BUILDERS FRAMEWORK
FREDERICKSBURG AREA BUILDERS ASSOCIATION
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Volume 2: Issue 10 │ October 2018
FREDERICKSBURG - STAFFORD - SPOTSYLVANIA - CAROLINE - KING GEORGE - ORANGE
Sales of newly built, single- family homes rose 3.5% in August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 629,000 units after down- wardly revised June and July reports, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the U.S. Census Bureau. These downward revisions suggest softness in new home sales activity this summer. However, on a year-to-date basis, sales are up 6.9 percent from this time in 2017. "Housing affordability has taken a toll on new home sales over the summer, and there could be market volatility in the months ahead as communities grapple with the aftereffects of Hurricane Florence," said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. "Still, we expect the overall housing market to grow this year as demand continues to increase among millennials and others." The inventory of new homes for sale was 318,000 in August. The median sales price was $320,200. Regionally, new home sales rose 47.8 percent in the Northeast, 9.1 percent in the West and 2.7 percent in the Midwest. Sales fell 1.7 percent in the South.
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TWILIGHT GOLF
Thurs, Oct. 18, 5-7pm Fredericksburg Country Club FREE! Make your own tacos dinner. Plus Cash Bar. Click here to RSVP (for taco head count)
HARD HAT NETWORKING !
Thurs, Oct.18, 2:30 pm Fredericksburg Country Club $200 - Foursome $50 - Individual $50 - Hole Sponsorship Click here to register to play!
New Home Sales Rise 3.5% in August
NAHB Working with HUD on Accessibility Rule
NAHB is working with HUD and the Justice Department to improve burdensome compliance requirements under the Fair Housing Act’s accessibility provisions. NAHB sent a letter to HUD outlining steps the agency could take. Among other things, NAHB suggested that the Justice Department and HUD work together to improve compliance assistance materials and guidance for builders and developers involved in designing and building multifamily housing.
The 2019 NAHB International Builders’ Show – Feb. 19-21 in Las Vegas – is THE place to be for any housing industry professional. Come for the latest and greatest products from hundreds of exhibitors. Come to attend as many of the 140+ educational sessions as your schedule permits. Come to network with the best and brightest in the business. Network, learn and build at the 2019 International Builders’ Show. The 2018 election cycle is proving to be one of the most competitive midterm elections in history. There are an unprecedented number of open seats and extremely close races around the country. It is critical that the home building industry elect a pro-housing, pro-business Congress on November 6. BUILD-PAC is the best tool we have to achieve this goal.
Single-family builders who responded to a recent NAHB survey listed which workers they are most struggling to find. Shortages of rough carpenters were reported by 90% of builders – the highest-ever portion for any occupation in residential construction in the survey’s history. The shortages continue to restrain the pace of cons- truction, further driving up construction costs, which are increasingly being absorbed by home buyers. The short- ages are also affecting builders’ bottom lines by causing lost or canceled sales and making some projects unprofitable.
Register Now for The Builders' Show Housing Rule To Conference
President Trump’s recent decision to escalate the trade conflict with China could wind up imposing a $2.5 billion tax increase on residential construction at a time when builders are already grappling with higher housing costs. Trump announced in September that he is moving to impose 10% tariffs on an additional $200 billion worth of Chinese imports, including $10 billion of goods used by the home building industry. This 10% levy represents a $1 billion tax increase on residential construction. Making matters even worse, the amount will rise to $2.5 billion on Jan. 1 when the president said the tariff rate will jump to 25% if the two nations have not resolved their differences by year end.
Shortage of Carpenters Reaches Record High
Give to BUILD-PAC Before Election Day
Tariffs Could Be a $2.5 Billion Tax Could Be a $2.5 Billion Tax Could Be a $2.5 Billion Tax Court
Employers Must Use New I-9 Form
Nail guns are a leading cause of injury for carpenters and account for roughly 25,000 work-related emergency room visits each year. The most common hazards include: • Unintended nail discharge. • Nail discharge from knocking the safety contact with the trigger squeezed. • Nail penetration through lumber. • Nail ricochet after striking a hard surface or metal feature. • Bypassing safety mechanisms. • Not disconnecting the air supply when leaving the nail gun unattended. NAHB has developed a Nail Gun Safety Video Toolbox that includes a handout in English and Spanish and a video. The materials were developed in conjunction with the Job-Site Safety Institute and the National Housing Endowment.
NGBS Green Program Has Certified 150,000 Homes
The National Green Building Standard Cert- ification Program reached an important mile- stone with the certification of the 150,000th home to meet its requirements – and there are 120,000 more homes in the pipeline. Halfway through 2018, North Carolina, Florida and Illinois lead the way with the most single-family home certifications this year. Meanwhile, Texas, Florida and North Carolina have had the highest number of multifamily properties certified to the NGBS in 2018. Builders are drawn to the NGBS certification because it gives them a marketing advantage. A report by the North Carolina Building Performance Association showed a 9.5% price premium for homes certified through third-party systems, with the NGBS certification providing the most added value.
An NGBS Green Certified Emerald home built by Marnella Homes in Oregon City, Ore.
The National Labor Relations Board has published a notice of proposed rulemaking inviting stakeholders to submit comments on its proposed joint employer standard. The proposal would codify the standard for determining whether two employers are joint employers of a group of workers under the National Labor Relations Act, thereby resolving the NLRB’s controversial 2015 decision in the case of Browning- Ferris Industries that radically expanded the test for establishing joint employment. NAHB believes regulatory action by the NLRB to restore the traditional definition of joint employment in which a company must exercise “direct and immediate control” over a worker in a business-to- business relationship is a necessary and important step in the right direction. NAHB plans to submit detailed comments in support of the proposal.
NAHB Offers Nail Gun Safety Toolbox Single Family Rental Pilot
NLRB Looking at Joint Employer Rule
Coast Guardsmen and North Carolina National Guard assist residents affected by Hurricane Florence in Old Dock, N.C.
Members, please review your company and contact information on the Member Directory on our FABA website. We want to keep your information up to date. If you don't have your log in information, to the members-only side of the www.fabava.com website, please contact us today at: admin@fabava.com
Register to vote by October 15, 2018. Election Day is November 6, 2018
Helping in the Wake of Hurricane Florence
FABA Members Review
Hurricane Florence and its remnants brought historic flooding to the Carolinas. The NAHB federation stands ready to help its members, their families and all victims affected by the storm. NAHB will be work- ing closely with state and local HBAs in the impacted states to help them meet the needs of members who have been affected by the storm. We will also provide resources to support our members as they help families rebuild. There are also many ways you can help right now. The North Carolina HBA has established a Hurricane Florence Relief Fund to assist members recovering from the devastating impact of the storm in their communities. The Department of Homeland Security encourages donations to be funneled through the National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD). You will also be able to find volunteer opportunities through NVOAD. NAHB has two webpages to help HBAs, their members and consumers prepare for and respond to natural disasters: The Natural Disaster Resources Toolkit is designed for HBAs and members. It’s a clearinghouse of information including case studies of HBAs that have dealt with disaster, a hurricane preparedness checklist for builders and more. The Disaster Preparation and Recovery Resources page is aimed at home owners and others in the paths of dangerous hurricanes, floods, fires and other natural disasters. It includes emergency preparedness tips, resources for keeping safe during cleanup efforts and an FAQ from former NAHB Remodelers Chair Dan Bawden on how to find, hire and work with remediation and renovation contractors.
DID YOU KNOW? You can send us your events, "happenings" or networking opportunities, and FABA will promote them on the Member Happenings page on the FABA website? Any event that is hosted by or promotes our Member Companies can be included. Events should be one time occurances, more details can be found at www.fabava.com/memberhappenings. Please provide all details and ticket/rsvp links and we will help you promote it. Send Member Happenings to: events@fabava.com
Quality Built Homes, Inc
ASDK LLC dba Kitchen and Bath Shop Fraser Wood Elements
Welcome... New Members
NEW Builder Member
September 2018 Membership Report
October's HARD HAT Networking is Thurs, October 18 from 5-7 pm @ Fredericksburg Country Club
NEW Associate Member
6 Degrees LLC, DBA ACES Industry Group All American Paving & Sealing, Inc. American Heritage Homes Assurance Financial BB&T Mortgage EA Holsten Inc Ferguson Enterprises Inc Fraser Wood Elements Granite Vision Illusions Wraps Peoples Community Bank Purvis Ford, Inc. Revere Gas Roche Brothers Stafford County Dept. of Public Works Thrasher Group Woodcock and Associates, PC
Member Happenings
Renewed Builders
September 2018 Membership Report (continued)
Cornerstone Homes Dannex Construction Hour Homes Inc Mendleson Development Company Spartan Homes Inc.
Renewed Associate Members
Click on the events below for more details and information Sat & Sun, October 13-14 Parade of Homes Open Houses 10:00 am - 4:00 pm Visit www.FredParade.com for locations Thursday, October 18 NEW DATE!! Twilight Golf 2:30 check-in - 5:00 pm Register your Foursomes Today! Thursday, October 18 Hard Hat Happy Hour 5:00 - 7:00 pm - Make your own taco bar included plus cash bar - RSVP required for taco headcount Fredericksburg County Club Tuesday, October 16 President's Town Hall with Mark Simes (2019 FABA President) 4:00 - 5:30 pm FABA Boardroom Wednesday, October 17 Business Planning Workshop with Mike Williams (Growth Coach) 11:30 am - 1:00 pm (lunch will be provided) - RSVP by Tuesday, Oct. 16 - Click HERE FABA Boardroom Thursday, October 18 Legislative Meeting - 8:30 - 9:30 am FABA Boardroom Sunday, October 21 Walk-A-Mile In Her Shoes (Literally) 1:30 - 5:00 pm - Meet at the Downtown Fredericksburg VRE at 1:30 pm (gather/start) - Walk the mile to The Inn at the Olde Silk Mill 2:30 - 3pm - Afterparty with food and drinks at Olde Silk Mill - 3 - 5 pm $25 donation to Empowerhouse to walk; $35 if you need a Team FABA shirt (includes $25 donation) REGISTER TODAY Wednesday, October 31 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act Munch & Learn (Woodcock and Associates) 8:30 - 10:00 am (continental breakfast will be provided) - RSVP by Tuesday, Oct. 30 - Click HERE FABA Boardroom
FABA October Calendar of Events
2018 FABA Board of Directors
FAB Foundation continues it's mission to further the Workforce Development in the Fredericksburg Region. If you are looking for an intern, apprentice, or job shadow opportunity please contact FABA as we have several pipelines to help you find the best student- tradesman match. Save the Date! The October Legislative Meeting is Thursday, October 18th at 8:30 am. Join us to learn more about the November elections and how FABA can make it's collective voice heard!
President Gene Brown Atlantic Builders, Ltd. 1st Vice President Marc Simes WJ Vakos 2nd Vice President Stacey Lampman Spaces Design Studio Secretary Sara Fila Legacy Engineering Treasurer Scott Hine Assurance Financial Group Associate Vice President John Reid Embrace Home Loans Immediate Past President David Phelps II ICF Homes of Virginia, LLC Builder Director Brandon Serbay Built Right Homes Builder Director John Gasque Toll Brothers Inc. Builder Director Tim Hall Tricord Homes Builder Director Dan Sandoval Republic Home Builders Builder Director Jeremiah Horstick CORELOT Builder Director Sean Halsey Halsey Homes Associate Director Bruce Reese Legacy Engineering, PC Associate Director Frank Sigmon Builders FirstSource Associate Director Rusty Cowper The Federal Savings Bank Legal Counsel Charlie Payne Hirschler Fleischer Executive Officer Maria Moore FABA
FAB Foundation
Legislative News
Attention FABA Members! You are invited to join us at the FABA office Tuesday, October 16th 2018, from 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM to discuss the upcoming 2019 year with our 2019 President, Marc Simes. Beer/Wine and refreshments will be served! Marc Simes, FABA 2019 President, is hosting a town hall on October 16th at the FABA office. Come share your ideas and feedback with Marc as he shapes his presidency.
Are you registered to vote? Is your address current? Our building industry needs your voice! So do you remember hearing about how your FABA membership is really a 3-in-1 membership? One of the benefits of this 3-in-1 membership is that the building industry is represented with a strong presence at the state and national level. HBAV and NAHB are supporting legislation (laws and regulations) that are GOOD for our industry as a whole. But we need your help to make sure that the right candidates are elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. Check now that you are registered to vote so that your vote will count in November. We all know that housing plays an important role in our local, state, and national economies – the Home Builders Association of Virginia’s (HBAV) mission is to promote state policies and regulations that allow our industry to continue building a diversity of housing stock, at all price points. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) serves that same mission at the Federal level. To ensure that housing continues to be a key issue in Washington, we need to elect the right candidates to the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate. To do that, we need to make sure that HBAV members are registered to vote! Not sure that you're registered to vote? Or not sure which district you live in and who will be on the ballot? You can get that information by visiting the Virginia State Board of Elections website here. If you aren’t registered to vote or need to update your address, make sure you do so before October 15th! You can register to vote by visiting the State Board of Elections website here. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions!
NEWS AND HAPPENINGS Send us your press releases, news, and event information! We can post it here in our newsletter and on the Member Happenings page of our website! Contact admin@fabava.com for more information.
JOB OPENINGS? Do you have job openings, apprenticeships, or internships to fill? Contact us today! FAB Foundation is working with FABA's workforce parnters to help you fill these positions with qualified and trained local students. FABA also posts job openings on the FABA website. Contact admin@fabava.com for more information or assistance.
2018 Partner Cornerstone Sponsor
Cornerstone Parter
2018 Platinum Cornerstone Sponsor
2018 Gold Cornerstone Sponsor
2018 Gold Cornerstone Sponsors
Maryland-based Clarus Merchant Services gives buyers the freedom to choose whichever payment method they’d like, while relieving merchants of exorbitantly high credit card exchange fees. For decades, hundreds of thousands of businesses have chosen not to accept payment via American Express cards, due to the company’s high transaction fees, which were sometimes more than 100% higher than those charged by banks issuing Visa and Mastercard credit cards. In recent years, American Express has responded by dramatically dropping their transaction fees for most businesses. Today, many merchants, unaware of the drop in transaction fees, still refuse to accept Amex cards, upsetting their customers who wish to use that card to accrue “the benefits of membership.” Fortunately, those merchants can always suggest payment via Visa or Mastercard as an easy alternative, quickly defusing a tense moment without having to disclose the ticklish fact that all of those benefits are fully funded by the fees paid by business owners. The Rise of Rewards Credit Cards Today, merchants are facing a new dilemma: whether to continue accepting Visa and Mastercard payments in light of their increasingly high transaction fees. The explosive rise in the issuance and use of so-called Rewards Cards, is costing business owners a fortune, cutting into their already razor-thin profit margins. In a recent article, Wall Street Journal reporter AnnaMaria Andriotis cited a Nilson Report that found, “All told, merchants paid credit-card issuers $43.4 billion in Visa and Mastercard credit-card interchange fees in 2017, up 68% from 2012.” Andriotis also reported that, “Shares of Visa and Mastercard have soared 31% and 46%, respectively, so far this year.” Consumers Love Them, Businesses Hate Them Merchants find themselves caught between the irresistible force of frenzied consumer demand for rewards cards, and the immovable object of “honor all cards” rule, which requires merchants who accept any Visa or Mastercard-branded credit card to accept them all, irrespective of the transaction fees charged. It seems that merchants have only two choices: accept the cards and pay the ever-increasing fees, reducing their profits on some sales by as much as 50%, or refuse to accept credit card payment and watch their sales plummet. A Third Option Fortunately for all parties involved, a third choice is available. Clarus Merchant Services of Gaithersburg, Maryland offers a unique technology solution, which is fully compliant with card brand regulations, that allows purchasers to use rewards credit cards while relieving business owners from paying the high transaction fees. Their platform, available to merchants across most of the U.S. and Canada, gives the purchaser the option to complete their purchase with a credit card by paying a 3.5% fee to cover the cost of credit card fees. They may also choose to use a debit card or some other form of payment to complete their transaction without the additional charge. The Freedom To Choose “It’s all about giving people options,” states Clarus founder and CEO, Randy Tillim. “Our system gives everyone on both sides of the transaction as many different options as possible.” Interestingly, the big credit card companies appear to agree with the power of choice in smoothing credit card transactions. A spokeswoman for Visa was quoted in the Wall Street Journal article as saying, “Visa believes consumers should always have a choice in how they pay, including being allowed to use their Visa credit card regardless of the card type or issuer. When consumer choice is limited, nobody wins.” Education Is Key “We have the solution to this problem already in place,” says Clarus President Eric Pottebaum. “The key element now is educating both buyers and sellers. Buyers need to know that all the rewards they are enjoying are coming straight out of the pockets of the people they are buying from. And sellers need to understand that they have a third option between the ‘honor all cards’ rule and refusing to accept credit card payment entirely.” Mark McClatchey (540) 446-3644 ; Email: mark.mcclatchey@clarusdc.com ; Website: http://clarusdc.com/
Clarus Merchant Services Protects Business Owners' Profits by Solving $43 Billion Problem Cited in Wall Street Journal Article
Why Volunteer? Part of being a great volunteer is loving what you're doing. Find something that you're passionate about or something that inspires you, and then find a need in your community. There are dozens of reasons why you should volunteer - you just need to find the one that feels right. 20 GREAT REASONS TO VOLUNTEER - Help others - Make a difference - Find purpose · Enjoy a meaningful conversation · Connect with your community · Feel involved · Contribute to a cause you care about · Use your skills in a productive way · Develop new skills · Meet new people · Explore new areas of interest · Meet good people · Impress your mom · Impress yourself · Expand your horizons · Get out of the house · Make new friends · Strengthen your resume · Feel better about yourself
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www.DominionEnergy.com
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Discounts for FABA Members
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FABA works to educate, promote and represent the building industry while enhancing the region’s quality of life.
