Synopsis: How do the smartest builders keep going in good times and bad? By adopting best practices. In this article, Fernando Pagés Ruiz and Rob Yagid talked to many successful, progressive builders, and they discovered common themes that help to maintain quality and ensure profits. Among the elements of success are providing consistent oversight; establishing a network of reliable employees; analyzing the effectiveness of your work; earning certifications for yourself and your projects; and embracing the value of continuing education. Other lessons include involving all parties (builders, subs, inspectors, clients) in meetings before construction begins and adopting code changes years before they are due for implementation. 

Best practices loosely describe the accuracy methods used to create a well-built house, the definition of which has expanded greatly over the past 30 years. Energy performance, indoor-air quality, and locally sourced materials with low embodied energy have sidled up to quality craftsmanship and good design as the hallmarks of a great home.

Such attributes haven’t always been a priority in mainstream home design and construction. Our current housing stock and the way new homes are built are being considered more carefully by the mass market than ever before. As a result, the demand for better-built, more energy-efficient housing is on the rise; clients expect architects and builders to deliver. For many builders who want to meet that demand, expand their business, or simply build to a higher standard, questions remain: How do we get there, and how do we do it successfully?

Changing the way you build to keep pace with industry-accepted best practices, which can differ from code, can be challenging. Whether you’re simply altering the way you flash windows, choosing to use a new siding material, or opting to incorporate SIPs into your next project, the tasks can be daunting. To get better insight into how to adopt a different way of building, we talked to some of the most progressive, successful builders and architects in the country. They shed light on the importance of education, the need to ensure accuracy and quality on the job site, and the methods of effectively managing the risk of changing the way they work in an ultracompetitive, cost-conservative marketplace.

Educate yourself

Every builder’s journey toward best practices requires an education, on the job or in the classroom. “Best practices are not forgiving,” says Tom Wade, co-owner of Artistic Homes in Albuquerque, N.M. Wade admits to some serious errors in his learning process, and he sums up his recommendation for any contractor wanting to become a better builder in four words: “Go back to school.” Fortunately, many formal and informal opportunities for continued learning exist.

Many of the builders we spoke with received their introduction and ongoing education in best practices through trade organizations, such as the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which provides formal courses and certifications like the two-day Green Building for Building Professionals course that helps builders to attain the popular certified-green-professional (CGP) designation. Many builders also agreed that the real trial-by-fire education starts the day you decide to build a certified home.

Green-building certifications from organizations like NAHB, LEED for Homes, and Masco Environments for Living provide consumers with an objective guarantee of the energy and environmental claims builders make. The process also provides outreach and training for the trades. being forced to meet certification criteria can be a huge educational experience. For example, it might be a builder’s first time taking a hard look at the leakiness of his walls.

Beyond more formal educational routes, all the builders we spoke with also have established a strong local network of experts and colleagues that they turn to regularly for insight and direction. Others simply tap into obvious but overlooked resources.

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