The introduction of the Building Safety Act has redefined how higher-risk residential buildings are designed and constructed. While much attention is often given to design compliance and product specifications, the introduction of Gateway 3 requires documented evidence of what is actually built.
What Is Gateway 3?
Gateway 3 is the point at which the completed building must demonstrate that what was designed is what was built. For higher-risk buildings, it is no longer enough to specify compliant products or rely on approved drawings. Main contractors must be able to demonstrate, with clear and accessible evidence, that critical products and systems have been installed correctly, inspected appropriately and recorded as part of the project’s Golden Thread.
Gateway 3 is also the final approval stage in the building control process for Higher-Risk Buildings (HRBs). Before a building can be occupied, the Building Safety Regulator must be satisfied that construction work has been completed in accordance with the approved plans and relevant regulations.
The Golden Thread
A key principle of the Building Safety Act is the ‘Golden Thread’ of information.
This single source of truth is an accurate, up-to-date digital record that follows a project from design through to completion. The requirement is to create a transparent and accessible record that includes, among other things, the products used, the installation methods, and the inspections conducted throughout the building’s construction.
The Golden Thread should not be treated as a document-gathering exercise at handover. The most reliable evidence is captured progressively, as works are completed, inspected and verified. This reduces the risk of missing information, late-stage queries and uncertainty during the Gateway 3 process.
Why Installation Quality Matters
Even the highest quality products can only deliver the required level of performance when installed correctly.
For façade systems, sealing membranes and cavity tray installations, workmanship plays a crucial role in achieving the required levels of fire safety, weather protection and long-term durability.
Incorrect installation can result in:
- Gaps in the fire strategy
- Compromised weather resistance
- Remedial works and additional project costs
- Project sign-off delays
As Gateway 3 increases the focus on accountability and verification, the importance of installation support and quality assurance continues to grow.
Building Confidence Through Installation Support
One of the challenges facing many projects is ensuring installation teams have access to practical guidance when and where they need it.
Data sheets, drawings and specifications provide important information, but challenges will invariably arise during installation that require expert input. Early engagement with product manufacturers will identify these potential challenges before they become costly issues.
OBEX supports contractors from specification through to installation and QA reporting, helping project teams reduce installation risk, improve consistency and build a clearer evidence trail for handover.
The objective is straightforward: provide the support that’s needed to ensure install teams get it right the first time, every time.
Providing Evidence of Quality Assurance
So, Gateway 3 is not only about carrying out compliant work with compliant products; it is about providing clear evidence that the compliant work has actually been completed.
A strong evidence trail should clearly show:
- Which products were installed
- Where they were installed
- Which drawings, details or specifications they relate to
- Whether installers received product-specific guidance or training
- What inspections were carried out
- What photographic evidence was captured
- Whether any corrective actions were identified
- How those corrective actions were closed out
- How the information will be retained within the project record
This is where quality assurance inspections and on-site reporting by the product manufacturer become increasingly valuable, creating a verifiable record of installation standards throughout the project.
Supporting Main Contractors and Subcontractors
Responsibility for demonstrating compliance is shared across the project team.
For Main Contractors, the priority is confidence: confidence that critical façade, membrane and cavity tray details have been installed correctly, that workmanship has been checked, and that supporting evidence is available when required.
For subcontractors, the priority is clarity. Clear installation guidance, access to manufacturer support, and practical advice when site conditions require a bespoke solution.
Manufacturer QA support does not replace the duties of the client, principal contractor, principal designer or installer, but it can provide valuable supporting evidence to help demonstrate that product installation has been reviewed and documented.
Preparing for Gateway 3 Success
As regulatory expectations continue to evolve, the successful projects will be those that treat compliance as a beginning-to-end process rather than a final-stage exercise.
The ability to provide clear, consistent, and confident evidence for every installation is what moves projects towards successful completion.
Because getting it right is important.
Being able to prove it could be even more so.
