What does Consultant Mean?
Definition of Consultant in Construction
An independent person, or organization, that will provide a specialized service or expertise regarding a specific issue on a project. Normally a consultant is paid on an hourly basis and is exempt from all the insurances and liabilities of working as an employee. Consultants can be plugged into situations that are specifically suited to that consultants expertise. When employing consultants to perform the work, the contractor or employer, is not obligated to continue to pay the consultant after completion of their specific service. There are no long term commitments, nor the typical issues that employers have with employees.
The ability to hire a professional for only what they are trained for, is a particularly economical method of managing a project. Whether the individual is an expert in claims, scheduling, procurement , sub-contractor relations, or any other aspect of the construction process, to offer only that specific expertise to an overall construction project is invaluable, and a commodity that should be utilized by general contractors and construction management firms. In residential projects the use of independent residential consultants can eliminate several problems that plaque the residential owner. Consultants have experienced all the problems and issues that accompany the residential project and can offer guidance and solutions as needed.