Our core foundations are the areas we prioritize to achieve excellence. Outlining specific goals provides direction and cultivates intentionality, which is the reason behind our focus on the Core Four. While we have operated by these foundations since our origin, we want to ensure that as technology and systems continue to change, we remain steadfast in ensuring these principles are held to the highest standard. These four foundations are Safety, Quality, Schedule, and Cost.
Safety
One of H&W’s values is to be uncompromising and proactive at safety. We are dedicated to every person going home at the end of the day and that commitment is seen from executives at H&W to field staff and even those in the office. Our safety standards apply to everyone, and each of us are responsible for ensuring the safety of those we care about. Whether it is trade partners, coworkers, or office employees visiting a jobsite, we take it seriously to make sure safety remains a priority.
Quality
Delivering a quality project impacts every other foundation we focus on. With constantly changing technology, H&W is remaining at the forefront to guarantee we produce quality results, no matter the task – another one of our H&W Values. We are incredibly proud of our proprietary QA/QC program that is customized to fit all project types. As a diverse general contractor with a wide portfolio of various project types, we need a system in place to accommodate all projects. Our field team uses tools such as checklists, first work inspections, weekly QA/QC inspections, and dashboards to make sure the project avoids rework or any surprises. Quality means taking the time to do everything right the first time.
Schedule
Turning projects over on time is important to us. We see scheduling as an opportunity to live out one of our core values, Do what you say you will do.
Scheduling is an extensive planning effort that begins in the very early stages of a project. Accurately planning for any variables and accounting for all surprises, good and bad, is of the utmost importance when creating a schedule. Having a plan in place before we even begin construction is essential. We focus on new technology that allows us to continue to have accurate and thorough schedules for all projects, which ultimately avoids the need for any recovery plans. We use lean practices as a pull planning so every trade partner is communicating their own schedules and we can work together toward the common goal of finishing the project on time. We are proud to excel in the way we schedule our projects and openly communicate with everyone, including our clients, about the progress their project. We have one master schedule for every job that is used by our field team, trade partners, and the client.
Cost
When we are entrusted to be good stewards of our clients’ money, we value it as if it were our own. Ensuring an accurate estimate begins early in the planning stage of the project. We are proud to have an incredibly strong estimating team that puts together accurate budgets accounting for inflations, contingencies, and allowances that reflect each drawing stage so there are not large changes from conception to moving into the field. As a testament to our culture and ability to work together as a team, the field team is often engaged early during preconstruction so the transition to the field is seamless. Once in the field, we continue to openly communicate with the owner about any savings, all of which are returned if the client does not decide to allocate the money to any other part of the project. Our transparency and accuracy is often the beginning of how we build repeat clients.
The Core Four is a reflection of our strengths and priorities. We believe that achieving excellence in these four areas is the foundation for a successful project. We are proud to continue expanding on these strengths and continue commitment to Safety, Quality, Schedule, and Cost.