Professionals in the house, can you please help shed light on this? what's the difference between a civil engineer and a builder? What are their roles in building and construction processes. I have always seen the professions as the same but need some enlightments to know the differences. Thanks

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Ytechconst:
You are right my brother, people mix up the role of a builder and civil engineer in the construction industry. As a builder i do correct people and artisan on site when they address me as engineer, i tell them i am a builder because i studied Building Technology and trained a builder.

The role of a civil engineer is to design the stability of the structure designed by the architect and also monitor the process of the structural elements that they are carried out on site the way it was designed by him.

The builder is regarded as the main man on ground on site, he gets the entire working drawings (Architectural, Structural, Mechanical and Electrical drawings) and also the specification detail, the builder's duty is to interpret all the drawings to the artisans on site also supervise and follow up on them to ensure everything is done in line with the layed down plan and specification given in the drawings and specification sheets by other professionals(Architect, Civil Structural Engineer, Mechanical Engineer, Electrical Engineer).

All other professionals must also follow up with the builder on site to ensure that everything is done as planned. That is why the Civil Structural engineer must inspect the reinforcement for foundation, Columns, Beams, Slab, Step and other structural members to ensure that they are rightly cut and bent to required shapes and also spaced rightly to the specified centre to centre spacing.


The stay of the builder on a building project is from start to completion unlike civil engineering which is limited to some work stage or structural elements.

In the academic environment, builder must have deep idea of all other construction professionals job so that he can be able to interpret what ever material or drawings given to him. That is the reason why a builder must master all works under construction profession.

As a builder during my academic days i was drilled to know deeply the following aside my core course (Building Construction)

Architectural design and detailing(Architect's work)
Building Measurement (Quantity Surveyors work)
Land Surveying ( Land surveyors work)
Structural Design & Detailing (Civil Structural Engineering work)
Electrical & Mechanical design & detailing
Soil Mechanics ( Geological Works)
Construction Management
Professional Practice

So as a builder you must master all the professions under the construction industry.

I guess that is the more reason why our so called ''LORD OF BUILDING'' then do put it to us that as a builder you must be JERK OF ALL TRADE AND MASTER OF ALL....

I think i have to rest my case here my brother, building profession is sweet and inspiring, but one important thing is that you must have passion for the profession and not only the the goodies that comes out of it. I have had passion for the profession immediately after i completed my secondary school, then i moved to Govt. Technical College Ikotun, there i did construction trade, i practicalised and did all trade pertaining to construction with my bare hand i can tell you i really enjoyed it.

If i don't surface on a construction site ones in a week to solve a particular problem i will fall sick because it is what i enjoy doing.

Goodafternoon sir,I'm a civil engineer,will like to work with you,to have more experience,God bless

YOLO1:
Professionals in the house, can you please help shed light on this? what's the difference between a civil engineer and a builder? What are their roles in building and construction processes. I have always seen the professions as the same but need some enlightments to know the differences. Thanks

In simple terms, a Civil engineer is a trained engineer while a builder is a trained contractor. A builder builds while the engineer design and supervises.

A builders profession is the most threatened as every body calls himself a general contractor. When it comes to high rise buildings, they are very important and indispensable.