Recently, our Hubbell Homes team was awarded a bronze in the 2021 National Housing Quality Award®, sponsored by Pro Builder magazine.
The award, which was established in 1993, is dedicated to the advancement and recognition of organizational excellence in homebuilding. The NHQA is based on a set of criteria that assesses the organizational performance of builders, remodelers, trades and suppliers with focuses on strategic planning, process management, construction quality and business results. Companies who apply submit a written submission, receive a judge panel site visit and critical feedback to homebuilding practices.
This is the first time an Iowa-based homebuilder has received this national renowned recognition, so this week, we sat down with our team to discuss what they learned during the application process, site visit and the final review from the Pro Builder team:
Rachel Flint, Vice President of Hubbell Homes:
It was a grueling application. How did you decide to apply? “Just the questions they ask and assimilating all of the information - it looks at every aspect of the business. I’m not kidding, there’s not one part of the business that’s not discussed at length in the application. This demonstrated that the team was ready for it. They went into the process with an open heart, open mind and the willingness to change and to think differently about how we do our business. That’s what made it the right timing.
What is the end goal for an application like this? "It’s just about becoming more efficient as a builder, right? With efficiency in our building process, we could make it a better experience for trade partners as well as our customers.”
Aaron Bohn, Director of Operations Excellence and Customer Satisfaction
Was there a difference in 2017's application verse 2020? “It’s good to see the difference between 2017 to 2019-2020 and the amount of work that’s put in. The feedback is the next area that we need to work on.”
Susanne Roesch, Home Design Manager
What did the application survey? “They went through our software, our processes, how we address the different requirements of building in different communities with different regulations. Those conversations were very interesting, and they’ve already resulted in changes in our processes.”
Dave Neyens, Senior Superintendent
What did the application survey? “I’ve been doing this for a year or two, and staying on top of things in the field, keeping skilled workers, and staying on top of suppliers are all ongoing issues. We’re fortunate to have a great group of trade partners and suppliers who work with us to make sure we have what we need and help us run efficiently.”
Brandon Wilson, Purchasing Manager
How does this award impact trade and employee relations? "We really thought the culture in the company was on par for a bronze, silver or gold and it was another reason I thought it was great to get to where we are with our team members. The judges asked questions about our trade partners, our relationships with them, and even our company culture. Even though we have a good sense of where we are on things, it’s good to hear from someone who has experience with builders across the country, so we can see where we compare nationally, too.”
April Seydel, Sales Manager
Does it result in teambuilding? “Just being with the company form the outside to inside and seeing the growth over those years was eye opening and we have accomplished so much. With the steps we’re taking today, we have the right team in place, and we’re focused on getting better which is awesome. I think that’s what came out of it from 2017 to where we’re going.”
Hubbell Homes joins two additional bronze award winners and an honorable mention homebuilder for the 2021 NHQ award recognition.
“We’re really trying to create best-in-class outcomes for our customers,” added Kyle Gamble, Executive Vice President of Hubbell Realty Company, in a separate interview. “And if we can continue to foster this continuous improvement mindset that’s really taking hold with Hubbell Homes and translate that to other aspects of our business, then we will really see the benefits of the learning and growth opportunity that NHQ provides.”
Hubbell Homes had a record-breaking December 2020 and is looking ahead to another great year of sales in 2021 with a focus on the recently released Discovery Series, focusing on easily personalized homes at an affordable entry-level price point.
Learn more at probuilder.com/nhq
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