A recent research study on quality in construction projects established the following Quality Problem Factors as the sources of quality defects.
Quality Problem Factors
Managerial/Stakeholder
- Lack of contractor supervision
- Poor relationship and partnering among project participant
- Reduced Subcontractor responsibility
- Inappropriate method of contractor selecting
- Poor quality procedure
- Lack of quality department
- Lack of auditing system
- Short term objectives
- Poor Training system
- Lack of process improvement
- Lack of Management commitment
- Lack of quality policy
- Low effective project management system
- Supplier impact
- Bureaucracy
Technical
- Low quality drawing and specification
- Design complexity
- Difficult data collection system
- Poor performance of quality tools and techniques
- Difficult application of quality system
Environment / Material / Equipment
- Project size
- Project complexity
- Material/Equipment specification
- Project Environment
- Low quality and poor availability of resources
Cultural / Political
- Lack of motivation
- Incompatible tendering procedures
- Low tendency to teamwork
For an earlier related blog on Rework follow this link
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/rework
(REFERENCE: Assessment of Requirements for Establishment of a Framework to Enhance Implementation of Quality Practices in Building Projects by Amirhossein Heravitorbati, Vaughan Coffey, and Bambang Trigunarsyah, International Journal of Innovation, Management and Technology, Vol. 2, No. 6, pp 456-470, December 2011)
About the Author
Denis Leonard
Denis Leonard has a degree in construction engineering, and an M.B.A. and a Ph.D. in quality management. He is a Fellow of the American Society for Quality and has been an Examiner for the Baldrige National Quality Award Board of Examiners, a Judge on the International Team Excellence Competition, and a Lead Judge on the National Housing Quality Award. He has experience as a quality manager in the home building industry as well as construction engineer, site manager, and in training, auditing, and consulting with expertise in strategic and operational quality improvement initiatives. His work has achieved national quality, environmental, and safety management awards for clients.