Home / Insights / Blog / How can the construction industry improve quality standards? How can the construction industry improve quality standards? Every reputable business within the construction industry will understand how important it is to ensure that any projects they are involved with are high quality – not only to uphold their own reputation, but also to ensure public health and safety. Quality is critical Meeting a high standard of quality is a key issue for the construction industry – in fact, it’s estimated that poor quality is costing the industry more than the combined profits of all the companies within it[1]. Research by housing charity Shelter found that over half (51%) of new build homeowners in the UK have experienced major problems with their properties, such as construction issues, unfinished fittings and faults with utilities[2]. At the very least, poor construction quality affects the usability and/or aesthetics of a building – but in some cases, it can seriously impact the health and safety of those that live and work in poorly built constructions. We saw the devastating effects of poor design quality when Grenfell Tower caught fire in 2017, which lead to the deaths of 72 people. This tragedy, along with the closure of 17 Edinburgh schools due to structural concerns in February 2017, prompted the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) to launch a Construction Quality Commission (CQC) in 2017. The CQC proposed an industry-wide Code of Quality Practice, which it launched a consultation around earlier this year. But while we wait for the outcomes of the consultation, what can construction companies be doing now to ensure their projects are consistently high quality? Our top tips for quality management Inform your workers When it comes to managing quality across your site, staying up-to-date with current industry best practice can make it easier to identify areas for improvement within your organisation. Make education and training of your staff a key priority, to ensure that everyone understands what is required of them to deliver a high quality project. For suppliers this can be particularly beneficial, as if you can demonstrate that your workers have undertaken quality training and qualifications could give you an advantage when it comes to bidding for projects. Make everyone accountable You may have a dedicated quality manager or advisor on board, but ensuring work is done to a high quality isn’t solely their responsibility. They should oversee quality management across the project and ensure that your quality processes are implemented, but ultimately, every one of your workers is responsible for producing high quality work. Make sure your staff understand that while they can always turn to their quality manager for best practice advice, they are accountable for implementing this advice. Choose subcontractors and suppliers carefully If you’re a buyer, it’s your responsibility to ensure that the subcontractors and suppliers you choose will be able to deliver your project to the high standards of quality you expect. ISO 9001 is the international quality standard covering a range of quality management standards, including customer focus, process approach and continual improvement We know that it can be time-consuming to build a high quality supply chain, which is why we’re making it easier for quality buyers and suppliers to find and connect with each other. We validate all of our Gold supplier members’ credentials, so suppliers can prove that they operate to a high standard and buyers can easily identify the suppliers whose values align with their own. To find out more about the benefits of joining Constructionline as either a Buyer or a Supplier, visit https://www.constructionline.co.uk/products-services/memberships/. [1] https://www.ciob.org/blog/consultation-new-code-quality-practice [2] https://www.theguardian.com/money/2018/nov/17/quality-build-homes-charles-church-buyers What next? Are you fed up of sifting through pre-qualification paperwork? Register with Constructionline Meet the Buyer Find out about our upcoming events for your chance to meet top buyers. Learn more Blog Health and Safety Related case studies Supplier Case Studies Suffolk County Council We spoke to Martin Jennings, Senior Procurement Officer at Suffolk County Council about his experience working with Constructionline to promote their construction framework agreement. In 2012, Suffolk County Council adopted Constructionline to align to industry standards and make considerable efficiency savings in their procurement process. … Read more Supplier Case Studies ASW Property Services Ltd ASW Property Services Limited is an indigenous Welsh company providing specialist construction services delivering a wide range of maintenance and refurbishment services primarily to Local Authority and Housing Association clients across the whole of South Wales and beyond. The company specialise in delivering works to … Read more Buyer Case Studies Highways England Highways England is a government owned company, previously known as the Highways Agency which was an Executive Agency of the Department for Transport (DfT), and is responsible for maintaining and improving the strategic road network in England. Constructionline is used at Stage 1 pre-qualification, where … Read more See more