The designer's primary responsibility is to the client and the project's successful completion. When a specified material impacts the schedule, the most appropriate and proactive course of action is to identify a suitable, available alternative. However, any modification to the contract documents, including material specifications, requires the client's formal approval. This ensures the client agrees with any potential changes in aesthetics, performance, cost, and warranty before implementation. This approach directly addresses the schedule issue while upholding the designer's contractual and ethical obligations to obtain client consent for any changes to the approved design.

A. Modifying specifications without the client's agreement is a breach of contract and exceeds the designer's authority.

C. Simply notifying parties of a delay is a passive action. The designer's role includes proactive problem-solving related to specifications.

D. The general contractor, not the designer, is primarily responsible for managing, updating, and communicating changes to the overall construction schedule.

1. Piotrowski

C. M. (2017). Professional Practice for Interior Designers (6th ed.). Wiley.

Page 437

Chapter 18

"Contract Administration: Construction and Order Installation": The text emphasizes that substitutions must be formally requested and approved. "The designer must review the proposed substitution for compliance with the specifications... If the designer agrees that the substitution is acceptable

he or she then consults the client for final approval." This directly supports the need for client agreement (Option B) and refutes making a unilateral change (Option A).

2. American Institute of Architects. (2017). AIA Document A201–2017

General Conditions of the Contract for Construction.

Article 7

"Changes in the Work

" Section 7.2

"Change Orders": A Change Order is defined as an instrument prepared by the Architect/Designer and signed by the Owner

Contractor

and Architect/Designer

stating their agreement upon a change in the Work. This establishes the legal and procedural requirement for owner (client) approval for any modification

including a material substitution.

3. Ballast

D. K. (2018). The Interior Design Reference Manual (6th ed.). Professional Publications

Inc.

Chapter 46

"Contract Administration

" Section on "Substitutions": This section outlines the standard procedure where a designer evaluates a proposed substitution but must present it to the owner for final approval. It states

"If the substitution is acceptable

the designer notifies the contractor and issues a change order if the cost or time of construction is affected." This process underscores that client approval is a mandatory step before any change is finalized.