Decoding the Role of Quality Management in Construction

Listen up, folks! Ever wonder how a building site manages to deliver a quality product to a client? We're going behind the scenes of quality management in construction on the Construction Veteran Podcast. I'm your host, Scott Friend, and I'm here to guide you through the maze of what quality managers do in this challenging industry. We're busting the myth that quality control and quality assurance are interchangeable. We'll clarify these terms and their unique impacts on a project.

Quality managers are more than just office personnel. They are the critical bridge between office and field work, walking hand-in-hand with superintendents and project management teams to ensure the approved standards are met. They're the guardian angels of a project, ensuring that what the customer bought is exactly what they're getting. Moreover, their significance amplifies during the final stages of a project when it's time to hand over the building to the client. So, whether you're considering a career in quality management, or just intrigued by the technicalities of the field, this episode is guaranteed to satisfy your curiosity. Remember, a good attitude and a willingness to learn can make a big difference in this industry. Tune in and join the discussion!

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Transcript

Scott Friend: 0:00

Hey guys, welcome back to the Construction Veteran Podcast. First, i want to apologize that I didn't produce last week. I had some technical issues which I'm actually trying to work on by getting some better gear. So for those of you who have asked how you can support, the best and most effective way is you can go on Amazon. I created a wish list there that you can actually directly purchase some of the gear that I really need. So I've invested a lot of time and money into this podcast myself already. So if you guys wouldn't mind, it would be really appreciated if you could go on there and we see what you can afford. That's probably a lot easier for people than just tossing some cash out there. So thanks again, guys, and enjoy the Monday Musing. Welcome back to the Construction Veteran Podcast. I'm your host, scott Friend.

Scott Friend: 0:56

In today's Monday Musing we're going to be talking about quality management. So, just like field management, quality management it's in the name. So what quality managers are doing, and sometimes superintendents acting as a quality manager? they're ensuring that what the customer bought is what they're getting. Is it being put in correctly? Are they using the materials that the submittal said? Now, it's obviously a lot more than that, but these are real technical experts that know where to go in the books to find the details of what that product should be. Now, the terms quality control and quality assurance are not interchangeable, like people think. Quality control is on the GC side, quality assurance is on the owner or owner rep side. These are both awesome options for you to go into as your future career And really, if you like to read and you like to understand what these products are and you want to be the technical expert, this is a great position for you to go into.

Scott Friend: 1:47

I think the cool thing about quality management is the fact that you get to be kind of half office, half field. You're in the field to make sure that these products that are coming in are what I see, that has been approved And it's also being installed the correct way. So you're working as a partner with the superintendent to make sure. You're also keeping eyes on things to make sure that things are going in the right way, we have the documentation on it and you're helping the superintendent direct the workflow if maybe it's not right. So the flip side of that is you're also working in the office half the time. You're assisting the project management team to make sure that all of these submittals are exactly what the customer said that they wanted to do. They're following the plans and specifications of the job And when that product hits the site, the QC manager is the one to say that this is good to go. Another part of quality management is making sure at the end of the day, when we go to turn the building over to a client, they're making sure that all of the equipment works. So they're doing things like a pre-functional check on a piece of mechanical equipment to ensure that it meets the parameters that it said it was going to meet. Sometimes it's just making sure basic stuff is getting done, like does this light switch actually turn the light on?

Scott Friend: 2:52

Some of the best people that I've met in this industry are QC managers. They're very technically savvy and the good ones assist the superintendent, not call them. Of course, like I said, there's bad superintendents. There's bad safety people. There's definitely bad QC people that try to throw people under the bus. But honestly, when you're leading a really big project, everybody makes mistakes. So of course, as a superintendent, i'm going to miss something, but I like having a good quality control manager on that job to tell me hey, did you see this.

Scott Friend: 3:20

Remember it's all about your approach, regardless of what your title or role is. In this industry, nobody wants to feel like an idiot, so don't throw them under the bus. Teach them, help them. The people I respect the most and I've said it before are the older folks in the industry that still say they're learning something every single day. So, guys I know this was another quick one. I really appreciate your time. Again, if you're willing to give help, i greatly appreciate that. Things like liking and subscribing on the YouTube, giving a five-star rating on things like Spotify or leaving comments really helps out. I'm trying to look for an editor, so if you're out there and you're willing to help, hit me up. I appreciate it. Thanks for watching.