Touchstone’s Vision of Quality
Quality lies at the heart of all of our services. We, Touchstone, define quality not by the visual appeal of the development or investment, but within every step of the project. Touchstone does not start a project without putting quality in the driver’s seat , and Touchstone does not end a project unless the quality of the project has met the standards that are fundamental to the company.
Quality Means Suitability, Not Just a Specification
Quality is defined prior to any project. It starts with understanding the needs that are to be met and looking at how to maintain these needs long-term and sustainably. Touchstone plans and designs properties with the individual at the centre.
True quality can be identified in projects that demonstrate safety and independence in the spaces that an individual would be utilising daily. Moreover, it would be identified by practical considerations like privacy and accessibility for properties to adapt to ever-changing needs, which have a great impact on the level of quality.
By focusing on the suitability, it helps ensure that properties are compliant for all individuals in the long-term.
Build Quality and Construction Standards
At Touchstone, we still focus on building quality. Robust materials are chosen for longevity and aesthetics. These materials enable a longer-lasting home with less maintenance, reducing the overall cost and time spent on properties in the long-term. This prevents common property issues such as damp, mould, natural wear and tear and other misuse.
Governance, Compliance and Consistency
Touchstone’s governance and compliance rules are set out as a baseline, not a limitation. These define how projects are completed.
Meeting housing, building and safety regulations is standard practice, but at Touchstone, we choose to go that extra mile. Repeatable systems have been created to ensure that all projects receive the same level of quality treatment and that everyone onboard are all up to speed with company regulations. Having these laid out builds trust for regulators, commissioners and investors by reducing the risk of oversight and increasing confidence.
With the correct governance and compliance defined, it shows consistency across all projects. The repeatable systems are placed to give clear benchmarks to ensure that partners are aware of the “quality” that Touchstone brings.
Long-term Value
Investing in the correct materials is key when focusing on build quality. Investing more in the short-term will often lead to lower long-term maintenance costs. For example, to reduce upfront cost, we could build a fence using cheap timber, but this material is fragile and likely to deteriorate quickly, and therefore, needs frequent replacement. By investing slightly more in higher-quality fencing, the fence would last significantly longer, resulting in lower overall costs once maintenance and repairs are considered.
With the less frequent maintenance, the less frequent damage and issues, it increases tenant and client satisfaction, keeping the tenants at the property for longer.
Conclusion
For Touchstone, “quality” is not the final product of a project, nor is it a marketing phrase. It is a set of principles that Touchstone works with. It is the deliberate decisions that are made at every phase of the project. Touchstone will always look to be the benchmark for where quality should be in the property development and investment sector.
