TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES

                             TRADITIONAL CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES

Construction under the traditional construction procedure
is performed by contractors. While they would like to satisfy the owner and the building designers, contractors have the main objective of making a profit. Hence,
their initial task is to prepare a bid price based on an accurate estimate of construction
costs. This requires development of a concept for performance of the work
and a construction time schedule. After a contract has been awarded, contractors
must furnish and pay for all materials, equipment, power, labor, and supervision
required for construction. The owner compensates the contractors for construction costs and services.
     A general contractor assumes overall responsibility for construction of a building.
The contractor engages subcontractors who take responsibility for the work
of the various trades required for construction. For example, a plumbing contractor
installs the plumbing, an electrical contractor installs the electrical system, a steel
erector structural steel, and an elevator contractor installs elevators. Their contracts
are with the general contractor, and they are paid by the general contractor.
      Sometimes, in addition to a general contractor, the owners contracts separately
with specialty contractors, such as electrical and mechanical contractors, who perform
a substantial amount of the work required for a building. Such contractors are
called prime contractors. Their work is scheduled and coordinated by the general
contractor, but they are paid directly by the owner.
Sometimes also, the owner may use the design-build method and award a contract
to an organization for both the design and construction of a building. Such organizations are called design-build contractors. One variation of this type of
contract is employed by developers of groups of one-family homes or low-rise
apartment buildings. The home builder designs and constructs the dwellings, but
the design is substantially completed before owners purchase the homes.
      Administration of the construction procedure often is difficult. Consequently,
some owners seek assistance from an expert, called a professional construction
manager, with extensive construction experience, who receives a fee. The construction
manager negotiates with general contractors and helps select one to construct
the building. Managers usually also supervise selection of subcontractors. During
construction, they help control costs, expedite equipment and material deliveries,
and keep the work on schedule . In some cases, instead, the owner
may prefer to engage a construction program manager, to assist in administrating both design and construction.
Construction contractors employ labor that may or may not be unionized. Unionized
craftspeople are members of unions that are organized by construction
trades, such as carpenter, plumber, and electrician unions. Union members will
perform only the work assigned to their trade. On the job, groups of workers are
supervised by crew supervisors, all of whom report to a superintendent.
During construction, all work should be inspected. For this purpose, the owner,
often through the architect and consultants, engages inspectors. The field inspectors
may be placed under the control of an owner’s representative, who may be titled
clerk of the works, architect’s superintendent, engineer’s superintendent, or resident
engineer. The inspectors have the responsibility of ensuring that construction meets
the requirements of the contract documents and is performed under safe conditions.
Such inspections may be made at frequent intervals.
In addition, inspections also are made by representatives of one or more governmental
agencies. They have the responsibility of ensuring that construction meets
legal requirements and have little or no concern with detailed conformance with
the contract documents. Such legal inspections are made periodically or at the end
of certain stages of construction. One agency that will make frequent inspections
is the local or state building department, whichever has jurisdiction. The purpose
of these inspections is to ensure conformance with the local or state building code.
During construction, standards, regulations, and procedures of the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration should be observed. These are given in detail in
‘‘Construction Industry. OSHA Safety and Health Standards (29CFR1926/1910),’’
Government Printing Office, Washington, DC 20402.
Following is a description of the basic traditional construction procedure for a
multistory building:
After the award of a construction contract to a general contractor, the owner
may ask the contractor to start a portion of the work before signing of the contract
by giving the contractor a letter of intent or after signing of the contract by issuing
a written notice to proceed. The contractor then obtains construction permits, as
required, from governmental agencies, such as the local building, water, sewer, and
highway departments.
The general contractor plans and schedules construction operations in detail and
mobilizes equipment and personnel for the project. Subcontractors are notified of
the contract award and issued letters of intent or awarded subcontracts, then are
given, at appropriate times, notices to proceed.
Before construction starts, the general contractor orders a survey to be made of
adjacent structures and terrain, both for the record and to become knowledgeable of local conditions. A survey is then made to lay out construction.
Field offices for the contractor are erected on or near the site. If desirable for
safety reasons to protect passersby, the contractor erects a fence around the site and
an overhead protective cover, called a bridge. Structures required to be removed
from the site are demolished and the debris is carted away.
Next, the site is prepared to receive the building. This work may involve grading
the top surface to bring it to the proper elevations, excavating to required depths
for basement and foundations, and shifting of utility piping. For deep excavations,
earth sides are braced and the bottom is drained.
Major construction starts with the placement of foundations, on which the building
rests. This is followed by the erection of load-bearing walls and structural
framing. Depending on the height of the building, ladders, stairs, or elevators may
be installed to enable construction personnel to travel from floor to floor and eventually
to the roof. Also, hoists may be installed to lift materials to upper levels. If
needed, temporary flooring may be placed for use of personnel.
As the building rises, pipes, ducts, and electric conduit and wiring are installed.
Then, permanent floors, exterior walls, and windows are constructed. At the appropriate
time, permanent elevators are installed. If required, fireproofing is placed for
steel framing. Next, fixed partitions are built and the roof and its covering, or
roofing, are put in place.
Finishing operations follow. These include installation of the following: ceilings;
tile; wallboard; wall paneling; plumbing fixtures; heating furnaces; air-conditioning
equipment; heating and cooling devices for rooms; escalators; floor coverings; window
glass; movable partitions; doors; finishing hardware; electrical equipment and
apparatus, including lighting fixtures, switches, outlets, transformers, and controls;
and other items called for in the drawings and specifications. Field offices, fences,
bridges, and other temporary construction must be removed from the site. Utilities,
such as gas, electricity, and water, are hooked up to the building. The site is landscaped
and paved. Finally, the building interior is painted and cleaned.
The owner’s representatives then give the building a final inspection. If they find
that the structure conforms with the contract documents, the owner accepts the
project and gives the general contractor final payment on issuance by the building
department of a certificate of occupancy, which indicates that the completed building meets building-code requirements.