One of the key difficulties any builder has in managing quality is deciding which quality tools to use at which point in time and more broadly how to manage an improvement team and project.
A key tool to help coordinate an improvement team/project is the Six Sigma DMAIC or Define, Measure, Analyze, Improve and Control cycle. By following each of these steps you can systematically move through each step in an improvement project. There are of course a wide range of quality tools that...
The EPA’s LRRP lead paint rules put us, as an industry, in an awkward place.
We have a rule that is, by all accounts, increasing the cost of doing business; driving work toward unlicensed, fly-by-night contractors; and is being infrequently enforced.
It’s also a rule we can all agree stems from a noble goal: protecting children from the quite-real dangers of lead-based paint in older homes during remodeling.
Unfortunately, right now that’s not happening....
The NHQA application document is not simply the method of applying for the NHQA, it is an excellent overview of your business and a key method for conducting organizational wide self-assessment to the NHQA Criteria. The application is also a great support document to add to a business plan, as a key component of your strategic planning and a wonderful document for new employees to quickly understand your business and the organizations history.
So what are the key tips for creating a...
Receiving a NHQA feedback report can result in a freeze due the amount of Opportunities for Improvement (OFI’s) reported, but remember even award winners receive OFI’s! They are after all the real benefits of the process it is through these that an improvement plan can be developed. However, the number of OFI’s can be overwhelming and result in the OFI’s being sidelined and no action plan being put into place. In addition many organizations take offense at the OFI’s and...
Making the cut for a National Housing Quality Award (NHQA) site visit is a major achievement, however, quite naturally many are anxious about the process and view the arrival of a team of Judges as a stressful experience. This stress often arises from the perception that absolutely no mistakes should be made during the site visit and as a response some applicants actually avoid the Judges as much as possible during the visit. While it is natural to be nervous about a...
A Quality Management System or QMS refers to what an organization does to manage its processes, or activities, so that its products or services meet the objectives it has set itself or the requirements and standards set by other groups or standards. ISO9001 is an international standard used by all industrial sectors including construction. This focuses on the customer, leadership, involvement of people, processes, systems approaches, continual improvement, factual decision...
Almost 90 percent of Americans think owning a home is still an important part of the American dream, despite the current housing market.
That's according to a new New York Times/CBS poll released late yesterday.
At the same time, only 49 percent of respondents said housing is a safe investment and 45 percent said it was a risky one.
Other highlights of the poll:
The concept of lean architectural design is often misunderstood. Elimination of design- induced waste in both product and process is the overriding goal of Lean Design. The builders who “get it” know that they must eradicate waste from their plans in order to not be merely competitive, but to survive in today’s economy. Our experience demonstrates that up to 60% of construction waste originates through poor or misdirected planning efforts. This blog post is the first in a series which will...
I must admit, as an architect involved heavily in the home building business for the last 20 years I have never come across the concept of “Brownies vs Muffins.” During a Lean Plan Workout for a large regional builder, Jim, from the concrete supply company brought this concept to our attention. Jim is a salty old timer who has experienced dealing with many different methods of pouring concrete. We were reviewing in detail plans that have been built for years and he asked us if we knew...
“I thought I saw it once. Rooms designed in twelve foot dimensions, footing dimensions in 24” increments. Sheetrock scraps wouldn’t fill a wheelbarrow. My phone never rang, the trades had all the information they needed and only the information they needed. Then just like that it disappeared, leaving me to wonder if I was only dreaming.”
This could be a quote from a production manager in any area in the country. The truth is that there are many myths about Lean Design. One of the...
