METHOD STATEMENT IN CONSTRUCTION

CONTRACTS

WHAT IS METHOD STATEMENT?

Method Statement is a descriptive document, that explains execution
methods and procedures of an individual tasks involved in a project, often
listed in a project tender as annexure. A well written method statement
explains how the work carried out, involvement of labor & other staffs, plant &
machinery, time required, and output expected. For more clarity of the
description, method statement must contain sketches, small drawings,
schemes and charts to avoid misconceptions from both client and contractor.

ANALYSIS OF ALTERNATIVE METHODS

Method Statements for a particular task may be different if it has been
collected from different contractors but final outcome should be the same.
One contractor may use more labors while other took more plants or
sometimes, method of doing the work itself in different manner. Analysis of
alternative methods of a particular task also become a concern for the
contractors who would really consider the active involvement in the project
that outpour considerable amount of reduction in the overall project cost,
keeping quality or output either same or higher as originally intended. This
analysis should be transformed as part of the said method statement.

CONFIDENTIALITY OF METHOD
STATEMENT
Method statement submitted as a part of tender submission may hide some of
the major steps and detailing to keep contractor's technical know-how
confidential. In such cases, it will only be an extract of actual method
statement that submitted, if they become success in the tender process.
Hence, client should be notified as the detailed method statement will be
submitted once tender has been awarded to the contractor. This way, the
method statement in the contract should become an obligation on the
contractor that must follow in either way, physically or legally.

If an alternate method statement is approved for construction, it becomes a

specified method to accomplish the said task and the contractor should be
entitled to get a variation order and its payment as proposed, provided and
subjected the cancellation of original construction method stipulated in the
contract for the same task.
METHOD STATEMENT HELPS
DETAILED JOB PLANNING
Job planning process should carry out prior construction. In this stage,
planning department depend method statement for coordinating and
executing each task consuming optimized labor, material, plants and time.
With the help of method statement, constructability analysis can be done from
various angles, thus forecasting required resources optimized.

METHOD STATEMENT PROVES

CONTRACTOR'S UNDERSTANDING OF
EXECUTION CHALLENGES
Even an experienced contractor may fail if project complexity is in extreme
end to the execution team. This kind of project vulnerability may expect by
consultant of the client, so that in the tendering stage itself, consultant insists
method statement for overcoming the vulnerable tasks. Here method
statement helps finding solutions for execution challenges in order to avoid
clashes between client and contractor.

APPROPRIATENESS OF METHOD
STATEMENT
Method Statement can be made during tender preparation or as a request
come from client before finalizing tender. Whatever the situations, both party
has to make sure the risk involved in the Method Statement submitted by
contractor and received by client. Some of the questions to be raised when it
is considered:

Whether it has been considered appropriate resources? What about the

equipment to be used or involved for? Whether the price tag will be enough to
accomplish the task pointed by method statement? If these questions are
answered clearly by both the parties, the risk involved in particular task can be
avoided.
WHAT ARE THE MAJOR ITEMS
INCLUDED IN A TYPICAL METHOD
STATEMENT?
Role of Method statement in a project depends on task that to be executed.
Hence the detailing are varying project to project and task to task. Here, major
contents a typical method statement included shown.

1. Introduction and Scope

2. Applicable Project Specification

3. Drawings

4. Location of Activity

5. Operation

6. Responsibility

7. Equipment Requirements

8. Health and Safety

9. Inspection and Test Plan