Episode #120
Quality Isn't Paperwork — It's Profit | Lorna Hagan on ISO 9001 Done Right
Welcome to a new episode of I'm The Gaffer If you've ever wondered whether ISO 9001 is worth the bureaucracy — or written off quality as box-ticking that lives in a filing cabinet — this conversation will change how you look at your bottom line. In this episode, Lorna Hagan joins Gavin Coyle to unpack why quality is profit, not paperwork. Lorna is a civil engineer and chartered quality professional with 20+ years on main contractor sites — from Crossrail and nuclear decommissioning to three-bed semis — and the founder of Construct Tuition, where she trains and consults construction businesses to get it right first time. She was previously head of quality for a tier one contractor overseeing £250 million a year of civil engineering projects. You'll learn: - The Get It Right Initiative research: 21% of construction turnover is wasted in error — against a 5% tier one margin — and why most of that loss lands on SME subcontractors - The "spirit of 9001": what a plumbing contractor with five vans should be asking on the drive home every night - What implementing ISO 9001/14001/45001 actually costs (ballpark ~€20k for the full suite) — and the Local Enterprise Office / Invest NI grants that can offset it - Why written processes are what let you scale, take a holiday, or sell — "without those, YOU are the risk in the business" - The "Saturday morning jobs" and Magic Man: the unrecorded process waste quietly eating your margin - How targeted training cut £5,000-a-time concrete NCRs by 75% — and saved £155,000 in six months - Post-Grenfell accountability: why "he won't see it from my house" doesn't wash anymore Episode Highlights / Timestamps 00:54 Welcome: why quality is integral to a successful organization 02:28 Getting started: "I wasn't smart enough to be a vet" — Crossrail, nuclear, 20 years with main contractors 05:52 Devil's advocate: do I really need 9001 with 20 guys and a handbook? 11:58 The economics: gap analysis, integrated audits, ~€20k, and grant support 16:34 Scalability: written processes or YOU are the risk in the business 18:15 The Get It Right Initiative: 21% of turnover wasted vs 5% margin 23:33 "You'll not see it from my house" — the sayings that are gone 27:05 Saturday morning jobs: the mistakes that never make a sheet 29:46 Concrete NCRs at £5k each — training that cut them 75% 39:37 Imposter syndrome at the top of Canary Wharf — "don't doubt yourself again" 42:46 A passion for representing women in construction 45:00 Where to find Lorna Connect with Lorna Hagan Website: https://www.constructtuition.co.uk Email: Lorna.Hagan@constructtuition.co.uk Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/haganlorna/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/constructtuition/ About Coyle Group Coyle Group provides safety outsourcing and managed services for high-impact projects across wind, utilities, power generation, engineering, and construction. With over 25 years of experience , 100+ safety professionals , and more than 1 million safety hours completed , Coyle Group helps organisations deliver projects safely and compliantly. Learn more: https://coyle-group.com/ About the Podcast I'm The Gaffer , hosted by Gavin Coyle, features conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts covering construction, engineering, leadership, business growth, safety, procurement, project delivery, and workplace culture. Listen on: Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer Spotify https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ImTheGafferPodcast Website https://www.imthegaffer.com Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, construction, business growth, workplace culture, employee engagement, engineering, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship. #ImTheGaffer #constructionpodcast #construction #constructionbusiness #quality #ISO9001 #leadership #womeninconstruction #business #podcast
