It stands to reason that if a builder wants to build a reputation on quality, there should be some minimum standards that can be used as a yardstick. Builders who value word-of-mouth buyer and REALTOR® sales referrals are constantly looking for the reputation among these groups that their homes can indeed stand the test of time with proper maintenance and buyer education. When both homebuyers and homebuilders can be on the same page as to what "industry standards" are, less conflict, happier homeowners, and fewer lawsuits usually result.

How, then, do homebuilders hold themselves accountable for the homes they build? "Horror" stories tell us of people who have been the unenviable position of having to fight a builder who refuses to stand by its original pledges to structural quality and durability of the components in its new homes. But what standards do homebuilders use besides the local building code requirements?

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Builder Book division has just published the second edition of its already popular Residential Construction Performance Guidelines, an updated and revised collection of industry standards in homebuilding. This widely accepted resource was designed and written with the assistance of builders and remodelers from all over the U.S and is important as the only authoritative body of information on how new and remodeled homes should perform under warranty.

The Guidelines, which have already been adopted by thousands of builders since their introduction in 1996, are the industry's most accepted reference on how homes should be built. The book also has become an important tool for managing customer expectations, forming a basis for a credible and successful builder warranty program.

The new edition of the Guidelines includes 240 precepts in twelve major categories of new residential construction and remodeling, literally covering every aspect of construction. "The Guidelines define in plain English what qualifies as acceptable construction, much to the benefit of builders and their customers who often misunderstand the fine print of their contracts and warranties," says Patrick O'Toole of Professional Builder Magazine.

Used as a reference, a resource and even a sales tool (when builders boast that they not only meet, but exceed the Guidelines), many builders who have used the book's tenets as their standards find it invaluable. The NAHB makes available two versions of the Guidelines; one for contractors and one for consumers, in a "homeowners' reference version" format.

"In many places around the country, the publication's first edition has become the final authority in settling disputes between builders and home owners," says NAHB vice-president and builder Robert R. Jones, who helped to develop them. Jones' company, like others, uses the Guidelines in each of its initial agreements with buyers, so that there are no misunderstandings later on as to what is deemed both customary and acceptable in the construction of their new homes.

Another yardstick industry tool introduced by the NAHB's publishing arm is a book called The Scopes of Work Program, which demonstrates how standardization leads to improved quality, customer satisfaction and profitability. Because of the explosive growth of the homebuilding industry in recent years, more and more emphasis has been placed on raising the bar of professionalism among homebuilders, putting in place systems that are designed to keep them at above-par levels.

In the publication, industry veteran Linda Haas Davenport offers her field-tested program as a way for builders to gain accountability from field personnel and contractors, make sure each trade has fully completed its handiwork, implement ways to reduce waste materials, control construction costs and ultimately reduce warranty work.

In a recent NAHB press release announcing the program, its is acknowledged that implementation of The Scopes of Work Program takes hard work and dedication and a monetary commitment on the part of the builder, but the rewards can translate into a bigger bottom line when all is said and done.

It is heartening to know that, although the building industry has experienced phenomenal windfalls of profit over the past few years, many of the country's homebuilders have not fallen into an over-confident, complacent, or laurel-resting mode, striving instead to continuously raise the standards to which they hold themselves. And campaigns to improve new home construction, embracing resources such as those mentioned here can ultimately benefit us, as consumers.

For information on purchasing these books, go to www.nahb.com.

Published: November 3, 2000

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

A veteran of the real estate and homebuilding industries since 1986, Dena Kouremetis first joined Realty Times as a new homes writer in 1998. Since then, she has authored four books, written consumer columns on new homes issues for websites and newspapers all across the country, contributed to builder trade magazines, appeared as a guest expert on several radio shows and even created a ten-chapter podcast for LendingTree.com’s homebuilder website, iNest.com, now available on iTunes, entitled Uncharted Waters; Navigating the Purchase of a New Production Home. Kouremetis recently joined her local Folsom, CA Coldwell Banker office as a broker associate while continuing to write for the real estate industry. For the past three years, she has been training real estate agents for both the resale and new homes industries, putting her experience, research expertise and gift of expression to work to help others entering the business.