Building Barometer - June 28, 2016

Building Barometer - June 27, 2016

A look ahead for SMC - June 22, 2016

The Sales and Marketing Council (SMC) is gearing up for leadership nominations, elections, and the Awards of Excellence (AOE) event. On August 18, the council will host “Bowling for Candidates” a fun member outing to inform members of the professional development opportunities through the SMC. On September 8, members will vote for the next set of SMC leaders at “Ballots & Brews”. Both of these events are free to SMC members thanks to the generosity of our annual sponsors. It may seem early, but the Awards of Excellence (AOE) committee held its first meeting this month. If you’re interested in getting more involved in the council, joining a committee is a great place to start.

Please note SMC board meetings will resume in August.

Staff Contact: Lauren

________

Realtor Builder Expo - June 23, 2016

Hundreds of area Realtors attended the Realtor/Builder Expo on June 23 at the Florida State Fairgrounds. TBBA has partnered with the Greater Tampa Association of Realtors (GTAR) for many years to connect Builders and Developers with the Realtor community. Walking around the expo was a treat for the Realtors; the booths were decorated in a carnival theme with tasty treats around every corner. Some booths handed out branded items, some gave away carnival-themed gifts, while others offered fun activities like a kissing booth and plinko. Mike Finley of WCI Communities led a creative committee that brought change and spirit to this annual expo. Thank you to our Builders, Developers, Sponsors, and the hard-working volunteers behind this great event!

Click Here to View Pictures from #RBX2016

Staff Contact: Amy

________

Education offered at SEBC - June 24, 2016

“SEBCville: Building in Paradise” will include Residential and Commercial Construction Educational Sessions, a two-day Expo Hall, and lots of fun filled and sandy social events. Please see below for the full schedule and join us July 28-29, 2016 in Kissimmee, Florida.

Click Here for the Full Schedule

Staff Contact: Kara

Building Barometer - June 21, 2016

Horizontal Codes Update - June 6, 2016

The regular monthly Horizontal Codes Meeting scheduled for June 6 was cancelled due to the tropical storm. The next meeting will be July 11. 

A meeting has been held with Public Works to discuss the delays in the review of plans by Public Works.

     

At the June 9, Hillsborough County Industry Meeting the following items were discussed:

• Hillsborough County staff presented a report to the BOCC on June 7, 2016 regarding Time Limitations on Planned Development Zonings. Hillsborough County staff will be putting together a focus group to discuss this further. TBBA will be an active participant in this process.
   
• There have been questions raised related to the 30 foot wetland setback and if it should be applied when wetland impacts occur. An amendment to the LDC will be required to clarify that no setback is required when there is a wetland impact. EPC will support this amendment and staff will proceed with confirming EPC’s position and preparing the LDC amendment.
   
• Under the Hillsborough LDC, if more than 10,000 cubic yards of dirt are hauled off-site, a borrow pit permit is required. Hillsborough County staff is looking at how to modify this regulation to add an administrative approval when the dirt is not hauled on public roadways or when the dirt is generated in the normal process of subdivision development.

Staff Contact: Jennifer

________

Realtor Builder Expo - June 23, 2016

The 2016 Realtor Builder Expo is being held this coming Thursday, June 23^rd at the Florida State Fairgrounds. Realtor attendees will learn more about the local builders while enjoying nostalgic fair treats. The event has historically attracted over 700 Realtors and is one of the largest Realtor Expos in the area.  All TBBA members were invited to participate through sponsorships and builder members via exhibiting. Thank you to all of our volunteers and sponsors! We want to especially recognize our presenting sponsors CalAtlantic and the Tampa Bay Times!

Staff Contact: Amy

________

Members Giving Back - June 8, 2016

With over 30 years of experience TBBA Member, Richman Signature Group has established themselves as a trustworthy and reliable company within the Tampa Bay area. Focusing on luxury apartment residences and new division they saw there was a need to support their community and lend a hand.

“Richman Signature Properties is strongly vested in building communities throughout the Tampa area and understands that to be successful and continue growing, we must help and support our neighbors,” said Kristin Miller, President of The Richman Group Development Corporation. “It’s incredibly important to both our company and our residents to give back to our local community. We invited residents from The Sedona in Westchase and Epic at Gateway Centre to participate, as well as potential future residents from our upcoming Tampa properties Aurora Downtown and Grady Square.”

“At Habitat, we believe that dignity and hope are best achieved through equitable, accountable partnerships,” said Tina Swain, Chief Executive Officer, Habitat for Humanity of Hillsborough County. “We are able to continue providing services to low-income homeowners because of sponsorship and volunteer partners like Richman Signature Properties.”

Richman Signature Properties currently has two open luxury apartments in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area and is slated to launch two additional properties this summer. Its partnership with Habitat for Humanity is one of many in the Tampa area (Alatriste, 2016).


For the full article please click here http://patch.com/florida/southtampa/richman-signature-properties-partners-habitat-humanity-build-home-0

Alatriste, Natalie. "Richman Signature Properties Partners with Habitat for Humanity to Build a Home." Tampa, FL Patch. N.p., 2016. Web. 15 June 2016.

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.

Staff Contact: Jennifer

________

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 29^th which is available to the public via the link below:

https://issuu.com/timescreative/docs/hurricaneguide2016_lores?e=10555583/35952277

For Evacuations Zones please use the following links in your county:

- Hillsborough: http://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/index.aspx?NID=2890 or page 14 on Guide

- Pinellas: http://www.pinellascounty.org/emergency/knowyourzone.htm

- Pasco: http://www.pascocountyfl.net/index.aspx?NID=720 or page 16 on Guide

On May 14^th 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

_________

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.  

Contact MediaLab 3D Solutions today to learn more and schedule a demo.

Want to be featured in our next Innovations in the Field? Please contact Kara Cederquist for requirements and info.

_________

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. 

Find out more at www.SEBCshow.com 

Staff Contact: Kara

Building Barometer - June 7, 2016

Be A Leader in your Association - June 1, 2016

The TBBA Board of Directors are elected each year by the membership in the fall. The Board of Directors sits as the decision making body for the association and sets policy on a variety of issues concerning the industry as well as adopts the budget each year. It’s a great time to be in the industry and a great time to serve as a member of this prestigious body. Members of the board represent the decision makers in their businesses and it’s not only a great opportunity to work on professional development but also to serve with other great leaders in the industry.


If you are interested in learning more about leadership opportunities including serving as a committee chair, please call me. 813.571.8222 ext 303

Staff Contact: Jennifer

______________

SEBC - July 28- 29, 2016 

Summer is here and everyone is heading over to the exciting trade show "SEBCville" surrounded by some sandy social events. There are over 250 manufacturers and suppliers on the trade show floor. Check out the schedule here which includes Residential and Commercial Construction Educational Sessions and a two-day Expo Hall. Join us July 28-29, 2016 in Kissimmee, Florida for the premier regional building industry trade show in the Southeast! “SEBCville: Building in Paradise.” Sign up here today!

Staff Contact: Kara

______________

Contractor Stickers are free for all members!

Don’t Hire Unlicensed Contractors or Subcontractors – The Newest Reason Why, and Background on Why Even Professional TBBA Members Must be Wary

By Justin R. Zinzow, Zinzow Law

You awake in your blaze orange jumpsuit to yelling and stagnant air, unsure what time it is because your room has no doors or windows.  In case you had not guessed, you are in prison for violating the law.  It is a felony to engage in construction activities without holding a license if one is required by the state. It is also a crime if you, a licensed trade contractor or general contractor, intentionally hire or assist an unlicensed contractor...  Read Full Article

Report an Unlicensed Contractor

Don’t Hire Unlicensed Contractors or Subcontractors – The Newest Reason Why, and Background on Why Even Professional TBBA Members Must be Wary

Don’t Hire Unlicensed Contractors or Subcontractors – The Newest Reason Why, and Background on Why Even Professional TBBA Members Must be Wary

By Justin R. Zinzow, Zinzow Law

You awake in your blaze orange jumpsuit to yelling and stagnant air, unsure what time it is because your room has no doors or windows.  In case you had not guessed, you are in prison for violating the law.  It is a felony to engage in construction activities without holding a license if one is required by the state. It is also a crime if you, a licensed trade contractor or general contractor, intentionally hire or assist an unlicensed contractor.  If you hire someone who later acquires the license you have still violated the law.  In addition to facing jail time, you can also be fined up to $10,000, and your license can be suspended or revoked for assisting unlicensed contractors by contracting with them.

Tampa Bay Builders Association members are well trained professionals at the forefront of the construction and development industry and would never intentionally hire unlicensed contractors.  Yet there are many complicated traps one can fall into. 

It is basic knowledge that installation of plumbing, roofing, and complex electric circuits requires licensing.  But not all work fits neatly into the license needed or license not needed boxes.  For example, a state electrical license is required for the installation of residential digital satellite equipment, but is not required for the installation of audio entertainment systems.  Even if you are confident no state license is required, state licensed contractors are prohibited from disregarding or violating any city or county ordinance concerning local licensing.  If you willfully disregard or violate those requirements by hiring a trade contractor who does not have a required local license, you may be committing a misdemeanor. 

Perhaps today you are intimately familiar with the state licensing categories, as well as the 47+ local licensing categories in Pasco county and 31+ categories in Hillsborough county.  But laws change, and they can sometimes be applied retroactively, such as in the case of construction licensing and unlicensed contractors, so great care must be taken.   

The newest reason to be wary is that in a ruling last month in Brock v. Garner Window & Door, one of Florida’s appellate courts indicated that even though an unlicensed contractor may not be entitled to enforce its contract provisions in defense of a claim, that same unlicensed contractor is still entitled to assert other defenses when sued for defective work.  Before Brock the courts were clear that public policy strongly weighed against unlicensed contractors having many, if any rights.  The Brock court has now seemingly softened this public policy.  While the defense at issue in Brock  was that the lawsuit was filed too late and was therefore barred by the statute of limitations, the principal espoused by the court would seem to have no limits.  Perhaps now an unlicensed contractor or subcontractor can assert the defense that someone else is to blame for the defect, or that the defect claim as been waived by virtue of some prior agreed repair which was completed.  Unlicensed contractors and subcontractors may now leave you, the licensed contractor, stuck holding the financial loss.

The only time you should be caught wearing blaze orange is during hunting season, so for all of these reasons and so many more, do not hire unlicensed contractors.  Take great care in determining whether a state or local license is required, and verify that a license is valid.  State licenses can be verified through the Department of Business and Professional Regulation’s website, and local licenses can generally be verified through each city or county’s website or by calling. 

Justin R. Zinzow is Florida Bar Board Certified in Construction law and is one of the attorneys at Zinzow Law.  For more information you may email him at jzinzow@zinzowlaw.com or visit www.zinzowlaw.com

            

Building Barometer - May 31, 2016

President's Message  - May 31, 2016

The Association continues to advance on many fronts. The governmental affairs work is particularly active in Tampa, Hillsborough and Pasco Counties and the Association continues to make a tangible difference for our industry in those and other jurisdictions. The Parade of Homes and Awards Banquet were rousing successes and Newland Commmunities and ICI Homes presented a great showcase home in FishHawk Ranch. 

The business of the Association is also moving forward as the Board for the first time has approved adding investment and reserve policies to best utilize our cash on hand and protect the association in future downturns. In addition our membership continues to grow and we encourage members who have suggestions for colleagues to join the Association to contact Lauren Morgan, Membership Director or any member of our leadership team.  

We continue to focus on adding value for our members and welcome suggestions from you on how the  Association can continue to improve your experience. We also encourage active member participation and contribution to committees and other activities. Involvement by members continues to be a key cornerstone in our ability to have the greatest impact on behalf of the Association and our membership.  

Thank you for attending the Presidents Reception last Wednesday, I was delighted.

- W. Stewart Gibbons, President, Tampa Bay Builders Association

Staff Contact: Lauren

____________

2016 Parade of Homes Feedback and Recap - May 11, 2016

Since the 2016 Parade of Homes ended on March 15, we have been diligently working to collect feedback from participants, sponsors, and volunteers. This year was especially important for us to gather this information having made changes to many aspects of the Parade including the entry system, website, marketing, dates, and more. The committee has made several calls out to participating builders, sent surveys to judges and participants, sat with Sales and Marketing Leadership, and held informal one-on-one sessions. As we look to 2017 we would still love to hear your feedback! Please contact amy@tbba.net 

As expected there was an extremely wide range of feedback received making a summary challenging to reflect all views however we do want to share the most common results. We are and will continue to take all views into consideration while planning 2017.

- Dates/Time Period: The time period was shorter this year, some participants enjoyed this and some felt that more traffic on a third weekend would have been beneficial. The dates should be released well in advance for builders to prepared for the Parade and have ample opportunity to submit 

- Entries: Overall the new online entry system was well received; improvements will continue to be made to make the proofing for printed and electronic descriptions of model homes.

- Marketing/Guidebook: The guidebook itself was favorably received with the new, convenient size however distribution could be improved. The number of potential buyers with guidebooks seemed lower to most builders this year. Most buyers that came through the showcase home were through digital marketing efforts. The other model homes saw traffic from snipe signage however indicated the traffic in most areas was not increased from previous years.

- Judging: The volunteers enjoyed themselves and appreciated the routes this year. For coming years the committee will consider options to include outdoor living spaces and pools. An electronic system for judging will also be looked into for coming years to streamline the process.

Staff Contact: Amy

____________

2016 Governmental Affairs: What is it and why is it important

Our mission is to serve as the recommending body for policy development and action on the Governmental Affair Issues of either local, state, or national impact to the building industry.  A seat at the table is critical to the future of our community. A cornerstone mission of the organization is to improve conditions for building a progress by working with those in the regulatory community to ensure policies and processes are not duplicated, contradictory or punitive in nature. 

Want to attend the next GA Meeting?

Hillsborough County GA Meeting - Friday, May 27th

Pasco County GA Meeting (New Location: Sioux City Steakhouse - 8515 Little Rd, New Port Richey, FL; New Price: $20.00 ) - Wednesday, June 8th

City of Tampa GA Meeting - Tuesday, June 21st

Hillsborough County GA Meeting - Friday, June 24th

Staff Contact: Kara

Building Barometer - May 24, 2016

Going Vertical - Codes Committee Update - May 5th, 2016

At the May 2nd meeting, County staff reported that rollovers were at 31% for Building, 11% for Electrical, 7% for Mechanical and 2% for Plumbing. Residential permit turnaround times were 20 working days at the South County office, 23 working days at County Center and 40 to 45 working days for commercial permits at County Center.  Adam Gormly and Mike Rimoldi are in the process of producing rollover reports by trade and area of the County. The intent is to post these reports on a weekly basis to assist both builders and County staff in anticipating delays and in being proactive in reassigning inspectors to the busier areas to help lower the rollover percentages.

Adam 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.

Adam 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 March stood at $2,224,147. These positions are currently being advertised and are drawing a good deal of interest.

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

______________

Top Golf - May 19th, 2016

It's safe to say our 2nd Annual TopGolf Outing was a Par-Tee. Members  played a series of challenging games under the shade of Tampa's premiere golf and entertainment venue. Connections were made, shots were scored, delicious 'greens' were eaten, and awards were passed out to round off a perfect day! If you didn't get a chance to go this year we encourage you to keep up to date with us for our next event. Facebook photos can be found here!

Winners:

 Julie McKinney - (Floor Interior Services)
Dana Gravett - (ODC Construction)
ODC Construction Team

Thank you to this years sponsors!

ODC - Presenting Sponsor
Carpenter Contractors of America and CCG - Buckets o’ Beer Sponsors
Heritage Drywall - Bar Sponsor
Badger Construction - Lunch Sponsor
Awards Sponsor - BB&T
Landmark Engineering - Longest Drive Sponsor

Staff  Contact: Amy

______________

President's Reception - May 25th, 2016

Tomorrow we are having another wonderful opportunity on top of the Tampa Club, where we invite you to come and meet with other members and your President, Stew Gibbons. This event is held quarterly, and facilitated by your Membership Director, Lauren Morgan. Refreshments will be served promptly at 5:30PM after the BOD Meeting on May 25th, attire is business casual, attendance is free.

Enjoy the wonderful views of beautiful Downtown Tampa while mingling with TBBA Staff, fellow members, and Mr. Stew Gibbons.

See you there!

Staff Contact: Lauren

______________

Builder Groups Back Effort to Halt Overtime Rule - May 18th, 2016

Labor Dept. details final rule, Congress mulls bill to nullify it.

The U.S. Labor Department, at the direction of the White House, on Wednesday released details of new rules that double the threshold at which a private-sector employee becomes ineligible for overtime to $47,476 annually, or $913 per week, from roughly half that amount. The rule, which is slated to take effect Dec. 1, effectively adds 4.2 million workers to the pool that must be 1.5 times their hourly wage for each hour worked beyond 40 hours a week.

The rule also raises the threshold for Highly Compensated Employees from $100,000 annually to $134,004 annually.

Reaction from groups representing home builders was swift and fierce.

“The sheer arrogance displayed by the Department of Labor in failing to heed the concerns of the nation’s small business community...."

Click here for full article.

Staff Contact: Jennifer