Maintaining high-quality standards is definitely a must when it comes to the construction industry. Since construction companies mainly depend on the quality of their work in terms of working capital, quality control has become one of the most critical aspects of any project a construction company takes up. Proper quality control in construction projects can also mean that you get repeat business and ideal cost control. However, if there is low quality control in construction projects, it can cause a company’s good reputation to be drowned and might also incur extra construction costs. It can also have negative impacts on not just the company involved but also the partners involved in the project.
Poor quality of work will also indicate that you are breaching the quality standards that are set while also wasting time, materials, and resources involved in the project. To ensure that no such repercussions occur, here is a blog that highlights the importance of quality control and indicates how technology can change the game.
Defining Quality Standards
Quality control in construction projects is a system of management that ensures all the deliverables meet the guidelines and standards that are set by the client at the start of the construction process. This can also include multiple criteria such as completing the project within the specified frame of time. Eventually, quality is decided by not just the client but also by the regulatory bodies and the EPA guidelines.
Quality assurance and quality control are two equally important parts of construction quality. While quality refers to the plans and procedures that provide the best results, assurance refers to setting quality management expectations according to the client’s wants.
Issues emerge in construction quality control when the factors that affect the quality are not identified and addressed at the earliest. Quality control in construction aims at solving problems while providing the best results and preventing any issues that may come up again in the future.
Planning for Quality Control
When you try to create a construction quality plan you need to ensure that a few things are addressed diligently. Here is a list of items that you need to keep in mind:
1. Quality control manager
There needs to be someone who can lead the effort such as a quality control manager. The client should be aware of this person and needs to know why they are qualified for this position. The quality manager is the one who is responsible for the day-to-day field operations. The construction quality control plan needs to define every responsibility of a quality manager and how they will be working with the rest of the crew.
2. Surveillance
Make sure monitoring is a part of your construction quality plan. This is important since your client also needs to know how you will be monitoring the quality. Deciding on the frequency of surveillance is also essential apart from also letting them know what you will be monitoring.
3. Communications
Quality control should be a part of the discussion right from the beginning of the project to the end. Quality control should be part of test results reports and also any other inspection data you will be providing to your clients. Your construction quality control plan should include proper communication guidelines and how this communication is going to occur.
4. Project Quality Specifications
This is the section where you will be collecting client expectations and specifications for the quality they want. However, you will also go beyond their needs and also address any important specifications as mentioned by the building codes and the industry standards.
5. Suppliers and subcontractors
You need to initially inform the clients about the materials you use and suppliers who will be part of this construction project. Since these are organizations outside of your governance you will also need to add the selection criteria for subcontractors and suppliers in your quality control plan.
6. Control of non-conformances
No construction plans ever go as smoothly as planned. When things go south you might need to have a backup plan that will help maintain the overall quality of the project. There should be a record of all the changes that are implemented such as a decision log.
7. Final project completion inspections
While multiple inspections take place throughout the execution of construction projects the main and the most important one would be the final inspection. This is where you outline how the construction management inspection will be conducted along with providing a final walkthrough with the client.
Implementing Inspection and Testing Procedures
Quality control in construction projects can vary slightly from organization to organization. However, there are multiple things including inspection and testing procedures that all construction industry professionals must keep in mind while implementing quality management protocols:
1. Proper inspection plans
As a part of the construction project, there needs to be a thorough inspection and testing procedures to see whether the work has been completed and meets all the quality acceptance criteria. Creating an inspection plan and deciding what is to be inspected will also make the team aware of the inspections that are conducted. Also, there must be a person who is held responsible for carrying out the inspection.
2. Creating a quality control checklist
Create a quality control checklist to ensure that the process of inspection and testing procedures is thorough. You need to be specific while creating this checklist. This list should also be shared with the crew to preview the plan and think of how to execute the plan. A checklist will also ensure that the quality control is met and will also communicate everything regarding the roles of the crew members.
Corrective Actions and Continuous Improvement
When working on construction quality control there needs to be certain quality control procedures that help the work to be conducted smoothly. There should also be proper corrective actions and continuous improvements to meet the terms of the quality set.
1. Defining the expectations and acceptance benchmark
Defining will include completing the project with no defects while satisfying code requirements and adhering to the client’s expectations. Once you are done with the construction project the conclusion of the project must be shared with the crew members, superintendents, and subcontractors so that they also know what were the expectations and what processes brought about the desired results.
2. Correcting deficiencies and inaccuracies
When a task does not meet the standards of quality management inspection, the work needs to be corrected. The work that needs to be corrected can be highlighted and you can also take a photo for documentation. Later on, correct the problem and document the correction to verify whether it now meets all the project quality standards set.
3. Reviewing and analyzing problems and finding their respective solutions
Even if you find a defect and fix it, the work will still not be done. Review why this happened and discussion of the same with the crew is essential to avoid such problems from happening in the future. Whatever the conclusion comes out to be it should be shared along with the entire construction crew and it needs to be ensured that these problems never arise again. If applicable these new details can also be added to the checklist later.
Technology for Quality Control
There has been a constant rise of technology usage in the construction quality part. In construction projects, various devices can be embedded to collect data in real-time. This data can also be analyzed to get valuable insights regarding the project and enhance the overall decision-making. This also improves the quality and the control processes involved.
Here are some of the advantages of using technology for quality control in construction projects:
1. Real-time monitoring
Technology for quality control enables real-time monitoring of various construction processes right from material inventory to equipment usage and even the structural integrity that is involved. This real-time monitoring allows organizations to detect issues or deviations from quality standards immediately and minimize the risk of expensive mistakes.
2. Predictive maintenance
The sensors attached to machinery and equipment can collect data on usage, performance, and maintenance needs. With the help of this data construction companies can predict what the maintenance requirements are and schedule proactive repairs which prevents any downtime and ensures optimal performance.
3. Enhanced efficiency
The automation and integration that technology brings about in construction processes tend to streamline the workflows. Efficient management of energy, materials, and resources can be ensured while reducing the overall waste.
4. Improved safety
Some of the devices can be used to monitor safety conditions on construction sites which includes measuring humidity, temperature, and gas levels. Real-time alerts can also be sent to management and workers in case of any potential hazards which in turn will reduce accidents.
Conclusion
Overall, quality control in construction projects is set in order to ensure that there is proper completion of projects and to ensure none of the materials go to waste. With some of the processes that are mentioned above, organizations can now be worry-free regarding the quality conditions. Quality control is also quite important as it holds up the expectation of not just the customer but also the stakeholders involved and the other third parties who invest in this project. A better quality plan also ensures that there is a successful project completion.
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