Manage Risk to Protect Your Business
There’s plenty you can do to avoid tapping your pricey GLI policy if something goes wrong in the course of construction or after a house is sold. The trick is to prevent things from going wrong in the first place.

Jim McErlean of HBW Insurance Services and John Hubbard of 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty’s Western region gave custom builders, remodelers, and other attendees of the 2004 Custom Builder Symposium in Indian Wells, Calif., strategies to safeguard their assets and help offset the current insurance crisis. Read the full-length article here.

Demand for Building Materials to Remain High in 2005
Although a new NAHB survey indicates that building materials shortages have eased somewhat in recent months, economists at a press briefing at the 2005 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, Fla., cautioned that builders should brace themselves for another tight market in 2005. Read the article from Nation’s Building News here. [return to top]

Get Resources From 2005 IBS Business Management Sessions
This month, more than 104,000 International Builders’ Show attendees turned the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., into a not-so-small city. Attendees packed business management educational sessions sponsored by NAHB’s Business Management & Information Technology Committee to capacity as they gained new tools and strategies to keep their businesses running smoothly. If you couldn’t make it to some of the sessions, you can still get in on the learning. Visit the 2005 IBS Educational Seminars Web site to download handouts in .PDF format. To purchase audio tapes and CDs of educational sessions, use the “Shop our Store” button in the Web site’s left margin. [return to top]

Tax Help for the Building Industry
Even if you leave your company’s taxes completely to your accountant, it’s smart to build your background knowledge by exploring some new resources the IRS has developed for builders, remodelers, and others in the residential construction industry.

Practitioners and business owners can now access products and services specific to the construction Industry through the IRS Small Business Community Web site.

The Construction area of http://www.irs.gov provides information on federal tax topics common to the industry in easy-to-understand language. Recently added information includes tax topics such as accounting methods and determining employee versus independent contractor status, links to other construction-related Web sites, burden reduction information, and reports of criminal cases in the construction industry.

The site also contains publications and forms, income and employment tax tips, tax preparation information and filing obligations, construction audit technique guide, and coordinated issue papers.

Call in Your Tax Questions

The IRS Business and Specialty Tax Line at 1-800-829-4933 provides help for small businesses, corporations, partnerships and trusts that need information or help preparing business returns. Customers calling this number can apply for a new Employer Identification Number (EIN) and receive help on employment, partnership, corporation, estate, gift, trust and excise taxes, as well as issues related to Federal Tax Deposits.

Hearing-impaired individuals with access to TTY/TDD equipment may call 1-800-829-4059 to ask questions or to order forms and publications. This number is answered only by TTY/TDD equipment.

The toll-free Business and Specialty Tax Line and the TTY/TDD numbers are available from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. (local time) on weekdays. In addition, the 1-800-829-1040 customer service line is available from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (local time) on Saturdays from January 29 though April 9. Alaska and Hawaii will follow Pacific Time.  
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Does Your Business Measure Up?
Get your copy of the 2004 Cost of Doing Business Study and you’ll instantly see how your financial performance stacks up against the rest of the industry. The publication gives home builders a rare glimpse at other builders’ books by providing data about profitability, cost of sales, and expenses from hundreds of home builders across the country.
 
In this 2004 edition, you’ll learn how to develop cost control systems and get tips on cutting cycle time. Start working more profitably by ordering it today.
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February is National Designations Month
Next month, industry professionals will join NAHB’s University of Housing to celebrate National Designation Month.  They’ll promote ongoing education in the housing industry, recognize the achievements of fellow professionals, and educate the public about the value of selecting builders who hold a designation from NAHB.

Earning a designation allows NAHB members to hone their business skills and convey superior training, practical experience, and in-depth knowledge to potential clients. Additionally, designation holders can take advantage of valuable networking opportunities throughout their enrollment, working closely with expert instructors and other professionals both within their field and outside their specific areas of expertise. 

As part of National Designation Month, The University of Housing is offering licensed associations a special 50 percent discount on student fees for all classes held in February.  NAHB also will be stepping up efforts to educate the public about the value of selecting builders who hold a designation, build support for continuing education programs, and increase recognition of the rigorous training required for an NAHB designation.   

For more information on National Designation Month, visit the February 2005 is National Designation Month Web Site. Currently, the NAHB University of Housing offers more than a dozen professional designations covering industry basics such as business management and marketing techniques, along with specialized courses including aging-in-place programs, property management, and more.
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Log in to Win
NAHB is celebrating the new year with an exciting contest. Your chance to win a Sony Cyber-shot® 7.2 Megapixel Digital Camera is just a click away!
 
Simply go to www.nahb.org/logintowin during the month of January and enter for your chance to win. If you don’t have a username and password, click the Create Your Login link and set up your account today.
 
The contest ends January 31st! Don't miss out on your change to win -- and to access the exclusive industry resources found on www.nahb.org/. Click your way to win today!
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NAHB Members: Receive DOUBLE Your Regular Dell Discount in January
As an NAHB member, you receive a special discount on Dell’s reliable, award-winning technology. But from January 1-31 2005, Dell offers you the chance to DOUBLE your standard NAHB discount.

For a limited time, save 10% on Dell Precision™ Workstations, Latitude™ Notebooks, OptiPlex™ Desktops, PowerEdge™ Servers and PowerVault™ Storage. Save 6% on Dimension™ Desktops and Inspiron™ Notebooks!

Call your NAHB Sales Representative at 888-577-3355. To view products recommended for small business and custom configure and order your systems, access the NAHB Premier Dell.com Web site at http://premier.dell.com/. The Access Code is: NAHB; the Access Key is: NAHBDELL (case sensitive)

For the most up-to-date details on the Member Advantage discount program and all of the participating companies, go to www.nahb.org/ma. Or visit http://www.nahb.org/ to explore the full range of benefits associated with membership in your local, state, and national home builders associations.

This offer cannot be combined with other Dell discounts, offers, or coupons. Discount valid only for new purchases from Dell Small Business for delivery in the 50 United States.

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