Quality & documentation
Quality assurance and photo documentation
Receiving, in-process and final inspection according to BR18 ch. 35
Quality assurance (QA) of load-bearing and building-envelope works is a statutory requirement under BR18 ch. 35 — it is the systematic inspection that ensures the structure has been built as designed and that faults are discovered before they are concealed behind cladding. The guide covers the three-phase model from DI Byggeri, what is inspected when, and why photos of concealed structures are your safeguard.
Understand that QA is a legal requirement
Quality assurance of load-bearing and building-envelope structures is a statutory requirement under BR18 ch. 35 — not just paperwork. The standard forms are published by DI Byggeri in «KS-håndbog for murer, tømrer og gulv», which also contains an inspection plan, organisation plan and document list.
Receiving inspection (form 2)
On delivery, check that the material matches the project: dimension and grade, CE marking and strength grading certificate (DS/EN 14081-1 is mandatory for structural timber) and moisture content (typically 12 % ± 3 % delivery moisture — measure with a moisture meter). Deviations are recorded in form 2, and the supplier is contacted.
ShapeDI Byggeri form 2Moisture content on delivery12 % ± 3 %CE requirementsDS/EN 14081-1Process control (form 3)
During the work, the critical points are checked continuously: joints and brackets, vapour barrier tightness and overlap (min. 100 mm), insulation thickness and placement, and anchors. Process control catches the faults while they are still accessible.
ShapeDI Byggeri form 3Vapour barrier overlapmin. 100 mmPhotograph concealed structures
Photograph everything that gets enclosed BEFORE cladding and plasterboard: frame and joists, vapour barrier joints and penetrations, insulation in walls and roof, brackets and anchors, and fire seals at penetrations. The photo is the proof that it has been built correctly.
If you cannot prove that you built it correctly, it is as if you did not do it.
Final inspection (form 9)
On completion, the finished work is checked against the drawings and agreement in form 9. The final check brings the documentation together and confirms that the delivery is complete and carried out as designed.
ShapeDI Byggeri form 9Know where the line is for the certified structural engineer
BR18 divides buildings into structural classes KK1–KK4. From KK2 upwards, documentation and third-party checking by a certified structural engineer are required. Most single-family houses are KK1–2. The carpenter builds from the approved drawings but should know when a structural engineer's opinion is required.
Archive the documentation
Collect and file QA forms, photos and any non-conformance reports so that the documentation can be handed over and retrieved. A complete QA folder is both a legal requirement and your protection if a dispute about the work arises later.
Source
Based on Discebo's carpentry article «Quality assurance (QA) — receiving, process and final inspection», DI Byggeri's «KS-håndbog for murer, tømrer og gulv» (forms 2/3/9) and BR18 ch. 35 and DS/EN 14081-1 (CE marking of structural timber).