QUALITY CONTROL AS TROUBLESHOOTING TOOL
customers a whopping $ 625 billion annually. 2 This includes the labor and materials needed to fix defective work, which can significantly add up on large projects.
Rising costs for labor and materials are additional incentives for maintaining project quality and meeting deadlines; currently, nearly 63 % of all contractors are expecting further increases. 3 For small- to mid-size contractors, already experiencing slim margins, higher labor costs exacerbate cash flow challenges and significantly reduce profitability.
Quality control in construction means establishing a process of ensuring that a project meets the client’ s specifications and quality standards. It involves monitoring and testing materials, methods, and the finished product. Typically, quality control is accomplished through random samplings, documenting all checks, tests and reviews, creating corrective action plans as needed, and verifying and validating what corrective work was completed.
A lack of quality control can cause unexpected issues that delay project completion and create cost overruns, whereas detecting defects early can help reduce costly rework, material wastage, and delays.
Contractors can also face penalties for not meeting deadlines, further impacting their bottom line. Conducting frequent inspections throughout the project to identify potential issues early on can help prevent major setbacks and greatly reduce the risk of penalties for not meeting contractual obligations, as well as lawsuits or insurance claims due to structural failures or safety hazards.
Another function of quality control is to ensure regulatory compliance. Construction projects must meet local, state, and federal regulations, so implementing proper quality control helps avoid legal issues, fines, or project shutdowns.
Other benefits of efficient project management include streamlined workflow, cost savings, enhanced communication and coordination, better risk management, competitive advantage, sustainability, and environmental benefits.
Investing in quality control procedures also reduces long-term maintenance and repair costs. Quality control procedures should also take into account the durability and longevity of the structure. Well-constructed buildings require less maintenance and withstand environmental factors better, ensuring long-term performance.
10- imwis. com