Quality Control in Construction: Essential Tips & Best Practices

What Is Quality Control in Construction?

Quality control in construction is a system that checks and monitors every aspect of a project, from planning and material selection to on-site activities and final inspections. It ensures the project meets the agreed-upon standards, specifications, and expectations. 

Oftentimes, ‘quality control’ and ‘quality assurance’ are used interchangeably. However, they differ in some respects.

• Quality control (QC) is the process of following established systems, conducting inspections of completed work, and correcting any issues before they escalate into larger problems.

• Quality assurance (QA) focuses on setting clear expectations and establishing the necessary systems to achieve high standards at the beginning of a project.

Issues in construction often arise due to poor planning, unclear communication, or inadequate oversight. Quality control enables you to establish a process that prevents problems and consistently delivers high-quality results.

Why Is Quality Control Important in Construction?

Rework alone accounts for a large share of lost time and resources, not to mention the additional strain it puts on the construction teams and subcontractors. Worse still, poor workmanship can lead to safety hazards, project shutdowns, and unhappy clients who might not return or recommend your services.

On the other hand, investing in strong quality control procedures offers long-term benefits:

• Helps you build a reputation for high-quality work. 

• Leads to greater client satisfaction, repeat business, fewer warranty claims, and a smoother overall construction management process. 

• Helps you stay aligned with building codes, safety standards, and evolving industry expectations.

Getting it right the first time protects your bottom line, your staff, and your reputation.

What Are the Different Quality Control Approaches in Construction?

Companies employ various quality control processes in construction to ensure the final product meets project specifications, safety requirements, and the client’s standards. 

Below are three major quality control approaches you need to build a successful construction company:

Six Sigma

Six Sigma is a data-driven approach focused on minimizing defects and variability in processes. 

Construction quality control managers employ the Six Sigma approach to identify the root causes of quality issues and implement permanent solutions, ensuring continuous improvement.

For example, let's say a construction firm discovers that concrete pours always crack upon curing.

By applying the Six Sigma approach, the project manager collects and analyzes data on the quality of the materials used, timing, and curing methods.

After the analysis, they may discover that construction workers used improper water-to-cement ratios. They then implement controls such as creating a concrete-pour checklist to prevent it.

Statistical Process Control (SPC)

This involves using statistical techniques to monitor how well a construction project is progressing. 

In construction, SPC uses data to monitor and control repetitive tasks—like concrete pouring, welding, or asphalt paving—to ensure quality remains consistent. 

To implement this, construction quality control managers collect measurement data at various stages of the construction project and plot it on control charts.

From these charts, they can see if all aspects of the project comply with the set quality standards. 

If the chart shows a deviation in quality—like a batch of concrete not meeting strength requirements or a weld not holding up to inspection—SPC flags the issue right away. 

The quality manager then directs the project manager to take corrective action immediately, before the small issues worsen and cause costly rework or delays.

Kaizen

Kaizen is a Japanese term meaning ‘change for the better.’ It is a philosophy of ongoing, minor improvements involving everyone on the team. 

In construction, Kaizen encourages open communication, regular feedback, and a culture where every worker can suggest improvements to the quality control processes.

Now let's examine the different types of quality control commonly found on a construction site.

Quality Control Types Found in Construction

There are three main types of construction quality control: preventive quality control, corrective quality control, and quality assurance. 

You must balance all three types throughout the construction process to deliver high-quality work.

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

Preventive quality control

Preventive quality control identifies and eliminates potential issues early during the planning and preparation phases, preventing them from escalating into larger problems once work begins.

Some real examples of preventive QC include:

• Developing a standard estimating template to make sure no part of the scope is missed.

• Doing material takeoffs from blueprints to verify quantities before ordering supplies.

• Holding pre-task planning meetings to align your crews on expectations and methods.

When you start with solid plans, proper construction materials, and precise project specifications, you lower your chances of needing costly rework later.

Corrective quality control

This type of quality control focuses on identifying issues during construction and resolving them before they worsen.

Some real-world examples include:

• Reinstalling an electrical panel that was placed incorrectly.

• Fixing a concrete pour that didn’t meet strength requirements.

• Replacing damaged drywall before the final handoff.

The key here is early detection. 

Corrective actions are usually triggered by site inspections, field reports, or client feedback. The sooner you catch an issue, assign it to the right team for adjustment, and document it correctly, the easier it is to stay on schedule and protect your bottom line.

With ServiceTitan’s Task Management tool, you can easily assign corrective tasks to specific team members, set deadlines, and track progress from one place. This helps you ensure accountability and transparency.

You can also use the daily logs feature to document quality issues in the field with notes, images, and timestamps, enabling office staff to monitor and resolve problems quickly.

Quality assurance

While preventive and corrective quality control deals with the work itself, quality assurance (QA) focuses on establishing systems, processes, and training programs that prevent problems from occurring.

This often involves creating standard operating procedures (SOPs), establishing company-wide quality policies, and conducting regular audits to ensure standards are met at every stage.

Other examples of strong QA practices include:

• Conducting QA audits at different project phases.

• Creating a quality manual or SOPs that guide your crews.

• Reviewing lessons learned from past jobs to refine workflows for future projects.

With ServiceTitan’s Document Management, you can organize and update your QA policies, SOPs, training guides, and audit forms in one place. This ensures that every superintendent, project manager, and crew member knows and can follow quality guidelines.

Who Is Responsible for Quality Control in Construction?

Quality control requires a shared responsibility and team effort to ensure the project meets quality standards and adheres to established specifications.

Every stakeholder on a project, from the office to the job site, is involved in maintaining construction quality control. 

Let’s explore what each role is typically responsible for:

• Project manager: The project manager oversees the project timeline, budget, scope, and communication. They help set the tone for quality expectations and enforce them throughout construction. They are also often the primary point of contact for the client, and ensure key data is centralized in an appropriate project management system.

• Superintendent: Responsible for day-to-day supervision and coordination of the various trades working on the project, the superintendent often conducts site inspections and compares progress against quality control checklists. If a quality control checklist exists, the superintendent is responsible for double-checking that it’s being followed in the field.

• Quality control manager: Oversees the quality control process itself.

• General contractor: Sets quality expectations with subcontractors and vendors. They also help enforce standards across multiple scopes of work and ensure the documentation, including submittals and audits, is handled properly.

• Design team: This includes architects and engineers responsible for creating clear, buildable plans that match client specifications.

• Owner/client: Although the client may not be directly involved in daily operations, they establish the standard for quality expectations. Their satisfaction determines the success of the final product.

Next, let’s discuss how to create a clear, effective quality control plan.

How to Create a Quality Control Plan

If you want consistent, high-quality results on your jobs, you can’t just rely on skill and experience alone. You need a structured quality control plan that tells everyone on your team what good-quality work looks like and how to achieve it.

Here's how to create a plan that ensures your construction projects run smoothly and meet the required standards.

Define project scope and objectives

Start by clearly defining what you want to achieve. What’s being built? What does success look like? What needs to happen, who needs to make it happen, and when?

Your scope should encompass the work, quality expectations, and key deadlines. 

When everyone knows exactly what they’re aiming for, there’s less confusion and more room for alignment across your construction team, subcontractors, and leadership. 

Establish quality standards and compliance requirements

Once the project scope is defined, the next step is to establish the rules governing the project. This step sets the bar for what’s acceptable and helps you avoid issues that can stall your progress or trigger costly repairs.

The rules usually include things like:

• OSHA safety requirements

• Local or international building codes

• Environmental standards

• Project-specific requirements from the client or architect

We recommend documenting everything, including compliance checklists and submittals, so your team members know exactly what’s required.

Identify key QC roles and responsibilities

Who conducts site inspections? Who handles documentation and reporting? Who enforces standards on-site?

Your quality control process only works if roles are clearly defined. 

For instance, the quality control manager oversees inspections, the superintendent checks daily progress, and crew leads ensure consistency in workmanship. When everyone knows their role, accountability becomes part of the workflow.

Pro tip: Use ServiceTitan’s Task Management tools to assign specific quality control tasks to the appropriate personnel.

Outline inspection and testing procedures

Your plan should clearly define what needs to be inspected, when it will happen, and how it should be done.

Think about each phase of the build and create a checklist:

• Pre-construction (checking materials and prep work)

• Key milestones (after framing or mechanical rough-ins)

• Post-construction (final walkthroughs, third-party inspections)

Using these standardized quality control checklists keeps everyone aligned and helps your project manager track whether everything’s done according to specifications. Remember to include third-party inspections if required by regulation or the client.

Document communication and reporting protocols

Establish procedures for reporting and resolving quality issues.

What platform will your team use to submit updates? How quickly should someone respond to a flagged issue? Who signs off on corrective actions?

We recommend setting up a shared communication log to track issues, updates, and resolutions easily. 

You can do this using Daily Logs in ServiceTitan, which ensures your field crew can report problems in real time, complete with notes, photos, and timestamps. This provides the office team with the context they need to act quickly.

Set up corrective action procedures

Mistakes are bound to happen. The question is, how do you deal with them? 

Your quality control plan should outline a straightforward process for identifying, documenting, and resolving issues as they arise.

That includes:

• Steps for performing a root cause analysis

• Guidelines for rework 

• Who’s responsible for follow-up and sign-off

Every corrective task should have an assigned owner, a specific deadline, and a clear resolution record. With ServiceTitan’s Task Management, you can assign tasks, set priorities, and track progress, ensuring nothing lingers unresolved.

Monitor and continuously improve the QC plan

QC plans shouldn’t be static. As your team finishes projects, take time to review what worked and what didn’t.

Hold post-project reviews or quarterly audits. Use the data you receive from these reviews to fine-tune your processes, improve training, and prevent the recurrence of issues. 

Once your quality control plan is in place, the next step is to implement it. Let’s review some of the best ways to make sure your quality control program works.

Best Practices for Implementing a Quality Control Program

Building a reliable quality control program takes more than just a checklist. It requires consistent leadership, training, and structure that everyone can follow. 

Here are some practical ways to put quality at the center of your construction projects:

• Lead by example: When project managers and owners actively prioritize quality, it sets the tone for the entire construction team. People take it seriously when they see leadership doing the same.

• Invest in employee training: Ensure your crews understand quality by instructing them on quality standards, reporting procedures, and how to handle nonconformities.

• Develop clear SOPs: SOPs help everyone follow the same processes, meet client expectations, and consistently deliver high-quality work.

• Conduct regular audits and post-project reviews: These help you catch issues early, evaluate the effectiveness of your quality control procedures, and make informed improvements for future builds.

• Encourage field team feedback: Your on-site crews are best positioned to identify the day-to-day challenges. Creating a feedback loop helps you refine workflows, avoid repeat problems, and improve overall project quality.

Construction Quality Control Checklist

A well-structured quality control checklist is one of the simplest and most effective tools for keeping a project on track. 

Here’s how to structure your checklist for better accountability and fewer quality surprises:

For planning:

• Confirm all building codes and permits are in place.

• Verify project scope and review client expectations.

• Conduct a pre-construction walkthrough with key stakeholders.

For materials procurement:

• Inspect incoming deliveries for damage or missing items.

• Match materials against the estimate and project specifications.

• Document any substitutions and ensure they meet the same standards.

For site work:

• Perform daily safety inspections.

• Monitor workmanship and installation quality against plans.

• Use checklists to catch quality issues before they become rework.

For final inspection:

• Complete a detailed punch list.

• Ensure all work complies with building codes.

• Walk through with the client and get sign-off.

Using Technology to Improve Construction Quality

The way construction teams manage quality is starting to change. Instead of relying on paper checklists and handwritten notes, more teams are turning to digital tools that keep everything in one place. These tools make it easier to centralize information, communicate efficiently, and track quality control workflows.

The benefits of using technology to improve construction quality include:

• Fewer errors thanks to automated checks, centralized data, and up-to-date documentation.

• Better teamwork through shared access to forms, drawings, and real-time updates.

• Stronger reporting and accountability with digital audit trails that show who did what and when.

Below are some useful ServiceTitan tools that support QC.

Estimate creation

With ServiceTitan’s Estimate tool, your team can create detailed and accurate estimates using templates and custom line items. These estimates form the foundation for maintaining high quality throughout the project.

That’s because they ensure you budget properly for high-grade materials, skilled labor, and the right equipment from the start. And you’re less likely to cut corners later due to budget shortfalls. 

You can also allocate funds for quality control tasks—like inspections or testing—so they’re built into the project, not treated as afterthoughts. 

Because ServiceTitan estimates are digital, you can update them in real time, reference them during reviews, and link them to related documents and tasks throughout the project’s lifecycle. It’s a smarter way to start every job with precision and clarity.

Document management 

Using ServiceTitan’s Forms, you can save your checklists, documents, and inspection reports in a central location that all crew members can access.

Whenever a checklist is completed or updated in the field, it’s updated immediately in the back office. This makes it easier for crews to stay aligned on quality expectations, regardless of their location on the construction site.

Task management 

ServiceTitan’s Task Management enables team leads to assign quality-critical activities and monitor completion to prevent steps from being missed.

Using the dashboard, managers can assign tasks, monitor progress in real time, and receive instant notifications upon task completion. That way, they can promptly inspect the completed tasks to verify that quality standards have been met.

This clarity ensures quality control procedures run smoothly on every job.

Over to You!

Quality control isn’t just a step in the process; it holds the project together. 

It keeps teams aligned, expectations clear, and work on track. 

So, if you still rely on paper forms or scattered systems for quality control, now’s the time to level up. Use digital tools that make quality control easier, more transparent, and more reliable.

ServiceTitan is an all-in-one software platform built for home and commercial service businesses. From estimating and document management to task tracking and daily reporting, it helps construction teams stay organized, meet quality expectations, and deliver top-notch work.