Types of consultant in the construction industry

2012-07-20T10:48:20Z

NSmith:

Consultants are professionals appointed by the client to:

*Provide advice on the development of the project.
*Develop and co-ordinate the design.
*Prepare production information and tender documentation.
*Administer and inspect the work of contractors.

In the public sector, the procurement route preferred by the government involves appointing an integrated supply team responsible for designing and building (and perhaps operating and financing) the project, and so a consultant team is not appointed by the client. The client may wish however to appoint independent client advisers to give them professional advice.

The members of the consultant team that are likely to be required on most projects are:

*Architect.
*CDMco-ordinator.
*Cost consultant.
*Services engineer.
*Structural engineer.

The client may wish to allocate the roles of lead designer and lead consultant to one or more of these consultants to co-ordinate the work of the rest of the team. It might also be appropriate to appoint a design co-ordinator for the co-ordination and integration of design prepared by specialist contractors, and a computer aided design (CAD) and/or building information modelling (BIM) co-ordinator.

Other consultants who might be required on some projects include:

*Acoustic consultant.
*Archaeologist.
*Business management consultant.
*Building surveyor.

*Ecologist.
*Environmental consultant.
*Facilities management consultant.
*Fire engineering consultant.
*Health and safety consultant.
*Inclusive Design (Access) consultant.
*Interior designer.
*Information and communications technology (ICT) consultant.
*Landscape consultant.
*Land surveyor.
*Lighting designer.
*Masterplanner.
*Party wall surveyor.
*Planning consultant.
*Public health consultant.
*Programme consultant.
*Rights of light surveyor.
*Security consultant.
*Site inspector (clerk of works).
*Specialist contractor.
*Surveyor.
*Transport/traffic engineer.

In addition, other roles that might be undertaken by consultants but may not be considered part of the consultant team might include:

*Approved inspector (for building regulations approvals).
*Client's representative.
*Contract administrator.
*Construction manager.
*Employer's agent.
*Independent client adviser.
*Management contractor.
*Project manager.

For consultants to work effectively as a team they should adopt collaborative practices as early in the project as possible. The requirement to adopt such practices should be included in appointment documents.

For detailed descriptions of the sequence of activities necessary to appoint consultants, see the free work plan stages:

*Traditional contract: appointment.
*Design and build: appointment.
*Public project: appointment.
*Construction management: appointment.
*Management contract: appointment.

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= See also =

*Independent client adviser.
*Appointment.
*Consultant team start-up meeting.
 

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Designers for buildings and other built assets

2012-07-20T10:46:19Z

NSmith:

In the first instance, designers are likely to be members of the consultant team appointed by the client. Typically, this will include an architect, structural engineer and services engineer.

However, the increasing complexity of building design means that there is an ever greater need for further specialist design input such as:

*Specialist facilities designer (such as kitchens, operating theatres, swimming pools, recording studios).
*Materials designers (such as structural systems, doors and window, glazing or flooring).
*Specialist fixtures and fittings.
*Audio visual equipment.
*Information and communications technology (ITC) installations.
*Safety and security installations.
*Specialist systems (such as baggage handling).
*Specialist lighting.
*Acoustic environment.

This means that as the design progresses, it may be necessary to appoint additional designers. Specialist designers input can be obtained from:

*Contractors or suppliers appointed in the first instance to carry out design and subsequently to carry out the works on site or to supply the goods or services.
*Consultants appointed by the client to carry out design and then monitor works on site (these may be sub-consultants to an existing member of the consultant team). Additional design consultants might include:

#Acoustic consultant.
#Ecologist.
#Environmental consultant.
#Facilities management consultant.
#Fire engineering consultant.
#Health and safety consultant.
#Inclusive Design (Access) consultant
#Interior designer.
#Information and communications technology consultant.
#Landscape consultant.
#Lighting designer.
#Masterplanner.
#Public health consultant.
#Security consultant.
#Transport / traffic engineer.

For designers to work effectively as a team they should adopt collaborative practices as early in the project as possible. The requirement to adopt such practices should be included in appointment documents. The client may wish to allocate the roles of lead designer and lead consultant to co-ordinate the work of the rest of the team. It might also be appropriate to appoint a design co-ordinator (for the co-ordination and integration of design prepared by specialist contractors) and a computer aided design (CAD) and / or building information modelling (BIM) co-ordinator.

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= See also =

*Specialist designers.
*Specialist contractors.

 

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Designing Buildings - User contributions [en]

Types of consultant in the construction industry

Designers for buildings and other built assets