Quality Assurance
Our Systems & Approach
MV Kelly are one of our most highly regarded groundworkers who have demonstrated their commitment to quality assurance and assisted us in developing processes and procedures which are worker friendly but really contribute towards the delivery of quality.
Start Well
We believe that a quality job starts with a quality and value-reviewed design. To that end, we have a dedicated team that review Engineering drawings from a practical and cost effective point of view to ensure that what looks feasible on paper is buildable and maintainable at a fair price. We encourage constructive review meetings ahead of any site start to ensure that our clients are getting the right quality and value design.
The Right Team
A specialist, professional quality team who advise, train, score and ultimately instruct the rectification of work during their visits. We view this process as one of education, gradual improvement, and sustainability. We want to develop a skilled and conscientious workforce that has the ability to adapt to the ever-changing expectations and requirements of the industry. Our site supervisors are required and trained to check their own teams and sub-contractors work to complement the independent inspections.
End Well
We strive to provide works at completion that both developers and residents can trust is to the highest standard, compliant with all regulatory authorities, with a 'Right First Time' approach. Consistent Quality Assurance throughout the build process and supply chain helps to ensure that we hand over a finished product we are proud of and that our Clients and Residents can count on.
Our Program
We are fully committed to Quality Assurance, consistently investing year on year to maintain our reputation by ensuring we have the finest systems and personnel.
The NHBC estimates that correcting defective or incorrect works accounts for 21% of project costs, 20% of site waste and 30% of accidents across the Industry.
Additionally, 72% of new build homes have some form of defect from occupation.
Around 100 Infrastructure and 100 Civils/Groundworks Inspections are carried out per calendar month.
Each Inspection covers around 50+ items ranging across the specific requirements of the site.
Bespoke software
We use a bespoke software package developed alongside our Internal Quality teams and used throughout the company.
There has been substantial investment in developing and implementing the system, which is constantly evolving with the challenges that the sector faces.
It provides continuous improvement at every stage of build. All data and evidence from the software is stored and filed for company records and used to analyse and advance Quality throughout the process.
The results
The results from this process have seen our infrastructure defects reduce by more than 75% and our customer care defects reduce year on year despite our continued growth.
We believe that savings on defects substantially outweigh the costs; and the reputational, safety, and environmental benefits (right first time) have made this implementation a vast success.
Each year we lay around 500,000 paving slabs, construct 750,000 metres of drainage pipework, put down 8,500 private house drives and build 50 miles of full road construction.
In 2022/3 we received just one customer care job for each £112,000 of work we completed.
We strive to improve this and make the response as quick and efficient as is reasonably practical. One issue with a customer is one too many and to that end we always welcome constructive feedback to our Head of Customer Care or our Regional Directors.
Customer care
Our dedicated In-House Customer Care Teams are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, striving to ensure our clients always receive the best possible levels of service.
Whilst our Quality processes catch many larger defects, there remain issues that unfortunately end up with our dedicated team.
Our superb team always has a designated out-of-hours internal response member available (not a call centre) that handles calls and arranges for urgent issues to be rectified immediately.
Our Quality process is constantly monitored and updated based on Customer Care statistics and findings. We react to issues and ensure that the Quality System helps to reduce the risk of any future recurrence.
Security for our clients
Plan for the unexpected.
At MV Kelly we take our commitment to finishing our jobs very seriously.
Increased market pressures, rising inflation rates, job delays, and supply chain issues can all affect our ability to complete jobs within budget.
With this in mind our Quality Teams were developed to combat the issues at hand and any future issues that may arise, to ensure sites are handed over to the highest possible standard.
Our unique approach in this area ensures there are always funds available to make sure any work that needs undertaking will get the necessary backing required.
The 6 Quality Steps We Undertake Post-Contract Award
Step One
Initial discussions take place during internal pre-start meetings with site teams around the projects design, complexity and Technical considerations alongside training and education in the build.
Step Two
First site inspections ensure the quality of materials, workmanship and independent testing specifications are understood and undertaken. This includes further training and education of specific requirements of the project.
Step Three
Continuous visits at consistent intervals ensure the build quality is to the high standards expected. We remove defective work identified, raise snagging issues and halt future work if the quality does not meet the standard we strive for. We would rather miss a deadline than hand over substandard work.
Step Four
Post staged build inspections are carried out to ensure that, before handover any issues raised through Quality Inspections are closed out and rectified, materials placed correctly and nothing has been compromised in the process. Our Quality Maintenance system is utilised to ensure all as-built information data is recorded.
Step Five
Prior to final stage completion we re-check our work alongside various authorities. Any defects or issues are rectified, and works are signed off for completion.
Step Six
Post completion we collate final as-builts and Quality assurance documents to handover to our Client to review and run through any operational or maintenance queries.
Our Quality Assurance System
With a huge investment behind it, and constant evaluation of its efficiency, our Quality Assurance system has seen our infrastructure defects reduce by more than 75% and customer care calls drop year on year.