Construction professionals （建造人员）

All the professionals responsible for all construction activity can be called constructors, whether he or she works as a general contractor（总承包商） or construction manager（施工经理）. It is one of the three major participants on the project team.

★Construction Contractor（建造承包商）

A contractor is a person who enters into a binding agreement（具有约束的协议） to perform a certain service or provide a certain product in exchange for money, goods, and services. In the construction industry, a contractor is one who is engaged in（从事） the construction or building related services for a client. An independent contractor makes an agreement to do a specific piece of work, retaining（保留） control of the means and method of doing the job; neither party has the right to terminate （终结）the contract at will. In the construction industry, a contractor is one who contracts to erect buildings or portions（部分） of them. There are also contractors for each phase of construction: heating, electrical, plumbing（管道）, air conditioning（空调）, road building, bridge and dam erection（桥梁和大坝安装）,and others. A contractor is an individual and/or firm used in performing work onconstruction projects.

（In the past, the constructor came on the job after the design was complete, but now they may be brought in before the architect advises an owner, so their responsibility was no longer confined to construction;they now work as a part of design/build team responsible for the delivery of the entire project）

★Specialty Contractor（专业承包商）

They are usually known as subcontractors（分包商）. The function of the subcontractor is to perform a particular task only under the direction and coordination of the general contractor（总承包商）, who takes on the responsibility of managing the project in accordance with the construction documents.

The specialty contractors include mechanical, electrical, excavation（开挖） and gardening（园艺） contractors. They are usually hired by and work directly for a general contractor. Specialty firms supply most of the material and labor on the job.

★The trades (trades people)（手艺人、专业工人）

They are the people who actually perform he work in the field. They form the core of the construction industry. The ways in which projects are managed have changed over the years; but despite improvements in methods and materials and the introduction of robotics, buildings are still erected piece by piece. What has changed is the makeup of the trades. The number of trades needed on the job has grown with the complexity of the buildings.    

Here is a brief look at some of the basic trades:

Piledrivers （打桩员） are one of the first trades on a job. Using heavy equipment, they drill down to create large holes in which they place piles.

Ironworkers （铁匠）put together the steel skeleton（钢筋结构） of a building or a bridge over a foundation

Cement masons(水泥匠）pour concrete; lay concrete slabs (reinforcing walls), steps, and apply leveling and finishing techniques.

Plumbers（管道工）and pipe fitters install all types of piping systems, including water, gas, and steam.

Electricians（电工）assemble and wire the systems needed to provide electricity for heating, lighting, power,and air conditioning.

Bricklayers（瓦工）uildwalls, chimneys, and pavement using bricks or concrete blocks.

Glaziers（玻璃工）installall types of glass. The work involves sizing, cutting, fitting, and sealing theglass.

Carpenters（木工）make up the form work for concrete pours, install metal and wood studs for walls, makeup wood cabinetry and shelving and install office furniture.

Estimators（预算员）work with design drawings and prepare complete list of all job costs. They need to understand the construction process, and have a thorough knowledge of costs for labor, materials and equipment. There is no doubt that their work is critical. The list and the totalcost can win or lose a job when bidding or sub-bidding. Estimators can come from different backgrounds, many start as engineers, constructors and designers. Large construction companies always have in-house estimating department.

Schedulers（调度员）work as a tie between the home office and the filed office. They monitor job progress, coordinate subcontractors, analyze changes and the impact of delays, and sole problems. Before construction begins, they are usually based at the home office ,but once the work starts, they often move to the field during construction. They need to have a thorough knowledge of construction process as well as the ability to define distinct construction activities and their relationship. Scheduling consultants may also be hired by owners to represent them in a dispute.

Purchasing agents（采购员）negotiate to get the best price while ensuring that all contract requirements are met. To successful negotiate with a subcontractors,  a purchasing agent must understand building materials, prices and the construction process, and be persuasive.

一个新的专业工种——灌浆工

The industry is changing. No longer are the roles of individuals distinct. Because of the sophistication of some modern projects, owners’ desire to minimize risk, and the professionalization of the construction industry, these roles are shifting（变迁） and merging（融合）.

Conclusion

The industry is changing. No longer are the roles of individuals distinct. Because of the sophistication of some modern projects, owners’ desire to minimize risk, and the professionalization of the construction industry, these roles are shifting（变迁） and merging（融合）. Owners can have large in-house design and construction groups. Designers and constructors can come together to offer services under one company heading. Both can act as representatives of the owner.

Reviewing questions(复习思考):

Watch the following video. Identify several participants and their responsibility .How they work together?

巴林世贸中心——伟大工程巡礼