The building log is an obligation even if you reconstruct your apartment by yourself

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The construction diary contains a number of different data so that they can provide arguments in retrospect in the event of sudden problems, whether it is a delay in construction or various defects.

A diary must be kept every time a building requires a building permit or notification to the building authority. Such an obligation is stipulated by the Building Act No. 183/2006 Coll., while the method of keeping a diary is described in Decree No. 499/2006 Coll. on the documentation of buildings in the valid version. The same law also stipulates the obligation to keep the mentioned document for a period of ten years from the issuance of the approval.

Mistake, it's not bureaucracy

Not only construction companies, but also those who carry out reconstruction with their own help, must keep a construction diary. It looks like an unnecessary bureaucratic burden, but it is not.

Carefully kept records will help to reveal the origin of any deficiencies in the future, they will serve in their removal, as well as in the enforcement of fines, penalties or other compensations. At the same time, it is not a literary work, the notes contain seemingly mundane, although in fact essential data.

For example: what was the temperature during concreting? Was the construction manager, whose duty it is, present at the event? Such information is a de facto evidentiary material that can confirm or refute possible errors in the implementation of individual stages of construction work.

That is also why it should be conducted in detail and of course according to reality, without embellishing the data. Still, complications can occur. In addition to the builder, construction manager or supervisor, a number of other people can also contribute to the same document, for example the head of surveying works, technical or author supervision or the safety and health protection coordinator. Enrolling so many people is logistically difficult and often almost impossible.

Software makes everything easier

This is also why construction companies are increasingly using electronic construction diaries, which allow entries to be added from a remote location without it is necessary to physically hand over the document to each other, and at the same time it will increase transparency.

A number of applications for mobile devices with Android, Windows and iOS operating systems are also used to switch to the online construction diary. They are optional according to the complexity of the construction and the number of users. After all, it is precisely with the help of a smartphone or tablet that you can add notes via photo documentation straight from the job on the construction site. Weather, day and other facts can also be recorded automatically, and everything is then linked into a clearly identifiable whole.

ConCoS is designed for small buildings with a few cameras, but it is also applicable in large-scale projects, where tens or hundreds of cameras are expected.

Unlike the paper one, the online diary is not easily lost and should not be damaged over time. It improves and speeds up communication, for example, between the contractor of construction works and the investor, who can submit their comments in a moment or, conversely, agree to change the materials used or additional work.

All this without the otherwise necessary physical presence on the construction site. Even possible falsification of records is not easy with such a system.

Analytics cannot be bribed

Today there are a number of applications that replace the construction log. But some stand out among them. For example, Certicon's ConCoS application is directly connected to video analytics that can warn in real time of a potentially life-threatening situation. Through security cameras on the construction site, they will point out, for example, the absence of helmets or reflective vests. It can record the license plate number of the truck. Face recognition is not offered by the system on purpose, biometric data of people can only be used by police departments today.

ConCoS is far from the only system that helps investors set up individual processes. But it is one of the few that solves it using artificial intelligence in camera systems. The user of the diary can thus effectively detect the behavior of employees and contractors on the construction site. Where they move, how much they walk on average in certain zones, whether they observe prescribed breaks. It protects the investor's property, verifies the delivery of materials and the time of their acceptance.

The ConCoS system uses video analytics built on neural networks using smart cameras.

Of course, it can be said that this is a kind of spying on employees. Therefore, the use of such a system requires the written consent of the workers to take note of the cameras with video analytics functions.

And if the benefits and reasons for installation are well communicated, they usually have no problem with it. After all, the time of applying artificial intelligence to the construction industry and the partial automation of work is approaching unstoppably, in Japan and the USA, for example, they are already testing robots that replace selected labor professions.

Simple record of construction or loss of diary

This is another option to fulfill the obligation of the builder according to the law. It is already clear from the name that the notes will be less complex, they will be dominated by basic information about the building. However, this applies, for example, to building modifications without intervention in load-bearing structures and changes in appearance, or to the construction of parking, handling, storage or exhibition areas.

The construction diary in paper form has the disadvantage that it can get lost. Unfortunately, this is not an exceptional event and it represents a problem for both the investor and the contractor. Therefore, it should be stored in a safe, but at the same time accessible place. The best prevention is to implement a copy or convert it to an electronic version that remains stored in a secure cloud storage. It can also be registered with the Ministry of the Interior, so there is really no need to worry about data leakage.

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