In the 2014 Builder Partnerships Achievement Awards, Painesville, Ohio-based B.R. Knez Construction earned Highest Distinction in Customer Satisfaction, which means that at least 88 percent of its buyers are willing to recommend the company to families and friends and the company scored at elite levels with Builder Partnerships' customer satisfaction experts.

Judges included Chuck Shinn, founders of Builder Partnerships and industry management expert; Charlie Scott, principal at Woodland, O'Brien and Scott; and Carol Smith of Home Address.

B.R. Knez serves young, urban professionals, families and empty nesters with homes typically priced in the mid $200s to mid $400s. Homes are available in 25 communities across Northeast Ohio. The company also offers on-your-lot and remodeling services. President Bo Knez took time to answer our questions about his company delivers quality homes and high customer satisfaction. 

Believe it or not, the year is almost half way done. Despite the challenges associated with uncertainty from the weather in the first quarter and the lagging housing market data, most builders we have spoken to are either on plan or ahead of plan for the year.

If you look at the current housing market data and the latest projections for the year, it might look like the industry is just cruising along as planned. However, the actual path to this point has been filled with a great deal of maneuvering and adjustments of plans, up and down.

Despite all of the trials and tribulations, I have remained steadfast that 2014 is the year of the recovery. I have held firm to my 1.1 million housing starts forecast and still believe the industry will reach that mark this year. It is not just my gut telling me this. Every builder I speak with is telling me their biggest challenge is managing growth right now. After the run we have had over the past eight years, managing growth is a challenge welcomed by all builders.  

Builder Partnerships is pleased to announce the addition of The Propane Education and Research Council (PERC) into our program.

PERC is a check-off program established, operated, and funded by the propane industry. The only energy council of its kind, PERC leads safety and training efforts among propane retailers, builders, construction professionals, vehicle operators, farmers, and consumers and drives technology development to expand adoption of propane as a clean, domestic, and affordable energy source. PERC programs benefit a variety of industries including residential building.

"We feel that Builder Partnerships offers us a unique way to network with residential builders and remodelers in an ever-changing marketplace," said Bridget Kidd, PERC's director of residential and commercial programs. "Propane can provide a whole-home energy solution that maximizes efficiency and meet today's increasingly stringent sustainable building requirements. By joining Builder Partnerships, we hope to connect with more residential building professionals and share the facts about propane's comfort, low emissions, and energy efficiency."

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