Are steel structure materials the responsibility of structural engineers in design institutes for compilation?
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I’m seeking help from experts in civil engineering. I’ve encountered this problem on many occasions: the installation framework is made of steel, and the structural engineering department of the design firm was responsible for carrying out the structural design. The specific types of steel used are indicated in the drawings, but there isn’t a comprehensive material list. There are also numerous structural drawings. When I asked the structural engineers for information on the materials needed, they said that according to the standards, structural construction drawings do not include material-related documents, so they are not responsible for compiling such lists. The construction team is only responsible for the actual construction work and does not handle the tracking of materials either. Is it the owner’s responsibility to keep track of this material? If it’s not the property owner who conducts the statistics, then who is responsible for doing it? This includes the anti-corrosion painting of steel structures; who is responsible for keeping track of exactly how much paint is applied?
Steel structure materials are usually counted by the construction team itself
With the blueprints available, the steel structure materials are usually counted by the construction team themselves. The construction teams and steel structure companies that work with us calculate the materials based on the blueprints; they ask whether it is we who supply them
If the construction company doesn’t keep track itself, how can it quote a price? Even if the design is excellent, the construction party still needs to carry out its own calculations; and even when the design provides relevant data, it is usually not that precise.
Is the painted part of this steel structural material usually purchased by the property owner themselves or by the construction contractor?
It depends on what the construction contract stipulates
If the contract stipulates that the owner is responsible for purchasing the materials, then does the construction team not include steel structure materials in their calculations? Does the owner need to do the counting themselves?
No matter what the agreement is, the construction party has to conduct a count once; otherwise, how can they settle accounts with the owner? Could it be that 100 tons were actually used in the project, but the client told the construction party that only 10 tons were used, and thus the installation costs were calculated based on 10 tons?
The design institute will definitely keep track of it; generally, they won’t give it to you
It depends on the situation. If it’s an EPC project, the design phase requires the preparation of procurement or requisition documents, as well as design-related statistical materials； If not, the design does not take material statistics into account; even if such statistics are conducted, it will still require human and material resources ； The construction unit itself should keep track of the materials and prepare a procurement plan.