An Overview

The Main Cast of Characters in the Construction Project:

OWNER
The Protagonist. The Producer

ARCHITECT
The Author!

CONSULTANTS
The Co-Author and Advisers

CONTRACTOR
The Director and the Staff

PROJECT MANAGER
The Editors and Quality Checkers

Above is a simple metaphor to simply explain the roles of the individuals in a construction project. This may be inaccurate but I think good enough to be understood by laymen. Although this is explained in details in many Construction and Architectural Books, I believe posting this would greatly help and enlighten the OWNERS and the people who are confused in the process of constructing.

Question: Does this mean that there should be at least 5 individuals involved in a Construction Project?

Answer: Not exactly! It depends on the type of project, its scale and complexity. In some small projects, there may be only the Owner and the Contractor, or the Owner and the Architect with a Team of Workers, or in some cases, The Owner and the Workers directly. In Large projects, Designers and Consultants are a team composed of Professionals specializing in their respective fields. The Team is usually headed by the Designing Architect. General Contractors have their Field Supervisors and Subcontractors. There are also other Specialty Contractors directly hired by the Owner.

It is still recommended to have all the listed above present in a project. This decreases the chances of poor and unsatisfactory product especially in large complex projects. But in most cases, what’s keeping the ‘Others’ off is the budget. Owners tend to think that it is not worth paying engineering services in small projects and hiring a Foreman or skilled workers is the way to save a lot. Others even opt to Do-It-Yourself. In some cases it worked! But in some cases it didn’t and created more complex problems and frustrating results. Well it’s up to you to decide and take the risk. Having them all is not a guarantee but at least would place you in a safer side.

Many are afraid to consult a Construction professional. Maybe because they think that the charge is way too expensive. Fact is, An Architect or Engineer would likely not charge you yet in your initial meetings. Except for well-known Design Firms, most Freelance Architects would answer basic questions without pressuring you to hire him immediately. Some even give free initial designs according to your preferences. And some more others give free advises! Unlike other profession that is like a Taxi meter the moment the consultation started. You may not realize yet that if you didn't hire a construction professional, you may have so many questions specific to your project that you are dying to know the true answer. Chances are, you might end up having what you need but does not understand it well by heart. You might even experience comparing with your friends' projects. You will be burned by the question "Why does his... like this and mine is not?" or even "We have the same... but why his... is cheaper?"

For me, finding a Good Contractor is actually the hardest part for the Owner. With so many Fly-by-night contractors nowadays, it is a nightmare if you ended up to one. But there are ways on how to find a Reputable Contractor. We'll discuss this on my next posts.

FYI: The Architect may function as both the Designer and the Builder. As explained in the UAP(United Architects of the Philippines) Documents’ Design-Build Services, this may be possible but not in all cases.

For ethical reasons and to ensure that there is ‘check and balance’ the Architect-Builder and/or Contractor should not function as the Project Manager. Project Managers are usually the Owner’s Representative and has the main duty of protecting the Owner’s interest.

Welcome!

I've been reading a lot of web articles and blogs in the internet before. Many times I tried to start my own but never had the time. Or maybe I'm just not in the mood to make one. Finally, I decided to create this blog... hoping I may contribute and help people specially Filipinos around the world, to inform and give my insights that may help them make better decisions, and to exchange ideas and perspective with co-leagues to continuously develop and enrich new concepts.

I welcome my self in this new world as I welcome you in your visit!