Building Barometer

 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


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