THE E-MAGAZINE OF THE HBRA OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY - DECEMBER 2018 UPCOMING FEATURES Four Tools for 2019 -January 10, 2019 OSHA 10 Training - January 17-18, 2019 IBS 2019 - Las Vegas AIG Smart Build HBRA Holiday Party PWB Luncheon New Trainings & Seminars MEMBER BENEFITS mynpp.com NAHB Benefits MunnCo
THE E-MAGAZINE OF THE HBRA OF FAIRFIELD COUNTY Building Connections is a monthly digital magazine produced and published by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Fairfield County. Inside you will find the latest association news, legislative updates, upcoming events, and featured articles about the industry. Editorial Staff Jackie Bertolone Executive Officer Sarah Iannarone Membership & Events Coordinator Clare Michalak Marketing & Graphics Coordinator hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com www.buildfairfieldcounty.com Find Us On Social Media Subscribe Advertise Sign up here to subscribe to have Building Connections Magazine delivered to your inbox every month Advertise your business to a list of over +1200 recipients! Click HERE for more information and opportunities Got News? Exciting news to share? Send your press release or article to hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com to be featured in the next issue
IN THIS ISSUE HBRA NEWS • Message from the HBRA President • Message from the Executive Officer • Upcoming Events • HBRA Trainings & Certifications • HBRA Holiday Party • Professional Women in Building Luncheon • New Members • Dear Sales Coach • HBRA OSHA Survey • Member Benefits BUILDER NEWS • Karp selected by This Old House • Why Stamford Residents Dislike Developers • Domus Project of the Year Award NAHB NEWS • Noel Statement on Proposed WOTUS Rules • WOTUS of U.S. • Builders Mourn Passing Of President Bush • Most Homes for Sale are Unaffordable • Building Material Prices Lower in Nov. • International Builder Show STATE NEWS • Lamont Names Transition Team • Malloy: “Unprecedented” Efforts • Letter from State CEO Advertisers: Acadia Interstate Lumber DiMatteo Ed’s Garage Door Marlin County TV & Appliance United Bank Tooher Ferraris Ridgefield Supply Fairfield County Bank Hocon Gas CTC&G Ring’s End p. 6 p. 7 p. 8 p. 9 p. 12 p. 14 p. 20 p. 30 p.30 p.32 p.16 p. 18 p. 18 p. 22 p. 22 p.22 p.23 p.23 p.24 p.27 p.27 p.29 p. 5 p. 13 p.15 p. 16 p. 17 p. 18 p. 23 p. 26 p. 28 p. 32 p. 33 p. 35 p. 36 ON THE COVER HOBI Award Winning Love Where You Live Homes Danielle Bijanada http://lovewhereyoulivehomesct.com/
2018-19 OFFICERS President Anthony DeRosa DeRosa Builders Sr. Vice-President Kim DiMatteo DiMatteo Group Vice President John Hertz Hertz Construction Secretary Rob Michaud The Michaud Group Immediate Past President Chris Steiner Steiner, Inc. 2018-19 DIRECTORS Propane Pete Battaglio Hocon Gas Max Bender Bender Supply Steve Berko Four Square Build & Design Michael Church William Pitt Sotheby’s Ken DeLeo Doherty & DeLeo Brian Kurtz Interstate Lumber Steven Roth Elevator Service Company Alex Shook Pella Commercial Michael Wood Wood Builders Joanne Carroll JMC Resources Jerry Effren LIFE DIRECTORS Peter Fusaro Preferred Builders The Greyrock Companies Gary Fanali City Carting Maureen Hanley United Bank Michael Palumbo ERI Building & Design Peter Gaboriault Bear Paw Builders MEDIA SPONSOR gas Thank you to the following VIP Associate Members for their support in 2018. Due to their generosity the Association greatly benefits - from developing new events and educational opportunities for the membership, to keeping our lights on!
Connecticut Home Builders & Remodelers Program AN INSURANCE PROGRAM CUSTOM DESIGNED FOR YOUR BUSINESS Acadia Insurance is proud to be the endorsed property and casualty insurance carrier for the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Connecticut. As a leading provider of insurance for contractors throughout New England, Acadia Insurance understands the insurance and service needs of contractors from small to large. With a local office in Rocky Hill, Acadia Insurance has professionals that handle underwriting, claim, loss control and premium audit for its Connecticut customers. Acadia is working with a select number of its Independent Agents in offering this program to Connecticut’s Home Builders and Remodelers. The Right Policy for Your Business Acadia Insurance offers qualifying contractors a full array of necessary coverages including property, general liability, workers’ compensation, business automobile and umbrella. In addition, we can provide builders’ risk coverage, installation floater and equipment coverage. ✓ We have designed special coverage options just for home builders: Liability Coverage Enhancements: • Waiver of subrogation clause • Limited pollution coverage • Extended property damage coverage Property Coverage Enhancements: • Coverage for newly acquired property • Coverage for property while in-transit • Debris removal coverage ✓ Acadia Insurance can craft the coverage you need to operate your business. For a full listing of coverages and how they apply to an individual home builder, please see an Acadia Insurance agent who is equipped to analyze your current insurance program and provide you with recommendations.
LETTER FROM THE HBRA PRESIDENT Happy Holidays to the HBRA! In my household, Christmas is an amazing time of year. There is constant music, singing, wrapping gifts, and of course Christmas Vacation is playing on the television almost 24/7! It’s a time to rejoice and be thankful for the year. Celebrating friendships and family has always been my true meaning of Christmas. It’s all about Love! The end of the year also gives us business owners a chance to review our business in the past 12 months. Taking the time to look back and assess the good, the bad and the ugly! I love to take this time to reflect on ways that my company can improve and encourage you all to do the same. Another important tip is setting goals for your business in the next calendar year. 10 new clients? 10 new jobs? Hitting a financial goal in sales? How about all of the above! Having these goals will keep you focused for the long 12 months ahead. The HBRA is thankful to all our members for your continued support of the organization. Coming to meetings, sponsoring events, volunteering your time are great ways to get involved and be involved. As stated, many times, my business has reaped rewards due to its involvement in with the HBRA, but only due to our involvement. We hope to see you all at our events next year, we believe we have a great lineup of educational, networking and fun events. I wish everyone a fantastic holiday season. I wish everyone a busy and successful 2019! Happy holidays and Happy New Year! Anthony B. DeRosa 6 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dear Members, Thank you for a wonderful 2018 with the HBRA. We very much appreciate our member’s support and we look forward to a bigger and better 2019. I’m thrilled to report we had a record setting 21 new members join in the month of December which speaks to the enthusiasm and value of our membership. Please be sure to check out all the new companies listed on page 19. We welcome them into our growing membership and look forward to 2019 with all of you. In addition to our 21 new members this month, we had 54 new companies join the association this year with an additional 30 affiliate members at those companies. We are grateful all of you have chosen the HBRA as the place to grow your business. Don’t forget to utilize our online member directory; it’s easy to use—you can search by location, type of business and/or service. Whether you are looking for a new supplier or trying to remember the name of someone you met at one of our recent events, this is a great resource for you. Click here to view it. We encourage and support our members doing business with each other. The HBRA is dedicated to promoting, strengthening, and informing our local home building market and those who work within it to ensure that we are - independently and collectively - a viable economic engine of growth now and in the future. We wish you a very happy holiday season and we look forward to seeing you in January. Best, Jackie Bertolone Executive Officer DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 7
HBRA EVENTS HBRA NEWS MARK YOUR CALENDARS UPCOMING EVENTS Four Tools for 2019 January 10, 2019 Click here to register OSHA10 January 17 - 18, 2019 Click here to register Smart Build Certified January 25, 2019 Click here to register February GMM Breakfast Building Science Seminar February 6, 2019 Click here to register Upcoming Committee Meetings Associates Council January 8, 2019 | HBRA Office Membership Committee January 16, 2019 | HBRA Office Professional Women in Building Council January 17, 2019 | Saugatuck Rowing Club 8 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
HBRA TRAININGS & CERTIFICATIONS PRESENTED BY Don Wetmore Productivity Institute DATE: January 10, 2019 8:30 - 10:00AM ADDRESS: Ring’s End 160 Avon Street Stratford, CT 06615 Four Tools To Make 2019 A Great Year Learn tips and tricks to help you and your business start the new year strong. Taught by Don Wetmore, instructor for our popular “26 Hour Day” training from 2018, topics will include: - A 6-point plan to help recruit and retain employees in a tight labor market. - Managing appointments and establishing meeting deadlines. - Dealing with difficult people and/or situations. - Effective marketing tips to get more business in 2019. HBRA Members: $15.00 General Admission: $30.00 Registration begins at 8:00am The class will run from 8:30am - 10:00am A continental breakfast will be provided. Questions? Email hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com or call 203-335-7008. If your schedule changes, you may cancel up to 3 pm the Friday before the event without charge; thereafter there are no refunds. DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 9
HBRA TRAININGS & CERTIFICATIONS PRESENTED BY Eric Ferraris Tooher-Ferraris Insurance Group, Chief Operating Officer Stephen DelGuidice AIG Risk Management Specialist, Eastern US Paul Fisher Director, Art Collection Manager, Eastern US Allison Zito AIG Private Client Group, Sr., Business Development Manager Kenneth D. Fox Leak Defense System, VP of Sales & Business Development DATE: January 25, 2019 10:00AM ADDRESS: Woodway Country Club 540 Hoyt Street Darien CT 06820 Smart Build Certified Helping You Build a Safer Home You work tirelessly to bring your client’s dream of a custom home to life - now help ensure that dream is protected. Build better and with less risk by joining Tooher-Ferraris Insurance Group and the HBRA for an Educational Seminar on Innovative Residential Smart Build Practices, featuring AIG Private Client Group’s Smart Build Program who have consulted on the building of the nation’s largest Custom Residences and Estates - CLICK HERE for more information. HBRA Members: $10.00 Registration begins at 9:45am Questions? Email hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com or call 203335-7008. If your schedule changes, you may cancel up to 3pm the Tuesday before the event without charge; thereafter there are no refunds. Topics Include: - Residential safety and security - Construction risk mitigation - Water, lightning and fire prevention - Flood prevention and wind mitigation - Collection management General Admission: $20.00
PRESENTED BY Peter Yost President, Building-Wright Steven Baczek Nationally Recognized Architect DATE: February 6, 2019 Breakfast 8:15 Class 9:45 ADDRESS: J.M. Wright Tech 120 Bridge Street Stamford, CT 06905 Build Better with Less Risk: Building Science + Quality = Durability + Risk Management Homeowners are asking more of us and so are our buildings. Building better means greater customer satisfaction; building science means increased durability and decreased liability. This workshop will connect all the dots between building science, quality, durability, and risk management. Steve will kick things off with his definition of quality as a job-site architect. Pete follows with how building science is the foundation of building better and Steve returns to show how he works all this into his details, by assembly. Pete wraps up with his Wingnut Test Facility work; you do NOT want to miss how and why a wingnut tests pressuresensitive adhesive tapes! After completing this workshop, attendees will be able to: 1. Use the three-legged stool of quality in your building business. 2. Connect quality, durability and risk in your front office and job sites. 3. Design, spec, and construct high performance wall, foundation, and roof assemblies, according to the four prioritized continuous control layers. 4. Select the right “sticky stuff” to make your air and water control layers continuous. Architects earn 3 AIA CEUs. Breakfast provided by the JM Wright Students in the Culinary and Hospitality programs HBRA Members: $20.00 General Admission: $30.00 Attend a breakfast prepared by JM Wright Students and learn about the advanced technical programs training the next generation of our industry. Breakfast begins at 8:15 and the class begins at 9:45. REGISTER FOR BUILDING SCIENCE & GMM REGISTER FOR GMM ONLY
HBRA NEWS HBRA EVENTS HBRA Holiday Party December, 5 2018 12 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
HBRA Holiday Party The third annual HBRA Holiday Party at O’Neills Irish Pub in Norwalk took place on December 5th. Thank you to all of our members and guests who generously donated a gift to the toy drive. We were able to donate several large bins of brand new toys and infant necessities to the Children’s Connection of Norwalk . For more information about the Childrens Connection and their work please visit the link here Five lucky winners walked home with cash prizes from our raffle as well as bottles of wine and movie tickets. Three nonmembers who attended have since joined the HBRA! Thank you all for a great time! 13/16" 3/4" ILINE 1902 ILINE 1901S ILINE 1903 ILINE 1903S The ILINE Collection is a comprehensive moulding program that offers a fresh pallet of new and vibrant profiles that will be an enhancement to any interior space. These profiles are divided into categories based upon their specific application. To ensure that the proper mouldings are specified in the project, simply write the corresponding ILINE moulding number in your specifications, or architectural plans. View and download profiles at interstatelumber.com DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 13 7 1/4" 5 3/4"
HBRA EVENTS HBRA NEWS Professional Women in Building Council Holiday Luncheon The Professional Women in Building Council celebrated their first year as a council at a festive holiday luncheon at Zody’s 19th Hole in Stamford. Members chose specific wishes to gift to over 38 children in Fairfield County as part of the Children’s Connection’s annual toy drive. Kari Pesarento, director of Children’s Connection, stopped in the luncheon to thank members and collect the toys. The PWB has grown significantly over the last year and members benefit in many ways. We look forward to our next scheduled meeting at the Saugatuck Rowing Club on January 17th. “The PWB has been a wonderful organization for me to be a part of. Not only have I gotten clients and referrals from the ladies, I have made many personal friends.” - Dana Drugo, DiMatteo Group. 14 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
“The PWB is an excellent opportunity to bond with powerful, bright, energetic women that share common interests and support each other. - Robin Carroll, Karp Associates Look no further for an insurance agent who can work with you to design an insurance portfolio just right for your business. If you engage in construction or remodeling of one or two family residences in CT then I want to talk to you. Our construction insurance program includes: • General Liability • • • Property Business Auto Inland Marine • Workers Compensation • Umbrella • Builders Risk Kim Marie DiMatteo, CIC, MWCA I have been in the construction insurance business since 1992. I know the markets, the products, and what’s right for you. Call me today to schedule a convenient appointment. 79 Bridgeport Ave, Shelton, CT 06484 | 203.924.5429 | www.dimatteogrp.com DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 15
HBRA EVENTS HBRA NEWS Karp Associates has been selected by This Old House to build their 2019 Idea House! Follow the renovation and addition to the Old Scofield Circa 1840 Greek Revival on Main Street in the historic district of New Canaan. Track the 24/7 webcam coverage as we create this new home exhibiting the latest technology and innovation in residential construction. Watch the live webcams today as @karpassociatesinc demolishes the dilapidated addition for our future 2019 Idea House while preserving its historic Greek Revival façade. #TOHIdeaHouse #karpassociatesinc BEAUTY. ELEGANCE. STRENGTH. Our Aluminum Doors Will Surprise You. Ed’s Garage Doors offers a broad selection of aluminum doors that are the perfect complement to your home. Visit our showroom to see many exclusive aluminum doors on display, and talk with a design expert about our countless in-stock and custom options. Showroom Hours: Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm Evenings: By appointment Sunday: Closed 136 Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06854 203-847-1284 edsgaragedoors.com ® 16 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
Looking for a Member? Use the membership directory on our website to look up members by trade, location, alphabetically, or by housing category. This directory is available for all website visitors. Members - if you need to update your contact information you can log into your account and change your profile information - For assistance please call the office at 203-335-7008. DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 17
HBRA EVENTS HBRA NEWS Study casts light on why Stamford residents dislike developers Many residents say they dislike the developers that are reshaping their neighborhoods, and recent initiatives by some city representatives showcase the burgeoning political might of a loosely organized movement hoping to question whether this level of growth is good. Unclear is why people feel that way. Their reasoning varies with each oppositional stand: Some say they want to protect history, others believe the city is becoming a congested nightmare. Many say the city is too loose with its regulations, and still more say all the new building fails to hold down their taxes. At public hearings this year, you could check-off each claim during talk of controversial plans. Researchers from of the University of California-Los Angeles earlier this year sought to elucidate why residents feel this way in an experimental survey of residents in Los Angeles County. In a working paper, Paavo Monkkonen and Michael Manville wrote that they hoped to learn whether people hate development or developers, and why. Read More Project of the Year Award The Remodeling Contractors Association/NARI a non-profit organization for remodelers held their Awards Dinner on December 4th 2018. RCA President Lucas Papageorge handed out awards in four categories. Project of the Year Award 2018 went to Domus Constructors, LLC in Norwalk founder and owner Chris Shea from Fairfield. It was impossible for the clients to resist purchasing the property on this private road in Darien. The exterior façade had not been updated since it was built in 1941 and while some interior updates were relatively recent, the quality and styling did not meet their standards. Read More THE SMART CHOICE For Making Your Dream Kitchen A Reality SMART HOME CONTROL THERMADOR SUBZERO / WOLF GE MONOGRAM ...and more BEST SERVICE AT THE GUARANTEED BEST PRICE In-Store And Online 2770 Summer Street • Stamford, CT 06905 203-327-2630 STORE HOURS: MON & THURS: 9AM-9PM | TUES, WED, FRI & SAT: 9AM-6PM | SUN: 11AM-5PM www.countytv.com 18 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
HBRA NEW MEMBERS Jon Davis Architectural Designs Our family-owned business has a seasoned staff with an unmatched expertise in helping builders and homeowners find house plans that match their needs and budgets. Our portfolio is comprised of home plans from designers and architects across North America and abroad... READ MORE Steve DiNapoli Big East Environmental, LLC Big East Environmental is a full service, independent environmental project management and consulting firm serving a wide range of clients throughout the Northeast. Established in 2006 by two professional engineers and an environmental scientist, we continue to build on our reputation of professionalism... READ MORE Brian J. Rogers Brian Rogers Construction We built this business on the foundation of doing the two things we love most – helping people and working with our hands. Our hands have been full since we first started in 2001. We’ve been busy: remodeling kitchens into more open and inclusive areas, upgrading bathrooms to a more modern look, and cultivating relationships with our clients... READ MORE James Carpenter Carpenter Construction LLC Born the son of an architect, Jim Carpenter always knew what he wanted to do. He began his business more than twenty five years ago here in Fairfield County and has never looked back. He has spent his career building and establishing relationships with his clients and a team of professionals which has enabled him to obtain most of his work through referrals... READ MORE Diane Sheppard Clearview Inc. The professional staff at Clearview Inc. is ready to help you with all your window and door needs for your new construction, remodeling, or refresh project. The sales team will work with you to determine the best and most beautiful products for your needs... READ MORE Robin Faller Connoisseur Media We believe in the power of radio’s unique ability to fulfill the timeless need for human touch and local awareness that connects us all. That connectivity is rooted in deep local involvement in the communities we serve, meaningful content, compelling entertainment, and a passionate pursuit to be the best choice for our clients, colleagues and community... READ MORE DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 19
HBRA NEW MEMBERS Brad DeMotte DeMotte Architects Brad DeMotte, founder and lead architect at DeMotte Architects, has been practicing architecture for 30+ years. He takes a creative and professional approach to problem solving for each architecture project, often exceeding his clients’ expectations... READ MORE David Neilson DC Contracting DC Contracting LLC was founded in 2014 after owners David Neilson and Chris Smith decided to combine their skills to create Fairfield County’s premier home remodeling and contractor service... READ MORE Patrick Minogue EcoSeptic, LLC EcoSeptic was founded in 2018 by Pat Minogue and Peter Gaboriault. They have worked together in the building industry for many years and bring that experience to this new venture along with a shared passion to help people understand their septic system better... READ MORE Dylan O’Connor Floor Coverings International Greenwich Floor Coverings International offers a wide range of flooring materials, styles, and colors from the leading brands. But how do you get started? Deciding what type of flooring is best for your needs doesn’t have to be overwhelming or complicated. Our goal is to make it easy for you every step of the way.... READ MORE Cheryl Russ Glen Gate Company Glen Gate is made up of families (brothers and sisters, fathers and sons, mothers and daughters) who have been with Glen Gate for many years. It is rare to experience such employee loyalty and dedication - from our family to yours..... READ MORE David Fish Grand Development LLC Our professionalism and expertise is in land-use approvals, subdivision, and infrastructure development which separates us from the pack. Bringing property to its highest and best use.... READ MORE 20 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
Patrick Haynes Haynes A leader in the construction materials industry for 50+ years! We are a statewide construction materials company serving Connecticut and beyond for 50+ years “Awesome place! I worked with both Dan and Matt and these guys know their stuff. The new location in Seymour is impressive and just walking through the showroom is enough to get you inspired for your next project. ”... READ MORE Anthony Longo Longo Management Co. LLC As lifelong Greenwich residents, Tony Longo and Mike Jedlicka take pride in the hometown—adding value to the community through their real estate knowledge and building talent... READ MORE Colleen DeBellis Putnam Design A world of innovative design and inspiration awaits you at Putnam Design, LLC located in Greenwich, Connecticut, Fairfield County. We are Custom Kitchen and Interior Designers who work closely with award-winning Contractors, Installers, Remodelers and Renovators... READ MORE Rodrigo Vasconcellos Palette Pro Painting & Renovation Inc. Palette Pro works meticulously to maintain its distinguished reputation for providing years of quality service, exceptional work and complete customer satisfaction in the residential painting and renovation industry... READ MORE Jay Couillard U.S. Bank Our relationships are built on trust that we build every day through every interaction. Our employees are empowered to do the right thing to ensure they share our customers’ vision for success. We work as a partner to provide financial products and services that make banking safe, simple and convenient... READ MORE Welcome to our new affiliate members Justin Vescovi Peoples United Bank Erienne Murphy Big East Environmental, LLC Justin Schietinger DeRosa Builders Andy Alcosser Connoisseur Media DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 21
NAHB NEWS Statement from NAHB Chairman Randy Noel on Proposed WOTUS Rule Randy Noel, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder from LaPlace, La., today issued the following statement on the newly-released proposed definition for “waters of the United States” (WOTUS) under the Clean Water Act: “NAHB commends the Trump administration for releasing its proposed new definition of the waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) that will reduce years of uncertainty over where federal jurisdiction begins and ends. By bringing certainty and clarity to which waters fall under federal oversight, this proposal should help accelerate the permitting process so home builders can more easily provide safe and affordable housing. “Finalizing this revised WOTUS definition will protect our nation’s waterways without adding needless regulatory burdens that will hurt housing and other industries that depend on a predictable permitting process.” Read More Waters of the U.S. The Clean Water Act makes it unlawful for a person to add pollutants to a “water of the United States” (WOTUS) without a permit. Since 1972, determining which water bodies are waters of the United States has been the subject of federal agency regulations, guidance and numerous cases both at the U.S. Supreme Court and at the lower federal courts. Now, roughly half of the country is subject to one set of regulations while the other half must comply with different requirements. On Dec. 11, 2018, the Trump administration proposed a new WOTUS definition to replace the controversial 2015 rule that went so far as to regulate man-made ditches and isolated ponds on private property. EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) are now accepting comments on the proposed rule. Home builders need a clear definition of what constitutes waters of the United States that does not encompass man-made systems or remote features with marginal ecologic value and is not beyond congressional intent of the Clean Water Act. When home builders need to add fill material into a water of the United States, they first get a permit from the Corps. Obtaining permits is costly and time consuming. For example, one study found that it costs on average $270,000 and takes 788 days to obtain an individual Clean Water Act fill permit. Read More 22 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018 Home Builders Mourn the Passing of President Bush Randy Noel, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom builder from LaPlace, La., issued the following statement on the passing of President George H. W. Bush: “On behalf of all the members of NAHB, I wish to extend my deepest condolences to the Bush family. President Bush was an American war hero, a great statesman and an American patriot who embodied the ideals of our nation. “He was also a true believer in housing. President Bush hosted the NAHB Board of Directors on the South Lawn of the White House to commemorate the association’s 50th anniversary. He said that ‘strong housing can help a strong economy’ and ‘the dream of homeownership keeps the American dream alive.’ “To make these words a reality, President Bush pushed vigorously for policies to ensure that housing would help boost the economy. He championed a $5,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, called for penalty-free withdrawals from IRAs for the purchase of a first home, urged changes in the passive loss tax rules to spur real estate and housing development, and called for an extension of mortgage revenue bonds and the low-income housing tax credit. Read More
OSB, Lumber, and Gypsum Lead Building Materials Prices Lower in November Most Homes For-Sale are Unaffordable to Most People Affordability continues to be a serious constraint for prospective home buyers. One way to find out buyers’ perception about this issue is to ask them to estimate the share of all homes for-sale in their markets they are able to afford. A strong majority of 79% say they can afford fewer than half of the homes available. This in turn means that only 21% of buyers believe they could buy most any home for-sale in their markets. These findings come from NAHB’s Housing Trends Report (HTR)* for the third quarter of 2018. Read More Softwood lumber prices fell 3.0% in November the second consecutive decrease for the index to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The producer price index for softwood lumber has fallen 23.6% (not seasonally adjusted) since setting cycle and all-time highs in June (see below). After the decrease, the index level is 9.6% lower than the prior-cycle high set in 2004. Read More MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE. Deep community roots. Unrivaled market knowledge. Unmatched customer service. When a bank builds its commercial banking team around the values that truly make a difference in helping your business grow and prosper, that’s more than banking. That’s changing the way you bank. Talk to us today. Visit bankatunited.com/commercial From left to right: Lisa Stuard, Mark Hubina, Maureen Hanley, Gregory Pastor, Kim Karl and Kathryn Eren. Proud to support the HBRA. 866.959.BANK (2265) | bankatunited.com NMLS# 430007 | Member FDIC | Equal Housing Lender DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 23
INTERNATIONAL BUILDER SHOW 2019 Game Changers - NEW Speaker Feature at IBS 2019 New for 2019! These twice daily keynotes feature thought leaders who are transforming their companies and the way we think about and address issues critical to the housing industry. Game Changers were born out of a desire to explore the topics and challenges you told us were most pressing for your business in 2019, so we’ve sought out leading voices and visionaries from across the country who specialize in tackling these issues. Just Announced: Mark Hodges - From First Visit to Last Service Call: Builder Best Practices for Managing the Customer Experience -Wednesday, February 20 | 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM Greg Lindsay - The New Suburbia: Myths & Realities of Cities, Suburbs & the Millennial Home Buyer -Thursday, February 21 | 10:15 AM - 11:15 AM Erin Gargan - Digital Persuasion: Ignite Your Social Influence - Tuesday, February 19 | 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM Ryo Zsun - The Secret to Zappos’ Success: Customers Above All Else -Tuesday, February 19 | 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM Read More 24 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
Rental Car Discounts MEMBERS ONLY Airline Discounts DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 25
Because you need the solution before the problem. Your business is one that deserves to be protected, and our job is to minimize risk. Tooher-Ferraris’ Home Builders Specialty Program has been supporting and protecting the reputations of builders and contractors for over 85 years. From general contractor construction liability and workers compensation, to commercial automobile insurance, subcontractor risk transfer, and OSHA compliance assistance, our high-touch service is delivered with honesty, integrity, and dependability. 26 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018 TOOFER.COM 43 Danbury Road, Wilton, CT 06897 1.800.899.0093
STATE LEGISLATIVE NEWS Ned Lamont names transition team as he prepares to take governor’s office In his first major announcement as governor-elect, Democrat Ned Lamont named four co-chairs and an executive director to his transition team Thursday as he prepares to take office in January. Less than 48 hours after being elected to the state’s top post, Lamont took the first steps toward forming a new governmental team with a mix of public and private-sector appointments. “We have hit the ground running,’’ Lamont told reporters outside the state Capitol. “We’re going to be ready to go on day one, and right now, I’m surrounded by folks that I trust and I believe can help us get the job done.’’ The 2019 Connecticut legislative session will open on January 9, 2018. We will have a new Governor and a largely new legislature. Twenty percent of the 151member House Chamber are freshmen legislators and 7 of the 25 member Senate Chamber are freshman. We must take extra care to meet and educate our local legislators, especially the newly elected officials, on issues affecting our industry. Please reach out to us if there are state regulations or codes that are impacting your business so that we are aware of any challenges and can advocate effectively on your behalf. Your membership supports lobbyists in Hartford to be your voice but we need to hear from you. Click here to find your legislator As an outsider who has never held statewide office, Lamont said he would reach into his own personal network for out-of-the-box appointments in order to bring change to Hartford. Read More Malloy’s Legacy: “Unprecedented” Affordable Housing Efforts For 30 years in Connecticut, housing was one item on a long menu overseen by the Department of Economic and Community Development. Then, in 2013, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy created the state Department of Housing. The move signaled the Stamford Democrat’s belief that giving more people access to affordable housing helps individuals, communities and the economy. He then empowered his new department with investment. Under Malloy, the state invested more than $1.5 billion in affordable housing. That investment renovated or created 25,000 housing units, with 22,000 affordable units, across the state, according to DOH. That’s about $60,000 per unit of housing, a high cost because of the extensive site remediation often needed, said Dan Arsenault, DOH legislative program manager. “Connecticut had withdrawn from playing an active role in housing,” Malloy said in an interview last week. “The number of dollars going into housing had shrank — not just based on inflation, the actual dollars going to housing had almost disappeared. So if we were going to change the trajectory of affordable housing in Connecticut, we needed a housing department.” Read More DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 27
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LETTER FROM THE STATE CEO It’s Up to Us to Educate Legislators on The Right Way to Address Connecticut’s Housing Affordability Crisis By Jim Perras, CEO of the HBRACT A recent national survey done by the NAHB suggests Americans are keenly aware of a housing affordability crisis across our country. I’m guessing you’re not surprised. Affordable housing issues are nothing new in Connecticut where their impacts to our industry and residents have been more acute and persistent by comparison. How the affordable housing crisis is being addressed varies from state to state, town to town. In recent years, here in Connecticut we’ve seen state and local policymakers take the politically expedient feel good approach of squeezing profits via affordable housing trust funds, and inclusionary zoning with no real measurable results. These approaches in Connecticut and elsewhere haven’t been the panacea policymakers have banked on because they don’t address the root the problem in the comprehensive way that is needed. In his remarks about the survey, NAHB Chairman Randy Noel said it best, “These poll results confirm what builders from across the nation have been warning about—that housing affordability is an increasingly serious problem in communities across America. A mix of regulatory barriers, ill-considered public policy and challenging market conditions is driving up costs and making it increasingly difficult for builders to produce homes that are affordable to low- and moderate-income families.” Randy goes on to say, “This poll should serve as a wake-up call to policymakers at all levels of government to ease regulatory burdens that needlessly drive up the cost of housing and to enact policies that will encourage the production of badly-needed affordable housing units.” This poll and our Chairman’s comments should be a call to arms for our members. This is the time to act. This January, Connecticut General Assembly will see its largest freshman class in years. Thankfully, most of these freshman legislators will not be settled into political dogma. I encourage you to reach out to your local legislators and have a conversation over coffee. Most of them are eager to meet business owners in their communities. Tell them there’s a right way to address this crisis. Let them know that regulatory burdens make up over 30% of the cost of an affordable housing unit and roughly 25% of a single-family home and addressing those costs associated with out of control regulation is the place to start. In addition, we know a true one-size-fits-all approach to addressing the affordable housing crisis will not work. As such statewide inclusionary zoning bill is ill advised and just plain bad public policy. Mandatory inclusionary zoning laws and ordinances that don’t consider market realities and financial feasibility are doomed to fail. Policymakers need only look to cities where it has been implemented and failed to yield the intended results. What works in the Stamford area may not work in the Hartford area. The same can be said regarding of sale verses rental or small verses large municipalities. Connecticut policy and lawmakers would be well advised to look outside of Connecticut where affordable housing construction is occurring. In those area, success is most often attributed to laws, regulations and markets that encourage affordable housing construction by making it a financially viable endeavor. Couple this approach with simultaneously empowering and rewarding our municipalities and policymakers will see true inroads towards ending this problem. DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 29
DEAR SALES COACH Please take our quick survey! OSHA10 IN SPANISH Dear Sandler Coach, In the last issue, you told us to basically qualify the buyer for budget before we spend time working on a bid or proposal. I’m worried, that if my sales people do this, they will over-qualify the buyer and walk away from good business. How can I avoid this? - Thomas M. Dear Thomas, Ninety-nine percent of homeowners are shocked by how much remodeling costs. The mistake that salespeople are making is they aren’t uncovering what the prospect is willing and able to spend. Instead, they are finding out what the homeowner thinks the project will cost. I find this happens regularly. A salesperson burns through a ton of leads to get a handful of clients. And because he or she lacks the true qualification skills necessary, the homeowners who end up sold aren’t really great clients anyway. It’s unrealistic to think that someone is suddenly going to increase their budget from $40,000 to $80,000 as the result of a 10-minute phone call with a salesperson. Using a range will help you test the level of commitment for the project or if they are just shopping around. Instead, use other clues to help you decipher what their spending tolerance may be. For instance, home value and neighborhood are much better predictors of a person’s real budget. Yes, you will go out on more appointments and some of those will not close due to budget. But when it comes to selling larger remodeling projects, the additional clients you close will more than offset the added cost of any extra appointments. For many sales professionals, this takes some finesse. Reach out to us at peak@sandler.com if your sales team needs help in developing these skills. -Ed Ed Schultek Ed began Sandler/PEAK with focus on medium and small size firms to Corporate organizations who must lift their Management and Sales competency to Win, improve their ability to lead others to change their future, and position themselves as the Trusted Advisor to their Clients above all others. 30 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018 Have a sales question? Email Ed at ed.schultek@sandler.com. We have had some requests for an OSHA10 certification class in Spanish. We need to know how many people are interested. Please complete the 1 minute survey here to let us know. SURVEY CLICK HERE
RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW! 2019 Directory & Resource Guide THE FINAL DEADLINE IS APPROACHING Click here for the forms The HBRA Member Directory & Resource Guide reaches industry professionals and consumers throughout Fairfield County. The directory is distributed to all HBRA members, prospective members, consumers, and at all HBRA events. Ad materials and categories are due no later than Tuesday, January 1, 2019 AD DIMENSIONS & PRICING size Full Page dimensions [WxH] 6.” x 9” Half Page (Hor.) 5.25” x 4” Quarter Page 2.75” x 4” Business Card 2.75” x 2” memBeR PRiCe non-memBeR PRiCe $900 $650 $425 $250 $1,400 $1,150 $925 $750 Listing Example Simple Listing: InSinkErator 4700 21st St Racine WI 53406 www.insinkerator.com Rhonda Burnim (203)522-9608 Please return forms via email, fax or mail. HBRA of Fairfield County 2228 Black Rock Turnpike, Suite 307 Fairfield CT 06825 T: (203) 335-7008 F: (203) 335-7141 clare@buildfairfieldcounty.com DECEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 31
MEMBER BENEFITS Every Year Thousands Save Millions Put Your NAHB Membership to Work Now. Money-saving discounts that benefit you, your business and your family nahb.org/MA Financing some of the top builders in Fairfield County. People you trust, service you expect, and products to fit your financial needs. • Construction Financing • Commercial Mortgages • Term Loans • Revolving Lines of Credit 877.431.7431 • www.fairfieldcountybank.com NMLS ID #516624 EQUAL HOUSING L E ND E R MEMBER FDIC 32 HBRA of Fairfield County | DECEMBER 2018
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