Quality Control Program

The responsibility for quality control within JHAI rests on our Principal Architect, Jim Heimler. He is supported by our Project Architects and Project Managers. The heart of Quality Control is the quantity and high quality of our staff ’s experience. Specifically, in regards to this project, our successful completion of 1,900± projects and our experience working on all types of projects, including access compliance and modernization projects for the Los Angeles Unified School District using the DSA’s newest interpretation of code compliance for the past two years lends credence to our firm.

Part of quality control extends past our staff and is reliant on the quality and experience of our sub-consultants. We assemble a complete design team based on the specifics of each project from a field of consultants we have pre-qualified based on their experience, availability, insurance, and responsiveness. Everyone on the project team reviews the agreement so everyone knows what needs to be done to meet the project program. When we start a project, we use our Project Evaluation Chart, which helps us define our role on projects by comparing similar issues to our past projects. Then, we use our Plan of Action Chart. In conjunction with the Plan of Action Chart, we set up a Responsibilities Chart between Owner and members of the design team and we set up a schedule. We are specific regarding who is responsible for what and when their deadlines are. We track who performs which tasks and when (internal staff and consultants) on a daily basis. We have a separate template for assignments and this facilitates ease of tracking projects. As we start a project, we set up a filing system using ArchiOffice. The project is assigned a number and file folders to keep correspondence between the client and design team clear and organized. A file is also started for drawings, which are accessible to all members of the design team. An FTP site is established to distribute information to members of the design team and the client. We track progress with templates set up for client decisions, items sent/received, and specifications. We use extensive checklists from code requirements through specifications and shop drawings.

Our desire is to work with you to provide quality projects at the lowest construction and life cycle costs without sacrificing the projects’ quality, performance, reliability, and safety. For us, value engineering starts with the first meeting, including all consultants and stakeholders, discussing the direction the design needs to progress in. The first design decisions often have the most impact on schedule and costs. We start defining specifications early in the project to identify and analyze the proposed building features, systems, equipment, and materials to seek alternate design solutions to optimize their life cycle costs and sustainable/green design options. Sustainable features are integrated in each project from Day 1, with the basic design premise creating a quality design with less design changes, tighter sets of contract documents, and simpler bid and construction administration services. Our concept of design over time allows for planning of future stages of construction and allows for greater cost and program flexibility. Due to tight budgets, we believe providing alternates within the design provide more flexibility for planning and budget control. Tight coordination with our consultants and use of REVIT/BIM helps pin down conflicts with the drawings and help us integrate engineering systems, interpretive themes, and design elements throughout the project.

Having completed over 1,900 projects, we have had an extremely low amount of change orders and construction design issues. To keep this high level of service, our assurance procedures include “Best Practices” systems including coordinating with design disciplines and with our clients, complying with program requirements and conformance with Federal, State, and applicable code requirements. At each stage of our basic service, code requirements are re-checked with the governing agencies and each document is back-checked to all the others. We also have our consultants advise us if their systems do not fit or conflict with other design consultants’ work. REVIT/BIM assists our clients with building management during construction, commissioning and building maintenance life cycles. Jim’s process of involving clients, staff, consultants, communities, and government agencies in the initial stages of design have kept revisions and changes to an extreme minimum.