When it comes to the construction industry and the process of building anything, there are stages and considerations to be thought of. How does a construction project come about? Construction projects can be commissioned publicly, municipal agencies or privately. Projects such as highways, pipelines, and residential structures or facilities such as hospitals and stadiums fall under one of four types of construction.

Four Categories of Construction

Residential

Residential construction is defined as either building, remodelling or repairing of the structure, building from the ground up or modifications to the overall structure – whether that be interior or exterior. Residential construction refers to buildings that are meant to “house” everything from people, equipment or supplies. Typically, those who are new to the construction industry presume residential construction refers to only homes and buildings for people; however, a residential building can also extend to garages and utility sheds. Not only does it apply to garages and utility sheds, but residential construction continues to parts of the actual project. This can mean, installing everything electricity and wiring, hydro, sewage systems and pavement. Residential is a standard and an often large group of construction

Institutional and Commercial

This category of construction encompasses the following: schools, medical facilities such as hospitals, sports arenas and stadiums, retail stores, shopping centers, and skyscrapers. This type of construction includes everything from the building to the maintenance and eventual and potential upgrading and modification. For example, a building that has been around for 50 and plus years, may be commissioned to receive a facelift, this is still part of the institutional and commercial construction. Contractors and builders who are tasked with this field of construction are typically done by private companies. Sometimes they may be commissioned by a public entity such a provincial or state government; however, shopping centers, for example, are often distributed to contractors by private investors. Projects looking to construct schools, medical facilities and some sports arenas are regularly managed and paid for by a mix of government and private or public funding.

Specialized Industrial

This field of construction is one that is slowly starting to boom. Specialized industrial construction is typically highly specialized and often technologically more advanced than the standard residential and institutional construction. Projects that would be classified as specialized industrial construction includes building structures that include or deal with chemical, medical or power generators. As well as generators, but also oil refineries, nuclear power plants and steel mills would be considered a specialized industrial construction. When it comes to the funding and executing of these types of projects, these projects are funded by the industry or field seeking the building or structure as well as for-profit companies and corporations.

Infrastructure and Heavy

Heavy and infrastructure construction is the process of adding roads, railways or communication towers to the surroundings of an existing building. Typically, infrastructure and heavy construction is built and done to serve the public interest and is funded most often by private corporations and government agencies. Highways, tunnels, transit systems, bridges and overpasses, pipelines and drainage systems are projects that fall under infrastructure and heavy construction as they serve the public overall. This type of construction is usually executed seasonally in some cities – for example, road maintenance and the building will take place in during the spring months and then go into late fall. During the winter months, other projects are undertaken, and then as soon as good weather is around, road work resumes.