UPPER MARLBORO, Md. — The NAHB Research Center announced that KB Home, one of the nation's premier home builders, has reaffirmed its position as the first and only builder to earn the prestigious National Housing Quality (NHQ) Certified Builder designation for all of its operations nationwide. Following a rigorous NAHB Research Center audit of the quality assurance systems of each division, KB Home has earned recertification under the NHQ program for its company-wide commitment to quality and customer satisfaction for the third consecutive year.
"We are very pleased that every one of our KB Home divisions from coast to coast has once again earned this rigorous third-party certification of our quality commitments," said Jeffrey Mezger, president and chief executive officer of KB Home. "Building quality homes for families is what we do every day, and our focus on providing the highest levels of consistency and efficiency across our business is one reason KB Home's customer satisfaction ratings were at record levels in 2009."
Designed to foster consistency and quality in building practices, NHQ certification is presented to home builders and trade contractors who have documented and implemented quality management systems, and participated in systematic reviews of the implementation of those systems. Today, more than 20 builders and 160 trade contracting companies across the country are certified under the program. Certification requirements ensure that all elements of a company's quality assurance system are aligned to improve quality performance and provide greater customer satisfaction. To achieve certification, many of KB Home's divisions also independently sponsored NHQ training sessions for their trade partners.
"Since the inception of the NHQ program in 2004, no other home builder has certified more divisions than KB Home, a landmark achievement that continues to set the bar for quality assurance in the industry," said Michael Luzier, president and chief executive officer of the NAHB Research Center.
"By achieving national NHQ certification for the third year in a row, KB Home is leading by example and making a powerful statement to homebuyers that customer satisfaction is the company's top priority," said Bob Hill, director of certification and laboratory services at the NAHB Research Center. "We encourage all home builders to make this same commitment to quality and customer satisfaction for the benefit of new homebuyers across the country."
About the NAHB Research Center
Located in Upper Marlboro, Md., the NAHB Research Center promotes innovation in housing technology to improve the quality, durability, affordability, and environmental performance of homes and home building products. Created nearly 50 years ago as a subsidiary of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), the NAHB Research Center has established itself as the source for reliable, objective information and research on housing construction and development issues. Through its various testing and certification services, the Research Center product certification seal is internationally-recognized as a mark of product quality and an assurance of product performance. For more information on the Research Center's full array of integrated consulting services, visit
www.nahbrc.com .
About KB Home
KB Home, one of the nation's premier homebuilders, has delivered over half a million quality homes for families since its founding in 1957. The Company is distinguished by its Built to Order(TM) homebuilding approach that puts a custom home experience within reach of its customers at an affordable price. KB Home's award-winning homes and communities meet the needs of first-time homebuyers with flexible designs that also appeal to move-up buyers and active adults. Los Angeles-based KB Home was named the #1 homebuilder on FORTUNE(R) magazine's 2009 "World's Most Admired Companies" list. This marks the second year in a row and the third time in the past four years that KB Home has achieved the top ranking. The Company trades under the ticker symbol "KBH" and was the first homebuilder listed on the New York Stock Exchange. For more information about any of KB Home's new home communities, call 888-KB-HOMES or visit
www.kbhome.com .
