Quality Control & Process Improvement Flashcards

A handyman finds that paint is peeling shortly after a job because the surface was not properly prepped. This is an example of which type of quality failure?

Answer: External failure — discovered by the client after job completion

External failure occurs when defects reach the client, resulting in higher costs (callbacks, reputation damage) than if caught internally.

When measuring a room for flooring, a handyman adds 10% to the calculated square footage. This practice addresses which quality concern?

Answer: Waste from cuts, pattern matching, and damaged pieces during installation

A 10% overage covers material lost to cuts at walls, pattern matching, and pieces damaged during installation, preventing a shortage mid-job.

A client asks why the handyman caulked the baseboards AFTER painting instead of before. The correct quality control reason is:

Answer: Caulking after painting allows the caulk to be painted over for a seamless finish

The correct sequence is caulk first then paint, so the caulk bead is painted over and becomes invisible — if this question is a trick, the handyman's sequence was wrong and the client is right to question it.

What does 'first article inspection' mean when applied to handyman trade work?

Answer: Carefully inspecting the first completed unit of a repeated task before continuing the rest

Inspecting the first completed unit (e.g., the first cabinet door installed) catches setup errors before they are repeated across all remaining units.

A handyman uses color-coded tool pouches so each type of fastener is always in the same location. This practice improves quality by:

Answer: Minimizing errors from grabbing the wrong fastener under time pressure

Consistent tool and fastener organization reduces cognitive load and the chance of using the wrong fastener, especially when working quickly.

After completing a deck repair, a handyman notices the replacement boards have a slight color variation from the originals. The BEST quality control action at this stage is to:

Answer: Proactively inform the client before they notice and explain weathering timelines

Proactively disclosing the color variation and explaining that weathering will equalize the tones demonstrates professionalism and manages client expectations.

Which metric would BEST indicate improving quality in a handyman business over six months?

Answer: Decreasing callback rate (percentage of jobs requiring a return visit to fix defects)

Callback rate directly measures how often finished work fails to meet quality standards, making it the most relevant quality metric.