Volunteer at the Fall Home & Garden Show

The Northwest’s favorite fall consumer show will return to the Expo Center Oct. 2-5 with more features, more entries and more innovative displays than ever before. Now the largest fall show in Oregon for everything home, garden, decor and lifestyle, the Portland Fall Home & Garden Show is sure to provide loads of entertainment and information.

HBA members have the opportunity to visit the show and reach consumers by volunteering at the information booth. If you are interested in signing up for a shift, please contact Sarah at the HBA at 503-684-1880.

Time to Donate to the Surplus Sale

Too much surplus material taking up your valuable space? Donate it to the Builders Surplus Sale, produced by the Remodelers Council. The sale takes place October 2-5 at the Fall Home & Garden Show and feature products from HBA members that are sold to the general public. 

We are asking for donations from anyone who has extra building materials that they would like to get off their hands. We are specifically looking for anything related to the construction industry:  light fixtures, windows, doors, paint, hardware, tile, flooring, etc.

Don’t forget to consult with your tax advisor. You may be able to take a business deduction for your donation.

Remodelers Benefit from Landmark Housing Bill

The previous $50,000 grant ceiling for the Specially Adapted Housing Grant has been increased to $60,000.  This grant is available to veterans or servicemembers who have a service-connected disability due to military service, entitling them to compensation for permanent and total disability due to:

• The loss, or loss of use, of both lower extremities such as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes, or a wheelchair.
• Blindness in both eyes having only light perception, plus loss or loss of use of one lower extremity.
• The loss, or loss of use, of one lower extremity together with: 1. Residuals of organic disease or injury  2. The loss or loss of use of one upper extremity
  *Items 1 and 2 above must so affect the functions of balance or propulsion as to preclude locomotion without the aid of braces, crutches, canes or a wheelchair.
• The loss, or loss of use, of both upper extremities, so as to preclude use of the arms at or above the elbows.

The previous $10,000 grant ceiling for Special Housing Adaptations Grants has been increased to $12,000.

This grant is for Veterans or servicemembers who have a service-connected disability due to military service, entitling them to compensation for permanent and total disability due to:

• Blindness in both eyes with 5/200 visual acuity or less, or
• The anatomical loss or loss of use of both hands

The law also changes some of the criteria for determining eligibility, but this is really an issue between the VA and grant applicants. VA will define these criteria more fully in the near future.

Learn more about changes to the Specially Adapted Housing Program here.

Luncheon at Standard TV & Appliance

Tracy Hankins, Lee Hiltenbrand and Lee Zajic

Crowd shot

National News: Remodeling Market Remains Sluggish in Second Quarter

Residential remodeling activity remained sluggish during the second quarter of 2008, according to the NAHB Remodeling Market Index (RMI), which was released on Aug. 12.

Current market conditions registered 41.8 on the index, unchanged from the first quarter, while future expectations rose slightly to 38 from 37.9 in the previous quarter.

Any number on the index over 50 indicates that the majority of remodelers view market conditions positively. However, the RMI has been running below 50 since the final quarter of 2005, implying a downturn in remodeling expenditures.

“Remodelers are experiencing slower activity in markets nationwide, particularly for major improvements to owner-occupied housing” said NAHB Remodelers Chairman Lonny Rutherford, CGR, CAPS, CGP, a remodeler from Farmington, N.M. “While markets remain pretty active, most remodelers are taking on a greater number of smaller jobs to maintain their businesses.”

In the estimation of the remodelers polled in the quarterly survey, major additions and alterations declined slightly to 43.18 during the second quarter, down from 44.15 in the first three months of the year, while minor additions and alterations increased a shade to 42.89, up from 41.57. Maintenance and repairs declined from 39.68 to 39.06.

“As in previous economic downturns, remodeling activity is proving to be cyclical rather than countercyclical, although the degree of decline pales in comparison to the setbacks registered in the new-home market,” said NAHB Chief Economist David Seiders. “We expect remodeling to remain generally flat in 2009, followed by strong growth due to home maintenance needs.”

Regionally, ratings for the current market in the second quarter dropped from 36.4 to 32.8 in the Northeast, from 42.2 to 40.1 in the South and from 42.9 to 42.4 in the West. Current conditions climbed to 52.9 in the Midwest, up noticeably from 44.1 in the first quarter.

All index measures of future expectations — calls for bids, the amount of work committed for the next three months and appointments for proposals — slumped by a trace, with the lone exception of backlogs in remodeling jobs, which rose to 42.13, up from 41 during the initial period of the year.

Eighty-four percent of the remodelers who were surveyed also reported seeing home builders diversifying into remodeling due to the downturn in new residential construction, which is contributing to more saturated remodeling market conditions.

Press Release: Remodelers celebrate a decade of industry growth

Portland’s leading association for remodeling professionals recently celebrated its 10th anniversary, noting continued membership growth and an industry that is flourishing despite a national slowdown in new construction.

The Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland’s Remodelers Council consists of the area’s top remodelers, subcontractors and suppliers who work together to promote quality and professionalism in the home remodeling industry. In the past 10 years, the council has grown to 260 members and currently is the third largest in the United States.

Last year in the Portland Metro area, more than $308 million was spent on residential remodels– up 34 percent from 2006. And that is not just a lot of retiled kitchen floors – the average amount spent on a residential remodel in 2007 was $71,836. The number of permits issued in the Portland Metro area for residential remodeling projects rose 19 percent last year.

“Our members take pride in their craft, have years of experience in the field and are knowledgeable about the newest and most innovative products on the market,” said Steve Heiteen, owner of Heiteen Construction and 2008 Remodelers Council chairman. “One of the big reasons our group continues growing fast is that we are committed to ethical business conduct and we encourage our membership to invest in training and education.”

The National Home Builders Association estimates that Americans spent $235 billion in home remodeling in 2007, up from $233 billion in 2006. Remodeling accounts for 2 percent of the US economy and 40 percent of all residential construction.

Each spring, Portland’s Remodelers Council produces the Tour of Remodeled Homes, which showcases the top remodeling projects in the area. They also are active participants in the Home Builder Association’s Spring and Fall Home and Garden Shows, and RC members are involved in several fundraising events throughout the year to support local charities. In the last two years, the group has raised more than $10,000 for the Home Builders Foundation, which creates shelter opportunities for the disadvantaged and provides educational opportunities for future generations of industry professionals.

The Council has been recognized nationally for its energy, commitment to the industry, dedication to the community and government affairs efforts. To date, the Council has won 10 prestigious Council Awards for Demonstrating Remodeling Excellence, the highest national honor any council can receive. Category wins include Outstanding Community Service Project, Outstanding Member Services and Education and Outstanding Public Relations and Promotion Program.

To find out more about the HBA’s Remodelers Council, visit www.homebuildersportland.org.

Member Highlight: Standard TV and Appliance

Standard TV & Appliance has been a Portland landmark since 1947, when it was founded as Standard Refrigeration by Clement and Hazel Gander. In 1952, they opened the well-known storefront on SE Woodstock and lived in a small house attached to the business. After many expansions and remodels, Standard out-grew the Woodstock store and relocated. It is now on SE 82nd Avenue and bears the distinction of being the largest appliance showroom in the Northwest.

Since its inception, the company has grown to over 350 employees and currently has locations in Portland, Beaverton, Tigard and Bend. To this day, it remains Oregon-based and family-owned.

Standard sells appliances by top manufacturers, along with mattresses, electronics, big screens, home theaters and more. Standard’s mission is to provide customers with the highest level of service at the lowest price as fast and efficiently as possible in hopes of providing total satisfaction.

August New Members of the Remodelers Council

Please welcome our new Remodelers Council members:

• Janet Creasy, Coulee Concrete Designs
• Jim Proebstel, JP Development, Inc.
• Steve Gersch, Silvertree Builders Northwest, Inc.
• Michael Schwarz, Precision Countertops