If you’re interested in construction, there are a wide variety of career opportunities that involve many types of construction projects. Whether you want to work in residential or commercial construction, you can find a position with specific construction projects that suit your interests and skills. Learning about different types of construction projects can help you make a strategic career decision. In this article, we list four types of construction projects and explain the various jobs that work on them.
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What types of careers work on construction projects?
A construction project involves a variety of professionals, whether they oversee the project or perform manual labor. When these people work together effectively, they ensure the successful completion of a project. Here are some jobs that work on construction projects:
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Architect: Architects develop designs and blueprints for buildings. They lead construction projects from conception to design development, prepare building specifications and consult with clients to determine building requirements.
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Quantity surveyor: These professionals manage the contractual and financial aspects of construction projects. Also known as estimators or cost managers, quantity surveyors estimate material, time and labor costs, negotiate these costs and advise on both legal and contractual issues.
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Plant operator: A plant operator oversees an industrial plant’s daily operations. They monitor operating equipment, load and unload trucks and ensure a plant’s compliance with safety and environmental rules and regulations.
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Plumber: A plumber is a tradesperson who specializes in the installation and maintenance of a plumbing system. They repair valves, pipes, drainage systems and fixtures for both residential and commercial buildings or structures.
Related: What Are the Different Types of Construction Jobs?
Types of construction projects
The construction career you pursue often dictates the type of construction project. Entering the construction field means you may encounter commercial, residential, infrastructure or industrial construction projects. Here’s more information about each of these types of construction projects:
Commercial construction projects
Commercial construction refers to the construction of a building for a commercial purpose. Because of the large scope of these projects, they often require a lot of personnel throughout the construction process. Here are some of the different types of commercial construction projects:
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Restaurants: While the construction of a restaurant chain requires adherence to guidelines set by a corporation, individual establishments develop a unique or innovative construction to attract customers. As a whole, building a restaurant requires an understanding of local regulations as they relate to safety and other kitchen-related matters.
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Office buildings: Construction teams may work on office buildings for a small firm or build skyscrapers for a large corporation. While the type of business using the building often dictates the layout, all office buildings require construction necessities like bathrooms and fire escapes.
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Grocery and retail stores: When it comes to grocery and retail stores, construction teams create layouts that focus on the general look of the inside and outside of the site. Since customers frequent grocery and retail stores, construction teams create a layout that allows for greater fluid movement and ensure these sites appear welcoming to prospective customers.
Residential construction projects
Residential construction projects focus on buildings where people live. Since they’re often smaller than commercial projects, residential projects typically require smaller budgets and construction teams. Engineers and architects usually design residential buildings. Builders then employ subcontractors to complete the construction project.
Often, residential construction projects require more regulations and codes compared to commercial construction projects. Each residential project needs to comply with certain codes and local building authority regulations. Here are some examples of residential construction projects:
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Apartments: An apartment is a self-contained residential unit on a certain floor of a storied building. Each apartment usually consists of a sleeping area, kitchen, bathroom and living area. Because apartment buildings typically are much larger than single-family residences and can include hundreds of units, the projects often require more employees and resources to complete the job.
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Townhome: Townhomes are houses with multiple floors. While they share one or two adjacent walls with other homes, they also have their own entrance. Because these typically are only two stories and have limited shared walls, townhomes are much simpler projects than apartments and take less time to complete.
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Dormitory: A dormitory is a sleeping quarter for a large number of people. Construction teams create one large building with several rooms, bathrooms and a living area for students inside. The projects can intensive to plan and complete, especially because dormitories can include restaurants or other commercial projects on the ground level to serve students.
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Condo: A condo is a unit in a larger storied building that contains multiple units per story. Even though people typically own condos and rent apartments, the construction process for them is similar in scope.
Infrastructure construction projects
Also known as civil construction, infrastructure construction involves structures like airports, roads, bridges and sewer systems. Some infrastructure construction projects include the following:
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Highways: Highway projects involve the building, repairing and altering of highway alleys and roads. Construction teams may also expand roads to accommodate new traffic.
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Bridges: Because of their complexity, bridges often require a larger budget compared to other infrastructure projects. While some projects involve the construction of new bridges, others involve bridge repair to ensure stability.
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Airports: Construction teams may build new airports or upgrade existing airports to achieve a more modern look. This type of infrastructure construction project involves the construction of runways and various services or public necessities, like bathrooms.
Related: Learn About Being a Construction Worker
Industrial construction projects
Industrial construction involves building large-scale production facilities. Many construction companies complete industrial construction projects for corporations. Because of their complexity, they require expertise from a wide variety of professionals. Here are some different types of industrial construction projects:
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Warehouses: When working on warehouse projects, construction teams follow a design that incorporates an open space with high ceilings that open to the roof structure. This design accommodates high-stacking goods and allows for an easier maneuver.
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Manufacturing facilities: Construction teams may build heavy manufacturing or light assembly facilities. While both types of facilities produce goods and materials, the latter is much smaller in terms of a construction scale.
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Oil refineries: Refinery projects involve a large construction site and extensive pipework running through the plant. These industrial projects require extensive professional expertise.
