The agencies supporting the construction
industry include but are not limited to the following:
a) Construction business promoters like
government bodies, public and private enterprises for real estate and
industrial development, and other similar agencies.
b) Construction management consultant firms.
c) Architect-engineering associates.
d) Construction manpower recruitment and
training agencies.
e) Construction materials developing,
manufacturing, stocking, transportation and trading firms.
f) Construction plant and machinery
manufacturing, distributing, and repair and maintenance organizations.
g) Banking and finance institutions.
h) Risk insurance and legal services
companies.
i) Construction quality assurance, and
research and development establishment.
j) Contractors and contracting firms.
There are five main agencies actively
associated with the execution of major works. These are: business promoters,
construction management consultants, architects-engineering associates, input
suppliers and the contractors.
Business
promoter
Business promoter also called the client,
he is the potential owner of the construction facility. He sponsors the
construction works and ultimately utilizes them. A client can be a government
body, a public or private enterprises, or some private individual. It is he who
sponsors the works, finances their construction, and utilizes the facility
constructed. It is on his demand that the market forces react. Thus, in
reality, it is the client who is the promoter of the construction business. The
construction work can be executed through the client’s own organization, that
is, departmentally, or through contractors, or through a combination of both.
Construction
management consultants
The emerging trend these days among the
clients, is to hire the construction management consultants for rendering
certain services on contract basis for the entire life of the project. The
nature of tasks assigned to this group by the clients vary, but it generally
includes the following:
a) Project feasibility, including cost
estimates.
b) Site survey and soil investigations.
c) Scrutiny and coordination of designs and
drawing work.
d) Estimating, initial planning, and
budgeting costs.
e) Processing prequalification of
construction agencies, tendering, and awarding contracts to the successful
bidders.
f) Designing project organizations for
executing works and developing standard operating procedures and systems.
g) Developing detailed construction plans,
project schedules and performance measuring standards.
h) Supervising works, including
administration of contracts and controlling of project time, cost and quality
objectives.
Architech-engineering
associates
An architect is an individual who designs
the buildings, landscapes and other artistic features. The engineer associated
with architects develop structural, electrical, mechanical and other specialist
system and designs. Architect-engineering associates are the firms employing
both architects as well as engineers to provide complete design services under
one roof. Some of these firms also provide construction management services.
The architect-engineering firms, when
engaged, are frequently required to coordinate with construction management
consultant/manager, who knows the project needs, and to scrutinize designs and
drawings from the construction point of view. Construction consultants, with
all their construction expertise, can render valuable guidance and advice to
the design team, especially when the latter has to finally approach them for approval.
Input
suppliers
Construction process needs resources
input. Construction inputs exist in the form of men, materials, machinery and
money. The workforce connected with construction includes architects,
engineers, managers, technical and non-technical staff, highly skilled
operators, and skilled and unskilled manpower. Construction activity requires a
wide variety of materials, which from a substantial part of the entire
construction cost. Induction of construction plant and machinery has revolutionized
construction practices by adding the speed factor and reducing the need for
difficult-to-manage manpower.
Money is at the core of all business
activities and construction being a capital intensive business, generally also
operates under money constraints. Construction input resources are converted
into construction facilities by using the standard construction practices and
management methodologies. This process of input procurement, conversion and
management of resources covers a wide spectrum of the construction business
activity.
Contractors
Construction contractors form the backbone
of the construction business as they execute most of the construction works. In
the competitive construction business, which requires special resources for
different types of construction work, the contractors generally tend to
specialize in a particular area of construction. From this functional angle,
the contractors can be classified into the following categories:
a) General contractors.
b) Building contractors.
c) Specialist contractors for various types
of heavy infrastructure construction work such as highways, bridges, dams,
marine works etc.
d) Specialist (mostly turnkey) contractors
for various categories of industrial works like power plants, process
industries, and so on.
e) Specialist utility services contractors.
These include electrical contractors, water supply and sewage disposal
contractors, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air-conditioning) contractors, and
so on.
Moreover depending upon their resource
capability to handle construction work and their financial position and past
performance, the contractors are further categorized by various government
bodies into workload capability divisions (like S, A, B and C class) for the
purposes of awarding contracts.
