Risk Watch 2016: The Top Four Trends Impacting Risk in Residential Development

February 15, 2016 in Tech Alert

According to the National Association of Home Builders, housing starts are expected to grow 13% within the year ahead. A recent article in Forbes Magazine states, “more housing units are being occupied, signaling a strengthening housing market, escalating new home construction, and rising home prices in 2016 and into 2017.” However, with abundance in new home construction, there is also risk. Below is a list of the top four trends we have identified that will impact risk in the coming year. Awareness of these trends make it possible to develop a plan that will both mitigate the occurrence of defects, and facilitate the immediate reparation of defects, should they occur.

  1. A significant amount of experienced superintendents and craftsmen have left the industry permanently during the protracted recession. Meanwhile, young adults entering the workforce show little interest in the construction industry, preferring to find work in industries that offer better benefits, work hours, and conditions.
  2. Homebuyers in today’s society are considered to be exponentially sophisticated. Therefore, they expect and demand homes with attributes that are difficult to implement, such as: detailed and complex architecture, top-of-the line materials, and automated systems. With such complexity, the risk of error is remarkably high.
  3. In today’s environment, builders are facing a large quantity of high cost expenditures. Although these companies are benefitting from rising home prices, the cost of land and building materials are causing them to respond by minimizing their operational expenditures. Unfortunately, as a result, project delays, inaccuracies, and liability issues stand out as minor consequences of limited expenditures.
  4. Governing agencies are adding complexity to the development process by updating building codes, making changes in land-use regulations, and providing incentives for sustainable features like solar panels.

Having acknowledged the need to demystify risk in residential construction, more than 20 years ago, Quality Built began working with clients to create a quality culture that streamlines building processes, increases construction efficiencies, and reduces operational expenditures. In order to accomplish such culture, we have brought together experts in construction defect litigation and quality assurance inspections, along with top computer programmers. In addition, we have also created QBIN and Builder Link - the technology platform preferred by builders and insurers throughout the nation.

About Quality Built Forensics

Builders, Developers, Attorneys, and Insurance Carriers trust the experts at Quality Built Forensics. Brian Kramer, RCE, GE, MBA and Jeff Hoch, AIA are acknowledged experts at the forefront of current trends in construction defect risk. Spending more time in hard hats than they do in ties, Brian and Jeff balance their caseload with active design and construction efforts. They lead teams that identify, analyze, and repair defects related to new systems, materials and assemblies in the field, preparing them for future cases that will appear in court. The QB team even defines “standard of care” for construction defects used by many insurance companies. We willingly share this information in a series of technical papers and reports published on our website www.qualitybuilt.com

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