Construction Curiosities #86
5 Tips to Avoid Discrepancies | #PPEthatfits | Laughing the pain away
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Summary
This week we will look at:
5 Tips to Avoid Discrepancies
One Video: Voided Concrete Slabs
One Article: #PPEthatfits
One Meme: Laughing the pain away
5 Tips to Avoid Discrepancies
by Jonathan Thrasher, P.E./ Sr Project Manager/ Client Developer
Let’s talk about something that causes a fight or flight reaction even among seasoned construction professionals – discrepancies. What is a discrepancy? I’m glad you asked. In simple terms, a discrepancy is a constructed condition that does not conform with the approved construction documents.
No one likes discrepancies – and this includes the Special Inspector finding the discrepancy. If you don’t believe me, ask the 21-year-old third-party inspector who just told a Superintendent with 30 years of experience that the rebar in a footing isn’t constructed per the plans. Yes, I was the inspector, and no, I didn’t enjoy being the ‘bad guy’.
Since no one likes discrepancies, let’s talk about some things you can do to help avoid them.
1. Know your construction documents and building codes.
Pay particular attention to using the APPROVED plans and specifications. When using shop drawings, make sure they have been approved by the registered design professional. One common thing that slows down progress is when there is a conflict between the shop drawings and the structural drawings, and the shop drawings have not been approved by the structural engineer.
2. Understand the basics of Special Inspections (SI)
It’s important to understand the State and Local Special Inspection requirements. One of the most critical documents is the Statement of Special Inspections (SSI) which states what items are to be inspected and at what frequency. This leads me to my next point.
3. Communication is key.
Talk to your Special Inspector about the project requirements. Since Special Inspectors work for the Owner, Designer, or Owner’s Representative, you may not have spoken with them before construction commenced. Invite the Special Inspection firm to meetings such as the precon, pre-placement and pre-erection meeting. By doing this, the inspector can cover the requirements and the GC, subcontractors, concrete supplier, owner, etc. can ask questions and have those addressed up front.
Communication goes both ways. The inspector needs access to construction documents, RFIs, etc. but the inspector must communicate too. Section 1704 of the International Building Code requires that Special Inspectors report discrepancies to the contractor immediately and then if it’s not corrected, report it to others. Note that some owners and municipalities have additional reporting requirements the inspector needs to follow as well.
4. Solve it while the inspector is on site.
Since the Special Inspector is reporting the discrepancy while on-site, you may have a chance to fix it while they are on-site or provide clarifying information (such as an RFI or approved alternate). If a non-conforming item is corrected while the inspector is on-site, it’s either not going to go on the discrepancy log or if it is, it will show as already corrected and no follow-up will be needed.
Even if a minor issue is corrected on-site, the inspector may document it. Sometimes we get pushback on this, but this is a good thing as it shows the owner that everyone is working together and being proactive.
5. The Right Team
Put together a team that is focused on quality work and materials. We can’t ignore costs, but going with low-cost, low-quality materials and teammates will negatively impact how smoothly the project goes. For Special Inspections, before recommending or selecting a firm, consider their qualifications, their responsiveness, and how well they work with others, especially in difficult situations.
“Wait! “ You say “You left off the most obvious one – doing the work correctly in the first place!” I’m going on the assumption that most people are trying to do the right thing. Sooner or later there will be a discrepancy on one of your projects. We may not be able to avoid ever having one, but we can reduce the likelihood of discrepancies and learn to better handle them when they happen.
If you don’t understand discrepancies or Special Inspections in general, ask us – you’ll be glad you did.
Thanks Jonathan! I’ve never been on a project that went absolutely perfect with no Discrepancies, but with proper planning, communication, and coordination you can sure limit the multitude and magnitude!
For more great content, yall go follow Jonathan on: LinkedIn
Do you want to be featured in an Upcoming Newsletter via a Guest Article or a Regular(ish) Contributor in 2024?
Hit me up at matt@constructionyeti.com. And let’s talk about it!
One Video
Another cool clip from mvvvc_ on Instagram:
The conversion of 1 Wall St from an office building to a luxury residential building involves adding a 6-story addition using voided concrete slabs (design + images by Cobiax). The engineer on the project is desimoneengineers and the project is developed by mackloweproperties
#PPEthatfits: it’s not a fashion show
I’ve gathered experiences from women who work on the ground, at the sharp and dirty end, inside this safety equipment that is there to save their life and limb but that is so often too big, too long, too loose, too tight, unisex (i.e. designed around a man’s body), and in general not fit for purpose as safety equipment.
- Katherine Evans
One Meme
Does laughing at issues in the industry help drive awareness and ultimately some change?
I think so.
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See y’all next week! ✌
