Guaranteed Maximum Price, is a type of construction contract that sets the maximum price for a construction project. The GMP is an agreement between a contractor and the owner of the project, outlining both parties’ responsibilities. It also includes the maximum amount that can be paid to the contractor for their services.
An example of a guaranteed maximum price contract would be if the contractor agrees to perform services for $1 million, with a guarantee that they will not exceed this amount. The contractor will typically agree to complete the project within a certain timeframe and the budget outlined in the contract. Additionally, any unforeseen costs that arise during the project will be absorbed by the contractor.
The GMP contract is designed to provide the owner with peace of mind, as they know that the total cost for the project will not exceed the stated maximum price. The purpose of a GMP contract is to provide cost certainty during a construction project. The contractor agrees to deliver the project within a specified budget — usually based on pre-established estimates — and accepts responsibility for any cost overruns.
This GMP contract can be beneficial to both the owner and contractor. The owner knows that they are protected from budget overruns, while the contractor can rest assured that they will be paid the full amount stated in the contract.
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What is Guaranteed Maximum Price?
Guaranteed Maximum Price, or GMP, is a type of pricing used in a construction contract that sets the maximum price for a given project. The agreement between the contractor and the owner outlines both parties’ responsibilities, including a limit on the maximum amount that can be paid to the contractor for their services.
What are Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Contracts?
A Guaranteed Maximum Price GMP contract is a document that specifies the maximum price that an owner or customer will pay to a contractor for the completion of a project. The contractor agrees to provide the services for an agreed-upon maximum price and is not entitled to any additional payments if the project costs exceed the specified maximum price.
So the project costs are absorbed by the contractor, while the owner is guaranteed not to pay more than the maximum price. The project cost savings can be significant for both parties, as the contractor can use their own resources to manage the project without adding extra costs. This contract also allows for better budgeting and planning of a project, as the owner knows ahead of time what their maximum costs will be.
How Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Contracts Work
GMP contracts are an important aspect of managing a construction project. They guarantee that the final price of the project won’t exceed a certain amount, which allows both the contractor and the client to have peace of mind.
First, a contract is signed that outlines the scope of work, timelines, and target budget (also known as the Guaranteed Maximum Price). Then, a contractor is selected to complete the project. As work progresses, the contractor is responsible for monitoring actual costs and making sure they don’t exceed the GMP. This includes submitting regular progress reports to the client that detail any cost changes.
What if Actual Costs are different from Guaranteed Maximum Price?
In Guaranteed Maximum Price, the risk of losses arising out of cost overruns is transferred to the contractor. In the instance of cost overrun, the client is not bound to compensate the contractor beyond GMP. The contractor has to bear the loss.
In case of costs being less than Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract i.e. the work getting finished at lower costs than estimated, the client definitely enjoys a saving and is entitled to keep it solely with him. However, depending upon the contractual agreements, the owner or customer may share it with the contractor at a certain percentage of these savings.
A GMP contract typically includes labor costs, materials, and the contractor’s fee. A construction manager or other qualified expert should be consulted to ensure that the GMP contract is properly drafted and all parties understand their responsibilities.
Components of a GMP Contract
| Component | Description |
|---|---|
| Project costs | It refers to direct costs of the construction project comprising labor, equipment, materials, services, and other related expenses. |
| Project allowances | These are estimates of the cost of certain components which cannot be determined at the time of the GMP. |
| Contingency | A contingency allowance is added to the contract sum to allow for unexpected costs. |
| General conditions | This refers to the rules regulating the performance of all parties involved in a construction project. |
| Contractor markup | The contractor’s markup represents the profit that they will make from the project. |
Example of Guaranteed Maximum Price Contract
For example, you are hired by a local nursery to construct a greenhouse at a GMP contract. The terms of the contract with regards to price would look something like this: The price will be reimbursement of all the costs plus a fixed fee of $ 5,000 above the costs with the Guaranteed Maximum Price of $15,000.
Here, the maximum you can earn out of this contract is $15,000. So to earn your full fees of $5,000; you, as a contractor, would have to limit your expenses to $10,000 or you risk losing your remuneration to that extent and pay out of your pocket.
If your total expenses for the job are $8,000, then your total earnings would be $13,000 ($8,000+$5,000). $2,000 would be the saving for your client. You may get a certain percentage of this based on the terms of the agreement.
How is GMP different from other Traditional Pricing Methods of Construction Contracts?
There are other traditional methods of estimating the cost price of a construction contract like the Fixed Price, Cost Plus method.
GMP vs. Cost Plus
Under a cost-plus contract, the final price is determined as a sum total of all the expenses deemed to be incurred over the span of construction work and a fixed margin of profit or remuneration above that. There is, in fact, no maximum limit to the number of expenses.
Cost plus contract is used where the accurate construction costs cannot be estimated in advance. Often, these are quite elaborate and complex construction projects spanning over many years and they aim to build colossal structures.
Hence, all the expenses – estimated as well as unexpected – have to be reimbursed to the contractor in addition to the profit margin. Thus, the client has to bear the risk of sudden financial losses in the event of any hitch in the construction project.
GMP vs. Fixed Price
A Fixed Price method is where both the parties – the contractor and the client – have agreed on a fixed price for the construction job on hand irrespective of the actual expenses involved. So an option of covering all the actual expenses within a particular range is available in GMP, the contractor gets only one fixed sum under the Fixed Price method.
Revision of Guaranteed Maximum Price
In case of a change in customer mandate with regards to the construction work; for example revision in designs or changes in specification and quality of materials; the GMP contract contains the clause for upward revision of GMP price to fully compensate the contractor under changed conditions.
Quite often, a GMP contract also includes a clause for reimbursing the contractor for losses incurred due to natural disasters or events that were beyond his control like fire, shutdown in one of his suppliers’ factories, etc.
Advantages of Guaranteed Maximum Price Contracts
Advantages for Contractors –
- With more and more customers finding GMP an attractive option, the contractors opting for GMP will have more ease in procuring contracts.
- The contractors can get funds for their working capital as well as long-term capital requirements easily from the banks as their construction schedules are accurately etched out and much more detailed. This gives security to the banks in terms of their revenue generation capacity.
- The contractors also have an incentive to complete the work before schedule and keep the expenses within the budgeted estimates to avoid the possibility of getting penalized and earn some percentage share of savings, if the contract allows. Thus, it becomes a win-win proposition for both parties.
Advantages for Customers or Owners –
- It gives security to the client that he won’t be penalized for the contractor’s mistakes and carelessness in carrying out the project.
- As there are few uncertainties regarding the costs and an almost accurate, crystal clear estimate of the costs – there are no unpleasant surprises.
- As the project details are worked out very well in advance, the flow of work is quite smooth.
Disadvantages of Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) Contracts
GMP contracts may also present challenges for both customers and contractors. Some of the disadvantages of GMP contract are –
Disadvantages for Contractors –
- Contractors may find it difficult to estimate the potential costs when there is limited information available, and they will be at risk if their estimates turn out to be wrong.
- The contractor may end up spending more time on the project than anticipated in order to make sure it is done according to the terms and conditions of the contract.
- The contractor also may not be able to change the plans or specifications if they are identified as inadequate, which can increase costs.
Disadvantages for Customers or Owners –
- The owner is usually held financially responsible for unforeseen or unknown conditions when a GMP agreement is in place.
- There is a greater risk that the contractor will do only minimum work to ensure completion within an agreed-upon budget; this may lead to lower quality than expected.
- The client may not be able to decide on certain details while signing the GMP contract, if they are unsure of what materials or processes are required, which may lead to higher costs.
Alternative Price Contracts
1. Lump-sum contracts
A lump-sum contract, also known as a fixed-price contract, involves the project owner providing finalized project plans, construction designs, specifications, and schedules to the contractor. The contractor then estimates the total cost of materials, labor, overhead, and their profit. The project owner will pay the contractor the agreed-upon lump sum regardless of the actual costs incurred during the project. Contractors receive the full agreed-upon price for lump sum projects and are also entitled to any savings resulting from coming in under budget.
2. Fixed-price contracts
It permits the contractor to give a project cost estimate that covers the expenses of labor, material, and overhead. Once the project is finished, the customer can pay the agreed-upon price in one lump sum.
3. Unit price contracts
Unit price contracts are contracts that use the per-unit costs of materials for each phase of a project to estimate overall costs. These contracts are particularly beneficial for projects that involve specific units, such as jobs involving painting or tile installation.
4. Cost-plus contracts
The customer will be responsible for covering expenses such as supplies, overhead, labor, and contracting expenses according to the contracts. The contractor will charge either a fixed base fee or a percentage of the overall project cost for their services.
5. Time and materials (T&M) contracts
They enable the contractor to be paid for both the materials and labor they provide. It can be beneficial when working on projects without established timelines.
Conclusion!
In a guaranteed maximum-price contract, the contractor is responsible for providing finalized project plans, construction designs, specifications, and schedules to the customer. The contractor then estimates the total cost of the project and tries not to exceed price. The contractor’s profit is built into this contract and they are compensated for any savings resulting from coming in under budget.
FAQs
Q: How are contractors paid in a guaranteed maximum-price contract?
A: Contractors are paid based on the estimated cost of the project. They are not paid a set fee, but rather they receive the agreed-upon price once the project is completed, usually in one lump sum.
Q: What is the Construction Manager at Risk (CMAR)?
A: In GMP contracts, the general contractor serves as a construction manager at risk (CMAR). This means that the construction manager is tasked with overseeing the project’s development stage, providing guidance to the client on matters related to project design, scope, budget, materials, construction challenges, and other important aspects. The role of the CMAR is to help the contractor create a clear and honest Guaranteed Maximum Price (GMP) that both parties can agree on.
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