Building Construction Process Explained

	Introduction	1
	Terminology	3
	Construction Delivery Methods	14
Design, Bid, Build		14
Time		14
Control During Design		15
Control During Construction		15
Price for Construction		16
Extra Costs		16
Reasons for Changes		17
Time for Completion		17
What Can Happen		17
Construction Management		19
Time		20
Control During Design		20
Control During Construction		20
Price for Construction		21
Extra Costs		21
Time for Completion		21
What Can Happen		21
Design-Build		22
Time		22
Control During Design		24
Control During Construction		26
Price for Construction		28
Extra Costs		29
Reasons for Changes		29
Time for Completion		30
What Can Happen		30
Project Management		31
Cost Plus Contract		31
Negotiated Contracts		32
	Building Components, Services and Systems	33
Codes and Standards		33
Other Issues of Codes and Standards		36
Building Components		36
Architectural Systems		37
Combustible Construction		37
Non-Combustible Construction		38
Roofing		38
Ceilings		39
Exterior Wall Systems		41
Interior Wall Systems		42
Flooring Systems		43
Millwork Systems		44
Hardware		44
Elevators, Escalators and Stairs		45
Structural Systems		45
Wood/Steel Elements		46
Concrete		46
Design		49
Seismic Design		49
Mechanical Systems - Hvac		50
Ventilation		50
Indoor Air Quality		51
Air Handling Systems		51
Air Ducts		51
Duct Insulation		52
Fire Dampers		53
Supply Air Diffusers		53
Air Recirculation		53
Return Air		53
Exhaust Air		54
Vibration Isolation		55
Heating Systems		55
Electric Heat		55
Heating Systems Other Than Electric		56
Forced Air Heating		56
Hot Water Heating		57
Heat Pumps		57
Air Conditioning		57
Building Comfort Zones		60
Mechanical System Controls		61
Mechanical Systems Balancing and Commissioning		62
Balancing		62
Commissioning		62
Site Drainage		63
Foundation or Footing Drains		64
Mechanical Systems - Plumbing		64
Rainwater Drain Piping		64
Sewage Piping, Sanitary Piping		65
Drain Piping – General		65
Pumping		66
Disposal		66
Clean-outs		66
Pressure Piping Systems		67
Water Hammer		67
Insulation		67
Hot Water		68
Gas Piping		69
Plumbing System Considerations		69
Mechanical Systems - Fire Suppression Systems or Fire Protection Systems		70
Sprinkler Systems		70
Wet Sprinkler System		70
Dry Sprinkler System		71
Preaction Sprinkler System		71
Deluge Sprinkler System		71
Sprinkler Systems – General		72
Fire Pump		72
Total Flooding Fire Suppression Systems		73
Electrical Systems		74
Electrical Terminology		74
Utility Services		75
Power Service		76
Codes and Standards		76
Efficiency of Light Sources		77
Fluorescent Ballasts		77
HID Light Sources		78
Fluorescent Lighting		78
Pot-Lights		78
Color Rendering Ability		79
Lighting of Spaces Where Computers are Used		80
Cost of Owning a Lighting System		81
Interior Lighting Control		81
Considerations Regarding Exterior Lighting		83
Exterior Lighting Control		85
Emergency Lighting		85
Standby or Emergency Generator		86
Exit Signs		87
Fire Alarm System		87
Fire Alarm System Components		89
Costs of Ownership of a Fire Alarm System		89
Smoke Alarms		90
Telephone Service		91
Telephone and Data Wiring		92
Cables for Telephone and Data Communications		92
PCB’s		93
Other Discussion Topics		93
	Issues in Common For All Construction Delivery Methods	94
Issues Related to the Site		94
Sloping Site		94
Soil Conditions on the Site		94
Geotechnical Testing or Soils Testing		94
Sub-Surface Conditions		95
Contamination		95
A Change in Soil Conditions		96
Rock		97
Groundwater		97
Environmental Sensitivity		98
Heritage		98
Servicing of Sites		98
Construction Types		99
Costs and Related Issues		100
Operation and Maintenance Costs		100
Value Analysis		102
Initial Considerations of Operation and Maintenance Costs		103
Budget Considerations Regarding Operation and Maintenance Costs		105
Why Operation and Maintenance Costs Will Often Be Ignored		107
Costs Associated with Building Design		108
Construction Budget		109
Incremental Cost Considerations		112
Maintenance Considerations		112
Access for Maintenance of Building Services		112
Maintenance of Building Finishes		117
Other Initial Decisions That Can Become Maintenance Liabilities		118
Cracking of Concrete Floor Slabs in Wood-Frame Construction		119
Deterioration of Structural Elements in Concrete Slabs		120
Buildings and Water		121
Slabs On Grade		121
Foundation Walls		122
Exterior Walls		123
Water Entry Prevention		125
Staining		126
Building Systems Consolidation		126
Single Source Supply		127
Captive Owner		127
Owner Instruction		129
Owner Beware		129
Avoidance of Single Source Supply		131
The Rewards of Single Source Supply		131
Single Tender or Proposal		132
Single Sub-Contractor		132
Unique Products		132
Expensive and Custom-Made Products		133
Standard Building Components		134
Owners at a Disadvantage		134
Management Companies		135
Warranty		135
Questionable Practices		139
Residential Selling		140
Liabilities Created		140
Changes		140
Change Documentation		143
Change Pricing		144
Disputes Related To Changes		145
As-Built Drawings as a Source of Changes		147
Re-stocking Charge		147
Labor Costs		147
Savings		148
Reasons Why Savings Can Be Made		150
Common Suggestions for Savings		152
Providing Definition To a Scope of Work		158
Design, Bid, Build/Design-Build Project Definition		161
Exclusions in Design-Build		161
Design and its Manifestations		162
Interpretation of Specifications		162
Relationships and Involvements with the General Contractor		163
General Contractor		164
General Contractor’s On Site Representative		164
General Contractor’s Abilities		165
Contractor/Sub-Contractor Relationship		166
New Products, New Technology and Innovation		166
New Products		166
New Technology		168
Innovation		169
Overview		170
Late Completion		170
Addenda		171
Work Performed in Existing Buildings		171
Problems in Existing Buildings		174
Materials Containing Asbestos		175
As-Built Drawings or Record Drawings		176
Critical Path		178
Construction Climate		179
Workings of the Industry		179
Games People Play		181
	Design, Bid, Build	182
Building Consultants		182
Architectural Consultant		183
Geotechnical Consultant		186
Structural Consultant		186
Mechanical Consultant		187
Electrical Consultant		187
Cost Consultant		187
Acoustic Consultant		189
Building Code Consultant, Fire Protection Consultant		189
Fire Protection Consultant		189
Building Envelope Consultant		189
Certified Professional		190
Civil Engineering Consultant		190
Communications Consultant		190
Energy Consultant		191
Environmental Consultant		191
Food Services Consultant (often called a Kitchen Consultant)		191
Hardware Consultant		191
Interior Design Consultant		191
Landscape Consultant		192
Lighting Design Consultant		192
Programming Consultant		192
Roofing Consultant		192
Scheduling Consultant		192
Security Systems Consultant		193
Seismic Anchoring Design Consultant		193
Specifications Consultant		193
Theatre Consultant		193
Traffic Consultant		193
Consulting Office		193
What Is Important For Design?		195
Consultant’s Experience		197
Extra Costs		199
Hiring Consultants		203
Consultant and Contractor Interaction		203
Consultant and Owner Interaction		204
Coordination		205
Design Coordination		205
Question of Inclusion		211
On-Site Coordination		212
Fees		213
Percentage		214
Time		216
Cost Plus		217
Fixed Fee		217
Consulting Fee Components		218
Defining a Scope of Work For Consultants		218
Undefined Scope of Consulting Service		219
Misunderstandings Regarding Fees		220
Periodic Site Visits		221
Owners Continuous Presence on Site		222
As-Built Drawings		223
Reduced Design		223
Renovation Projects		224
Economy of Scale with Regard to Fees		224
Tendering or Bid Phase of Construction		225
Bid Bond		228
Instructions to Bidders		231
Bid Depository		232
Tender Preparation Costs		232
Check Prices		232
Alternative and Separate Prices		233
Unique and Single Source Supply		234
Tendering Period		235
Unit Prices		236
Schedule for Completion		237
Low Tenderer		238
Acceptance of Tenders		239
Late Tenders		239
Single Tender		239
Pricing of Changes		239
Onerous Contractual Clauses		239
Tender Price Changes by Fax		241
Naming of Sub-trades and Suppliers		242
Savings		244
Addenda		244
Post-Tender Addendum		245
Addenda and Coordination		245
Design and Its Manifestations		246
No Consultant		246
Minimal Design		247
Employee Involvement in Design		249
Owner’s Resources		249
Service Room Locations		249
Design Process		250
Schematic Design		250
Energy Modeling		251
Alternative Designs		251
Design Development		251
Construction Documents Stage of Design		252
Design Manuals		252
Construction Documentation		252
Drawings		252
Specifications		252
Monetary Allowance		254
Shop Drawings		254
Long Delivery Items		257
Dealing with Long Delivery Items		258
Tenant Improvements		258
Manual Keying		258
One Possible Design, Bid, Build Project		259
	Design-Build	260
Design-Build Entities		261
Project Definition Documents		262
Cost of Responding		264
Request for Proposal Process		264
Owner Involvement		265
Building Consultants and Design		267
Similar Designers		268
Fees		268
As-Built Drawings		269
Separate and Alternative Prices		270
Unit Prices		270
Unique and Single Source Supply		270
Proposal Submission Process		270
Schedule for Completion		271
Proposal with Lowest Price		271
Late Submissions		271
Single Proposal		271
Pricing of Changes		272
Onerous Contractual Clauses		272
Proposal Price Changes		272
Naming of Sub-Trades and Suppliers		272
Project Award		273
Design		274
Construction Documentation		274
Shop Drawings		275
Long Delivery Items		275
Coordination		275
Substantial Performance		275
	Disputes and Dispute Resolution	276
Avoidance of Disputes		278
Lack of Due Diligence