Quality can mean a high degree of excellence (as in “a quality product”) or simply the degree of excellence something has, whether good or poor (as in “work of average quality”).
In construction, quality is judged against the standard set out in the contract documents rather than in the abstract. The specification, drawings and referenced standards define the materials and workmanship required, and work that does not meet them is a defect. Quality is one corner of the familiar time, cost and quality triangle, and raising the specified quality almost always affects cost. In practice, quality is managed through:
- a clear specification and agreed samples or benchmarks
- inspection and test plans, including hold points
- the contractor’s quality management system, often certified to ISO 9001
- the correction of defects during and after construction
Related terms: specification, defect, workmanship, quality assurance.
