What are the common problems encountered on project management work-civil and structural engineer?

Reading Level: Intermediate

One of the tasks of civil engineer is the project management. Wherever a project commence, it is starting of ‘live’ of project problem until it has been completed build. Below are some of common problems that civil engineer may faced:

1. Project commenced without acknowledgement of civil engineer. It is common especially for small scale of project; such as single unit of structure like bungalow. Engineer will only alert whenever problem is happened at site; and problem is unable to resolve it by contractor. Contractor will like to build it without interruption of engineer.
2. Even though civil engineer aware about the construction work, some of un- responsible contractor will try to do some work in the time that engineer is unable to present.  As for example; contractor carry out the concreting work after office hour especially in the evening, nighttime and public holiday. Once concreted, engineer is unable to inspect it.
3. Whenever construction started, un-experience contractor will do work by referring to civil engineering drawings without read in-conjunction with other professional drawing such as architecture, mechanical and electrical drawings. As a result, there will be a number of hacking during or after completion of structural works. It incurred a number of arguments and costs.
4. Even though an inexperience contractor is read engineering drawings, somehow contractor is build to their own knowledge; especially from contractor previous project. If previously contractor had been built a number of pad footing foundation, contractor obtain a piling foundation project. The contractor will try to change it to pad footing foundation by his own knowledge. Or even in pad footing foundation, contractor will change pad footing to smaller size. It will end up with structural problem.
5. Some irresponsible contractor will ignore engineer instruction. Contractor will build to his own knowledge. Contractor will always persuade client that contractor is builder. Contractor tells client that he is more site experience than civil engineer. Engineer has not much site building experience. Most of the time, client will agree with contractor because contractor shown client with physical construction works and engineer without much of physical product. These will continue until problem happened and unable to resolve by contractor. Finally, they will seek for engineer advice.
6. Contractor perform cost cutting on project work. Now days, project cost is very competitive. In order to obtain a project by bidding, some contractor may lower down the bidding cost to below the cost. When project is awarded, contractor will perform unnecessary cost cutting. This will endanger client.
7. When client is contractor and contractor is client, civil engineer will be in difficult position on dealing with client and contractor. There will be always in conflict of interest.

These problems may faced by civil engineer. How to overcome them will mainly base on engineer experience. Junior engineer shall not advice to send them to resolve these matters. Anyway, junior engineer shall be in guidance of senior engineer whenever problems are being solved.