Quality Assurance in the Construction Industry

The success of a project can be evaluated by the degree to which it meets the customer's requirements. Achieving this requires not only the resources of a number of organisations and individuals, but also the successful interaction amongst these parties. The concept of Quality Assurance has arisen to ensure that customer demands, and a level of quality and conformance are achieved. Quality Assurance is provided through the implementation of systemic management techniques ensuring control of the activities carried out by each party. This paper provides a review of the topic of Quality Assurance. In particular it looks at the meaning of quality assurance and the needs for its introduction into the construction industry. Current quality standards in the construction industry and the alternative quality systems, including the British Property Federation system, the Construction Industry Development Association's Code of Practice, and the Building and Construction Council's Quality Assessment Scheme are discussed. The advantages and disadvantages of quality assessment procedures and possible difficulties in auditing and ensuring compliance are highlighted.