AR 

513 A
Construction Management
Module 1.2: The Project Players

Prepared by: Arch. Rick Jason M. Padua
 PROJECT PLAYERS
In the 20th century construction industry, it is no longer is it
practical to expect one person to design, engineer, and build
construction projects. Today’s master builder is a collaborative
team with diverse skills and expertise. Many, many players are
involved, and they all make a valuable contribution to the
effort while at the same time adding to the complexity of the
process. It is very important to understand the various roles and
responsibilities of these many players as they influence the
construction management process.
 Primary Players
Owner
Designers
Contractor

The three principal players in any construction project are

the owner, the designers (architects and engineers), and the
contractor. Although these three parties are always involved
in a project, the alignment and contractual relationships
among them will vary depending upon the project delivery
system utilized to deliver the project.
 OWNER
No construction would ever be accomplished
without owners. They are the driving force behind
the construction industry. Their demands for
housing, commercial facilities, industrial products,
and infrastructure are the chief motivation to build.
 Duties of an owner
After determining need and deciding to build, the owner is
accountable for four primary duties:

Developing the program and outlining the needs and

requirements of the end users

Determining the quantity, extent, and character of the

project by defining the scope of work

Creating the overall budget for the project, including land

acquisition (if necessary), development, design, and
construction costs

Providing the funding for the project and making periodic

payments to the designers and the contractor
 DESIGNERS
Two types of professional designers are engaged in
the construction process, and each deals with
different parts of the project design. Architects deal
with the function, life safety issues, and aesthetics
of the building, and engineers deal with the
systems. They typically work together to complete
the design function with one or the other taking the
lead, depending on the type of facility being
constructed.
 Duties of Designers
The construction manager works with both the architect
and the engineer on a regular basis throughout the
construction process. The following are the primary
responsibilities of the designers:

Assisting the owner in developing the facility program

and determining end user needs and requirements

Advising the owner regarding the image and character

of the facility and establishing broad design goals

Assisting the owner in selecting products to fit the

program and the budget
 Duties of Designers

Advising the owner on special and aesthetic issues and

generating graphic solutions to problems

Developing the final building plans, construction

details, and specifications
Architectural vs Engineering

To better understand the distinctions between architectural design

and engineering design, consider the human body. Just as a body
has a particular functional design with arms, legs, and a head, as
well as skin and hair to protect it from the elements, so does a
building with various rooms, porches, stairs, an exterior cladding of
brick or siding, and shingles or asphalt on the roof to keep it dry.
The body has a skeletal system to keep it straight and upright, and a
building has a structural frame to keep it straight and upright.
Architectural vs Engineering

The body has a circulation system to move blood and nutrients. A

building has a plumbing and mechanical system to move water,
waste, heat, and air conditioning. The body has a central nervous
system to send energy to our legs and arms. A building has an
electrical and communications system to send messages and
deliver power to our offices and living spaces. Basically, architects
deal with the arms, legs, hair, and skin, and engineers deal with the
bones, blood, and nerves.
 Architects
Architects are licensed professionals trained in the
art and science of building design. They transform
the owner’s program into concepts and then
develop the concepts into building images and
plans that can be constructed by others. In addition
to completing a four‐ or five‐year college program,
architects are also required to have a number of
years of experience and pass an exam before they
can become licensed.
 Architects
Architects design the overall aesthetic and
functional look of buildings and other structures.
The design of a building involves far more than its
appearance. Buildings also must be functional, safe,
and economical, and they must suit the needs of
the people who use them. Architects also specify
the building materials and, in some cases, the
interior furnishings. In developing designs,
architects follow building codes, zoning laws, fire
regulations, and other ordinances, such as those
requiring easy access by people who are disabled.
 Functions of an
Architect
Design architects
are the creators of the aesthetic solution— they are
the concept and idea people. Their function first
and foremost is to come up with the creative
expression. They convey their ideas to their design
staffs through sketches and schematic renderings.
They do not typically engage in the actual
production of the construction drawings. They are
supported by architectural technicians and
specification writers in the preparation of the final
construction documents.
 Functions of an
Architect
Architectural technicians
are typically the drafters of the building plans. They
are the ones who actually produce the drawings
that are used for construction. They work from
preliminary sketches and concept drawings
provided by the design architects.
 Functions of an
Architect
Specification writers
Accompanying the plans for a new building is a
written project manual that contains the
specifications for the project. The plans and
specifications compose two parts of the legal
contract for construction. The specification writer is
responsible for spelling out the specific products
and methods that are to be used on a project in
order to ensure a particular level of performance
and quality.
 Engineers
Engineers are usually the lead designers for heavy
civil and industrial projects. Engineers are regulated
by professional licensing requirements that include
a four‐ or five‐year college program, a specific
number of years of experience, and the passing of a
professional licensing exam. However, in building
design, they are most often hired as consultants by
the architects. In this scenario, they have no direct
contact with the owner.
 Engineering
Specialties

Civil engineers
Civil engineers design roads, bridges, tunnels, dams, site
drainage, parking lots, runways, and water supply and
sewage systems. Civil engineering, considered one of the
oldest engineering disciplines, encompasses many
specialties. Civil engineers are the ones who take the
bare land and excavate it, move it, drill it, and shape it to
meet the needs of the architectural design and the
construction. Site work is one of the most unpredictable
and expensive aspects of any construction project, and
good design makes all the difference in the world.
 Engineering
Specialties

Structural engineers
Structural engineers design the timber, concrete, or
steel structural systems that support a building and
basically hold it up to withstand the forces of wind,
gravity, and seismic activity. They design the
foundations, beams, girders, and columns that
make up the skeleton of the structure.
 Engineering
Specialties

Mechanical engineers
Mechanical engineers design the heating, cooling,
ventilating, plumbing, and fire suppression systems
within a building. They coordinate their efforts with
the architectural design, the structural design, and
the electrical design.
 Engineering
Specialties

Electrical engineers
Electrical engineers design and calculate electrical
loads and determine the circuitry, lighting, motors,
transformers, and telecommunications needed for a
building. They typically work closely with the
architect to ensure that the owner’s expectations
are met and often coordinate their efforts with the
mechanical engineer.
 Engineering
Specialties

Sanitary engineers
Sanitary engineers ensure the safe handling and
treatment of wastewater and sewage. Many
conduct quality control tests on samples obtained
from sewer water, soil, nearby rivers, and
groundwater. Some may help with designing
treatment facilities and assessing guidelines for
disposing of hazardous waste.
 Engineering
Specialties

Plumbing Engineers
supports the Civil Engineer for the plumbing
systems outside the building including storm water,
sewer, natural gas, fire suppression water, domestic
water, irrigation water, and other special water and
waste systems.
 Landscape Architects
Many people do not understand the distinction, but
landscape architects are professionals licensed and
regulated by an entity separate from building
architects. Landscape architects deal with the
building site and outside environmental issues
surrounding the structure. They are involved with
such things as plantings, sidewalks, retaining walls,
and water features to enhance the project. Large
architectural firms may employ landscape architects
on staff and utilize their services in the overall design.
Or the landscape professional may be hired directly
by the owner or work under a separate contract with
the builder.
 Interior Designers
Not all projects will engage the services of an
interior designer. They may be hired directly by the
owner or be a consultant to the architect. They deal
with the building’s interior finishes or schemes and
make decisions regarding furniture selection and
placement, paint colors and accessories, light
fixtures, window treatments, floor finishes, and
ceiling treatments. The contractor may or may not
have direct dealings with the interior designer.
 Construction
Professionals
the term constructor is generally used to define
the professional responsible for all construction
activities whether they work as a general
contractor, a construction manager, or a specialty
contractor. The profession of constructor includes
job titles such as, but not limited to, project
manager, general superintendent, project
executive, operations manager, construction
manager, and chief executive officer.
 Constructor’s Job

Interpret the plans and specifications and prepare

cost estimates and time schedules to meet the
requirements of the owner.

Determine and implement the best construction

practices, means, and methods to satisfy the
owner’s requirements for time, cost, and quality.

Oversee and manage all of the construction

operations into a single, safecoordinated effort.
 General Contractors
The general contractor, also known as the prime
contractor, enters into a contract with the owner
to deliver the construction project in accordance
with the plans and specifications that have been
prepared by the architects and engineers. They
may or may not actually perform any of the actual
construction work with their own forces. When
they do, they are said to be doing self‐performed
work. When they don’t, they arrange for
subcontractors or trade contractors to perform the
specialized craftwork such as excavation, concrete
placement, painting, or plumbing.
 Specialty Contractors

Specialty contractors are often referred to as

subcontractors because they perform their work
under a contract with another contractor (typically
the general contractor) to do a portion of the
contractor’s work, as opposed to contracting
directly with an owner. These subcontractors, in
turn, may engage other subcontractors. Thus, there
can be several levels of subcontracting to a general
contractor.
 Construction Managers

Construction managers may be employed by

construction management firms, general
contractors, architects, engineers, owners, or
specialty contractors. The primary responsibility of
the construction manager is to organize the
project team to perform the construction
management function.
 The Building Trades

It is important to include the trade workers as part

of the construction professionals’ discussion
because, without them, there would be no
construction at all. These are the men and women
(plumbers, electricians, ironworkers, and so on)
who actually perform the work. These skilled and
semi‐skilled workers are the construction industry’s
most valuable asset, although they are rarely
recognized for their immense contribution.
Secondary Players
Construction is second only to the restaurant
business when it comes to high risk business
endeavours. Four out of five construction
companies will go out of business during their first
year. There are many factors for this. One of them is
the power that outside parties have over the entire
construction process and outcome. These
secondary players, or what we call layers of
influence, are beyond the immediate control of any
of the primary players.
Secondary Players
First-Level Players
This level of influence includes subcontractors,
material suppliers, and equipment vendors. This
layer directly influences the outcome of a job in a
serious way. Although this group is often directly
connected to the primary players via a subcontract
agreement or a purchase order agreement, they are
primarily independent operators and not under the
immediate control of the owner, the architect, or
the contractor. And because they are not under
direct control and yet provide vital services, they
always add risks to the project.
Second-Level Players
This level of influence includes insurance
companies, utility companies, bonding companies,
building code officials, zoning, labor unions, and
manufacturers. Although this level has no
contractual connection or obligation to any of the
three primary parties, they hold great influence
over your project. For instance, a building inspector
can shut down operations on a job for even the
slightest code infringement, causing work stoppage
for trades not even involved in the infringement.
Second-Level Players
Or an insurance agent who fails to issue certificates
of insurance on subcontractors in a timely fashion
can put a monkey wrench in the administrative
requirements and ultimately put the project
schedule at risk. Or a strike at a manufacturing plant
thousands of miles away can delay the delivery of
your air conditioning units for a new retail store,
delaying the completion of the job, delaying the
opening of the store, and, therefore, costing the
owner thousands of dollars in lost revenue for each
day of delay.
Third-Level Players
This layer of influence includes the courts and
attorneys, local government, state and federal
government, trade associations, education and
training, bankers, and others. Like the second level
mentioned previously, these parties do not have a
direct link to the primary players but do influence
construction projects on a regular basis. Although
the effects are not always immediate, actions and
decisions by this group of players can have a
significant impact on the whole industry, which
eventually trickles down to the project level.
Sources:
1. Barbara J. Jackson, PhD, DBIA (2010). Construction Management
JumpStart. Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana.