WBSBA NEWSLETTERBuilding Today for a Better Tomorrow

AUGUST 2017 VOLUME 20 ISSUE 8

WBSBA MEETINGS:

DINNER MEETING:Friday Sept 15 2017

5:30 HIAWATHA

No Dinner Meeting in

August

BOARD MEETINGS Mondays @ 6:30

Office: August 14th

September 18thOctober 16th

PBA

No State Meetings Currently Scheduled

NAHB

No National Meetings Currently

Scheduled

PRESIDENTS MESSAGE: PAGE 4

GOLF TOURNAMENT REG.: Page 5

NAHB Hershey Seminar: Page 6

PA New Home +$12,000: Page 10

PLUS!! Join Us Sept 15th for Hiawatha Boat Cruise

WHAT'S UP:8/18 Golf Tourn.

9/15 Hiawatha River Cruise

12/16 Holiday Party

Tuesday Oct 172017 6:30

Milwaukee Tool

Inside this issue:

Little League® Welcomes the Pittsburgh Pirates and St. Louis Cardinals to the 2017 Little League Baseball® World

Series for the MLB Little League Classic

August 17-27, 2017

2017 NEWSLETTER ADVERTISING RATES2017 Member Rates ($): B/W Color

6.00 15.0018.00 30.00 25.00 55.00

Business card (3.5 x 2.25) ¼ page (7.25 x 2.25) or (3.5 x 4.75) ½ page (7.25x 4.75) Full page 60.00 95.00

2017 Non-MemberRates($):

20.00 45.0030.00 90.00

60.00 120.00

Business card (3.5 x 2.25) ¼ page (7.25 x 2.25) or (3.5 x 4.75) ½ page (7.25x 4.75) Full page 120.00 240.00

JOIN US IN SEPTEMBER FOR A SCENIC RIVER CRUISE

Hiawatha Paddlewheel RiverboatFriday - September 15th - 5:30 to 6:30

2205 Hiawatha Blvd, Williamsport, PA 17701 @ The Susquehanna State Park

Reservation Form Will Be In The September Newsletter Seating Capacity of 110

B/W Color

Come and enjoy a wonderful evening by enjoying the beauty of the Susquehanna River Valley. We've invited City, County & State legislators to be with us to meet, say hello and offer our support.

Assorted refreshments will be served - finger sandwiches with Chicken salad, Pimento spread, Egg salad and Ham spread, Veggies with dip, Fresh fruit with dip, Pasta salad, Cookie trays and Iced Tea or Lemonade will all be served. Legal beverage available.

Bring your sunglasses to enjoy the sun, a pair of binoculors for eagle watching, hats for the glare and a light sweater for the evening gentle breezes. Select a good seat to relax and unwind from the week and start your weekend off with the sound of the water providing the stress relief. We hope to see you there !!!

THANK YOU TO MUNCY BANK & TRUST FOR YOUR GENEROUS SPONSORSHIP OF THE CRUISE. THE SUPPORT BY THE ASSOCIATES AND AFFILIATES OF OUR MEMBERS IS GREATLY APPRECIATED !

Do You Know Someone Who May Be Interested In Being A

New Member?

August Membership

Renewals

THANKS FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT!

2017 WBSBA

Steven SechristIMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT

Board of Directors: David EakinMatt Greenawalt

Tony KomarnickiJody Harlan

Walter NymanGary WilliamsonBill HarrisonSteve SmithHurley Kane

Life Directors: Arnold Minnick John Schon Don Karaffa Marvin Hurwitz Steven Sechrist Ray Venema

Officers and Directors PRESIDENT Brion Harlan

FIRST VICE PRESIDENT Randy Williamson

SEC. VICE PRESIDENT James Hoffman

SECRETARY Hurley Kane

TREASURER Marvin Hurwitz

Unsure How To Join?

The Warm Up Shop

Pennsylvania College of Technoloy

The Murus Company

Hamm Improvements

Deer View Homes

Stocum's Construction

Hurley Kane HVAC Design

Applications for Online or Written/FAX'd processing are available on our website / "JOIN US". Also, is information on Why Join, Benifits & Services and Leadership Opportunities. You can print and keep apps with you or point them to: http://www.westbranchbuilders.org/ It's an easy, convient tool and saves time. Thank you for helping support our members!

West Branch Susquehanna Builders Assoc(WBSBA)P.O. Box 2064 Williamsport, PA 17703-2064PH: 570.326.4211 | FAX: 570.326.0821wbsba@westbranchbuilders.org | www.westbranchbuilders.org

Message from the President

To see a complete list of reputable local contractors, architects, builders, and service providers, please visit us online at: www.westbranchbuilders.org/list

Existing home sales dropped in June as housing inventory was unable to keep up with the increasing demand for homes.

Housing demand continues to increase, one expert explained, suggesting existing home sales could increase once again later this year.

“There are several factors that are helping to boost housing demand, including: solid job gains, faster household formations, and low mortgage rates, and these suggest that existing home sales should move higher as the year progresses,” Nationwide Chief Economist David Berson said.One expert put the amount of housing demand into perspective, and explained two possible outcomes for homebuyers due to low inventory levels and high demand.

“There are about as many homes for sale now as there were in 1994, except there are about 63 million more people in this country now than there were then,” Zillow Chief Economist Svenja Gudell said. “A combination of very low inventory and very high demand leads to two main outcomes, neither of which is particularly favorable for stressed home buyers desperate to make a deal.”

“First, those homes that are available to buy are often on and then off the market in a flash, in many cases staying on the market for only a few short days before going pending,” Gudell said. “High demand and low inventory also serves to push prices higher at a rapid clip, as bidding wars break out for those scant few homes available.”

The chart below from Trulia shows how existing home sales in June compare to the pre-recession average.“The quickening pace of existing homes sales indicates a robust demand for homes,” Trulia Senior Economist Cheryl Young said. “Steady mortgage rates will continue to encourage demand even in an environment of high prices and little supply. As a result, home buyers are snatching up inventory at rates near equal to the pre-recession peak.”

One economist explained first time homebuyers and other groups looking for affordable housing are the most effected by the inventory shortage.“This situation primarily affects low to moderate priced home buyers, including millennials, first-time buyers and people of modest means,” realtor.com Senior Economist Joseph Kirchner said. “These groups have had extreme difficulty finding homes and the plummeting sales we have seen for months isn’t showing signs of slowing soon.”

Increasing housing demand leaves buyers with two unfavorable options - Millennials, first-time buyers hit the hardest.

2017 West Branch Susquehanna Builders Association

Annual Golf Tournament

Tournament Date: Friday, August 18th – Registration Due: Friday, August 4th

Location: Wynding Brook Golf Club, 201 Harvey’s Lane, Milton

*Proceeds benefit the Association’s Scholarship and PaCAH funds*

• Format: Four Person Scramble

• 8:45 am Shot Gun Start

• Team Prizes for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd Flights

• $350 Erie Prize

• Lunch and Prizes Included

• Prizes: Closest to the Pin (4), Longest Drive,

Longest Putt

Company Registration: Sponsorship Opportunities:

Contact Person: Hole Sponsor: $115

Address: Lunch Sponsor: $550

Prize Sponsor: $50

Phone: Beverage Sponsor $300

Foursomes: $380 + $80 to include Super Tickets – Individuals: $95 + $20 to include Super Tickets

Golf Tournament Committee: Ray Venema (Chairman), Keith Ritter, Ed Feinberg, Gene Minnick, Rob

Shaw, Dave Eakin, Walt Nyman, Mark Benner, Randy Williamson, Brett Gordner, Tony Komarnicki

Please make personal checks payable to PaCAH for affordable housing and corporate checks payable

to WBSBA. Visa, MasterCard, and Discover also accepted. Mail registration and fee to WBSBA; PO Box

2064, Williamsport, PA 17701. To pay by credit card, email information to

wbsba@westbranchbuilders.org or fax to (570)326-0821.

Please charge my: _____ Visa _____ MasterCard _____ Discover ; Amount: $_______________________

Card Number: Name on Card:

Expiration: Security Code:

Signature: Date:

• SUPER TICKETS: $20 (per person)

✓ Three Mulligans

✓ Raffle Ticket

✓ Straightest Drive Competition

✓ Move to the Red Tee (once)

NAHB / Now... - Eye On HousingSummit to Highlight Latest and Greatest in Offsite Construction

Hundreds of builders, manufacturers and suppliers of modular, panelized, concrete, log and timber-framed homes will gather this fall for the the Building Systems Housing Summit — the only national conference dedicated to the offsite construction industry.

The 2016 Building Systems Housing Summit was the highest-attended Building Systems Councils (BSC) event in the post-recession era. Each year, the Summit offers one of the best opportunities for industry pros to stay ahead in the emerging offsite construction industry, and it’s also a great way for newcomers to learn about the benefits of building systems.

“It was terrific seeing such a wide cross-section of the building systems industry at last year’s Summit,” said Buddy Hughes, immediate past chairman of the BSC and owner of Hughes Construction in Lexington, N.C. “I was particularly impressed by the amount of non-BSC members present, especially builders.”

Now in its 32nd year, the conference will take place Oct. 8-10 at the Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa. The two-and-a-half day event will feature a variety of education sessions and countless networking opportunities.

Mike Moore, founder of Moore Leadership & Peak Performance and a highly rated speaker at the NAHB International Builders’ Show, is scheduled to present. Sam Rashkin, a chief architect at the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, will provide an education session as well.

“The amount of networking that took place at last year’s Summit was tremendous,” said Norm Hall, chairman of the BSC and territory manager for Factory Built Structures at Simpson Strong-Tie. “In fact, my company has upped its sponsorship commitment for 2017 based on last year’s results.”

Registration is now open. For more details, visit nahb.org/summit.Building Systems Housing Summit / October 8 - 10, 2017 / Hershey, PA

Keep pace with emerging trends in the systems-built housing industry at the only national conference dedicated to the entire off-site construction community, the Building Systems Housing Summit. Come visit Hershey, PA, this October and network with builders, manufacturers and suppliers of log, timber frame, modular, panelized and concrete homes. The Building Systems Housing Summit is your exclusive opportunity to interact with industry leaders in systems-built housing, while attending compelling education sessions and dynamic events.

Builders – Demand for prefabricated housing has gained greater exposure in recent years and is expected to expand by at least 15% annually, according to The Freedonia Group. Stay ahead of the off-site construction curve through insightful education sessions and connect with industry peers and leading systems manufacturers and suppliers at the 2017 Building Systems Housing Summit.

Manufacturers – In addition to a plethora of the nation’s top systems builder, the 2016 Building Systems Housing Summit hosted numerous construction companies interested in adopting building systems. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your builder network and attend education sessions developed exclusively for off-site construction executives.

Suppliers – Take advantage of the year’s only opportunity to get your products in front of the entire systems-built housing community. The 2016 conference was the highest attended Building Systems Councils event in over five years! This year's event is sure to exceed that number. Additionally, over half of the attendees at Summit ’16 were company owners that had at least 20 years' experience in the systems-built housing industry.

BUILDING SWEET SUCCESS !

Consumer expectations that the Trump administration's pro-business and anti-tax policies would give a big boost to the economy have eroded in recent months as legislation has stalled in Washington. While consumers feel good about their current personal financial situation, they are less optimistic about the short-term economic outlook and more concerned about what a sluggish economy may mean for their future prospects.

This ambiguity is having a cooling effect on parts of the housing market — especially among renters and less affluent first-time buyers — that could ripple across the industry.

Consumer sentiment, like home-buying patterns, tends to fluctuate from month to month, and often is affected more by perception than fact.

Over the past several months, for example, the Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index has vacillated up and down slightly, while consumer spending — another indicator of confidence — has been increasing. Similarly, Fannie Mae's Home Purchase Sentiment Index (HPSI) has recorded fluctuations month-to-month in consumers' feelings about their personal finances, employment prospects and ability to afford a home purchase.

Taking a longer view, however, a more consistent trend emerges. Gallup reports that its U.S. Economic Confidence Index, while remaining in positive territory, has been in decline since the beginning of the year and fell to its lowest point so far in June, at +3, compared to a high of +11 in January. Likewise, the University of Michigan's Index of Consumer Sentiment, although generally favorable, has slipped to its lowest point since after the election in November.

The biggest drop was in the Index of Consumer Expectations, which rose nearly 5 points in May but fell back almost 4 points in June, indicating greater uncertainty about the future growth of the economy. In its latest Housing Opportunity and Market Experience (HOME) survey, the National Association of Realtors reports that respondents to the second-quarter 2017 survey expressed less confidence about the economy's likelihood of improving and their personal financial prospects in the next six months than in the first quarter as well as compared to a year ago.

Rising home prices and competitive purchasing due to tight inventories have masked over the gradual erosion of prospective home buyers' hopes to become homeowners this year. Both Fannie Mae's HPSI and the NAR's HOME survey show a marked increase in homeowners' belief that now is a good time to sell their homes.

Consumers who feel good about their current financial situation, particularly in contrast to a year ago, are somewhat more optimistic about their ability to purchase a home. On the other hand, for a large number of would-be home buyers, concern that the economy is not accelerating as quickly as they had hoped, that home prices have increased at more than double the rate of household income, and that wages have not substantially gone up despite the job market facing near full employment is giving them second thoughts about looking to purchase a home this year.

Announcing that pending home sales in May slumped for the third month in a row throughout the country, and were down 1.7 percent from the same period last year, Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the NAR, noted "weaker financial and economic confidence [along with critically low inventory levels] could also be playing a role in the slowdown in contract activity."

An article in Construction Dive cited Conference Board data that the share of respondents to its Consumer Confidence Index who planned to purchase a home within six months decreased to 5.9 percent in June from to 6.1 percent in May. The article observes consumer confidence "could be waning when it comes to making a home purchase."

Even with a number of economic indicators showing positive economic activity, analysts recently adjusted their growth estimates for the year downward based on data from the first half of the year. With little hope that the gridlock in Washington will be resolved any time soon, economists foresee yet another year of modest rather than accelerated growth. That could translate to a less-than-robust second half of the year for the housing industry.

WITH THE ECONOMY ON CRUISE CONTROL - Home Buyers Are Readjusting Their Aspirations

Michael J. Berens Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Put your membership to work now.Money-saving

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and your family

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and many more...Inspired by articles and other ideas? In need of extra help on small home and

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HAVE YOU VISITED OUR LOCAL WEBSITE:

Put Your Leadership To Work For WBSBA

Our association can only be as effective as the members who serve, take an active role and volunteer to support the vital health and longevity of the association.

The Board of Directors sets the stage for growth, policy, agenda and other association objectives established and executed to support the needs of the membership.

WBSBA is looking for your expertise and leadership on our board. We have 2 openings for 2018. Contact Randy, Hurley, Brion or any board member if you would like to learn more about serving in 2018. Please consider helping to plan our future together?

180 WBSBA Members, Families & Friends Have A Great Day @ Knoeble's Park !!!

THE NATIONAL FRONT: NAHB NEWS:

A portion of your WBSBA member dues go to the front lines of Washington DC

and Harrisburg to fight misguided industry regulations and legislation that negatively

impact millions of businesses, jobs, and local economies?

YOUR MEMBERSHIP MAKES A DIFFERENCE Spread the word. Help us keep up

the fight.

DID YOU KNOW?

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes slipped two points in July to 64 from a downwardly revised June reading on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). It is

the lowest reading since November 2016.

“Our members are telling us they are growing increasingly concerned over rising material prices, particularly lumber,” said NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald. “This is hurting housing

affordability even as consumer interest in the new home market remains strong.”

“The HMI measure of current sales conditions has been at 70 or higher for eight straight months, indicating strong demand for new homes,” said NAHB Chief Economist Robert Dietz. “However, builders will need to manage some increasing supply-side costs to keep home prices competitive.”

Derived from a monthly survey that NAHB has been conducting for 30 years, the HMI gauges builder perceptions of current single-family home sales and sales expectations for the next six months as “good,” “fair” or “poor.” The survey also asks builders to rate traffic of prospective buyers as “high to very high,”

“average” or “low to very low.”

Scores for each component are then used to calculate a seasonally adjusted index where any number over 50 indicates that more builders view conditions as good than poor.

All three HMI components registered losses in July but are still in solid territory. The components gauging current sales conditions fell two points to 70 while the index charting sales expectations in the next six months dropped two points to 73. Meanwhile, the component measuring buyer traffic slipped

one point to 48.

Looking at regional three-month moving averages, the Northeast rose one point to 47. The West and Midwest each edged one point lower to 75 and 66, respectively. The South dropped three points to 67.

For a detailed analysis, go to Eye on Housing. Visit nahb.org/hmi and get even more housing statistics at housingeconomics.com.

Builder Confidence Slips 2 Points in July But Remains Solid

URGENCY: House Bill 409 (Sponsored by Rep. Eli Evankovich (R-Westmorland)), amending the Uniform Construction Code Act, has been placed on the House voting schedule for final consideration Tuesday April 18th which was not voted on – for now.

THE ISSUE: HB 409 fixes the underlying problems with the Department's interpretation of Act 1 of 2011, which required the RAC to only review the "latest triennial revisions" of the new ICC Model Codes - This change is absolutely necessary to allow the RAC to review and adopt ICC Model Code provisions in the future.

All stakeholders agree the current method of construction code adoption in Pennsylvania is broken and needs to be fixed. This was evident during the 2016 RAC review of the 2015 I-Codes where the RAC only adopted 16 out of 1902 code provisions.

Without a legislative fix, this problem will continue indefinitely and Pennsylvania will not be able to adopt any new ICC model codes in the future.

Pennsylvania Builders are requesting these changes to ensure predictability in the statewide code adoption process.

WITHOUT LEGISLATIVE CHANGES THE FOLLOWING MAY HAPPEN AS SOON AS 2018:

• The RAC will begin the review of the 2018 Model ICC Codes in 2017 - Under the same flawed statutethat didn't allow them to properly review and adopt the 2015 I-Codes;

o The RAC will adopt any codes they are able to review (TEN years of code changes at once); 2018 I-Codes will go into effect 12/2018; Setting up a possible 10-Year jump in model codes within the next 18-months -

o OR, the RAC is unable to adopt ANY code provisions from the 2018 Model Codes - Pushing PA backeven further in the code adoption process, and setting up builders for a watershed of new code provisions in the future without any predictability.

**** PLEASE email or call your State Representative

You can find your representative at & ask them to vote YES to support HB 409: http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/findyourlegislator/index.cfm

HOUSE BILL 409 - FINAL PASSAGE & Building Codes We Need Your Help & Your Voice !

Contact Your House Member and ask them to Vote YES on House Bill 409 (The RAC Fix Bill)

The cost of a new home is estimated to rise over $12,000 per unit with the 2018 codes – decimating affordable housing in

Pennsylvania. * Request the Senate vote on House Bill 409.

* Governor Wolf has agreed to sign House Bill 409, and the House is ready to concur

as soon as the Senate will vote.

STATE WATCH: PBA NEWS & UPDATES:

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STATE WATCH: PBA NEWS & UPDATES:

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WHAT YOU SHOULD SAY WHEN YOU CALL OR WRITE:

Please tell your representative you support HB 409 for the following reasons:

• Fixes the underlying problems with the PA UCC Act which required the RAC toonly review the "latest triennial revisions" of the new codes - This change is absolutely necessary to allow the RAC to review and adopt ICC Model Code provisions in the future;

• Allows for modifications of code provisions - Pennsylvania should not be requiredto simple adopt or reject code provisions. Allowing for modifications will enable the RAC to make sensible decisions on code updates while taking Pennsylvania's unique circumstances into consideration. The ability to modify provisions will move Pennsylvania away from a "take it or leave it" approach to code adoption;

• Requires a 120-day public comment period on code provisions and gives the RACtwo years to study and review new model codes prior to adoption. This change ensures the regulated community will be able to have significant input on new code adoptions; and• Creates a Pennsylvania Specific UCC Book - Builders must stay up-to-date on alladopted code sections in Pennsylvania. Currently, achieving this compliance requires industry professionals to purchase and reference numerous different code books. Providing for the purchase of one single set of Pennsylvania-specific code books, and making all codes publically available online, is a necessary step toward helping builders, contractors and consumers achieve building code compliance in a practical manner.

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Should your business be charging clients for project estimates? You can’t ask a doctor to tell you what’s wrong but then say you might not pay for the diagnosis. That’s according to Brian Altmann, president of DBS Remodel, in Poughkeepsie, NY, when asked whether builders and remodelers should charge for providing project and cost information to clients considering their services.

Homeowners are often quick to push back if they’re quoted a price for information they’ve long known to be available for free. Yet there is no shortage of stories from builders who discovered the free estimates they were handing out were being used to negotiate a lower price with another contractor the homeowner had already decided to hire.

Altmann says one reason pros provide quotes gratis is that they don’t think they have an alternative to offer the homeowner. “Because homeowners are asking for a price and we may not have the confidence or believe we have the right to charge, we give in,” he says.

Having an estimates policy in place before the first phone call or meeting with a prospective client can go a long way toward saving valuable time and frustration. That will make it easier to determine what, if anything, to charge.

Rethink your wording:Part of the debate over whether to charge for estimates stems from the inconsistent vocabulary used to define the cost and scope of work projections offered to clients, says Mark Harari, vice president and chief marketing officer for Remodelers Advantage, a consultancy based in Lithicum, MD.

Yet there is a big difference between an estimate, a bid and a proposal. Pros can start by cleaning up the language. Estimates are defined as a rough calculation or approximate value, he says. Contractors relying on past experience can most likely give a broad price range off the top of their heads without investing much time. “If it’s just a ballpark or rough number, that can be free,” he says. “But make sure you’re staying true to what an estimate is. Once you go out to the house, measure and get prices, that’s a proposal and that shouldn’t be free.”

As a builder who once provided detailed, complimentary estimates, Altmann found that some prospects wouldn’t even call to let him know they were going with another company. He has been charging for those estimates for the last 15 years.

Replacing uncertainty with value:When potential clients come knocking for an estimate, pros should first determine whether the client and their project is a good fit for the company. Prequalifying the customer is one way to do this. “If the client is unrealistic about the schedule or the price, then why give them a couple of free hours when you could have done this over the phone and not wasted your time?” says Shawn McCadden, a remodeling industry specialist based in Brookline, NH. McCadden has posted a list of 25 questions on his website that companies can use as a starting point to the prequalification process.

Harari also recommends prequalifying clients and projects. “Tell them you can give them a rough estimate over the phone,” he says. “But when you go out for a project consultation or feasibility study, then you need to charge.”

Educating homeowners on what a useful quote or estimate entails is important. As defined, an estimate doesn’t help them make an informed decision on which contractor is best for their job. In fact, Altmann says, estimates are meaningless if they’re based on vague or hypothetical criteria. “You can’t charge for a rough calculation hastily done and incomplete,” he says. “But you can charge for something of value.”

Altmann’s project evaluation process considers design, job scope and cost analysis based on project-specific criteria. That benefits the contractor and homeowner by reducing uncertainty, he says. If awarded the job, he applies the fee for the evaluation toward the cost of the project. No one should sign a contract without knowing exactly what they’re getting, he adds, and the method functions well for the type of client he wants to work with. “Someone trying to get something for free or half-price isn’t a good fit for our company,” he says.

Builders can also use these early conversations to their advantage. For example, if a customer asks one business why it charges for estimates but their competitors don’t, that builder can use the opportunity to differentiate their services and explain the value they bring.

Guesses are free:

When a prospect asks for a ballpark number, McCadden says he sometimes asks which ballpark they’d prefer, Fenway Park or Yankee Stadium. The purpose of the remark is to open the door to a conversation reminding the potential client that numbers don’t have much value unless there are specifications to give them relevance. It’s also important to clarify what information they’re really asking for.

“Consumers say they need an estimate, but what they really want is a fixed price,” McCadden says. “So ask them if they’re sure they want an estimate, because that’s off the top of your head, based on assumptions, and you’d rather give them a fixed price.”

"You can’t charge for a rough calculation hastily done and incomplete, but you can charge for something of value."

Brian Altmann / President, DBS Remodel

McCadden encourages builders unsure of whether they should charge for these initial services to consider what they’re really selling. “An estimate is just a commodity,” he says. “But the knowledge, design talent and value-engineering skills you bring to a job are worth something. You have every right to charge for that.”

When remodelers tell Altmann that they’re still uncertain if they can charge their prospects, he recommends starting with a lower fee and raising it in the future, when they’re more comfortable with the system.

The bottom line? “When you charge, you have to give your clients their money’s worth,” he says. “But you’re a professional. Once you believe in the value of the service, it’s easier to ask to be compensated.”

"If the client is unrealistic about the schedule or the price, then why give them a couple of free hours when you could have done this over the phone?"

Shawn McCadden / Remodeling specialist

NAHB and House Panel Reach Agreement on Flood Insurance Bill

NAHB today reached an agreement with leaders of the House Financial Services Committee to craft a viable, long-term flood insurance reauthorization bill that will keep the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) fiscally sound and enable home builders to provide safe and affordable housing to consumers.

“NAHB commends House Financial Services Chairman Jeb Hensarling and Housing Subcommittee Chair Sean Duffy for their leadership in working with us to produce a bill that will preserve rate affordability, shore up the NFIP and address the concerns of the housing community,” said NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald. “With the NFIP set to expire on Sept. 30, we urge the House to pass this bill quickly.”

NAHB and the committee leadership have worked together to provide a five-year reauthorization of the NFIP that:

• Eliminates a provision that would have ended NFIP coverage of new homesconstructed in the 100-year floodplain;

• Ensures that “grandfathering” will remain available for all policyholders if their riskchanges, which will enable home owners to have continued access to affordable flood insurance; and

• Sustains affordability by raising the annual premium floor for rate hikes from itscurrent 5% level to 6.5% instead of the proposed rate of 8%.

“As a builder who knows firsthand how flood insurance rate increases can hurt home owners, businesses and communities, I am pleased that the House Financial Services Committee has made such important progress on reauthorizing the NFIP,” said Randy Noel, a home builder from LaPlace, La. and NAHB first vice chairman.

“This bill is critical to allow more borrowers to be covered by flood insurance and ensure that we can continue to provide safe and affordable housing in Louisiana and across the nation.

P.O. Box 2064Williamsport, PA 17703-2064PH: 570-326-4211FAX: 570-326-0821wbsba@westbranchbuilders.org www.westbranchbuilders.org WBSBA

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