As part of NHBC’s purpose to raise standards in house building by championing high-quality homes, we offer Construction Quality Reviews (CQRs). These are on-site reviews that highlight the strengths and weaknesses of work seen, while also identifying the root causes of any issues.
To support this quality-focussed approach NHBC now also offer Immersive Days.
An Immersive Day is designed to give participants an overview of the CQR process and its objectives. Attendees gain insights into how reviews are scored, what is expected, and practical steps they can take to enhance quality and compliance on site. These practical sessions provide a range of benefits including:
- encouraging consistent quality throughout construction processes
- offering interactive, practical learning experiences
- allowing real-time inspection and discussion of site works
- sharing insights, perspectives and tangible ways to improve quality
- and promoting best practice and supporting a continuous improvement culture.
We recently spoke with Alan Coales, Senior Contracts Manager Southern Region at M&J Evans Construction Limited about their experience of the Immersive Days on a live site for Bellway Homes and Ashberry Homes in Bedfordshire.
Why did M&J Evans choose to take part in the Immersive Days?
We are always looking to improve the quality and consistency of our construction processes. Our business objectives are focused on quality, customer satisfaction and operational excellence; the Immersive Days support all these aspects of our work.
We also felt that they were an ideal opportunity to enhance quality by identifying areas for improvement and support our teams by offering them the chance to learn in a hands-on environment. It also supports our wider aim of building a culture of continuous improvement, where learning and accountability are embedded across all levels of our business.
Have you implemented any changes after taking part in Immersive Days?
An important learning from the Immersive Days was the need for robust document control and our responsibilities in terms of complying with the manufacturer’s specifications. That is why we have reviewed our document control processes to ensure that our procurement teams are communicating all the relevant specifications and recommendations to our site teams.
How do you feel your team responded to the Immersive Days?
The Immersive Days were a highly valuable and engaging experience. It provided a focused environment where the team could step back from day-to-day operations and take a fresh look at quality standards. I think everyone appreciated the discussion of issues and the open dialogue with NHBC, who shared practical insights that reinforced the importance of getting the basics right, from foundations through to final finishes.
Looking ahead, what are your plans to support continuous improvement in the future?
We have another round of CQRs booked for later in the year so we can continue to develop our processes and delivery to achieve the very highest standards. The Immersive Days and CQRs help to give us a clear view of what we do well and what areas we can improve on; the training, education and information we have gained is invaluable to our business.
We have also invested in seminars for our site managers so that we can work in partnership to provide feedback to our site teams and demonstrate how the business has benefitted from our engagement with NHBC.
