At QCP we get a lot of questions from woodworking firms, architects, and construction professionals about how project certification, licensing, and QCP fees work. Here, we aim to answer the top ten most frequently asked questions.
If you have a question, ask us here and we’ll do our best to answer it!
Questions About QCP Costs
1. Is there a cost to register a project? WATCH NOW
There is no cost to register a project, and anybody can do it. The architect can do it – they can actually register the project and put the project number in their specification, that’s the ideal situation. The woodworker can register it. The general contractor or even the owner can register a project. At the time of registration, we ask for the project name, the city and state, and the architectural firm involved in the project. At a later date when certificates or labels are ordered for the project, there is a fee paid by the woodworker for those labels and certificates.
2. How much is the project certification fee? WATCH NOW
Project label fees are one-half percent of the total woodwork contract amount or $500, whichever is greater. Recently the board of directors capped label fees at $10,000 which means fees cannot exceed $10,000 in total for a project. There is also the application fee to become licensed, and there is a renewal fee to maintain your license which is assessed annually.
3. What does the project certification fee cover? WATCH NOW
The project certification fee covers the review of shop drawings for the woodworker and typically two inspections, one of which takes place during fabrication and one during installation. There can be additional inspections which can sometimes be conducted by video. The decision to make additional inspections is left to the discretion of the inspector.
4. Are there any additional project fees other than the certification fee? WATCH NOW
Yes, there potentially can be. If we identify non-conformances on a project and it requires re-inspection or verification of correction, then there can be additional fees associated with that project. In many cases, we can do that verification by looking at pictures or by video. If an inspector needs to revisit the project, it could be more expensive.
5. How much does it cost if I add more sections to my license at a later date? WATCH NOW
It can be challenging to add more sections to your license at a later date because QCP requires that samples for additional sections are compliant with the AWI Standards. A lot of woodworking firms want to use the project they’re working on as a sample, and this can be risky if the work on that project doesn’t conform to the AWI Standards. It may require additional inspections or additional visits to complete it successfully. Adding additional sections to your license could result in additional costs of around $150 to $300.
Questions About Licensing and Inspections
6. How long does it take to get QCP licensing? WATCH NOW
We have seen woodworking firms achieve QCP licensing in as little as 30 days. However, most firms take around three months to complete the process and some firms take a bit longer than that. You have up to 12 months to complete the whole process from beginning to become licensed.
7. Can I certify projects without going through the licensing process? WATCH NOW
No. Only licensed woodworking firms in the Quality Certification Program can issue labels or certificates of compliance. You cannot certify projects without going through the licensing process.
8. If the QCP staff liaison at my woodworking firm changes in the future from me to someone else, do they have to retake the test? WATCH NOW
Yes. If your QCP liaison changes, someone in your woodworking firm is required to retake the test. The program’s policies test, as well as the standards test, require a passing grade of 85%. If the staff QCP liaison changes in your firm, they would be required to retake both tests. Both tests are taken online so you can stop and start as much as you need to in order to complete the test.
9. During an inspection process, what happens if my project has a non-conformance and costs me money? WATCH NOW
If there is going to be a change, what we call a modification, and that modification is documented and agreed before the commencement of the project by the owner or the owner’s representative, QCP will accept that and there will be no issue. It’s really only when non-conformances are identified after they have been installed that there is an issue and all parties involved – the woodworker, architect, and owner – need to work out their resolution. Generally the project owner would want the woodworking firm to fix any non-conformances. However, if the architect and owner agreed to accept the work as it is installed, then it would result in a modified certificate for the project. It also would necessitate an additional inspection, called an extended provisional project. This means that the next project the woodworking firms undertakes that has work in the same section of the AWI Standards as the non-conformance would also need to be inspected, and it would be at the expense of the woodworker.
And finally…
10. Is AWI membership the same as QCP licensing or certification? WATCH NOW
No, they’re not. The Architectural Woodwork Institute (AWI) is about education, industry standards, and creating networking opportunities for their members. You also have to pay annual dues. QCP is about verification, testing, and compliance with project contract documents. That’s the value of QCP. It’s very different from AWI, and they complement each other very well.
While there are many benefits of being an AWI member, QCP involves a lot more than AWI membership. There’s a licensing application process, submitting references, the plant inspection, sample inspection, and first two project inspections. There’s simply more involved for a woodworking firm in becoming QCP licensed than in being an AWI member.
Hopefully that has answered some of your questions, but if you have more please contact us and we’ll make sure we answer them.
