The quality process on construction projects generally consists of Quality Control (owned and executed by the construction contractors) and Quality Assurance (performed by the owner or owner’s representative). As the owner, the one piece of the quality process you have the most control over is Quality Assurance. If you’ve experienced results that were less than what you were hoping for, I suggest taking a closer look at how Quality Assurance is being executed and, more specifically, who is executing it.

When it comes time to start your construction project, you’re always faced with the same question: do we manage and inspect the construction with in-house staff, or do we outsource it to a third party? Each option has its benefits and drawbacks. I would like to revisit a blog post I wrote last year that offers some thoughts about situations where using a third party for construction management can lead to the greatest rewards for you as a project owner/operator.

If you bring up the topic of drones in random conversation, you’re likely to receive a variety of responses. Some will be excited at the possibilities. Some will express hesitancy until the rules have been cleared up. And some will issue stern warnings about a dystopian future where our every step is watched by machines in the sky.

Count me as a member of the excited group.

Last year I provided Seven Tips for Building Relationships with Property Owners along Your Transmission Lines, which is a topic we deal with on a consistent basis. I’ve updated that original post based on some of the responses we received. While there’s no way to guarantee a positive outcome, these simple tips can help make a positive outcome more likely. Good luck!