BLACK WORK: WHAT IT IS, STAGES AND ACTIVITIES - TECHNOLOGY - 2025

The black work, in architecture, is the initial phase of a construction. That is, the steps that must be carried out before carrying out the construction of an architectural project. In this first stage, the general details of the project to be developed are presented, such as the participants (client, architect and construction company), the description of the land, the plans of the work and the estimated cost.

In the same way, this stage includes the first activities carried out in the field, such as cleaning and delimitation. The black work can be divided into phases: 1-Administrative activities of the work, which include contact with the client, development of plans and bidding for construction. 2- Organizational activities, referring to the structures that must be provided by the contractor as security measures. 3- Preliminary activities, that is, everything that has to do with preparing the land on which it is going to be built.

The process prior to construction is one of the most important, since the quality of the final work will depend directly on the steps that were carried out in the initial phase. In this sense, the black work represents the bases of all construction.

Administrative activities of the work

The administrative activities of a work can be divided into planning, presentation of plans, bidding for construction and request for permits.

Planning

In this first stage, architects and engineers meet with clients to determine the purpose of the construction to be carried out. In addition to establishing the purpose of the construction, the existing relationships between the building and the space in which it is to be built are discussed.

In the same way, it seeks to determine if the construction to be developed is integrated with the other buildings that surround it (if any) and if the gestation of this project is feasible.

Presentation of plans

Once the planning stage is concluded, the schematic plans are designed, which are the result of the discussions carried out with the clients, as well as the study of the land on which it is going to be built.

These plans are reviewed by the working group and, once the pertinent corrections have been made, the preliminary plans are created.

Finally, the final plans are developed; These plans are much more detailed than the previous ones and are divided into: architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical.

Schematic drawings. Photo retrieved from rossmoorfitness.com

Architectural plan. Photo recovered from eurlturquetbatiment.com

Structural plan of the roof. Photo retrieved from paggesengineering.weebly.com

Electrical plans. Photo recovered from asdesignconcepts.net

Tender for construction

After having determined the feasibility of the project and having developed the plans, those in charge of the work will offer the tender.

The bids are proposals presented by the owners of a work so that various contractor companies compete for the construction of the new building. The contest participants will receive the plans and develop a report that will include the estimated cost of the project to be developed.

The person in charge of the work will evaluate the proposals presented and will choose the one that best suits their interests.

Permit request

The last administrative step is the request for permits to the competent authorities. For this, the master or owner of the work must present the final plans and the results of other required studies, such as the environmental impact that the work would have or the conditions of the soil on which it is intended to build.

Organizational activities of the work

Organizational activities refer to the structures that the contractor must provide to the staff members, since it is their duty to guarantee safety in the work area.

The availability of first aid kits is part of this stage, as well as the establishment of offices, warehouses or warehouses and control booths.

Office

Construction offices can be temporary or permanent, although they are usually temporary. They are usually built with recyclable materials and in some cases the use of portable cabins is used.

Warehouse

The cellar, or warehouse, is one of the most essential parts of a building. The establishment of the warehouse must be prior to the construction of the work since it will protect the materials that will be used.

Required connections

The construction of a work requires continuous supplies of water and electricity, so it is necessary to connect to the service lines of the town in which it is going to be built or to have cisterns and electric generators.

Preliminary activities

This last phase refers to the processes that must be carried out on the construction site before starting to erect the work. Some of these are: demolition, ground clearance, excavation, grading, leveling, foundation.

Demolition

Buildings are sometimes built on land that was previously occupied. In these cases, the old structure must be demolished. For this, the contractor must have a permit issued by the competent authorities.

Ground cleaning

It consists of removing the waste (in some cases, generated by the demolition) and all the vegetation present in the area in which it is going to work. It should be noted that if trees are present, they must be uprooted since, in the future, they could compromise the integrity of the work.

Leveling

It consists of removing excess soil from the area or filling in any gaps that may be in it, so that the surface of the land is uniform and optimal to lay the foundation for the construction.

Enclosed

It refers to the delimitation of the area in which you are going to work. This fencing can be permanent (a wall, for example) or temporary. The latter is the most common. Likewise, the logo of the construction company and safety signs are usually added.

Foundation

The foundation is the last step of the preliminary phase and consists of laying the foundations of the construction to be carried out.

Foundation. Recovered from blog.amchairbuilder.com

References

1. What Are Preliminaries in Construction? Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from reference.com.
2. What Is the Importance of the Pre-construction Stage. Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from bayt.com.
3. The Importance of The Early Phase: The Cases of Construction and Building Projects. (2003). Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from sciencedirect.com.
4. Construction Process - Cost Segregation Study. Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from csp-360.com.
5. Different Phases of an Architectural Project. Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from rb-architects.com.
6. Phases of Design and Construction. Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from hamden.com.
7. Masters Builders Journal. (2009). Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from entrusty.com.
8. Stages of Construction. Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from lindonhomes.com.au.
9. 7 Preliminary Works to do Before Starting a Construction. (2015). Retrieved on February 20, 2017, from acivilengineer.com.