The construction process is the steps involved in designing the concept of a building to completing the construction and successful delivery of a project. Knowing the phases of construction for the project life cycle will help you manage the process smoothly and efficiently.
Construction can get complicated and time-consuming – proper planning can aid in smooth progress toward completing a construction project. To set out a plan, you should understand the various phases of construction projects.
Construction projects process
Every construction project is distinct. They vary in complexity and scope. The scale, the intricacy of the job, and the challenges faced at the construction site are different for each project. However, from renovating a room to building a massive complex, almost all construction projects follow the same process. The construction project process involves the detailed steps required for building, refurbishing, or reconstructing a construction project.
The process can be broken down into three broad phases: due diligence and design, approvals and bidding, and the construction phase. Knowing how the different steps align together can help you make informed decisions from idea to completion. Maintaining the continuity of stages through the life cycle of a project is imperative to the success of the construction process.
The three phases or stages of the construction process are:
First: Due diligence and Design
Second: Approvals and bidding
Third: Construction
Due diligence and Design
In the earliest phase, the owners, builders, architects, project managers, and other professionals involved in the project discuss the construction plan and its feasibility. The project goals, scope, and quality standards are defined. The architects create the conceptual design and technical drawings for municipal approvals. Discussions are held among the experts on the project time frames, tasks, and dependencies. This is the phase where the budget for material, labor, and equipment costs is estimated. The design phase and due diligence on related regulations and factors usually take two to six months to complete.
Approvals and bidding
The phase involves collating and submitting the schematic designs, technical drawings, and development paperwork to government authorities for building approvals and permits. The construction document detailing the construction site job requirements is also worked out in this phase. The details are communicated to the contractors to initiate the bidding process. When the bids come back, they are analysed, and the suitable ones are approved. Contracts between the owners and contractors are chalked out in preparation for the next phase of the construction process. The phase duration is as long as it takes to receive approval for permits from the various municipal agencies.
Construction
The construction managers and contractors will transform all the planning and designing into reality in the third phase. The actual construction begins in this phase. Construction site management involves quality control inspections, replies to Requests for Information (RFIs), examination and approval of technical submittals, and overseeing the timely and within-budget delivery of the project.
The project managers must adhere to the plans created by owners, architects, and other professionals involved in the project. They need to keep track of the work schedule. Any deviation in the program would require a revision to bring it back on track. During this phase, effective communication between the various contractors, teams, workers, project managers, and clients is the key to delivering a highly successful construction project. Construction-specific project management software can assist in managing the construction phases easily and more efficiently.
With the knowledge of the construction process involved in the complete project life cycle, you are in a better position to manage and direct the construction job from concept to completion.
