Building a home, office, or any other type of building, one has to spend some time reading and researching the various complex processes involved. Apart from learning about building construction types, one must learn about the various compliances, regulations, and safety procedures required to be followed before, during, and after construction. Read on to know more about the types of construction, reliable services, and trusted companies that offer valuable solutions.
Types of construction
Building construction is an umbrella term for all activities like excavation, roofing, concreting, plumbing, wiring, roof laying, and other related activities on the construction site. Construction activities are categorized based on the type of building or structure being raised. A construction company may specialize in one or more types of construction projects. The main types of construction are:
- Residential construction refers to single-family homes, apartments, townhouses, condos, gated communities, villas, beach houses, and cottages.
- Commercial construction refers to any project built for commercial purposes or profit, like office complexes, shopping malls, hotels, warehouses, restaurants, sports facilities, or supermarkets.
- Industrial construction refers to large-scale construction and maintenance projects for building factories, refineries, or power plants.
- Infrastructure construction refers to the construction and maintenance of large-scale facilities for the public, like roads, bridges, tunnels, sewage projects, ports, and railways.
Important construction services
A construction company engages in various services, from design to handing over a completed project to the client. These services include many crucial steps before, during, and after a construction project.
- Pre-construction services like design, sketching, and planning
- Permits and documentations
- Land purchase
- Project scheduling and management
- LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification
- Earthwork
- Foundation work
- Fabrication
- Concrete construction
- Pipe laying
- Sewage laying
- Roofing services
Leading construction companies
Experience and reliability are the major factors you must consider while selecting the best construction company for building projects. Choose a company with a deep understanding of design and optimum use of material. Observe the company, look online for reviews, and understand if the planners, designers, and the building team work well. This is essential information to ensure that there will be no stoppage or construction delays once construction begins. Check the company’s financial position and if they can help you with finances if required. Choose a company that takes care of end-to-end building construction completely.
Five of the leading construction companies are:
- Bechtel Corporation
- Turner Construction Company
- Flour Corporation
- Kiewit Corporation
- STO Building Group, Inc
Heavy construction equipment required at a site
Heavy construction equipment is of paramount importance in construction, as it helps complete projects faster, saving costs, effort, and time. Heavy construction equipment is necessary for excavation, moving material, lifting heavy construction material, mixing material, and leveling. They include backhoes, cranes, scrapers, excavators, graders, pavers, and bulldozes.
Laws governing construction safety
Construction sites are filled with hazards of falls, falling objects, equipment faults, collapses, and exposure to harmful chemicals, dust, and asbestos. Employers must strictly follow the safety guidelines laid by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). These guidelines oversee workplace safety. Companies that violate these standards and guidelines are penalized heavily and risk losing their licenses.
Employers are bound to provide various safety provisions, like fall protection nets. Workers should always work protective gear like hard hats, harnesses if required, anti-skid boots and gloves. Workers must undergo training to follow proper safety procedures. They should also be trained to understand Material Safety Date Sheets (MSDS) and dispose of hazardous construction material safely.
