The billion-dollar problem: The true costs of construction defects
Mistakes on the construction site are expensive and unfortunately not uncommon. In Germany, the costs caused by construction defects amounted to around 16.5 billion euros in 2021. This corresponds to a share of over 11% of the total industry revenue. For your company, this means: Every undocumented or poorly documented defect directly reduces your profit. In almost 40% of cases, the costs for rectifying the defects range from 5,000 to 50,000 euros. These figures show that professional defect management is not a luxury, but an economic necessity. A comprehensive photo documentation on the construction site is the first step towards security. Without proper recording and tracking, remediation costs can skyrocket and jeopardize the profitability of entire projects.
Avoid legal pitfalls under VOB/B and BGB
The legal framework for defect claims is strict. Whether under VOB/B or BGB, thorough documentation is your best insurance. According to § 13 VOB/B, as a client, you are entitled to subsequent performance but must give the contractor a reasonable deadline. The warranty period for buildings is generally 4 years under VOB/B, and even 5 years under BGB. A written defect complaint is crucial to interrupt the limitation period and secure your claims. Without legally secure proof of the defect, the time of reporting, and the set deadline, you often find yourself empty-handed in the event of a dispute. A professional defect management app provides the necessary process security and protects you from costly legal disputes.
Why WhatsApp and Excel are not enough for defect tracking
Many teams try to organize defect tracking using simple tools like WhatsApp or Excel. However, these methods have serious drawbacks that quickly lead to problems in everyday construction. Information gets lost in unstructured chats, and clean project-specific assignment is hardly possible. Ensuring thorough evidence on the construction site is not feasible this way. Here are the 4 biggest weaknesses of these makeshift solutions:
- Lack of legal certainty: Chats and simple spreadsheets do not meet the requirements for legally secure documentation under VOB/B. Timestamps and the exact sequence are difficult to prove.
- High manual effort: Photos, voice notes, and texts must be manually transferred from the smartphone to the office, sorted, and assigned. This costs up to 5 hours per week per employee.
- No centralized overview: There is no central location where all defects and their current status (open, in progress, completed) are visible to all parties involved.
- Data protection (GDPR): Using personal WhatsApp accounts for business communication is highly problematic from a data protection perspective and can lead to significant penalties.
These inefficient processes inevitably lead to misunderstandings and delays.
The solution: A centralized defect tracking app for the construction site
A specialized defect tracking app for construction digitizes the entire process from recording to acceptance. It creates a central platform where all information converges. The key advantage lies in the structured and seamless working method. Defects are recorded directly on-site with a smartphone and are immediately available in the office. Digital documentation reduces administrative effort by up to 70%. A good software provides the following core functions:
- Mobile recording: Document defects with photos, notes, voice memos, and precise plan localization directly on the construction site.
- Automated reports: Daily construction reports and defect protocols are generated at the push of a button as PDFs, including all photos and comments.
- Central task management: Each defect is assigned a responsible person and a deadline, the compliance of which is automatically monitored.
- Legally secure documentation: All entries receive an immutable timestamp and are archived chronologically and comprehensively.
This makes the task tracking on the construction site transparent and efficient.
Valoon: Defect tracking easily via WhatsApp – without new app
Valoon revolutionizes defect tracking by leveraging the tool that your employees already use daily on the construction site: WhatsApp. Rather than burdening your team with yet another complicated app, we integrate seamlessly into their familiar environment. Employees can report defects simply via photo, video, or voice message to a project-specific WhatsApp number. Valoon processes this data automatically in the background and creates legally secure entries in your construction diary. Nothing changes for the employees on the construction site; they do not need training or have to install new software. In the office, you have full control via the Valoon web application. You assign tasks, set deadlines, and export completed reports for your acceptances according to VOB. This simplicity ensures 100% acceptance within the team.
Your advantage with Valoon: Efficient, simple, and legally secure
Using Valoon as your defect tracking app for construction leads to measurable improvements in your everyday work. By automating documentation, you and your project managers save up to 10 hours a week in administrative work. Clear communication and task distribution reduce misunderstandings and speed up the resolution of defects by an average of 30%. Comprehensive and GDPR-compliant documentation gives you the certainty of being well-prepared for legal disputes. You easily meet the requirements for digital defect recording and create space for the truly important tasks on the construction site. Convince yourself and see how straightforward and efficient defect tracking can be. Book your free and non-binding demo now. und schaffen Freiräume für die wirklich wichtigen Aufgaben auf der Baustelle. Überzeugen Sie sich selbst und sehen Sie, wie unkompliziert und effizient Mängelverfolgung sein kann. Buchen Sie jetzt Ihre kostenlose und unverbindliche Demo.
More Links
Wikipedia offers a comprehensive article on VOB/B (Regulations and Contract Conditions for Construction Services Part B), which regulates the General Contract Conditions for the execution of construction services.
Administrative regulations on the Internet provides an administrative regulation from the federal level on the application of VOB in federal construction projects.
IWU e.V. describes VOB/B as a central building block in construction contract law.
Fraunhofer IESE offers a blog article about a study on digitalization in the construction industry.
PwC publishes a press release about a study on the construction industry 2023, which addresses digitalization and sustainability.
Central Association of the German Construction Industry (ZDB) states its positions on digitalization in the construction industry.
Statista provides statistics on the implementation level of digitalization in the construction industry in the D-A-CH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland).
FAQ
How does defect recording with Valoon actually work?
Your employee on the construction site simply sends a photo, video, or voice message of the defect to a project-specific WhatsApp number provided by us. Our software analyzes the data, assigns it to the correct project, and automatically creates a defect entry in the web platform, which you can process immediately in the office.
Do my employees on the construction site have to install a new app?
No. That is the key advantage of Valoon. Your employees and subcontractors continue to use WhatsApp as usual. No installation, no registration, and no training is required. This guarantees immediate and full acceptance throughout the team.
Is documentation with Valoon legally secure?
Ja. Alle über Valoon erfassten Daten werden mit einem unveränderlichen Zeitstempel versehen und chronologisch in einem digitalen Bautagebuch gespeichert. Sie können jederzeit lückenlose PDF-Berichte exportieren, die den Anforderungen der VOB/B und des BGB für eine rechtssichere Dokumentation entsprechen.
What does Valoon cost for employees on the construction site?
For employees on the construction site reporting defects via WhatsApp, Valoon is completely free. Costs are incurred only for the users in the office who manage the projects in the web platform. This pricing model lowers the entry barrier and promotes usage.
Can I also use Valoon for other documentation purposes?
Yes, absolutely. Valoon is a comprehensive solution for all construction site communication and documentation. In addition to defect tracking, you can also easily and legally create daily construction reports, photo documentation, digital time sheets, and measurements.
How can I test Valoon?
You can easily book a free and non-binding demo through our website. In a short online appointment, we will personally show you how Valoon can simplify your processes and answer all your questions.
