Why Hire a Member of the Flagler HBA?

Many times it is tempting simply to go with the lowest bidder.

However, when your purchase involves the quality of life you will live, or the largest investment you will ever make, the low bid may be a big mistake—the kind of mistake you will have many years to live to regret.
You may (or may not) get the lowest bid from an Flagler HBA member, but your reasons to use a particular contractor or vendor should go much beyond the dollar figure. The following 17 characteristics of Flagler HBA members are reasons why, when you choose a member of the Flagler HBA for your project, you can rest assured that you won’t be regretting the choice.

Can I Be a Member?

 Occasionally someone asks me why I belong to the home builders association. . .

I tell them I belong because I do not think I know all that I should know about the industry.

I belong because I want to keep up with the fast-moving developments in our industry.

I belong because I want to attend meetings/events where I can learn things and exchange ideas with others.

I belong because I want to learn how to better market the homes or the products and services I sell.

I belong because the public regards a member as an established and progressive firm.

I belong because the association is the firing line every day on a twenty-four hour basis,

watching over the best interests of the building industry and local consumers.

I believe, as Theodore Roosevelt said, “Every man owes a part of his time and money to the business or industry in which he is engaged.  No man has a moral right to withhold his support from an organization that is striving to improve conditions within his sphere.”

Yes, if you provide a product or service to the building industry, you are encouraged to join!

You can find your membership application at: www.flaglerhba.com/Join

It Takes More Than Builders to Build our Homes. . .

It takes an average of 15 to 20 different subcontractors to build one home.
Consider how many manufacturers, suppliers, and subcontractors are responsible for the truck-loads of

materials used in building a 2,085 square-foot, single family house:
    13,127       board-feet of framing lumber.
      6,212       square feet of sheathing.
      13.97       tons of concrete.
      2,325       square feet of exterior siding material.
      3,100       square feet of roofing material.
      6,144       square feet of interior wall material.
      120          linear feet of ducting.
       15          windows.
       13          kitchen cabinets; 2 other cabinets.
        1           kitchen sink.
       12          interior doors.
        7           closets.
        2           exterior doors.
        1           patio door.
        1           garage door.
        3           toilets; 2 bathtubs, 1 shower stall.
        1           range;  1 refrigerator; 1 dishwasher;
        1           garbage disposal;  1 range hood.
        1           washer, 1 dryer.

2,085  square feet of flooring material such as carpeting, resilient sheet, resilient tile, ceramic tile
or wood plank, and behind the scenes, there’s even more to the home building business than bricks and sticks. Indispensable professional specialties and financial services include: Accountants, Architects, Engineers, Planners, Designers, Landscapers
Legal services, Home Theater, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, Commercial Bankers, Insurance, Title Companies, Utilities, Property Managers and Realtors.

Source:  National Association of Home Builders

What It Takes To Be a Home Builder

I recently read this article by Brandon Perkins,Oklahoma that hit home. It puts into words exactly what our industry goes through every day to build housing in America.

A home builder guides dozens of skilled artisans and professionals, including carpenters, architects, engineers, plumbers, electricians, painters and landscapers. The builder must understand all of the home’s complex systems and know enough about each contractor’s trade in order to coordinate this skilled team to build and sell a quality product.

Some home builders develop the land on which the homes are built. They look at a piece of land to determine whether it complies with zoning regulations, local planning laws and environmental restrictions, and whether it is suitable for development. The home builder studies the lot’s topography, searching for rock outcroppings, shallow depth bedrock, shallow groundwater, natural drainage sources and dense vegetation. Landscaping options and erosion control also have to be considered. Once a builder determines that a site is suitable for construction, they must navigate the permitting process.

Home Builders serve as liaisons with their communities and local government officials. They research and study local building codes to determine what can be built in a given location. Building codes govern building, plumbing, heating and air conditioning, electrical systems and fire safety.