Construction Inspection
Unfortunately, whether it is your kids, co-workers, car mechanic or contractor, you generally only get what you accept. It is sad, but we have found it is, more often than not, true that seldom does anyone exceed expectations and provide more than is required. In many cases they actually provide less than required. Construction is no different. The pressures of time and cost/profit often and perhaps unintentionally drive people to cut corners. In construction that often manifests itself as lower quality (less expensive) products, less experienced or unqualified tradesmen, improper installation and other situations that lead to inferior quality, re-work, premature failure, claims and other negative consequences.
Short of total reliance on the contractor’s wiliness and ability to “do the right thing”, one of the owner’s mechanism for ensuring compliance with the contractually established quality standard is inspection. We believe inspection involves all physical efforts associated with making sure the right product/material is installed the right way so that it can perform as expected for the intended service life of the project.
The inspection services we typically provide include efforts on three levels.
- We commence our inspection during the pre-installation period or preparatory phase (for a given material/effort) by verifying what material is required,; what skill level tradesmen, tools and equipment are necessary for proper installation; and ensuring that the contractor has those lined up to do the work. Problems here will not magically disappear during installation so we work with the construction team to ensure that necessary adjustments are made before proceeding.
- During the physical construction, installation or assembly, we observe the work to verify the material is being handled as recommended by the manufacturer and sound practice. We identify any improper work so that it can be corrected in a timely manner – before follow-on work can be placed. If non-compliant work is not addressed in a timely manner, later correction will be significantly more expensive and disruptive. If left unattended, the improper installation will likely lead to premature failure or complete non-performance.
- We cap off the inspection cycle with final inspection of the total assembly. Generally, successful execution of the previous inspection efforts results in a fully compliant end product. However, the final inspection is carried out to ensure any outstanding deficiency has been corrected and that the assembly has been properly incorporated with all other work elements.
NEW!!! Realizing that the performance of inspections could put inspectors’ lives at risk, we have acquired the capability to utilize Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS), commonly known as “drones” to safely, efficiently, and economically obtain aerial imaging to support, among others, engineering surveys and inspections. We are now authorized by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to fly UAS. Contact us so that we can determine how we can put this leading-edge capability to your service.