Too often, construction is thought of as simply the building process. Raising materials from nothing to becoming structurally sound assemblages is obviously the sexiest aspect of construction, but it ignores the tremendous amount of prep work that goes into the construction industry. For all major projects, the needs for site development and site infrastructure are massive – and just as important to the completed product as a load bearing beam. This article will attempt to pull the curtain back a bit on these behind the scenes aspects of construction. What is site development and how does it function as part of the overall construction process?

Any successful construction project begins with a success pre-construction or layout. Just like how a building is only as good as its foundation, the building of a building is only as good as its initial development. Planning is obviously the first and arguably most important step. While the architect has already finalized his or design long before it gets passed down to the construction company, planning still must be done at the development site itself. While most projects will follow the same general guidelines in terms of order of operations, every project is different and determining how and when to attack the various aspects of the build will play a major role in the overall success of the project and the cost associated with it.

One of the biggest aspects of the planning process is scheduling. A manager cannot keep all materials and manpower on site at all times. That would impractical and extremely expensive. Being able to coordinate where certain materials and people need to be at the right time is critical to any large scale construction. While this may sound easy to do for a project that takes weeks or months, it should be kept in mind that some large scale developments can take years before they are finally completed.

Once the planning stage is past, the site itself must be prepared (or developed) before construction can even begin. While it may go without saying, the foreman cannot simply point to a spot and say “build.” The site must be properly prepared prior to any actual construction. This typically involves grading a large area so that work can be performed on it. The site must also have its infrastructure prepared for future use. This means providing easy access for workers and equipment in and out of the development area. Getting heavy equipment and trucks to and from a site (especially developments in urbanized or forested areas) can often be just as difficult to setup as the project itself.

Setting up a site’s infrastructure involves more than just clearing a path for a dump truck. It involves planning and setup tasks to ensure that the peripheral aspects of the construction are done properly. For example, a building could be the most beautiful structure on the block, but if it was never prepared to be connected to water and electrical lines, its future tenants would be absolutely irate.

Part 2 coming soon…

Author Bio: By Felix Chesterfield; For more information regarding Site Development Companies, or the construction industry in general – please contact the author or click on the link provided. Thank you for your reading.

Category: Business
Keywords: Site development, site infrastructure, construction