Quality Control Levels the Playing Field Quality processes work well for large and small builders alike.

By Rob Fanjoy Contractors who have earned the National Housing Quality certification are entitled to use the program's logo in their marketing materials. With the mergers and acquisitions over the last several years in the homebuilding industry, small builders may get a bit paranoid when they feel the big boys are trying to squeeze them out of virtually every market in the country. But small builders are still holding their own, if not thriving, in many markets. Quality has everything to do with it. "Builders who build four homes a year will benefit from a quality-control program just as much as those who build 4,000," says Frank Alexander, director for the National Housing Quality program at the National Association of Home Builders Research Center. "It's as simple to implement for a small builder as it is for a large one, but it isn't easy for either. They have to take a look inward and honestly compare themselves with some very high benchmarks." Alexander says that builders big and small face the same challenges and issues; only the magnitude varies with company size. He adds that smaller companies can often move more quickly than larger ones. "Communication is a problem in any company, but smaller companies may have an easier time gathering everyone together and meeting more regularly." And whether you decide to enroll in the Research Center's NHQ program or not, there are still some processes you can take from the program and apply to your own business practices. Trade Contractor Quality Control Zero-defect quality performance may be taking place on your jobsite, and many of those responsible for it may not work directly for you. They are the trade contractors. To make sure your projects exhibit the same high level of quality time after time, even with a few different contractors on-site, follow these guidelines based on the ISO 9000 quality-control standards: Have construction specs available to the crew on the jobsite. Architectural drawings are not enough; detailed specs are necessary. Develop standards that trade contractors will bring with them every time they work on your site. Use only materials that you have approved, and have that list on the jobsite to limit material substitutions without your knowledge. If you have any preferred suppliers, manufacturers and products, they should be on this list, too. Specify quantities as well as products, i.e., "as needed for the 'X' model" is not clear enough. State the number of square feet to encourage contractors to do take-offs and order just enough materials. Always make sure a qualified installer is on the jobsite. Helpers can help, but someone on the jobsite must be able to read specs, do the work properly and perform inspections. Have the contractor's crew perform inspections. Forms should be signed and given to the builder after each phase. Veridian Homes, a family-owned builder in Madison, Wis., noticed some significant improvements in just the first year after joining the NHQ program. According to Denis Leonard, quality-improvement manager at Veridian, working with trade partners on improvement teams has reduced the company's defects by more than 50 percent. Material variances are down by 20 percent, and estimating time on model homes was reduced by 32 percent. Veridian also has delivered 100 percent on-time closings for homebuyers. "It all starts with the leadership of the company," Alexander stresses. "If the leader shows that he or she is truly committed to the process, then it quickly becomes part of the company culture and has a much better chance of success." Digg this article | Post to del.icio.us