Most companies that have gone through the program report that they save money on warranty work, they fail fewer code inspections, and their crews are more efficient and productive. In follow-up surveys, Hill says, 93% of participants say the process helped them improve the quality of their product and service.
“We’re not technical experts to tell them the proper way to plumb or frame a house,” he says. “We teach them to ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act.’ Plan the work, do the work, check the work, learn what went wrong, act to make sure it doesn’t happen again, and incorporate that back into your plan. You can’t really inspect the quality of the final product. You need it in the beginning. When you do make a mistake, learn from it.” —Pat Curry is an award-winning Georgia-based freelance writer who specializes in writing about residential construction.