Civil Engineering

Participants in the Construction Process

There are several participants in the construction process, all with important roles in developing a successful project. The owner, either private or public, is the party that initiates the demand for the project and ultimately pays for its completion. The owner’s role in the process varies considerably; however, the primary role of the owner is to effectively communicate the scope of work desired to the other parties. The designer is responsible for developing adequate working drawings and specifications, in accordance with current design practices and codes, to communicate the product desired by the owner upon completion of the project. The prime contractor is responsible for managing the resources needed to carry out the construction process in a manner that ensures the project will be conducted safely, within budget, and on schedule, and that it meets or exceeds the quality requirements of the plans and specifications. Subcontractors are specialty contractors who contract with the prime contractor to conduct a specific portion of the project within the overall project schedule. Suppliers are the vendors who contract to supply required materials for the project within the project specifications and schedule. The success of any project depends on the coordination of the efforts of all parties involved, hopefully to the financial advantage of all. In recent years, these relationships have become more adversarial, with much conflict and litigation, often to the detriment of the projects.