Conducting construction site audits is essential for the success of construction projects. Both clients and contractors benefit from these audits, as they promote high construction quality, help reduce costs, and prevent injuries and other health risks for those involved. In this article, we outline the key steps for effectively planning, executing, and evaluating a construction site audit.
What is a construction site audit?
The purpose of a construction site audit is to ensure that work is conducted to a high-quality standard and in accordance with agreed contracts. It provides an independent, objective view of progress and the current state of a construction site, identifying any shortcomings and areas for improvement.
Construction project audits can be conducted internally or by external parties, with various stakeholders initiating them. Sometimes, it is the customer or architect who wants to verify that the project is proceeding as planned. Other times, the lead contractor may wish to confirm that subcontractors are adhering to agreements. In some cases, a government agency may conduct a construction site audit, particularly to review health and safety compliance.
Different kinds of construction project audits
In the construction sector, various types of audits can be conducted, including:
Health and safety audit
This audit assesses compliance with health and safety regulations. It examines issues such as unsafe walkways, missing safety signage, and whether staff are wearing appropriate personal protective equipment, like helmets.
Financial and accounting audit
This audit focuses on costs and verifies that expenditures align with the agreed contract. For example, it can help determine whether contractors have purchased and installed the specified materials rather than opting for cheaper alternatives. It may also assess the quality of work and check for any unforeseen delays impacting the project.
Project audit
This on-site audit evaluates whether the project is progressing according to the original plan or if the site manager has deviated from the agreed path.
Outline for a construction site audit
As noted above, there are several types of construction site audits, so you will be looking for different types of information depending on the goal of the inspection. That said, the processes involved in completing construction project audits are broadly the same.
Here’s an outline for a construction site audit, divided into Planning, Execution, and Assessment stages.
1. Planning the construction site audit
This stage focuses on preparation and defining the scope, objectives, and methods for the audit.
Define audit objectives
Determine the type of audit (health and safety, quality, project progress, etc.) and its primary goals. Objectives should be measurable and quantifiable.
Create an inspection checklist
List specific items or areas to inspect. For instance, in a safety audit, this may include PPE usage, equipment maintenance needs, or the presence of warning signs. Tip: Use construction site audit apps for efficient collection and processing of information.
Determine the scope and sample area
Decide on the specific sections of the site to audit. For large projects, the selected area should represent the entire project.
Schedule the audit and notify stakeholders
While construction site audits should ideally be unannounced to capture an accurate view of the site’s state, notifying certain key personnel (e.g., the project manager or superintendent) a few hours prior may help avoid disruptions and ensure necessary documentation is available.
2. Execution of the construction project audit
This stage includes the actual inspection, observation, and interaction with site personnel.
Conduct the site walkthrough and field review
Observe the quality of workmanship, procedural adherence, and worker skills and record all findings accurately.
Engage with key Stakeholders and customers
Discuss inspection findings with the client or project stakeholders. If possible, walk through the site with them for a joint quality review, and ask for feedback on identified quality issues or unmet expectations.
Review documentation and quality records
Visit the project field office to examine quality assurance and control (QA/QC) documents. Check for completion, accuracy, and filing of records to ensure compliance and organizational standards. Tip: Follow these 5 golden rules in quality assurance.
Reinspect previously completed work
Compare previous inspection reports with current observations, noting any discrepancies. Ensure any repair or punch list items from previous inspections have been addressed correctly.
Follow up on previous action Items
Revisit action plan items from past audits to evaluate progress. Track improvements or identify recurring issues that might need additional attention.
3. Assessment of on-site audit and reporting
This stage involves documenting findings, analyzing results, and creating actionable recommendations.
Record construction project audit findings
Document all observations, discrepancies, and noteworthy areas in an audit report. Include photographic evidence, statistics, or specific examples to support findings, which will serve as a record of due diligence.
Analyze issues and identify root causes
Evaluate why certain issues have arisen. Determine if there are underlying causes, such as inadequate training, complex procedures, or lack of adherence to standards, affecting audit results.
Develop an action plan for improvement
Based on findings, outline steps for improvement. Ensure action items are clear, assignable, and measurable.
Communicate findings and recommendations
Present the audit report and action plan to project management and relevant stakeholders, ensuring a collaborative approach to resolve issues and improve site safety and quality.
Digital solutions for construction project audits
Construction site audits can be complex and time-consuming, particularly when using paper and a clipboard. On-site notes must be transcribed onto a computer later and tallied, potentially doubling the workload—especially if photos need to be uploaded as evidence. Additionally, paper-based audit report templates often lack the flexibility needed to adapt to specific project requirements.
This is why digital site audit solutions are gaining popularity. Platforms like PlanRadar make it easy to streamline audit processes, saving both time and money. With PlanRadar, you can generate customized building inspection and audit checklists using digital templates, store all data securely in the cloud, and automatically generate comprehensive reports. The result: 94% of customers report that PlanRadar reduces the time spent on compiling reports.
Watch this video to see how a site manager uses PlanRadar to enhance efficiency on-site—from data collection to report creation and analysis.
With Planradar, we are able to efficiently measure and document findings on-site and to communicate and process them further.
Streamline your on-site audits and try PlanRadar free for 30 days!
