Independent quality control during an ongoing construction, refurbishment or fit-out on behalf of the owner, selective and tied to the specific instruction. At agreed points I check the quality of the work, above all where it will later be hidden: waterproofing before tiling, services before closing up, substrates before coating. With photographic documentation. This is quality control only: no responsibility for overseeing or managing the works is taken on, because that is a separately licensed activity in Dubai.
Who this is for
- You are renovating a bathroom or kitchen and want the waterproofing checked before the tiles go on.
- A villa fit-out is under way, and you are abroad for much of the time.
- Pipes and services are being installed, and the walls and ceilings will soon be closed.
- A terrace, balcony or roof is being renewed, with junctions at thresholds, parapets and drains.
- Developers, building managers and fit-out companies who want an independent check before components are covered.
What I check
- Quality checks at agreed points during the works, as instructed
- Waterproofing before tiling
- Pipework and services before walls and ceilings close
- Substrates before coating
- Photo documentation of each check
- Quality control only: no oversight or site management responsibility
What I typically find
- Waterproofing that is not taken far enough up the wall or is not closed at corners and penetrations.
- Floor falls in showers and on terraces that lead water away from the drain instead of towards it.
- Junctions at door thresholds, parapets and material transitions left without proper detailing.
- Pipes and condensate lines routed without fall or without insulation, which later causes condensation in the ceiling.
- Missing movement joints where different materials meet.
- Substrates that are still damp, dusty or uneven when the coating is applied.
- Damaged or substandard material that would disappear behind the finish.
How it works
- 01Agreeing the checkpoints
Before the works begin we agree which stages are checked, typically waterproofing, services and substrates before they are covered.
- 02Coordinating dates
The contractor reports when a stage is ready, so that the check takes place before the next layer goes on. Scheduling remains with the contractor.
- 03Check on site
At each agreed point I check the quality of the work, with measurement where it helps, for example moisture in the substrate or the falls.
- 04Documentation
Each check is photographed, located and recorded with its date, including what was found to be in order.
- 05Findings to the owner
Deviations go to you as the owner, so that they can be raised with the contractor before the next stage.
- 06Second check where needed
On request I check again once a deviation has been rectified.
The cheapest moment for a check
Once the tiles are on, the waterproofing is out of sight. Once the ceiling is closed, nobody sees how the condensate line was routed. Every later check then means opening up, and every defect found late means breaking out finished work. That is why construction-phase quality control concentrates on the points that will later be hidden.
Dubai is demanding for buildings. Extreme heat, thermal expansion, constant AC use and occasional heavy rain expose weak workmanship surprisingly fast. In my inspections after the heavy rain of March 2026, some comparatively new villas showed more pronounced findings than older buildings with documented maintenance. Quality assurance during construction is one of the factors that decides this.
Junctions, transitions, penetrations
Waterproofing rarely fails in the middle of a surface. It fails at the junctions: between floor and wall, at door thresholds, at parapets, where pipes pass through and where different materials meet. In dry weather these areas look unremarkable. Whether they work reliably can be checked well before tiling, and only poorly afterwards.
The same applies to movement. Many components face their first Dubai summer straight after completion. Where movement joints or material transitions were not adequately considered, thermal expansion can lead to cracks or detachment. Such details are far easier to correct on the open construction than on the finished surface.
Quality control, not site management
I check the quality of the work at agreed points on behalf of the owner. I do not take on responsibility for overseeing or managing the works, because in Dubai that is a separately licensed activity. Site management, scheduling and coordination of the trades remain with the contractor. This clear division is part of what keeps the check independent.
For the same reason I do not check projects carried out by True Novaleix. An inspector does not inspect his own site.
Why it matters
Once the tiles are on, the waterproofing is out of sight. This is the only moment it can still be checked cheaply.
What this inspection is not
- Quality control only: no site management, no scheduling, no coordination of the trades and no responsibility for overseeing the works, which is a separately licensed activity.
- Checks take place at the agreed points. What is covered between checks without notice cannot be assessed.
- No construction work and no recommendation of a contractor. Projects carried out by True Novaleix are not checked.