Project Stages in Construction

Project Stages

• Project stages outline the sequence of events in a construction project.
• Concept Stage: Initial project idea is developed, stakeholders discuss goals and feasibility.
• Design Stage: Detailed plans, blueprints, and models are created by architects and engineers.
• Tendering Stage: Contractors submit cost estimates, project managers review options.
• Preconstruction Stage: Site preparation begins, materials and equipment are arranged.
• Construction Stage: Actual building work takes place, workers and machinery on-site.
• Commissioning Stage: Final inspections ensure project meets requirements and is ready for handover.

Conceptual Stage Overview

• Conceptual stage is crucial, influencing project cost, time, and design quality.
• Project Brief: Defines client needs and project goals (e.g., size, style, budget).
• Early Decisions: Choices about design and resources maximize efficiency and minimize later changes (e.g., choosing sustainable materials).
• Avoiding Misinterpretation: Clear understanding of client needs prevents costly rework (e.g., accounting for classroom space in a school project).

Key Questions in the Conceptual Stage

• What does the principal need and want?: Defines primary goals and objectives (e.g., patient capacity in a hospital).
• What resources are required?: Identifies necessary materials, labor, and funding (e.g., specific materials for a bridge).
• What resources are available?: Assesses existing resources versus what needs acquisition (e.g., existing equipment on-site).

Key Issues in the Conceptual Stage

• Statement of Principles Needs: Defines what the client aims to achieve (e.g., new sports complex).
• Scope Statement: Outlines project boundaries and key deliverables (e.g., cost, time, quality details).
• Feasibility Study: Assesses project achievability within constraints.
• Strategic Plan: Sets long-term goals and approach (e.g., phased approach for a bridge).
• Project Organization: Establishes roles and responsibilities.
• Project Brief: Summarizes key details and requirements for designers.

Feasibility Study

• Assesses the project's possibility regarding technical, financial, and environmental aspects.
• Example: Checking soil stability before building a high-rise.

Strategic Plan

• Details the project's purpose, team, timeline, budget, and execution approach.
• Example: Phased approach for a bridge project and environmental considerations.

Project Brief

• Summarizes client goals, project scope, budget, and schedule, guiding the design process.
• Example: Specifying the number of classrooms and completion date for a school project.

Consultant Agreements

• Contracts for specialists in the initial phase, focusing on developing the project concept.
• Example: Hiring architects and consultants for a new office tower.

Design Stage

• Goal: Translating project concept into physical design (drawings and specifications).
• Documentation: Drawings submitted to local authorities for approvals.
• Purpose: Basis for tender documents to seek contractors.
• Importance: Quality of design documentation impacts the overall project in terms of time, cost, and quality.

Suitability of Design

• Goal: Ensuring the design meets the principal's intended purpose.
• Design Management Plan: Identifies responsibilities for confirming design suitability.

Cost Budget

• Formulation: Total project cost set during the pre-design phase with contingency for unexpected costs.
• Contingency Management: Reserve for unexpected costs, not for covering design mistakes.

Design Evaluation

• Purpose: Value management to evaluate the project's design functionality, cost-effectiveness, and meeting objectives.
• Focus: Ensures the design is functional, economical, and meets objectives.
• Buildability: Improves design's ease of construction.