1. HVAC Here you need a license to run vent pipe. I have an appliance repair company that does installs and will install the venting.

2. If it's clearly marked on the plans as new furring, then that would be included in the framing.

It's not clear if you've hired a general contractor responsible for the full scope of work, or a framing contractor. However, in either case, if it's shown in the approved plans, the framing should be in their scope of work--not an extra or a change order even if he/she missed it and didn't include the costs in his pricing of the job. A clarifying question is in order, but in the end, you're writing the checks and you can say "no" politely while keeping your checkbook in your pocket.

In our area, bath fans and laundry fans are typically installed by the electrician; ducting them to the exterior is the responsibility of the mechanical contractor. If you've hired a general contractor, both should be in his/her overall scope of work. If they are only responsible for framing, neither is.

This is a general contractor. He is responsible for everything except foundation concrete and plumbing. He told us that the ducting wasn't specifically called out in his contract and that it is the usually the responsibility of the plumber.

I am not sure what is going on with those furred walls. He may be forgetting, or it may be something else, but I will point it out.

Sounds like things could be open to interpretation. You say "foundation concrete", he might say "foundation" and consider furring part of the foundation.

If the ducting wasn't in the contract he might have a valid point.

Okay about the ducting, but how would furred walls be part of the foundation? Seems a little thin.

Sorry, I just assumed the furring was on the new foundation wall.

Oh, I see. I've been unclear. The foundation work had already occurred. We then removed the slab and dug down to create a finished basement where it had been unfinished. I don't think it could have been ambiguous.

With the ducting, I was wondering if it could clearly have been considered part of another phase of work, and it sounds like "no".

Ducting has little to do with framing with the exception that the framer and ducter need to have a conversation as to how things will be done between them. It's the job of a General Contractor to facilitate that conversation. Who bid on ducting the range hood?

No one has bid on any ducting. We asked the GC to bid on the whole job except for plumbing and that slab, and we assumed (after having an expert check the contract) that the bid had been comprehensive. But it seems that we were mistake--ducting is not included and will require a change order. Only installation of the electrical appliances is covered.

The framing seems unambiguously covered by the contract. I wasn't sure exactly how to bring it up, but it seems that referring to the architectural plans and the contract language should be the right approach.

I have a tough time accepting that ducting a vent fan is a plumber's responsibility. It's mechanical work and it may need a permit, but that would be a mechanical permit--not a plumbing permit. A call to your local code official could clear things up.

It's definitely mechanical work. I think our issue here could be that there is no specific ducting work in our contract because we got radiant heating. Anyway, I understand that this part is not necessarily covered and I'm not really wanting to take advantage of our contractor for a gray area in which he is left a little exposed. I am a little frustrated that he didn't include it in the bid, but it's easier to see it as an oversight.

At the same time, he bid on the framing unambiguously. It seems unfair to ask us for a change order on framing that is part of the plans and specifications when the contract says that the plans and specifications are accepted in entirety as part of the job.

It is of course annoying that he tried to tell us that it is the plumber's responsibility. That makes me feel kind of bad about him.

Actually, I just looked at a different bed we received that was broken down into 16 divisions of construction. our contractor didn't structure his bed that way, but in that bid, mechanical and plumbing were grouped into division 15. So maybe my looking sideways at this contractor is not warranted.

So maybe my looking sideways at this contractor is not warranted.

I'm not so sure.

The dispute about basement wall furring sets off alarm bells, AFAIC. That is clearly 'framing'. Sounds like this is headed down a rabbit hole with disputes over any waterproofing, insulation, electrical, drywall, etc. connected to that wall IF the plans specify a 'finished' basement.

The ducting, not so much. More the purview of plumbers or HVAC people. So long as the venting plan is co-ordinated w/ the framing. Should be spelled out in the drawings but still needs to be reviewed and co-ordinated to avoid framing obstructions/ architectural oversights...

I'd say your vents should be covered in your contract unless specifically excluded. If you install a bath fan, venting, ducting, exhausting etc. is required and should be included.

"Sounds like this is headed down a rabbit hole with disputes over any waterproofing, insulation, electrical, drywall, etc. connected to that wall IF the plans specify a 'finished' basement."

Actually, all those are called out specifically in the contract. I'm not worried about that rabbit hole. We asked for an explanation about the framing. I'm not letting that go.

It looks like not everyone here agrees about the ventilation being included. So it does seem that it is a potential gray area and that he may have thought it was the purview of the plumber because the plumber did the radiant heating.

I think there are many ways in which this contractor has been diligent. However, this is an important oversight. How would anyone amongst the people who consider it as such suggest dealing with it?

HI, Tosca,

I infer from one of your earlier comments that another bidder had prepared a more detailed bid-- which suggests more careful consideration of the full scope of work. One way the low bid contractor gets to be the low bid is by overlooking portions of the scope or forgetting to include something in his bid. If you pay him a change order to cover what should have been included in the original scope of work you reward him for his lack of diligence. Builders and remodelers pay for their education. He can chalk up the cost to continuing education expense.