The importance of supervision

We spoke with Eng. Paulo Gregório, Site Supervision Director for the Simple project in Vilamoura, about the importance of supervision and to share insights on improving procedures for a project of this scale.

For PorticOne, there is no doubt that the key to effective construction management lies in procedures, planning, and people — pillars that Beelt has executed exemplarily, demonstrating a high level of rigor and excellence across all aspects of the project.

Discover more of Paulo Gregório’s insights in the first #talkingwith feature.

To start, can you explain the importance of supervision? What is its role on a construction site?

Supervision is a fundamental entity in any construction project, ensuring that work is carried out according to the design and detecting or correcting errors that could affect costs, timelines, or quality. At PorticOne, we aim to “be the client’s eyes,” leveraging accumulated experience and lessons learned from previous projects to avoid repeating mistakes.

Supervision also has the responsibility to cooperate with all parties involved — contractors, owners, and subcontractors — so that everyone works in harmony and the project meets expectations and design requirements.

How would you define PorticOne and the work you do?

With over 18 years of experience in both public and private sectors, PorticOne specializes in supervision and project management for the high-end residential market in the Algarve, currently positioning itself as a leading company in this field.

We aim to work at the highest level, continuously improving our procedures to maintain growth and excellence in the market.

From your experience, which general procedures could be improved in Portugal?

Paulo Gregório, from PorticOne

The formula to improve construction management processes across the board can be summed up in three words: Planning, procedures, and people.

Advance and realistic planning of the entire process is key to ensuring that unforeseen issues are anticipated from the very beginning. Secondly, it is important to have management capable of handling all safety procedures, quality control, and financial management — a daily task of continuous improvement. The standards must be as high as possible, and shortcuts cannot be taken. And thirdly, but no less important, the key to good construction management lies in having capable and competent people, which involves developing solid and professional relationships with reliable partners. The truth is that everything starts with people, and therefore, if companies equip themselves with competent teams, this will naturally translate into ideas and better results.

And how do you assess Beelt’s performance in this regard?

I have no doubt that Beelt stands out.

Speaking of the Simple project, where I am currently responsible for supervision, I immediately notice the focus on quality control, something very evident in the time allocated by technical teams and project support staff — a fact that, unfortunately, is uncommon these days. At Beelt, there is a strong concern for the final product and its long-term performance and maintenance from the very beginning, having seen the project management suggest several times adjustments that reduced the likelihood of future issues arising from the use of the houses.

Referring back to one of the points from the previous question, I must also mention Beelt’s high standards in planning and organization, which extend from budgeting to execution, ensuring that the project is running within the contracted timeframe.

I also want to highlight the work done in terms of compliance with procedures and safety regulations, as well as the cleanliness and organization of the site — issues of utmost importance both for the team and the external image.

I see in the people involved a tremendous capacity and dedication, and therefore I have no doubt that the outcome will also be of high quality.