Quality assurance company Plangarant on the Wkb

Erik Schot (Director)
Huib van de Vrie (Key Account Manager)

LeanForms is working with quality assurance company PlanGarant to make inspection lists for the Wkb available in a convenient library for joint customers. This opens up opportunities to manage other LeanForms digital forms (such as workplace inspections, work permits and construction reports) in 1 portal in addition to the digital Wkb inspection lists.

We spoke with PlanGarant about the upcoming Building Quality Assurance Act. In it, Erik Schot and Huib de Vrie share their views and share valuable tips. So read on!

 

About PlanGarant and their (upcoming) role as quality assurance contractor within the Wkb.

PlanGarant is an independent quality assurance company specializing in residential and commercial construction projects. Together they search for the most efficient way of quality assurance.

With the introduction of the Wkb (January 2024), quality assurance will become mandatory and will have a legal framework.
In the current situation, municipalities are responsible for quality assurance. Once the Wkb comes into effect, a private, independent quality assurance company such as PlanGarant will check the quality of construction works.

PlanGarant is already actively preparing for the introduction of the Quality Assurance Act. For example, they organize many information meetings to share the knowledge and latest status around the Wkb process with construction companies. They are also already doing many pilot projects. These include testing the cooperation between different parties.

 

Added value of the Wkb for companies in the construction industry.

The ultimate goal of the Building Quality Assurance Act is for consumers to have less to do with defects and construction errors in new buildings and remodels. But can the Wkb really do anything for the companies themselves who have to start working with the Wkb?

According to Erik and Huib, that is certainly the case: Within the Wkb, liability for the contractor is more explicitly designated. The burden of proof is placed on him; including all defects that were not discovered and only come to light later.

If quality assurance for the Wkb is used properly, you build up a file and can prove that you have delivered good work. This reduces the chance of errors and also lowers the risk.

You also see that, for example, designs and structural calculations are often passed back and forth between contractor and architect. As are the adjustments to these. If you can reduce this, build quality goes up and you save a lot of money because transition costs go down.

“If you deploy the Wkb properly as a company then in the end not only the repair costs go down, but also the transition costs.”

 

What can a company do to best prepare (now) for the Wkb?

With that, PlanGarant is very clear: “Just, get to work!

Getting started on capturing and using the applications and forms that are out there and practicing with them.

Erik and Huib see that the hardest part for contractors is often not thinking things through, but rather implementing them consistently (for example, filling out a form).
‘To get discipline in that is just difficult and you have to gain experience with that, day by day,’ Aldus Erik.

By approaching (often complex) processes not only from the theoretical point of view, but really putting them into practice, you will start to see where there is still room for improvement. In this way, you can also work on your internal quality.

“If you do it right, deploying quality assurance broadly does increase costs the first year, maybe the second year as well, but from the third year on it will start making money.”

 

Learning points from pilot projects.

One of the key learning points from pilot projects is communication: Knowing what is expected of each other and whether expectations are properly aligned back and forth.
This is mainly about the executive piece. For example, you can think about audits, some of which are also mandatory.

The theoretical part, for example submitting a plan, often goes well already. That is a familiar path, only that will soon no longer go through the Municipality but through the quality assurance agency.

PlanGarant begins projects with a joint kick-off so that expectations can be discussed. Through direct contacts, they keep the lines of communication short. That helps keep communication well established and clear from the start.

Integrate the Wkb with other activities that are important from, for example, an ISO quality management system or a VCA safety system.

With an ISO certificate you declare that you comply with laws and regulations, so that fits well with the Wkb. All procedures at PlanGarant are also based on the ISO standard.

What companies themselves can do is integrate business.

For example, if you need to perform inspections from an SCC system, you could include them in the same application that you do your building inspections with, as well as your safety inspections and everything that comes with that.
That way you’re merging work together and you don’t have to keep switching between applications.

Huib adds that PlanGarant, as a quality assurance company, mainly takes care of the public-law part. Contractual agreements can be made with the customer about the private law part, such as VCA or ISO certifications.

 

Document and drive data.

Not documenting things leads to more costs. If you consistently document things well, over time you can see where the pain points are, which parts are risky, choose different materials if necessary and thus avoid failure costs.

Having insight into your data is valuable. The data you build up provides a wealth of information. You can use this data to start managing subcontractors and materials, for example.

Being able to translate data and apply it to process improvement and quality improvement is invaluable!

 

What does the Quality Assurance Act mean for smaller companies?

If you approach things smartly and pragmatically with the right applications and forms, the way you work is always the same. You have a fixed set and don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel.

It takes discipline to collect and record documents; this is true for both larger and smaller companies. The advantage for small companies is that it is often easier to switch gears, though.

 

Erik Schot (Director) and Huib van de Vrie (Key Account Manager)

Do you have questions following this article, or would you like to learn more about the LeanForms module developed specifically for the Wkb?

Get in touch, we’d love to help!