Building a Home Quality Mark Home
Considering building to the Home Quality Mark standards? This page is dedicated to helping developers, members of industry and housing landlords discover more about HQM and why to use it.
A measure that your customers can trust
The Home Quality Mark (HQM) provides housing developers with the tools they need to convince customers of the quality and added benefits of their new homes – such as being likely to need less maintenance, being cheaper to run, better located, and more able to cope with the demands of a changing climate.
Many house builders are constructing high quality homes – perhaps exceeding Building Regulation requirements in some aspects – but may not have the appropriate measurements of quality to persuade customers of their benefits.
Star ratings and quality indicators
The Home Quality Mark comprises two elements, a five-star rating giving a clear overall picture of the home’s quality, and a set of indicators focussed on specific aspects that are of particular interest to the key groups involved, such as home occupants, developers and planners.
The indicators for householders, for example, are householder costs, positive impacts on health and wellbeing, and environmental footprint. An example of the HQM ‘scorecard’ that a home will receive – showing the overall rating and the ratings for each of the three householder indicators can be seen here.
What is measured?
Independent HQM assessors examine a range of issues that are divided into three sections:
- Delivery – the processes that enhance understanding and co-operation between the designer, constructor, client and householder.
- Our Surroundings – the ability of homes to work with current and future surroundings.
- My Home – the provision of living spaces that are comfortable, healthy, cost effective and have reduced environmental impacts.
These each allow for a degree of pre-approval to maximise the cost effectiveness of the assessment process whilst taking account of issues that are site specific in the final assessment of the development.
Get involved in HQM’s development
A wide range of experts and organisations have worked with us to develop the Home Quality Mark, and we are continuing to canvas the views of technical professionals (designers, developers, constructors, maintainers and consultants), marketing professionals, financial institutions, legal experts and other cross-cutting groups.
Market Research
Independent research is at the heart of the Home Quality Mark. As part of HQM’s development, BRE has conducted and commissioned a number of research projects into the issues that it should address. There have been widespread consultations with the housing industry, along with research into the views of a range of housing residents.
HQM Standard
HQM ONE is now available.
HQM Training
Find out more about HQM training and how to become a licensed assessor.
Why a Home Quality Mark?
Recent independent research shows that householders value expert guidance that they can trust when selecting a home.
How Is It Assessed?
Independent, fully trained and licensed professionals will asseess and score wide ranging aspects of a new home to give an overall quality rating.
Who is Behind the Home Quality Mark?
BRE, the UK's leading building science centre.
