This episode of the ARE podcast gives five key tips for passing the ARE Construction & Evaluation (CE) exam. The focus is on thinking like an architect under the AIA contracts, emphasizing standard of care, observation vs. construction, administrative procedures, question-reading strategy, and performance-focused closeout/post-occupancy work. Throughout, they stress judgment, restraint, documentation, and staying within professional/contractual boundaries.

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Show Notes

Main Tips (1–5)

1. Answer from the Architect’s Contractual Role (Standard of Care)

Always answer exam questions from the standpoint of the architect’s contractual role, not your personal or local practice.
Think in terms of standard of care:

What would any reasonably prudent architect do in this situation, based on the information given?
Deep or specialized experience can hurt you on the exam if you override the “standard” approach with niche real-world habits.
CE is a national, standardized test, not region-specific.
Focus on:
- Roles, responsibilities, and authority during construction.
- Who has/produces/reviews which documents.
- Who can stop the work, what “observe” means vs. “inspect,” etc.

2. Construction Observation (Architect as Observer, Not Builder)

In CE/Contract Administration, the contractor’s job:
Build in conformance with the contract documents.
The architect’s job:
Observe whether work conforms to the contract documents and report findings to the owner.
Key boundaries:
- Do not dictate means and methods—that’s the contractor’s domain.
- Shop drawings:
  - Produced by the contractor, not by the architect.
  - Architect reviews them only for design/esthetic intent, not for how to build.
  - They are not part of the contract documents.
Nonconforming work:
- The owner has the right to accept nonconforming work (A201).
- Architect must inform the owner of implications so they can make an informed decision.
Field reports and site visits:
- Document date, time, weather, observed conditions.
- Not a guarantee or full inspection of all work.
- Architect only visits as frequently as the contract requires, often at agreed milestones (e.g., foundation completion, framing completion).

3. Administrative Procedures (The “AIA Way”)

CE is less about technical minutiae (e.g., OSB vs. plywood) and more about admin processes and AIA contracts.
Critical procedures and documents:
- Submittals & shop drawings
- RFIs
- Applications for payment
- Lien release forms
- Change Orders (COs)
- Construction Change Directives (CCDs)
- Project Manual
- Substantial Completion & Project Closeout
Core contracts:
- A201 – General Conditions (owner/architect/contractor relationships and responsibilities).
- B101 – Owner–Architect Agreement
- A101 – Owner–Contractor Agreement
Why the architect reviews applications for payment:
- Owner is not expected to understand construction.
- Since architect observes the work, they can verify claims like “50% framing complete.”
- Also logical for architect to review lien waivers in relation to paid work.
“There’s the right way, the wrong way, and the AIA way”:
- For the exam, the AIA way is what matters, and it usually aligns with industry practice.
- Deviating from it in practice can increase liability.

4. Reading Questions for Timing & Keywords (First / Best / Most Appropriate)

Many wrong answers come from misreading or reacting too quickly, not from ignorance.
Pay close attention to timing/context words:
- “First” thing you should do
- “Best” action
- “Most appropriate” response
Always ask:
- What phase are we in? (Construction admin? Multi-phase project? Pre-bid?)
- What logically happens next in the process?
Exam traps:
- Fake urgency: e.g., owner is on vacation and unreachable, contractor “needs” a decision.
  - Your roles and responsibilities do not change. If the owner hasn’t appointed a representative, you wait.
- Multiple answers may be true statements, but:
  - You must pick the one that actually addresses the question asked and fits the given context and timing.
In their coaching sessions, candidates rarely reach consensus on answers at first, showing how easily people:
- Justify multiple answers as “true,” but
- Miss what the question really asked.

5. Post-Occupancy Evaluation & Closeout – Focus on Performance, Not Blame

Post-Occupancy Evaluation (POE), substantial completion walk-throughs, punch lists, and final closeout are about performance:
- Does the building perform as intended?
- Are systems functioning properly?
- Are design goals (e.g., better test scores via daylight and ventilation) being met?
It is not about blame or combative architect vs. contractor dynamics.
POE is not part of the basic services in B101:
- Basic services end when the architect signs the final application and certificate for payment (changed from “60 days after substantial completion” in 2007).
Contracts (B101 and A101) are the framework:
- They define what each party has promised to do.
- Failure to perform can become a contractual/legal issue.

Key Mindset & Professional Boundaries

Think like a licensed architect:
- Ground your decisions in contracts, standard of care, and professional boundaries.
Respond, don’t react:
- Stay calm about changes, delays, or change orders—these are normal, not crises.
Scope and additional services:
- Contract defines your scope.
- When clients request items outside scope, treat them as additional services:
  - Explain calmly.
  - Provide cost implications and seek approval.
Observe how experienced project managers and principals handle construction meetings:
- They don’t blow up or panic; they manage, delegate, and document.
Practical advice:
- If you’re studying for CE, ask to join job-site meetings at your office to see real construction administration in action.

Ultra-Concise Exam Takeaways

Answer as an architect under AIA contracts, not as a contractor or local expert.
You observe and report; you do not build or dictate means and methods.
Know A201, B101, A101 and how submittals, pay apps, RFIs, COs, CCDs, and closeout flow between parties.
Read the whole question carefully, paying attention to phase, timing, and words like first/best/most appropriate.
View CE as testing your judgment, restraint, documentation, and professional boundaries, with a focus on performance rather than blame.

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