In capital construction projects, a punch list (occasionally referred to as a snag list) defines the inspection process necessary to compile a list of minor defects or omissions in building works for the contractor to rectify. The faults identified in the snag list should be remedied before issuing the certificate of practical completion by the project owner. For projects that are using BIM models, associating punch lists with the room locations where the defective items had been identified provides project stakeholders with a quick and easy to understand solution to monitor, evaluate, report, and visualize the status of things that need to be rectified.
Using a Project Management Information System (PMIS) like PMWeb, which has the punch list module and the BIM model created in Autodesk Revit and MS Power BI, will provide the platform to monitor, evaluate, report, and visualize the status of punch lists. This solution will also need the 3DBI visual developed by KG-DEV called 3DBI (https://kg-dev.be/) will be used to display the BIM model in MS Power BI.
The punch list status reporting will be based on the location of the identified defective items. To achieve this, a separate punch list will be created for each room, for which the punch list will include a field for the BIM ID that identifies the rooms as per the BIM model. The standard BIM ID will be the basis for associating the PMWeb punch list information with the Revit BIM model. The Punch List Status Report will include a table to provide the details of all defective items identified in the punch lists. The report will also include graphical visuals to summarize the specified defective items by room type, status, floor or level, the vendor responsible for rectifying the defective item, category, and reported by who.
To ensure the trustworthiness and validity of the reported defective items, the PMWeb punch list module will create a unique punch list for each room. The punch list will include the data fields for BIM, responsible for reporting defective items in the room, room type, floor, or level it is located at, and defining the punch list better. Also, the punch list allows capturing all details for each identified defective item. The information includes a description of the defective item, assigned to, when it was determined, by whom it was placed, when it needs to be completed, days due, date completed, amount of funds to be withheld, and against which vendor, status, notes among others. PMWeb allows defined ten additional data fields to describe better the identified defect, including cost breakdown structure (CBS), category, criticality, and priority.
PMWeb punch list module can be accessed from any browser running on any device, including iPad, among other mobile devices. The punch list form layout will be automatically adjusted to reflect the used smart device’s screen size. Using those mobile devices that usually have the option of “Speech to Text,” the user can state the description of a snag list item, which will be typed in automatically in PMWeb.
All documents and pictures relevant to each reported defective item need to be attached to the punch list item. When using a mobile device with a built-in camera like an iPad, when the user clicks on the attach button, the user will be given the option to take a picture or video. PMWeb provides the opportunity to display the attached photos on the punch list form. It is highly recommended to upload and store all documents, pictures, and videos into their assigned folder or subfolder on the PMWeb document management repository.
Also, PMWeb viewer can be used to add comments and remarks to those documents when needed. The project team can append the attachment list with other documents as well as link other PMWeb records and imported email communications.
Should there be a need to share the punch list with other project team members, the notification option can be used to share the punch list with those individuals who could be PMWeb or non-PMWeb users. The notification can be attached with the documents, pictures, and videos attached to the punch list and other forms or reports created for the punch list module. Each issued notification will be automatically registered on the notification tab for the relevant punch list.
To ensure that each room’s punch list is formally reviewed and approved before it is considered a closed punch list, a workflow will be assigned to the punch list module. The workflow will map the review and approval tasks and the responsible individual for performing the task, the time allotted to complete the job, and available actions to be taken. The workflow could include conditions to enforce the required approval authority levels. When the punch list is submitted for review and approval, PMWeb will capture the actual dates for performing those tasks and comments made by each reviewer.
This information would become available for the project stakeholders to monitor, evaluate, report, and visualize using the BIM-enabled punch list report. The interactive report will automatically adjust the BIM model to display the selected room type or any other value. Also, the data in all graphical visuals will be automatically adjusted to reflect the selection. The same will also apply to the punch list table to display the specific defective items included in the selection.
