High-Risk Installation Quality Checks with Visibuild

How Visibuild’s quality management platform drives Crema Construction’s rigorous pre-start quality processes

At Visibuild, we’re excited to partner with industry leaders like Crema Construction, who are setting new benchmarks in quality assurance across the construction industry. Quality assurance is at the heart of Crema’s site processes, ensuring high standards in all their projects – especially in high-risk installation quality checks.

Adam Keenan-Dunn, Crema Constructions General Manager, says that “using a sophisticated QA system allows us to ensure we maintain the same level of quality across our business and from subcontractor to subcontractor.”

Crema follows a structured pre-construction process using Visibuild’s quality management platform. This ensures that every detail is carefully reviewed before work begins. This proactive approach helps manage quality, reducing costly post-completion defect work and improving overall project efficiency.

What Are High-Risk Installations?

Certain installations on construction sites are classified as high risk because they require meticulous planning and execution to prevent defects. At Crema Construction, six key installations undergo a pre-start quality check to ensure they are completed correctly the first time. Every step is carefully managed, documented, and tracked using Visibuild.

Key High-Risk Installations

• External waterproofing
• Internal waterproofing
• Windows/walls & curtain walls
• Framed facades
• Passive fire protection & partition walls
• Framed roofs

Each of these installations plays a crucial role in the structural integrity and safety of a building. A failure in any of these areas could lead to serious safety risks, regulatory non-compliance, and increased project costs.

Crema’s Five-Step Pre-Construction Process

Crema’s pre-construction process for high-risk installations is both comprehensive and proactive. Once a subcontractor is engaged, the process follows five key steps:

1. Submission & Review of Technical Data Sheets

Before work begins, the subcontractor submits a technical data sheet outlining the materials and products they plan to use. Crema’s quality managers review these to ensure they meet regulatory requirements and project specifications.

2. On-Site Pre-Start Meeting

A mandatory on-site pre-start meeting is held with all relevant stakeholders, including project managers, site supervisors, and subcontractors. This meeting aligns everyone on the construction process, sequencing, and handover procedures.

3. Prototype Development

A prototype installation is created and closely monitored by Crema’s team members and subcontractors. This ensures the process runs smoothly before scaling up. Any installation quality assurance issues identified at this stage are corrected before the final inspection and test plan is approved.

4. Compatibility Testing

Compatibility testing is critical, particularly for materials like sealants and membranes used in external waterproofing and internal waterproofing. Many companies rely on manufacturers’ data, but Crema goes beyond industry norms by conducting real-time on-site tests to ensure materials perform as expected in the actual work environment.

For example, if a sealant does not properly adhere to a membrane, it can cause delamination—a major issue that can lead to expensive construction works re-dos. Identifying potential failures before full-scale installation saves both time and money.

5. Finalisation & Implementation of Inspection Test Plans (ITPs)

Once the prototype installation meets all quality processes, an Inspection Test Plan (ITP) is finalised. This ITP is then implemented across the project, ensuring that high-risk installation quality checks are conducted at every stage of the construction process.

Why Compatibility Testing Matters

One of the most critical aspects of Crema’s process is their approach to compatibility testing. Kurt highlighted that many in the industry rely on manufacturers’ assurances or outdated lab results to determine compatibility between sealants and membranes. However, Crema insists on conducting on-site tests, applying sealants to membrane samples under actual site conditions. This practice not only adheres to Australian Standards and MBAV recommendations but also prevents potential failures that could lead to costly repairs and delays.

Kurt shared an example from a recent project where this rigorous testing process took an additional five days. While it might seem like a delay, the long-term savings are immense. By catching potential issues early, Crema avoids the pitfalls of rework, ensuring the installation’s durability and effectiveness.

Visibuild’s role in enhancing installation quality assurance (QA) checks

The integration of Visibuild into Crema’s workflow has transformed their ability to manage, track, and document the entire QA process. One standout example is the use of Visibuild for peel adhesion testing videos, which are a part of step 3 in their waterproofing process. These videos help confirm that the proposed membranes and sealants are compatible before prototype installations begin, ensuring that quality is maintained from the very start.

Crema has documented these processes in their company templates and are now rolling them out across all new projects, supported by Visibuild. The success of these processes underscores the importance of halving a reliable, comprehensive platform like Visibuild to ensure that quality assurance is more than just a task – it’s a habit.

How Visibuild Enhances Installation Quality Assurance

Visibuild’s construction management system has significantly improved Crema Construction’s ability to track, manage, and document quality assurance processes. One standout example is the use of peel adhesion testing videos, a crucial part of step 3 in their waterproofing process. These videos confirm compatibility testing results before installation begins, ensuring high-risk installations meet performance expectations.

Visibuild’s real-time tracking capabilities allow project managers and quality managers to:

• Monitor high-risk installation quality checks efficiently
• Ensure inspection and test results are recorded systematically
• Track regulatory requirements compliance
• Manage quality across multiple construction sites

By centralising all quality-related documentation in a single management system, Crema’s team members can quickly identify potential issues and take corrective action before they become costly problems.

Building a Culture of Quality in Construction

Crema Construction, supported by Visibuild, is leading the industry in high-risk installation quality checks. By embedding these best practices into their company templates, they are ensuring quality assurance becomes an integral part of every project.

The benefits of using Visibuild’s quality management platform include:

• Improved compliance with industry and regulatory requirements
• Fewer post-completion defects, saving both time and money
• Better coordination between team members, project managers, and subcontractors
• Enhanced efficiency across all aspects of construction management

Crema Construction, with help from Visibuild, is taking the lead in high-risk pre-start checks. They show a level of care that is rare in the industry.

By documenting and sharing their processes, Crema is building more than just structures. They are creating a culture of quality that could change industry standards. Their commitment to “building it right the first time” is not just a mantra but a proven strategy that reduces time and money spent on post-completion defect works.