4.1 Project Management & Administration: Quality, Logistics, Schedules, Draws & Retainage

Quality Assurance and Quality Control

• Quality assurance (QA) is the system that prevents defects. It includes written specifications, manufacturer installation instructions on site, a pre-job meeting with the crew, trained installers, and correct materials delivered.
• Quality control (QC) is checking the work: deck inspection after tear-off, nail-placement spot checks, flashing inspections before shingles cover them, and a final punch-list walk.

A simple roofing QC checklist covers deck condition and fastening, ice barrier coverage past the exterior wall line, drip edge sequence, underlayment laps, nail line and count, valley method, step and counterflashing, ventilation openings, and cleanup. Document it with dated photos. The photos also help in a workmanship complaint, because the licensee must refute the evidence under MCL 339.2411(4)(b).

Materials and Logistics

• Order by the takeoff (Chapter 7) and check deliveries against the order: product line, color, and quantities.
• Stage and load safely. Under R 408.40810(7) (MIOSHA Part 8), while roofing work is performed, materials and equipment may not be stored within 6 feet of a roof edge unless guardrails are erected at the edge. Spread bundles over framing lines rather than stacking them in the middle of a rafter bay, and never overload the structure (MRC R908.2).
• Protect materials. Store rolls on end if the manufacturer requires, keep bundles flat and dry, and keep self-adhered membranes within their temperature limits.
• Plan debris handling. Position the dumpster, set up a chute or barricaded drop zone (Section 6.5), and arrange disposal of any lead or asbestos debris separately.

Cost Management

Compare actual costs with the estimate on every job. Track labor hours by task, material overages, disposal weights, and change orders. A job-cost report shows whether the job is on budget while there is still time to correct course. Each change order should adjust both the contract price and the job budget.

Subcontractors

Before a subcontractor starts:

1. Confirm whether the work needs its own license. An electrician for a PV disconnect needs one. A labor crew working solely for you does not need a builder license under MCL 339.2403(e).
2. Collect certificates of insurance for liability and workers' compensation. If an uninsured subcontractor's worker is hurt, you may be liable as the statutory employer (MCL 418.171; Section 5.1).
3. Use a written subcontract with scope, schedule, safety duties, and payment terms.
4. Pay against a sworn statement and lien waivers so that lower-tier liens do not reach the owner (Section 5.3).

Inspections

Schedule the building official's inspections the permit requires. Keep the permit on site (R105.7). Correct any failed items before covering the work. An inspection report can also support or defeat a workmanship complaint (MCL 339.2411(4)(c)).

Scheduling

• A bar (Gantt) chart shows each task on a timeline.
• The critical path method (CPM) links tasks in sequence. The critical path is the longest chain of dependent tasks, and any delay on it delays completion. Float is the time a noncritical task can slip without delaying completion.
• Weather drives roofing schedules. Plan tear-offs so the roof can be dried in the same day, and watch temperature limits for sealants and self-adhered membranes.

Example: The sequence is tear-off (1 day), deck repair (0.5 day), dry-in (0.5 day), shingles (2 days), flashing and ridge (1 day), and cleanup (0.5 day), in that order. That is 5.5 days, all on the critical path. Gutter replacement by a subcontractor (1 day), which can happen any time after shingles and before cleanup, has float.

Draws, Progress Payments, and Retainage

Retainage calculation: Contract price $40,000, work 60% complete, retainage 10%.

$\text{Earned} = 0.60 \times 40{,}000 = 24{,}000$

$\text{Payment due} = 24{,}000 \times (1 - 0.10) = 21{,}600$

The owner holds $2,400 in retainage. Under the Construction Lien Act, retainage that is not payable until a stated event occurs, beyond providing the improvement, is not due until that event (MCL 570.1115(5)).

Closeout and Customer Service

• Completion certificate. In an M&A contract, failing to give the lender the purchaser's signed completion certificate when the work is done is a ground for discipline (MCL 339.2411(2)(f)).
• Final documents: full unconditional lien waivers from you and your suppliers and subcontractors, manufacturer warranty registration, the workmanship warranty, and any inspection approvals.
• Communication: Tell the owner the schedule, what to expect during tear-off (noise, debris, driveway access), and how to reach you.
• Complaints: Respond quickly. If LARA forwards a complaint, you must reply within 15 days (R 338.1551). If a structural matter is materially deficient or dangerous, fix it. Refusing is presumed dishonest or unfair dealing (R 338.1551(4)).