In my previous article on “Managing Quality in New Home Construction” I discussed the part that construction detailing plays in quality of construction. In this article, I’m going to expand a bit further on those thoughts.
I’ve discussed previously that the lack of construction details, in my view, has contributed to the lowering of workmanship standards in construction but it can also save time for estimators, site supervisors and contractors.
If your business has multiple trade contractors for one trade, then you should be developing a set of standard construction details. If you expect the subbies to produce the same standard of quality and construction detailing regardless of who the contractor is, then you need to communicate your requirements to them either in the Scope of Works or better still in the construction details.
For small residential builders, it could be simply a wall section showing exact wall heights with the top and bottom plates, eaves overhangs with the eaves moulding required and standard heights of cabinets such as kitchen, vanity, overheads and laundry cabinets at the very least.
By having these details available, all the team from drafting, estimators and site supervisors will know exactly how the plans need to be drawn, estimated and built without the loss of time chasing up information but more importantly it will allow you to verify and re-confirm that the construction methods you want to use are the best for your business.
With the upcoming changes to the NCC regarding energy efficiency and accessible housing, the detailing will be even more important for your business.
The type of details that can be produced by your design/drafting team or external designer to include such details as a nogging ladder for all the fixtures and fittings, floor junction of full height windows, door sills and thresholds, location and heights for meter boxes, gas meters, phone and NBN connections, waterproofing details, shower enclosures for the different types, lintels over windows and doors, slab edge details for different slab heights and the associated landscaping, garage door rebates, zero-lot boundary wall details, driveway connection details, balustrade details, outdoor living area eave and beam details, specific flashing details, and balcony details to name a few.
You can also obtain many details from the material manufacturers these days as pdf or even in CAD format for AutoCAD and ArchiCAD. This will save your design team many hours in trying to re-create these. It is important that you review the manufacturer details from time to time make sure you have the latest versions.
Your Scopes of Work can also make reference to your construction details, so the trade contractors are aware of the details available. By referencing them in the Scope of Work which should form a part of your subcontractor agreement, you give the details some legal standing in any dispute.
It is also a good idea once you have these details available to review them with your key trade contractors from time to time to make sure they are current or if any improvements could be made to them.
The 3C Mentor Resources website has Design and Drafting checklists that include some of the details but these checklists are a good start to help you expand your list of construction details available.
The whole purpose of The 3C Mentor and Alpha Edge is to help create really great businesses in the residential building industry and delivered by our unique ‘Four Pillars to Your Success’ – Business Coaching, Business Consulting, Business Resources and Construction Software.
For an overview of these four pillars go to Alpha Edge here. To find out more about our Business Coaching go to Alpha Edge here, for further information about the services Alpha Edge can provide go directly to Alpha Edge here and to access the many documents and resources you need as a residential builder, go to our Builder’s Business Resource Centre here. For more information on the construction software and how to ‘Be a Better Builder’, click here
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