Master Builders Association Executive Officer Retires- New EO Named

Mike Crowley, Executive Officer for the Master Builders Association of Pierce County since 2001, has announced his retirement effective October 1, 2011. Former Tacoma Mayor and Council Member, and former downtown Tacoma retail businessman, Crowley is a longtime contributor to Tacoma’s political and economic arenas. “The MBA has benefitted from Mike’s talents and standing in our community during his time at MBA,” stated MBA President Rick Hjelm.  “He brought the association to a new level and cultivated a strong staff that will keep MBA in good stead into the future. Mike will be missed by our members as well as those who worked with him as elected leaders and industry allies.” “I have enjoyed my time with MBA immensely,” stated Crowley. “I have made some great friends and had the opportunity to work for and represent a group of people essential to the local economy and community – homebuilders.  My next steps? I plan to remain active in the community while spending more time with my wife and four grandchildren.” MBA’s Board of Directors named Tiffany Speir as the new Executive Officer beginning October 1. “Tiffany has been with MBA since 1998 and has served as Government Affairs Director and Assistant EO, and MBA is fortunate to have her in line to lead us into MBA’s next phase,” stated incoming MBA President Jim Yurina. “Our association is in good hands.” Master Builders Association of Pierce County (MBA) is a non-profit trade association comprised of more than 700 builder and associate member companies employing thousands of people in Pierce County. The MBA's mission is to promote, through membership involvement; legislative action, networking and education, the opportunity for affordable housing to all, while striving to maintain the highest ethical standards. ###

MEDIA CONTACT: Tiffany Speir, MBA of Pierce County Assistant EO/Government Affairs Director 253.272.2112 ext. 105 tspeir@mbapierce.com

Rebuilding Together, Veterans & Home Builders Join to Build Ramps for Disabled

TACOMA, WA – July 23, 2011 – This summer, Rebuilding Together South Sound will help disabled homeowners get in and out of their homes safely with the first ever Pierce County Ramp-A-Thon. Lead by home builders from the Master Builders Association of Pierce County, Veterans will be giving back to their communities once again by constructing 3 wheelchair ramps on this one day blitz, partially funded by the City of Lakewood.

Rebuilding Together South Sound jumped at the chance to work with VetsMeetVets, the organization providing volunteers for this event. VetsMeetVets, which is working to end veteran suicide, is always looking for ways to get their veterans involved in the community. “There is nothing better for our Veterans, than to be back in service in their community,” explains Founder and Executive Director Rod Wittmier. “It stops the spiral immediately, by raising their self-worth and value in their community.” Rebuilding Together South Sound, being a volunteer organization was a perfect fit to meet this need for our local Veterans.

Continuing its strong partnership with the Master Builders Association of Pierce County, Rebuilding Together South Sound is utilizing skilled volunteer home builders to lead these 3 projects. “Over the last decade, the organization’s members have donated thousands of skilled volunteer hours to rehabilitation projects through Rebuilding Together South Sound,” states Gary Patterson of Omega Custom Homes and the Master Builders Association. “We’re excited to now include our Veterans in that partnership.”

In 2001 when Rebuilding Together South Sound was established, 3 projects were completed during a one-day event called National Rebuilding Day. “It’s exciting to see this organization grow from a once a year service event to a year-round affordable housing organization that can facilitate special one day events such as the Ramp-A-Thon,” says Executive Director Amy Hoyte. “In the last 3 years, our year-round services have grown substantially, and thanks to the community support we receive, we’ll be completing 100 projects between our 2 programs this year alone.” Rebuilding Together South Sound was managed entirely by volunteers for its first 4 years and focused solely on the annual Rebuilding Day event. Today, with just 2 staff members and 1 AmeriCorps Member, the affiliate is able to serve hundreds of South Sound residents through its 2 housing repair programs.

About Rebuilding Together South Sound:

Awarded the Jane T. Russell Governance Award at the 2011 Nonprofit Excellence Awards, Rebuilding Together South Sound’s mission is to bring volunteers and communities together to improve the homes and lives of low-income homeowners – particularly the elderly, people with disabilities and families with children. Rebuilding Together South Sound is an affiliate of Rebuilding Together Inc. but is an independent 501 (c) 3 and the Board of Directors is solely responsible for fundraising, publicity, volunteer recruitment and management. With volunteer and in-kind community support, each dollar raised by Rebuilding Together South Sound provides a minimum of $4 worth of work for recipients. Since 2001, Rebuilding Together South Sound has completed more than 350 projects with repairs worth nearly $4,000,000. For more information, visit www.RebuildingTogetherSS.org. Become a fan at www.Facebook.com/RTSouthSound.

AboutVetMeetVets:

VetsMeetVets is on a mission is to end Veteran suicide in our nation by connecting our Recent Veterans with Seasoned Veterans and the services of their local area. The organization creates community around our Veterans and Families so that they know that 'they are not alone!' Without support a returning Veteran will withdraw from family, friends, community and life itself. The support services currently offered to a Veteran are typically designed to help them survive tough times (very reactive). VetsMeetVets’ focus is to be much more proactive and create a community that surrounds our returning heroes so that they not only survive...they thrive. 

About the Master Builders Association of Pierce County:

The Master Builders Association of Pierce County (MBA) is a non-profit trade association comprised of more than 850 home building professionals and related service providers, employing over 10,000 people in Pierce County. The MBA's purpose is to promote through membership involvement, legislative action, networking and education, the opportunity for affordable housing to all while striving to maintain the highest ethical standards.

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Master Builders Association Announces 2011 Remodeling Excellence Awards Recipients

Rex Award Winners, Photo by James Reuter

The Master Builders Association of Pierce County and the Remodelors™ Council held the 15^th annual Remodeling Excellence Awards (REX) on May 24^th at the Fircrest Golf Club. The remodelers were judged by outside home building associations on the quality, use of appropriate materials and designs, creativity and workmanship of their projects. The Master Builders Association of Pierce County would like to congratulate the following winners:

American Dream Design Build

Jim Burbridge, Scott Overby 

• Outdoor Living Over $40k
• Residential Addition $75k-150k
•  Whole House $150k-500k

Hill Custom Homes

Jeff Hill

• Bathroom Under $25k
• Kitchen $30k-60k

Mike Schwartz Construction, Inc.

Mike Schwartz

• Residential Exterior Under $25k 
• Residential Addition Under $75k

M.R. Construction, Inc.

Matt Rock

•  Kitchen Over $125k

MRF Construction, Inc.

Mike and Carolin Fast 

• Bath $25k- 75k

Phase II General Contractor, Inc.

Rick Hjelm

• Bath Remodel Over $75k

Rainier Construction and Remodeling

Clive Ebsen 

• Residential Addition over $150k

Reier Construction, LLC

Tom Reier 

• Kitchen  $60k-125k

Renewal Remodels and Additions

George Eide, Troy Rideb

• Kitchen under $30K 
• Specialty Open  
• Whole House $75k-150k 
• Whole House $150-500k 
• Universal Design

Sockeye Homes

Kristen and Todd Sakai 

• Built Green Project
• Interior Design/Space Planning

Wind River Homes

Kent Arola

• Commercial Remodel Under $100k

The Master Builders Association of Pierce County (MBA) is a non-profit trade association comprised of more than 850 home building professionals and related service providers, employing over 10,000 people in Pierce County. The MBA's purpose is to promote through membership involvement, legislative action, networking and education, the opportunity for affordable housing to all while striving to maintain the highest ethical standards.

NAHB Forecast- Slow but Steadily Up

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) presented its Spring Construction Forecast on April 27th.  The three economists involved, David Crowe (NAHB), Robert Denk (NAHB) and Mark Zandi (Moody’s), all had a similar message; the housing side of the building industry is moving forward, but slowly.  A full recovery is predicted 2014-2015.
     As it has been the case since last fall, most experts predict that the bottom of the market has been reached and that recovery is now a matter of time and scale. Availability of financial lending to builders and developers continues to be a major factor for the new construction sector; home mortgage lending criteria are stricter now, resulting in a prediction that when people do move back into the housing market there will be a higher demand for rentals than in the past.

Current Conditions:
The economists all believe the other sectors of economy will pull housing out of recession, not vice versa, which is the normal process historically. This is because of a couple of different factors: foreclosures are still heavily affecting the market, lack of significant positive information on the economy is still affecting consumer confidence, and nearly 2 million new households did not form during the recession that would have in a “normal” economy.

Washington’s Conditions
Housing conditions are largely affected by where you live, with the worst of the housing crisis affecting California, Nevada, Florida and some areas of the Midwest. As a state, Washington is predicted by NAHB to be at 60 percent of “normal” (2000-2003) annual housing production levels by the end of 2011 and at 82 percent by the end of 2012 - as long as construction lending becomes more available. Washington home prices are also expected to drop by another 5% in 2011, but still range in a “normal” (‘00-‘03) price levels.  Ongoing foreclosures will keep house prices declining for one more year, but it should be noted that nearly half of all foreclosures are in the most distressed states.

Single Family/Multi-Family/Remodeling
David Crowe, NAHB’s chief economist, emphasized the pent up demand for new homes in the market, stating that the past 12 months saw one third of the number of housing starts of a “normal” year.  Single Family housing prices have dropped since 2006 from a high of 4.7 on the price to personal income ratio down to 3.3 times, which is just above the historical average of 3.2. Washington State is still showing prices up to 25% above the historical ratio, explaining the predicted continued price drop in 2011.
     Multi-Family starts are up, but don’t seem to be keeping up with demand either.  Since 1995 there has been an increase of 740,000 new households, but an increase of 1 million new renter households.  Builders will need to look at attached products and apartments as a way to answer this increase in demand.  The rise in renters is attributed to an aging population, stricter mortgage lending criteria, and younger adults’ reduced interest in homeownership.
     Remodeling activity did drop since 2006 nationally, but not as far as new construction during the recession. There was an uptick in the first half of 2010, which then dropped back down to below a 10-year low.  2011 and 2012 are predicted to hold a steady uptick.

Looking towards the future
As jobs continue to grow as they have in the past few months, these housing formations are expected to grow. However, it is likely the building industry will see a surge in multi-housing first as people begin to rent new homes. It will be slow, with 2nd quarter 2011 showing a modest upward trend. All the economists agreed that we are unlikely to see a double dip in the recession, but the next 12-18 months will be modest.

Continue to follow housing trends at NAHB’s blog,  http://eyeonhousing.wordpress.com/

How Long Will it Last? From Roof to Paint, The Life Expectancy of Your Home’s Components

Just like the human body, your home is made of parts, all working in unison, many unseen and unthought-of during the course of your daily life. From the roof to the foundation, and from the front door to the back, a home consists of literally thousands of components.

Ideally, these components might all have an unlimited life expectancy. But given the realities of day-to-day use, how long can a home owner reasonably expect a home component such as a window or roof to last?

A study conducted by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and sponsored by Bank of America Home Equity provides insight into the life expectancies of a number of products in the home. The study intentionally overlooked consumer preferences, acknowledging that if they were considered,  kitchen counters would be replaced long before the end of their useful life, and rooms may be repainted only once in 50 years. Other factors that can have a significant effect on life expectancy include maintenance, proper installation, the level of use and the quality of the materials. And some components, while remaining functional, become obsolete due to changing technology or improvements.

Insulation

According to the study, all types of insulation can be expected to last a lifetime if they are properly installed and are not punctured, cut, burned or exposed to ultraviolet rays and are kept dry. Proper installation not only extends the lifetime of your insulation, it also ensures that it will perform properly, resulting in reduced energy use and expenses, as well as increased home comfort.

Windows

Windows, because they can be exposed to extreme weather conditions, have a much shorter life expectancy. The study, which polled experts in the various fields, found that aluminum windows can reasonably be expected to last 15 to 20 years and wooden windows can last upwards of 30 years. An important element of maintaining your windows is the window glazing — the putty that secures the glass to the sash. Over time, this glazing can crack, resulting in drafty and loose panes. Available at any hardware store, glazing can be replaced by simply chipping or scrapping off the old putty, cleaning the window thoroughly and installing new glazing with a putty knife or caulking gun. Some types of glazing require a coat of latex paint for weatherproofing.

Roofs

Like windows, the life expectancy of a roof depends on local weather conditions as well as appropriate maintenance and quality of the materials. Slate, copper and clay/concrete roofs can be expected to last more than 50 years. Roofs made of asphalt shingles should last for about 20 years; fiber cement shingles should last about 25 years; and wood shakes for about 30 years. In regards to roof maintenance, it’s important to be proactive to prevent emergency and expensive repairs. Look for include damaged or loose shingles; gaps in the flashing where the roofing and siding meet vents and flues; and damaged mortar around the chimney (especially at the joints, caps and washes). If you see any signs of damage, call a professional to repair it.

Paint

Although some avid decorators may repaint every six months, homes usually need to be painted every five to 10 years depending on the content of the paint (its glossiness), its exposure to moisture and traffic. Quality paints are expected to last upwards of 20 years. Exterior paint conditions should be regularly monitored in order to catch problems early on. Assessing paint for dirt, mold, cracking, peeling, fading and rusting — and repairing immediately, usually through simple cleaning methods such as scrubbing or power washing — can end up saving home owners much more costly repainting jobs in the long term.

Remember, these numbers are averages, with usage, weather, maintenance and a number of other factors influencing life expectancy. Chances are, changing trends will dictate a shorter life span, as home owners update and remodel their homes. For more information on home maintenance, visit the National Association of Home Builders online at http://www.nahb.org/forconsumers, or contact Master Builders Association of Pierce County online at http://www.mbapierce.com/

Emergency Preparedness at Home

America is more “connected” now than ever before, with on-demand access to information and just about anything you want delivered to your front door overnight. But recent natural disasters around the world have shown that even in this modern age, you and your family need to be prepared to survive on your own after an emergency.

It may take days or even weeks for emergency and relief workers to get to everyone impacted by a disaster. And basic services such as electricity, gas, water, sewage treatment, and telephones may not be restored to service for a lengthy period of time.

Every family needs to keep on hand enough food, water and other necessary supplies to sustain themselves until help arrives or you can safely leave the area and get to a shelter. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has a website, www.ready.gov, with information on how to be prepared for both natural and man-made disasters.

FEMA recommends putting together a basic emergency supply kit and keeping it in your home in an easily accessible location. The items that should be included in the kit are:

 

• A three-day supply of food and water, including at least one gallon of water per person per day and non-perishable food items
• A hand-crank or battery-operated radio and a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio with tone alert
• A first-aid kit
• A cell phone with chargers, an inverter or a solar charger
• Dust masks, plastic sheeting and duct tape in case of a chemical event that contaminates the air
• Items for personal sanitation such as moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties
• Tools and supplies including a flashlight, a can opener, a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities, extra batteries and a whistle to signal for help  
• Maps of the local area

Other items you may want to keep with your kit include prescription medications; food or supplies for infants or pets; copies of important family documents such as insurance policies, medical histories, bank and financial records, and passports; cash and/or traveler’s checks; extra clothing, blankets or towels; a fire extinguisher and matches; and personal hygiene items.

A disaster can strike without warning, and the best way to protect your family is to be prepared. These tips, along with additional information available on www.ready.gov, are a good start to make sure your family is safe and comfortable following an emergency situation.

For more tips for your home, visit the MBA website at http://www.mbapierce.com/ or the National Association of Home Builders at www.nahb.org.

Navigating A Challenging Market- Success Stories from MBA Members

Welcome to a new feature brought to you by the MBA of Pierce County. Navigating a Challenging Market will feature tips, tricks and success stories from you-the members. In time we hope that you will find this monthly feature to be a valuable resource for ideas, positive local coverage and more. Thank you for reading.

There are Always Risks

Laureen Skrivan,
Wren & Willow, Inc.

In the midst of the downturn, Wren & Willow, Inc. owner Laureen Skrivan found herself moving away from interior design and subcontracting for projects. Instead, she took a risk and got her general contractor license.

“I realized I was just giving away money anytime I handed out another contractor’s card. I decided I can do this. I love remodeling,” Skrivan said. “Just coordinating a project did not seem very financially wise.”

While recognizing it was possibly the worst time to make a big change to business, Skrivan says she didn’t let it get in the way of her goal. 

“I just couldn’t think about that,” she said. “There are always risks. When you are the general contractor you take all the responsibility.  You have to take care of all your sub-contractors and it’s your reputation that is on the line. You are the captain of the ship.”

As a female contractor Skrivan also feels that she has an advantage of having a different perspective. The biggest change she has noticed in the current economy is she spends a lot more time getting to know her prospective client to get the job.

“Slow down, and ask questions. Really get to know what their needs are and how they plan to live in the home. Maybe bring another staff member to see if they hear anything you don’t,” she said.

 Although she has had her share of fallbacks, the transition benefited her company.  She also recommends making sure you invest in your marketing.

“Letting people know you are out there and even declaring to yourself you are still out there is so, so important. I think that it is the best thing you can spend money on. You have to decide what that amount is yourself, but you need to keep up with the market.” Skrivan said.

Bottom Line:  Take time to evaluate if a change to business could benefit your company. Whether it’s adding a new product line, or making a change to what your business does, keep your company visible through marketing.