Assessment of Constructability Practices among General Contractors

Modern construction has been characterized as a complex and fragmented process. These characteristics have produced a decrease in the quality and cost efficiency of projects. It has been proven that this problem can be partially overcome by implementing constructability, which is based on the integration of construction knowledge into design (as was done in the past). The implementation of constructability is not easy because it represents a change in the way things have been done in the last century. Prior research has found a lack of constructability efforts among participants in the construction industry, especially general contractors. Because builders can play an important role in implementing constructability, this paper assesses constructability practices among general contractors. The data were obtained from a mailed survey. It was found that contractors applied constructability concepts and participated during the earliest phase of the projects more often than is thought. In addition, the findings showed that constructability practices differed depending on the characteristics of the organization, the type of work performed, and the type of contractual arrangement.