What it is, how it’s measured, why it matters, and how to improve it. Everything you need to know about construction quality and how to manage it. Quality is what separates the good from the bad. Both in our lives and in our work, quality is the defining factor in how we evaluate and are evaluated by others.

• In short, it determines how we feel about our efforts at the end of each day.
• Construction is no different, and the secret to achieving the highest level of quality for any job starts with having standards.
• We’ll take a deep dive into all the ways you can ensure your next construction project excels in quality.

We’ll examine what is quality management, how construction quality is determined, what can stand in the way of quality programs, and what processes you can put in place to ensure the highest quality for any job. Read on for a look at how to achieve the best possible outcomes when it comes to construction quality.

Quality in construction means that projects are finished within the guidelines established by the Scope of Work. Finishing the project on time, meeting the requirements of the agreement and staying within the budget are all essential aspects of quality management. Quality affects your bottom line; completing projects that show a high level of quality work helps obtain repeat business and may help prevent rework on a job. Poor quality construction can have a negative impact on the ability to close out a project. Up to 60% of general contractors say it has a high or very high negative impact on profitability. Quality issues arise from various problems like using low-quality materials or failing to document changes. There are two quality processes in construction: quality assurance and quality control. It’s possible to improve quality control in construction by working towards closeout earlier, focusing on using quality workflows, conducting risk assessments frequently, and standardizing your processes.

What is construction project quality?

1. Project Requirements – Quality of any construction project is meeting the respective project requirements. This will satisfy the designer’s requirements, the constructors & the owner’s requirements. Below figure-1 shows the basic project requirements. Fig.1.Project Requirements – Factors Affecting Quality in Construction

What are quality management guidelines for contractors?

For all contracts add: – 3 As part of the Quality Management Plan, prior to commencing design work, prepare and implement a Design Plan for the design work under the Contract, covering each phase of the design and the key activities for each phase.4 The Principal will undertake surveillance (monitoring) of all work associated with the Contract.

• The Principal may inspect work at nominated ‘Witness’ points, but this work may proceed without endorsement.
• Do not proceed beyond a nominated ‘Hold’ and without the endorsement of the Principal.
• Endorsement by the Principal at ‘Hold’ point ‘Witness’ points will not release the Contractor from its obligation to achieve the specified requirements of the Contract.

Give at least 24 hours’ notice prior to reaching such points.5 Submit Inspection and Test Plans, plus any necessary associated checklists, for the following particular activities to the Principal at least 14 days prior to commencing work on that activity.

Activity requiring ITP	Stage of work requiring inspection or test	H or W point (for attendance by Principal)
As identified elsewhere in the contract	As identified elsewhere in the contract	As identified elsewhere in the contract

6 Submit copies of conformity records as specified, including:

Product/Service Conformity Records	Time Records Required
Completed Inspection & Test Plans and associated checklists (including inspection and certification of formwork and scaffolding)	With each Payment Claim as specified, and when otherwise required by the Principal
Test results obtained from testing laboratories and the like	With each Payment Claim as specified, and when otherwise required by the Principal
Quality or test records obtained from manufacturers and suppliers	With each Payment Claim as specified, and when otherwise required by the Principal
Contractor’s certification of quality conformity and performance	With each Payment Claim and when otherwise required by the Contract
Work as executed documents (including operation and maintenance manuals/work as executed drawings)	Progressively and prior to Completion
Register of product and service conformity records	Progressively and prior to Completion

7 If at any time the Contractor fails to comply with the requirements of this clause ‘Quality management requirements’, the Principal may implement such inspections and tests as the Principal determines and the cost incurred by the Principal will be a debt due from the Contractor.

What is quality requirement in project management?

Quality requirement is a common term in project management. It is defined as the condition used to assess the conformance of the project by validating the acceptability of an attribute or characteristic for the quality of a particular result. In a nutshell, the quality requirement defines the expectations of the customer for quality, the internal processes as well as the attributes of products that indicate whether the quality factors are satisfied or not.

• The quality requirements in project management are defined in terms of the quality criteria, quality factors, and quality metrics.
• The quality criteria document the internal process and attributes of the product that will be monitored all throughout the project life cycle,
• The quality factors document the perceived aspects of the user regarding the deliverables of the project to determine if the project satisfies the expectations from customers.

Lastly, the quality metrics document the indicators used to measure the quality of the product, The quality requirement is used by different project management processes particularly the Quality Management Plan to create the risk register, requirements documentation, and cost-benefit analysis.

What is construction quality control?

Defining Quality Control in Construction – Construction quality control is a system of management that ensures that deliverables meet the standards and guidelines set by the client at the beginning of the construction process. This can include a number of criteria such as completing the project within the scope of work.

• In the end, quality is decided by the client, regulatory bodies, and EPA guidelines.
• Quality control and quality assurance are two equally important arms of construction quality.
• While assurance refers to setting quality management expectations, quality control refers to the plans and procedures that achieve high-quality outcomes.

Issues arise in construction quality control when the factors affecting the quality are not properly identified and addressed. Quality control in construction seeks to solve problems, provide high-quality results, and prevent issues from coming up again in the future.