Design professionals must exercise the care ordinarily exercised by members of the profession practicing in the same or similar locality under similar circumstances. They do not warrant results or guarantee a defect-free project.
The standard is established through expert testimony.
Alternative Names:
A&E Standard of Care, Architect Standard of Care
Why it Matters?
The absence of a warranty is the defining principle and the most useful defense framing, since owners frequently expect a perfect design and the standard requires only professional competence. Contractual language matters here, because a design agreement promising a specific result can create warranty exposure the tort standard would not. Reviewing the agreement for warranty language is an early step in any design claim.
Frequently Confused with
Related terms
Frequently asked questions
Do design professionals warrant their work?
Can a contract create warranty exposure?
