In this issue:
- Keep our fellow Tennesseans in your prayers
- Survey results: Builders’ views
- Careers in construction
- Industry News Items
- In 2022 licensed contractors must show continuing education
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Get paid back, HBA Member rebate reminders. A valuable benefit for small and medium sized builders and remodelers.
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Builder and Associate members,
As we all know several counties in rural Tennessee experienced an unprecedented rainfall event last weekend. The resulting catastrophic floods in Humphreys County killed 20 people and left a 10-mile path of destruction. More than 500 homes and dozens of businesses were destroyed or damaged, leaving many homeless.
This week I fielded several calls from national media who wanted to play the blame game and point to part of the blame on poor construction methods and contractors. I invested my time with these reporters to make sure they understood what residential construction methods are meant to do. I also used some country wisdom to explain the power of 17″ of rainfall on a county in 24 hours.
This article from a reporter we spoke to is a perfect example of our efforts. Home Builders are not mentioned, construction methods are not questioned. While I strongly disagree with the media’s decision to assign blame so soon after a tragic event, because we were proactive builders and contractors are not being castigated or accused of anything.
What is most important right now is some of our neighbors need help. If you are so motivated the United Way of Humphreys County is taking donations through Facebook, this flood relief fund was set up to help meet immediate and long term needs of residents affected by these floods. 100% of all donations will be used to help the flooding victims.
Charles Schneider
CEO
Home Builders Association of Tennessee
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Builder Survey top lines results.
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In late July HBAT conducted a survey of Builder members to gauge their opinions on several area of HBA focus. Thank you to those who participated. We assembled a presentation to share these results with you, including results by Tennessee’s three grand divisions. Here is a quick snap shot of the results.
Mission, Focus & Value
- 94% believe the HBAs mission is still relevant
- 89% say that HBAs advocacy efforts are important
- 85% say the HBAs political influence is valuable to their company
- 81% say HBAs providing opportunities to build relationships are important
Communications
- 93% read email updates from their local HBA, 91% read NAHB emails
- 71% read the TN Builder News (this email, a state association product)
- Builders are most likely to follow their local HBA on Facebook versus other social media.
Click the green button for the full report.
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Top Issue impacting Builders’ businesses, with regional splits
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We also are conducting a similar survey for our Associate members. All Associates should have received an invitation to participate again yesterday. Many associates will receive a reminder Sunday evening.
Associates members, take 6 minutes and answer a few questions and offer your feedback to help guide the association.
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HBAT member only Health Plan,
Spiraling healthcare costs represent an enormous challenge to the profitability of HBAT members. Insureds are faced with increasing costs and less flexible plans with higher and higher deductibles. The HBAT Benefits Trust Health Plan was developed for HBAT members to help battle these issues. The HBAT Benefits Trust Health Plan may be your solution to receiving high quality health benefits at affordable rates.
The HBAT Health Plan is an employer plan, which means the companies that enroll in the plan are required to offer the plan to all full-time employees.
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You Can Highlight the Trades Locally & Grow Our Industry
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As we near the end of August (this year is moving fast), we want to remind you that October is officially Careers in Construction Month.
To make the most of this opportunity, we encourage you to contact a local high school and offer to host a career day presentation. To get on your school’s calendar you will need advance notice, so contact them soon. If there is a local vocational program, this is your opportunity to open the imaginations of students to the jobs that are available to them – you can start recruiting them now.
Sponsoring and hosting a demonstration event can be an effective way of sharing career opportunities and engaging young individuals with your community’s builder members. Select a few activities that you and your members can do in your community to spread the word about careers in construction. We understand that many schools will be limiting outsiders from classroom activities, but any construction demonstration will be more fun if held outdoors.
If on campus activities are not an option, offer to open up your construction site to the students participating in vocational education. Demonstrating construction techniques and showing off construction equipment are great tools for capturing the attention of any audience. Students will be able to gather first-hand information about what it takes to have a successful career in construction.
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If partnering with a classroom is not for you. There are still ways to help.
On your job site you have plenty of interesting characters, who are experts in their trade. Recording a quick video sharing their personality and expertise will grab positive attention to your company and the skilled trades.
Use social media to record and share an equipment demonstration: Take five minutes to showcase how to use one or more tools or pieces of equipment on the jobsite. You can do a live, remote demonstration and/or record your video and post on social media with the tag #CareersInConstructionMonth.
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Besieged by materials price spikes and surges, disrupted deliveries to job sites, and elongated construction cycles, many builders look at added supply of resales as a source of relief from having to put off potential customer prospects, or worse, to reprice already-contracted homes to pass along unforeseen input price increases.
As the market has cooled due to higher costs, July recorded a slight gain of 1% for sales of newly-constructed single family homes, according to estimates from the Census Bureau and HUD. Despite higher prices, residential demand continues to be supported by low interest rates, a consumer focus on the importance of housing, and solid demand in lower-density markets like suburbs and exurbs.
However, higher building costs, longer delivery times, and general unpredictability in the residential construction supply-chain are having measurable impacts on new home prices. In July, the median price of a newly-built home was 18% higher than a year ago, at $390,500.
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A flood of buyers from other parts of the state as well as the rest of the country has caused home prices to skyrocket 37.1%. And because there are few homes on the market, buyers are willing to pay up to get more space. Those coming from larger cities aren’t batting an eyelash at prices that may be out of reach for many locals.
Urbanites are still wrapping their smaller apartments near amenities for suburban residences with backyards and a dedicated office, even as employers signal they eventually want workers back in the office. [This is really a NYC story, but the pressure are true for families working for home, who have been left in limbo as COVID delta surges.]
American employees say that the number one workplace feature they’ll be searching for post-COVID is the ability to continue working remotely when they please.
· 48% say a company’s policy on remote work is now their number one desired workplace perk.
· 71% don’t miss a full-time office setting at all.
· 72% claim they wouldn’t even consider working for a company that didn’t offer flexible work-from-home policies.
HBAT question: Your future customers. If a subset of workers can do their job remotely, will there be a continued migration to areas of lower cost of living and high-speed internet connections?
If you have an answer, reply and tell us.
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Tennessee Home Builders Foundation Supports Skills and Education
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Be part of the solution in solving our labor shortage. Help us fund scholarships to deserving students pursuing a careers in the residential construction industry. Many of these students are new to our industry, and they need your support and encouragement. Our industry needs talented new blood to fill the in-demand jobs. With your support, the Foundation can continue to take steps forward addressing the shortage of skilled labor in the residential construction industry in Tennessee.
Support your industry by making a one time or recurring donation to the Tennessee Home Builders Foundation. Donate now.
Help us build the future and make a donation today! Your donations to the Foundation are tax deductible.
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The David Stauffer Scholarship is a “matching funds” achievement based scholarship program administered by the Tennessee Home Builders Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit charitable organization.
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Important Update for Licensed Contractors
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Starting January 2022, Licensed Contractors in Tennessee will have to provide proof that they have completed 8 hours of continuing education to renew their license.
We are proud to announce HBAT was approved in July as the representative professional trade association and an endorsed Continuing Education provider by the Contractors Licensing Board. This benefits local HBAs in a few ways.
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First, TN HBA members, who are licensed contractors with a BC-A residential classification will earn 8 CE credits over two years. This means an ongoing HBA membership will automatically provide all the CE credits these contractor members need to renew their license – few state associations have a benefit that recognizes the value of membership in this way. WE DO!
HBAT will be creating certificates for HBA members showing they have been active members for the past two years and have earned the necessary CE credits to renew their license. We will provide these secure documents to your Local HBA at least 8 weeks prior to your license renewal.
Second, licensed contractors who are not HBA members will need this proof of education too. If they do not want to join your local association, they will have to spend 8 hours attending classes in person or online. HBAT will soon be promoting our online classes for contractors who don’t want to join with us. These non-members can spend a day each year getting education instead of building.
Key point: Contractors are NOT required to get continuing education from the HBAT or a local HBA, but they will pay someone to spend hours in a classroom or online with a certified education provider to earn these credits.
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Remodelers + Small & Medium Sized Builders
Get Paid Back with Rebates Available to HBA Members
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Home Builders preach the benefits of doing business with a member. We want you to do business with like-minded people who support our industry. We also encourage you to take advantage of savings by participating in Rebate Programs.
Builders and Remodelers, if you’re not participating in this rebate program, you’re leaving money on the table. Register and claim your rebates www.HBATrebates.com
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One of the great benefits of your HBA membership is access to multiple savings programs on products you already purchase. We encourage all members to use these programs. New participants are often surprised they save 2x-4x the amount of their annual dues.
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NAHB has Additional Savings Programs for Business Savvy Members
Whether it’s a discount on a product or service or a more efficient way to operate, the smart business person is always looking at ways to cut costs and maximize returns.
Through agreements with more than 20 national companies, NAHB offers exclusive discounts on a variety of products and services that can benefit your business, employees and family.
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