CHAPTER 2: PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

CE 505: Construction Methods and Project Management

Introduction:
The product of a construction project can exist for hundreds of years. People
occupy the buildings, maintain the refineries, operate the pipelines, and use the
bridges. However, no one interacts quite as intimately with these facilities as those
who dream of them, design them, and build them.
Construction projects are born from ideas. For an idea to be realized, it must
be translated into graphic form, which in turn must be transformed into a finished
product.
The idea is defined by the owner, developed by the designer, and produced
by the contractor, who then turns it over to the owner.
As projects grow in complexity, owners are increasingly turning to outside
consultants to represent their interests.
These program managers and project managers may be employed by design
or construction firms that may or may not have a direct stake in the design or
construction of the project.
Owners increased need for tight financial control and quick project
turnaround, coupled with concerns about the rising cost of litigation are contributing
to a change in the way in which the roles relate to each other.
This chapter discusses the roles of the owner, designer, and constructor as
separate and distinct. Complexity develops from how those functions are configured
and who carries them out.

OWNERS
Owners can be individuals seeking a home for their growing family, a
large organization responding to a change in technology, a municipality
seeking to improve its infrastructure, or a developer working to make money
by filling a perceived market need.

Types of Owners:

1. Public Owners
The government agencies and departments are considered as
public owners. Projects relating public works and government
development plans are publicly owned.
2. Private Owners
Private owner includes homeowners who build residential
properties and companies who build industrialized structures for
businesses and processes related to their industries.
3. Owner Representatives
Large companies and well-known personalities has a
representative for each project they are involved with.

DESIGN PROFESSIONALS
ARCHITECTS AND ENGINEERS

Architects and Engineers are the principal designers of construction

projects. On most building and residential sector projects, the architects are
the lead designer, laying out the concept on paper works with the owner. The
engineer is usually brought in after the basic concept is worked out but
before the details are developed.
ARCHITECTS
Architects are the starts of the building industry. The profession
has a certain mystique about it romantic, artistic, and not entirely
understood by the people outside the field. Architects are the
industrys image makers. An architects responsibilities are to translate
and develop an owners requirements and graphically represent them
so that the contractor can accurately price, schedule, and implement
the design.
1. Drafters and CAD Operators
Many companies use CAD software packages
exclusively and all drafting is done in front of a computer
screen. A person choosing CAD operation as a career will find
many opportunities in a growing field.
2. Specification Writers
A specification writer prepares a written document
called the specifications. Specifiers are often trained as
engineers or architects, although they may not be licensed.
3. Interior Designers
These professionals work on a projects nonstructural
interior spaces. Most interior designers are trained in a 2 to 4year program that provides a certificate or degree.
4. Landscape Architects
Landscape architect work includes identification of plant
species and location of trees and shrubs.
ENGINEERS
With 25 to 65 percent of construction costs going to engineered
systems, engineers play an important role on projects. Sometimes they
work within large A/E firms, but most often they are independent
consultants. Engineers responsibility on projects is varied, depending
on their discipline.
1. Structural Engineers
Calculate strengths and deflections, foundation sizes,
beam thickness, and strength of floor slabs. They ensure that
a building can withstand the forces of wind, gravity and
seismic activity.
2. Mechanical Engineers
They share information about equipment weight with
structural engineers and power requirements with electrical

engineers. They work with the architects to make sure that

enough room is provided for ducts and fans.
3. Electrical Engineers
Calculate the overall electrical load required; size
equipment accordingly; and supply drawings that show power
lines,
motors,
transformers,
switchgear
and
telecommunications.
4. Civil Engineers
Determine the location of a project on a site by studying
the subsurface soil conditions and the topography of the land.
They design roads, bridges, tunnels, parking lots, storm water
drainage and sewage treatment plants.
5. Surveyors
Measure distances and elevations of land surfaces. They
locate natural features such as hills, valley, vegetation, rock
outcroppings and water bodies. They also measure built
features such as curbs, paved areas, utilities, structures, and
property boundaries.

CONSTRUCTION PROFESSIONAL
CONSTRUCTOR
It is a general term used to define the professional responsible for all
construction activities. Constructor either works as a general contractor or a
construction manager.
1. Estimators
Estimators are vital to the project. Jobs are won and lost by their
efforts. Estimators works with design drawings and prepare a complete list of
all job cost. They have a thorough knowledge about material cost, equipment
cost, labor cost and bidding process needed in the construction and the cost
of everything related to the project.
2. Schedulers
Schedulers work on both main office and site office. Before the
construction period, they are usually based at the main office but often
moves to the site as the construction stage begins. Schedulers monitors job
progress, coordinate subcontractors, analyze changes and the impact of
delays, and solve problems.
3. Purchasing Agents
Purchasing agents buy subcontracts once the project is won. They
negotiate with the best price while giving assurance that the standards are
met by the project. They usually meet the subcontractors regarding the scope
and limitations of their work which leads to a change in the bid price.
4. Specialty Contractors
Also known as subcontractors, are firms who has a certain field of
specialization that may contribute to the improvement of the project. Field
specialization of subcontractors may include the mechanical, electrical,
excavation, and demolition works. They supply most of the materials and
labor in the project.

TRADES

The trades in the construction industry are the skilled workers which offer
their labor in the construction of the project. Most trades have broad experience in
their own specializations. They are the hands-on workers in the construction
industry that has a lot of physical work contributions in the construction period.
1. Construction Equipment Operators
They are the one who knows how to operate a machinery or equipment
to move construction materials, earth and other heavy materials at
construction sites.
2. Ironworkers
Ironworkers are those who layout the reinforcing bars or steel skeleton
of a certain project. They can also install metal decking and assemble grills,
canopies, stairways and ladders.
3. Cement Mason
Cement mason are people who works on concrete works. They are
those who pours concrete, lay concrete slabs, reinforcing walls, steps and
paving. They also apply leveling and finishing techniques.
4. Sheetmetal Workers
Sheetmetal workers works on fabricated metal sheets being used on
metal ducts for heating, ventilating and air conditioning system of a project.
Most of their works are done in shops rather than sites.
5. Plasterers
Plasterers works on steel beams fireproofing and ceiling finishes, as
well as plastering of walls on the interior and stucco on the exterior.
6. Plumbers and Pipefitters
These trades install all types of piping system, including water, gas,
steam, processed chilled water and sprinkler system. The work may involve
welding, especially for high pressure system, and the use of variety of tools.
7. Electricians
Electricians assemble and wire the systems needed to provide
electricity for heating, lighting, power and air-conditioning. They also install
conduit for running wires and hookup equipment.
8. Bricklayers
Bricklayers build walls, chimneys and pavement using unit masonry
such as bricks and concrete blocks. The process requires an accurate, precise
and careful work to function right.
9. Glaziers
Glaziers install all types of glass, whether on storefronts, in windows or
as display cases. The work includes sizing, cutting, fitting, and sealing the
glass
10.
Roofers
Roofers applies waterproofing in roofs using a variety of materials,
including tar and gravel, rubber, PVC, asphalt shingles, clay tile and slate.
11.
Carpenters
Carpenters make up the formworks for concrete pours, install metal
and wood studs for walls, apply gypsum sheathing for walls and ceilings,
install hung ceilings, doors, hardware, make wood cabinets and shelving, as
well as landscape office furniture.

MATERIAL SUPPLIERS

Material Suppliers are those responsible for the production of construction

materials, as well as construction tools and equipment being used in the
construction.

EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS

Equipment suppliers are those who supply equipment for heavy work
construction. Equipment may be for rent or sale depending on the deal with the
suppliers.
There are six categories of equipment in the construction:
EARTHMOVING
excavators, loaders and trenching machines
LIFTING
cranes, aerial lifts and boom trucks
LIGHT EQUIPMEMT
breakers,
saws,
generators,
pumps,
compressors
BITUMINOUS MACHINERY
cold planers, asphalt pavers, rollers, and soil
stabilizers
CONCRETE AND AGGREGATE crushers, screeners, feeders, conveyors, rock
drills,
mixers and pavers
COMPONENTS
buckets, blades, demolition tools, hydraulic
and electric

OTHER PARTICIPANTS
1. Financing - is certainly one of the biggest. Where the money comes from,
how funding is set up, and terms and conditions of the funding all play a
direct role in how the project will be managed.
2. Public agencies - are interested in the project from a regulatory
perspective. They have the authority to rule on the conditions of building and
deny the right to build if the project is deemed not in the public interest.
3. Insurance - some companies provide property insurance to the owner,
liability insurance to designer and bonding insurance to the constructor.
4. Lawyers - advise their clients on ways to minimize liability, risk and dispute
resolution and help their clients negotiate these issues through contract
language.

ORGANIZATION OF COMPANIES
DESIGN COMPANIES
1. Project manager - is the owners primary contact, responsible for
scheduling in-house work and identifying necessary staffing levels for
both in-house personnel and outside consultants.
2. Clerks of the works - usually an architect or an engineer employed
by the designer to enforce the terms of the contract and interpret the
plan and specs.

3. Job Captain - organizes the drawings required to complete the job,

manages the personnel resources, communicates with the engineers
and other consultants, and details the schematic designs.
CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES
1. Construction project managers - configure the project team,
schedule the job, and set up a cost-control system. If there are
changes on the job, this person negotiates the costs with the various
parties.
2. Superintendent - interact with the specialty sub-contractors,
coordinating the flow of workers, supplies, and equipment to ensure
that the schedule is met.
3. Field Engineer typically assigned to handle the various documents
that flow through the field office. He or she may also follow up on
owners requests and communicate with tenants.