Construction inspection glossary

Roles & authoritiesCommissioning agent (CxA)The independent party who verifies that building systems are installed, tested and perform the way the design intended.

Turnover & closeoutCommissioning reportThe commissioning agent's summary of what systems were tested, what passed, what failed, and how the failures were resolved.

Roles & authoritiesCompetent person (safety)A designated person capable of identifying hazards in the work and authorized to take prompt action to correct them.

Field & trade termsConcrete coverThe thickness of concrete between the reinforcing steel and the surface: the protective layer that keeps rebar from corroding and fire from reaching it.

Quality conceptsConformanceThe state of installed work actually meeting the drawings, spec and approved submittal, the opposite of a nonconformance.

Documents & recordsConstruction change directive (CCD)An owner-signed order directing the contractor to proceed with a change before the price or time impact has been fully agreed.

Roles & authoritiesConstruction manager (CM)The manager who plans, coordinates and oversees construction, tying trades, schedule and budget together for the owner.

Quality conceptsContinuous improvementSteadily feeding what a job learns back into how the next work is planned, so the same defects stop recurring.

Quality conceptsContract documentsThe full set of drawings, specifications and agreements that define what has to be built and to what standard: the requirement everything is checked against.

Field & trade termsControl jointA planned weak line cut or tooled into concrete or masonry so shrinkage cracks form where you want them instead of at random.

Quality conceptsControl pointA defined step in the work where an inspection or check is planned: the place the quality plan says to look before moving on.

Inspection processCoordination drawingsCombined trade drawings that overlay all systems in a shared space to resolve conflicts before anything is installed.

Quality conceptsCorrective actionThe step taken to fix a nonconformance and stop it happening again: both the repair and the change that prevents a repeat.

Field & trade termsCuring (concrete)Keeping fresh concrete moist and at temperature long enough for it to gain the strength the mix was designed to reach.

Documents & recordsDaily construction reportThe dated record of what happened on site each day: crews present, work done, weather, deliveries, inspections and issues.

Field & trade termsDamp-proofingA coating on the outside of a below-grade wall that resists soil moisture: enough for damp ground, but not a waterproof barrier.

Quality conceptsDefectA flaw in materials or workmanship that makes the work fall short of what was specified or of accepted trade practice.

Quality conceptsDefect densityHow many defects turn up per unit of work: the running measure of whether quality is holding or slipping as a job repeats.

Quality conceptsDeficiencyWork that is incomplete, missing or not up to standard: the catch-all a punch list and inspections use for anything that still needs attention.

Documents & recordsDeficiency logThe running list of open deficiencies and their status, so every item is tracked to closure instead of getting lost.

Inspection processDefinable feature of workA discrete, separately inspectable task or segment of work with its own start, finish, and acceptance criteria within the QC plan.

Field & trade termsDelaminationA separation between layers that were supposed to bond (a coating from its substrate, a topping from a slab, plies of a membrane), leaving a hollow, loose plane.

Turnover & closeoutDemobilizationWinding down and clearing the site: removing temporary facilities, equipment, and crews once the work is complete.

Roles & authoritiesDesign professionalThe licensed architect or engineer responsible for the design: the party who reviews submittals, answers RFIs, and interprets the contract documents.

Roles & authoritiesDesign-builderA single entity that holds one contract with the owner for both the design and the construction of a project.

Inspection processDimensional inspectionMeasuring built work against the drawings (locations, sizes, elevations and clearances) to confirm it lands within tolerance.

Field & trade termsDry-inThe point at which a building is closed to weather: roof, wall barrier and openings sealed enough to keep water out and let interior work start.

Field & trade termsEfflorescenceThe white, powdery salt deposit that appears on masonry or concrete when water moving through the material carries dissolved salts to the surface.

Field & trade termsEmbed plateA steel plate with anchors cast flush into concrete so later steel, connections or supports have something to weld or bolt to.

Roles & authoritiesEngineer of record (EOR)The licensed engineer who stamps a design discipline and stays responsible for its intent through construction.

Inspection processFactory acceptance test (FAT)A witnessed test of assembled equipment at the manufacturer's facility, proving it performs to spec before it is shipped to the site.

Documents & recordsField directiveA written instruction issued in the field directing the contractor to do or change something, ahead of formal contract paperwork.

Roles & authoritiesField engineerThe contractor's engineer in the field who lays out work, checks it against the drawings, and turns questions and conditions into documented records.

Inspection processField observation reportA dated record of what a design or QC professional observed during a site visit, noting conditions, concerns, and items needing action.

Documents & recordsField reportA dated record of what was observed on site on a given visit: the work seen, conditions found, and any items that need action.

Turnover & closeoutFinal acceptanceThe owner's formal acknowledgment that the work is complete and accepted, closing out the contractor's obligations short of warranty.

Turnover & closeoutFinal cleaningThe last cleaning of the completed work, removing dust, labels, overspray and debris so the space can be walked, punched and handed over.

Turnover & closeoutFinal completionThe milestone where every remaining item, including the full punch list and closeout deliverables, is finished per the contract.

Turnover & closeoutFinal walkthroughThe end-of-project walk where the owner and contractor inspect the completed work together and generate or verify the punch list.

Roles & authoritiesFire marshalThe fire-code authority who inspects life-safety and fire-protection systems and whose signoff is usually required before a building can be occupied.

Field & trade termsFirestoppingSealing openings where pipe, conduit or cable pass through a fire-rated wall or floor so the assembly's rating is restored.

Inspection processFirst article inspectionA full inspection of the first produced or installed item against every requirement before the rest of the run is allowed to proceed.

Quality conceptsFitness for purposeWhether installed work actually does the job it was put in to do, not just whether it matches the drawing line for line.

Field & trade termsFlashingThin sheet material lapped into an assembly to direct water back out at joints, edges and openings before it can get behind the finish.

Inspection processFollow-up phase inspectionThe third phase of control: recurring checks while a feature is built out, confirming it stays true to the standard set at the initial phase.

Field & trade termsFormworkThe temporary molds and bracing that hold wet concrete in shape and position until it's strong enough to stand on its own.

Inspection processFormwork inspectionThe check of the forms, shoring and embeds before a concrete pour, confirming the mold will hold shape and produce the right member.

Turnover & closeoutFunctional performance testA scripted test that drives a system through its operating modes to prove it responds the way the sequence of operations requires.

Roles & authoritiesGeneral contractor (GC)The contractor who holds the prime construction contract and is responsible for delivering the whole project: trades, means and methods, and completed work.

Roles & authoritiesGeotechnical engineerThe engineer who evaluates soil and subsurface conditions and sets the requirements for foundations, earthwork and site preparation.

Field & trade termsGroutA flowable cementitious or resin mix used to fill voids, bed plates and cells, or pack the joints between tile or masonry units.

Inspection processHold pointA stop in the inspection and test plan where work cannot continue until a required party inspects and signs off the release.

Documents & recordsHold tagA physical tag placed on material or work to stop it being used or covered until a quality question is resolved.

Field & trade termsHoliday testAn electrical test that finds pinholes, thin spots and gaps (holidays) in a protective coating or membrane that the eye would miss.

Field & trade termsHoneycombVoids in hardened concrete where the mortar did not fill around the coarse aggregate, leaving a rough, porous surface with stones showing.

Inspection processHydrostatic testA test that fills a pipe or vessel with water and pressurizes it to prove it holds without leaking before it is put in service or covered.

Inspection processIn-process inspectionInspection carried out while the work is being installed, not after: catching problems while they can still be corrected easily.

Inspection processInitial phase inspectionThe second phase of control: inspecting the first representative portion of a feature to set the workmanship standard for the rest.

Documents & recordsInspection and test plan (ITP)A document that lays out, activity by activity, what gets inspected or tested, who does it, against which standard, and what record it produces.

Documents & recordsInspection reportThe dated record of a specific inspection: what was checked, against which criteria, what passed or failed, and the evidence behind it.

Roles & authoritiesInspector of record (IOR)A project inspector assigned to continuously observe construction on certain projects, reporting to the building official and the design professionals.

Quality conceptsLessons learnedThe captured record of what went right and wrong on a job so the next crew doesn't relearn it the hard way.

Turnover & closeoutLien waiverA signed document in which a contractor or supplier gives up mechanic's lien rights in exchange for payment.

Roles & authoritiesMaterials testing laboratoryA laboratory that tests construction materials (concrete, soils, steel, asphalt) to confirm they meet the specified properties.

Quality conceptsMeans and methodsThe contractor's own choices of technique, sequence and equipment to build the work: the how, which the design usually leaves to the builder.

Documents & recordsMeeting minutesThe dated written record of what was discussed, decided and assigned in a project meeting, distributed for correction and used as the running action log.

Field & trade termsMEP (mechanical, electrical, plumbing)The mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades: the systems run through a building's structure that get inspected at rough-in and again at final.

Field & trade termsMEP coordinationThe process of laying out mechanical, electrical, plumbing and fire-protection systems together so their routes fit the available space without clashing.

Roles & authoritiesMEP engineerThe engineer responsible for the mechanical, electrical and plumbing design and its coordination with the rest of the building.

Documents & recordsMill certificateThe manufacturer's certified record of a metal product's chemistry and mechanical properties, tying a delivered lot to a tested heat.

Inspection processMock-upA full-scale sample of an assembly, built and approved before production, that becomes the workmanship standard the real work is judged against.

Inspection processNon-destructive testing (NDT)Testing that checks the soundness of installed work without cutting, breaking or otherwise damaging it.

Quality conceptsNonconformanceInstalled work that does not meet the drawings, spec or accepted submittal, formally identified so it gets dispositioned, not ignored.

Documents & recordsNonconformance report (NCR)A formal record raised when installed work does not meet the drawings, specs or an accepted standard, and the plan to resolve it.

Quality conceptsObjective quality evidenceRecorded, verifiable proof that work met its requirement: a measurement, test result or timestamped photo, not an assurance.

Documents & recordsOperation and maintenance (O&M) manualThe compiled package that tells the owner how to run and maintain the installed systems: equipment data, warranties, parts and service intervals.

Turnover & closeoutOwner trainingThe sessions where the contractor and vendors teach the owner's staff to operate and maintain the installed systems.

Roles & authoritiesOwner's representativeThe person who acts for the owner on site, protecting the owner's interests in scope, quality, schedule and cost.

Field & trade termsPenetrationAny point where a pipe, conduit, duct or cable passes through a wall, floor or roof, leaving a hole that has to be sealed back to match the assembly it crosses.

Documents & recordsPhoto documentationDated, located photographs of conditions and work (especially before they're concealed) kept as the visual record behind inspections and closeout.

Field & trade termsPlumb, level and squareThe three basic geometry checks (truly vertical, truly horizontal, and corners at true right angles) that everything downstream depends on.

Inspection processPre-cover inspectionThe last inspection of an assembly before it is concealed by drywall, insulation, backfill, or a slab pour that hides the work underneath.

Inspection processPre-installation meetingA coordination meeting before a scope starts, aligning the installing trade, related trades, and QC on submittals, conditions, and sequence.

Inspection processPreparatory phase inspectionThe first of the three phases of control: a before-work review of submittals, materials, and criteria for a definable feature of work.

Documents & recordsProduct data submittalManufacturer catalog data, cut sheets and specifications submitted to prove a proposed product meets what the specification requires.

Turnover & closeoutProject closeoutThe end-of-project phase that finishes the work, assembles the records, and settles the contract to formally close the job.

Roles & authoritiesProject engineerThe contractor's engineer who manages submittals, RFIs, schedule detail and technical coordination between the field and the office.

Field & trade termsPull testA field load test that applies a specified tension to an installed anchor or fastener to confirm it holds without failing or pulling out.

Quality conceptsPunch itemA single outstanding deficiency on the punch list: one specific thing to fix, located and tracked to closure before turnover.

Documents & recordsPunch listThe running list of incomplete or defective work a contractor has to fix before an area is accepted and closed out.

Turnover & closeoutPunch list completionDriving every item on the punch list to closed and verified, so nothing remains before final completion.

Documents & recordsPunch reportThe generated summary of a punch list (items by location, trade and status) used to drive fixes and prove closeout to the owner.

Inspection processPunch walkA walk-through of completed work where the team tags every remaining defect and incomplete item onto the punch list.

Quality conceptsQuality assurance (QA)The planned system of procedures, plans and checkpoints set up before work starts so the right result is built the first time.

Quality conceptsQuality auditA structured check that the quality system is being followed and the records back it up: auditing the process, not re-inspecting the work.

Quality conceptsQuality control (QC)The hands-on inspection and testing of installed work against the spec: checking the actual product, not the process that made it.

Roles & authoritiesQuality control managerThe person responsible for running the project's quality control program: inspections, hold points and the records that prove them.

Documents & recordsQuality control planThe project-specific document that defines how a contractor will control quality: who inspects what, to which standards, and how it's recorded.

Quality conceptsQuality escapeA defect that slips past the point where it should have been caught and is only found later, once it is far more costly to fix.

Inspection processRe-inspectionA repeat of an inspection after a failed result, run once the flagged work has been corrected and is ready to be checked again.

Inspection processReceiving inspectionThe check of materials and equipment when they arrive on site, confirming what showed up matches what was approved before it gets installed.

Turnover & closeoutRecord documentsThe maintained set of drawings, specs, and submittals marked up to reflect how the project was actually built.

Documents & recordsRecord drawingsThe final drawing set updated to show what was actually built, including field changes, prepared for the owner at closeout.

Documents & recordsRedline drawingsConstruction drawings marked up by hand in the field to record every change from the plans as work is installed, forming the raw source for the as-builts.

Field & trade termsReinforcement (rebar)The steel bar and mesh cast into concrete to carry the tension the concrete can't, placed to a drawing before the pour buries it.

Documents & recordsRequest for information (RFI)A formal written question from the contractor to the design team when the drawings or specs are unclear, conflicting or incomplete.

Turnover & closeoutRetainageA portion of each payment the owner withholds until the work is complete and accepted, as leverage to finish.

Quality conceptsReworkTearing out and redoing work that failed inspection so it meets the spec: the costly disposition everyone is trying to avoid.

Quality conceptsRight first timeBuilding work correctly on the first attempt so it passes inspection with no rework: the goal the whole quality system serves.

Quality conceptsRoot cause analysisWorking back from a defect to the real reason it happened, so the fix stops it recurring instead of just cleaning it up once.

Field & trade termsRough openingThe framed hole left for a window or door, sized a bit oversize so the unit can be set, shimmed plumb and square, and flashed.

Inspection processRough-in inspectionVerification of concealed MEP work (piping, wiring, and ductwork in the framing) before insulation and finishes cover it.

Roles & authoritiesSafety officerThe person responsible for site safety (hazard identification, safe work practices and safety inspections), separate from quality but sharing the same job conditions.

Documents & recordsSample submittalA physical sample of a proposed material, finish or color submitted for the design team to approve before the real material is ordered.

Documents & recordsSchedule of valuesThe breakdown of the contract sum into line items of work, used to measure progress and support each payment application.

Field & trade termsSealant jointA joint filled with elastic sealant to keep water and air out while still flexing as the two sides move apart and together.

Field & trade termsSheathingThe structural panel skin over studs, rafters or joists that braces the frame and gives cladding, roofing and the barrier a base to attach to.

Documents & recordsShop drawingA fabricator's or installer's detailed drawing showing exactly how a component will be made and installed, submitted for review before fabrication.

Inspection processSignoffA named party's recorded approval that a step, inspection, or feature meets its criteria and the work is released to proceed.

Inspection processSite acceptance test (SAT)A test that re-proves equipment performs to spec after it is installed and connected on site, following the earlier factory acceptance test.

Field & trade termsSlumpA measure of fresh concrete's consistency (how far a molded cone of concrete sags when the cone is lifted), used to check the mix at delivery.

Inspection processSlump testA field test of fresh concrete's consistency, measuring how far a molded cone of concrete slumps to confirm it meets the mix's water content.

Inspection processSource inspectionInspection of material or equipment at the fabricator's or supplier's shop before it ships, rather than waiting for it to arrive on site.

Field & trade termsSpallingConcrete or masonry breaking, flaking or chipping off the surface, often driven by corroding reinforcement, freeze-thaw or poor placement.

Turnover & closeoutSpare partsSpecified replacement components handed to the owner at closeout so maintenance can service equipment without hunting down parts.

Roles & authoritiesSpecial inspectorA qualified inspector who verifies specific high-risk work (welds, bolting, concrete, anchors) beyond the routine building inspection.

Quality conceptsSpecificationsThe written requirements for materials, products and workmanship: the text half of the contract documents the drawings can't carry.

Roles & authoritiesStructural engineer of recordThe licensed engineer responsible for the building's structural design, whose details and criteria govern how the structure is inspected and accepted.

Roles & authoritiesSubcontractorA specialty contractor hired under the general contractor to perform a defined scope of work, such as electrical, plumbing or drywall.

Documents & recordsSubmittalThe product data, shop drawings or samples a contractor sends for review to confirm what will be installed matches the spec before it's ordered.

Documents & recordsSubmittal registerThe master log that tracks every required submittal, its review status and its due date across the whole job.

Turnover & closeoutSubstantial completionThe milestone where the work is usable for its intended purpose, even with minor punch items still open.

Roles & authoritiesSuperintendentThe contractor's field leader who runs the site day to day: sequencing crews, scheduling inspections and holding the work to standard.

Inspection processSurveillance inspectionAn unannounced or periodic check of work while it is being performed, verifying the crew is following the approved process, not just the result.

Turnover & closeoutSystems manualA consolidated operations reference that ties the building's systems, their sequences, and their O&M and commissioning records together.

Turnover & closeoutTemporary certificate of occupancy (TCO)A time-limited AHJ approval to occupy a building, or part of it, while specific remaining items are finished.

Documents & recordsTest reportThe documented result of a test run on installed work or material, recording what was tested, how, and whether it met the criteria.

Roles & authoritiesTesting and inspection agencyAn independent firm retained to test materials and inspect specific work, often to carry out a special inspection program.

Field & trade termsThermal bridgeA path of high heat conductivity through the building envelope (a stud, slab edge or metal member) that bypasses the insulation and lets heat short-circuit through.

Roles & authoritiesThird-party inspectionInspection performed by an independent agency retained for the project rather than by the installer or the building department.

Roles & authoritiesThreshold inspectorA qualified inspector assigned to continuously inspect structural work on larger or higher-risk buildings where a jurisdiction requires it.

Quality conceptsToleranceThe allowable amount a dimension or condition can vary from the target and still be acceptable: the plus-or-minus on a spec.

Quality conceptsTraceabilityBeing able to tie a piece of installed work back to the material, submittal, inspection and photo that stand behind it.

Documents & recordsTransmittalA cover record that formally logs what documents were sent, by whom, to whom and on what date: the receipt for a document handoff.

Turnover & closeoutTurnover packageThe set of documents and records handed to the owner or operator so they can run and maintain the completed building.

Field & trade termsUnderlaymentThe layer between structure and finish (under roofing, flooring or tile) that adds water resistance, a smooth base or the right bond surface.

Quality conceptsValidationConfirming the finished work actually performs its intended function: checking you built the right thing, not just built it to spec.

Field & trade termsVapor barrierA sheet material that limits how much water vapor diffuses through an assembly, placed to keep condensation from forming inside the wall or floor.

Quality conceptsVerificationConfirming that installed work matches the drawings and spec: checking you built the thing right against a stated requirement.

Quality conceptsVerification and validationTwo paired checks: did we build it to the requirement, and does what we built actually do the job it was for.

Inspection processVisual inspectionJudging work by direct observation against the drawings and standard: the first and most common check on any job.

Documents & recordsWarranty (construction)A written guarantee from a contractor or manufacturer to repair or replace defective work or product within a defined period after completion.

Turnover & closeoutWarranty periodThe defined span after completion during which the contractor is responsible for correcting defects in the work at no cost to the owner.

Turnover & closeoutWarranty walk (11-month)A walkthrough late in a one-year warranty period to catch defects while the contractor is still obligated to fix them.

Field & trade termsWaterstopA strip embedded across a concrete joint that blocks water from passing through the joint: the built-in seal at construction and expansion joints below grade.

Field & trade termsWeep holeA small opening left at the base of a cavity wall or window so water that gets behind the face has a path back out.

Inspection processWitness pointA step where a party is invited to observe the work, but the crew may proceed if that party doesn't attend within the agreed notice.

Quality conceptsWorkmanshipThe care and skill visible in how work is installed: the standard of finish a spec expects even where no number is called out.

Quality conceptsWorkmanship standardThe agreed level of finish and craft installed work has to reach where the spec sets a target but no exact tolerance.

The QA/QC terms that show up on every job

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The QA/QC terms that show up on every job

All terms

Put the vocabulary to work.