In short
Visit your site at milestones, with your consultant, and safely. Look at progress against the programme, cleanliness and storage, and the stage about to be covered. Ask what was inspected, what issues are open and what decisions are needed from you. Leave technical instructions to the consultant so the contractor hears one voice.
Key points
- Visit at milestones: before a pour, before walls are closed, before finishes, at handover.
- Go with your consultant, wear protective equipment and follow site rules.
- Ask what was inspected, what is open, and what decision is waiting for you.
- Give instructions through the consultant so the contractor receives one clear voice.
It is your building, and seeing it grow is one of the pleasures of a project. A well-timed site visit with your consultant also helps the project: decisions are taken faster and problems are seen early.
When to visit
The most useful visits follow the project’s milestones: when foundations and the first slabs are reinforced, before walls are closed over services, when finishes start, and at handover. At each, something is about to be hidden or decided.
Stay safe
Visit with your consultant or the site engineer, wear a helmet and safety shoes, and follow the site’s rules. Building sites are dangerous for visitors who do not know where to step.
What to look at
- Progress against the programme: is the stage that should be finished, finished?
- Order on site: tidy work areas, materials stored off the ground and out of the sun, protection over finished work.
- The stage about to be covered: this is what your consultant should be inspecting now.
What to ask
- What did you inspect since the last visit, and what did you find?
- Which issues are open, and when will they be closed?
- What decision is waiting for me, and by when?
- Are we on programme, and if not, why?
One voice to the contractor
It is tempting to ask for a change on the spot. Changes given casually are a common cause of disputes about cost and time. Agree the change with your consultant and let it reach the contractor in writing. Coordination between stakeholders is part of the supervision service for exactly this reason.
Questions
Can I instruct the contractor directly?
You can, but changes given casually on site are a common source of disputes over cost and time. Changes are clearer when they go through the consultant in writing.
What if I see something that looks wrong?
Point it out to the consultant. It may be work in progress, or it may need correcting; either way it should be recorded.