Quality Matters
July 2006
Welcome to the Quality Matters E-Newsletter, a regularly-distributed publication
that will keep readers up to date on quality-related news and resources for the
home building industry. You can access prior issues or subscribe to this
electronic news service on the NAHB Research Center's website - http://www.nahbrc.org/quality
- by clicking the "Read All About It" link on the right-hand side of the page.
We want to hear about your quality-related news for future issues-email
information to qualitymattersmoderator@nahbrc.org.
(The NAHB Research Center's editorial staff reserves the right to refuse or
condense any news submission.) Enjoy this issue of Quality Matters.
In this issue:
Thank You NHQ Sponsors
The National Housing Quality Program thanks its founding sponsor,
SimpsonStrong-Tie Co., Inc., for their continued support of quality
assurance in home building.
The NHQ Program is continuously seeking additional partners to support its
efforts to improve quality in the home building industry. If your company is
interested in pursuing NHQ sponsorship, a variety of opportunities are now
available.
For more information, visit the
NHQ sponsorship information page or contact Lisa Gibson, NHQ Program
sponsorship coordinator, at (301) 785-3100 or lwgllc@yahoo.com.
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KB Home North Los Angeles Achieves NHQ Certification
KB Home's North Los Angeles division was recently awarded the nation's latest
NHQ Certified Builder designation following a rigorous NAHB Research Center
audit of the implementation of their quality assurance systems. KB Home was the
first production builder in California to earn the certification, and currently
has eight NHQ Certified divisions operating in the state.
This division of KB Home has been building quality homes in communities
throughout the Los Angeles metro area since 1963. "Becoming the first builder
in Los Angeles to be named an NHQ Certified Builder is a significant milestone
in our continued commitment to providing superior customer service, innovative
architecture, and quality homes," said KB Home North Los Angeles division
president, Tom DiPrima. "KB Home is driven by these goals in everything we do.
Participating in the National Housing Quality Certified Builder program was
particularly important to our division because it demonstrates to homebuyers
and our partners that KB Home is dedicated to delivering quality homes."
The NHQ Certified Builder Program is designed to foster consistency and quality
in building practices. Launched during the 2005 International Builders' Show,
the program recognizes builders who have implemented formal quality assurance
systems and have participated in a rigorous audit by Research Center quality
experts. Since the program's launch, participating NHQ Certified Builders have
noted measurable improvements in their productivity, homebuyer satisfaction,
and their bottom lines.
If your company has a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, a focus on
quality assurance and continuous improvement, and strives for operational
excellence, start on the path to NHQ certification today. Visit www.nahbrc.org/quality
or contact Don Carr, NHQ Certified
Builder program manager.
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Selling Quality Assurance to Potential Homebuyers
In today's competitive home building market, builders are compelled more than
ever to distinguish themselves from their competitors. Highlighting
construction features and offering creative incentives is one approach. But you
can also gain a competitive edge by promoting your ability to deliver quality
results. Presenting your quality story is an effective way to move beyond the
standard sales and marketing pitch and give substance to your achievements.
Consider applying some the following methods to share your quality story with
potential buyers.
Customer Satisfaction Results
An effective way to demonstrate quality results is a portfolio of customer
testimonials. Assemble letters from satisfied customers into a binder for easy
viewing. Include comments and excerpts from customer satisfaction surveys and
positive comments customers have made during conversation. As the portfolio
grows over time, you'll have an impressive and well-documented account of
positive customer feedback.
Presenting numerical results data is also a very effective way to substantiate
superior quality assurance capabilities. Typical statistics with positive
impact might include percentages of satisfied homebuyers, on-time closings, and
homes with zero defects.
Quality Assurance Program
Impressive quality results can be easily supported by illustrating the quality
assurance methods that produce them. A systematic process like the NHQ
Certified Builder Program enables participating builders to maintain a
documented system that includes a quality plan, inspections, and defect
prevention. When a problem is found, it is corrected, the cause is analyzed,
and actions are taken to prevent recurrence. It may even be useful to display
examples of inspection checklists to explain the process. This clearly shows
prospective homebuyers an ongoing commitment to quality results and customer
satisfaction.
Continuous Improvement
Quality builders can also appeal to a buyer's sense that they are the
beneficiaries of many cycles of feedback and improvement from previous
homeowners. Describe how your customers are solicited for feedback on design,
features, material selections, construction details, and customer service. Show
potential buyers your feedback survey and use it as an agenda to discuss
customer-focused topics that are continuously improved. Explain how customer
feedback on the topics is used to improve the satisfaction of future
homeowners.
A Quality Culture
Homebuyers appreciate builders with a quality culture because it tends to be
consistent with their own priorities. Items such as quality mission statements,
ethics and policies, and industry awards help to validate high levels of
quality achievement.
Build on these basic ideas to develop the best approach for promoting your
company's quality story. Share it with employees, train them how to tell the
story, and encourage them to take pride in the company's accomplishments. It
could be just the thing your next homebuyer wants to hear.
To learn more about the National Housing Quality other measures of quality
improvement visit the NHQ webpage or contact
Don Carr
, NHQ Certified Builder program manager.
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Research Center Unveils New and Improved Online Resource
If you're a building professional and have never explored
ToolBase.org, now is the time to check it out. ToolBase Services,
always known as a reliable resource for technical information on innovative and
advanced building products and practices, has recently re-launched with a new
and improved site architecture and navigation system. Even if you're a regular
user of the site, you'll discover brand new ways to improve the homes you build
today.
New features include a more streamlined format, helpful cross references, and
easy-to-find tools so builders, trade contractors, and remodelers can quickly
locate what they need. Enhanced resource sections have also been added to
provide more comprehensive information on Building Systems, Home Building
Topics, Design and Construction Guides, Best Practices, and Construction
Methods.
The Research Center continues to refine the selection of tools available through
ToolBase Services as the information needs of building professionals evolves.
Some of the site's more specialized resources include:
-
The PATH Technology Inventory.
An online listing of over 150 advanced technologies and practices, the PATH
Technology Inventory provides a repository of reliable, non-commercial
technical information for building professionals. Among the Technology
Inventory's new features are downloadable Computer Assisted Design (CAD)
drawings for over 40 technologies that builders and architects can add directly
to plans. And, new online videos further explain product benefits and
demonstrate installation.
-
Field Evaluations.
This process places new technologies into residential construction projects
across the country so they can be evaluated in real-world conditions. The
ToolBase website contains the findings of the nearly 40 field evaluations that
have been completed, covering all types of building systems from electrical and
HVAC to foundations.
-
PATH TechSets.
A new resource to help builders implement innovations in manageable,
systems-based packages, TechSets take the guesswork out of choosing
cost-effective technologies that can improve home quality and deliver distinct
market advantage.
-
ToolBase TechNotes. These technical write-ups offer
fundamental narratives on common issues builders want to know more about. Each
fact sheet includes a subject synopsis provided by NAHB Research Center experts
and additional resources for more detailed information.
For more information and to browse the NAHB Research Center's existing ToolBase
Services website, visit www.ToolBase.org.
Or, to research innovative technologies and practices that could help improve
the quality and performance of your new homes, visit the ToolBase Technology
Inventory, at www.toolbase.org/techinv.
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Testimonial: My NHQ Certification Gives Me a Competitive Edge
The NAHB Research Center takes pride in sharing the success stories of the
builders, trades, and suppliers participating in the National Housing Quality
Program. This month, Quality Matters talked with Josh Bollinger, president of
Bollinger Construction, about the value of the NHQ Certified Trade Contractor
designation and how it has improved his business.
In operation since 1992, Bollinger Construction has grown from a small framing
company to a large operation of 75 full-time employees, and over 400
subcontractors. In 2005, Bollinger became the first NHQ Certified framing
contractor in Maryland, and is one of only three framers to earn the
designation on the East Coast. Now, less than one year after becoming NHQ
Certified, Bollinger Construction has a positive story to tell.
Bollinger Construction is eligible for NHQ re-certification soon. How
important is it to you to pass the audit and maintain your NHQ Certified
status?
It's extremely important. Until we got involved in this program, we didn't
realize how much time was consumed correcting mistakes. The NHQ Program has not
only helped us clean up the way we do business, but it has also helped us gain
more clientele. We're more accountable and more profitable. It's been
unbelievable.
What were your initial thoughts about implementing a program like NHQ?
Honestly, I was very skeptical at first. My initial thoughts were that it
wouldn't matter enough to builders and that your price was what made you
competitive. But I was pleasantly surprised. Quality assurance has taken
priority and the outlook has shifted. We're achieving better results from
getting the job done right the first time, and builders have taken notice.
So response from builders has been positive?
Absolutely. In 2005, we won the Trade Partner of the Year Commendation for
Excellence from Brookfield Homes and we're very proud of that. We've also
received calls from big builders that we've never worked for before. In one
particular instance, the builder saw the NHQ logo on our trucks and now, we're
on 10 active jobsites for them. NHQ has opened doors for us.
Has there been much of an effect on employee morale?
Our reinvigorated approach to quality has definitely trickled down to the staff.
And, the increased efficiency and profitability has allowed us to offer more
incentives and benefits to our crew. Employee turnover is way down because the
NHQ designation has been an enticement for competent people.
How has participation in the NHQ Certified Trade Contractor Program affected
your bottom line?
Prior to NHQ, our first-time inspection pass rate was between 60-63 percent,
consistently. After NHQ, our first-time pass rate with code inspectors is 97
percent, consistently. Even with the slight downturn in the market, our numbers
are solid. Profitability has increased almost 10 percent in the last year and
we've never achieved that kind of increase in all the years we've been in
business. The evidence is hard to deny.
If you are an NHQ Certified Builder, Supplier or Trade Contractor and would like
to share your success story, please email
qualitymattersmoderator@nahbrc.org.
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NHQ Program Welcomes New NHQ Certified Trade Contractors and Suppliers
The NHQ Program is proud to announce the following newly-certified trade
contracting and supplier companies:
-
Air-Rite Heating & Cooling of North Aurora, Ill. - first HVAC company
in Illinois
-
Loredo Masonry of Natalia, Texas - masonry contractor
-
Riggs Plumbing, LLC of Mesa, Ariz. - plumbing contractor
-
Structural Systems, Inc. of Thurmont, Md. - framing, window and door
installation contractor
-
Truss Manufacturing Co., Inc. of Westfield, Ind. - first roof and floor
truss supplier in Indiana
Business efficiency is vital to a company's success, so the importance of
achieving high levels of customer satisfaction should never be underestimated.
The NHQ Certified seal represents the high standards of quality today's
builders and homebuyers expect.
If your company has a strong commitment to customer satisfaction, a focus on
quality assurance and continuous improvement, and strives for operational
excellence, start on the path to NHQ certification today. Visit www.nahbrc.org/quality.
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Quality Matters to Me...
The following testimonials describe how customer-focused quality has improved
the business of home building for National Housing Quality program
participants:
The certification program and its training techniques have instilled a spirit of
self pride in our workplace-from the top down. Our builder survey results
continue to improve."
-Dico, Inc.
"The NHQ Program is an asset for quality and [improving] employee
accountability."
-Tyler Stevens, Dynamic Plumbing
"Overall, the program is a positive change in the company. Employees and
management have become more accountable for their responsibilities in regards
to producing a high quality product."
-Truss Manufacturing Co., Inc.
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NHQ in the News
The following is a list of recent NHQ Program media coverage. Read all about it…
Forbes.com, "KB Home Earns Austin's
First Certification for Exceptional Quality and Customer Satisfaction,"
June 2006.
Los Angeles Business Journal, "KB Home Gets NHQ Certification," article announces KB
Home's designation as first NHQ Certified Builder in Los Angeles area. July
2006.
Professional Door Dealer, "Take
the Positive Approach," article highlights NHQ recommended strategies
for retaining skilled crews. July 2006.
Families.com, "The Dos of Working with Trade Contractors," article
touts the benefits of working with qualified trades and looking for an NHQ
Certified contractor. July 2006.
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