Who is responsible for certifying progress payments?

In the context of construction projects, the certification of progress payments is typically the responsibility of the architect or engineer overseeing the project. This role is crucial because the architect or engineer has the expertise to assess the quality and extent of work completed against the agreed-upon contract standards. By certifying progress payments, they ensure that the work meets the requirements before any funds are disbursed to the contractor.

The architect or engineer acts as an impartial party who can evaluate progress objectively and provide assurance to the owner that the project is on track and funds are being utilized appropriately. Their certification also protects the interests of all parties involved, including the owner, contractor, and subcontractors, by ensuring that payments correlate with satisfactory work completed.

In contrast, while the owner of the project has a vested interest in the financial transactions, they might not have the necessary technical expertise to accurately evaluate the work completed. Similarly, the contractor may have a bias towards receiving payment, which could compromise the integrity of the evaluation process. The project manager, while overseeing overall project execution, typically does not have the same authority or qualifications as the architect or engineer to certify payments.