Check and confirm geotechnical reports that are supplied to you in a contract.

The client may supply reports that are old or inaccurate.

Specify in the contract that you are relying on the accuracy of their reports. If that is not acceptable, budget for new testing and reports.

Tagged with: geotech • report

Filed under: Client • Contract • Testing

To overcome blind spots in your project, get other project managers (from outside that project) to review your project.

This should be done regularly as part of a scheduled process.

It should include giving that PM a summary of the project and showing them around the project (if a construction site). This is particularly important if you are new to that industry. They may spot problems that you have overlooked.

Tagged with: problems • review

Filed under: Testing

Check if “unsuitable” soil/fill is really contaminated. It might me that it was just wet or not compact-able. It may not be contaminated.

Avoid paying for removal of “contaminated” material unless it really is. Some people will assume “unsuitable” means “contaminated”, this may not be the case.

Unsuitable (not contaminated) could be used for sound barriers, or other non structural areas.

Tagged with: contaminated • fill • removal • soil • sound barrier • unsuitable

Filed under: Cost • Testing

Review test results before samples are destroyed.

It is too late to get them retested later if they have already been destroyed or disposed of.

It is best to review test reports as soon as they are received.

Test reports and results should include descriptions of test methods so that they can be compared to what is expected.

Tagged with: reports • samples • test method • tests

Filed under: Testing