2005 Media Releases & Alerts
NAHB Research Center's National Housing Quality Program Certifies 100th Trade
Contractor
Landmark Business Management Program for the Home Building Industry Reaches
Milestone
March 24, 2005, Upper Marlboro, Md. - Today, the NAHB Research Center
announced the successful certification of its 100th trade contractor through
the prestigious National Housing Quality (NHQ) Certified Trade Contractor
program. The NHQ certification program provides independent, third-party
evaluations of participating contractors who have documented and implemented
quality management systems that enable them to consistently meet code and
regulatory requirements, builder specifications, and homeowner expectations.
Achieving 100 trade contractor certifications is a major accomplishment for the
program, as it demonstrates incredible growth since it began in 1999, but it
also marks a major step forward for quality assurance in the home building
industry. The NHQ Certified Trade Contractor program is reaching critical mass
within the industry that will result in marked improvements due in large part
to the involvement of industry partners, NHQ sponsors HBW Insurance Services
and Simpson Strong-Tie Co., and the support of the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB).
"NHQ Certified Trade Contractors are truly committed to quality, and are leaders
in their fields," said NAHB Research Center president Michael Luzier.
"Contractors involved in the program have experienced a reduction in callbacks,
and say that it has increased their job satisfaction and helped them take more
pride in their work. A builder who hires a contractor participating in this
certification program, which is evaluated by a trusted name in the industry, is
making a wise investment in his business and his bottom line."
Simply put, the NHQ Certified Trade Contractor Program focuses the building
industry on doing things right the first time. To achieve certification, trade
contractors must develop, document, implement and maintain quality management
systems incorporated to provide greater customer satisfaction, and participate
in an annual, rigorous audit of the implementation of those systems. The
purpose of the audit is to ensure that the company is meeting all of the
certification requirements, and to verify that the contractor is conducting
their operations in accordance with their documented procedures. Audits include
an examination of the company's records and procedures in the office and on the
jobsite. Earning certification and displaying the NHQ Certified seal
demonstrates a company's ongoing and proactive commitment to quality and
continuous improvement.
"Today, every contractor says that they provide quality service to their
customers, but when NHQ Certified Trade Contractors who carry the NAHB Research
Center seal are hired, you can expect greater customer satisfaction," said
Frank Alexander, NHQ programs director at the NAHB Research Center. "We are
working closely with contractors to raise the professionalism in the industry
across the nation."
An executive from a Western production builder stated, "Our field people are
very supportive of the quality assurance program. They recognize the benefit of
it because there is less time wasted on jobsite mistakes, correcting jobsite
problems, and jobsite accountability is heightened."
For more information on the NHQ Certified Trade Contractor program, visit the
NAHB Research Center online at www.nahbrc.com/quality or
use our Contact Us online
form.
03/05
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