Poor quality construction not only creates a cast amount of re visits and reworking of elements of construction to get to the point of handover but creates substantial maintenance costs to owners of building stock in the immediate and medium-term future due to premature failures of elements in the construction process.
It also impacts on H-S as everyone saw the devastating of poor design quality when Grenfell Tower caught fire in 2017 leading to the deaths of 72 people and the closure of 17 Edinburgh schools due to structural concerns in February 2017 plus many more incidents now well documented.
CURRENT ATTITUDES
Over the last few years, the driver in the construction industry has been to construct quicker and cheaper with the often-used "Value Engineering" being a method used for reducing costs. Often, substitute materials are often utilised or steps removed from the cosntruction process to make opreatons cheaper.
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In addition, contractors are under pressure to deliver with often reduced prelims to win a contract which then drives them to utilise trades who "self certify" the quality and completeness of works. Developers also tend to remove any costs they can from the delivery process which invariably results in reduced prelims and ultimately supervision.
The skills shortage across all trades has led to a situation where trades do not have the appropriate skill sets to deliver good quality work let alone self-certify works as acceptable for handover. Even modular off-site produced componentry is often found to be defective due to the lack of skilled supervision and knowledge of construction.
THE SOLUTION?
It is abunduantly clear that clerk of works is absolutely necessary not only to ensure specifications are adhered to but the quality of the work is of an acceptable standard. Generally, Clerk of works are ex contractors/engineers who have years of exprience behind them and possess an abundance of skill knowledge and experience to pass on to trades and managers alike. They are the eyes and ears of the client on-site monitoring quality and methodology and progression with an eye on H+STroughout the whole process.
Contact Bob Gregson for more information on the following
robert@amrin-resources.co.uk
Tel:07901 963475
www.amrin-resources.co.uk
