The difference between quality assurance and quality control in construction

In this blog post, Civil engineer Reddy Kancharla discusses the difference between quality assurance (QA) and quality control (QC) in construction, two things that most people outside engineering and construction, and related fields often confuse.

First off, quality in construction refers to the completion of a project or project components in adherence to what can be seen in its scope of work. Quality in construction generally revolves around meeting and accomplishing completion schedules, project budgets, and contract specifications. It also means having to avoid dispute claims, as well as making sure the final product is acceptable on all levels, Reddy Kancharla adds.

QA, though heavily based on the process, does not revolve around the final product. Experts in the field have described QA to be activities that are both planned and systematic, which are done to meet the quality requirements of a product, project, or service. QA is mostly done by owners, their representatives, or developers as a tool to evaluate contractors’ work. These activities, which happen either before construction begins or while it is ongoing, look at how contractors and their teams meet specific standards.

QC, as opposed to QA, Reddy Kancharla explains, is product-based. People responsible for QC look at the end product and evaluate it to determine if it is done in accordance with everything specified in the contracts, plans, and standards and results of similar projects. QC is an in-depth analysis of the final product. One can even consider QC to be the final quality check of the project, Reddy Kancharla adds.

A civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience in civil construction and geotechnical consultation, Reddy Kancharla has worked in various companies, having served different positions. For similar reads, visit this blog.