MARCH/APRIL 2011 1

Spring Homearama brings visitors back to style, comfort and luxury. See why families are deciding to feather their nest in this Virginia Beach community.

ODU head football coach Bobby Wilder motivates TBA members to turn setbacks into come-backs at TBA’s first Meeting of the Membership.

TBA members find themselves making TV history on ABC’s and CBS’

Attorney Brian Slaughter, who represents 17 builders and developers in the Chinese drywall litigation, explains the challenges at hand – and what the building industry can expect to see as the cases progress.

Departments2 President’s Pen

7 Events Calendar

7 Headliners

15 Builder Services

16 Counsel’s Insights

Features

The mission of Tidewater Builders Association is to im-prove the climate for affordable housing; promote the growth and development of the shelter industry; pro-mote excellence and professionalism among mem-bers through education and networking opportunities; and support and enhance the community through charitable projects.

2011 OFFICERS: William H. Halprin, president; Scott M. Gandy, associate vice president; S.L. “Sam” Cohen, vice president; Steven E. Lawson, treasurer; Dennis M. Graf, secretary; Eric Sasser, appointee; Lucky C. Peterson, appointee; and Pete A. Kotarides, immediate past president.

2011 BUILDER DIRECTORS: Douglas C. Smith, Gary L. Werner, Scott L. Crumley, Chris Ettel, Erin Widener Speckhart, Lucky C. Peterson, Tuck Bowie and Stephen Quick.

2011 ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: Joseph W. Kester-son, Kelly M. Beck, Robert L. Nicholson, Robert M. Boyd, Gregory Dodd, Thomas Dye, Brenda Reid and Edward O. Yoder.

DIRECTORS EMERITI: Edward P. Brogan, William J. Fanney, Richard D. Guy, Doyle E. Hull, Frederick J. Napolitano, Richard E. Olivieri, John H. Peterson Jr., Julian Rashkind, Stanley Waranch, Howard M. Weisberg, Wendell A. White.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Channing A. Pfeiffer

Managing editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Prier, APR

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Steil

Advertising sales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Kim Powers

Production coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . Stella Council

Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Amidon

Graphic Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Diane Trumbull

Copyright: 2011; all rights reserved. No permission to reprint unless ex-pressly given by Tidewater Builders Association. The Tidewater Builder is published for all TBA member firms through the $15 subscription price, which is included in the annual membership fee. Opinions expressed by contributing columnist are not necessarily those of this publication.

The Tidewater Builder is published bi-monthly, January through December, by Tidewater Builders Association, lo-cated at 2117 Smith Ave., Chesapeake, VA 23320. Edito-rial deadline is 5 p.m. on the 1st of the month preceding publication. The advertising deadline for copy and insertation can be obtained by calling the Homearama/Home Shows and Special Project division at (757) 420-2434. All advertising is subject to current rates, copies of which can be obtained from the Homearama/Home Shows and Special Project di-vision, 420-2434. The magazine reserves the right to de-termine the suitability of any advertising or editorial copy, and all real estate advertising is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or dis-crimination.

32 Membership Matters

33 Shop Talk

34 Advertisers’ Index

34 Big Pic

36 Membership Update

Vol. 58, Number 2

Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show visitors were whisked away to a tropical paradise thanks to Dreamscape Designers’ Caribbean Garden, which featured a waterfall surrounded by tropical plants, an outdoor patio, a dining area and more.

For three days, visitors flocked to the Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show to fall in love with their homes….again. K&D Round’s Landscape Service’s “Getaway Gar-den” captured the hearts and the People’s Choice Award for best landscape display. See pages 18-20 for more show coverage.

2 MARCH/APRIL 2011

f the predictions for the 2011 Hampton Roads housing market were made into a weather fore-cast, it would be partly sunny,

partly cloudy and who the heck really knows?

Only one thing seems certain — it’s going to be another year of closely watching economic indicators for positive signs in our local and national economies.

The annual Old Dominion Uni-versity Real Estate Market Review brought a mixed outlook from the real estate experts, who generally foresee a continued but slow recovery in 2011 for commercial, industrial, retail and residential housing markets.

The exception, the multifamily housing market (with its lowest occu-pancy level in a decade in 2009), saw rent and occupancies steadily increase to 94.7 percent in the last quarter of 2010. !ough good news, this turnaround was attributed to strengthening de-mand in lieu of home ownership and a limited development pipeline.

The housing market, in particular, still has a ways to go, according to Van Rose, president of Rose & Womble En-terprises. Van expects the backlog of foreclosures to peak in 2011 and to prolong the housing recovery so that the market won’t feel like “normal” for a few years to come. He reported that 12 percent of the inventory of homes for sale locally are foreclosures, but they account for 29 percent of the homes that are sold. Still, he pointed out that detached new homes in some price ranges are being absorbed in what’s considered a normal rate of "ve to six months.

Job growth holds the key to recovery for all of the real estate sectors, and on that front, positive projections for 10,000 new jobs in Hampton Roads this year have come from the ODU economic forecasting team. !ere are potentially some exciting developments, including the ex-pected closing on the sale of the former Ford plant, and the possibility of relocating 1,500 jobs from U.S. AFRICOM,

The 2011 housing forecast: Jobs, foreclosures and pent-up demand

a military command based in Ger-many. Some of the recent national job reports also hold promise that we’re moving in the right direction, though most economists readily agree it’s not yet enough.

Meanwhile, housing industry ana-lysts cite a historically low inventory of new-construction homes, com-bined with a pent-up demand from household formations that haven’t happened yet. A February report by National Association of Home Build-ers economists points out that since 1965, the number of households in the U.S. grew at an average annual rate of 1.5 percent, adding nearly 1.3 million households every year. Contrast that to 2007 through 2009, when household formations averaged only 421 thousand a year — only a third of the long-term average.

Their conclusion is that a considerable portion of the excess housing supply is due to a steep decline in demand related to economic conditions rather than to overbuilding. It concludes that this excess supply re#ects signi"cant pent-up demand, indicating the recovery in the housing market will come more quickly “as the economic recovery makes progress and pent-up demand becomes realized demand absorbing vacant units in existing housing stock and adding pressure for construction of new units.”

Van said he expects that pent-up demand to show it-self in the marketplace by the end of 2011 and into 2012 as consumers gain con"dence and the economy gains strength.

So until then, hang in there. And, as ODU Coach Bob-by Wilder said to the TBA membership meeting, try to cultivate an “attitude of gratitude” along the way.

Only one thing seems certain — it’s going to be another year of closely watching eco-nomic indicators for positive signs in our local and national economies.

William H. Halprin

MARCH/APRIL 2011 3

4 MARCH/APRIL 2011

hat started o$ as six model homes for sale has since boomed into the establishment of a

sustainable community in the southern area of Virginia Beach. !ree of those models are now homes for the "rst fami-lies of Eagle’s Nest.

More will be arriving soon as Spring Homearama builders bring another nine homes online, seven of which were sold before the builders even broke ground.

Since mid-January, the phones have been ringing o$ the hook, said site agent John Savino. “Activity is brisk since there is a lot of pent up demand in the market.

“People are concerned about the interest rates going up in the spring,” Savino continued. “It’s inevitable that it’s going to happen, so they want to lock in

that lower rate now.”He also credits the improvement of

the stock market and returning consum-er con"dence. Interest from neighboring Courthouse Estate residents, many of whom may be looking to upsize their homes, has also helped sales.

“Many of the families in Courthouse Estates are looking to move up,” said Savino. “!eir families are growing and they want more room. Eagle’s Nest is that step up they are looking for.”

Zirpoli noted that more homeowners are putting down 10 to 20 percent on their home purchases — an unusual, but welcome change. To top that o$, “the homes that we have taken on contin-gency have sold pretty fast,” said Savino, “because they are in the $200,000 and $300,000 range, which is selling.”

The homes in Eagle’s Nest mark the

return to a more traditional Homearama neighborhood, with larger upscale homes and in many cases, swimming pools in the back.

Eighty percent of the homes in the community will be traditional, two-story brick homes, said developer Rob-ert Zirpoli of Neck Properties Inc. !e exteriors are comprised mainly of brick or stone, with some being a combination of stone, brick and cement "berboard, such as HardiPlank.

“It’s good to have some color added to the neighborhood,” he continued. “We also o$er a cottage style home that will be sprinkled throughout the community.”

Homes average 3,500 square feet and start between $575,000 and $625,000 and up depending on the size and cus-tomization. Lot sizes range from a quar-ter of an acre to more than half an acre, which allows plenty of space for the

Families start to “feather their nest” in Spring Homearama development

MARCH/APRIL 2011 5

ight builders will showcase nine custom homes during Tidewater Builders Association’ Spring Homearama. !e showcase event will kick o$ Memorial Day weekend and will spread the “Buy Now” message during the heavier spring and summer selling seasons.

The show will be open from May 28-June 12, in the Virginia Beach community of Eagle’s Nest. It was originally scheduled for May 7-22.

Located at Indian River Road and West Neck Road in southern Vir-ginia Beach, “Eagle’s Nest is one of the few new custom home develop-ments available in Virginia Beach,” said Robert Zirpoli, developer, West Neck Properties Inc.

To date, seven of the estate-style homes, which range from 2,600 to 4,400 square feet and are priced at $499,000 and above, have already found buyers. • Chip Iuliano, ABT Custom Homes; • Je$ and John Ainslie and Ken Cohen, Ainslie Group/Cohen Homes; • Les Ore, Ore Builders; • Robert Letchworth, RML Corp.: • Jack Schoch, J.F. Schoch Building Corp.; • Alex, Steve and Stephen %uick, Stephen Alexander Homes; • Mike !ompson, TCI Inc.; • Herb Watson, H.D. Watson Builders with two entries.

Spring Homearama will open Memorial Day weekend

home and outdoor living areas. “In this community, the homes are a high

quality,” said Zirpoli. “People are getting a lot more bang for their buck than in other areas. You get a mostly brick home with a lot of extras, such as granite countertops and wood #oors, that you don’t get in a lot of the other areas.”

Jogging paths, ponds and lots of trees, plus convenient access to shopping, restaurants, professional services and recreational amenities make life at Eagle’s Nest attractive for those seeking a country lifestyle in the city, according to Savino.

So far, homeowners are couples in their mid-30s to early 40s, young entrepreneurs and military families. With the close proximity of the Virginia Beach courthouse complex, the neighborhood is a desirable location for those working there.

With walking trails already in place along the neighboring lakes, it makes a perfect loca-tion for a family to feather its nest.

“(Families) are leaving other developments around here because the houses are 2,000 square feet and now they need 3,000 or 4,000 square feet. So we’ll de"nitely see lots of chil-dren in the development,” Savino said.

The location of Eagle’s Nest and its con-servation land gives it a rural #avor, but it still comes with a "rst-class school district as the new Kellam High School nears completion just down the street.

“We’ll de"nitely have a clubhouse,” said Zirpo-li. “We may or may not have a pool. It seems as if everyone is already building a pool in their yards.”

Just down the road from the development is the Signature at West Neck golf course. !e Arnold Palmer Signature course features a chal-lenging 7,010-yard, par-72 course with 13 lakes, natural wetlands, beach bunkers and more.

A few more miles away are the booming Landstown Commons shopping areas and the Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach, formerly the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphi-theater.

A few miles in the other direction are the beaches of Sandbridge, which o$er "ve miles of pristine sand dunes and beaches.

Though it’s convenient to most Virginia Beach amenities, it’s still only 30 minutes from Downtown Norfolk.

For more information on Eagle’s Nest, please contact John Savino at (757) 217-1688 or by e-mail john@johnsavino.com.

With less than three months until Homearama opening weekend, Mike Thompson of TCI Inc. has most of his home bricked.

This site plan illustrates where the Homearama homes will be located at Eagle’s Nest.

6 MARCH/APRIL 2011

here is no doubt the Tide-water Builders Association’s annual Fall Homearama can spur home sales. !e proof is

in the numbers. More than 75,000 visitors #ocked to

the Fall Homearama at East Beach from Oct. 15-31, 2010. With nine single-fami-ly homes on display, plus two demonstra-tion cottages and two East Beach Villas condominiums, visitors had a lot to see.

The nine Homearama homes sold for a total of $5.5 million dollars, with an average price of $611,000. In the cottage courtyard, eight lots were developed and seven are sold or under contract.

East Beach reports that 2010 was its best year since 2006 in terms of lot sales, with 40 new lots under contract, 32 of which closed in 2010 and eight of which

are anticipated to close in this year. Ad-ditionally, 30 new homes were occupied in 2010. Due to strong sales, East Beach plans to start Phase 6 of its development plans in spring/summer 2011, which is earlier than expected.

Additionally, the Congress for New Urbanism recently awarded the presti-gious Charter Award to East Beach.&It’s the highest honor a project can receive within the new urbanist community and is awarded to projects that exemplify the highest standards of master planning and implementation.

East Beach also will be home to the 2011 Coastal Living Idea Home, which is expected to open on Fourth of July weekend. !is will mark the second Coastal Living Idea House in the com-munity.

Charity House brings sizeable donation to St. Mary’s

The residents of St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children will likely be enjoy-ing their home a little more thanks to Scott Crumley, of Crumley Group, the builder of the 2010 Fall Homearama Charity House to bene"t St. Mary’s Home, and its generous supporters.

Crumley was able to make a generous donation from the proceeds from the sale of the home to St. Mary’s Home. !e donation will be used to upgrade the facilities, including decorating the children’s rooms in a taste and style more tailored to each child’s personality and specialized needs.

Proceeds from the sale of the home, along with contributions from the Ho-mearama preview party and sta'ng of the home with volunteers, generated $78,000 for St. Mary’s. Homeowner Dale Drescher also made a donation to St. Mary’s.

St. Mary’s residents currently stay un-til they reach 21 years of age. It’s plan-ning to open a wing for adults in 2012.

Colton, a resident of St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children, and builder Scott Crum-ley, center, give the Charity House keys to Dale Drescher, who purchased the 2010 Fall Homearama Charity House. Also pic-tured is St. Mary’s director of development Martha Stewart, far right.

Daniel ScarboroughSprint/Nextel General Business Account Executive

for Tidewater Builders Association757.449.6628

daniel . scarborough@sprint .com

• Act now, limited time offer.

Contact me on how you can save 22% off your monthly bill.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 7

Boyd honored for volunteerism VOLUNTEER Hamp-

ton Roads will honor Rob-ert M. Boyd, President of BB&T Hampton Roads Region as the 2011 Le-nora Mathews Lifetime Achievement Award hon-oree during the 36th annual Hampton Roads Volunteer Achievement Awards banquet.

!e event is set for 6 p.m. Wednesday, April 6, at the Norfolk Waterside Mar-riott. Tickets are $50 per person. Please RVSP by March 31 by contacting Nicole Krieger at 624-2400 or corporaterela-tions@volunteerhr.org. or purchase tick-ets online at www.volunteerhr.org.

Ramon W. Breeden Jr. to receive Lifesaver AwardThe Virginia Beach SPCA has selected Ramon W. Breeden Jr.,

chairman of the board and founder of !e Breeden Co., as the organi-zation’s "rst Lifesaver Award recipient. !e award will be presented at

the VBSPCA’s Back to the Beach Spring Gala on Saturday, April 9, at the Cavalier Beach Club.

Breeden is being recognized for his support of the VBSPCA and its programs, and for leading the rental housing market in responsible, pet-friendly policies.

For more information, contact the SPCA Development Department at 427-0070, ext. 14 or 20.

Dragas

Breeden

Dicks

Contact Brenda Reid, Managing Broker & Director of New Homes, if we can assist you in the sales and marketing of your New Home Community. Visit newhomes.williamewood.com for more information.

REIN MLS data based on settled sales, January 2011.

Market Share Totals - Settled Sales

Rose & Womble 206

William E. Wood and Associates 278

Prudential Towne 179

Long & Foster 166

Wainwright 87

April

May

Dragas honoredHelen Dragas of the

Dragas Corp. will be honored at !e Virginia Center for Inclusive Com-munities Humanitarian Awards Dinner on !urs-day, March 31.

The awards honor individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to the pro-motion of respect and understanding among people of diverse racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds.

For more information, visit www.in-clusiveva.org/awards.php.

TBA annual picnic gets new dateTidewater Builders Association’s 34th

annual Picnic will take place from 3-6:30 p.m., !ursday, April 14, at the Chesa-peake City Park.

Tickets cost $22 now through April 1 (no joke!) A(erward, the cost increases. Bulk discounts are also available. For more information, please see page 12 or contact Stacey Turner at 305-9042 or sturner@tbaonline.org.

Time is running out to apply for TBA scholarships The 2011 TBA scholarship applications are now being accepted through Friday,

April 15. Eligible students must be local high school seniors attending a four-year college or university in the fall.

For more information, visit tbaonline.org and click on “Scholarships” or contact Mary Hearring at 305-9018 or mhearring@tbaonline.org.

Chip Dicks is back!John G. “Chip” Dicks

III of FutureLaw LLC will present Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act/Fair Housing review from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., !urs-

day, April 21, at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott, 235 E. Main St., Norfolk.

The cost is $85 for TMHC members and sponsors and $125 for nonmem-bers. To register or for more informa-tion, please contact Maggie Rickard at 305-9053 or mrickard@tbaonline.org.

Boyd

8 MARCH/APRIL 2011

ive me a P. Give me an M. Give me an A!

Nearly 200 people le( Tidewater Build-

ers Association’s "rst meeting of the membership with a fresh dose of PMA (that’s Positive Mental At-titude to the uninitiated) thanks to the motivational words of featured speaker Old Dominion Univer-sity Head Football Coach Bobby Wilder.

Wilder’s philosophy for build-ing a winning team resonated with the audience, who quickly realized his formula for success had much broader applications for the work-place.

In 2008, Wilder put together the "rst football team "elded by ODU since the 1930s and sold out 14 consecutive home games at Fore-man Field.

His Monarch team was named “the winningest start-up program in 2009,” closing out its "rst two years with a 17-5 record.

This fall it joins the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA), which Wilder called the “toughest FCS conference in the country.” !e 2011 schedule pits his players against teams

from Hampton, William and Mary, James Madison and Rich-mond during regular season play.

“I thought the whole thing was very upli(ing. In our market right now, that’s a good thing,” said Kel-ly Minton, purchasing manager at Sasser Construction LC. “Basi-cally, the main thing I got out of it was to always have a positive mental attitude. If you have that, the rest falls in line.”

“I brought 22 people and they thought it was great!,” reported Ted Yoder of Monarch Bank/Monarch Mortgage. “!e people I brought were all members of my sales force who also attended ODU.”

Yoder was among those who gave the new TBA luncheon for-mat meeting a rave review.

“I like the lunch format because it doesn’t take time away from family. I also like speakers with a motivational twist, like the coach,” he said.

Many attendees who didn’t take notes were trying to remember and recite the coach’s simple but meaningful tips on their way out. “Always aim high,” “have an attitude of gratitude,” and “do right — all the time

Nearly 200 TBA members attended TBA’s first Meeting of the Membership at the Norfolk Waterside Marriott.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 9

(when no one is watching)” were just a few.“!e one I really liked was to always go to your employer with

a solution to the problem instead of always just coming with problems – instead of being an energy sucker,” added Minton.

She said she also was glad to learn more about the ODU football team, which she has seen in action.

“Now that I know how he tries to in#uence the kids and that he’s going to "nd not just a star athlete, but trying to "nd a good person, it makes me feel better about watching those boys play. I’ll probably support them a little bit more.”

Minton attended the event with a group from her o'ce — including the builder, chief "nancial o'cer, architect, opera-tions manager and all of the project managers.

She reports they have since found themselves referencing many of Wilder’s remarks. “We use PMA a lot.”

Wilder talked about coming from behind to win and gave advice that seemed made to order for those in the housing in-dustry.

“Always play the next play,” Wilder said. “!at setback is a comeback waiting to happen.”

TBA past president Bob Widener of The Wid-ener Corp. was awarded the Member of the Year award for going above and beyond the call of duty and leading TBA’s Restructuring Committee.

ODU alumnus and football fanatic Jeff Ainslie of Ainslie Group introduced Wilder, as well as helped arrange his speaking engagement.

ODU head football Coach Bobby Wilder, third from left, gathers with ODU alumni Bill Halprin of S.L. Nusbaum and TBA president; Larry Hill of L.R. Hill Custom Builders; Jeff Ainslie of Ainslie Group; Michael Newsome of Clark Whitehill Enterprises and Home Build-ers Association of Virginia president; and Chip Iuliano of ABT Custom Homes.

BIIA Insurance gave two lucky winners the chance to reach in the treasure chest and grab as many coins (silver dollars) as possible with one hand. Jim Standing of Monarch Mort-gage managed to grab $45 worth of coins, which he in turn donated to the Building Trades Academy. BIIA was on hand to promote its new coverage.

10 MARCH/APRIL 2011

“!is country had a huge, huge wound. It takes time for wounds to heal, regardless of how good the care is.” – Warren Bu"et

t wasn’t necessarily what the audience in the TBA boardroom wanted to hear, but it may have been what they needed to hear.

The topic was “Bumpy journey to a new nor-mal,” an economic overview presented by John B Jung Jr., senior managing director of BB&T Cap-ital Markets, at the "rst quarterly TBA member breakfast forum.

His key messages: Recovery is going to take time. Washington doesn’t have the answers. It may never be like it was before — and that’s not necessarily bad.

“I’m not saying that it’s all negative,” said Jung. “But the worst thing you can do is think that if you just wait long enough, things will go back to the way they were.”

Jung said a(er riding the wave of a highly leveraged econo-my for the past 61 years (1946-2007), it’s going to take more time for the market to adjust to the de-leveraging currently taking place and for consumer con"dence to return.

“To a certain extent, we’ve got to let it play out,” said Jung.

“!e fundamental core of the economy is still strong, but there’s no fuse we can light to speed up the recovery.

“Right now, consumers are "xing their bal-ance sheets spending less money,” he contin-ued. “Before, they were spending everything they made and everything they borrowed on the rising value of their homes. Now, they’re not borrowing and they’re trying to pay some of it back.”

For housing, it’s going to take three and half more years to work through the inventory of foreclosures, said Jung. And realistically "ve years or more before the demand for new homes gets back to 1.2 million units a year, which was once considered normal demand.

Home prices outpaced real wages for the past 20 years, he added. (In Virginia, it only happened in the past decade.)

“When housing prices are back in line with what people are making, the industry will start to come back,” Jung said.

He cautioned that most experts believe home ownership will never again yield returns like those enjoyed in the second half of the 20th Century, and it’s unlikely values will ever catch up to what was lost in the past "ve years.

“It may have been a mistake to buy homes as investments,” he said. “People were looking at how much real estate was ris-ing compared to other investments and deciding to buy a big-ger home to capitalize on those returns.”

It may also be a mistake to sell homes as good investments, he added. “It used to be that people bought a house because they were buying a home. !ey were paying for a place to live, and a(er 30 years, they owned something that had value.”

Jung said excess regulations and politics can slow the re-covery.

He told builders he understands their frustration about the lack of AD&C (acquisition, development and construc-tion) lending and pointed to that as an example of knee-jerk regulations.

“It’s not that your bankers don’t want to loan the money, but their hands are tied. Regulators want banks to reduce their exposure to real estate and rebalance with more com-mercial and industrial lending.”

In closing, he encouraged the audience to look for oppor-tunities in the new environment. “!e economy is going to grow, but it’s not going to grow the same way,” he said. “My kids will make a living a di$erent way than I made a living. My dad made a living a di$erent way than I make a living.”

John B. Jung of BB&T’s Capital Markets told a TBA Breakfast Forum that things are going to be different and companies must adapt to survive.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 11

Despite the Great Re-cession, the basic ratio-nal for buying a home hasn’t changed that much, according to buy-ers surveyed by !e New Homes Division of Wil-

liam E. Wood and Associates.

Our results revealed that

while price was a factor, it was not the primary reason people chose their homes.

The survey results show location is still a huge factor over price. It further proved most prospects buy to improve their lifestyles.

Buyers are taking longer to decide and looking at more homes before they buy. Also, resale is our major competi-tion in selling new construction.

Here’s what we found: • 41 percent looked at more than

16 homes before they bought.• 79 percent considered a “used” home

before they bought • 26 percent took over 10 months to

make their decision.Over price considerations, repeat

buyers are looking for functional space — to live larger than they do in their present homes.

The top features that caused them to choose one new construction model home versus another were:

1. Location2. Overall design3. Price4. Builder reputation5. Ability to customizeWhen asked the “main reason for

your move?” !e responses were:1. Larger home2. Military transfer3. Closer to work4. Retirement5. School districtThe survey also supported that buy-

ers are "rst looking online and should be treated as “return” prospects.

A 2010 survey by the National Asso-ciation of Realtors (NAR) revealed that consistently among buyers of nearly every

age bracket and every household compo-sition — those with children and those without children — the primary reason for purchasing a home was the innate de-sire to own a home.

Buyers aged 65 or older responded most o(en that the desire to be closer to family was the primary reason for their purchase.

The typical home purchased in the NAR survey period of mid-2009

THE BUILDERS CHOICE

C!"#$%& P&'()*"+& H!%#*"+ I",.

(757) 424-3761820 Greenbrier Circle Chesapeake, VA 23320

james@centralplumbing.hrcoxmail.com

Va Reg. #021668A NC State Reg. #18337

Plumbing Heating Air conditioningNew Construction Residential/Commercial

24 hour emergency service available

through mid-2010 was smaller and less expensive than homes purchased in past years, but the trends remain. Repeat buyers purchase larger homes than "rst-time buyers and their new homes are larger than previously owned homes.

Brenda K. Reid is managing broker, New Homes Division, for William E. Wood and Associates Realtors Inc. and is a member of the TBA Board of Directors.

12 MARCH/APRIL 2011

How do I get my tickets?

Tidewater Builders Association’s

34th Annual Picnic3 - 6:30 p.m., Thursday, April 14A new spot by the permanent stage at

Chesapeake City Park!

Please complete to pay by credit:

All you have to

do is show up

and have fun!

If you’re buying in bulk, why not make this your company picnic?

MARCH/APRIL 2011 13

All you have to

do is show up

and have fun!

Gypsum drywall was "rst imported into the United States from China around 1999 from a company called Beijing New Build-ing Materials. !is

material does not appear to have been defective, but was only a small percent-age of the overall market. As new con-struction continued at a record pace in 2003, 2004 and 2005, the demand for building materials outstripped the supply. More and more suppliers be-gan looking farther a"eld for a reliable source of materials. Additional Chinese companies began selling drywall to U.S. importers — including Taishan Gyp-sum Co. Ltd.

In 2005, a local building supply house purchased 150,000 sheets of drywall from Taishan and, in turn, sold the drywall to dozens of drywall installers and builders across Hampton Roads. Hundreds of new homes were constructed in Virginia using this dry-wall product, and it was also used in many smaller addition or remodeling projects.

Similar stories have played out across a signi"cant number of U.S. states.

How are homes a"ected?Homes built using the Chinese dry-

wall have been a$ected in a number of ways, depending on the relative heat and humidity inside the house. Since the problem "rst came to light, nation-ally, in late 2008 and early 2009, we have learned that the drywall imported from Taishan contains a high concen-tration of sulfur compounds. !ese compounds create a distinctive odor in the homes where the drywall is in-stalled — a smell akin to that of kitch-en matches or "reworks. !e severity of the odor varies from house to house. It’s believed that the drywall gives o$, or “o$-gasses,” the sulfur compounds

into the air surround-ing the drywall, and that the compounds combine with water molecules in the air to create an acid-like aero-sol. !e higher the heat and humidity, the worse the e$ect. As the air in these homes is moved through air conditioning systems, and across metal surfaces, the corrosive combination is believed to turn metal surfaces black and pit them. !e most susceptible piece of equipment, which o(en failed numerous times before the Chinese drywall was discovered, was the air conditioning coil system. How-ever, metal components of appliances, televisions and computers can also be damaged. Some homeowners claim to have su$ered physical symptoms, such as nosebleeds, headaches and exacer-bated asthma because of the drywall. However, these physical claims have not been corroborated by expert medical opinion.

Making a legal caseThe a$ected homeowners have tried

many approaches to get the problems "xed. !ey have made claims against their homeowners’ insurance, claims against the builder and/or developer

that sold them the home, and claims against the installers, sellers and manu-facturers of the drywall. None of the insurance companies against whom claims have been made have voluntarily accepted coverage of these claims. !e insurance industry maintains that these claims are not covered, because they fall under one or more of the following poli-cy exclusions — pollution, latent defect, corrosion and faulty materials. Because the scope of the problem is so large, few of the parties allegedly responsible for it are able to do anything about it without the help of insurance. As a result, exten-sive litigation has ensued.

There are thousands of lawsuits pending nationwide and more than 140 pending in Virginia, mostly in the Hampton Roads region. Homeowners claim the drywall in their homes is de-

(continued on page 35)

Frustrated homeowners have gone as far as hanging ban-ners from their homes, like this one, to shed light on the problem.

14 MARCH/APRIL 2011

he 2011 Legis-lative Agenda of !e Home Builders As-

sociation of Virginia (HBAV) passed both houses of the General As-sembly and was awaiting the governor’s signature as of press time.

The pro-housing/pro-business agenda was developed by the HBAV Legislative Commit-tee, which was made up of representatives from each of the 16 local as-sociations. !e group met weekly during session to establish the policy on legislative matters that would a$ect Virginia’s housing climate. No legis-lation that would negatively impact Virginia’s housing indus-try passed the legislature this year.

TBA’s 2011 Legislative Committee includes Michael New-some, HBAV president; Sam Cohen, chair; Dennis Graf, Steve Lawson and committee alternates John Ainslie, TBA President Bill Halprin and Lucky Peterson.

Following is a brief summary of bills supported by the in-dustry:

Incentives for accessible homes House Bill 1950 by Del. Ron Villanueva of Virginia Beach

will increase the state Livable Home Tax Credit from $2,000 to $5,000 and make builders of new accessible homes eligible for the state tax credit. !e current $2,000 credit is only avail-able to individuals who retro"t their current home to make it accessible and is limited to 50 percent of the total amount expended for the retro"t of an existing home.

A high priority of the Virginia community with mobility impairments, the McDonnell Administration and HBAV is to increase the available stock of visitable and accessible homes in the Commonwealth. !e Virginia Department of Housing and Community Development will establish the

eligibility requirements for the Virginia Livable Home Tax Credit. !e state tax credit is capped at a total of $1 mil-lion per year. Annually, $500,000 of the cap will be dedicated to builders of new accessible homes and $500,000 will be dedicated to renovation of existing single-family homes. Residential rental property is not eligible.

Attorney fees may be awarded for challeng-ing pro"er payments

Senate Bill 1204 would allow a court to award attorney fees — should a builder or person successfully prevail in a legal ac-tion challenging a locality’s refusal to allow per lot cash prof-fers to be paid a(er "nal inspection and before the issuance of Certi"cate of Occupancy (instead of before issuing a building permit or earlier.)

Soil and Water Board representationSenate Bill 1412 and House Bill 1829&would&add three new

members to the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board who can fairly represent business or local government inter-ests through education, training or experience, and would re-move the DCR director as a voting member of the board. !e board approves all changes to Virginia’s Stormwater program which is vital to developing property in Virginia.

Phosphorous banned from fertilizerSenate Bill 1055 and House Bill 1831 will prohibit inclu-

sion of phosphorus in lawn maintenance fertilizers in Virginia beginning Dec. 31, 2013. Runo$ from turfgrass is a signi"-cant source of nutrient pollution and a prime cause of the de-cline of the Chesapeake Bay. !ese bills will help reduce pol-lution from urban and suburban lands, which can save taxpay-ers and business owners money and ease compliance with the EPA-TMDL by private landowners, local governments and

2011 General Assembly session a huge success for building industry

MARCH/APRIL 2011 15

the Commonwealth of Virginia. The measure could reduce phos-

phorus pollution running o$ into the Chesapeake Bay from Virginia by up to 375,000 pounds per year, or nearly 40 percent of Virginia’s phosphorus reduction goal for 2017. !at could save localities mil-lions of dollars by reducing their need to install expensive stormwa-ter runo$ treatment systems. Both measures would allow for the dis-tribution of specialty fertilizers – products for starter lawns, gardening, trees, shrubs and indoor plants – in Virginia that include phosphorous. It also prohibits the sale of de-icers that contain fertilizer.

Stormwater nutrient trades being createdSenate Bill 1099 is a step in the creation of a Stormwater

Nonpoint Nutrient Trading System in Virginia. A study com-mittee will be organized to develop a nonpoint source storm-water o$-site nutrient trading program.

The bill also removes current limitations on when those issuing permits, (localities in most places) may allow use of o$sets and speci"es certain conditions under which o$-site options will be allowed, including all sites less than 5 acres; sites with less than 10 pounds of phosphorus; sites reaching 75 percent of required phosphorus reductions on site; and sites demonstrating alternatives have been considered to the maximum extent practicable. !e legislation grants the per-mittee the authority to select the best o$-site option, except in certain approved pro-rata fee localities until July 1, 2014.

VDOT bills drive orderly developmentSenate Bill 1206 will delete from the Code of Virginia the

requirement for a Virginia Department of Transportation Tra'c Impact Statement (TIS) for all by-right development. It also directs VDOT to eliminate all related TIS regulations for by-right development by Dec. 31.

Senate Bill 1462 will require the Commonwealth Transpor-tation Board to review and consider appropriate revisions to VDOT TIS regulations, VDOT requirements for secondary streets to be accepted in the state system and VDOT Access Management Regulations relating to family subdivisions. Reviews have to be completed by Nov. 30, and the revisions shall be "nal by Jan. 1, 2012.

Action on inactive plansHouse Bill 2411 would provide #exibility to local govern-

ments to enact a bonding moratorium or deferral option on extended but inactive development plans. !e legislation would also require the landowner or developer to comply with the terms of any bonding moratorium or deferral agree-ment for the period of the plan validity extension.&

Property owners get alertedHouse Bill 1844 would require a

locality to give notice to the owner of property within 10 days when a party, other than the owner, requests that the zoning adminis-trator or any other administrative o'cer provide a written order, re-quirement, decision or determina-tion that would bind the owner of the property.

A decision by the governing body shall be binding upon the owner of the property only if the owner has been provided written notice of the zoning violation, written determination or other appealable decision. Currently, there is no requirement for property owners to be provided such a notice when their property is the subject of such a determination by another.

Terms of agreement limited House Bill 2472 will clarify that the terms, conditions and

speci"cations contained in any agreement, contract, perfor-mance agreement or similar document, be limited to those items depicted or provided for in the approved plan, plat, permit application or similar document for which such per-formance guarantee is applicable.

Addressing late bills from rentersHouse Bill 2425 will require that before recording a lien on

an owner’s property for a tenant’s unpaid water or sewer fees; the water or sewer authority shall provide the owner with 30 days’ written noti"cation. !e owner can avoid the lien by paying the obligations. If the former tenant pays the author-ity a(er the owner already has, the property owner shall be entitled to a refund. It also requires an authority to notify a property owner, if he requests, of a tenant’s delinquent water bill when it becomes 15 days delinquent. Furthermore, a locality or service authority may not deny service to a new tenant for unpaid fees and charges unless a lien has been re-corded against the property owner.

Governor’s transportation funding packageThe General Assembly approved the governor’s trans-

portation funding package, Get Virginia Mo#ing. It includes $2.9 billion of bonds and $283 million of funds for the new Virginia Transportation Infrastructure Bank. !e state Senate prevailed in reducing the State General Fund contribution to the Transportation Fund from $150 million to about $33 million.

Overall, the passage of the plan provides additional dollars for substantial "nancial investment in roads and transit proj-ects throughout the Commonwealth.

Get ready for state elections Later this year, all 140 seats in the Virginia

General Assembly will be up for election. Count on TBA’s Political Action Commit-tee to monitor those elections, interview candidates and communicate with you which candidates understand your industry and will move Hampton Roads and Virginia forward.

16 MARCH/APRIL 2011

istressed debt and distressed real estate have become com-monplace since the advent of the Great Recession.

Lenders and borrowers are "nding that a Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure may provide signi"cant advantages over the traditional foreclosure and collection process when a default and inability to repay exists.

Due diligence Similar to the analysis facing buyers

and sellers, the "rst step in evaluating whether to use a Deed-In-Lieu ap-proach is to investigate the real estate. !is includes: (i) a title search to deter-mine what liens encumber the property (e.g., delinquent taxes, judgments, etc.); (ii) a Phase I Environmental Site As-sessment to determine whether any environmental issues exist; (iii) a cur-

rent appraisal to determine market value of the property; (iv) a current rent roll and copies of leases; (v) estoppel certi"cates from parties such as tenants and franchise licensors; (vi) determin-ing whether key permits and licenses needed to operate the property can be transferred or obtained; and (vii) the permitted uses of the property and the terms of all applicable easements, condi-tions, covenants and restrictions.

Analyzing factors material to owning and operating the property will assist in evaluating market value and whether the lender should enter into the chain of title to the property. If there are no liens encumbering the property other than the lender’s deed of trust, or if other liens are relatively minor in amount such that a payo$ of that lien would not change the business decisions materially, then the lender can feel comfortable that it can obtain title free and clear of liens just as if it was the successful bidder at a fore-closure sale. !e obligors should antici-pate such due diligence and assemble all pertinent information promptly.

Settlement agreement This agreement typically (i) speci"es

the conditions for delivery and accep-tance of a Deed-In-Lieu of Foreclosure, (ii) determines which party pays transac-tion costs, (iii) addresses whether the

obligors will receive a full or partial discharge of obligations related to the secured indebtedness, (iv) includes an acknowledgement that the income tax aspects of the transaction will be report-ed by the lender to the Internal Revenue Service, (v) provides key representations and warranties from the obligors to the lender and (vi) includes a full release in favor of the lender. Certain of these types of provisions speci"cally survive closing of the transaction and recorda-tion of the Deed-In-Lieu.

Personal propertyMost income producing real estate is

comprised of real property and personal property. Personal property items gener-ally include all of the furniture, "xtures and equipment utilized in the operation of the property. One of the obligors’ de-liverables will be a bill of sale transferring title to all of the personal property. If there are tenants, then all of the original leases should be delivered to the lender and the property owner should sign and deliver an assignment of those leases to the lender. Security deposits should be turned over to the lender.

Advantages for obligorsThe obligors obtain several material

advantages utilizing a Deed-In-Lieu trans-action. !ese include: (i) controlling the obligors’ ultimate exposure to the lender

or visit online newhomes.williamewood.com.

Call Brenda Reid, Managing Broker, 757-404-4113

Text: To: For info on ANY property listed for sale, simply

When it’s information you need, we’ve got your number.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 17

and a full or partial discharge from all liability on the secured indebtedness; (ii) the opportunity to manage the income tax exposure associated with the transac-tion and potential discharges of indebt-edness; and (iii) minimizing the impact of the transaction on the reputation and creditworthiness of the obligors.

Advantages for lendersSome key advantages of a Deed-In-

Lieu transaction for a secured lender include: (i) the transaction can be signif-icantly less expensive than a foreclosure; (ii) resolution of the obligors’ liabilities to the lender and accessing collateral value are achieved through business ne-gotiations and a settlement agreement; (iii) the transaction can occur signi"-cantly faster than the typical foreclosure and collection process; and (iv) the real estate is transferred to the lender in a better overall condition, the likelihood of maintaining key employees and ven-dors is enhanced and the going concern value of the real estate is maximized.

Title insuranceA lender must decide whether to ob-

tain an owner’s policy of title insurance rather than relying just on its loan policy of title insurance. Part of this analysis in-cludes whether to release the lien of the deed of trust or keep the deed of trust in place and take title in an a'liated entity as a hedge against the possibility of needing to foreclose to distinguish unknown or unanticipated liens.

What’s the point?Deed-In-Lieu transactions can pres-

ent signi"cant opportunities to obligors and lenders. A key consideration is whether there is su'cient con"dence in the condition of and title to the prop-erty and in the integrity and character of the obligors. !e advantages and dis-advantages should be considered before commencing foreclosure.

C. Grigsby Sci$es is a partner in the Virginia Beach o%ce of the law &rm of Williams Mullen and is Tidewater Build-ers Association’s general counsel. !is column features legal issues of interest to TBA’s members. For further information contact Sci$es at (757) 473-5370 or gsci-$es@williamsmullen.com.

18 MARCH/APRIL 2011

ore than 25,000 visitors #ocked to the Mid-Atlan-tic Home & Flower Show to say goodbye to Old Man Winter and hello to spring March 4-6 at the Virginia Beach Convention Center.

They came to be inspired to fall in love with their homes – again — and vendors provided them with enough ideas to keep them spinning well into summer.

The event, presented by Belgard Hardscapes, featured hun-dreds of exhibits for the home and garden, as well as expert speakers on topics ranging from gardening and mole hunting to feng shui and antique appraisals. Visitors were able to see "rst-hand innovative new products, including a Michael Phelps swim spa and induction cooking, as well as a canine stunt dog show and 11 lavish display gardens.

New this year also was an increased emphasis on pre-show marketing via Facebook and Twitter. !anks to the support and prize donations from vendors, the site successfully gained inter-action from almost 300 fans in two weeks and more than 39,000 page views

Local swim team members took to Innovative Spas’ new Mi-chael Phelps Swim Spa throughout the weekend to demon-strate the exercise potential of the spa.

So many visitors gathered in anticipation of learning how to rid their lawns of moles from The Mole Hunter, aka Jeff Holper, that it was standing room only for his “Terminator University.”

The K9s In Flight trainers play monkey in the middle with this flying pooch while throwing a Frisbee above and below him.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 19

Dr. Lori’s appraisal sessions were also learning lessons for many visitors. For ex-ample, did you know that artwork, more importantly paintings, are the items that most consistently appraise with the most value, such as this Salvador Dali sketch?

From outdoor kitch-ens and storage sheds to water foun-tains and pergolas draped in fauna, Beach Groundworks Inc.’s “Courtyard Garden” had attend-ees stopping and staying for a while.

Virginia Beach SPCA volunteer Amy So-lares enjoys some time with Desmond, left and sleeping, and Trips, right, at the show. The SPCA brought some of their animals out to promote local adoptions.

A big thanks to our show sponsors!

Freeze models grab visitors’ attention as they enter the show.

A constant stream of potential customers kept the folks at Jerry Harris Remodeling busy throughout the show. They reported great leads from people looking to make home improvements.

20 MARCH/APRIL 2011

eventeen Green Building Council member com-panies stepped forward and volunteered to take Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show visitors on a walkabout. !eir mission: Help consumers learn

how to reduce their carbon footprint by giving them the tools to make their homes more energy e'cient.

How it worked Visitors picked up their “passports” at the main entrance and

had to have it signed at each participating vendor. When com-pleted, they were eligible to win prizes from Green Building Council members, including: an iPad; 22-inch TV; a Kindle; a Kitchen Aid blender; programmable thermostat; Virginia Natural Gas energy saver kit; Columbia Gas of Virginia energy saver kit and a portable solar charger.

!e outcome“!ey were on the hunt for their freebie gi(s,” said Richard

Good of Solar Services. “We got a lot of good leads, but only about one or two from the walkabout.”

However, for Victor Dzarnowski of FloorCra(ers and Je$ Beals of Tidewater Insulators, the walkabout was more successful.

“It was a smashing success,” said Dzarnowski. “About four out of 10 actually asked a question. From that point, we had a number of people we had really good conversations with and

A big thank you to Dominion Virginia Power for sponsoring the Walkabout, as well as the participating companies: Allen Loree Homes; American Insulation Service Inc.; B&T Kitch-ens; Crawl Space Systems; Columbia Gas of Virginia; DeBord Custom Homes Inc.; Dr. Energy Saver; EcoBuilders of Virgin-ia LLC; EnergySmart; FloorCra(ers; Geosolice Geothermal; Meadow Green Builders; Pella Windows and Doors; Pristine Pools; Solar Services; Tidewater Insulators and VSG Geother-mal Inc. Walkabout winners were announced on Facebook.

anticipate that some of them will lead to business.”“A lot of people seemed interested and asked a lot of ques-

tions,” said Beal. “It did get people looking at what you were doing because they had to ask to ask you to stamp their pass-port. I think it had value and people seemed to get into it.”

Richard Good of Solar Services stamps WVEC-TV’s Green Building Council Walkabout passport. Flana-gan was covering the walkabout for his “Going Green” news segment.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 21

Parties impacted: As-sociated Development Management Corp.Advocate: John Olivieri Problem avoided: A few months ago, Olivieri sent two of his superin-tendents to an OSHA

class taught by OSHA inspector Rick Kennedy at Tidewater Builders Asso-ciation. As fate would have it, Kennedy ended up at Olivieri’s site for an inspec-tion.Action taken: “Because my super-intendent had been to the class, he had already taken precautions, had a safety plan in place and had all of the required safety equipment that Mr. Kennedy had taught at the course,”

said Olivieri. “When they came to the site, they found two minor violations, which they were able to correct.” Comment: “It was a good thing they went to that course because we would have been hit with more violations and "nes,” said Olivieri. “!anks to TBA, we were spared large "nes and cita-tions.” Problem solved: A recent trip to obtain a building permit had Olivieri questioning a request for expensive stormwater calculations. Based on his site plans, he was told that he needed stormwater calculations due to new regulations, which would end up being quite costly for him.Action taken: Olivieri contacted Builder Services. A(er a few phone

calls, Builder Services learned that Ol-ivieri had been misinformed. He was able to get his plan approved without the costly calculations. Comment: “When there is a problem, TBA goes to bat for you… Even if it’s once a year or twice a year, it still helps. It’s a good service. Even without calling Builder Services, there are a lot of ser-vices that I use on the website that save me a lot of headaches.”If you or your company has a building or development issue you would like help re-sol#ing or a question you need answered, please contact TBA’s Builder Services Specialist Patrice Kyle at 305-9015 or pkyle@tbaonline.org.

Nobody expects more from us than we do®

PLUMBING. APPLIANCES. CABINETS. LIGHTING.

COUNT ON US1,350 locations. All 50 states. 300 showrooms.17,000 associates.

58 years in business. At Ferguson, it’s true that our inventory is huge. Our distribution expertise is unrivaled. And our one-stop shopping for building products is the height

of convenience. But there is one thing we supply that building professionals have come to rely on again and again for over 58 years – our people.

Our associates make certain you can count on Ferguson – where friendly service, expertise, and a willingness to go the extra mile are never in short supply.

FERGUSON.COM

Virginia Beach: 4712 Baxter Road (757) 490-2381

© 2011 Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved.

22 MARCH/APRIL 2011

Expert tips help turn your leads into profits

needs to be up to the absolute highest quality of your 365-day showroom. Otherwise, you’re not putting your best foot for-ward. It all relates to the impression — whether subliminal, subconscious and conscious — that strikes the attendee.”

The extent to which an exhibitor elevates his booth, also increases the level of his buyer. “One of the biggest mistakes people make is that they lose out at the high-end buyer,” said Engebretson.

The following are some ways in which an exhibitor can el-evate the look of the booth.

• Have a complete backdrop. Don’t use nor should a cus-tomer be able to see the decorator drape of the exhibit hall. Instead, de"ne your space with a professional, "n-ished backdrop, which doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

• Have a primary sign that at a glance tells your compa-ny name, exactly what you do and one bene"t of using your product or service in 3 seconds.

• Accessorize your exhibit.• Show your product by accessorizing it so that it ap-

pears as it would a(er purchase in use. Bring your product, if possible, and make sure it works.

• If you’re a service company, meaning you don’t have a tangible, real product, create large photos that show the successful result of using your service, such as be-fore and a(er photos.

t a time when businesses are reevaluating market-ing measures and demanding a return on invest-ment for every expense, how do you guarantee that your company will bene"t from the next

consumer show?A few simple steps on your end can completely change the

outcome of your show, according to former home show pro-ducer and marketing expert Don Engebretson.

“Generally, the biggest conceptual mistake (companies make) is that exhibitors think they are at the show to give – give away their information, to give away free answers and lit-erature. It’s completely wrong and backwards,” said Engebret-son. “You’re there to take – take action, take away concerns of the people and most importantly, to take away names.”

Terry Garmond of JES agreed. “Don’t give the consumer too much information that you’ll scare them away,” he said at the Fall Homearama. “Instead, give the customer enough answers to get an appointment.”

To accomplish this, there are four key areas to which a company should focus its attention: pre-show selling and planning; exhibiting a booth; selling skills and advanced follow-up.

According to Engebretson, pre-show selling and marketing is the most under utilized strategy of trade-show selling.

“It should start 30 days before the show and can be any-where from free to costing some money for the exhibitor,” he said. “However, it will greatly increase your show outcome.” Some examples include:

• Sending out pre-purchased tickets (VIP if possible) to prospects, current and former customers before the show. !ese can o(en be purchased from the show manager and can be discounted for bulk tickets.

• Changing your advertising 10 days before the show, including the upcoming show information and your booth location.

• Use Facebook, Twitter and your company website to pro-mote your company’s participation at an upcoming show

• Promote show specials

For most people, the exhibit seen at the show is the "rst time they have ever seen a physical incarnation of your com-pany or product.

“More people will see your exhibit at the show than will ever walk into your o'ce or showroom in the course of 10 years,” said Engebretson. In this case, “your 10x10 exhibit

Chase Carroll of Sturdevant Construction demonstrates a Flex-Room screen, which is a non-scratchable and unbreakable window screen at his booth. “Having something eye catching” is a must, said Carroll. He uses the FlexRoom to get attention by punching his fist into the screen when showgoers pass.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 23

Now that you have the consumer’s attention, what do you do?

First of all, “man your booth,” said Steve Causey of Cau-sey Contracting, who exhibits regularily at TBA consumer shows.

Then, skip the sales pitch, said Engebretson. !ey don’t work. “!e No. 1 objection to polling the public about sales people is that sales people don’t listen,” he said. In-stead, the salespeople lecture them and sales pitch them to death. !e key to selling is to ask conversational, short, open-ended questions, which can’t be answered with yes or no. !en shut up and listen.”

Now that you have the lead, it’s important to make sure you follow-up.

Engebretson recommends what he calls the two-year pinpoint plan, which involves “direct mail, telephone and e-mail that keeps you following up intermittently with the prospective clients over an extended period of time.”

A(er all, it could take a year or two before the customer decides to use your services.

PREMIUM PERFORMANCE.OPTIMUM VALUE.

Add value to your builds without spending more or cutting corners. Pinnacle premium sub-flooring is

engineered to save you money without sacrificing profitability, efficiency or quality — and it comes with

the right no-sand guarantee for today’s builder. Pinnacle is a National Green Building Standard Green

Approved Product and is produced with chain of custody certified fiber from sustainably managed forests.

Visit pinnacleOSB.com for a dealer near you.

A SUB-FLOOR YOU CAN STAND ON – AND BEHIND.

How do you spot a serious buyer?

24 MARCH/APRIL 2011

It took hundreds of volunteers and a few celebrities to turn the modest ranch house behind Lynnhaven Mall into a sprawling two-story home in one week. ABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition surprised the Hill-Burdette family on Jan. 30, by announcing that their home was going to be de-molished and rebuilt with the help of volunteers, Trademark Construction and the Extreme Makeover team.

About the showABC’s Extreme Makeover: Home Edition is a reality televi-

sion show that renovates or builds homes for families in need. !e show’s producers coordinate with a local builder, who then coordinates with local building companies and suppliers

to build the home. It’s then landscaped and the show’s celeb-rity crew customizes the home’s interior, all while the family is on vacation.

About the familyFor more than 15 years, Beverly Hill has opened her home

to more than 35 foster children, in addition to feeding and clothing the area’s homeless. A(er raising two biological chil-dren, Hill and Fred Burdette adopted six foster girls, ages 9 to 18 years old.

The Hill-Burdettes have inspired their daughters to give back to the homeless community; however, faulty electrical wiring, a sagging ceiling, a crumbling #oor and one working bathroom was making this di'cult.

JES Founda-tion Repair crew Guadalupe Rivera, business manager Adrian Reddington, Refugio Gonzalez, Eduardo Espinosa and Nabor Rivera (kneeling) stand in front of the com-pleted

house. The crew installed a drainage system around the home’s foundation.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 25

TBA members lend a handIn the midst of the build were several members of Tidewa-

ter Builders Association who stepped forward to help bring the home to fruition.

For builder Edward Hewitt of Viridian Homes the chal-lenge of seeing a home built in 106 hours was irresistible.

“It was de"nitely a great experience and I would like to do it again,” said Hewitt, “but I would love to be involved more upfront with the scheduling, etc.”

Hewitt, along with other volunteers, found that building a home in one week was not without its challenges.

To meet the show’s aggressive production schedule, JES crew members worked into the wee hours of the morning installing an exterior drain tile around the home’s perimeter and tied that into an interior sump pump.&

“!is experience has le( a lasting impression and sense of pride for all of us that were involved,” said Adrian Redding-ton, JES’ business manager. “I have never before been part of something that involved so many di$erent personalities where everybody was so cooperative and willing to help each other accomplish a common goal.”

Freezing temperatures and rainy conditions also presented problems for the crew. !e temperatures made it di'cult to "nish the drywall, as the cold conditions increased the time it took for the materials to cure.

Finding skilled tradesman presented another challenge for the crew. Add to that having to work while other crews are in the same area and things can get a little chaotic. “It’s di'cult to lay tile when people are walking on top of it,” Hewitt said.

Despite the challenges, the home was "nished and re-vealed to the family seven days a(er the other home was demolished.

For Kathy Browning of Design Consultants, the build was not her "rst experience with the show, as she also volunteered with a North Carolina production.

This time she served as the local design coordinator and helped the production sta$ contact area businesses and vol-unteers to bring the inside of the home to life.

“It’s kind of like childbirth,” said Browning of the experi-ence. “You kind of forget the pain. Once you get away from it and the camaraderie that I made overlapped all of the other

Bill Terry of Oceanside Building LLC worked on the build with TBA members Richard Taylor,

Premier Plumbing, and Edward Hewitt, Viridian Homes.

stu$…I’ve met some really good people and it ended up being a good lesson for me on a personal basis.”

“!ere is de"nitely not enough emphasis on the volunteers and all of the work that they do,” said Hewitt. “I have a whole new respect for the volunteers who put in a lot of time. !ere were a lot of people who really stepped up. A lot of stu$ goes into the house that doesn’t make it on the show.”

The program is tentatively scheduled to air at 8 p.m. on ABC on Sunday, April 24.

Randy Stern of Virginia Nat-ural Gas prepares to retire the old service and install a new one to the home.

Edward Hewitt of Viridian Homes looks over plans during the build.

26 MARCH/APRIL 2011

ennifer Singer made her boss cry on national televi-sion. And he isn’t some mid-level manager — he’s the CEO of a billion-dollar company with 6,000 employees and 400 locations around the world.

Singer, a water technician at Belfor, a disaster recovery company with local o'ces, unwittingly appeared with her co-worker Joe Ricci in CBS’s Underco#er Boss in January.

The episode showed them training “Tom Kelly” as a new employee at Belfor. !ey believed they were videotaping a reality show judging the performance of a female trainee against that of a male contestant, who was actually company CEO Shelden Yellen.

A(er “training” with Singer and talking to her about her job, Yellen became emotional and revealed his true identity – which wasn’t supposed to happen until weeks later at cor-porate headquarters.

“I take for granted every day what I do. I go into crawl-spaces. I get wet. I get dirty,” said Singer. “For him to be moved by what I do and how I do it and why I do it — it just absolutely put me to tears. I just can’t put it into words what it meant to be recognized by him. It was the most moving moment of my life.”

Singer had actually called Yellen a “big baby” earlier — af-ter spending a half-hour with him in a crawlspace.

“He complained about laying in a puddle of water, about maybe a snake or a mouse under there. It’s wet. It’s tight. He groaned the entire time we were down there.”

For his part, Ricci worked demolition with Yellen, giv-ing him the task of removing a carcass skeleton of a rat. “I thought, ‘!at’s a new guy job, yeah,’” said Ricci.

Ricci and Yellen mostly talked about Ricci’s commitment to cub scouts and other community service projects.

TBA members garner the national spotlight

Joe Ricci works demolition with his CEO, aka trainee “Tom Kelley.”

Disaster restoration work takes on its own drama

As is customary, at the end of the show both employees were among those rewarded for their work.

Ricci received a cash award to help eliminate the need for doing so many side jobs, as well as a promotion to project manager.

Singer got an overdue raise she expected when she was pro-moted a year earlier, put on hold due to a company-wide wage freeze.

She also got another unexpected bonus — she gets to re-ignite her passion for teaching without leaving the company she is passionate about. She has recently begun a new job as a teaching assistant at Belfor because Yellen was impressed with her ability to teach him.

“What I wanted to get out of it more than anything was the company exposure,” said Ricci, who began working at Bel-for a(er the recession made it impossible for him to continue as a self-employed contractor. “It’s a solid company to work for.”

Since the program aired, the company scheduled regular town hall meetings so Yellen can continue to engage with em-ployees. It also announced it will re-examine its across-the-board wage-freeze policy.

Water technician Jennifer Singer shares an emotional moment with Belfor CEO Sheldon Yellen after working in a tight crawlspace.

Belfor CEO Sheldon Yellen without the disguise.

Belfor CEO Sheldon Yellen removes carpet with water technician Jennifer Singer on , which airs at 9 p.m. every Sunday on CBS.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 27

Once upon a time, Tidewater Builders Association’s Board of Di-rectors created an insurance company that would provide coverage to home builders in Virginia during good times and bad.

Their vision was to one day o$er a fully licensed property and casualty company that can provide all lines of

commercial insurance to a broad spectrum of business types. We are pleased to report that day has arrived. Some of you may recall that TBA started Building Indus-

try Insurance Association as a self-insured workers compensa-tion program in 1999. A year later, we launched a General Liability product when other carriers quit writing it or dramatically increased premiums to residential contractors.

Even then, we were laying the groundwork to become the full-service company that we are today.

We no longer limit our clientele to builders, remodelers and suppliers. We can now accept all business types. In fact, our clients currently include a dentist o'ce and a cemetery.

We are especially excited about our new line of multifamily general liability and property coverage that can be customized to meet the needs of each property owner. Some owners will like the option to bundle their coverage with renters insurance to help reduce their exposure to risk, and potentially their pre-miums as well.

Our insurance products are competitively priced and come with personalized customer service from the sta$ here at TBA.

So, if you haven’t looked at whether we can cover your needs lately, have your agent give us call before you renew or visit www.biiaon-line.com.

Your patronage of BIIA helps to support TBA and the advocacy it pro-vides to the homebuilding industry.

We hope to hear from you soon.

Fulton Bank

28 MARCH/APRIL 2011

ALL PROCEEDS go to TBA’s Building Trades Academy, a 501c-3 nonprofit job training program that has helped more than 4,500 economically disadvantaged, at-risk men and women build better lives for themselves and their children. The academy facilitates promising careers in building and facility maintenance trades, provides counseling and life skills instruction and benefits the community through hands on renovation, remodeling and construction projects.

TOURNAMENT registration starts at 11 a.m. and tee time is at noon. The style will be Florida Best Ball. NO BLUE JEANS. Refreshments and dinner will be provided. Awards given for first and second place teams for two flights. All payments must be received before the tournament. No rain date.

PLAYERS COST: $150 per player; add $25 per player for value package (includes 1 mulligan, 1 ladies aid, 1 throw & 2 raffle tickets – V.P. can only be used for scoring purposes – only one V.P. per player) PAY NOW and your package will be ready for pick up at tournament registration. Check box before name to sign up for Value Package.

NAME #1: ______________________________________________________ NAME #2: _____________________________________________________

NAME #3: ______________________________________________________ NAME #4: _____________________________________________________

SPONSORSHIP GOLF CARTS: $1,500 – BEVERAGES: $750 – DINNER: $500 – SCORE BOARD: $500 – EXCLUSIVE HOLE (set up a hole station with your staff, giveaways, signage, etc.): $500 – HOLE (signage): $350 – PRIZE (cash donation with recognition on rules sheet)

COMPANY NAME (for signage): _____________________________________ TYPE OF SPONSORSHIP: ___________________________________________

PAYMENT $_______________ + $_______________ + $_______________ = _______________ total player cost total value packages sponsorship TOTAL

CHECK ONE: VISA MASTERCARD AMERICAN EXPRESS CHECK ENCLOSED (payable to Building Trades Academy)

CARD #: ___________________________________ SIGNATURE: _______________________________ EXP. DATE: _____________ CRV: ___________

CONTACT INFO. COMPANY: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________

CONTACT PERSON: ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

EMAIL: ____________________________________ PHONE: ___________________________________ FAX: _____________________________________

RESERVE your space in the tournament. Mail or fax (757-965-6586) this form with your payment info to: Building Trades Academy; Attn.: Shannon; 2117 Smith Ave.; Chesapeake, VA 23320.

For more information call 420-2566. ext. 234 or e-mail spfeiffer@tbaonline.org.

TUES., JUNE 14 AT SEWELL’S POINT GOLF COURSE

2011 Charity Golf TournamenT

MARCH/APRIL 2011 29

Residential permits were up 6.7% over 2009. Closings were down 13.1%. !e average price for a new construction home was $319,896, a slight decline of .56%.

Top New Home Communities (Ranked by closings)*Community Builder No. Ave. Price

1. Brighton Park, Ches Dragas Companies 71 $207,5492. Sajo Farm, VB Terry•Peterson Res. 60 $400,295 & Napolitano Ent.3. Southmoor, VB Dragas Companies 55 $176,6024. Sherwood Lakes, VB HAV Inc. & HBD Build 42 $425,9405. Culpepper Landing, Ches. Various 33 $339,9616. Woodbridge Point, VB Various 33 $383,1487. East Beach, Norfolk Various 32 $558,1278. Grassland Farms, VB Pace Constr. And Dev 29 $314,8009. Parkside, Su$olk Chesapeake Homes 27 $329,3809. Harbour Breeze Beco Homes Estates, Ches. Ashdon Builders 27 $285,79210. Heritage Park, VB Various 26 $571,80510. Hampton Roads Terry•Peterson Res. 26 $232,426 Crossing, Su$olk * Includes Southside only. Source: Residential Databank

More than 470 conventional apartment communities with more than 50 units were surveyed, representing 92,000 apartment units.

The top 10 management companies were:S.L. Nusbaum 9.5%Great Atlantic 8.2 %Drucker & Falk 5.5%Lawson Cos. 5.1%Breeden Management 3.5%WMCI 2.7%Kotarides Cos. 2.5%Ripley-Heatwole 2.1%Harbor Group 2.1%Perrel Management 2.0%

Source: Real Data

30 MARCH/APRIL 2011

idewater Builders Association’s Fall Homearama is returning to !e Riverfront at Harbour View.

!e resort-style community, developed by East West Com-munities, last hosted Homearama in 2001, when it drew more

than 100,000 visitors. !is year’s showcase event is set for Oct. 15-30 and will feature eight

to 13 homes, with prices expected to start in the low $500,000s. “We feel extremely fortunate to work with East West Communities

on another "rst-class event,” said TBA President Bill Halprin. “!eir communities are known for their beautiful landscaping and upscale curb appeal, as well as the resort lifestyle they o$er. !ey created a beautiful setting for our "rst Spring Homearama at Founders Pointe last year and we know we can expect even more of the same at !e Riverfront.”

The Homearama homes will all face a large center island park, over an acre in size, which provides scenic views from every front porch, and the perfect place for children to play and neighbors to gather.

About the communityThe Riverfront is home to about 1,000 families, who enjoy the peace-

ful waterways and scenic views of the Nansemond and James rivers. The community is conveniently located in the midst of the shops,

restaurants, grocery stores, a movie theater and health and wellness facili-ties of Harbour View. Additionally, it’s just 15 minutes from downtown Norfolk and is centrally located to the Southside and the Peninsula. !e community also o$ers a long list of amenities.

BOXX SYSTEMS is a locally owned and operated company serving both commercial and residential customers throughout Hampton Roads.

Take the hassle out of waste removal – new construction or renovations. Enjoy the ease of onsite roll-off containers available in four convenient sizes and mobile storage units.

We deliver & pick upLoad at your convenienceShort or long term storage

STORAGE

Roll-off containers for easy removalHeavy/industrialLight/residentialMany sizes available

WASTE REMOVAL

Call us today for your storage or waste removal needs: 757-465-2699 or go to www.465boxx.com

Available in many sizes to meet your needs.

MARCH/APRIL 2011 31

32 MARCH/APRIL 2011

Verizon Wireless program expands eligibilityThe Verizon Wireless discount program has expanded

its eligibility requirements to include members that pro-vide products and services to the building industry. Previ-ously, the program was open only to builder and contractor members.

The savings available through this program include:• A 22 percent corporate discount on calling plans of $34.99 and higher;• An 18 percent employee discount on calling plans of $34.99 and higher;• A 25 percent accessory discount;• A $20 unlimited corporate line data fee (standard pricing is $44.99);

and• A 22 percent discount on corporate broadband access.To be eligible for the discount, companies must be TBA members in good

standing and be involved in home building, remodeling, a subcontractor trade such as plumbing, HVAC, electrical, etc., or a supplier of industry products and services. !e discount is only applicable to companies that have "ve or more lines.

Signing up for the program is easy. Before you go online to register, e-mail Verizon Wireless representative Denise Sepulveda at denise.sepulveda@veri-zonewireless.com so you can be prequali"ed. Once you are prequali"ed, you will receive step-by-step instructions on registering for the discount program.

For more information or assistance, contact Sepulveda at (804) 240-4977 or Stacey Turner, TBA membership director, at (757) 305-9042.

Did you know . . .?• When you join Tidewater Builders As-

sociation, you automatically become a member of the Home Builders Associa-tion of Virginia and the National Asso-ciation of Home Builders?

• TBA members are encouraged to use the “TBA member” logo on their signs and marketing materials?

• You can pay your annual membership dues in three monthly payments?

• FedEx o$ers members a shipping dis-count of up to 70 percent on freight and 29 percent on express services?

• If you recruit a new member into TBA and have not done so before, you will receive a $35 gas card from Bonded Builders Warranty program?

• More than 30 national manufactur-ers participate in the Member Rebate Program, helping builder and remodeler members recoup hundreds of dollars each quarter by simply "ling a rebate form?

• The National Associa-tion of Home Builders has launched its Winning Hand membership cam-paign, an e$ort that TBA and the state association will be joining this April and May?

• When your membership anniversary date rolls around, you have 60 days in which to pay your membership dues before your company becomes an inac-tive member? Once you’re inactive, you’ll no longer be listed in the Find A Member section of the TBA website or receive mail or e-mail from TBA.

Bene#ts to bank onAs a TBA member, you’re eligible for many

bene"ts, including discounts on wireless ser-vice, a rebate program, a $500 GM discount and much more.

For detailed information about any of these bene"ts, visit www.tbaonline.org or call Stacey Turner in the membership marketing division at 305-9042. Let us help you bank on the ben-e"ts you earn as a TBA member — bene"ts that will more than cover the cost of your an-nual dues.

Keep TBA in the loopIf you’ve changed location, phone number or e-mail address, please let us

know. It’s as easy as visiting www.tbaonline.org, clicking on Members and then on Update Your Information. Or you can call Stacey Turner at 305-9042 or e-mail her at sturner@tbaonline.org.

We’d also like to know if you’ve added new lines of business so we can make sure your company is listed correctly in our online Find A Member section, which receives about 1,500 visitors each month.

In addition to your company’s primary contact, (usually the owner, presi-dent or general manager), you may include up to six employees whom you would like to receive information from TBA. Please help us keep those names current, too, by letting us know if employees leave your company or new ones come on board.

By "lling out this form and e-mailing it or faxing it to Stacey Turner(sturner@tbaonline.org or 424-5954) you can ensure that the information we have on "le for you is accurate.

Company name ________________________________________________________

Owner/manager/principal _______________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________________

Phone _________________________ e-mail address ________________________

Additional representatives (with e-mail addresses) ______________________________

Type of business _______________________________________________________

MARCH/APRIL 2011 33

JES employees earn pesticide certi#cationsJES business manager Adrian Reddington and co-owner

and operator of JES Stella Waltz earned their Certi"ed Com-mercial Pesticide Applicators designation from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.&

JES foreman Bobby Athey and JES service technician Keith Snyder also earned their Registered Pesticide Tech-nicians Certi"cation from the Virginia Department of Ag-riculture and Consumer Services.&&

JES is an engineering solutions company specializ-ing in foundation repair, basement waterproo"ng and crawlspace moisture control.& For more information, visit www.jeswork.com.

Sasser named toTowneBank’s board

Eric Sasser has been appointed to the Ports-mouth/Su$olk Board of Directors for TowneBank. President of Sasser Con-

struction LC, Sasser has been in the residential construction business since 1986 and also serves on TBA’s Board of Directors.

His company has received numer-ous awards, including the Southern Living Builder of the Year, the 2008 Portsmouth Small Business of the Year and Builder Magazine’s 2008 Pacesetter Award for Customer Services.

Scott named Rookie Salesperson of Year

Julie Scott of Rose & Womble Realty Co.’s New Homes Division was named gold award winner for Rookie Salesperson of the

Year at !e NAHB National Sales and Marketing Awards gala.

Scott has served as site manager for Hampton Roads Crossing in Su$olk since May 2009. From September 2009 through September 2010, she accounted for 35 net sales resulting in a sold volume of $9.52 million.

Gearhart joins Rose & Womble Realty

Terry Gearhart, a 31-year veteran of the home building industry, has joined the Rose & Womble Realty New Homes Divi-sion as director of training and business development.

Gearhart, who has a marketing degree from Penn State University, has worked in every aspect of the industry with a fo-cus on sales and marketing management.

Rose and Womble Realty Co. is head-quartered in Virginia Beach. For more information about Rose & Womble Re-alty Co., visit www.roseandwomble.com.

(continued on page 35)

MSA P.C. projects receive design awardsThe Virginia Beach Planning Commission honored two projects that MSA PC con-

sulted on during its annual Design Awards Program. !e program recognizes creative and innovative development solutions for projects involving the built environment.&• Honor Award: Sherwood Lakes for Exceptional Residential Development• Honor Award: Virginia Beach Middle School for Exceptional Sustainable

DevelopmentMSA P.C. is a regional consulting "rm headquartered in Virginia Beach. For more

information, visitwww.msaonline.com.

Athey Snyder

Reddington Waltz

Scott

Gearhart

Sasser

34 MARCH/APRIL 2011

Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim speaks to the TBA Board

of Directors at its February meeting about the transit

oriented develop-ment opportunities

that will come when light rail becomes

operational.

Dennis Graf, TBA secretary and president of Graf Construc-tion, took home $59 from BIIA Insurance at the first quarter TBA breakfast forum. BIIA was on hand to promote its new coverage.

Chuck Bajnai, Chesterfield County Chief of Residential Plan Review, and Brian Foley, Fairfax County Chief Structural Engineer, (pictured), present wall brac-ing methods for residential construction on Feb. 24 in the TBA boardroom.

Molly Dryden Mason presented Fair Housing Semi-nar on Feb. 28, to another packed TBA boardroom.

Spring Homearama builder Robert Letchworth of RML Corp. toured the cryogenic wind tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center. Letchworth will be incorporating NASA technologies into his theme home at this year’s show, set for May 28-June 12, at Eagle’s Nest.

Advertisers’ Index

MARCH/APRIL 2011 35

fective and should not have been used. !e parties disagree as to whether the drywall was legally defective, however. Standards set by ASTM International (formerly American Society for Testing and Materials), which are incorporated into the Virginia Uniform Statewide Building Code, do not specify the pre-cise chemical composition of gypsum drywall, except to say that it is to be “essentially gypsum.” Otherwise, all physical testing of the drywall, speci"ed by ASTM, seems to reveal a product that meets ASTM standards. !e dry-wall was not labeled; however, as a prod-uct that meets standard ASTM C36, or the revised standard ASTM C1396. Without such labeling, there is a ques-tion as to whether the drywall could be used. !e courts as of have not decided this issue yet.

Bringing manufacturers into litigation

Homeowners have been focusing their e$orts lately on bringing the Chinese manufacturers into the U.S. litigation. !is e$ort has largely been controlled by a national group of lawyers who are pursuing multiple class-action lawsuits, handled together in a Federal “multi-district litigation” called In Re: Chinese Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation (MDL No. 2047) in the Unit-ed States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

I will be among a group of lawyers from all over the country who will be traveling to Hong Kong in April to take sworn statements from representatives of Chinese manufacturers in an e$ort to establish legal jurisdiction over them in the U.S. and Virginia courts.

At this point, it’s unclear how the problem with Chinese drywall will be resolved. A di$erent manufacturer has recently begun resolving claims in the Gulf region through a mass remedia-tion process. It’s still too early to tell whether this will work and whether the Chinese manufacturer of drywall sold in Virginia will engage in similar e$orts here.

TBA MEMBER PRODUCT & SERVICE DIRECTORY

When you need service, do business with these TBA members:

In the coming months, local Federal courts will likely decide whether insur-ance policies issued in Virginia provide coverage for claims made by homeown-ers, builders, developers, installers, brokers and suppliers. !is decision will have a big impact on the way these claims are handled locally.

J. Brian Slaughter practices law at McKenry, Dancigers, Dawson & Lake, P.C., where he is a shareholder. He rep-resents 17 builders and developers in the “Chinese drywall” litigation, in more than 120 lawsuits in the courts of the Commonwealth of Virginia, and before the Chinese Manufactured Drywall Products Liability Litigation, pending in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. He may be reached at (757) 461-2500 or jbslaugh-ter@va-law.org. More information is also available at www.va-law.org.

(continued $om page 13)

Browning receives her MIRM designation

Kathy G. Browning, owner and principal design-er of Design Consultants, was inducted as a Master of Residential Marketing (MIRM) of the National Association of Home Builders Institute of Residential Marketing (IRM).

Browning earned her MIRM desig-nation through a combination of profes-sional education and experience. IRM is a professional organization whose pur-pose is to recognize and promote profes-sionalism, education and ethics in the new-home sales and marketing "eld.

To submit items for Shop Talk, please e-mail !e Tidewater Builder editor Sara Steil at ssteil@tbaonline.org or fax it to her at (757) 420-5539.

(continued $om page 33)

Browning

36 MARCH/APRIL 2011

The companies listed here have joined TBA or renewed their membership in January and February 2011.

Scott Mitchell .................. (804) 855-1200www.biegler.net

Taylor Grissom ................ (757) 546-2583www.bluewaterpoolsva.com

Bob Preast ..................... (757) 392-1613www.certapro.com

Kristi Crider ..................... (757) 469-6000www.drenergysaverva.com

J. Brian Slaughter, Esq. .. (757) 461-2500www.va-law.org

Monica V. Quigley ........... (914) 715-5576www.newurbanconnections.com

William H. Carr ............... (757) 873-7990

Kemp Ward .................... (757) 697-6983

Al Fisher ......................... (757) 493-9950

Ron Grubbs .................... (757) 687-8695www.vectorsecurity.com

Sandra Fletcher .............. (757) 518-8468www.virginiaglasssolutions.com

Rick Savino .................... (757) 435-4899www.kirborhomes.com

TOTAL SHEATHING SOLUTIONSFOR ROOFS, WALLS AND FLOORS.

©2011 Huber Engineered Woods LLC. AdvanTech is a registered trademark of Huber Engineered Woods. ZIP System and the accompanying ZIP System logo and design are trademarks of Huber Engineered Woods LLC. Huber is a registered trademark of J.M. Huber Corporation. HUB552-01/11.

For roofs: ZIP System® sheathing for faster, more durable roof protection. For walls: code recognized ZIP System® structural panels for tighter, more energy efficient walls. For floors: AdvanTech® flooring is the FLAT OUT BESTTM for a quiet, stiff floor.