Repairing defective work on your construction project

A defect that caused a leak in a finished building. The contractor had to return and break open the wall to fix the poor workmanship causing the leak

 Construction companies sometimes make mistakes or produce work of an inferior quality on their projects. This work has to be rectified which costs money and time. However, in many cases this work isn't done properly which then increases the original cost. How important is quality on your project
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I’ve often seen construction repairs and rectification work done hurriedly, sometimes even in secret – after-hours. This is obviously unacceptable and results in additional costs.
​Don't end up with unhappy clients.
​#constructionquality #constructiondefects #constructionmanagement

​Repairing construction defects​

1. Repairs must be done correctly so that the structural integrity of the structure isn’t impacted and in such a way that it’s aesthetically acceptable. Poorly executed construction repairs have to be redone, either during the construction period or, sometimes, long after the project has been completed.

2. Usually the repair process must be approved and witnessed by the client’s representative and they’ll often insist the work is redone if they haven’t approved the method.

"repairing a defect badly often results in additional costs when the problem must be repaired properly later"

The wrong way of fixing a construction error

Fixing construction defects correctly

​There are often different ways of fixing a problem and the contractor must select one taking into account:
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1. the aesthetics of the repair (it’s often cheaper to do a patch job, which may however look terrible and be a constant reminder to the client of the contractor’s mistake)
2. the cost of the repair, although cheapest isn’t always best
3. the durability of the repair (you don’t want to have to return to fix the problem again)
4. delays the repairs cause the construction project
5. disruptions to the client’s activities
6. the client’s acceptance of the repair method
7. the structure’s integrity
Not repairing defects properly causes problems later
Sometimes the best solution is to demolish the structure completely and rebuild it correctly. The true costs of poor quality construction
#constructionprojectmanagement #constructionprofessionals 

​(An extract from the book; 'Building a Successful Construction Company: The Practical Guide' by Paul Netscher)
© 2022 This article is not to be reproduced for commercial purposes without written permission from the author.

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