To stand out in the architectural woodworking industry, you need to assure clients that you deliver the highest standards of quality and reliability. There’s no better way to do this than with architectural woodworking certification.
What is architectural woodworking certification?
Getting your woodworking project certified proves that your firm complies with industry standards and best practices. While it’s true that these aren’t enforceable by law, compliance demonstrates your expertise and your commitment to providing an exceptional final product.
Certifications are usually issued by an accreditation organization that acts as a regulator.
What are the benefits of woodworking certification?
In short, woodworking certification provides concrete evidence for architects, drafters, woodworkers, and general contractors that a project will be a resounding success. This is beneficial to both you and your client, and lays the foundations for long-term business partnerships.
Woodworking certification ensures this outcome through a series of valuable benefits:
- Quality assurance – certification acts as a seal of approval confirming that both the quality of materials and levels of craftsmanship have been carefully inspected. Since this inspection is provided by a third-part source, clients can be confident that the results are accurate and unbiased.
- Competitive advantage – since prospective clients receive an assurance of quality before the project even begins, they’re more likely to accept your bid. This helps you earn a steady workflow of new and repeat clients, and builds a powerful industry reputation.
- Clear documentation – standardizing all aspects and practices in an architectural woodworking project is a key part of certification. This documentation ensures that all parties understand what’s expected, and that you can work towards these goals without disagreement or obstruction. Clear documentation is vital for planning and securing the government permits required for implementing large-scale projects.
- Streamlined communication – as an architect, it’s much simpler to communicate clearly defined project specifications when working on a certified project. Since the certification requires adherence to very specific standards, there’s no room for doubt or confusion in how the final product should be presented. This saves a great deal of time, and makes it easier for a project to meet its deadline.
- Precise budgeting – the objective standards of woodworking certification allow for optimal and precise budgeting. Since the client can specify the project based on the materials and construction methods required, all parties can confidently budget with the same expectations in mind. That means that project costs are much less likely to overshoot, and general contractors won’t be able to bill excessively.
What is QCP?
There are many accreditation organizations for the woodworking industry. But the Architectural Woodworking Institute’s Quality Certification Program (AWI-QCP) is one of the original organizations to license architectural woodworking professionals.
QCP’s team of expert inspectors works as an extension of your firm to validate your interior architectural woodworking projects. By ensuring your products meet AWI/ANSI standards, your firm can demonstrate its commitment to quality and compliance, and win lucrative bids.
The AWI-QCP is endorsed by the American Subcontractors Association (ASA) and the Construction Specifications Institute (CSI). The certification operates on an annual cost basis, with discounted prices for AWI members.
How does QCP certification affect a project?
When a project lacks QCP in its specifications, there’s no standardization in the materials or techniques that must be used. So, there’s no guarantee of quality in the final product.
The true value of QCP certification shows during the bid stage of a project. Since QCP-licensed firms follow ANSI/AWI standards, clients know they can easily meet quality specifications.
A QCP inspector will evaluate your casework once 80% of it is complete. Checking your work against ANSI/AWI standards during construction ensures that non-conformities can be corrected before installation. This gives you the support you need to meet timelines and budget estimates with ease, and to become a trusted partner of architects and general contractors.
Register your project for QCP certification today.
