Coating inspection
Independent third-party inspection, from surface preparation to the final film.
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Service 03
Specification development
The right coating system, specified clearly, so applicators can price it and inspectors can check it.
Overview
Why it matters
A vague specification costs money twice: once in the tender and again in the dispute. We help you choose preparation methods, primers, paints, powders and lacquers for the substrate and the service environment, then write specifications with clear, measurable requirements.
Having worked on the coating-manufacturer side as well as in the finishing shop, we can tell you what a data sheet promises, what the applicator can realistically achieve, and where the risk sits.
When to call us
- You are specifying coatings for a new structure or product.
- The specification and the product data sheets do not agree.
- A client has asked for value engineering and you need to know what is safe to change.
- An architect wants a finish you are not sure can be achieved consistently.
What is included
How we deliver specification development
- 01
Environment and design life
Corrosivity category to ISO 12944-2 and a realistic durability target to ISO 12944-1, agreed before any product is named.
- 02
System selection
Liquid, powder, duplex and zinc metal spray options compared on performance, programme, cost and maintenance.
- 03
Specification writing
Preparation, application, inspection and acceptance requirements written in measurable terms that can be priced and checked.
- 04
Specification review
Your existing specification checked against product data sheets, standards and buildability, with clear mark-ups.
- 05
Finish feasibility
Honest advice on colour, gloss, texture and film build requirements, and the cost and risk of achieving them.
- 06
Trials and approved samples
Controlled trial panels that prove a system before it goes into production.
What you receive
- Written coating specification
- System comparison with design life and maintenance notes
- Marked-up specification review
- Trial and approved sample panels
Standards we work to
Referenced as the specification requires. See our standards guides for plain-English explanations.
- ISO 12944-1
- ISO 12944-2
- ISO 12944-5
- ISO 12944-8
- ISO 1461
- EN 13438
- ISO 2063
- Qualicoat
- Qualisteelcoat
Industries
Where we deliver this most
Energy and utilities
Power generation, substations, water and wastewater assets, where coatings are often renewed inside short planned outages.
Infrastructure projects
Rail, transport and public infrastructure, where long design lives and difficult access make every coating decision expensive to get wrong.
Bridges and highway structures
Steel bridges, gantries and highway structures, protected for decades and often repainted under traffic management.
Marine and offshore
Offshore wind, port infrastructure and marine structures in the harshest corrosivity categories, from the Haven ports to the offshore wind hubs.
Structural steel
Steel frames and fabricated structures protected to ISO 12944, shop-applied and touched up on site.
Questions
Specification development: common questions
Are you tied to a paint manufacturer?
We specify on performance. Where a client already has a preferred supplier we work within that range and tell you honestly if a product is not right for the job.
Can you review a specification before we tender?
Yes, and it is the cheapest time to do it. A review before tender removes ambiguity that would otherwise turn into variations and disputes.
Do you cover galvanised and duplex systems?
Yes. We regularly deal with hot dip galvanised steel, powder and liquid coatings over galvanising, and thermally sprayed zinc systems.
Related
Often booked together
Coating project management
One point of contact for coating packages, from specification to handover.
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Failure investigation
Root-cause analysis of coating defects, with clear evidence and corrective actions.
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Talk to us about specification development
Tell us about the job. We respond to all enquiries within one working day, with a clear scope and price.
Prefer to talk? Call 07810 022184