

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Wikipedia