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Product Manufacturers Should Provide Quality Control Tools
The ultimate test of the quality of a building material is how it performs in the home, not in the factory, and the installation of the product by the trade contractor is of key importance in determining the outcome, according to a recent article in Quality Matters, the e-newsletter of the NAHB Research Center’s National Housing Quality Program.
Manufacturers can help ensure correct installation by providing builders and contractors with quality-control tools on the job site. Among them:
- Detailed Installation Instructions. These should contain information on prerequisites for starting the work, work steps, dimensions with tolerances, environmental conditions, specialized tools, storage requirements and limitations on use. Clarity is paramount, and including diagrams can improve communication with a diverse workforce.
Manufacturers should avoid impractical requirements that may undermine the commitment of builders to following the specifications. If common installation practice voids warranties and shifts responsibilities to installers, the need for the requirement should be examined carefully. For instance, one building product manufacturer eliminated requirements for 48-hour storage on the job site after realizing that builders were successfully installing their product on the day it was delivered.
- Approved Material Lists. Specify all materials such as sealants, nails, primers, etc. affecting the quality of the installed product, even if they are supplied by other companies. Refer to specific models or performance levels so the installer will know what to look for on product labels.
- Craftsman Qualification Requirements. Define the training, licensure and experience necessary for skillful product installation.
- Standard Contracts. Provide guidelines for clearly defining expectations and responsibilities of the trade contractor and the builder. This is particularly important when there are other trade contractors involved in carrying out the work. For example, a standard contract for a siding applicator should state the builder’s responsibility to follow specifications for flashings and the application of special sealants.
- Job-site Inspection Forms. Include forms that field personnel will use at prescribed checkpoints to verify conformance to the installation requirements. Each checkpoint should be used to record critical job conditions, materials used and the satisfaction of installation requirements.
- Quality Manual. Define how the above tools can be used by builders and trade contractors. Product manufacturers can demonstrate their leadership on quality by describing how these control tools can be used to install their products, and builders can encourage them to do so and suggest partnering with the manufacturer on quality.
The National Housing Quality Program promotes partnering among builders, trade contractors and manufacturers who want to work together in the pursuit of quality.
For more information on effective ways to enhance partnerships on the job site, click here to visit the National Housing Quality program Web pages (www.nahbrc.org/quality); or call Don Carr, NHQ Builder program manager, at 941-907-8755.
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