The Building Life Cycle – Construction

This is the phase that is very synonymous with the construction industry. It involves the casting of the project design on the ground, forming a tangible and usable product. There are various activities involved in this phase, all of which are guided by the type of construction work at hand. A good example is the construction of a golf course against the construction of a commercial complex. These two will have very different activities and will also involve different sorts of people.

Construction is in itself a very unique activity, with every project having its own unique features, including;

· A set of professionals dealing with issues of design and administration of the project from start to finish.

· A contractor or group of specialist contractors charged with the responsibility of putting up the project to its desired state.

· Different material combination’s to come up with a unique design of the project in question.

· A unique site, usually not worked on before and presenting unique challenges.

· A new, usually one-off client, whether in the form of an individual or group of people.

All these make the construction process very unique and needing enough attention from all those that will be charged with the various duties of putting up the project to completion. It is common to have consultative meetings during this phase, to appraise what is on drawing against what is on the ground and what was actually envisaged. Whenever there is a dispute between these items, a compromise is sought and the right adjustment done.

The construction phase is very significant in the fact that it determines the character of the finished product (unless of course there is an omission at the design stage). How well the various components are put together will determine how practicable the product will be in handling its mandate. Quality is key at this point. This is because the products of construction are usually long-term and will as such need to give the required longevity.

Along the same lines, it is important to note that the particular needs of the finished product as envisaged will be satisfied during the construction period. A good example here is strength. This is usually a factor of detailing and if followed to the letter, it leads to the attainment of the required and as such, the right product. This will ensure proper performance during the lifetime of the product. Proper performance means adequacy and as such, leads to a reasonable lifetime with minimal restoration requirements.