You are in: Home > Business & Finance > Article
Housebuilding: Good, but must make more effort
00:00 04 Aug 1999
|
Buying a house is right up there with marriage, divorce and death
as one of the most stressful events that can befall any individual.
Vendors, lenders, solicitors and surveyors can all conspire to
create untold hassle for the would-be purchaser.
Which is why many embrace buying a new home as an easier way to realise their dreams.
They hope to benefit from more control, more mod-cons, and a streamlined acquisition process. Last, and by no means least, they expect a near-perfect product.
Throughout the nineties, new house prices have been consistently more robust than those of older homes, as customers have proved willing to pay more for these perceived benefits.
However, the wisdom of such premiums looks questionable given experiences of some homebuyers we encountered this week (pages 14-16). It is also challenged by statistical evidence from bodies such as BRE and the comments of housing leaders, who admit that customers can become "disillusioned."
Some of the reasons for this state of affairs are not hard to see. Housebuilding has a repeatable product, but not a culture of continuous improvement. It is a relatively stable business, but suffers an ageing workforce. Its homes may be modern but its methods are not.
What is needed is a charter of minimum standards and targets for the housebuilders to pledge themselves to. Such a charter should set standards for snags, defect reduction, customer satisfaction, and (reduced) purchase and running costs.
The housebuilding industry has concentrated on the customer to a greater degree than any other part of the construction industry. But while it may be one of the most advanced pupils in the class, until - or unless - it addresses these things, its report card will continue to read: Good, but must do more.
Which is why many embrace buying a new home as an easier way to realise their dreams.
They hope to benefit from more control, more mod-cons, and a streamlined acquisition process. Last, and by no means least, they expect a near-perfect product.
Throughout the nineties, new house prices have been consistently more robust than those of older homes, as customers have proved willing to pay more for these perceived benefits.
However, the wisdom of such premiums looks questionable given experiences of some homebuyers we encountered this week (pages 14-16). It is also challenged by statistical evidence from bodies such as BRE and the comments of housing leaders, who admit that customers can become "disillusioned."
ADVERTISEMENT
Some of the reasons for this state of affairs are not hard to see. Housebuilding has a repeatable product, but not a culture of continuous improvement. It is a relatively stable business, but suffers an ageing workforce. Its homes may be modern but its methods are not.
What is needed is a charter of minimum standards and targets for the housebuilders to pledge themselves to. Such a charter should set standards for snags, defect reduction, customer satisfaction, and (reduced) purchase and running costs.
The housebuilding industry has concentrated on the customer to a greater degree than any other part of the construction industry. But while it may be one of the most advanced pupils in the class, until - or unless - it addresses these things, its report card will continue to read: Good, but must do more.
ADVERTISEMENT
Most Viewed Articles
ADVERTISEMENT