In this economy these builders are growing sales, expanding into new markets and achieving 100% customer satisfaction! They are building production and custom homes, within communities and build on your lot. The homes range in price from $100k to over $1million and the market ranges from a focus on a single state to covering 14 states. Whatever market, climate or home type your business focuses on there are lessons to be learnt here about improving your bottom-line.
This years winners of the National Housing Quality Award are:
Charter Homes, Lancaster PA. Silver
Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes, Fresno CA, Silver
Schumacher Homes, Canton OH, Bronze
Goodall Homes, Gallatin Tenn, Bronze
These builders are using quality management tools and techniques to drive performance improvement to survive and thrive. In the profiles of each builder you will see them leveraging process mapping, DMAIC improvement teams, employee recognition, net promoter scores, balanced scorecards and kaizen lean events. They have a strong focus on strategic planning, employee empowerment, trade relationships and of course the customer.
The two Silver winners moved up from Bronze last year, reflecting how they learnt from the detailed site visits and feedback reports, implemented improvements and raised their performance levels.
Evaluating your business against the NHQA criteria can help you identify areas for improvement just as these builders have done. If you take the next step and apply for the award process itself, a team of home building and quality experts will provide you with a detailed feedback report on how to improve. This report represents approx. 50 man hours of evaluation a value of $8,000. If you do well enough you may receive a site visit which allows the judges to gain a more detailed insight to your business and therefore provide a more detailed feedback report. This report including the site visit represents 150 man hours or a value of $22,000.
A study of NHQA winners from 1993-2009 showed metrics such as gross profits of 12-20%, construction costs vs. budgets of +/- 1%, cycle time reductions of 15-50%, 98% zero defects at closing, defect reductions of 11-75%, 30% referral rates and trade satisfaction of 94%.
To find out how these builders are making such impacts each of these links will take you to a feature article giving you insights.
Charter Homes
http://www.housingzone.com/awards/nhq-awards-charter-homes-new-model-home-building
Wathen Castanos Hybrid Homes
http://www.housingzone.com/awards/nhq-awards-empowering-improvement-wathen-castanos-hybrid-homes
Schumacher Homes
http://www.housingzone.com/awards/nhq-awards-how-schumacher-homes-brings-custom-building-masses
Goodall Homes
http://www.housingzone.com/awards/nhq-awards-goodall-homes%E2%80%99-blueprint-creating-raving-fans
This link will take you to the NHQA application document.
http://www.housingzone.com/sites/default/files/2011%20NHQ%20Awards%20Application%20.pdf
This link will take you to a list of Frequently Asked Questions. The FAQ addresses such questions as how does NHQA work, why apply now in this economy, its impact and other key issues.
http://www.housingzone.com/professionalbuilder/FAQ
If you have questions about how the NHQA criteria works, how to write an application, prepare for a site visit or implement the feedback report recommendations the following links will provide you with the answers you need.
For a breakdown of NHQA winner best practices over a 13 year period categorized into Easy, Intermediate and Advanced approaches follow this link.
http://www.ibacos.com/media/88237/ibacosoct2010nahqawardwinnerbps.pdf
Writing the NHQA application
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/writing-successful-nhqa-application
Before and after the NHQA Site Visits
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/and-after-nhqa-site-visits
How to address and implement the NHQA Feedback Report opportunities for improvement
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/addressing-nhqa-feedback-report-opportunities-improvement
The real $ value and impact of the NHQA Feedback Report
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/true-value-nhqa-feedback-report
How to conduct Self-Assessment using the NHQA Criteria
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/national-housing-quality-award-nhqa-self-assessment
The NHQA Model, explaining how the criteria functions
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/%E2%80%98house-quality%E2%80%99-model-nhqa
How green building connects with the NHQA Model
http://www.housingzone.com/blog/how-quality-tools-high-performing-homes-programs-fit-nhqa
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