CONSTRUCTION QUALITY STRUGGLE

Building regulators, owners and contractors have been grappling with constant issues around quality in construction, such as non-compliance with codes and defective workmanship, leading to a lack of trust from consumers.

WHAT MAKES A BUILDING TRUSTWORTHY?

Trustworthy buildings are a result of trustworthy practice. Increased fragmentation of the construction industry however, is leading to the inability to achieve trustworthiness. The construction process continues to be broken down into increasingly small areas of practice with the end goal being money saved.

For example, the fragmentation of carpentry into distinct trade subcontractors for cabinets, framing, architraves and so on can lead to under-investment in training required for apprentices in regards to producing work of a high standard.

TIME PRESSURES

Time is another key factor in achieving quality. Many contractor models pass the risk down the supply chain to the smallest subcontractors who are under competitive pressure to complete work as quickly as possible for the lowest possible price. With work being so specialised, there is often no need for companies to invest in a full apprenticeship, leading to possible quality issues.

A PRIME EXAMPLE – WATERPROOFING FAILURES

One of the most highly identified defects on construction sites was issues with waterproofing. Reasons for the defects include the watering down of membrane products, ineffective inspection regimes and design flaws.

Builders should aim for durability in their work. Use durable products and systems that will last upwards of 40 years without needing any major maintenance, that have been properly tested and have a valid certificate stating they will perform for an appropriate amount of time.

AN UNDERSTANDING Construction sites often employ a multilingual workforce, so ensuring that applicable standards, procedures and instructions have been properly understood is important. These documents are often only available in English which can be problematic. So, it is paramount that all necessary information be provided in community languages, which is starting to become more common practice