Building Barometer - July 19, 2016

Vertical Codes Committee Meeting - July 11

County staff reported that the inspection rollover percentage was 28 for building, 2 for electrical, 1 for plumbing and gas and 1 for mechanical. Mike Rimoldi is working with staff to be proactive in
reassigning Building Inspectors to the busiest areas in an effort to address the 28% rollover rate. Residential permit turnaround times are 17 working days at the South County office, 24 working days at County Center and 35 working days for commercial permits at County Center. There were 458 single family permit applications received in June.  In addition, there were 542 residential building
permits issued, 81%, or 439, which were single family. Permitting, plan review and inspection staffs are working overtime, many 7 days a week. 

Adam Gormly and Mike 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.

Current vacant staff positions include 1 electrical Inspector, 1 Permit Clerk and 5 Building Inspectors, 2 of which are limited duration. There were 4 previous applicants for the limited duration positions which were unlicensed and unqualified at the minimum level, and 2 building inspectors that recently resigned. 

The Building Fund balance was $2,617,809 at the end of May, and $2,255,393 at the end of April. 

Mike discussed 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. Builders need to be aware of this growing issue.

Tom Legler, Chief Plumbing/Gas Inspector, discussed a new procedure that will combine the tub set and 2nd plumbing rough-in inspections into a single inspection.  Mike and Tom will determine shortly when this new procedure will be effective. 

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. 

Staff Contact: Jennifer

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Lunch & Learn - August 4th

Many boomers will decide to move or remodel existing homes to be more energy efficient, livable and marketable. Hear current trends, data and research from AARP and learn more on the housing needs of the 50+ home buyer.

Thursday, August 4 | 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM

Location: Ferman Chevrolet, 9751 E Adamo Dr, Tampa

Presenter: Laura Cantwell, Associate State Director, AARP

FREE for RC members code: RCMEMBER |$10 for TBBA

members, lunch provided.

Register Here

Staff Contact: Lauren

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The 2017 Parade of Homes planning is underway! 

The tentative 2017 Parade of Homes dates are March 11 - 26. With judging taking place on March 10. We heard your feedback and have extended the parade to include 3 full weekends again.

The Request for Proposals was sent for the 2017 Showcase Home Builder. Full RFP

Committee meetings will begin in the fall, please email Amy if you are interested in participating.

Staff Contact: Amy

Building Barometer - July 12, 2016

A fair fee for a reasonable level of service - 

As a builder, you may be experiencing a deterioration in the level of service you receive for building permit and inspections. We have spent countless hours working with our partners in the regulatory community to address these problems on your behalf. Your permitting fees are the primary source of revenue for these services and you should be able to rely on consistent service and a reasonable timeframe for these services.

We have not identified any spikes in activity that would cause such a deterioration so my intuition tells me its staff fatigue. As we return to a more normal market, the building departments have been slow to increase their resources, relying on outsourcing and overtime – both great short term solutions but are not sustainable. 

We have meetings with both building officials this month and encourage you to attend so that you can help provide solutions to this shared problem. 

Hillsborough Vertical Codes – July 11th – 2pm @ TBBA
Pasco Roundtable – July 13th @ 2pm in New Port Richey Gov’t Center


Staff Contact: Jennifer

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The Trend Toward Green - 

A market report and case study submitted by Mitsubishi Cooling & Heating

This year the U.S. Green Building Council has attempted to understand why builders and homeowners have sustainability in mind. The top reasons driving this upswing in green building include strong market demand, cost savings for the end user, health, codes and property values. It could be easier, of course, to have just one reason. If the answer were cost savings for the end user, all decisions could be made with that concept in mind. 

Even without a single reason the market is going green, many builders share a sense of environmental responsibility and green is becoming a best practice. It helps that green building goes hand-in-hand with advanced technology. This is an era in which homeowners look to control costs and live more thoughtfully and conveniently. The result is that builders are tasked with providing homes that meet all of the market’s previous demands and are also contemporary and high-tech.

Fortunately, builders have tools at their disposal to solve this challenge. Some manufacturers offer apps, products, even entire mechanical systems that help builders create homes they can stand by, and homes people want. Read More

To submit an Innovation in your field contact Amy. 

 Building Barometer - July 5, 2016

Kevin Robles Testifies before US Senate Committee

TBBA's own Kevin Robles, CEO of Domain Homes, testified on June 30, 2016 before the US Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship Hearing. Robles who is a past president of TBBA provided the committee insight on the effects recent flood insurance regulations were having on small business owners. 

“Any negative change to the market, such as flood insurance rate increases, could have long-term unintended consequences to Florida’s economy,” Robles said.

“I am a small business owner and at least a quarter of my customer base is active or retired military. I am constantly reminded of the need to keep housing prices affordable. In Florida, for every $1,000 increase in home prices, more than 8,000 households are priced out of the market,” he said.

Robles added that in Florida where there are large Special Hazard Flood Areas, it is extremely difficult to avoid building in or near a floodplain, so inaccurate floodplain maps are very problematic for builders. It can take months and cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to change the flood maps or elevate a property. 

Read NAHB Press Release
Roble's Full Testimony

Staff Contact: Jennifer

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OPEN RFPs

"Marketing Partner" for the Awards of Excellence

TBBA's Sales and Marketing Council is seeking a "Marketing Partnership" for the 2016 Awards of Excellence. The services would be provided in-kind in exchange for a lucrative sponsorship opportunity.  Learn More

RFPs COMING THIS FALL

2017 Parade of Homes - Showcase Home

"Marketing Partner" for the Parade of Homes

Staff Contact: Amy

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The Construction Litigation Shortcut - 
Jason Lambert, Construction Litigation and Appellate Attorney at Zinzow Law

We’ve all been there (I say all because I was a contractor before I ever thought of becoming a lawyer). You complete a job, submit the invoice, and wait for payment. And wait. Eventually the homeowner or contractor tells you they are not going to pay you the balance due until you come out and fix some minor, punch-list-worthy issue. If you balk, you may get paid nothing. If you make the fix, you may open up Pandora’s box of never-ending repairs. The person holding the money never feels pressure to at least pay you something, because what are you going to do? Sue them rather than make the repair?

Yes. Because you may not actually have to go through an entire lawsuit to get paid the undisputed amounts you are owed. Section 713.346, Florida Statutes, provides an expedited process to determine, and require payment of, undisputed contract sums where a person or entity has received money to pay for construction services but has not yet paid for those construction services. Wait—before your eyes glaze over—here is what that means in plain English.

Assume a homeowner hires you to do work and she has a bank providing the construction financing or maybe an insurance company paying for the work. Your contract with the homeowner is for $10,000.00. You complete the work and the homeowner receives the $10,000.00 from the bank or insurance company but does not pay you anything. Maybe the homeowner claims that your work is incomplete or that in finishing your work, you damaged some other part of her home. Maybe that incomplete work or damage is only worth about $1,000.00, but the homeowner is withholding the full $10,000.00 as leverage to force you to complete that work (and maybe more).  Continue Reading


If you would like to submit an article for the eBarometer please contact Amy for more information.