What's In Your Tool Belt to Help Build-in Quality?

Interesting MultiFamily Executive article highlighting the growing demand for new housing and resultant labor constraint issues. The demand for labor has emerged as an issue for both single- and multi-family builders, nationwide.

FieldCollaborate
Quality Inspection Checklist

Do you know the last time builders reported such widespread labor shortages was just before 2001?

The demand for labor has forced the use of "B" and "C" quality trades, which will result in more issues and increases the demand for more oversight. Without a well-qualified and experienced labor force, builders are facing increasing quality issues. Field Managers were already being asked to produce more; how best to produce more with better quality?

Technology should be top-of-mind as a way to consistently survey, assess and respond to quality issues. And, mobile technology allows Field Managers to work directly from the job site -- yet remain in contact with vendors and the corporate office.

Quality issues can be observed and reported for followup as punch items and builders are able to create Quality Inspection templates aimed at catching issues as early and consistently as possible.

One big gain with mobile in the quality world is real-time reporting. Take a look at CPS' FieldCollaborate. Field Managers are able to record a quality issue, automatically email the vendor, post the issue to the Portal (including pictures) for vendor review and then close the ticket when resolved. All from their truck or construction trailer.

And, there's also the ability to analyze data over time -- in real time. Are today's problems consistent with issues last week or last month? Is this vendor consistently late or slow to complete tasks? All of that information is available on the mobile device while dealing with today's quality issue.

FieldCollaborate also provides scheduling, punch and safety tools -- as well as a homebuyer information Portal to keep builders in 24/7 communication with their clients.

Leverage Your Construction Scheduling Software to Manage Callbacks

No builder purposefully sets out to have call backs, punch items or warranty claims.  There are the added costs, time and dislocation associated with getting the job done right -- and issues can too easily be splashed across social media.

Build-in quality with scheduling tools!

Builder recently noted, With homeowner scrutiny on the rise, it's a good idea to take a second look at what can go wrong on a job. It's a chance to up your game.

Isn't it better to try to manage the issues before they're able to reach the status of a call back, punch item or warranty claim?

One quality management tool falls within the scope of today's automated construction scheduling software: associating Quality Inspection Checklists with key tasks.

How would that work? Select a key schedule task such as framing complete and develop a series of check points to measure satisfaction that the task is not only complete but meets the desired level of quality.

The task can't be considered complete for scheduling purposes, with an open Quality Inspection, and the vendor can't be paid, either. Both your field manager and vendor are on notice that items need to be addressed -- and they can be reminded on an ongoing basis, as well.

This type of process could be considered building-in quality.  Everyone involved in the job knows that there will be mini walkthru's throughout the job.  Issues can be caught at the key task inspections making resolution more timely as the vendor is available and hasn't yet been paid.  Not only are the issues better able to be resolved but the builder's reputation is enhanced as the buyer walk becomes focused on how the home operates vs. quality punch items.

CPS' FieldCollaborate offers Quality Inspection Checklists along with Punch Item Management as part of the construction scheduling software package.  And, there are Vendor and Buyer Portals, too! All focused on helping you build quality homes, on time!

Construction Data Portals: 24/7 Collaboration Tools

Are you familiar with the concept of a web portal, sometimes referred to as a neutral platform in the cloud?

Portals provide users with the ability to view — and sometimes update — information developed by one or more systems from a single web-based location.

What can a construction portal do for your construction process — inside and outside the company, including vendors and home buyers?  Effective portals improve communication and collaboration by providing real-time data access to enterprise information.

FieldCollaborate Portal Offers 24/7 Vendor Access 

Let's take a look at a real-world example.  Vendors can login to CPS' FieldCollaborate Portal — at any time, 24/7 — and view their current construction schedules, punch items and safety assessments.  And, they're able to pull up builder documents and drawings.

Home buyers, on the other hand, login to the FieldCollaborate Portal to find their home's schedule and stage-of-construction photos.  The Portal keeps home buyers actively engaged throughout the home buying/construction cycle, which in many areas can take nine months from the time of contract acceptance to closing.

Home builders use the Portal, as well, to share information within the enterprise. When we consider the entire set of participants — the builder, vendors and home buyers — think about the number of phone calls, faxes, emails and misunderstandings that can be eliminated!

What's more disruptive than having multiple sources of information?  A well-managed portal provides the same information to everyone (governed by access credentials, of course) — and it's all available 24/7, in real-time, via the cloud!

Portals improve communication and that makes the builder's entire enterprise more efficient and productive — resulting in more profit for both the builder and the vendors.

Construction Data Portals: Immediate Collaboration

Are you familiar with the concept of a Portal -- sometimes referred to as a neutral platform in the cloud?

Portals provide users with the ability to view -- and sometimes update -- information developed by a variety of systems and managed by different organizations in a single location. Typically, they're accessible via the Internet.

What could a construction Portal do for you, your organization, vendors and/or buyers? An effective Portal provides data access, governed by credentials, to all appropriate stakeholders.

Construction Portals facilitate Collaboration

Let's take a look at a real-world example. Vendors can log into CPS' Field Collaborate Portal and view or print their construction schedules, punch items, and safety assessments.  In addition, they are able to view builder documents and drawings.

Home buyers, on the other hand, log into the Field Collaborate Portal and find their home's schedule as well as stage-of-construction photos.

If we considered just this set of participants, can you think of the reduced number of phone calls, faxes, emails and misunderstandings? Portals make the entire enterprise more productive!

Home builders use Portals to share information internally, as well.  What's more disruptive than having multiple sources for information?  A well-managed Portal provides the same information to everyone (governed by access credentials, of course) -- and it's all available anywhere, anytime via the cloud!