Project Delivery Phases

Lecture 2

By:
Sherzad Q. Hakkari
Department of Civil Engineering
Sherzad.majid@su.edu.krd
sherzadq@live.com

Objective
The objective of this lecture is to present an overview of the
events and processes that bring about a structure, from the
concept in the owners mind to the completed design by the
architects and engineers and, finally, to the actual construction
of the structure by the contractor

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUILDING DELIVERY PROCESS

How Buildings Come into Being?

Building construction deals with the procedure of

constructing buildings and the materials used. Also deals
with the tools and equipments used for each work and the
way of implementing the works
The construction process begins with an idea and finish
with a structure that may serve its occupants for
several decades, even centuries

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUILDING DELIVERY PROCESS

Like the manufacturing of products, building

construction requires an ordered and planned
assembly of materials
No two buildings are truly identical, each one:

serve a unique function

respond to the uniqueness of its context and the
preferences of its owner, user, and occupant

Regardless of the uniqueness of each project, the

flow of events and processes necessary for a projects
realization is almost the same in all buildings

AN OVERVIEW OF THE BUILDING DELIVERY PROCESS

Design and construction are two independent but

related and generally sequential functions in the
realization of a building
(Design) deals with
documentation, and

the

creation

of

the

(Construction)
involves
interpreting
and
transforming these documents into realitya
building or a complex of buildings

PROJECT DELIVERY PHASES

The process by which a building project is delivered
to its owner may be divided into the following five
phases, referred to as the project delivery phases:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Pre-design phase
Design phase
Pre-construction phase
Construction phase
Post-construction phase

1. PRE-DESIGN PHASE
During the predesign phase (also called the
planning phase), the project is defined in terms of
its function, purpose, scope, size, and
economics. It is the most essential of all the five
phases
Obviously, the clearer the projects definition, the
easier it is to proceed to the subsequent phases

Some of the important predesign tasks are as

follows:

1. PRE-DESIGN PHASE
1. Building program definition
2. Building budget assessment
3. Site assessment and selection
4. Governmental constraints assessment
5. Design team selection

1. PRE-DESIGN PHASE
For a house, or other small project, the program is
usually simple and can be developed by the owner
without external assistance
For a large project, It is usual for the owner to
involve the architect and a few other consultants of
the design team in preparing the program
Whatever the situation, the owners program is the
first step in the project delivery process

2. DESIGN PHASE
The design phase begins after the selection of the
architect
In most projects, the design team (depending on the
size and scope of the project) consists of the:
1. Architect,

2. Civil and structural consultants, and

3. Mechanical, Electrical, Plumbing,
protection (MEPF) consultants
4. Other consultants

and

Fire-

2. DESIGN PHASE
Landscape
Landscape
Architect
Architect

Civil
Civil
Consultants
Consultants

Owner
Owner

Geotechnical
Geotechnical
Consultants
Consultants

Architect
Architect
CivilStructural
and structural
CivilStructural
and structural
Consultants
consultants
Consultants
consultants

MEPF
MEPF
Consultants
Consultants

Contract relationship between parties

Communication link

Other
Other
Consultants
Consultants

fdfgtgfth
ythnyt
Design Team Diagram

2. DESIGN PHASE
In most building projects, the design phase consists
of three stages:
1. Schematic design stage (SD)

The schematic design gives graphic shape to the owners

program. It is an overall design concept that shows the
ideas of the design solution
A rough estimate of the projects probable cost is
generally produced at this stage
SD drawings, images, models, and simulations,
regardless of how well they are produced, are not
suitable to construct the building

2. DESIGN PHASE
2. Design development stage (DD)
Once the schematic design is approved by the owner, the
process of designing the building in greater detail begins
The DD stage focuses on developing practical and real
solutions for the exterior works, structure, fenestration
(arrangement of windows in a building), interior
systems, MEPF systems, and so forth
Therefore, the most critical feature of the DD stage is
decision making, which may range from broad design
aspects to details. At this stage, the final decisions about
products, materials, and equipment are made

2. DESIGN PHASE
3. Construction documents stage (CD)
The purpose of the (CD) stage is to prepare all
documents required by the contractor to construct the
building
The construction documents consist of the following:
Construction drawings
Specifications

2. DESIGN PHASE

CD

Construction drawings:

Construction drawings are the drawings that the contractor

uses to build the building
The (CD) contains architectural construction drawings, civil
and structural construction drawings, MEPF construction
drawings, landscape construction drawings, and so on
(CD) are dimensioned drawings (usually computer
generated) that fully represent the building. They consist of
floor plans, elevations, sections, and various large-scale
details
(CD) are also used by the contractor to prepare a detailed
cost estimate of the project at the time of bidding

2. DESIGN PHASE

SPECIFICATIONS

Specifications:

Are the document that include information that cannot be

included in the drawings
For instance, the drawings will give the locations of columns,
their dimensions, and the material used (such as reinforced
concrete), but the quality of materials, their properties (the
strength of concrete for example), and the test methods
required to confirm compliance cannot be furnished on the
drawings
Therefore, the two components of the construction documents
the (CD) and the specificationscomplete each other and
generally deal with different aspects of the project
The specifications from various design team members are
assembled in a single document called the project manual

2. DESIGN PHASE
Construction Document Set

Are The set of construction drawings (from various design

team members) and the project manual together

Construction Document Set

3. PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE
The preconstruction phase generally begins after the
construction drawings and specifications have been
completed and culminates in the selection of the construction
team
The work is generally done by a team consisting of the
general contractor and a number of specialty subcontractors
The general contractors own work may be limited only to the
structural components of the buildingbasements and
foundations, load-bearing walls, reinforced concrete beams
and columns, roof, floor slabs
The subcontractors may be roofing; window and curtain wall;
and heating, plumbing, ventilation, and air-conditioning
(HVAC) subcontractors

3. PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE

The construction team and their interrelationships with each

other and the owner

3. PRE-CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Selecting A General Contractor
The four commonly methods used for selecting a general
contractor are:
1. Competitive bidding method
2. Invitational bidding method
3. Negotiated contract method
4. Multiple prime contract method

4. CONSTRUCTION PHASE
Once the general contractor has been selected and the
contract awarded, the construction work begins, as
described in the contract documents
The general contractor will normally have his or her own
inspection process to ensure that the work of all
subcontractors is progressing as indicated in the contract
documents
The architects will observe the general contractor that
their drawings and specifications are transformed to reality
just as they had designed

5. POST-CONSTRUCTION PHASE

Once the project is sufficiently complete, the general contractor

will request the architect to carry an effect completion inspection
to confirm that the work is complete in most respects

The contractors request for completion inspection by the architect

may include a list of incomplete corrective portions of the work,
referred to as the punch list

The punch list, which is prepared by the contractor, is used by the

architect as a checklist to review all work

The inspection is also conducted by the architects consultants,

either with the architect or separately, in which, the incomplete
items discovered by them are also added to the list

The architect may ask the contractor to complete the selected

items before rescheduling completion inspection

SUMMARY
1. Pre-design phase: Project definition
2. Design phase: construction drawings and specifications
3. Pre-construction phase: selection of the construction
team
4. Construction phase: Completion the construction
works
5. Post-construction phase: Finalizing the incomplete
works

Reference:

1. Building

Construction,

Principles,
Materials, and Systems, Madan Mehta, Walter
Scarborough, Diane Armpriest, 2009 update