Read Journal 0129 – Volume 60 No 3 – Factors influencing the quality of design documentation on SA

CPD Points: 0.2

Construction projects typically go through four phases, namely planning, design, construction and operation and maintenance. Linked to these phases are three crucial role players: the client who requires an engineering solution to a problem, the designer responsible for defining and detailing the solution to the client’s problem, and the contractor who is in charge of the execution of the works as detailed by the designer (Emmitt 2007).

The focus of this study is on the set of design documentation that is provided to the contractor to facilitate the execution of the construction works. This documentation includes engineering drawings, bills of quantities, standard specifications, project specifications, services information, materials report, site-specific geotechnical reports and topographical surveys, among others. These documents are a key product of the design process and aim to provide sufficient detail to enable the contractor to efficiently implement the construction phase of the project (Emmitt 2007; Tilley et al 1999).