UNIT-I

BASICS OF CONSTRUCTION

Basic Steps in Starting a Building Project

When there is a plan to develop a new building, it is very necessary to have an idea about the start and the end of the
building project. The flowchart below shows the construction flow from the start to the end of a building project.

There may be variations as every project is unique and follows different design and construction process. In general,
the basic steps involved in a building project are briefly explained.

1. Planning
2. Permits
3. Preparation of Construction Site
4. Foundation Construction
5. Superstructure Construction
 6. Punch Lists
7. Building Warranty Period

1. Planning

The planning in building construction involves three major steps:

1. Developing the Building Plan

2. Analysing the Finance
3. Selecting the Construction Team
Once the site where the building project is indented to construct is chosen, the expertise of engineers and architects
are taken to develop the site and the building plan. Sometimes, an appropriate site is selected after the building
layout is prepared. The building plan is developed based on the owner’s requirements and budget. Once the plan is
in hand, the finance and total cost is estimated. The structural design details, the material estimates are prepared
which help to derive project cost estimate. The cost calculated include:

1. The material cost

2. The construction cost
3. The labor cost
4. Miscellaneous cost
Read More: Construction Cost Estimates Based on the estimated cost, either a bidding process is performed or
the project to handover to a known contractor. The contractor and the owner must agree to contract based on which
the project is implemented. The contract mentions the completion period and necessary guides, exclusions to remove
claims. Read More: Types of Drawings used in Building Construction

2. Permits and Insurance in Building Construction

Before starting a building construction, the owner must make sure that one has necessary permits taken to start the
construction. Permits and insurance are obtained from different sources in cities and states. A construction work
conducted without permits results in project delay or project demolition or huge fines. Possessing insurance for the
required parties helps to save the owner and the contractor.

3. Site Preparation
From here, the actual construction process starts. Based on the site and building plan, necessary excavations,
leveling, and filling can be undergone to prepare the site. The necessary excavation for utilities, power, water and
sanitation lines, temporary storage facilities are prepared. Mostly the works needed to set up the utilities are
prepared. This is followed by an inspection from the government officials. Read More: Steps in Preparing Site for
Construction Projects -Soil Report, Excavation Inspections are performed at different stages on structural,
building codes, the utilities, HVAC, electrical works etc. After the completion of the whole project, a final
inspection is performed.

4. Foundation / Substructure Construction

Building structures are generally constructed on concrete foundations. Based on the soil type and water table level of
the area, the foundation chosen can vary. If necessary, soil testing is performed to check the bearing capacity.
Shallow foundations are required for low-rise building. For high-rise building, pile foundation is employed. Once
the foundation is selected, the soil is excavated to construct the foundation. It is performed based on the foundation
layout. Formworks are placed in the foundation trenches and reinforcement is placed based on the foundation
detailing design prepared in the planning stage. The reinforcement works performed by the contractor is periodically
checked by the engineer in charge. Read More: Construction of Foundation - Depth, Width, Layout and
Excavation The concrete mix of the required proportion is poured to formwork and is cured to form the finished
foundation.

5. Superstructure Construction
The superstructure is constructed once the substructure is complete. Generally, a framed structured is developed
which is later finished with masonry walls. Adequate windows and exterior doors are placed based on the building
plan. Other works coming under this section is:

1. Construction of roofs or siding

2. Installation of heating, ventilation and air conditioning
3. Providing adequate electric and water lines connection line.
4. Provide insulation works as required to protect from lighting
5. Provision of waterproofing to the walls.
6. Plastering and finishing the walls and surfaces
7. Flooring works
8. Exterior and Interior Painting
6. Punch List
Once the project is complete, the contractor inspects the whole work one by one and make a punch list. Those
structural units or areas that were not constructed properly or are below the quality level is listed in the punch list.
This is later corrected by the contractor in charge.

7. Warranty Period
Once the project is complete and handovered to the owner, the contractor specifies a warranty period.
Within this period, any defects found in building constructed must be fixed and replaced by the contractor in charge.
The warranty for materials and appliances are obtained from manufacturers and suppliers.

UNIQUE FEATURES OF CONSTRUCTION:

Any construction project management has two philosophies, i.e. time-driven and cost-driven.
Managing cost of construction project with completion in time with high quality and achievement of
objectives is called project management.

A project shall have its own characteristics set aside so that it can be completed within budget and
time. As cost and time for a construction project are interdependent, these shall be carefully planned.
An increase or decrease in construction project time affects the budget of construction projects.
These set characteristics define the projects and helps in completing the project in time.
Following are the characteristics of a construction project:
 The project should have a specified target.
 The project should be unique and cannot be replicated with the same task and resources giving the same
results.
 The construction project should satisfy the owners requirement and expectations from the project.
 The construction project should not be a routine work, although there are some aspects that are routine.
 The construction project shall consists of a number of associated activities contributing to the project as a
whole.
 The time limit for completion of project shall be defined.
 The Construction project is complex and it involves a number of individuals from different departments.
So, right coordination shall be setup within departments.
 The project manager must be flexible to accommodate any change that might occur during the project.
 There are factors of uncertainty such as the performance of individuals, how their skills adapt to unfamiliar
work, and other unknown external influences.
 The total cost of construction project shall be defined and project shall be completed within the given
budget.
 The project should provide unique opportunities to acquire new skills.
 The project gives impetus to the project manager to adapt to working under changing circumstances, as the
nature of the project is change.
 There are risks with each step of the project, and the project manager should manage those risks to reach
the project goal.

TYPES OF CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS:

The type of construction project you work on is typically determined by the construction
vocation you choose. When you work in construction, you may be exposed to commercial,
residential, infrastructural, or industrial projects. Some of the types are:

1. Residential Building Project

Residential housing construction is the first type of construction, and it comprises building,
maintaining, and modifying structures for housing people, supplies, or equipment.

All housing types are included, including apartments, townhomes, condos, nursing homes, and
dorms. Residential structures include garages and outbuildings, such as utility sheds.

Residential housing projects are usually designed by engineers and architects, with the
mechanical, structural, and electrical work completed by subcontractors hired by construction
companies.
In the case of single-family homes, however, builders often handle all parts of the project,
including design and construction.

2. Private Project

Construction projects owned, controlled, or commissioned by a private entity are known as

private construction projects.

Individuals, homeowners, corporations, other corporate entities, non-profit associations,

privately supported schools, hospitals, publicly-traded firms, and other private parties are
examples of private projects.

These types of construction projects occur in numerous shapes and sizes, and it’s at this point,
examining the nature of the work accomplished may help divide private construction into
subcategories.

3. Commercial Project

Commercial projects include schools, sports arenas, commercial centers, hospitals, stadiums,
retail outlets, and skyscrapers.

Institutional and commercial construction, like residential housing development, comprises the
construction of new structures and the repair and maintenance of existing ones.

A company or a private owner usually commissions a project like a retail store. Other
infrastructure projects, like stadiums, schools, and medical facilities, are frequently funded and
controlled by local and national governments.

4. Industrial Project

The form of construction comprises constructing structures that require a high level of
specialization and technical planning, construction, and design skills. This form of construction
is usually done by for-profit or industrial businesses.

For example, a chemical company can build oil refineries, whereas a power generation company
can build hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants, both are industrial structures.
5. State Construction Project

State-funded construction projects come in a range of shapes and sizes. It could be something as
simple as constructing a public school or a government building (like a courtroom). These
projects can also be quite complex, such as building a bridge, sewer line, motorways, etc.

6. Infrastructure and Heavy Construction Project

These types of construction projects include constructing and updating railways,

communications, roads, and railways to the city’s environs and current building construction.

This form of development is typically carried out in the public interest by government
institutions and significant commercial firms.

Tunnels, bridges, highways, transport systems, drainage systems, and pipelines are examples of
other projects that fall under this category.

DEVELOPMENT OF A PROJECT:
The development of any project follows some major phases in project life cycle. For the success of the project, the
project team must successfully plan, organize and control their work activities so that they are performed in proper
sequence and on time. Some parts of the major phases of project life cycle is performed before the construction
phase starts. Following are the steps involved in development of a construction project from scratch: 1.
Conceptual phase 2. Proposal phase 3. Project design phase a) Engineering design b) Procurement of major
equipment c) Project control function d) Construction inputs from experienced engineers 4. Procurement of other
construction materials 5. On-site construction 6. Facility start-up and turnover

1. Conceptual Phase of Construction Project: This phase of construction project is generally done by owner or
client with the help of consultants, project managers and other experienced engineers. The major activities in this
phase can be:

 Product development
 Process development
 Marketing surveys
 Setting project scope and design basis
 Capital cost estimating
 Project financing plans
 Economic feasibility studies
 Board approval of the project
2. Proposal Phase of the Construction Project:
Once the construction project gets approval from the board, then the project enters proposal phase. In this phase the
main goal is to select a suitable contractor to carry out the construction activity as required by the client or owner.
This phase involves following activities:

 Preparing a contracting plan – like terms and conditions of contract, payment terms, security deposit,
earnest money deposit etc.
 Prequalifying contractor slate – prequalification needed for a contractor to carry out the project is
finalized, like size of project executed by the contract, type of project executed by the contractor etc.
 Preparing a request for proposal (RFP) or Request for Quotation (RFQ – this involves bill of
quantities of each item of work to be executed in the construction project, and quotation for the same is
requested from the contractor.
 Receiving and analyzing the proposals- each quotation received by the means of tendering is then opened
and analysed as per the requirement of the client. Then client decides on selection of the best proposal
based on cost and quality in mind and contractors work experience.
 Selecting the best proposal
 Negotiating a contract: after the best proposal is selected by the client, the selected contractor is called for
negotiation. In this step, generally contractors are requested to review the rates quoted by them so as to
minimize the cost of the project.

Project Execution Phase of the construction Project:

After a suitable contractor is selected by the client or owner, the project manager is ready to execute the
project in accordance with the contracting plan. The construction project is initiated in this phase. The
following activities are generally carried out by the contractor (project manager):

 Engineering design phase: it covers those activities required to generate the plans and specifications for
the procurement of the equipment and construction materials and the construction of the facility. Process
design, mechanical design, civil, architectural and structural design, piping design, electrical design,
instrumentation design, general specifications and construction input from past experiences and other
experienced engineers are the major activities in this phase.
 Equipment procurement activity: procurement of construction materials and equipment are carried out
during design stage and transported to the construction site as specified and on time to meet the
construction schedule. Interaction between construction groups and procurement groups becomes much
important during this phase of the construction.
 Project control functions: to meet the project goals relating to budget, schedule, and quality effectively, a
team of control specialists performs the necessary project control functions. All the project commitments
and expenditures are monitored by cost engineers to see that they conform to the budget and cash flow
projections. Weekly and monthly project reports are prepared to ensure that various activities are as
planned or to take any steps to keep the activities on track.
 Construction field activities: each team member is presented with certain jobs on site for the construction
of the project on time and as per contracting terms. The construction manager delegates the major areas of
the construction project. The group of engineers is led by a field superintendent who directly reports to the
construction manager. This superintendent is assisted in executing the construction work by an organization
of area engineers, craft superintendents, general foremen, and sub-contractor supervisors. All other field
groups perform their duties to support the field construction operation.

4. Facility start-up activities

This is the last activity on the project. This step establishes the order for putting the operating units into
service. The amount of construction participation in the startup must also be considered in the scope of
services along with the money and resource plans for the overall project.
 PROJECT LIFE CYCLE:

Life Cycle Phases in Construction Project

A standard construction project, in general, has following five major life cycle phases:

1. Initiation
2. Planning
3. Execution
4. Performance and monitoring
5. Closure

This has been shown in following figure in sequence: A brief description specifically about
each stage are explained below.

1. Initiation Phase of Construction Project

We have to create and evaluate the project in order to determine if it is feasible and if it should be undertaken, at the
beginning of the project. Here the project objective or need is identified; this can be a business problem or
opportunity. A suitable response to the need is documented in a business case with recommended solution options.
A feasibility study is conducted to examine whether each option clearly identifies the project objective and a final
recommended solution is determined. Many questions related to the issues of feasibility i.e. “can we do the project?”
and justification like “should we do the project?” are mentioned and faced. When a solution is approved, a project is
initiated to implement the approved solution. For this, a project manager is appointed. At this stage, the major
deliverables and the participating work groups are identified. This is the time when the project team begins to take
shape. Approval is then required by the project manager to move onto the detailed planning phase.
2. Planning Phase of Construction Project
The planning phase involves further development of the project in detail to meet the project’s objective. The team
identifies all of the work to be done. The project’s tasks and resource requirements are identified, along with the
strategy for producing them. In a broader sense identification of each activity as well as their resource allocation is
also carried out. A project plan outlining the activities, tasks, dependencies, and timeframes is created. The project
manager is the one who coordinates the preparation of a project budget by providing cost estimates for the labor,
equipment, and materials costs. This is mainly carried out by project scheduling software like MS project or
PRIMAVERA. This scheduling charts would help us to track the stages of our project as time passes. This is also
referred to as “scope management.” The budget of the project already estimated is used to monitor and control cost
expenditures during project implementation. Finally, we require a document to show the quality plan, providing
quality targets, assurance, and control measures, along with an acceptance plan, listing the criteria to be met to gain
customer acceptance. At this point, the project would have been planned in detail and is ready to be executed.

3. Execution Phase of Construction Project

This is the implementation phase, where the project plan is put into motion and the work of the project is performed
practically on site. It is essential to maintain control and communicate as needed during each implementation stages.
Progress should be continuously monitored and appropriate adjustments are made and recorded as variances from
the original plan. A project manager is the one who spends most of the time in this step. Throughout the project
implementation, people carry out the tasks, and progress information is being reported through regular project team
meetings. The project manager uses this information to preserve control over the direction of the project by
comparing the progress reports with the project plan to measure the performance of the project activities. If any
deviation is found from the already defined plan corrective measures are made. The first option of action should
always be to bring the project back to the original plan. If that cannot happen, the team should record variations
from the original plan and record and publish modifications to the plan. all through this step, project sponsors, and
other key stakeholders are kept informed about the project’s status as per the agreed rate and format of
communication. The plan should be updated and available on a regular basis. Status reports should always highlight
the probable end point in terms of cost, schedule, and quality of deliverables. Each project deliverable produced
should be reviewed for quality and measured against the acceptance criteria. When deliverables have been produced
and the customer has agreed on the final solution, the project is said to be ready for closure.

4. Performance and Monitoring Phase of Construction Project

This stage is all related to the measurement of progress and performance to make sure that items are tracking with
the project management scheduling. This phase regularly happens at the same time as the execution phase.

5. Closure Phase of Construction Project

During the final closure, the importance is on providing the final deliverables to the customer, that is:

 Handing over project documentation to the business

 Termination of supplier contracts
 Releasing project resources
 Communicate the closure of the project to all stakeholders.
 Last and final is to conduct lessons-learned studies to examine what went well and what didn’t.
AGENTS INVOLVED & THEIR METHODS OF EXECUTION:

There are 4 agencies involved & their methods of execution. They are:
1. The builder. He is the financier. He must get approval of Govt. agencies, He should be to
any recommendations made by structural engineer and compromise on the safety. He
should be then free from litigation caused due to negligence of others.
2. The architect: it is required law that he must prepare plans. He should not veto if
structural engineer insists on modifying sections if analysis warrants. The architect
should then be free from litigation.
3. Structural engineer: the person with the responsibility for accepting the responsibility. He
has to state the conditions.
4. Construction Engineer: If his work is supervised, has no direct responsibility. It is a fact
that structural engineer alone cannot escape responsibility, Hence, he has to protect
himself or stipulate under different conditions.