Quality control checklist

Appointment of consultants

When appointing a consultant consultant A person who is consulted for paid, expert advice and related services. View full glossary /consultants, consider the following items:

• Select or nominate consultants on the basis of their competence, and ability to carry out the specific project.
• Be sure that the work to be performed by all consultants is under a written agreement.
• Be certain that the agreements clearly outline the scope of their responsibilities.
• Ensure building information modelling (BIM) responsibilities are coordinated between consultants.
• Be sure that consultants have an adequate number of staff.
• Have your consultants provide evidence of adequate professional indemnity insurance.
• Be sure that the consultants' professional indemnity insurance does not exclude cover for work you have engaged them to do (eg asbestos removal).
• Regularly review the database on each consultant in terms of experience levels, staffing and performance.

For further information, see Acumen note Specialist consultants and related sub-notes.

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Performance by staff members

When monitoring the performance of staff members, consider the following items:

• Appoint a qualified and experienced member of your practice to coordinate in-house quality control.
• Establish checking procedures to detect simple errors and omissions in drawings and specifications.
• Wherever possible, assign a project reviewer who is not directly involved with the project.
• Have the work of less experienced staff members carefully checked by a principal or by responsible experienced employees.
• Ensure documentation is observed and reviewed by a registered architect prior to release.

For further information, see Acumen note Managing people and relevant sub-notes including Staff performance.

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Contract documents

When preparing and issuing contract documents contract documents Contract documents include: a particular written contract, including the agreement between the owner and the contractor, any special conditions, the drawings and specifications, and any other relevant documents. View full glossary to your clients, consider the following items:

• Be thoroughly familiar with the terms of your agreement with your client.
• Be certain to have a written agreement for every project.
• Be familiar with the rights, duties and responsibilities assigned to you in the general conditions of the contract between the owner and builder.
• Do not modify or supplement standard form contracts without appropriate legal advice.
• Be certain that the client understands that construction costs cannot be guaranteed and that estimates of these are not a promise to design the structure within a cost limitation.
• Be certain that the client understands that you are not, and cannot be, a guarantor of the builder's performance.
• Be certain that the client understands that their greatest protection against faulty work lies in the competence and integrity of the builder they approve.
• Beware of contractual language that might have the effect of making you responsible for the safety of personnel at the site.
• Confirm in writing all changes, directions or orders affecting fees, construction cost or design or scope of the project.

For further information, see Acumen note Client and architect agreements.

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Contract drawings

When preparing and issuing contract drawings, consider the following items:

• All documents are to be coordinated between all consultants.
• Review scope of works and ensure all items are included and coordinated.
• Verify all authority requirements and conditions have been incorporated.
• Verify drawings are coordinated between schedules and specification.
• Verify all deliverables have been communicated to all consultants.
• Be familiar with all statutory requirements and restrictions applicable to the project.
• Ensure all building codes, regulations and standards have been included within the documentation.
• Verify that all site information has been accurately translated within the documentation.
• Confirm any project staging or works package delivery methodologies required for the procurement methodology.
• Verify applicability of materials selected, specified and scheduled are accurately represented.
• Retain copies of data sourced when selecting materials and products as online information is subject to change.
• Ensure Safety in Design reviews have been completed and recorded.

For further information, see Acumen notepack Construction documentation notepack.

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Specifications and schedules

When preparing specifications and schedules, consider the following items:

• Inform all project personnel concerning the proposed content of the specifications and schedules, while the drawings are being prepared.
• Coordinate the preparation of the drawings, schedules and specifications throughout the documentation phase.
• Prepare specification notes as the documentation progresses, however a specification may often not be able to be fully 'brought together' until the documentation is complete.
• Do not 'over' or 'under' specify – use just the right amount of text to communicate project requirements to the builder.
• Use standard specification language so that all parties will be able to understand what is intended by the written word.
• Review the text of all specifications carefully to ascertain whether it really reflects the design intent so that the items specified will meet the performance requirements; remember that under most contract conditions, the specification takes precedence over the contract drawings.
• Proofread to make sure that there are no typographical errors in the final version of the specification.
• Check that all sections noted in the index are included and that page numbering is sequential and complete.
• Consider subscribing to a guide specification system.

For further information, see Acumen note Specification writing.

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Use of materials and equipment

When specifying materials and equipment, consider the following items:

• Do not rely solely on sales literature regarding the suitability of new material or equipment.
• Do not rely solely on test reports furnished by the manufacturer unless the scope of the test and reputation of the tester are known.
• Make certain that the producer of new material or equipment knows how the product is to be used in your particular application.
• Make certain that all referenced trade literature is current.
• Maintain a copy of all literature referred to when specifying materials.
• Seek review of materials from fire engineers and building certifiers to ensure compliance.

Be cautious in specifying newly developed materials or equipment without determining their suitability for the purpose for which you are specifying them. For further information, see Environment note Materials and Acumen note Non-complying building products.

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Construction phase services

When undertaking construction phase services such as contract administration and site visits, consider the following items:

• Be careful that all of your dealings and those of any contract administration staff are through the contractor, and not directly with subcontractors.
• Be sure that dealings between the consultants and the contractor are through the architect, or as in accordance with the relevant agreements.
• Do not inspect shop drawings in a manner that indicates approval for other than conformity to the design concept of the project and compliance in principle with the specifications and drawings prepared by you.
• Make certain that all instructions to the contractor are confirmed in writing.
• All design staff visiting site must hold the relevant construction industry site card and be inducted by the contractor prior to entering the site.
• Design staff are to be inducted in appropriate work, health and safety behaviour, requirements and responsibilities when visiting a construction site prior to visiting.

For further information, see Acumen note Contract administration and relevant sub-notes.

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Further resource:

For information on the NSW Design and Building Practitioners (DBP) Act and Regulations, please refer to our dedicated Institute page.

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