If you’re a general contractor, architect, or design professional, you’ll have the certainty of providing your clients with high-quality, best-in-industry interior woodwork if you work with AWI-certified woodworking firms.
These are companies that hold one of AWI-QCP’s stringent quality assurance licenses, which are based on the best industrial practices in the woodworking industry.
Continue reading to discover how AWI certification differs from QCP licensing, why you should use QCP-licensed woodworking firms, and how to find them.
What is AWI Certification & How is it Different from QCP Licensing?
AWI certification is a term popularly used amongst construction professionals when what they’re really referring to is QCP licensing. The two terms are used interchangeably, but QCP licensing is the “correct” term, and it’s the one we use at AWI-QCP.
To clear up this confusion, here’s an explanation of how it all works.
AWI is the parent company of QCP. AWI produces the AWI Standards, a set of woodworking standards that ensure firms adhere to best practices, and QCP licenses the firms that use these Standards. QCP also inspects individual woodworking projects by firms that are QCP-licensed. The approval of an individual woodworking project is called QCP certification (more on this below).
A woodworking company that holds a QCP license is an indication that it conforms with the AWI woodworking standards. AWI certification is simply a catch-all phrase that has come to mean that a project or a company is compliant with the recognized standards that are included in the QCP.
QCP Licenses
The Quality Certification Program, or QCP for short, offers thirty-five categories of licenses for firms that are interested in adhering to best practice, setting themselves apart from their competitors, and offering their clients the highest quality woodwork.
A firm can get licenses in the following categories:
- Only fabrication, finishing, and installation sections are available for licensing
- Fabrication
- Installation
- Finishing
A woodworking company that has a QCP license complies with the best practices in the industry and can get their projects QCP-certified. Each license is specific to a section in the standards. A project can only be certified if the woodworking firm holds the specific license.
Licensing is closely related to project certification. While a woodworking firm can be QCP licensed, a woodworking project is QCP certified. The difference is that a firm has to apply for QCP licensing and pass all the required tests and inspections in order to obtain a license, whereas QCP certification is only given once a specific project has been inspected and proven to adhere to the standards.
Why Should I Choose a QCP-Licensed Woodworking Firm?
As a general contractor or an architect, you need reliable woodworking firms that will not only deliver the products and services that you need but will also do this in a high-quality way. QCP-licensed woodworking firms automatically tick these boxes by complying with the standards set out by AWI, giving you peace of mind that your project is being carried out according to the best industry practices.
Choosing QCP-licensed woodworking firms for your projects will help you achieve the following:
- Ensure that documentation is clear and communicated well based on the standards and specifications
- Facilitate better teamwork and communication, resulting in excellent work output and reducing the chance of errors
- Quality assurance based on the inspections of AWI-QCP experts, who will check the compliance of work
- Access to and the use of higher quality materials in your woodworking project
How Do I Find QCP-Licensed Woodworking Firms Near Me?
Not all woodworking firms are QCP-licensed, but the ones that are can now be found almost everywhere in North America. Aside from asking around and getting referrals from your network of professional contacts, the easiest way to find an AWI-certified company or QCP-licensed firms is to simply use the online search option on the AWI-QCP website.
Do a quick search by filling out the online form on the link below. All you have to do is enter the country, ZIP code, radius for your location, click the submit button, and that’s it! You can also use the filters to narrow down your search.
Find your nearest QCP-licensed woodworking firm.
