Consumer/Home Buyer Information
To search for a Certified Professional Home Builder by price and location or to view a builder's profile, please click here.
For a list of questions to ask your builder, please click here.
To receive a free copy of the CPHB Directory and Buyer's Guide, e-mail your name and address to cphb1@atlantahomebuilders.com.
In the event of a dispute with a certified builder, please review the CPHB Dispute Resolution Guidelines. You also may speak with a consumer advocate by calling (678) 775-1470.
Dear Consumers and Prospective Home Buyers:
In 1997, the CPHB program was developed as a result of marketplace expectations, and today, this voluntary certification program exceeds the licensing standards to be implemented in 2008. With approximately 300 members, the CPHB program is a step above and beyond licensing by requiring continuing education, benchmarking in code compliance and dispute resolution, and now, assisting in the evaluation of customer satisfaction in order to improve quality and performance.
As the program continues to grow and adapt to the changes in the industry, customer satisfaction remains of the utmost importance for The Housing Institute, Inc. (THI), and the Certified Profession Home Builder™ Program (CPHB). Although in the end of the construction process, a consumer purchases a home, the complete interactions before, during, and after construction reflect a satisfied customer. THI felt that it was important to measure customer satisfaction to help our builders improve and stay on the leading edge of quality.
This year THI has worked diligently with GuildQuality, a company that defines and measures quality, performance, and customer satisfaction nationally for builders, remodelers, commercial contractors, and real estate developers, in establishing customer satisfaction measures and tools to provide feedback. THI is using the results from the survey to help prioritize a company’s improvement through continuing education.
Though THI promotes the importance of customer service and satisfaction, it is realized that the consumer is a key link in the success of a builder improving his/her customer service. At THI, we recognize that people are critical and in order to be customer-oriented, policies must promote and reflect customer satisfaction and service.
With help from GuildQuality, CPHBs can evaluate consumers’ responses and look for their expectations. Each CPHB can assess how s/he is performing as a company on surveys as well as review results compared to peers in similar categories. This assessment is competitive benchmarking for the CPHBs and allows them to identify customer satisfaction and perceptions in their key market segments.
In July 2008, all builders will have to be licensed from the state to pull a permit. Although licensing is a positive mechanism for raising the bar and providing a limited source of protection for the consumer, again all builders will be viewed on an equal playing field because all will have to be licensed. However, a license does not equal quality. Consumers will still need to perform due diligence and not solely rely on licensing.
As the state of Georgia moves closer to its first year of licensing, THI and the CPHB program’s goal remains steadfast-to better serve the marketplace. We continue to make strides to exceed expectations and to improve our product and service for the consumer.
Tony Perry, President
The Housing Institute, Inc.
The Housing Institute, Inc. uses its best efforts to determine a builder's qualification for certification as a Certified Professional Home Builder. While the program recognizes the professionalism of a builder, The Housing Institute, Inc. does not make any warranty or representation, express or implied, to home buyers or others and has not inspected the construction of any home and, therefore, does not and cannot address the specific quality of a new home. The home buyer is encouraged to discuss the program with his or her Certified Professional Home Builder and to contact The Housing Institute, Inc. for more specific information about the program.
