The
construction industry is one large industry which integrates different
professional organizations, with varied roles and diverge interests but with
one ultimate goal - to build a cheap, strong and aesthetically appealing
structure. These diverging interests forge a creative tension that pushes all
team members to incorporate the interest of others. All in all, the success of
these individuals is motivated solely by their love for built environment. The
construction industry can as well be visualized as system with different parts
working together to achieve a common goal.
The
top management of the owner sets the overall policy and selects the appropriate
organization to take charge of a proposed project. Its policy will dictate how
the project life cycle is divided among organizations and which professionals
should be engaged. Decisions by the top management of the owner will also
influence the organization to be adopted for project management. In general,
there are many ways to decompose a project into stages. The most typical ways
are:
- Sequential processing whereby
the project is divided into separate stages and each stage is carried out
successively in sequence.
- Parallel processing whereby
the project is divided into independent parts such that all stages are
carried out simultaneously.
- Staggered processing whereby
the stages may be overlapping, such as the use of phased design-construct
procedures for fast track operation.
It
can be noted that some decompositions may work out better than others,
depending on the circumstances.
There
are two basic approaches to organize for project implementation, even though
many variations may exist as a result of different contractual relationships
adopted by the owner and builder. These basic approaches are divided along the
following lines:
- Separation
of organizations. Numerous organizations serve
as consultants or contractors to the owner, with different organizations
handling design and construction functions. Typical examples which involve
different degrees of separation are:
- Traditional
sequence of design and construction
- Professional
construction management
- Integration
of organizations. A single or joint venture
consisting of a number of organizations with a single command undertakes
both design and construction functions. Two extremes may be cited as
examples:
- Owner-builder
operation in which all work will be handled in house by force account.
- Turnkey
operation in which all work is contracted to a vendor which is
responsible for delivering the completed project
The
first approach (Separation of Organizations) is commonly applied in Kenya’s
construction industry and so I will dwell on it.
In
this approach, participants in the construction industry can be grouped in
three major groups depending on their functions. These groups include the
Owners, Designers and the Contractor.
Owner
initiates the project. Their function: financially back the project, otherwise
no project.
In
all cases, owners are primarily concerned about their needs and their money.
While
designers focus on functionality, aesthetics and innovative use of materials,
owners are additionally concerned about durability of design, storage and
availability of materials, simplicity of operation, and ease of maintenance.
While
contractor is concerned with maintaining schedule and budget through efficient
methods of assembly and improved management techniques, owners are additionally
concerned about a turnover process that ensures complete understanding of all
systems in project and a smooth start-up transition.
Owner representation
Because
owner can be any individual or organization that takes on a construction
project it is difficult to find a common profile.
a) Facility managers:
most common professional owner representative. They are found most often in
large organizations and institutions like schools, universities, hospitals.
Their job is to understand the goals and objectives of their organization and
ensure that facilities are planned to support them.
b) Outside Consultants:
Organizations without large in-house departments often hire consultants.
c) Building committee:
Consists of users, financial backers, and sometimes community residents.
Principle
designer are Architects and Engineers.
On Building and Residential sector projects:
Architect is lead designer, laying out the concept on paper with owner while
the Engineer is brought in after basic concept is worked out but before details
are developed.
On Infrastructure and Industrial sector projects:
the Engineer is lead designer while the Architect is brought in to work on the
aesthetics.
Both
designers must think mechanically, technically, and creatively, but the architect
works in the artistic realm while engineer works in the technical realm.
The
Architects include: Draughtsmen, Specification writers, Interior designers,
Landscape architects.
The
Engineers include: Surveyors, Structural engineers, Mechanical Engineers,
Electrical Engineers and Civil Engineers.
Architects
Responsibility
is to translate and develop an owner's requirements and graphically represent
them, and to choose appropriate systems and materials (need skill and
expertise) and formulate a design that is mathematically proportioned and
aesthetically pleasing (talent).
Engineers
Engineers
work within large Consultancy firms, but most often they are independent
consultants.
They
have varied responsibilities depending on their discipline, but in all cases
they must understand owner’s requirements: budget, operations, durability and
Intended use of space.
Civil Engineers:
Determine project location on a site by studying the subsurface soil conditions
and the topography of the land. Design roads, bridges, tunnels, parking lots,
storm water drainage, and sewage treatment plants.
Structural Engineers:
Calculate strengths and deflections, foundation sizes, beam thickness, and
strength of floor slabs. Ensure that a building can withstand its own weight,
the forces of wind, gravity and seismic activity etc.
Surveyors:
Setting out of works
Mechanical &
Electrical Engineers: Services and other specialised
installations.
Contraction
professionals (sometimes just referred to as contractor) are tasked with the
responsibility to translate the concept from the drawing on paper to a real
structure on the ground. They often do the actual building of the structure in
consultation and supervision of the design professionals.
Construction
professionals include:
a) Contractors:
Estimators, Schedulers, Purchasing agents
b) Specialty
Contractors
c) The
Trades (steel fixers, cement masons, sheet-metal workers, plasterers, plumbers,
pipe-fitters, electricians, bricklayers, glaziers, roofers, carpenters)
d) Material
Suppliers
e) Equipment
suppliers
Contractor:
is a general term used to define the professional responsible for all construction
activities whether he works as a general contractor, or a construction manager.
Estimators:
Work with design drawings and prepare a complete list of job costs.
Scheduler:
works between the head office and the site offices. Successful schedulers
monitor job progress, coordinate subcontractors, analyze changes and the impact
of delays, and solve problems.
Purchasing Agents:
buy subcontracts once a job is won. They negotiate to get best price while
ensuring that all contract requirements are met.
Specialist
contractors:
Generally known as subcontractors and include mechanical, electrical,
excavation, and demolition contractors. They are usually hired by and work
directly for a general contractor.
Trades:
Are the people who actually perform the work in the field. Trades form the core
of industry- a constant throughout its history. They include: Ironworkers,
Cement masons, Sheet metal workers, Plasterers, Plumbers, Pipe fitters,
Electricians, Bricklayers, Glaziers, Roofers and Carpenters
Material suppliers:
Materials and building components are manufactured, fabricated, and installed
by suppliers
Equipment suppliers:
Depending on the project, equipment can play a very big role in construction.
Highway jobs, large excavations, bridges, tunnels, and tall buildings all rely
heavily on the use of equipment to carry out the work. Suppliers offer it for
sale or rent.
Organization of Companies
To manage in-house
resources and outsourced specialties, each firm organizes its project teams a
little differently.
Common staff positions
in design companies: Project manager,
Clerk of works, and Supervisor
Common staff positions
in construction companies: Construction
project manager, Superintendent and Resident engineer.
Design company
organization
Project manager:
Owner`s primary contact, responsible for scheduling in-house
work, and identifying necessary staffing levels for both inhouse personnel
and outside consultants. They also help the owner get bids from
contractors and negotiate the construction contract.
Clerk of the works:
Enforce the terms of contract; interpret the plans and specs.
Supervisor:
organizes drawings, manages personnel, communicates with engineers and other
consultants, and details schematic designs.
Construction company
organization
Construction Project
manager: Configure project team, schedule the
job, and set up a cost control system. If there are changes, negotiates the
cost with various parties.
Superintendent:
Interacts with specialty subcontractors, coordinating the flow of workers,
supplies, and equipment. Also prioritizes work and negotiates disputes between
trades.
Resident engineer:
Handle various documents that flow through a field office, follow up an owner
requests and communicate with others
