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More than twenty newly built homes, finished with stone veneer. Seven years after completion, the facade is already in need of major repairs. Cost: 280,000 euros. For Jeroen Hendrikse, director of the maintenance consulting firm REGEON, this is exactly what the industry needs to learn from. “Many problems arise because knowledge, execution, and oversight are not sufficiently aligned.”
Hendrikse sees the consequences of substandard work in all sorts of parts of a project: from facades and window frames to roofs and gutters. Insulated facade systems also concern him. “Such a system forms the outer shell of a building. It’s not a structural component, but if parts come loose, it creates a hazard. As an installer, you must be KOMO/KIWA-certified, but anyone is allowed to install facades.” According to Hendrikse, this difference is out of proportion to the risks involved.
According to him, this presents a broad challenge for the maintenance sector. “There’s plenty of knowledge out there. The challenge lies in its application, ensuring it’s followed, and behavior on the construction site. That’s precisely where IBS Afbouw demonstrates in practice just how important craftsmanship and oversight are.” For this reason, in addition to project consulting and inspections, REGEON is also committed to knowledge transfer through the REGEON Academy. “The sector has a wealth of knowledge available, but all too often, that knowledge ends up in the wrong place. Executives and project managers hear the theory, while it’s actually the execution that makes the difference.”
Ever since building and housing inspections have effectively been phased out, the sector has relied on the Quality Assurance Act. For Hendrikse, it all comes down to one thing: you have to be able to prove your work. Anyone who measures the moisture content of a substrate knows in advance whether the bond has a chance of succeeding. Anyone who takes photos of what will soon be hidden from view can demonstrate afterward that everything was done correctly. “You’re really showing that the work was done right. You can only do that by making it measurable, as IBS Afbouw demonstrates in practice.” That approach works both ways. If something does go wrong, the measurements and reports indicate exactly where it went wrong. Hendrikse compares it to aviation, where every incident is thoroughly investigated to learn from it.
That same approach is reflected in the way REGEON and IBS Afbouw operate. Every project begins with a baseline assessment, during which inspectors search for evidence on-site. Hendrikse compares it to a detective at a crime scene. A wood moisture meter against the window frame, a joint gauge in a crack, a check of the airtightness of window frames, doors, and connections—these are facts.
