Time Is Running Out--Register Today

The Sales and Marketing Council of the Upstate is hosting a Panel Event for local builders, sales agents, and marketing professionals. Join us at Jeff Lynch Appliance and TV Center on October 13, from 8:30 - 10 a.m. Find out the secrets from industry leaders on how to build lasting relationships with builders, remodelers, and sales agents, and where to find inventory for your client. The discussion will be moderated by Tammie Smoot, MIRM, of Builders Digital Experience. Breakfast is included!

The expert panel includes:

• Brandon Eich, APB- Arthur Rutenberg Homes
• Scott Lynch, APB- Hollison Custom Homes
• Holly May- Realtor, Coldwell Banker Caine
• Haro Setian- The Haro Group, Keller Williams
• Matt Shouse, APB- LS Homes
• Donna Smith- Broker, Berkshire Hathaway Home Services

Registration is required.

Meet the People Who Are Training Your Next Project Manager

Join the Clemson Construction Science and Management program for their Symposium on October 18. It will take place at the Le Meridien Hotel in Charlotte, NC and feature keynote speakers and panel discussions. Continuing Education Credits are available. Please contact Roger Liska for more information or to register at riggor@clemson.edu.

A Chance for Certifications at the 21st Century Building Expo

The 21st Century Building Expo and Conference in Charlotte, NC will be September 13-15, 2016 at the Charlotte Convention Center. The floor will be filled with vendors showcasing the latest technologies and trends, as well as seminars where builders and remodelers can receive Continuing Education credits. Courses like Financial Management, Diversification, and Marketing and Sales for Building Professionals will be available to those who register. To see the full schedule of classes offered, visit the Expo's website.

Floor passes are free if you register before September 1.

PWB Education Event Was a Hit

The Professional Women in Building Council hosted its first education event last Friday, July 22nd at Progress Lighting. Nationally renowned speaker Deb Sofield spoke to the group on improving speaking skills, personal presentation in a business setting, and moving forward in life with her "15 Rules for the Road." The event was sponsored by Pestban and presented by Ryan Homes and DHI Mortgage.

Attendees enjoy breakfast and networking before Deb's presentation.

Title sponsor Brian Harrison of Pestban address the group with PWB Chairwoman Brittany Bailey of Ryan Homes.

PWB Board member Renata Caldwell of Progress Lighting with speaker Deb Sofield.

Deb giving her presentation.

Thank you, Deb!

Building Codes Class for the New Code, Effective July 1

The S.C. General Assembly has signed off on a new Residential Building Code for South Carolina, the 2015 IRC. It takes effect on July 1, 2016!

Your HBA held a Building Codes Class on this new building code in February, so many of you are already prepared. For those of you who are not, below are opportunities we are developing in the next couple of months to get you ready:

• John McLeod, Chief Building Official for Greenville County, will host a workshop on the new codes on Tuesday, June 28, 9 a.m. until 11 a.m., in Conference Room D, Greenville County Square. He will review and highlight the important code changes and of course offer his enforcement interpretations.
• Your HBA is working with John and Buddy Skinner, Chief Building Official for the City of Greenville, on a second opportunity in early July. 
•  And your HBA will also have Andy Barber, HBA of South Carolina Building Codes Chairman, back in Greenville in early August for a repeat of the four-hour code training class he offered in February.

Note that the new building code is effective for permits issued on or after July 1. Houses already permitted or for which a permit was applied for on or before June 30 will still be subject to the 2012 IRC.

Note, however, that you may find that several of the statewide code amendments that were secured by your Home Builders Association make the new code an improvement in many respects. You can review the statewide amendments by clicking here.


Code Books Available Through Your HBA
Your HBA can help you receive the ICC member discount on code books, thanks to Buddy Skinner who has offered to place the order for us. If you would like to order your code book in this manner, please review the code book options at iccsafe.org and email your code book requests to mdey@hbaofgreenville.com. Your order is due by June 28 at 5 p.m. Plan on a week for the code books to be delivered.

At IBS, Learn about Cash to Finance Your Projects

How do you improve on an International Builders’ Show education session on builder financing that last year topped 400 attendees? Rick Mandell, moderator for “How to Cash in on the New Wave of Capital,” has a plan.

This year, he’s added case studies so that panelists concentrating on both debt and equity financing can point to real-life solutions and get builders to “think like the money thinks,” he said.

While more money is beginning to become available to finance home building and development projects, home builders need a clearer understanding of how finance has changed and how to be successful in the post-Great Recession environment.

Builders who seek financing and can explain their objectives in terms that the investors can understand will find a more receptive welcome from private and equity investors looking to see how their investment will turn a profit.

The panel discussions and case studies will conclude with opportunities for individual conversations with potential investors. Even if those investors aren’t active back home in the builder’s own market, “at least [the builder] know how to speak the language” to get non-traditional investors interested in their projects, Mandell said.

Learn more about the Feb. 5 three-hour master session here.

Earn your CGP designation and set yourself apart from the rest!

The Charleston Home Builders Association is offering two educational courses in October that when completed will allow HBA members to earn the Certified Green Professional Designation (CGP). Andy Barber, CGP, will teach both courses. A brief overview of each course is below. Click here to learn more and register for these classes at CharlestonHBA.com.  Both courses will be taught in Charleston, SC.

Business Management for Building Professionals - October 9, 2013
Learn the management skills that give industry leaders the edge. This course will give you a solid foundation for managing small- to medium-size building/remodeling and service companies. This course explains critical elements from planning to evaluating progress and presents practical tips and tools for managing a business successfully. You will get a solid grasp of business best practices and practical tools of value whether you are a new or experienced business owner.

Green Building for Building Professionals - October 10, 11, 2013
Implementing cost-effective green building into your construction practices begins with up-front planning that examines the whole house and the building science behind it. In this two-day course, you will learn how to apply the ANSI-approved National Green Building Standard™ in the construction of a new home, remodel, site development or multifamily project. With a focus on flexibility and a sound knowledge base, the course provides the tools for a successful green project.

Whether you are trying to earn your designation or just need continuing education credits, these classes are for you!

21st Century Building Expo & Conference 9/26-9/28

The 10th Annual 21st Century Building Expo and Conference will be underway September 26 through September 28 at the Charlotte Convention Center in Charlotte, NC. This trade show will offer courses and networking opportunities to help you make the most of your time. During this three day event you can obtain many certifications and designations such as your Certified Green Building Professional or Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist designation. There will also be many other opportunities for continuing education.

The event will be open daily from 7:30 a.m to as late as 7 p.m. on Thursday, September 27.  The Expo ends at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, September 28.

For more information and a complete list of events and classes or to register please call 1-800-662-7129 or visit the 21st Century Building Expo website.