Commercial real estate development is challenging on the best of days. Given the large investment in dollars and years spent on due diligence, planning, budgeting, and design, there is little room for error when our projects finally make it to the construction phase. The stakes are high, and we need all the help we can get to reach our goal: a successful project.

One of the most effective ways to preserve the value of your investment is by implementing a comprehensive quality control plan.

One of the biggest challenges projects face is maintaining quality.  Bad materials, poor workmanship, or subpar service by any team member always results in more time and money spent resolving defects. When quality is sacrificed anywhere in the development process, the project’s value is impacted by increased construction and maintenance costs, decreased material life cycles, and a reduced bottom line.

One of the most effective ways to preserve the value of your investment is by implementing a comprehensive quality control plan. This holistic approach can greatly reduce costly errors, delays and disputes, and help ensure your project meets expectations.

Below are several concepts and strategies for developing a QC Plan to improve the outcome of your project.

• Quality Assurance vs Quality Control (QC)
• Defining Quality
• Eight Common Layers of Quality Control
• Detection and Verification
• Correction
• Prioritizing Quality

One of the first and most important steps in managing quality is clearly defining expectations. Specific standards and clear goals give everyone the benchmarks they need to be effective and efficient.

Specific standards and clear goals give everyone the benchmarks they need to be effective and efficient.

These can include everything from a well-defined budget and timeline to building function and aesthetics. Standards for drawings, specifications, and even meeting minutes provide the vital information that allows the design team to produce construction documents that meet those standards and contractors to deliver a built project that aligns with the your vision. They also allow you to evaluate deliverables and ensure deadlines are met, making it easier to stay on schedule

Below are the various layers of quality control commonly used on a typical commercial construction project. When applied consistently, they can improve the outcome of any project. However, without a specific QC Plan and intentional leadership, their effectiveness will vary. Often, it falls to the Owner to ensure these measures are followed consistently.

Layer 1: The Construction Documents (CDs)

The Architectural and Engineering (A+E) drawings, specifications, and various specialty services should establish the level of quality for the site and finished building. It is critical that the A+E team ensure that the information in their  documents is consistent, correct, and fully coordinated.

Layer 2: The Subcontractor’s Self-review

Each subcontractor should have a project manager or project executive on-site to supervise and review their installed work. The General Contractor (GC) should also provide their own independent review and ensure that this practice is followed by every subcontractor on the project.

Layer 3: The General Contractor’s Oversight

The GC’s site superintendent and supporting team are the front line and boots on the ground for QC during construction. The Owner’s representative should see observable evidence that the GC’s site team is conducting regular inspections to verify the quality of ongoing work and is not relying on the subcontractors and A+E teams’ review.

The GC’s team should also be doing the following on a regular basis:

• Be knowledgeable of the CDs
• Ensure that construction materials and methods adhere to the project standards
• Hold weekly subcontractor meetings
• Schedule and sequence work to avoid damage by subsequent trades
• Hold pre-installation meetings for complex assemblies and systems
• Manage temporary protection of installed work from weather, workers, and construction traffic

Layer 4: The A+E Construction Administration Services

Representatives of the design team should perform some level of Construction Administration (CA) service. Their role and scope of service can vary depending on the complexity of the project but should be clearly defined in their agreement. Each consultant should observe the quality of construction and confirm that installed work is in compliance with the CDs and applicable codes.

Layer 5: Submittal Review Process

The term submittal refers to any written information and or physical sample required by the construction documents. Design consultants should review all project submittals to confirm the proper use of materials and systems and approve any variations or substitutions. The GC should also review and pre-approve all submittals before passing them on to the A+E team for final approval.

Layer 6: Special Inspections

Most building departments now require specific inspections by third-party specialists. These are found in the Statement of Special Inspections prepared by the structural engineer and typically cover various technical aspects of construction that are normally beyond the expertise of the building inspectors, such as foundation strength, integrity of structural connections, and minimum soil compaction.  Other specialists can also be employed to evaluate the water tightness of roofs and building envelopes, compliance with ADA accessibility requirements, environmental conditions, the presence of hazardous materials, and improving traffic management.

Layer 7:  The Final Review and Punch List

Near the end of construction, the entire project team should conduct a focused and thorough review of the building and site to identify defects and unsatisfactory or unfinished work that needs to be addressed before final occupancy. This inspection typically focuses on items such as the functionality of windows, doors, and hardware; cabinets and casework; plumbing fixtures and water pressure/temperatures; appliance operations; outlets, lights, and switches; HVAC controls; and finishes. All items in need of repair or replacement are compiled on a Punch List and issued to the GC for correction.

Layer 8: The Ownership Team

The Owner or their representative should also participate in Quality Control. As the ultimate decision maker, there is no substitute for their personal involvement and leadership. The Owner’s regular presence on the job site and personal attention to detail demonstrate a commitment to quality at the highest levels and encourage a similar effort by the entire project team.

Quality Control is most effective when it is proactive and deliberate. The best way to achieve this is by implementing a comprehensive Quality Control Plan. This allows the entire project team to maintain a high level of quality and address issues quickly to minimize their impact.

The urgency of deadlines and the distractions of overwork too often push QC to the bottom of our to-do lists.

A formal QC plan may seem like an unnecessary effort since, as described above, a number of effective tools have already been established by common practices and standard service contracts.

Unfortunately, the urgency of deadlines and the distractions of overwork too often push QC to the bottom of our to-do lists. Before long, it’s dropped altogether and we’ve all experienced the consequences: delays, cost overruns, and even canceled projects.

A QC plan can help these problems. It should be prepared and managed by a knowledgeable, experienced leader familiar with each team member’s role and possess the ability to hold each accountable for their review and reporting responsibilities. The plan should also account for the work of all special inspectors and third-party consultants. Construction itself should be left to the contractors, but processes for assessing the quality of their work is the objective.

By utilizing the many tools already available (outlined above), the cost of developing and managing this plan should be minimal and more than offset by reduced mistakes, rework, and excessive change orders. Data from numerous sources show projects that consistently follow a QC plan are more likely to finish on time and on budget with significantly fewer change orders.

Data from numerous sources show projects that consistently follow a QC plan are more likely to finish on time and on budget with significantly fewer change orders.

The first step in addressing any quality issue is detection. As described above, there are numerous opportunities to review ongoing work and find problems. To be most effective, Quality Control is a collaborative effort. Every team member should participate. The more people involved, the better the results.

Quality Control is a collaborative effort. Every team member should participate.

When a defect or quality concern is identified, it should be reported, in writing, to the GC, the A+E team, and the Owner. The A+E team should then prepare a summary describing the issue in detail along with photos of the affected area. The GC then assesses the situation and takes the lead in identifying and presenting the best solution. The GC may challenge the claim of defective work if they feel no problem exists.

When this happens, the reporting team members should provide supporting documentation (specifications, construction details, approved submittals, etc.) and any relevant industry standard. The GC should also submit similar information supporting their stance. Some construction contracts assign the duty of establishing responsibility for defects to the Architect of Record. If a defect results from a misinterpretation of the CDs, the Architect must also be involved to clarify the matter.

The Owner should be notified whenever a quality issue is discovered, along with any information needed to fully understand the situation. Some defects can be easily corrected with little or no impact on the project, while others may require significant time and cost to resolve. In all cases, the A+E team should review any solution to ensure that it is code-compliant and meets the overall design intent. The Owner can then make a final decision on how to proceed and approve any additional cost for corrective work.

Quality construction does not happen by accident. It takes focus and commitment from every member of the Project Team. As the scale and complexity of development projects increase, comprehensive quality management becomes even more important. Here are some ways you can prioritize quality in your next project:

• Include QC in all project phases
• Ownership should take an active role by setting expectations for quality early and often
• A wide variety of QC tools are available, but they must be used consistently
• Prepare a comprehensive plan managed by a knowledgeable, experienced leader familiar with the roles and responsibilities of each team member
• The entire project team should consistently review the installed work
• Quality issues should be addressed quickly to minimize their impact
• All team members should be involved and held accountable for their work

Establishing a comprehensive Quality Control plan, with the proper skill sets in place to manage the build-team and ensure that procedures are executed to remedy defects, will increase the chances to achieve the highest standards of quality and success for your project.