Module 4

Construction Industry Services

Construction is the act, process, or manner of building, constructing, or forming something

which requires the application of special engineering and/or architectural knowledge and skills
and involving the use of specialized building trades or crafts. This definition is broad enough to
cover a wide range of services including professional services, specialist work and various
trades and activities.

Thus, the scope of the industry’s services includes the following:

Preliminary studies – Conduct of pre-feasibilility/feasibility or preliminary engineering studies

to determine technical viability of the project and its conformity to land use and zoning
guidelines prescribed by law.
 
Detailed engineering – Conduct of surveys (all necessary field surveys which may include
aerial, hydrographic, topographic, sub-surface, monumenting and other surveys); conduct of
investigations (site, foundation, soils and materials); preparation of design (architectural,
structural, electrical, and mechanical designs and design standards); preparation of plans,
specifications, and drawings; quantity and cost estimating; programs or work preparation; and
preparation of bid/tender documents.

Actual construction – Execution of all on-site work for construction projects from land
clearance through completion, including erection of the structure/facility, extensions,
expansions, alterations, repairs, maintenance and retrofitting, rehabilitation, and/or
improvements thereon; services also include the assembly, fabrication, and installation of
project components and/or equipment as well as the demolition or dismantling of an existing
structure

Management – Project and construction planning, organizing, supervising, directing, and

controlling from the design to completion of construction; includes contract administration.

Consultancy – Advisory and other professional services for special or highly technical aspects
of a project; these services may be required at the preliminary or design stages of a project up
to its completion.

The Different Classification/Types of the Construction Industry Services

 
In general, the nature of construction is complex arises from the large volume and variety of
specialist work, building trades and activities. Basically, however, these complexities spring from
the type of project to be undertaken. While construction may be classified in different ways (e.g.,
services, work items or activities, trades, etc.), the most common classification system is based
on project types. Following is a general breakdown of construction based on “fairly conventional
usage” (Edgar Lion, 1980).

1. BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

2. Residential 3. Industrial
3. Commercial 4. Institutional
 2. HEAVY CONSTRUCTION

1. Transportation 4. Utilities
2. Power Units 5. Special Projects
3. Resource Management

The major classifications above can be further be broken down into sub-classifications to give
the students or the reader a better perspective.

The subclasses are as follows:

Building Construction

Residential

1. Individual Units 2. Multiple Units 

Detached Apartments
Semi-detached Low-rise
Duplex High-rise
Triplex Condominiums
Rowhouse
Townhouse

Commercial Construction

1. Single Storey 2. Low Rise 3. High Rise

Stores Restaurants Shopping Centers
Showrooms Nightclubs. Malls/Arcades
Offices Recreational. Service Centers
Theaters Hotels and Motels Department Stores
Service Stations Combination of any of the above

Industrial Construction

1. Single Storey 2. Multi-Storey/Loft Building

Manufacturing Low-rise
Light High-rise
Heavy
Warehouse

Institutional Construction

School Penal Institutions

Hospitals Special Government Buildings
Religious Institutions

HEAVY CONSTRUCTION
 
Transportation Power
Marine (Ports/Harbors) Hydroelectric
Railroads Geothermal
Airport Thermal
Monorails Solar
Roads Nuclear (fision/fusion)
Tunnels Wind
Bridges (overpasses/ Underpasses/flyovers) Biomass Pyrolysis
Conveyors Tidal
Vertical (elevators/escalators)

 
Resource Management
 
Mining/Metallurgy
Land Reclamation
Petrochemicals
Forestry
Natural Gas
Fisheries
Irrigation

Utilities

Urban Rural  
Water Gas
Sewer Electricity
Communication
 
Special Projects
  
Sports Complexes
Towers
Other unclassified projects

Construction and construction-related services may also be subdivided into “subtrades” or work
specialization. The following classification of building trade contractors/subcontractors including
manufacturers depicts the diversity of construction work activities in building construction alone.

Subtrades Connected with Building Site Preparation and Foundations

 
Demolition Pressure grouting
Foundation and Piling Utilities
Excavation Landscaping

Subtrades Connected with Structural Components of Buildings

 
Formworks Structural Steel Fabrication
Slipform Contractors Laminated Wood Contractors
Reinforcing steel Fabrication Erection Contractors
Pneumatic Concrete Contractors Prestressing
Concrete placing Steel Deck Contractors
Lift Slab Contractors Precast Concreting
Cement finishing Asbestos Deck Contractors
Concrete and Steel Testing Laboratories Other specialization

Subtrades Connected with Architectural Building Components

Masonry
Storefront and Glazing
Carpentry
Overhead and Vertical Lift Doors Contractors
Ornamental Concreting
Rolling Door and Grill Contractors
Curtain Wall Contractors
Sliding Door Contractors
Metal Siding
Flexible Door Contractors
Asbestos Siding
Awning Contractors
Cut Stone and Granite Cutters
Sign Contractors
Artificial Stone Fabricators
Window Washing Equipment Contractors Folding Door & Partition Manufacturers
Roofing & Sheet Metal Contractors
Soundproofing
Skylight Manufacturers
Fireproofing
Waterproofing and Damp proofing
Miscellaneous & Ornamental Metals Contractors
Wire Mesh Partition Manufact.
Toilet Stall and Lockers Manufacturers
Caulking & Weatherstripping
Folding Door & Partition Manufacturers
Insulation
Prefabricated partition Manufacturers
Metal Window Manufacturers
Millwork Manufacturers
Metal Door & Frame Manufacturers
Hardware Manufacturers
Vault Door Manufacturers
Specialty Items Contractors
Miscellaneous & Ornamental Metals Contractors
Toilet Stall and Lockers Manufacturers
Prefabricated partition Manufacturers
Millwork Manufacturers
Hardware Manufacturers
Specialty Items Contractors

Subtrades Connected with Architectural Finishes in Buildings

Plaster and Drywall Contractors
Wood Floor Layers
Painting and Decorating
Acoustic Tile and Ceiling Contractors
Plastic Finish Applicators
Subtrades Connected with Mechanical and Electrical Building Systems
Plumbing and Heating
Airconditioning and Ventilation
Refrigeration
Sprinkler and Fire Protection
Electrical Contractors
Chimney and Incinerator Contractors
Garbage Compactor Manufacturers
Lawn Sprinkler System Contractors
Carpet Layers
Tileworks
Blinds and Drapes Installers
Mastic Flooring Contractors
Sculptors and Artists
Security and Alarm System Contractors
Swimming Pool Contractors
Lightning Protection
Music and Public Address System
Cathodic Protection System Contractors
Kitchen Equipment Manufacturers
Laundry Equipment Manufacturers
Laboratory Equipment Manufacturers
Restaurant/Cafeteria Equipment Manufacturers

Subtrades Connected with Vertical Transportation in Buildings

 
Elevator Contractors Escalator Contractors
Automobile Lift Contractors Moving Ramps/Sidewalk Contractors

In general, the proliferation of subtrades in construction is due to the present-day practice of

subcontracting the bulk of construction work to specialty contractors and manufacturers.

Because of demand fluctuations and the uncertainties and risk involved in the construction
business, most general contractors today find it practical and economical to hire subcontractors
or “specialists” to do portions of the work rather than undertake construction of the entire project
with their own work forces and resources.

In effect, the functions of a majority of general contractors in the construction industry are
primarily the coordination and control of actual construction as well as contract administration.
Recognizing this peculiarity of the industry, the classification system for contractors in the
Philippines is based on both project types and subtrades.

General contractors are classified into general engineering (GE) and general building (GB)
contractors. Subclassifications under GE and GB are based on projects types. Specialty
contractors fall under the third classification and subclassifications are based on the various
construction trades.

At present, the Philippines Contractors and Accreditation Board (PCAB) applies two systems of
classification which are being gradually integrated such that the differences between the two are
now very few. To illustrate, the following enumeration merges the various classification under
the PCAB licensing system and the registration and classification system for Government
contractors.

General Engineering Construction

 
Road, highway, pavement and bridge – all types of roads, railways, airport runways and other
horizontal structures, bridges, viaducts, interchanges and similar structures.

Irrigation and flood control – all types of irrigation systems, canal structures, river control
including dikes and revetments, drainage systems, pumping stations and related structures.

Dam, reservoir, and tunneling – all types of storage diversion dams, tunnels, hydro-electric
plants and other related structures.

Port, harbor and offshore engineering – all piers, wharves, causeways and related
structures; harbor dredging, reclamation, rockworks and similar structures.

Water supply – all wells, developed springs and other source development works, distribution
system and other related structures.

General Building Construction

  
Building and Industrial Plant – all buildings including schools, hospitals, airport terminals, post
offices, markets, houses, multi-storey buildings; air traffic control facilities; thermal and
geothermal plants and related structures; power transmission and distribution poles, towers,
sub-stations and other related structures.
Sewerage and sewage treatment plant – sewerage systems, treatment and disposal plants
and similar structures.

Water treatment plant and system – water pumping stations, elevated water tanks, filtration
plants, and related structures.

Park, playground, and recreational work – parks, playgrounds, landscaping, monuments, and
similar work/structures.

Specialty Construction
 
Foundation work – includes excavation, compaction, lean concrete work, and footings; mainly
involves work on any part of a structure that serves to transmit the load to the earth or rock,
usually below ground level.

Structural steel work – fabrication and/or erection of load-bearing structural steel members or
elements such as columns, beams, angles, bars, plates, sheets, strips, etc.

Concrete precasting and prestressing – includes the casting, curing, and tensioning of
tendons of concrete members of a structure at a place or site other than their final position.

Plumbing and sanitary work – water supply and sewerage system equipment installation for
pumping, filtration and treatment plant; water supply distribution system.

Electrical work – all electrical installations; electro-mechanical works for power generating
plants; high voltage lines and sub-station equipment installation.

Mechanical work – all mechanical installation; electro-mechanical works for power generating
plants.

Air conditioning and refrigeration work – including ventilation

Elevator and escalator work – including conveyors

Fire protection work – includes the installation of sprinklers and other automatic fire
extinguishing system, heat and/or smoke detectors and other fire alarm devices or warning
systems; also covers fire-proofing or the application of fire-resisting materials to structural
elements or systems.

Waterproofing work – includes the application of materials, usually a membrane or applied

compound to make a surface or structure impervious to water.

Painting work – includes covering of the exterior and interior parts of a structure with a
protective and/or decorative coating.

Well drilling work – wells, developed springs, and other source development works

Navigation equipment and instrument installation – installation of very high

frequency/omnirange distance measuring equipment, non-directional beams, radio detector and
ranging (radar) instrument landing systems
Communication equipment and instrument installation – installation of landlines, cables, and
other communication equipment and instruments.

The above classification system may be revised by the PCAB as necessary to respond to the
needs of the industry and changing conditions in the market. The non-inclusion of several
subtrades in construction is due to certain exemptions in the law governing the licensing of
contractors which exclude them from PCAB regulation.