This is my Introduction to Construction Industry assignment in Foundation in Natural and Built Environment.

1. 1
Together, we build a better future.
Name: Ong Seng Peng
Student ID: 0319016
Subject: Introduction to Construction Industry (The Building
Team-Developer)
Tutor: Puan Hasmanira Mokhtar
Construction Developer

2. 2
Introduction
I
n this assignment, our tasks are to interview a developer as a group work and rec-
ord a documentary video during our interview. Each of us need to produce a
magazine to demonstrate our understanding for our chosen construction team.
Well, we went to several places to interview the developers but we failed twice,
because the 1st is a software developer and the 2nd is a worker of the developer. We
found the real developer in the 3rd time. Nevertheless, we found that developer has
many types such as software developer, website developer and construction developer.
In completion of this assignment we will able to understand more about a developer in
construction industry.
What is construction developer?
In the construction industry, a developer can
wear one or two hats in a construction project.
He can just be the owner or both owner and
contractor. He is the one who have a piece of
land and initiates the project, financing it base
on the company fund, and develops land
through construction. After the project is
finished, he will becomes an owner of the de-
veloped land. The developer seeks a profit
from development of the land, either by selling
a development, such as a tract of residential
homes, a shopping mall, or an office build-
ing, or by holding the developed property to
reap a return on the investment.
No single path leads automatically
to success in real estate development.
Developers come from a variety of
disciplines— construction, lending, ar-
chitecture, law and accounting, among
others. The late Arthur N Levien a
prominent developer once described a
real estate developer as follows "a real
estate developer is a person who is not
an architect, engineer, plumber, iron
worker, attorney, appraiser, or any of
the dozens of other professionals in-
volved in the real estate development
process. It is however someone that
knows what each one of them does in
detail so as to get exactly what he or
she wants from each of them."

3. 3
Well, what are the responsibility
of a developer?
Adeveloper is the pioneer of the construction project, he
plays an important role throughout the project, Below are the
several task he need to perform.
Assess the project feasibility
He need to look at all aspects of construction viability including
construction site acquisition, planning consents, financing and
appointing a professional team to undertake the design and
construction. Historically, a developer's role was the remit of an
architect and for many projects still is, but for larger projects
it's more common for developers to take a managerial role and
apportion work to construction professionals who can under-
take and complete their own specialized roles within a project.
Financing and Set Project Timing
Developers are often the main financiers of construction projects. It is difficult to
estimate or determine some of the costs of construction work because the costs are
constantly changing. Some developers will have in-house accountants that are aware
of the financial aspects of running construction projects and more importantly when
to begin them. Nowadays, many building are built speculatively relative to econom-
ic trends which can quickly change.
Developer need to scheme their project carefully.
Assembling a Team
The logistics of running construction projects is complex and one of the key objectives
for a developer is the appointment of a professional team to undertake the design and
construction. Though some development companies will have all the resources within
their establishment, it's far more common to appoint consultants with specific
experience of the nature of the project they are engaged in. One of the greatest
demands on developers is the organization of the design and construction their liaison
to meet project deadlines.

4. 4
Management
A developer should well-versed in project
management and knowing the demands of
running a project in terms of resources and
manpower.
Working with multiple construction professionals
who often have their own agendas requires
patient and disciplined managers that are able to
get different groups working together towards a
combined goal. Meeting deadlines ranks among
the most important aspects of a developers
responsibilities so time management is very
important for a developer.
Cooperate with project manager
The developers will be responsible for carrying out the design and development
goals of the project and will work under the direction of their development manager
with the guidance of the lead architect and to respect the project schedule. They will
be expected to be motivated, with the ability to work in a dynamic team based
environment. The developers will hold the primary responsibilities of ensuring that
the designs and initial development efforts are going as planned and will be expected
to communicate with the development manager regarding any issues that arise on the
project that need attention.
Development Process
Here is a simplified version of
the real estate development flow
chart. The whole process actual-
ly will take a long time to go,
especially during the period to
get the approval from govern-
ment or the authority organiza-
tion. Sometimes it took about
half year to get the approval.

5. 5
Interview session
Developer Profile
Name: Mr. Tan Soon Meng
Position: Managing Director
Company: Soon Sin Hin Development
Company Location: 26&28 Jalan Medan Ni-
aga 4, Medan Niaga Kuala Selangor, 45000
Kuala Selangor, Selangor D. E. ,Malaysia
Below is our interview conversation.
Interviewer: Good afternoon
Mr.Tan could you introduce
yourself?
Mr.Tan: Hi everyone. My name
is Tan Soon Meng, you can call
me Mr.Tan. I am from Kuala Se-
langor, my company is Soon
Sin Hin Development. Currently
doing a lot of project in Kuala
Selangor.
Interviewer: What inspire you to
become a developer?
Mr. Tan: Because it is my family
business from my father I come
back to Malaysia in 2002 and
took over the business.
Interviewer: How long did you
took to build up your business?
Mr. Tan: Just now I told you all
already I come back in 2002….
Interviewer: So you start your
business from that time?
Mr.Tan: Ya
Interviewer: What obstacle are
you facing upon reaching your
goal for the project?
Mr.Tan: A lot of problem.
( smile)
Interviewer: What were your
positive thought when you facing
those obstacle?
Mr. Tan: My mind just think
about everything can be settle. It
only take some time to follow
(compromise) their (other con-
struction professional) rules.
Interviewer: How do you cooper-
ate with other construction team?
Mr.Tan: I just believe I want to
do my best and be very a good
quality to my purchaser and my
client.
Interviewer: Why did you choose
this career path?
Mr. Tan: Because it is done by
my father, my father passed away
and I come to take over.
Interviewer: What specific skills
are needed to perform this job?
Mr. Tan: I think it needs a very
good concept for whole develop-
ment, what are your selling point,
people why must buy your house,
people why need to spend their
money to buy your shop lot. You
have know the market if not you
cannot success your project.
Interviewer: Are you happy with
the system and regulation set by
our government?
Mr. Tan: I’m not very happy
Interviewer: ( laugh)
Interviewer: What would you
like to change or improve?
Mr.Tan: Hopefully government
can give a lot of subsidy, can let
the developer build a lot of af-
fordable houses to the young
people and the low income peo-
ple.
Interviewer: Thank you Mr.Tan
for your time.
Mr. Tan: You are welcome.

6. 6
10 Qualities that a developer should possess
Reflection:
I agree on what Mr Tan said “building afford-
able house for the low income people.
”However, there are some people hoard the
properties and sell it higher prices in order to
earn more profit. This makes more foreigner
and localers to invest the houses in Malaysia
because they know the price will increase.
However, this harden the life of the low-
income people. I think they should consider
to design and build the economic-friendly
houses for the lower income people to help
the society live a better life.
1. Perspective. Ability to look from business perspective apart from developing estate.
Look for the market.
2. Questions. Asking why something is done that way. Discussing answers. Showing own
point of view. Trying to be objective in the whole thing.
3. Communication. It doesn’t have to be great but you should be able to talk with non-
developers in a way which is understandable by the other side.
4. Make mistakes. Actually everyone make mistakes, but not everyone is able to admit
that.
5. Experience. Had experience from different situation, different systems, different issues,
different architectures, different teams, different technologies, different environments. The
more the better.
6. Learning. Will and ability to self-develop, learn (quickly) new things and adapt to new
environments.
7. Digging. Understanding a problem to the very bottom. Trying to find out what’s hap-
pening under the hood. Rejecting easy trial-and-error explanations. Deal with the flaws,
Seek for higher and seek for improvement of your current achievement.
8. Reason. Every thing which is developed serves some purpose and using common sense
one can easily decide which actions are justified and which are not.
9. Passion. Treating development as at least something more than just a job. Will to do de-
velop something just for yourself, not because you were forced to.
10. Time management. Be able to manage his own schedule and meet the deadline of the
project.