This report covers the main themes emerging from the first Housing Forum Autumn conference, ‘Quality Counts: from start to end in housing construction’.
The need for this conference was emphasised by Housing Forum Chair Stephen Teagle in opening the day commenting, ‘Quality is a significant challenge in housebuilding and the sector has not always been getting quality in housebuilding right’.
Discussions have shown that the issue of quality revolves around four aspects – design, procurement, and build and customer experience. The sector has the tools to provide solutions for three of these aspects – design, build and customer experience.
That is because the industry shows a great commitment to design, and the National Design Guide is in place. Digitalisation helps the building process and collaboration offers clear routes to success. And similarly, KPIs and the NHBC can measure customer satisfaction.
Procurement is the one aspect of quality that the industry has yet to get right. Fragmentation, adversarial relations and the race to start on site as soon as possible without adequate planning and supply-side engagement, all militate against a quality result.
While there are many things construction gets right it is essential to get procurement right too. The Housing Forum is determined to make sure it does, making procurement reform a central message for 2020.
The conference began with an assessment of the performance of the housebuilding sector over recent years. Government is now taking a lead on design quality and the first half of the conference covered regulatory reform and quality maintenance measures like the chain of custody.
The major focus of the later sessions of the conference covered cost models to reduce risk and give certainty to support projects. Site regimes also support quality and first-hand experience of the application of digital technology was demonstrated.
The final speakers covered the importance of the management of cultures and securing the legacy of a development through individual digital libraries.
Featured image: BPTW, Rochester Riverside, KentShare News Article
Date:
Sponsors:
Contributors:
Stephen Teagle, Chair, The Housing Forum
Chief Executive, Vistry Partnerships
Mehban Chowdery, Regional Director, London
NHBC
Jane Dann, Managing Director
Tibbalds Planning and Design
Chris Bath, Partner
BPTW
Jamie Ratcliff, Executive Director
Network Homes
Andrew Mellor, Partner
PRP
Rebecca Rees, Partner
Trowers & Hamlins
Nigel Ostime, Delivery Director
Hawkins\Brown
John Gray, Partner
HTA Design
Nick Joslyn, Managing Director
4i Solutions
Rob Skingley, Director
Howden UK
Paul Mills, Project Director
Vistry Partnerships
James Henderson, Customer Excellence Director
SnagR
Chris Stevens, Managing Director, London
Bouygues UK
Neal Curtis, Partner
Arcadis
Read the full report for practical insights and analysis.
You can download it below.