Building Barometer - June 14, 2016
Going Vertical - Codes Committee Update - June 6, 2016
At the end of May, Hillsborough County staff reported that the inspection rollover percentage was 25.4 (combined specialties). Residential permit turnaround times were 20 working days at the South County office, 23 working days at County Center and 30 to 45 working days for commercial permits at County Center.
Mike Rimoldi, Hillsborough County Building Official, was scheduled to make a presentation at the June Vertical Codes Committee Meeting on the Hillsborough County’s proactive approach to providing inspection manpower to better address coverage and rollovers. Unfortunately, this meeting was cancelled due to weather. This presentation should be made at the June 9th Industry meeting, and repeated at the July Committee meeting.
Adam Gormly, Hillsborough County Development Services Department Director, and Rimoldi are considering hosting a series of sessions with the various construction trades to discuss inspector assignments/rollover percentage improvements, red tag trends, new code issues, builder inspection scheduling and other issues as identified. These sessions will be very helpful for all parties, and it is hopeful that participation will be widespread.
Gormly was successful in getting BOCC approval to fund 5 limited duration inspector positions. The costs associated with these positions will be covered by the Building Fund, which as of the end of April stood at $2,255,393. These positions are currently being advertised and are drawing a good deal of interest.
Rimoldi will be discussing the increasing problem of incorrect installation of irrigation systems. Currently, these installations are being monitored by the County’s Extension Services Office. There is currently no inspection required for these installations, and we certainly do not want the County placed in a position of having to provide enforcement.
Obviously, the percentages and time frames listed above are of great concern to our building industry. TBBA leadership is actively involved, as are general members, in working with County representatives to reverse these trends through whatever means possible. We welcome any and all participation in these endeavors.
Please contact Dave Ford at
davef@hamiltonengineering.us to have new items added to the agenda, or to be addressed prior to the next meeting.
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Be Prepared! - June 3, 2016
With our third Tropical Storm of the season (Colin) under
our belt, it’s safe to say hurricane season is here. If a storm strikes
Tampa Bay, you’ll want to get out of town, go to the nearest shelter, or be
prepared in your home. TBBA wants you and your family, business and construction zone to be
secure.
TBBA wants you to make a plan, know your zone,
and pay attention to weather updates. The 2016 season is from June 1st- November 30th this year so read up on pre-storm prep and tips to keep your place of business and homes safe! Our members at the Tampa Bay Times issued out a very
informative guide on May 29th which is available to the public via
the link below:
For Evacuations Zones please use the following links in
your county:
On May 14th the Museum of Science & Industry (MOSI) opened up their doors to invite Tampa Bay residents and families to learn about hurricane preparedness and ways to protect homes. Afterward they were allowed to interact with educational displays and play inside MOSI. Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University said “No matter how active a season is; most people aren’t going to be impacted. But even in an inactive season, all it takes is one to make it an active season for you.” The meteorologists said, even an average season could produce a devastating storm, and Floridians are more vulnerable than ever. (Soloman, 2016).
Soloman, Josh. "Experts Stress Preparedness at MOSI's Hurricane Expo."Tampa Bay Times. N.p., 14 May 2016. Web. 07 June 2016
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Industry Innovation - June 1, 2016
Today’s millennial home buyers are a new breed. They expect sophisticated, interactive technology in their day-to-day lives, and they expect it even more when choosing a home. For over 20 years, MediaLab 3D Solutions has provided builders with beautiful, hyper-real images, before ground is even broken.
ICON, an immersive Sales Center Presentation, is their newest creation – giving buyers the ability to browse, select, visualize, customize, and share, all from one convenient portal that is compatible with multiple devices and browsers. ICON provides a simple solution to any builder with a branded interface that is also available offline, making it possible to sell from anywhere.
MediaLab 3D Solutions continues to push the boundaries of what is possible, influencing the industry, and leading the way in new areas of 3D application, real-time buyer customization, and engagement.
Want to be featured in our next Innovations in the Field? Please contact Kara Cederquist for requirements and info.
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SEBC - July 28-29, Kissimmee, FL
Join us for the premier regional building industry trade show in the Southeast! This year #SEBCville is doing something bit different by offering our members free
Full Access Pass to the Expo in July! This is your opportunity to make personal connections with leading industry professionals by meeting face-to-face with over 250 manufacturers and suppliers showcasing an astounding array of innovative products.
