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Two months is tomorrow
Most of us, at least I do, remember those last days of school where the daily battle was being waged for our attention. The teacher's argument was compelling: if you don't get good grades on your finals, you're going to be having an uncomfortable conversation with your parents. And, in the worst cases, you will be taking the grade over again. But the other arguments were inescapable and even more compelling; which is what we would do with all that time we weren't locked up in school and had the freedom to do anything we wanted from dawn till a very distant dusk every day. Day dreams were never as pervasive as during those last days of school each year.
We still have the dreams of summer today don't we? Only now, instead of running through the grass, we're planting (and then mowing) the grass. Instead of skipping rocks across the pond, we're placing the landscape rocks around the koi pond. Instead of riding our bikes out to the river to go fishing, we're.....well, we're driving our SUVs to go fishing. Can't change everything can we? May is a wonderful month to get everything ready to go for the summer season just around the corner. For any construction on homes or out buildings on your agenda, the word to remember is "Planning". You don't have to look far to see how much work is already underway. In our market, we have a shortage of skilled workers that isn't getting better any time soon. What that means, is that the farther you plan ahead, the better the outcome is going to be for your project. I recommend at least 60 days. Yes, 60 days. Believe it or not, scheduling the work you want to do, two months in advance is your best chance of getting the people you want to deliver the kind of job you want. If your work requires Planning department approval or a building permit, you'll probably need more time. The main thing is, as soon as you know what you want to do, start planning and realize that it's likely to take longer if anything unexpected happens. Planning at least two months ahead will make you, your contractors and the neighbors a lot happier. You will also be more likely to have the outcome you wanted, which is why you went through all this in the first place. Call us here at SOBA if we can help, that what's we're here for. And don't forget to go fishing at least once in a while.
To your success,
Brad Bennington, Executive Officer
Southern Oregon Builders Association
Home Builders Association of Jackson County
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Tour of Homes Early Bird Deadline is coming up!
 Sign up for Tour of Homes by May 20 and Save!! Our popular Southern Oregon Tour of Homes early bird deadline is upon. To take advantage of great savings, email Jessica or give us a call at 541-773-2872 for more information. This year's Tour will be in Sept. See you on the Tour! |
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Save the Date: Golf Tournament - June 17
22nd Annual Golf Tournament
June 17
Eagle Point Golf Course
Join us for a day of fun that is also an amazing opportunity to support the good work that Redemption Ridge does!
So take a day off work, spend it on the golf course in the company of great people and support a good cause.
Now that's a hole in one!
All proceeds to benefit Redemption Ridge.
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| | Check out Redemption Ridge and Grace House |
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Member Rebate Program -
FIRST QUARTER '16 Claim Deadline COMING UP
 Builder Members: Don't Leave Money on the Table!
Member Rebate Program - Q1'16 Claim Deadline
Friday, May 20, 2016
Claim for any home, remodeling project, or multi-family unit completed from January - March of 2016. You can find all the different available ways to claim at: http://www.hbarebates.com/claimform.html
Learn more below.
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Learn about the Member Rebate Program
No one likes to leave money on the table. So, what would you think if you could get a rebate for your loyalty to many of the nation's leading Manufacturers? Well, now you can! The Member Rebate Program is a free member benefit available to all active Builder & Remodeler members that increases your bottom line. For the minimal effort of informing us about the products you use and when you complete a residential address, you'll be putting money back in your pocket. Both Builder & Remodeler companies, no matter how large or small, qualify for the program.
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| | Learn how the Member Rebate Program works. |
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April Membership Mixer & Tour of Homes Kickoff ReCap
 Thank you to everyone who came out for our Mixer and to hear about our upcoming Tour of Homes!
Brad shared with the crowd information about the Tour of Homes. Builder members who had participated in last year's tour shared about their experiences from last year's Tour.
The consensus was that the 2015 Tour of Homes was an event that was very beneficial to all areas of the building industry and that it is a great event for Southern Oregon and the Rogue Valley.
Thank you once again to Fergusons for host this event!
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News from the State - A few changes coming
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| | Carol Myers |
Jon Chandler, OHBA
Another couple of changes at OHBA
One starting: We have another new staff member starting at OHBA! Ginger Harville is joining us as our new Director of Membership Services, taking the place of Carol Myers (who is retiring
- more on that below).
Ginger brings us a strong background in working with members, volunteers, government agencies and the public; she's also got good experience in training and conference planning as well as marketing and business development. We're excited to have her on board, and believe she'll be a great addition to our team and will allow us to be even more effective in providing service to both the membership and to our local HBAs.
You can reach her at [email protected], or at 503-378-9066, but please give her a few days to figure out what she's gotten herself into, please and thank you. Welcome, Ginger!
And one moving on: Transitions and change are, of course, one of the constants of life, but some are easier to deal with than others. Having someone like Carol Myers hang up her dancing shoes is one of the hard ones. Read More.
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A new NAHB study shows that, on average, government regulations account for 24.3% of the final price of a new single-family home. Three-fifths of the regulatory costs - 14.6% of the final house price - is due to a higher price for a finished lot resulting from regulations imposed during the lot's development. The other two-fifths - 9.7% of the house price - is the result of costs incurred by the builder after purchasing the finished lot. Read More.
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Green Building - Good building methods prevent cancer?
Howard Asch, OHBA
There are some interesting studies that show the way we build can significantly raise the risk of cancer. It's not exactly the house that is the problem, but the indoor air pollution which too many houses are not designed to address. The good news is we know how to reduce these risks with some simple changes.
Let's look at results of some studies of indoor air and health risks:
- An EPA survey concluded that indoor air was 3 to 70 times more polluted than outdoor air.
- Another EPA study stated that the toxic chemicals in the air from household cleaners are 3 times more likely to cause cancer than outdoor air.
- The National Cancer Association results of a 15-year study concluded that women who work in the home are at a 54% higher risk of developing cancer than women who work outside the home.
- The National Academy of Sciences has estimated that 15% of the population suffers from chemical sensitivities.
- The American Lung Association directly links Indoor Air Quality to the increase in asthma. Asthma has increased by 600% since 1980.
Read More
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4-hr REFRESHER Class
 Need to become RRP Certified? Do you work on structures,pre 1978, where you would be disturbing paint? If so, sign up now for this EPA-Certified class! 4-Hr REFRESHER Course: June 22 8am-12pm Cost: $150 for Members and $00 for Non-Members Qualifies for (8) Series B Credit Hours Space is limited to register today! |
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Next Lead Based Paint Classes:
8-hr INITIAL Class
 Need to become RRP Certified? Do you work on structures,pre 1978, where you would be disturbing paint? If so, sign up now for this EPA-Certified class! 8-Hr INITIAL Course: June 15 8am-5pm Cost: $175 for Members and $225 for Non-Members Qualifies for (8) Series B Credit Hours Space is limited to register today! |
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National Member Benefits - Click here for details
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NAHB Member Benefits
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Southern Oregon Builders Association
Home Builders Association of Jackson County
1006 East Jackson St., Medford, OR 97504
Phone: 541-773-2872 Fax: 541-773-1189 www.hbajc.com
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Unlock The Value of Membership: NAHB
The National Association of Home Builders
exists to serve its members.
Fighting for housing on major policy issues, providing excellent educational programming, and creating outstanding networking opportunities are just some of the ways that NAHB fulfills that mandate.
And the proof of its success is in the numbers. In 2014, NAHB's actions on the legislative, codes, regulatory and legal fronts, as well as in other arenas, provided members an estimated savings of $6,882 per housing start as the association resolved numerous issues affecting home builders.
NAHB urges members to take advantage of the many resources that it offers.They are designed to help you build a better home, build a better business and work in a policy environment that enables your business -- and those of your associates in the home building industry -- to thrive.
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Like us on Facebook!
Join us on Facebook for all the latest association news and activities. Find out when the next Membership Mixer is or the next Lead Based Paint Class. We would love to see what you and your company are up to. Send your pictures to [email protected] with a small caption for us to post on our Facebook page. |
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How city hall exacerbates the entry-level housing squeeze
 The Wall Street Journal The housing market has recovered, but sluggish entry-level construction is putting a squeeze on families that would like to buy their first home. A new report pins the blame on City Hall. The culprit: Impact fees that builders have to pay municipalities when they get permits for new construction, says the report from Zelman & Associates, a housing research firm. READ MORE |
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