Do you have a building project or renovation coming up soon? If you do, you will need the help of design and building professionals to bring it to life.
Many often wonder if it is necessary to have these building professionals for your projects and are sometimes confused about their duties. Check below where we discuss some design professionals, their responsibilities, and their benefits for your project.
Architect
This is a licensed professional trained in the art and science of building design, developing the concept for structures and turning the ideas into images and plans.
Roles Performed
- Draws the plan of the building while considering the environmental, social, economic and other factors.
- Prepares drawings and various reports presenting client ideas based on their requirements and needs.
- Continuous revision of plans based on the client’s need, budget, other professionals’ input, and other constraints not envisaged during the design stage.
- Architects are excellent and creative at problem-solving, which may be beneficial in construction renovations.
- Visiting the building sites to ensure that contractors follow the design, keep to the schedule, use the specified materials, and meet work quality standards.
Architectural Technologist
They are professionals that identify and resolve design issues before the start of construction. They usually collaborate with architects and the construction teams to ensure durability and sustainability in the designs.
Roles Performed
- Help in the technological design of projects in collaboration with other professionals
- Manage construction projects from inception to the completion
- Be the link between the concept, innovation and realisation of projects
- Offer design services for projects
- Submit building plans for approval
Quantity Surveyor
They are industry professionals specialising in estimating construction work and ascertaining the quality of materials used. The construction work includes maintenance work, renovations, new buildings, and they deal with numbers from the initial design costs to the final figures.
Roles Performed
- Working with other teams like the mining, civil and infrastructure teams to determine the cost of facilities
- Identifying all of the resources needed to complete a project, including materials, labour, supervision and plant.
- Estimating project budgets at different stages and calculating the effect of changes on the budget.
- Preparing the bill of quantities to help in the tender process, variations control and assessment of claims
- Handling expert witness reports in cases of dispute and arranging for payment.
Engineers
This includes civil engineers, structural engineers, geothermic engineers, and other engineers engaged in the construction process. Engineers are responsible for building the project safely and appropriately.
Roles Performed
- Conducting initial surveys on the building site to check the feasibility
- Take note of any special accommodations needed and make arrangements to meet them
- Ensure the project is safe and efficient to cost and standards
- Keeping all construction processes or designs in line with all local and state requirements
- Supervise the technical team, artisans, technologists, etc.
- Review the ongoing construction to verify everything built is to requirements.
Building Contractor
This is the individual or organisation that is responsible for the building. They deal with, liaise with and supervise other individuals working on the building project. A high-level definition of a building contractor is an organisation/person that deals with the planning, developing, and coordinating of all the activities in building structures.
Roles Performed
- Draws up plans to carry out construction projects involving all the stakeholders
- Hiring, supervising and payment of artisans and workers working on the project
- Receiving the materials for the building project on the site and communicating with suppliers
- Obtaining all relevant licenses from government institutions and continuous research on the laws that guide construction processes.
- Overseeing the project to complete it according to the specified time frame and handling any challenges that may come along the way.
Benefits of Having Design Professionals in Your Projects
Some of the advantages of having design professionals across all fields involved in your project include:
Proper Planning and Guidance
Building professionals are knowledgeable about the construction process in their relevant fields, and they can help you properly plan and create a roadmap for your project. Also, many of them have years of experience in their respective fields to help give guidance if anything doesn’t go according to the intended plan.
Using High-Quality Building materials
A significant factor in how your structure will turn out is the quality of building materials used for the project. Professional quantity surveyors and contractors will ensure that the dealers deliver only quality materials. They have the experience to spot the best materials that will improve the building’s durability, longevity, and strength. Also, some of them may have existing relationships with manufacturers to help you source the building materials.
Gives You Peace of Mind and Saves a Lot of Time
Using experts for your projects lets you focus on other tasks while you can rest assured that your project keeps going as planned. Processes that would otherwise take a lot of time to understand, organise and begin are far more simplified with professionals familiar with the operations. Putting your project in competent hands helps it hitch-free and with reduced obstacles.
Prevents Financial Loss
Even though you might think that working with these professionals is expensive at first glance, this will prove otherwise in the long run. Working with technicians that have little to no knowledge of construction processes will yield many challenges with your project in the future. Essentially, you are setting yourself up for financial losses, which may be in the form of repair and maintenance for the building.
Completed Project
Many construction projects never made it to completion. Some collapsed before the finalisation, and contractors could not complete others due to mismanagement of buying materials. Design Professionals will help you plan through all the critical stages and ensure quality so you can see your project to the end without any hitches.
Conclusion
Design professionals can fit into your budget, and many times, you do not need to get all of the roles involved in your project. Depending on the size of your project, many job functions may interlap with each other, and you should examine this on a case-by-case basis.
However, it is essential to have the relevant design professionals on your team. They can make your work far more manageable and complete your projects at the required time.
