November 2018 Building Connections Magazine

T H E E - M AG A Z I N E O F T H E H B R A O F FA I R F I E L D CO U N TY - N OV E M B E R 2 0 1 8

UPCOMING

FEATURES

MEMBER BENEFITS

December 5 - Holiday Party December 7 - Contractual Risk Transfer December 13 - PWB Holiday Luncheon

November GMM HOBI Awards New Trainings & Seminars

mynpp.com NAHB Benefits MunnCo

T H E E - M AG A Z I N E O F T H E H B R A O F FA I R F I E L D CO U N TY Building Connections is a monthly digital magazine produced and published by the Home Builders and Remodelers Association of Fairfield County. Inside you will find the latest association news, legislative updates, upcoming events, and featured articles about the industry.

Editorial Staff

Find Us On Social Media

Jackie Bertolone Executive Officer Sarah Iannarone Membership & Events Coordinator Clare Michalak Marketing & Graphics Coordinator

hbra@buildfairfieldcounty.com www.buildfairfieldcounty.com

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IN THIS ISSUE HBRA NEWS • Message from the Executive Officer p. 6 • Upcoming Events p. 7 • November General Membership Meeting p. 8 • HOBI Awards p. 10 • Professional Women in Building Meeting p. 13 • HBRA Members Give Back

p. 16 • HBRA Trainings & Certifications p. 17 • Send in the Stagers p. 18 • New Members p. 19 • Dear Sales Coach • HBRA Survey • Member Benefits BUILDER NEWS • What’s Next for the Construction Industry • Can Builder Confidence Recover • Gift Guide for Designers • Multi-Family Builders Weighed Down by Affordability Changes • Veterans Forge New Paths With Home Building Careers

p. 20 p. 20 p. 21 p. 21 p.22

NAHB NEWS • Noel Statement on Midterm Elections

• Confidence Drops as Affordability Issues Rise

p. 22 p. 22

STATE NEWS • Democratic Legislature Will Push Liberal Agenda • What’s Wrong With Connecticut

p.26

Advertisers: Acadia Interstate Lumber DiMatteo Ed’s Garage Door Marlin County TV & Appliance Hocon Gas Tooher Ferraris Ridgefield Supply United Bank CTC&G Ring’s End

p. 5 p. 7 p.13 p. 15 p. 16 p. 18 p. 21 p. 23 p. 26 p. 29 p. 31 p. 32

ON THE COVER HOBI Award Winning Dibico Construction of CT Inc. Julio DiBiase www.dibicoinc.com

2018-19 OFFICERS President Anthony DeRosa DeRosa Builders

Sr. Vice-President Kim DiMatteo DiMatteo Group

Vice President John Hertz

Hertz Construction

Secretary Rob Michaud

The Michaud Group

Immediate Past President Chris Steiner Steiner, Inc.

2018-19 DIRECTORS Propane Pete Battaglio Hocon Gas

Max Bender Bender Supply

gas

Steve Berko

Four Square Build & Design

Michael Church

William Pitt Sotheby’s

Ken DeLeo

Doherty & DeLeo

Brian Kurtz

Interstate Lumber

Steven Roth

Elevator Service Company

Alex Shook

Pella Commercial

Michael Wood Wood Builders

LIFE DIRECTORS Joanne Carroll JMC Resources

Peter Fusaro Preferred Builders

Jerry Effren The Greyrock Companies

Maureen Hanley United Bank

Gary Fanali City Carting

Michael Palumbo ERI Building & Design

Peter Gaboriault Bear Paw Builders

MEDIA SPONSOR

Thank you to the following VIP Associate Members for their support in 2018. Due to their generosity the Association greatly benefits - from developing new events and educational opportunities for the membership, to keeping our lights on!

MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE OFFICER Dear MembersWe are looking forward to the HBRA Holiday Party on December 5th—a time to celebrate with the industry and have a good time! We will be raffling off some cash prizes and movie theatre tickets to members and also giving back to the community with our toy drive for the Children’s Connection. We hope you will join us in bringing an unwrapped gift. A list of the most requested items can be found here.

We were truly moved by all the responses from our email last week on what our member companies are doing this holiday season to give back. So many of you are participating in food drives and charitable work to support local causes. We are proud to be a part of such a wonderful community and encourage you to read more on page 14.

We are gearing up for the 2019 Member Directory so don’t forget to get your listings in by January 1st. Many members are requesting extra copies of the directories this year to display in their showrooms and we have added some new features this year for an easier user experience.

We hope you will consider purchasing an advertisement in the directory as it’s a great way to promote your business and support the association. We have added new sizing and pricing options this year to accommodate all budgets.

We promote members doing business with members and encourage you to use the directory to your advantage.

Finally, the HBRA Board of Directors & Staff would like to wish you a very happy and healthy holiday season. We appreciate your membership with us and we hope to make our industry bigger and better in 2019.

Best,

Jackie Bertolone Executive Officer 6 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

MARK YOUR CALENDARS UPCOMING EVENTS

Join the HBRA to cheers 2018 and celebrate the holidays!

O’Neill’s Irish Pub in South Norwalk Wednesday, December 5, 2018 We have bought out O’Neill’s from 6pm-9pm. There will be a 3-hour open bar, passed hot food, a variety of platters & dips and an assortment of cookies and pastries for dessert.

HBRA Members: $60 General Admission: $80

Click here to view the Most Requested Items

Please bring an unwrapped toy to benefit the Children’s Connection.

A recent Hour article on the organization. For over 20 years, Children’s Bank, a program of the Children’s Connection, has provided holiday gifts for children who are most in need in our communities. The Connecticut Department of Children & Families (DCF) and other Norwalk agencies provide approximately 3,500 individual holiday wishes collected from the children they serve. These children have been abused, neglected and/or are at-risk, many of whom live in foster care or group homes and are struggling with frightening and unclear futures.

The Children’s Bank uses donations to fulfill the holiday wishes of children who are currently living in Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, Norwalk, Stamford, Westport, Weston and Wilton. For some of these children, this is the only gift they will receive.

We invite you, your organization, friends and/or associates to join us this year to make these children’s dreams come true.

NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 7

HBRA NEWS

H B RA E V E N TS

November General Membership Meeting November 7, 2018

8 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

l-r Peggy Rubens-Duhl, AIA, Fresh Architect; Emilia Ferri, Emilia Ferri Architecture + Design, LLC; Mara Skowronek, Parksite / Tyvek; Angela Legg, Tile America; new member Cheryl Russ, Glen Gate Company

5 3/4"

7 1/4"

We thank Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies for hosting the HBRA’s November General Membership Meeting in their recently renovated and HOBI Award winning showroom. Guests were invited to tour the space and view the interactive samples using QR code technology. Gault also provided members with a beautiful food spread catered

by Garelick and Herbs.

Right before the GMM, Gault also hosted an HBRA class on the Building Codes Changes for 29 builders and architects, presented by Greg Grew, a licensed architect and building official.

The building code changes went into effect on October 1, 2018. Providing our members with updated regulations and trends remains a priority for the HBRA. If there is a training you would like to see offered, please contact our office.

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3/4"

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NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 9

HBRA NEWS

H B RA E V E N TS

HOBI Awards The 25th Anniversary of the HOBI Awards was a wonderful night of celebration in the home AWARDS building industry. The HBRA of Fairfield County is proud of our members who won a total of 83 HOBI awards for 2018. We wish a big congratulations to all the winners for their much deserved success. The 860 guests in attendance is a testament to the hard work put in by the HBRA of CT, Joanne Carroll and the judges who volunteer their time. We were also thrilled to unveil the new HOBI logo designed by our Marketing & Graphics Coordinator, Clare Michalak.

Congratulations to all! If you would like a copy of the new logo, or photos from the night, please contact us!

CELEBRATING 25 YEARS

HOBI HOME BUILDING INDUSTRY AWARDS HBRA OF CONNECTICUT

Tarzia Group, Nicola Tarzia Best Green Energy-Efficient Custom Home

Bluewater Home Builders, Robert Sprouls Best Custom Home 3,000-4,000 SF Outstanding Special Purpose Room Best Spec Home $3-4 Million

Blansfield Builders, Jim Blansfield

Outstanding Custom Home 3,000-4,000 SF Best Residential Remodel $750,000 -1 Million

East Coast Structures, John Sullivan

Best In Town Custom Home 3,000-4,000 SF

Domus Constructors, Chris Shea Best Remodeled Kitchen

Fletcher Development, Ryan Fletcher Best Custom Home 4,000-5,000 SF

J&J Custom Builder, Joe Filanowski Best Custom Home 5,000-6,000 SF Best Outdoor Feature

SBP Homes, Doron Sabag

Best Fairfield County Custom Home 6,000-7,000 SF Best Entry Best Custom Home 8,000-10,000 SF Best Custom Home Kitchen

VAS Construction, Vincent Sciaretta Best Custom Home 7,000-8,000 SF

Vita Design Group, Dave DeNomme Best Modern Custom Home

10 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

Dibico Construction, Julio DiBiase Best Custom Home Over 15,000 SF Best Outdoor Living Environment Best Exterior Feature Best Interior Feature Best Accessory Building Best Marketed Home Best Special Promotion Best Builder Website

Redwood Construction, Cassondra Stevenson Best New Old Custom Home

Olsen Built Homes, Peter Olsen Best Spec Home $1-2 Million Michaud Group, Robert Michaud Best In Town Spec Home

CCO Habitats, David Vynerib Best Spec Home $2-3 Million

Milton Development, Ashley Shapiro Outstanding Contemporary Spec Home Outstanding Outdoor Feature

Riverside Design Build, Marc Vandenhoeck Best Spec Home $4-5 Million Outstanding Interior/Exterior Feature

Argus Development, Tim O’Malley Best Spec Home $5-6 Million

Cole Harris Homes, Paul & Sitta Harris Best Spec Home Over $7 Million Best Spec Home Kitchen Outstanding Spec Home Over $7 Million Best Amenity Best In Town Remodel Best Residential Remodel $1-2 Million

Toll Brothers Inc., Andrew LeGrant. Jason Gottlieb Best Traditional Community Best Single Family Home Over $800,000 Best 55+ Community Best Mid-Priced Townhouse

Silver Heights Development, Seth Greenwald Best Cluster Community & Best Pocket Community Best Butler’s Pantry

Love Where You Live, Danielle Bijanada Best Luxury Townhouse Community Best Luxury Townhouse

Karp Associates, Arnold Karp

Best Residential Remodel $150,000-250,000 Best New Commercial Building Community Service Award

Hemingway Construction, Peter Sciaretta Best Residential Remodel $250,000-500,000 Best Luxury Bath Remodel

Wernert Associates, Max Wernert Outstanding Contemporary Remodel $250,000- 500,000

Davenport Contracting, Brian P MacDonald Best Residential Remodel $500,000-750,000

NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 11

HBRA NEWS

H B RA E V E N TS

Prutting & Company, David Prutting Best Residential Remodel $5-7 Million

Red Canoe Partners, John Kavounas Best Historic Rehab

Construction Management Group, Salvatore Zarrella Best Not So Big Remodel

Hobbs Inc., Scott Hobbs Best Vacation Home Remodel

Front Row Kitchens, Matthew Giardina Outstanding Luxury Bath Remodel

Clark Construction, Ross Clark Best Remodeled Bath Under $100,000

Leigh Overland Architect, Leigh Overland Best Remodeled Entry Community Service

Closet & Storage Concepts, Karen Bradbury Best Interior Feature by a Supplier

Fairfield House & Garden, Kim Conte Best Outdoor Room

Murphy Brothers Contracting, Michael Murphy Best Fairfield County Commercial Rehab Outstanding Outdoor Room Outstanding Outdoor Feature

Elevator Service Company, Steven Roth Best Home Elevator

Innerspace Electronics, Andrea S. Reiner Best Home Technology

Aitoro Appliance, Tony Aitoro Best Fairfield County Showroom Over 10,000 SF

Bender Showrooms, Max Bender

Best New Haven County Commercial Rehab Best New Haven County Product Showroom Over 10,000 SF

Tile America, Angela Legg Best Product Showroom 5,000-10,000 SF Best New London County Product Showroom

Gault Stone & Landscape Supplies, Meredith Donaher Best Fairfield County Showroom Under 5,000 SF

Michael Church, WPSIR New Home Broker of the Year

Denise Walsh Partners, Denise Walsh New Home Salesperson of the Year

Denise Walsh Partners – William Raveis Real Estate Best Marketed Community Best Fairfield County Community Website

County TV & Appliance, Elio Vetrini Best Interior Merchandising Best Social Media Post by a Supplier

LTW Design, Leia Ward Best Home Staging

12 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

PWB Meeting at Human Services Council The November Professional Women in Building meeting was hosted at the Human Services Council building in Norwalk which is host to many different nonprofit programs that serve our community. Kari Pesavento, Director of the Children’s Connection, gave a presentation on the work they do to help children who have been abused or neglected. The interactive conversation lead to PWB members taking wishes for

the children who have been served by this wonderful program. Thirty-four children will have holiday presents this year thanks to the support of the PWB members! Following the presentation the PWB held their normal monthly meeting with a productive exchange of ideas and tips to help each other in business. For more information on joining the PWB, please contact our office.

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HBRA NEWS

H B RA E V E N TS

HBRA Members Give Back This Holiday Season We are proud of the HBRA members who are working to help their local communities. See what our members are doing below and click on the links to help support their charitable activities! Happy Holidays to all!

Pella/DHD Windows and Doors will be having a food drive until Dec 14th If you, or anyone you know can spare any non perishable food items we will have baskets in both our Monroe and Norwalk showrooms. If you cannot make it to one of these locations, we will happily pick up from you.

These goods will go to both CT food bank, who is the largest centralized source of emergency food in Connecticut and last year distributed enough food to provide more than 21 million meals. This is a very important cause and we hope to help make a difference.

Thank you in advance for your food donation and helping to spread the word!

Monroe location: 220 Monroe Turnpike Monroe, CT 06468 Norwalk location: 464 Main Ave Norwalk, CT 06851

Fordham Marble 2018 Holiday Home Design & Stroll Fordham Marble, SWDD & Serendipity Magazine invite you to the 2018 Home & Design Stroll.

Fordham Marble is hosting 2 Events: 11 am - 12 noon: Farrow & Ball CEU - Color - From Pigment to Perception. Presented by Ben McCabe, Business Development Farrow & Ball. Color is complex, but Ben McCabe will arm us with the right knowledge to make it less daunting.

Registration begins at 10:30 am. Click here to RSVP. 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm: Wreath Decorating With Nielsen’s Designer Florist & Coffee from RISE Brewing Co. Click here to RSVP. Grab your spot EARLY and join us for another great Holiday Stroll!! For every person that pre-registers, SWDD will make a monetary donation to save the children.

Northeast Building Supply Hosts Multiple Food Drives Northeast Building Supply coordinates with local food banks for the holiday season. Visit any of the locations below and click to view what they need most.

1. Friendly Hands Food Bank, Torrington -Cornwall Bridge location https://friendlyhandsfood.org/ 2. Food Bank of Lower Fairfield County, Inc- New Canaan Location https://www.foodbanklfc.org/ 3. The Thomas Merton Center- Bridgeport Location http://www.themertoncenter.org/

Elevator Service Gives Back Annually Elevator Service Company gives a sponsorship gift to the Susan B Anthony Project. Our gift helps to ensure that Susan B Anthony Project’s mission, to promote safety, healing, and growth for all survivors of domestic and sexual abuse, is accomplished.

They also donate an array of gift cards for local supermarkets, to help provide food, and household needs for our local Veterans and donate to Torrington’s local post for Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Additionally, the Warner Theatre, in Torrington CT, selects two Christmas classic films to show. Not only does Elevator Service Co, If non-perishable goods need to be sponsor the event, but part of our sponsorship gift makes it so all the picked up reach out to: popcorn, for both kids and adults, is free. Before the first movie starts children get to come to the front of the theater and see Santa who Kerry Brunn is played by Elevator Service Co’s president, Steven Roth. Over 350 475-228-7065 children come each year, to watch the movies and to see Santa.

KBrunn@pellactny.com

14 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

Sunday’s with the “Soup Lady” Michael Palumbo, of ERI Building and Design, shared with us a story about how he and his four sons and daughter have taken over for “The Soup Lady” who passed away two years ago and serve soup to the homeless and less fortunate every Sunday outdoors under the overpass in Bridgeport during the winter months as the soup kitchens are closed on Sundays. His wife Deborah also helps behind the scenes with organizing the donations. Donations can be dropped off throughout the year to ERI Building & Design @ 199 West Avenue in Darien:

- Gift cards to supermarkets - Food - non perishable goods: canned vegetables, tomato sauce, pasta hot sauce, chicken/beef broths, snack bars and water bottles.

- Toiletries: toilet paper, paper towels, toothpaste and tooth brushes, deodorant, soap.

- Clothing - men & women’s: coats, sweatshirts or hoodies, sweatpants, hats (especially wool), gloves, scarves, socks, boots and shoes.

- Serving items: plastic spoons, 12 oz. styrofoam cups, latex gloves for serving (size L), paper towels.

- Additional items: hand or toe warmers, blankets, sleeping

Former HBRA President Changes Careers and becomes New CEO of Maritime Aquarium NORWALK — The Maritime Aquarium at Norwalk has chosen a former community banking executive from Easton to serve as its new president and chief executive officer.

Maureen Hanley, a businesswoman with “extensive professional and charitable involvement in Fairfield County,” was chosen by the aquarium board of trustees’ executive committee. She’ll start work Nov. 12 and focus, among other things, on keeping the aquarium’s doors open to visitors as the state replaces the Walk Bridge over the Norwalk River.

Read More

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Visit our showroom to see many exclusive aluminum doors on display, and talk with a design expert about our countless in-stock and custom options.

Showroom Hours: Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm Saturday: 9:00 am – 3:00 pm

Evenings: Sunday:

By appointment Closed 136 Water Street, Norwalk, CT 06854 203-847-1284 edsgaragedoors.com

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NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 15

HBRA NEWS

Looking for a Member?

Use the membership directory on our website to look up members by trade, location, alphabetically, or by housing category. This directory is available for all website visitors.

Members - if you need to update your contact information you can log into your account and change your profile information - For assistance please call the office at 203-335-7008.

16 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

H B R A T R A I N I N G S & C E R T I F I C AT I O N S DON’T PAY FOR YOUR SUB’S NEGLIGENCE

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This seminar on Contractual Risk Transfer will help you understand what you need to do when hiring a sub, and why a Certificate of Insurance is not enough. You will receive sample contracts from Morici & Morici LLP who will be there to answer your questions and a toolkit to protect you and your business on the job site.

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Tooher Ferraris

Michael D. Morici Jr.

DATE:

December 7, 2018 8:00 - 9:30AM

ADDRESS:

Teed and Brown 20 Knight Street Norwalk, CT 06851

PRICING:

HBRA Members: $10 General Admission: $30

OSHA10 January 17 - 18, 2019 Click here to register

New Year, New Tips

Tips to help you and your business January 10 , 2019 - Ring’s End Educational Facility SAVE THE DATE - 6 point plan to recruit and retain employees in tight labor market - Managing appointments and establishing meeting deadlines - Dealing with difficult people and/or situations - Effective Marketing Tips to Get More Business in 2019 Other upcoming trainings include: AIG Smart Build, Building Science and a Q&A with an environmental testing company.

NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 17

HBRA NEWS

Send in the Stagers “Our first reaction was ‘No way,’” recalled Mrs. Cesarz, a high school teacher. As for the couple’s second reaction, well, let’s just say a beloved Oriental rug that once covered the living room floor can now be found tied up in a closet.

These days, thanks to New York’s sluggish real estate market, all the world’s staged.

Inventory is high, buyers are eager to find fault with a property (get a load of that plaid sectional in

the living room and the statue of a shepherdess in the foyer!) and quick to find the exit.

Understandably, sellers want to ensure that those prospects — any prospects! — stick around long enough to sniff the fresh-baked cookies. Thus, they are living, and not always happily, in the company of unfamiliar sofas, easy chairs, end tables, headboards and tchotchkes, and relegating much of their own furniture to storage.

“Staging is the new norm at all price points,” said Stuart Moss, an associate broker at the Corcoran Group. “Back in the day, it was recommended only if the apartment had certain flaws, like a bad view, or relatively a lot of wear and tear, or if the space required a better definition of space.”

When the market was booming, even an estate sale might call for only minimal tweaking. “If an apartment was in nice condition In some instances, the sellers with a view, you expected haven’t yet closed on their new prospective buyers to come in homes and would like to skip the and have their own imagination bother and the added expense of and know how a room could be a short-term rental. And, of course, laid out,” Mr. Moss continued. many people simply can’t afford to “Now every apartment has to be carry two properties, so they’ve got prepared for showing.” no choice but to stay where they Read More are until they’ve lassoed a buyer.

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18 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

HBRA NEW MEMBERS Christopher Quinn Apex Projects LLC

Founded by industry experts in 2014, APEX is one of the most respected luxury estate builders in the world. We gather the foremost leading professionals in architecture, designers, trade craftsman and other key partners to provide a collaborative team approach to every building project. Our meticulous planning, transparent project tracking, construction management, attention to detail efforts insure ultimate success for our clients... READ MORE

Nate Bowler

KLAR Studio Windows+Doors KLAR Studio was established with the sole mission to provide fully customizable, energyefficient windows and doors that deliver high design, quality and value. Visit our dedicated team of professionals in our new Connecticut showroom to explore KLAR’s unique combination of European innovation, efficiency, engineering and cutting-edge design. All of our windows, doors and accessory products are built with uncompromising precision and are fully guaranteed to last... READ MORE

Morici & Morici LLP Michael D. Morici

Morici & Morici, LLP is a mid-sized dynamic firm with the ability to employ a high degree of large firm sophistication while maintaining a conscientious personal relationship with each and every client, typical of a smaller boutique firm. Our firm focuses on all aspects of real estate, general corporate law, and litigation, providing full-service legal counsel in an efficient, personalized, and cost-effective manner throughout the New York Metropolitan area, representing some of the most prominent families in the city of New York... READ MORE

Swenson Granite Works John Doherty

Founded by Swedish immigrant John Swenson, our company is a family business Whether we’re crafting uniform products like curbing or designing an outdoor living space, we do it with precision, craftsmanship and a love for stone. From the moment we cut our granite from the quarry to the day we install it at your home, we’ve worked to ensure a quality product, an esteemed workforce and a valued customer... READ MORE

Wilder Media CT Amber Wilder

Wilder Media CT is a full-service marketing agency specializing in digital mediums such as web design, search engine optimization (SEO), social media, videos & more, with a niche for passion projects. Wilder Media works with several businesses in Fairfield County as well as non-profits.

Wilder Media CT offers consulting services to businesses anywhere within the continental US....

READ MORE

Welcome to our new afiiliate members

Silver Heights Development LLC

Stephanie Odenath

NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 19

BUILDER NEWS Two years of Trump: Where are we and what’s next for construction?

It’s been just over two years since Donald Trump was elected president of the United States.

Right out of the gate, his election had a pronounced impact on the economy, with the Dow breaking 26,000 points for the first time on Jan. 16, 2017, the day before inauguration ceremonies.

More recently, U.S. gross domestic product grew at a hearty 3.5% rate during the third quarter of 2018, on the heels of 4.2% economic growth in the second quarter — the highest rate reached since the third quarter of 2014. And September’s 3.7% jobless rate was the lowest in almost 50 years.

Americans are optimistic that this job growth and economic expansion will continue, with the Conference Board’s U.S. consumer confidence index at its highest level since September 2000. And with this optimism among business sectors and consumers comes “robust” demand for construction, according to Associated General Contractors of America Chief Economist Ken Simonson.

Can Builder Confidence Recover From November’s Sharp Plunge?

The confidence level among the nation’s homebuilders plunged eight points in November, the sharpest one-month drop since 2014. The November reading is also the lowest since mid-2016 as rising prices and borrowing costs are coming in the way of buyers’ affordability, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.

Read More

Read More

There are 300K construction jobs unfilled: NAHB President 20 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

Editor’s Choice Gift Guide For Designers 2018

Multifamily developers weighed down by affordability challenges

Looking for holiday gifting ideas for your clients, colleagues, and loved ones? ARCHITECT has compiled a list of high-design products that runs the gamut in price point, scale, and application.

Multifamily developers’ confidence showed signs of weakness in the third quarter of 2018, attributed to mounting affordability and inventory concerns.

House Van Holland’s KARVD collection of modular, carved wooden panels are made in California from responsibly forested birch plywood.

The decorative panels can be used as headboard and wall art, and be mixed and matched with the other designs in this collection. The 1.13”-thick, 19.75”-square KARVD panels come with a proprietary mounting system that enables their rotation in four directions, and can be paired with the company’s slim-profile cabinet boxes. Each package includes one panel, drywall-mounting hardware, and a backing plate.

Available in brown and gray. karvdwalls.com Read More

HBRA_BldgConnectionsMag_HlfPg_Ad_8x5.25.indd 1

According to the National Association of Home Builders latest Multifamily Production Index, the MPI retreated three points to 48 compared to the previous quarter.

The MPI is measured on a scale of 0 to 100, with a number above 50 indicating that more respondents report conditions are improving than report conditions are getting worse.

Read More

12/28/17 4:27 PM

NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 21

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TOOFER.COM 22 HBRA of Fairfield County | NOVEMBER 2018

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NAHB NEWS Veterans Forge New Paths with Home Building Statement from NAHB Careers Chairman Randy Noel Each year on Veterans Day, we give thoughts and words of appreciation on 2018 Midterm to the brave men and women who sacrifice so much to defend our Elections freedom and safety. In the home building industry, rather simply thanking them, many builders also are hiring veterans.

The industry has long focused on training veterans through the Home Builders Institute, the nonprofit partner of NAHB. The HBI Military and Veterans Program operates on a number of U.S. military bases with training, certification and placement services focused on landing home building jobs for transitioning military members and veterans.

Skills learned in the military can easily transfer to the home building industry.

Marci O’Brien, a new home sales specialist in California, served in the Marine Corps from 1989 to 1994. After her duty was done, she got a real estate license and began participating in the housing boom in Southern California during the mid-90s.

“The Marines gave me so much confidence that I just went around knocking on doors looking for a job,” she said. O’Brien found one pretty quickly and has been in the industry ever since.

She noted that the Marines’ unofficial slogan “Improvise, Adapt and Overcome” helped her a great deal in 2008 and 2009 during the housing collapse. “The ability to confront challenges head-on and the thick skin I developed were invaluable during that time,” she said.

Looking to join a supportive community, O’Brien became involved in the Sales & Marketing Council of the BIA of Southern California soon after starting in the industry, eventually serving on its board.

That sense of belonging and accreditation also rings true for Air Force veteran Quint Lears, MIRM, who specializes in new home sales in New Mexico.

“Continuing education and certification play a big role in military advancement,” he said. “So I continued that pattern in civilian life.”

Lears also became involved with NAHB and his local Las Cruces (N.M.) HBA early in his career. He won the 2012 Salesperson of the Year at The Nationals and has recently published a book through Builder Books, Partnering with Brokers to Win More Sales.

Lears said that his time serving his country gave him the skills and an appreciation of the home building industry that has propelled his home sales career. His experiences in the military helped him understand that the small steps needed to sell a home, like putting up signs, for instances, were all important in completing the mission.

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Randy Noel, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and a custom home builder from LaPlace, La., today issued the following statement regarding the 2018 midterm elections:

“With the 2018 midterm elections behind us, NAHB looks forward to continue working with lawmakers on both sides of the political aisle to keep housing a national priority and to expand homeownership and rental housing opportunities for all Americans. To help achieve these important goals, Congress needs to address housing affordability concerns, ease regulatory burdens, and expand job training programs to ensure an ample supply of well-trained workers to build the nation’s homes.”

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Builder Confidence Drops as Housing Affordability Issues Rise Growing affordability concerns resulted in builder confidence in the market for newly-built singlefamily homes falling eight points to 60 in November on the National Association of Home Builders/ Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). Despite the sharp drop, builder sentiment still remains in positive territory.

Read More NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 23

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8

STATE LEGISLATIVE NEWS Democratic Legislators Will Push Liberal Agenda Of Paid Leave, Minimum Wage Hike And Pot After making major gains at the polls, Democratic legislators are reenergized to push forward a liberal agenda they believe can be enacted next year under Gov.-elect Ned Lamont.

Democrats are advocating for key bills they are calling the Big Five: raising the minimum wage, enacting paid family and medical leave, erecting electronic highway tolls, approving sports betting and legalizing recreational marijuana.

Three of those items would raise money, and some moderate Democrats think those increases should be the bulk of the revenue raisers — rather than hiking a variety of other taxes as the state faces a projected deficit of $2 billion in the next fiscal year.

The 2019 Connecticut legislative session will open on January 9, 2018. We will have a new Governor and a largely new legislature.

Twenty percent of the 151member House Chamber are freshmen legislators and 7 of the 25 member Senate Chamber are freshman.

We must take extra care to meet and educate our local legislators, especially the newly elected officials, on issues affecting our industry.

Please reach out to us if there are state regulations or codes that are impacting your business so that we are aware of any challenges and can advocate effectively on your behalf. Your membership supports lobbyists in Hartford to be your voice but we need to hear from you.

Click here to find your legislator

Democrats picked up 12 seats in the state House of Representatives for a 92-59 advantage. They also gained five seats in the state Senate for a 23-13 margin, breaking an 18-18 tie for the past two years that allowed Republicans to block plans for tolls, sports betting and legalized marijuana, as well as increases in taxes and spending.

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What’s the Matter With Connecticut?

Since the era of “The Man in the Grey Flannel Suit,” Connecticut has played an outsize role in defining the American suburb. High-quality, low-density living remains one of the state’s chief draws and suburban voters are one of its most important constituencies. Across the country, suburban voters fed up with President Trump broke heavily for the Democrats in the midterms. That happened in Connecticut, too, but it wasn’t a “change” election in the Nutmeg State. Rather, it was a “more of the same” election. Democrats retained control of the governorship and strengthened their position in the state Legislature Republicans suffered one of their most demoralizing losses in the 26th state Senate district, in suburban Fairfield County. Twenty-two-year-old Democrat Will Haskell defeated the incumbent Republican, 68-yearold Toni Boucher. Ms. Boucher has served in state office for about as long as Mr. Haskell has been alive. The district, which had been sending Republicans to Hartford since the 1970s, includes several “Gold Coast” communities, all or in part, such as Weston, New Canaan and Westport.

Mr. Haskell’s campaign was buoyed by an adulatory profile in the New York Times and an endorsement by President Obama. Though he had been considering law school after graduating Georgetown University in May, Mr. Haskell instead set his sights on state office, inspired, he says, by a desire to “get involved in the fight against Trump’s agenda.” Ms. Boucher was assumed to be safe because of her many years of constituent service and embrace of the classic local brand of Republicanism—social moderation and fiscal conservatism.

Read More NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 25

DEAR SALES COACH

We Are Planning Our Winter Trainings Please take our quick survey!

Dear Sandler Coach, Buyers call us all the time wanting to meet right away to discuss their remodeling or repair projects. They seem to know exactly what they want and many times are ready to get started on a project, until we give them the bid. We put in a considerable amount of time speaking with the buyer and putting a bid together. How can we get more commitment from the buyers? –Chip S.

Dear Chip, Far too often salespeople go charging into a sales situation without having the slightest idea whether or not the prospect can afford the product or service. The assumption on the part of the salesperson seems to be, “Well, if the prospect is talking to me, he must have some idea what I charge so there is no point in bringing up the issue of price.”

Nothing could be further from the truth. The salesperson must never assume that the prospect knows what the investment will be. In fact, it is essential that you learn whether or not the prospect has a budget before you invest a lot of unpaid time into the appointment and bid. If there is no budget, then there will be no sale.

As we plan our 2018-2019 education sessions, we would like to know which classes you would most be most interested in taking and which topics are the most beneficial for your business.

Please complete the 1 minute survey here to let us know. By completing the survey you will be entered to win one free attendance to an educational seminar * *Not including CAPS Trainings*

To find out what the budget is, just ask, “What is the range of your budget?” You do not have to learn the exact dollar amount beyond which the person just will not go. You may have to provide a hypothetical range to get their response.

If you cannot get a range from the prospect, they may not be committed and you may not want to put in the unpaid time.

-Ed Ed Schultek

Ed began Sandler/PEAK with focus on medium and small size firms to Corporate organizations who must lift their Management and Sales competency to Win, improve their ability to lead others to change their future, and position themselves as the Trusted Advisor to their Clients above all others.

26 HBRA of Fairfield NOVEMBER 2018 Have a sales question?County Email |Ed at ed.schultek@sandler.com.

SURVEY CLICK HERE

RESERVE YOUR SPACE NOW! 2019 Directory & Resource Guide

Click here for the forms The HBRA Member Directory & Resource Guide reaches industry professionals and consumers throughout Fairfield County. The directory is distributed to all HBRA members, prospective members, consumers, and at all HBRA events.

Ad materials and categories are due no later than Tuesday, January 1, 2019

Listing Example

AD DIMENSIONS & PRICING size

dimensions [WxH]

Full Page Half Page (hor.)

Quarter Page Business Card

6.” x 9” 5.25” x 4” 2.75” x 4” 2.75” x 2”

Simple Listing: MEMBER PRICE NON-MEMBER PRICE

$900 $650 $425 $250

$1,400 $1,150 $925 $750

InSinkErator 4700 21st St Racine WI 53406 www.insinkerator.com Rhonda Burnim (203)522-9608

Please return forms via email, fax or mail.

HBRA of Fairfield County 2228 Black Rock Turnpike, Suite 307 Fairfield CT 06825 T: (203) 335-7008 F: (203) 335-7141 clare@buildfairfieldcounty.com

NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 27

MEMBER BENEFITS

Every Year Thousands Save Millions Put Your NAHB Membership to Work Now. Money-saving discounts that benefit you, your business and your family

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NOVEMBER 2018 | HBRA of Fairfield County 29

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