OPR construction inspection: the complete guide

What is an OPR in construction?

The OPR is the structured walkthrough where the architect managing execution and the developer inspect a completed building lot by lot before reception. Each item is checked against the contract documents, the plans, and the applicable standards. Anything that is incomplete, defective, or non-conforming is logged as a reserve with its exact location, the responsible trade, a photo, and a deadline.

The OPR is not the reception itself. It is the inspection that prepares the reception. Its output, the signed OPR report, becomes the reserve list that the developer carries into the PV de réception. A well-run OPR means the PV is a confirmation of work already verified, not a last-minute discovery of problems.

Builddar is construction site reporting and defect tracking software for architects managing OPR, execution, and reception. It runs the OPR as a structured workflow so every reserve logged on-site flows directly into the reception report.

When does the OPR happen and who runs it?

The OPR takes place once the contractor declares the works complete and before the developer formally accepts the building. On a typical operation it is scheduled in the final weeks before handover, after the contractor's own pre-delivery checks and before the reception date is set.

The architect managing execution leads the OPR on behalf of the developer. The OPC, the conducteur de travaux, and the relevant subcontractors attend for their lots. The developer is present or represented, because the developer is the party who ultimately accepts the works and signs the PV de réception.

Each trade is responsible for clearing the reserves raised against its lot. The architect verifies each correction before the reserve is marked as cleared. The inspection covers every accessible zone: facades, common areas, technical rooms, and each unit.

What does the OPR produce?

The OPR produces a signed report listing every reserve, organized by lot and by location, with a deadline for each. This report is the official record of the building's condition at inspection and the basis for the reserve list attached to the PV de réception.

Each reserve carries four facts: where the defect is, which trade owns it, what the defect is with a photo, and when it must be cleared. Together they create a clear, traceable record that can be archived under the obligations applying to the project.

Captured in Builddar, the OPR report is generated from the data logged on-site. The architect does not retype anything. Every reserve, photo, and deadline recorded during the walkthrough becomes the report, and then the reception snag list you attach to the PV de réception.

How do you run an OPR well?

A good OPR is systematic, evidenced, and fast to act on. You inspect in a fixed order so no zone is skipped, you record each reserve with location, trade, photo, and deadline at the moment you see it, and you assign it to the responsible subcontractor before you leave the site.

The common failure is a paper or spreadsheet OPR: notes taken on-site, retyped that evening, photos that do not match the line items, and reserves with no clear owner. Disputes start there. Capture on mobile during the walkthrough removes the retyping step and keeps the photo attached to the reserve it documents.

Your firm's own OPR checklist runs on a mobile capture app, so the inspection follows your methodology and every reserve is logged once, on-site, with proof attached.

What should you prepare before the OPR visit?

Prepare the zones and trades to inspect, relevant drawings and existing open snags. Identify who records findings, who receives them and who arranges verification of repairs.

For every finding, record a stable identifier, exact location, trade, description, photo, responsible contractor and deadline. Flag inaccessible zones for a follow-up visit.

Share open items and expected actions after the visit. Distinguish the OPR inspection report from the reception decision and its formal record.

Annotated example: a joint requiring repair

Illustrative example: item R-017 concerns a discontinuous joint in the bathroom of home A-204. The initial photo locates the defect. The trade and contractor identify the assignee; a deadline records the expected repair.

An after-work photo is added. Tracking distinguishes a reported repair from a verified repair. If the photo does not show the entire joint, further inspection is needed before validation.

The PDF below illustrates a document format. Names, identifiers and data are examples; no customer outcome or time saving has been measured.

What framework applies to reception and repairs?

Article 1792-6 of the Code civil distinguishes reception by the project owner, with or without reservations, from repairs under the completion warranty. Repair deadlines are agreed with the contractor concerned. Software records these steps without replacing the parties’ agreements and decisions.