Construction Guide

+ Project Organization Information Systems

Construction Guide
Project Organization Guide, Building Materials Selector, Construction Technology Manual, Construction Equipments Directory, Specification Builder, Installations Guide...

Construction is an assignment that involves a variety of tasks. Perhaps, the most expensive part of such a diversified undertaking is to know what is available where. The expansion of economy and technology brings multifarious products and processes, and keeping track is formidable. Worse, when one starts collecting data, there is too much of it to become an information overload: a choice cannot be made with all the options. Yet, to some scale, knowledge management solutions can be evolved for construction personnel by organization construction related information. Commercial information can be organized into following areas:
Project Organization & Management Information

The single most important factor in the success of a construction project is the contractual arrangement made between owners and various contractors, consultants and material suppliers. This factor is called Project Organization. Project management is about methods to achieve objectives of the project - to complete the project within the budget and time, to accomplish appreciable quality and to administer contingencies.
Portfolio, Investment, Real Estate & Finance Guidelines

Getting into construction project is a commitment for investment. Moreover, investment into land is large, sometimes larger than the construction itself. Hence, it is important to justify such investment against alternate avenues of investment. Development can be financed by banks, financial institutions and private parties in various methods. Architecture & Engineering Information Architecture and engineering are technical aspects of construction. An academic compilation provides systematic access to information on methods of design, software and tools for design, special handbook information and design management. Compilation of Law related to Construction Construction processes assume legal significance on various grounds. Building rules are laid to organize individual construction according to town planning guidelines. Purchase and sale of property is based on separate civil laws. Business jurisprudence comes into effect by way of law of contracts and sales/income/wealth tax related laws.
Building Materials Directory

Organization of building materials serves in absorbing new materials as an when they come to the market. Besides, enumerated information on materials, manufacture, technical and commercial properties; information systems should also enable material selectors for selection of suitable materials for the purpose in hand.
Construction Methods Information

As construction is being more mechanized with prefabrication, construction equipments and standardization of building products, appreciation of procedures is important. Besides for every construction process, automated specification builders facilitate writing specifications for contractors.
Construction Equipments Directory

A set of ever-expanding construction equipments is industrializing the construction industry. Yet, utility of many equipments are restricted to large scale constructions. Besides, knowledge of type of equipments, economic decisions on equipment requirement and purchase/hire is significant.

Installations Manual

Details of installing fixtures and equipments from light bulbs to massive centralized air conditioning plants evade attention of technologists. Organization of information on such installations from pumps to lifts, insect killers to water purifiers, ranges from technical and commercial to fixing and using details. Site Engineering Guidelines Site engineering requires large technical know-how, along with some accounting know-how, managerial and administration skills. Site engineering information should also contain handbook data, instrumentation & control systems in the market and custom-made calculators for special purposes.

Construction is a formidable assignment. It is plain fact that most construction projects disappoint in one sense or the other, because construction has large financial, psychological and social implications, besides technical. Projects may fail in planning, costing, timing, managing and/or in quality. Many typical situations of construction project failures can substantiate this point. Well, there is also a lighter side to it. Most construction related problems are results of improper management, which could have been avoided. For a great majority of owners or users, construction is a one-time endeavour and hence, a regular managerial skill about project execution cannot be expected from them. Yet, since the costs involved are enormous, wisdom is to give an appropriate caution about construction management. The key to proper management of construction is understanding that a construction project, however large, is executed by a number of small firms. The owner/user is the consumer of the final building but consumption is made in stages: he employs many small firms - architects to prepare plan, engineers for supervision and quality control, different contractors for different works such as brickwork, concreting, painting etc., different material suppliers for different materials such as bricks, cement, paints etc. Hence, managing construction is a process of integrating services of various small firms into one large entity. If these services are not properly coordinated during all stages of construction, interests of individual firms would override project preferences. Each person pursues his own direction and the project direction is lost. Contractors collect profit before completion and quit the job or does a poor job. Engineers are bribed to close their eyes to quality control. Every bystander gives suggestions on the work, that owner does not know which is true or better. Architects take commissions from material suppliers for certain materials. Suppliers sell faulty materials mixed with good. And to greatest advantage, if anything goes wrong one person can always put the blame on the other. One more observation should be made. In many cases, the owner himself can assume one or more roles, if he is technically or financially competent. Owner can be project manager, architect, contractor or material supplier. For that matter, any firm in a project may assume multiple responsibilities. For example, an architect can be a contractor and a contractor may as well be a material supplier. In fact, there are typical organizations which play multiple roles. A turnkey contractor assumes the role of architect, project manager and contractor. Most architects also act as construction managers. When a firm/person assumes multiple roles, it is necessary to understand precisely what responsibilities are taken care of by the composite firm and what are not. Thus, the overview of the factors that need to be considered in good project organization are: *

All tasks involved in construction should be identified and assigned to somebody. There should be no anybodys job that is but done by nobody. For this, one should understand exhaustively what are the various tasks in a construction project. * The owner should understand clearly what responsibilities and tasks are being assumed by himself. * When a firm involves multiple tasks, the responsibilities of composite activity that would be borne by the firm should be ascertained. Tasks that are not included should be allocated, too * The coordination between different tasks should be organized.

Traditional Method
Traditional methods of organizing a construction project In this method * Owner employs architects and engineers to prepare plans and specifications * Either employs or the consultant on the behalf of the owner may associate with a general contractor who is assigned for constructions. * General contractors may or may not employ sub contractors, who may not report directly to owner * The consultant exercises some degree of inspection, monitoring or control during construction. Advantages * Traditional methods are suitable or owners who are not very knowledgeable, or who are overloaded themselves. * One time owners with a single project can also go by this method * Owner needs to contact only the consultant during execution, only the consultant will report to him. Disadvantages

* In large projects, it may be difficult for owner to keep track especially if the owner is knowledge. * When co-ordination from various designers -mechanical, electrical etc., is required in industrial projects, architect cannot keep track of activities. * For phased constructions, when design progress side-by-side with construction, designer himself cannot act as co-ordinate, because designer is also one of the elements to be coordinated.

Owner Builder Method

Construction project organization for builders In this method * Owner himself has staff to execute and manage the construction, and hence acts as general contractor himself. * Owner here architects to prepare plans and specifications. * Owner also here necessary subcontractors and controls the construction himself. Advantages * This method is suitable for owners such as builders and developers having their own construction staff. * It may also be suitable for public sector undertakings having construction wings. * Owner has personal responsibility on construction and construction cost is minimized. Disadvantages * It is not suitable for one-time owners and unknowledgeable, who do not have construction force at disposal. * Owner requires to make large capital mobilization and may also increase his overhead expenses * For schedule light projects, which are large in magnitude and involving co- ordination with various consultants and subcontractors, owners may not be able to monitor all activities.

Turnkey Method
Organization of construction projects by a one stop shop In this method, owner employs a turnkey projects firm, which has facilities for design, management and construction. Therefore, once the firm is employed, it hands over the completed project back to owner. The firm itself functions as consultants and general contractor. Advantages

* * * * *

There is only one overall contract to the owner. Minimum owner coordination is needed between design and construction. Construction expertise will also be used during design. Implementation of changes is simplified. Duration of construction is reduced by phased construction.

Disadvantages * Since design and construction occur side by side, usually a conclusive estimate of project cost cannot be made, until construction is will underway. * Overall quality and performance depends on the turnkey form. * Owner is sometimes not advised or aware of design a construction problem that may affect cost or schedule. * Difficulties of the turnkey form, such as working unreasonable overtime, by insistence of owners staff, may not be understood.

Construction Project tasks

An exhaustive list of tasks involved in a construction project Assume that the owner is a firm which thinks of doing a construction.

Project Feasibility Analysis

1. It

should be ascertained if an investment into the project is actually needed 2. It should be analyzed if the project is technically and economically feasible
Project Organization, Design & Engineering
3. Funds 4. There

are to be arranged, coordinated and allocated may be an organization/institution which provides finance 5. Schematic plans for the construction should be prepared 6. Approval should be procured from government bodies for construction

7. Various

firms may be employed to prepare engineering drawings 8. Construction is to be planned, detailed, estimated and specified 9. Contractors and material suppliers are to be organized and administered 10. Legal support should be available, if required
Project Construction
11. Construction 12. One

quality should be controlled at site or more main contractors may undertake actual execution 13. General contractors may sub-let work to other firms 14. General or sub- contractors mobilize work force at site 15. Material suppliers mobilize materials to site 16. Accessories and equipments are hired or purchased for use in site 17. Accounts and inventory control should be done at site 18. Progress of work against estimate and schedule should be analyzed 19. Facilities at site should be managed Economic Analysis
Economic Feasibility Analysis Finance Consultant (Sometimes owner, turnkey contractor, real estate agents, construction manager or architect) It should be ascertained if an investment into the project is actually needed Is sufficient money available? Will the investment be safe, if going for a finance? Are there alternatives to invest available money than constructing? Does this investment match with other ongoing expenses and investments? Will the returns/benefits from the project break even? The economic feasibility of the project is to be ascertained.

Technical feasibility
Technical feasibility analysis Technical Consultant (Sometimes turnkey contractor, construction manager or architect) The financial manager requires technical information on the project Rough estimate of the project cost (like cost per square feet), survey and preparation of site plan, extent of construction possible in the land to be purchased, type of construction required, estimated time period for construction and starting operation, feasibility of construction according to soil test results, engineering design services required, availability of personnel and technology. The technical feasibility of the project needs to be ascertained.

Finance Administration
Accounts and fund flow management function of project Finance Administrator (Sometimes owner, finance manager or construction manager) Funds are to be arranged and allocated Right from inception, cash flow is to be arranged and allocated. First, payments are to be made to designing consultants, then to contractors and material suppliers. Pure accounting (funds and

expenditure documentation) is to be done. A likely incoming fund flow schedule is formed. Finance administration function is evolved.

Source of Funds
From self or loans Financial Institution (Sometimes owner himself, material suppliers at credit, banks, loans from friends, land owners in joint venture, other partners) There should be an organization/institution which provides finance Right from inception, cash flow is to be arranged and allocated. First, payments are to be made to designing consultants, then to contractors and material suppliers. Pure accounting (funds and expenditure documentation) is to be done. Funds are organized.

Construction Planning
Scheduling, Detailing, Estimating and Specifying Construction Engineer (Sometimes turnkey contractor, site engineer, construction manager or architect) Construction should be planned, detailed, estimated and specified Before construction it is wise to translate an action plan into paper (construction schedule) and prepare a detailed estimation of the project cost. Schedules help when design and construction are done simultaneously so that all consultants and engineers know when the drawings are expected. Detailed schedules are required if the construction is time bound and various activities are to be done simultaneously without disturbing others. Detailed fair cost estimates control the project cost and objectively specify the implications of any change in design during construction. It also gives idea about where exactly project costs are deviating so that control measures may be taken in time. Besides, it is also necessary to prepare working drawings for actual execution at site. Working drawings show detailed aspects of construction such as risers of steps, design patterns of floor tiles, layout of beams, bending of steel bars, lift installations, sunken slabs etc. This is very important for construction involving more than one consultants, so that one service may not interfere with another. For example, air conditioner installations should not interfere with structural components. Coordination between various consultants and engineers should be achieved. It is also necessary to prepare the specifications for each items of work to some detail, so that contractors are clear what they are supposed to do and what method they are required to adopt for work. This avoids many disputes in later quality control. Construction is engineered.

Project Management Failures

Typical kinds of construction project failures * Planning Failures: The final constructed environment does not exactly match with initial aspirations. Some features of the building are not useful and/or some requirements have not been met. Planning authorities or local bodies delay or reject approval for proposed construction. * Financial Failures: The cost after completion of construction has been much larger than expected. Even worse, large costs are already incurred but the construction is not complete yet.

The arranged finances does not flow in at proper time, resulting in considerable strain. Some suggestion of contractor/engineer/architect proved extensively costly. * Quality Failures: The employed contractor/engineer has failed to deliver quality workmanship. The material procured and used happened to be of poor quality. Many useful materials are not available or are difficult to procure. Technical problems are encountered without a hint of appropriate solutions. Suggestion of contractor/engineer on a technical problem was biased to his convenience and was not successful. * Administration Failures: The contractor/engineer employed has left work midway; fresh contractor negotiates a not-so-fair cost. Public object when materials are stored or trucks are unloaded on roadside, due to insufficient space in site. Negotiating and settling transporters of materials are tedious tasks. Worse, an accident occurs at the site, in which a labourer has been seriously injured. Material is being stolen from site to elsewhere. * Schedule Failures: Due to some reason, the work is getting delayed. The owner blames the contractor, the contractor blames the architect, the architect blames the owner and so on. * Investment Failures: Ultimately what has been constructed does not fetch the required revenue, rent, appreciation or yield.

Improper Management
Typical situations where improper management is responsible for failures X Failure to employ singular authority responsible for project progress. Most owners/users employ different people for different tasks- architect, engineer, general contractor, sub-contractors, material suppliers etc; each with different ambitions out of the project. Unless, the owner/user is himself competent by education/experience to coordinate different people towards the same objective, reports from each of the involved parties would create ambiguity about the progress of the project. X Imperfect selection of architect/engineer for the project. Architects/engineers responsible for the preparation of plan and supervision of the project may not be competent by skill/education/experience. Some owners/users assume this task themselves without sufficient technical and legal know-how. Communication gap between architect and owners is also responsible for many planning failures. The world is enriched only when perspectives can be exchanged. X

Lack of working level detailing. Owners are disappointed about installed components such as door knobs and tile designs of the building, because of avoiding a thought before installation. Usually, construction plan does not contain details of installations and other components, that finally impart contentment to the owner. Hence, the necessity of thinking it over never occurs to the owner. Detailing to working level, formally or informally, is important because although the actual work may not be strictly to the detail, it gives an opportunity to analyze and give the best to every decision. X Lack of complete detailed estimation and cost control. A complete detailed estimation of construction cost before commencement of work giving attention to the minutest details gives a control over cost at all stages of construction. Besides, in this manner, construction can be planned according to the possible inflow of funds. Moreover, the owner can evaluate the implication of changing any decision during construction on the total construction cost, rather than worrying about over-running costs at the end. Most owners restrict to gross estimates, and also do not employ close cost control through out the construction period, in detailed manner. X Lack of technical and commercial information. Technical and commercial information on the materials, methods and equipments are not collected by most owners or their delegates. They prefer to be guided by previous experiences and what others advice them to do. As every project is unique, the quality control of materials and workmanship depends on a perfect knowledge of technicalities involved. Many technical problems may not have accurate solutions, but it is necessary to employ appropriate solutions. In many cases, even for acute technical problems a technical consultant may not be called in. X Imperfect contract administration: While contracts are awarded, proper measures of quality assurance may not be taken by the owner/delegate. The mode of payment and terms of holding the contract should allow for quality control, breach of trust by the contractor, safeguard against contractor deserting work and the actual amount of work delivered. X Lack of attention to subtle aspects. Planning transportation, storage, safety and handling of materials, adequate safety precautions for work personnel and materials at site assume enormous importance in certain cases. For some construction, complete planning and scheduling of work structure is also important. X Failure to assess investment-return model: Many owners/users do not consider an investment analysis very seriously. It is advisable to have a quantitative and objective idea about the cost and benefit of the proposed construction, to prevent over-investment, solidification of capital investment etc.