Preparing General Arrangement Drawings and Door/Window Schedules

a. Uses of construction information.

• To enable the partners and the management of the projects to communicate effectively.
• To grasp information from individuals and their services so that when they can move together with their services.
• To help in organizing and skilled running of human and physical resources.
• To assist in measuring, computing and tabulating the length, areas, volumes of the objects found in plans and specifications.
• To allow designers in evaluation of substitute design solution in order to attain optimum design.
• To allow the contractors to come up with drawings by deploying lines, rectangles, and circles on the screen (Ballast, 2010).

b. Different types of construction information

Most of the information technologies are used in current construction in order to support most aspects of a construction project. The various types of information include;

i. Computer-Aided Design and Visualization (CAD)

The design professionals prefer the use of CAD since it has the largest share in the market for example AutoCAD. Other examples of CAD software includes MiniCAD, Fast CAD, ArchiCAD and Micro station (Liebing, 2013). The use of CAD tools in the construction industry is simply permitting the user create drawings through manipulation of rectangles, texts, circles and lines and the CAD have the ability to permit editing (Hopper, 2012, p. 132).

ii. Building Engineering Applications

The correction of any design defects is very costly after the construction of the building, therefore, an accurate simulation of the building performance at the design stage is important so that identification and solving of the problems can be done (Hensey, 2012). Various methods have been used in predicting the performance of the building in lightning, structural and thermal aspects.

iii. Computer Aided Cost Estimation

During construction, there is the need for controlling the cost of the project and that is the reason why estimation of cost should be done accurately by the contractors and subcontractors (Hopper, 2012). Examples of software which enables the project managers to make estimation and to keep track of project spending include FBS-Estimator, PRESTO, and Manifest.

iv. Planning, Scheduling and Site Management

Physical and human resources need a skillful management and planning during construction works. The on-site managers can be assisted by the computer system to organize in advance, assess numerous selections and implement the most well-organized construction processes (Ballast, 2013). These planning packages include Microsoft Project, Power Project, and Primavera.

v. Business and Information Management

The procedure of construction is a data intensive during which enormous amount of information produced and expended by all the professionals associated (Chen, 2014).

c. Different types of construction information

Micro station, MiniCAD and Fast CAD allow the user to carry out editing for example copy, move, delete and rotate.

ATEAN, CALCULUX, COSMOS allows the design to evaluate alternative design solution for them to reach optimum design (Institute, 2013).

GEST, ICON, Job Master and Presto Control allow tracking of internal processes during the construction phase.

a. Outline Bill of Quantities

Sub-divisions of the bill of quantities

The division of the bill of quantities is done into detached levels of recognition.

Producing an Outline Bill of Quantities

Quantities

Quantities are conveyed in whole numbers apart from the units of measurement of tones and hectares (Hopper, 2012, p. 178).

Units of measurements

The usage of these abbreviation shall take place for the units of measurement; m- meters, mm-millimeter, ha- hectares, t- tones and kg- kilograms (Hensey, 2012, p. 43).

Preliminary items

Preliminary items are not included in measurement methods as their use is planned to be constrained and particular to a given contract. These items shall not be used for temporary works unless the operation is unusual in the relation to the work (Hopper, 2012).

Alternative Types of Pavement

In case there is the provision of the alternative type of pavement in the contract then a provision of detached Bill of Quantities is needed (Institute, 2013, p. 129).

Alternative Types of Safety Fence

Erections Where a Choice of Design is Offered

A detached Bill of Quantities should be made in a situation where the structure  to be constructed by the contractor is provided in the contract as a substitute to the structure which has been designed by the engineer (Institute, 2013, p. 342).

Erections planned by the Contractor

A Bill of Quantities consisting a solitary item for all works is to be rendered in case the provision of the contracts relies on the construction designed by the contractor to be constructed.

Prefaces to Bill of Quantities

The highlighted matters under the heading preambles to the bill of quantities are always to be counted in as a preamble to the bill of quantities.

b. Schedule of work

a. Type of information produced by participants in the construction project

The participants to the construction project include the contractor, the client and the consultants (Institute, 2013).

Client

During the construction phases, the client tells the construction professional specific requirement needed for a particular project, the starting capital he or she is willing to give out for the project.

Consultant

The consultant gives information based on the design integration and advisory services concerning the construction

Contractor

The contractor gives a detail information concerning the requirements of the client into a specific design or scheme. The contractor provides information about the materials needed for the construction and cost (Chen, 2014, p. 78).

b. Information body

• The information body assists the contractors to come up with various designs before erecting the project.
• The information body enables the contractors to control human and financial resources in the project.
• The information body enables the project managers to track down the resources in the construction project (Ballast, 2010, p. 34)

c. Role of Computer-aided design (CAD) and BIM

Computer-aided design

• Many CAD packages help in creating documentation and that is why it is useful for complex projects because one has something to refer back to when needed.
• CAD plays an important role in spotting the errors thus making it a valuable learning tools for architects and engineers.
• CAD incorporates a host of features
• CAD assist in the creation of designs related to your projects since designs are brought together then they are fit into a larger unit (Ballast, 2013, p. 32).

Building Information Management (BIM)

The BIM also plays an important role in construction information

• BIM allows bringing together all designs into a single database and enable the entire team to visualize the project.
• BIM allows the provision of much more to the client, for example, constant update.
• BIM models allow tracking of resources needed during the design stage thus improving the efficiency and flow of construction (Ballast, 2010).

Ballast, D. K., 2010. Architect’s Handbook of Construction Detailing. 2nd ed. Hull: John Wiley & Sons.

Ballast, D. K., 2013. Handbook of Construction Tolerances. 2nd ed. Hawaii: John Wiley & Sons.

Chen, G., 2014. Building Construction: Project Management, Construction Administration, Drawings, Specs, Detailing Tips, Schedules, Checklists. 3rd ed. Hull: ArchiteG, Inc.

Hensey, P., 2012. Construction Detailing for Landscape and Garden Design: Surfaces, steps, and margins. 3rd ed. Chicago: Routledge.

Hopper, L., 2012. Landscape Architectural Graphic Standards. 2nd ed. Hull: John Wiley & Sons.

Institute, C. S., 2013. The CSI Construction Product Representation Practice Guide. 1st ed. Florida: John Wiley & Sons.

Kalin, M., 2012. Construction Specifications Writing: Principles and Procedures. 2nd ed. Chicago: John Wiley & Sons.

Liebing, R., 2013. Architectural Working Drawings. 2011 ed. Manchester: John Wiley & Sons.