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Introduction to Construction Essential Knowledge

    City & Guilds (6217 – 01)

Introduction to Construction

Building

This is the construction, maintenance and adaption of buildings ranging from office blocks, industrial complexes and shopping centres to schools, hospitals, recreation centres and houses.  This sector also includes specialist builders e.g. glazing, cladding, tiling and roofing, etc.

Civil Engineering

This is the construction and maintenance of public works such as roads, railways, bridges, airports, docks, sewers, etc.

Mechanical Engineering

This is the installation, commissioning and maintenance of lifts, escalators and heating, refrigeration, sprinkler and plumbing systems, etc.

Electrical Engineering

This is the installation, commissioning and maintenance of various electrical and electronic devices.

Range of Work

The construction industry provides employment opportunities, either directly or indirectly, to approximately 10% of the working population.

Construction can range from basic housing repairs to multi million pound developments such as airports, motorways, and shopping complexes.

The value of the work carried out in the UK annually is approximately £35 Billion, of this:

60% is on new work.

40% is on maintenance, refurbishment and renovation.

New: Constitutes a building that has just been built

Maintenance: Constitutes repairs undertaken to keep a building in good functioning order.

Refurbishment: To bring an existing building up to a better standard, or make it suitable for a new use.

Restoration: To bring an exiting building back to its original condition.

Construction companies vary in size, from a small scale local builder employing perhaps two or three people, to the international company employing thousands.

Company Sizes

The vast majority of firms employ less than 25 people.

Construction companies can be divided into 2 sectors:

Career Opportunities

The construction industry offers employment in four distinct career areas:

Professional – graduate entry positions including:

Architect

Designs and supervises the construction of buildings.

Engineer

Surveyor

Technician

Technicians are the link level in the industry between the professional and craft areas including:

Architectural Technician

Involved with the interpretation and presentation of the architects design information, into a form suitable for use by the builder.

Building Technician

The Building Technician will be involved with estimating, purchasing, site surveying, site management and documentation of the building works.

Building Surveying Technician

The Building Surveying Technician may specialise in building maintenance, building control or structural surveys, etc.

Quantity Surveying Technician

The Quantity Surveying Technician calculates costs and payments for the entire building works.

Building Craft (Craft Operatives)

Skilled Operatives (known as craft operatives) who work with specific materials and actually undertake the physical tasks of constructing a building including:

Bricklayer

The Bricklayer works with bricks, blocks and mortar to construct all types of walling, also deals with the maintenance and adaption of existing works.

Carpenter and /or Joiner

The Carpenter and Joiner works with timber, other allied materials, metal/plastic items and ironmongery.  Makes fixes and repairs all timber components in buildings.  Carpenters work on building sites, whereas joiners mainly work in the workshop at the bench.

Electrician

The Electrician works with metals, plastics, wire and cables to install and maintain electrical systems.

Formworker

The Formworker works with timber, metals plastics, etc. To produce a structure that supports and shapes wet concrete until it has become self supporting.

Painter and Decorator

The Painter and Decorator works with paint, paper, fabrics and fillers, to decorate or re-decorate new and existing works.  They sometimes glaze windows and carry out sign writing.

Plasterer

The Plasterer works with plaster, cement mixes, plasterboard and expanded metal to finish walls, ceilings and floors; also makes and fixes plaster decorations.

Plumber

The Plumber works with metals, plastics and ceramics; installs tanks, baths, toilets, sinks, basins, rainwater, boilers, radiators, and gas appliances; also cuts and fixes sheet metal roof covering and flashing and sometimes glazing.

 
Roof Slater and Tiller

The Roof Slater and Tiller works with felt, timber, metals, mortar and a wide variety of slates and tiles.  Covers new or existing pitched roofs with slates or tiles and maintains existing works.

Shopfitter

The Shopfitter works with timber, metal, glass and plastics.  Makes and installs shop fronts and interiors, also for banks, hotels, office and restaurants.

Stonemason

The Stonemason works with stone and mortar; ‘bankers’ cut and smooth stone while ‘fixers’ erect prepared stone.

Woodworking Machinist

The Woodworking Machinist operates a wide range of woodworking machines; prepares timber for the production of timber building components.

Building Operatives

There are two main types of building operatives employed on site;

ASSIGNMENT 1 – Introduction to Construction

Now complete Assignment 1 in your assignment material

The Building Team

The construction of a building is a complex process which requires a team of professionals working together to produce the desired result.  This team of professionals, which is collectively known as the building team, is a combination of the following:

• Client
• Architect 
• Quantity Surveyor 
• Specialist Engineers 
• Clerk of works 
• Local Authority 
• Health and safety inspector 
• Building Contractors 
• Sub-Contractors 
• Suppliers

Client

This is the person or persons who have an actual need for building work, e.g. the construction of a new house, office block, factory or extensions, repairs or alterations to existing buildings.

He/She is responsible for the overall financing of the work and in effect, employs either directly or indirectly the entire team.

The type of client can vary from a single person to a very large organization, for example;

Architect

The role of the architect is to interpret the client’s requirements, translate them into a building form and generally supervise all aspects of the work until it is completed.  All architects must be registered with the Architects Registration Council; the majority are also members of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Quantity Surveyor (QS)

A person whose job is to estimate the amount and cost of the various materials and labour that will be required on a specified building project.  A QS will negotiate and agree interim payments for the building contractor and will advise the architect on any additional work or variations.

Specialist Engineers

Specialist Engineers assist the architect in the design of the building within their specialist field e.g. civil engineer, structural engineer, service engineer.

They will prepare drawings and calculations to enable specialist contractors to quote for these areas of work.  In addition, during the contract they will make regular inspections to ensure the installation is carried out in accordance with the design.

Clerk of Works

The Clerk of works is appointed by the architect/client to act as their onsite representative.  The Clerk of works (COW) is an ‘inspector of works’ and will ensure that:

• The contractor carries out the work in accordance with the drawings and other contract documents. 
• Inspect the standard of workmanship and quality of materials. 
• Make regular reports to the architect. 
• Keep a diary in case of disputes 
• Make a daily record of the weather, and/or personnel employed on site and any stoppage. 
• Act as a link between the building contractor and the architect.

The Local Authority

The local authority normally has the responsibility of ensuring that the proposed building works conform to the requirements of the relevant planning and building legislation.  For this purpose they employ planning officers and building control officers to approve and inspect building work.  In some areas they are called Building Inspectors or District Surveyors (DS).

Health and Safety Inspector

The health and safety inspector (also known as the factory inspector) is employed by the health and safety executive.  It is the inspector’s duty to ensure that the government legislation concerning health and safety is fully implemented by the building contractor.

Building Contractor

The building contractor enters into a contract with the client to carry out, in accordance with the contract documents, certain building works.  Each contractor will develop their own method and procedures for tendering and carrying out building work which in turn, together with the size of the contract, will determine the personnel required.

Estimator

The Estimator arrives at an overall cost for carrying out a building contract.  To do this they will break down each item contained in the building contract and put a cost next to each one.  Added to the total cost of all items will be a percentage for overheads (head/site office costs, site management/administration salaries) and profit.

Buyer

The Buyers are responsible for the purchase of materials.  They will obtain quotations, negotiate the best possible terms, order materials and ensure they arrive on time in the required quantity and quality.

Planning Engineer

The Planning Engineer is responsible for the pre-contract planning of the building project.  It is their role to plan the work in such a way as to ensure the most efficient/economical use of labour, materials, plant and equipment.  Within their specialist field of work, planning engineers are often supported by a work study engineer (to examine various building operations to increase productivity) and a bonus surveyor (to operate an incentive scheme which is also aimed at increasing productivity by awarding operatives additional money for work carried out over a basic target).

Plant Manager

The Plant Manager is responsible for all items of mechanical plant (machines and power tools) used by the building contractor.  At the request of the contracts manager/site agent they will supply from stock, purchase or hire the most suitable plant item to carry out the specific task.  The plant manager is also responsible for the maintenance of the plant items and the training of operatives who use them.

Safety Officer

The Safety Officer reports to senior management for all aspects of Health and Safety.  They advise on all health and safety issues, carry out safety inspections, keep records and investigate accidents when they occur.  They are also responsible for health and safety training for the site staff.

Contracts Manager

The Contracts Manager coordinates the site management teams across a number of contracts.  The contracts manager has overall responsibility for the planning and management of building operations across a site or a number of sites.

Site Agent

The Site Agent (also known as the site manager or project manager) is the building contractor’s on site representative and leader of the site work force.  They are directly responsible to the contracts manager for the day to day planning, management and building operations.

General Foreman

The General Foreman is the link between the Site Agent and the onsite workforce.  He/She will

Site Engineer

The Site Engineer is sometimes called the surveyor, and works alongside the general foreman.  They are responsible for ensuring that the building is the correct size and is in the right place.  They will set out and check the line and vertical (plumb) of the building during its construction.

Craft Foreman

The Craft Foreman works under the general foreman to supervise and organize the work of a specific craft e.g. foreman bricklayer or foreman carpenter.

Ganger

The Ganger works under the general foreman and is responsible for the supervision and organization of the general building operatives.

Chargehand

On large contracts employing large numbers of craft operatives (e.g. bricklayers, carpenter etc.), chargehands assist the craft foreman in managing subsections of work.

Chargehands are also known as working foremen because in addition to supervising a team of craft operatives they also carry out the skilled physical work of their craft.

Operative

Operatives are the people that carry out the building work.  These can be further sub divided into:

• Craft Operative – Skilled craftsman that carry out specialist crafts e.g. bricklayers, carpenters, electricians etc.

• Building Operatives – General building operatives mix concrete, lay drains, off load materials and assist craft operatives.

• Specialist Building Operatives – Perform specific tasks e.g. ceiling fixer, glazier, plant mechanic and scaffolder.

Site Clerk

The Site Clerk is responsible for all site administration duties and management of materials on site.  They record the arrival and departure of all site personnel, prepare wage sheets, record deliveries and transfer plant items.

The Sub Contractor

The building contractor may call upon the services of a specialist contractor to carry out a specific part of the building work.  For this they will enter into a sub contract hence the term sub contractor.  Sub contractors generally include works on structural steelwork, formwork, mechanical services, electrical installations, plastering, tiling and often painting.

The Supplier

Building materials, equipment and plant are supplied by a wide range of merchants, manufacturers and hirers.  The building contractor will negotiate with these suppliers to supply goods in the correct quantities, quality and at a mutually agreeable price.

ASSIGNMENT 2 – The Building Team

Now complete Assignment 2 in your assignment material

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