5 minute read
Analysis
Quality Assurance
Five Golden Rules to Ensure Quality in Construction
MIDDLE EAST Ibrahim Imam, co-founder, groupco-CEO, CEO MENA & APAC at PlanRadar, outlines how contractors can take steps improve quality assurance on their projects
The UAE construction industry is comprised of various sectors including commercial, residential, industrial, geotechnical, infrastructure, as well as energy and utilities. According to a report by Mordor Intelligence, the UAE construction industry is expected to reach a value of USS$133.53 billion by 2027, registering a CAGR of 4.69% over the forecast period from now to 2027.
By 2050, close to 68% of the world’s population will be residing in urban environments and hence the need to focus on smart cities and sustainable construction is now felt more than ever. According to the UAE Vision 2030, Sustainable Development Goals have been proposed to sectors like industry, innovation & infrastructure, sustainable cities & communities, etc. In order to achieve these goals, it is of utmost importance to accelerate implementation of quality assurance in UAE construction projects.
In today’s day and age, modern construction companies face fierce competition to stay ahead of the curve and to be able to capture market share in this ever-evolving world. To be able to achieve this, qualified contractors are under tremendous pressure to adapt and aid the construction professionals with the right tools to be able to deliver the job timely and efficiently as well as establish their offering to potential customers as well as position themselves as a strong partner to deliver the right product with not only right price but also with reliability over high quality of completed projects.
When quality construction is not focused on from the beginning, it results in cosmetic defects to structural failures, and everything in between which then leads to project delays that can cost the companies up to 20% more than the estimated cost. By creating ‘rules’ for minimum quality that are set as standards for specific projects or within the entire organisation, project delays due to unforeseen errors can be prevented in advance. Here, not only the right choice and quality of materials or the right equipment play a major role, but also the standardisation of processes in project management up to clear guidelines for health and safety come into play.
By building quality into decisionmaking throughout the projects, companies can be confident that
Setting standards
If quality construction is not focused on from the beginning, it can lead to project delays that can dramatically increase estimated costs.
68%
they are ordering the right materials, using the correct equipment and everyone knows what to expect.
Achieving quality in construction is a time-consuming and intensive process. It’s about constantly checking decisions and work meet the quality assurance standards set. The promise of quality assurance also plays a huge role in establishing strong & long last partnership between all project partners.
Here are five golden rules for quality assurance on construction projects:
1. Clear definitions of ‘quality’:
Everyone working on a project needs to clearly understand what you mean by ‘quality’ and what your expectations are. Document the details and explain them to all subcontractors, suppliers and project managers. For example, you might decide you want especially high standards of sound insulation (above the legal minimum of 45dB in new builds, as per the code of practice based on BS 8233:1999). You’d therefore want subcontractors to be aware of this when they are making purchasing decisions around insulation material.
2. Planning, design, and development
of plans: Designers and project managers must conduct thorough assessments of plans, check for clashes and avoid cutting corners. If you can identify and fix issues now, there is less chance of delays occurring during the build itself. Recently, BIM technology has been shown to help with quality in construction by automatically checking for clashes. 3. Material purchasing: It’s vital to ensure that all materials and equipment purchased meet your standards. Buying cheaper, lower-quality materials may save money in the short term but could result in problems later. Quality assurance when buying also involves verifying whether your suppliers are truly capable of meeting your demand.
4. Continuous interaction during
build: All project participants must be able to communicate, discuss issues and verify progress. Quality in construction relies on the site manager constantly monitoring the works, ensuring it meets your pre-agreed definitions of quality. 5. Handover and snagging: Once the structure itself is up, quality assurance also comes into play at the defect management and handover stage. This is about conducting checks to ensure the as-built structure meets your expected quality standards.
At present, much construction quality assurance relies on manual processes, especially during the building and inspection stages. The site manager conducts frequent inspections of the site, monitoring whether workers are meeting quality assurance standards. But this is a time-consuming and inefficient process.
However, a new generation of construction quality management software aims to make this much more efficient.
With construction quality management software, companies get access to tools that support quality assurance processes which then empowers them to make faster, easier and more efficient decisions to achieve the highest quality assurance standards.
Additionally, everyone working on a project can get access to a powerful app on their smartphone or desktop which helps them to meet a variety of quality standards, including: Plan comparisons: If the architect’s plan changes, this information feeds through instantaneously to everyone on the project – rather than needing to wait for a paper blueprint to arrive. Task management: The software lets site managers assign tasks to individual workers then verify if the work was done to the required standard. The workers can take photos or videos of their completed jobs to get this verified. Report generation: Quality assurance report templates can be instantly generated by site managers so all stakeholders can review progress. These status reports can also reveal emerging quality issues and remedial action can be taken. Building inspections: Verify work has been completed to your quality requirements and report on any issues directly on the blueprint itself. Communication: Quality in construction relies on constant communication and rapid responses to queries. An app like PlanRadar means all project participants can ask questions as they arise.
Clear definitions
Everyone working on a project must have a clear definition and understanding of what quality means, says Ibrahim Iman.
Quality assurance
Construction quality management software can ensure instant reporting and verification on site, as well as constant communication with all stakeholders.
