Agent

An agent is an individual, group or company authorised to act on behalf of some other individual, group or company for a specific purpose and usually for a specific time period. The agent normally takes an active or leading role in attempting to bring about the client's desired objectives.

For example:

• An estate agent will try to sell a client's property at the best possible price and may even be involved in finding a replacement property.
• In construction, a site agent will normally be responsible for inspecting construction works as they proceed on behalf of a client, identifying problems with and providing solutions for to ensure project costs are controlled.
• An employer's agent is an agent acting on behalf of a client as the contract administrator for design and build contracts.
• A client's agent or client's representative cna be responsible for managing a project on behalf of a client.

NB The term 'sub-agent' can be used to refer to an individual or organisation appointed on large construction projects to manage a specific part of the works or a specific package of work.

[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki

• Appointing consultants.
• Consultant team.
• Contract administrator.
• Health and safety inspector.
• Principal-agent theory.
• Quality control.
• Site foreman.
• Site induction.
• Site inspection.
• Site inspector for construction works
• Site supervisor.