There has been an unintended, but no less important, benefit as well: If there is a mistake, a construction superintendent catches it a lot sooner. “Normally, if we made a mistake, we would find out about it when the house was almost done or so late that it would cost a lot of money to fix,” Hughes explains. Now, if there is a mistake, the buyer and the builder can detect it early, which results in a home with fewer defects. And by all accounts, the program is working well, says Hughes. Based on buyer surveys, the program has proved popular, and the company has seen “really positive results.”
CUSTOMER CONNECTIONSBrookfield Homes has found a way to make the construction process much less stressful for its home buyers. Not only are buyers more informed about the schedule of their houses, they get to see the progress with the click of a mouse. Here are some steps the builder has taken to manage the process more efficiently, build better, and, ultimately, create happier customers.
Weekly phone calls keep buyers updated on the status of their homes.A preconstruction meeting gives buyers an understanding of the building process and allows them to see the site and the orientation of the home.A password-protected Web site acts as an electronic filing cabinet and provides updated construction photos.Framing and drywall walk-throughs give buyers familiarity with the house and a feel for the rooms and spaces.A presettlement orientation meeting allows buyers to walk through the finished home with a construction superintendent and identify punch-list items.The final inspection allows buyers to check if punch-list items have been addressed.