Breaking Down Construction Services

Often architects get all the credit for fabulous infrastructures and beautiful buildings. They are praised for its clean lines or intricate details; whether a house or a high-rise, none of these structures would exist without the added expertise and hard work of everyone else within the construction services industry. Yes, the architect may be the overseer and visionary of the creation, but again the adage rings true “many hands make light work”. It certainly takes plenty of ‘hands’ to complete any build – whether it’s new, being repaired, maintained or refurbished. Which is why it’s vital for you to know more about the basics of this important industry.

What Types Of Construction Services Are There?

Within the construction industry there are three main sectors: buildings, infrastructure and industrial.

• The building sector is inclusive of residential and non-residential builds. This would comprise of planning, designing, building etc. of private homes, commercial businesses and institutions such as universities or hospitals.
• The infrastructure sector can also be referred to as civil/heavy construction. This subdivision is quite broad and caters for local as well as national structures, which includes: public works, roads, bridges, canals and dams.
• The industrial sector is a focused form of construction as it specializes in industry-specific builds and maintenance. This includes powerplants, refineries, manufacturing plants and factories to name but a few. Usually those involved in this sector undergo further specialized training.

What Are The Different Stages Of Construction?

As we all know by now, to construct anything takes time, money and effort. Time – to conceptualize, design and plan the build. Money – to fund the entire project from beginning to end, and Effort – is the work put in, to make the dream a reality.

Construction services are made up of various processes and procedures for the different sectors. We, however, for the purpose of learning the basics – will focus on a few important phases of a residential build.

• Concept, designs, planning and interviews: this is the beginning of your construction journey. When you have decided to pursue the avenue of building a new home and you have co-labored with your architect in creating the design and plans for your custom build.

  Included in this process, would be interviewing potential home builders, hiring the right professionals within the construction services industry, to your build is a pivotal part of your planning.

• Legal submissions, contract agreements and building permits: this part of your construction journey can sometimes take time. After your plans are drawn, you will have to hire contractors and finalize contracts for the project. Then involved parties will be responsible for making sure your paperwork has been successfully processed by your municipality so that you receive a building permit and then finally, the build can begin.

• Construction/Field work: this is when the actual construction process begins. Now depending on the area, builders may need to demolish some old standing structures, excavate the land to level it for the new build and then begin work on the foundation of your home.

  From then on, your house will begin to take shape. Framing, flooring and roofing would probably be next on the list. Electrical installations, insulations and other plumbing installations should follow. When all exterior and interior work is finished. Your house should begin to look like what you had envisioned at the begin of this journey.

  At this point the painters should be called in to provide the finishing touches to the structure. When all the paint has dried, the final stage of field work should be the clean-up. This should be done by your construction company. They should remove the waste and make sure the environment is ready for occupancy.

• Payments and settlements – again depending on your contractual agreements, once all the hard work is done the final stage of the process is usually final payment. Unless upfront payments were required and you’re left with settling the bill.

In the end, there is nothing more satisfying than being able to see your envisioned creation – as a living, breathing, beautiful structure – inhabited and enjoyed by your family and yourself. So, if you are about to embark on this journey, arm yourself with the basic knowledge of construction services and continue to research and ask questions. If you would like to chat to experts in this field, feel free to contact us for more information.