ReNews -- Remodelors Council News - 12/10/2003 (Plain Text Version)View Graphical Version | Subscribe to NAHB Publications | Email our Editor... House Energy Bill Gives Consumers Tax Credit to Remodel, Senate Holds Vote Until New YearThe House recently passed H.R. 6, the conference report for the “Energy Policy Act of 2003.” The legislation contains important tax incentives to increase energy efficiency and conservation in the housing market, including giving consumers a 20% tax credit up to $2,000 for qualified remodeling projects that improve the energy efficiency in existing homes. “The housing provisions in H.R. 6 contain key home energy tax provisions originally introduced by Rep. Jerry Weller (R-IL), with some modifications, that would provide powerful incentives for millions of home owners and renters to save hundreds of dollars annually in utility costs and allow builders to invest in market- and technology-driven initiatives that would promote higher levels of energy efficiency at more reasonable costs,” said Jerry Howard, executive vice president and CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB). The comprehensive measure would also provide a $1,000 tax credit to builders for the construction of a new home that is at least 30% more energy-efficient than a home built under the 2000 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). The tax credit jumps to $2,000 for homes built at least 50% above the 2000 IECC. The package also contains a $1.50 per square foot commercial property deduction for rental housing four stories and higher that is at least 50% more efficient than housing built under the standards of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers. “H.R. 6 represents a major step forward in promoting energy conservation in new and existing homes, reducing the nation’s energy dependence and lowering energy costs for American consumers for decades,” said Howard. While the home energy-efficiency tax credits advanced in Congress as comprehensive energy legislation passed the House, it became apparent during the night of Nov. 24 that the Senate would not be voting on the bill. A conference committee finished hammering out differences between separate versions of energy legislation passed by the two chambers, and the House approved H.R. 6, the final conference report for the "Energy Policy Act of 2003." However, the next day, the Senate fell just three votes short of the 60 needed to cut off debate and proceed to a vote on the measure. NAHB sent a letter to the full Senate in support of the tax credits, urging lawmakers to act quickly to pass the bill. With Senators focused on debating Medicare legislation and rushing to adjourn for Thanksgiving, GOP leaders elected to postpone further consideration of the energy bill this year. Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) indicated that he will seek another vote for the bill after Congress returns in January. Register Now for IBS 2004If you haven’t made your reservations yet for the International Builders’ Show, you need to get on the bus—or the plane, that is. After Dec. 17, you must register onsite. Click here to register. Former President George H.W. Bush will kick off the Show as the keynote speaker on Jan. 19 at the Orleans Hotel Arena at the Opening Ceremonies — sponsored by Kohler. Click here for more information about special events. Remodelors™ Council 2004 IBS Show PlannerMark your calendar for these Remodelors™ Council meetings at the IBS in Las Vegas.
LVCC N112 Saturday, Jan. 17 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Membership & Council Development Committee 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Education & Business Development Committee 10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Public Affairs Committee 11:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. CAPS Board of Governors 3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Remodelor 20 Clubs Working Group Sunday, Jan. 18 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Remodelors Council General Session Remodelors™ Education at IBSMonday, Jan. 19 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 20 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 21 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 22 8:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Join Us for the Remodelors™ Council Chairman's DinnerThis is the premier social event for the Remodelors™ Council at the Builders Show! Join us as we celebrate the year's accomplishments, pass the gavel to the new Council leadership, present the Chairman's Awards for Distinguished Service and Outstanding Service, and announce the winners of the year-long Membership Contest. Dress is business attire. To attend this special event, click here, fill out the form and then fax back to the Remodelors Council. If you have any questions, call 800-368-5242 x8216 or e-mail remodel@nahb.com. Please RSVP by Jan. 12. Tuesday, Jan. 20 Share Ideas During the Local Remodelors™ Council RoundtableShare ideas with peers and learn best practices and strategies for successful local Remodelors™ Council management from members of other local councils in a relaxed, informal atmosphere. Local councils are welcome to bring their recruitment material to display in the Remodelors™ Council hospitality room. Tuesday, Jan. 20 P.S. Don't forget to bring materials from your council! [return to top] Rise & Shine with MarvinJoin your peers for this complimentary breakfast, sponsored by Marvin Windows and Doors, and bring your business card to enter a drawing for a free Marvin door (within specifications). Tuesday, Jan. 20 I said I liked it but I changed my mind! A Remodelors™ RoundtableHave you noticed that your customers are demanding more and more from you, yet expect to pay less and less? Well, join a group of your peers from all over the country to discuss how they deal with this problem. A roundtable facilitated by Lynn Motheral, CGR, to discuss ideas and ways to keep your customers happy at no expense to your bottom line is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 20, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m. in the Remodelors Council Hospitality Room (LVCC N237), immediately following the Local Council Roundtables. Make the most out of the convention this year! [return to top] Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist Classes Offered at IBSThe NAHB Remodelors™ Council and University of Housing will hold the following CAPS classes for members working on their CAPS designation or recertification. The classes will be in in Las Vegas preceding the International Builders' Show. Working with Older Adults & Marketing to Older Adults Home Modifications Introduction to Business Management This 8-hour course will be offered on Sunday, Jan. 18 (the day before the opening of the International Builders Show). For more information on any of these classes, contact the Office of the Registrar at the NAHB University of Housing 800-368-5242 x8338 or e-mail, registrar@nahb.com Separate registration is required for access to the International Builders' Show seminars and exhibit floor. Certified Graduate Remodelor™ Courses Offered at IBSAre you thinking about earning your CGR designation? Are you attending the International Builders’ Show? Here is your opportunity to take the mandatory CGR PREP evaluation. Are you already working towards your CGR but have not yet taken your Introduction to Business Management or Construction Contracts and Law class? Come to Vegas early and earn another credit toward your CGR designation Have you been looking for a way to give back to the remodeling industry and you already have your CGR? Become a CGR class trainer. NAHB is always looking for a few good men and women to teach CGR courses throughout the country. NAHB will be offering two Train the Trainer classes during IBS. Certified Graduate Remodelor™ PREP Evaluation The PREP is the required first step toward becoming a Certified Graduate Remodelor™ (CGR). It is a 3-hour 130 multiple-choice question assessment that measures a candidate's knowledge in five core areas of remodeling business management: Marketing and Sales; Business Administration; Design, Estimating and Job Costing; Contracts, Liability and Risk Management; and Project Management. Candidates do not pass or fail the PREP. Results determine the course of study for CGR candidates and will count as one CGR course. Construction Contracts and Law Introduction to Business Management This 8-hour course will be offered on Sunday, Jan. 18 (the day before the opening of the International Builders Show). Train the Trainer For more information on any of these classes, contact the Office of the Registrar at the NAHB University of Housing 800-368-5242 x8338 or e-mail, registrar@nahb.com Separate registration is required for access to the International Builders' Show seminars and exhibit floor. [return to top] Habitat for Humanity at the International Builders: A Letter to Remodelors™Dear friends in the building industry, It's that time of the year again when many of you are planning your travel to Las Vegas for the International Builders' Show and the many events that surround a week that is far too busy for many of us. Bryan Patchan Scholarship Honors Industry AdvocateTo honor the man who played such a vital role in the conception and development of several key initiatives, projects and programs that defined the National Association of Home Builders and the remodeling industry, NAHB’s Remodelors™ Council created the Bryan Patchan Scholarship. In early March, the Council will announce the first recipient of the $1,000 scholarship. The winner, a 2004 local council chair or vice chair, will be able to use the scholarship towards travel expenses for attendance at NAHB’s spring board meetings. During Patchan’s extensive service to the Remodelors™ Council, including 18 years as executive director, he recognized that local Remodelors™ Councils were a prime source of talent to provide future leaders at the national level. He was a tireless advocate of programs to support and strengthen the local council network and to nurture the relationship between local councils and the NAHB Remodelors™ Council. It is appropriate that the first Remodelors™ Council Scholarship should be named for the individual who during his tenure was instrumental in the growth of the local council roster from zero to more than 150. Patchan is a member of the inaugural class of the America’s Best Remodeling Hall of Fame. He continues his service to the home building industry as executive vice president of the Frederick County Builders Association in Maryland. How to Contribute to the Bryan Patchan Scholarship Fund NHE/NAHB Remodelors™ Fund For more information and/or scholarship applications, contact the NAHB Remodelors™ Council at 800-368-5242 x8211, or email Therese Crahan. To apply for the Brian Patchan Scholarship, click here. [return to top] Join NAHB for National Designation Month and Sail Away to 'Destination Designation'Do you have your Certified Graduate Remodelors designation? Are you a Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist? Are you thinking about earning a designation? Join the NAHB University of Housing in February to celebrate National Designation Month, and make the most of this exceptional opportunity to enhance your on-the-job know-how with an NAHB designation. Do you realize that by becoming a CGR or CAPS professional you are joining an elite group of professionals who hold the highest standards in their businesses? This pays off in your bottom line as consumers become more sophisticated in their tastes and knowledge of what they want in a remodeling project, and these exclusive NAHB designations give those consumers the confidence that they are working with first-class professionals on their projects. As part of National Designation Month, NAHB will step up efforts to educate the public about the value of selecting builders, remodelers and other industry professionals who hold a designation, so your hard work and dedication will mean even more when it comes to your bottom line. Throughout the month of February, building industry professionals across the nation can take advantage of the many special events NAHB and local home builder associations are hosting to celebrate continuing education and recognize designation holders in the building industry. Stay tuned for details about exciting contests that will be held during the International Builders’ Show, featuring prizes including an exotic “Education Cruise” for two to your choice of the Mexican Riviera, Alaska or the Caribbean. Plus, members who find the hidden designation airplane logo in the Builderbooks.com brochure or other NAHB publications can receive a special gift by visiting the NAHB OnSite area at IBS. For more information on professional designations from NAHB and how you can become a part of these exciting programs, visit www.nahb.org/education and click on Designations in the left hand column. [return to top] NAHB Remodelors™ Council Congratulates 2003 CADRE Award WinnersCongratulations to the 2003 Council Awards for Demonstrating Remodeling Excellence, CADRE, award winners. 2003 NAHB Remodelors Council Outstanding Council Chair Outstanding Associate Member Community Service Project Government Affairs/Legislation Membership Recruitment/Retention Membership Service/Education Outstanding Executive Officer/Council Coordinator Public Relations & Promotions Look for award-winner highlights throughout the year in Professional Remodeler. Council Welcomes New Team MemberDebbie Leitner has joined the Remodelors™ Council team as the new Program Manager. Debbie manages the Remodelors Council membership, local council relations and meeting planning activities. Before coming to NAHB, Debbie worked for MicroAnalytics Logistics Software as the marketing and sales coordinator handling marketing, customer service and sales for the organization. You can reach her via e-mail, Debbie Leitner, or call 800-368-5242 x8323. Welcome Debbie! [return to top] At the Head of the Class: Top Remodelers Earn Prestigious Industry DesignationWhat does it take to become the cream of the crop in the remodeling industry? For the new Graduate RemodelorsTM honored for their achievements by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) at a recognition ceremony preceding the 2003 Remodelers’ Show in Baltimore, the answer is an ongoing dedication to growth and education in their field. After completing rigorous classes held everywhere from Olympia, WA, to Monroe, CT, 127 remodelers earned the exclusive Certified Graduate Remodelor (CGR) designation in 2003. The CGR designation, awarded by NAHB, identifies individuals who exemplify professionalism in the remodeling industry. “It's a demonstration of the commitment that you have to your profession, and it will be recognized that way by clients,” said Vince Butler, CGR, GMB, CAPS, president of Butler Brothers Corporation in Clifton, VA, and chair of the CGR Board of Governors at NAHB. “It absolutely revolutionizes your whole attitude toward your business.” To become a CGR, remodelers must meet a number of qualifications, including completion of a comprehensive education curriculum developed by the NAHB University of Housing that focuses on five core areas designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation. According to 2003 honoree Abbie Sladick, owner of Abbie Joan Enterprises in Naples, FL, “As a remodeler, I thought that I needed to do everything I could to have as much education as possible, and earn an important designation like CGR, so that my clients have a high comfort level.” There are currently 1,150 CGRs in 45 states. More information on the CGR and other professional designations awarded by NAHB is available online at www.NAHB.org/education; a list of CGRs in your area can be downloaded by visiting www.NAHB.org/designations/CGR. [return to top] Members and EOs Find Staff Contact Info Faster Than EverThis November, NAHB released a new online Contact Directory on the NAHB Web site to replace the former print version. This directory, which includes both a Staff Directory and a Subject Directory, contains the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses for all staff at NAHB. Available only to members, these directories are fully searchable and can be printed for easy reference. The Subject Directory contains more than 700 keywords to help members identify the appropriate staff contact for a particular topic within seconds. “I get two-to-three calls each week from people asking ‘Who can I talk to about X issue,’” says Bill Nolan, of the Affordable Housing Institute. Members can type in a topic, program, product, or service and the directory will automatically display the name, telephone number, and email address for the appropriate contact. According to Nolan, this is a “tremendous tool for the members.” In addition to searching by subject, members can also search by name. The online Staff Directory makes it possible to look up staff by first name, last name, or department. These options are particularly helpful when you can’t remember a contact’s full name or want to see additional contacts within a department. “I prefer to look up staff myself because it is usually faster,” says Harry Savio, EO of the HBA of Greater Austin, Texas. For Nolan the “beauty with it being online is that I can make hard copies so I have it with me when I need it. I throw one in each of my briefcases, so if I’m off in a meeting and don’t have my laptop, I still have access.” Members can access either directory by going to www.nahb.org and clicking the NAHB Contact Directories link under Contact Us. You must log into www.nahb.org to access the directories. For more information about the NAHB Contact Directories, please contact Kristine Maphis, Do Your Youngest Clients Love Bob?It’s good business to protect all of your clients — especially the pint-sized ones — from mishaps at home. Close to 100,000 Blueprints for Home Safety activity books featuring Bob the Builder™ were distributed to home builders associations, Women's Councils, and members in just under three weeks. The books were a hit for nationwide community outreach programs; members donated them to local elementary schools, handed them out to children at parades of homes, and used the books to conduct special home and fire safety events. The first 100,000 books flew off the shelves fast, but now HIT Entertainment, the owner of Bob the Builder, has donated an additional 170,000 activity books to NAHB, which is again distributing them only for the cost of shipping and handling. Click here for an order form. For more information, email Kym Kilbourne at NAHB or call her at 800-368-5242 x8447. [return to top] Join the Remodelors™ Council in 2004Planning your annual trips already? Don’t forget to join the Remodelors™ Council during any of their 2004 events. Mark your calendars now for these renown industry events. Below are key meetings and programs during the first half of the year. International Builders’ Show The NAHB’s 60th annual International Builders' Show will be held at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Join nearly 90,000 of your closest friends for the biggest networking opportunity offered. Attend first class education seminars to learn how to market your business, deal with industry relations, manage your team, keep up with the latest trends and other best practices to take your business to the next level. Meet with construction company owners, managers and lead staff from more than 95 countries and see the latest in building products and technologies. Keep in mind that the show dates have changed this year and will not be held over a weekend; instead the show is Monday, Jan. 19, through Thursday, Jan. 22. NAHB Remodelors Council Board of Trustees and Committee Meetings National Green Building Conference For more information, visit click here or call 888-602-4663 CAPS Classes at Building for Boomers & Beyond: 2004 Seniors Housing Symposium Join more than 500 builders, developers, architects, interior designers and merchandisers, land planners, sales and marketing professionals, and others at this year's conference to be held April 14-16, 2004 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago in downtown Chicago. NAHB Spring Board Meetings 2004 Remodelers Show Access Mexico Project — Building U.S. and Mexico PartnershipsACCESS MEXICO PROJECT Making Connections At THE IBS (Jan. 19-22) The Access Mexico Center, located within the International Business Center at the IBS, will be a hub of information and activity focused on Mexico’s growing housing market and set the stage for important networking and cross border collaboration. Be sure to take advantage of the Center and the following opportunities:
A highlight of the International Education Program is the panel: Mexico’s Housing Market: It’s Investment and Business Opportunities. Speakers include: Sebastian Fernandez Cortina, Director General of CONAFOVI, Mexico’s National Housing Commission; Miguel Gomez Mont, Vice President of CANADEVI, Mexico’s National Association of Home Builders; Manuel Campos, Vice President of Su Casita, Mexico’s largest secondary mortgage bank; and Gene Towle, President of Softec. (Las Vegas Convention Center, North 245-247, Level 2, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.) For more information on International Programs, click here. [return to top] Have Your Words HeardThe NAHB Remodelors™ Council has been provided the opportunity to submit articles to NAHB’s weekly online newsletter, Nation's Building News Online. NBN Online is distributed via e-mail to NAHB’s membership and is your chance to share your industry wisdom. Topics should be related to remodeler and small business issues; articles are 400 words in length and include a byline and with your photo and contact information. If you are interested in being published, please contact NAHB Remodelors™ Council staff, 800-368-5242 x8451 or e-mail Melanie Hinton. [return to top] Use ‘Administrative’ E-mail Addresses When Posting on Web SitesUse ‘administrative’ or function-based email addresses such as info@…, membership@ … or your company’s or association’s name@… when posting contact information on Web sites to avoid increased spamming of your personal or individual business email addresses. NAHB also found that, after these companies collect the email addresses off websites, they market themselves by indicating they received these email addresses from NAHB, local associations or other companies or organizations as a way to open the door for new business from local and state associations. NAHB does not sell or trade email addresses to third parties, a policy formally established at the NAHB spring Board of Directors meeting in May 2003. Not all companies have stopped collecting email addresses this way, and companies with the resources will continue this practice. How to Protect the Integrity of Your E-mail Address The simplest way to protect the integrity of your personal or individual email address is to avoid posting it on Web sites, including your own. Instead, create an administrative, function-based or “catch-all” e-mail address for your association or business that can be monitored by someone on staff. Using this type of email address will enable you to maintain a valuable marketing and contact presence while reducing the possibility of spamming. Member Advantage: Save on Dell® ComputersNAHB members, with all types and sizes of business, keep coming to Dell to save money on computers and equipment from one of the most respected brands in the business. For more information or to contact us directly, please visit www.NAHB.org | ©2003, National Association of Home Builders |