Indiana Quality Assurance Builder Standards

What are the Quality Assurance Builder Standards?

• Resources to help customers understand the basics of home building
• Tools to help builders and remodelers manage customer expectations
• Processes to prevent/resolve customer complaints

A Measurable Difference

The Quality Assurance Builder Standards provide new home buyers and remodeling homeowners a way to measure the quality of the project against an industry approved set of standards.

Builders and homeowners can use these performance guidelines to:

• communicate and understand each other’s expectations regarding the building or remodeling project
• address the most prevalent issues that arise between the builder and the customer before the project, during the project, and, most importantly, after the project is completed
• help eliminate problems before the project even begins

All too often it is the undefined expectations that create the majority of the problems encountered in the building and remodeling processes.

If disputes arise, that cannot be settled between the two parties using the standards, the program includes a mediation/binding arbitration mechanism to provide another vehicle to dispute resolution outside the costly and time-consuming court process.

The program is available to all builder and remodeler members of the Indiana Builders Association, and members can order QABS manuals in hard copy or digital format. Local HBAs may order manuals in hard copy format. New homebuyers and remodeling homeowners should contact their builder or remodeler for a copy of the Standards. Please contact Mollie Flook at mollie@buildindiana.org if you have questions.

Scope of the Quality Assurance Builder Standards

These standards are intended to be used as a tool by both the builder and the homeowner to:

• determine if the particular concern about a building or remodeling project is within the standards
• determine what action is necessary to meet homeowner expectations created by the standards
• address the vast majority of the questions that arise in the course of the typical construction or remodeling process

The actual standards and the language used, along with the individual sections of the manual, were chosen to allow all parties a clear understanding of the potential issues and the standards that should be expected.

It should be clearly noted that the standards do not constitute a warranty nor are they intended as a substitute for a warranty, including manufacturer’s warranties.

The homeowner and the builder should agree that the standards are to be included as a part of the construction and/or sales contract for the project.