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PinnacleVisit South Carolina’s

Volume 6 • Issue 1 • 2013

Award-Winning Homes

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Feature Articles

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Home Builders AssociAtion of soutH cArolinA1419 Pendleton Street, Columbia, SC 29201803/771-7408 • Fax: 803/254-5762

President: David Gully, Seneca

Vice President: Darryl Hall, Florence

treAsurer: Harry Dill, Murrells Inlet

secretArY: Calvin Snow, Greer

immediAte PAst President Mike Lowman, Irmo

district #1 Vice PresidentJim Garman, Hilton Head

district #2 Vice PresidentAndy White, Lexington

district #3 Vice PresidentJohnny Uldrick, Greenwood

district #4 Vice PresidentThomas Dillard, Greer

district #5 Vice PresidentDerrick Owens, Florence

AssociAtes Vice PresidentBennett Griffin, Columbia

eo council cHAirmAnPhillip Ford, Charleston

AreA iV Vice PresidentJames “Bugsy” Graves, Lexington

stAte rePresentAtiVeMarc Ellis, Hilton Head

eXecutiVe director: Mark Nix

AccountAnt: Kim Halter

interns: Shannon Daniel, Ashley Rayne Holland

PuBlisHer: Kevin Naughton

mAnAging editor: Ryan Hanna

grAPHic designer: Jason Gabel

AdVertising sAles mAnAgerBrenda Poe

AdVertising sAles rePresentAtiVe Marsha Suwienski: (800) 935-1592, ext. [email protected] Poe: (800) 935-1592, ext. [email protected]

PuBlisHed BY:

2929 Davison Rd., Flint, MI 48506(810) 239-5763South Carolina Builder Journal is published six times annually and is mailed to all active HBASC members plus every career home builder statewide. Any reproduction or duplication of this publication or any part thereof must be done with the publisher's written permission. The publisher or the Home Builders Association of South Carolina is not responsible for the claims made by the advertisers. Editorial comment is always welcome.

Governor’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4South Carolina Gov. Nikki R. Haley highlights the state’s economic successes and the importance of the building industry.

Workers Compensation Certificate Verification Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6The WC Certificate Verification Program arrives.

Home Builders, Remodelers Achieve High Honors at State Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8South Carolina home builders receive Pinnacle Awards.

South Carolina is a Great Place to Live, Work and Play . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12The Palmetto State offers entertainment and a business-friendly environment.

A Sense of Security, a Happy Home . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16Home warranties aid homeowners.

Businesses Find Growth in South Carolina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16South Carolina aids business development.

President’s Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Knowledge Builder . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

Find Us On Facebookwww.hbaofsc.com • South Carolina Builder Journal • 2013

South Carolina Builder Journal • 2013 • www.hbaofsc.com4

Visit sceg.com to learn more about incentives available to builders who put the energy efficiency, comfort and

convenience of natural gas into their homes.

Builders who know the value of Natural GasBeazer • Bill Beazley Homes • Blue Ribbon Builders • Carolina Signature Homes

C&C Builders • Citizens Homes • Classic Builders • Crescent Homes

Crown Communities, Inc. • Dan Ryan • David Weekley • DR Horton

Eastwood Homes • Edge City Homes • Essex • Executive Construction

Fortress Builders • Galloway Family • Harbor Homes • HH Hunt

Holiday Builders • Hurricane • Jeff Hudson Builders • John Wieland Homes

Keystone Homes • Lennar • Landmark 24 • McGuinn

Mungo Homes • Peachtree Communities

Pulte Group • R.T. Bailey Construction • R.S. Parker Homes

Ryan Homes • Ryland • Sabal

Home built by Dunbar Builders, Inc.

Visit sceg.com to learn more about incentives available to builders who put the energy efficiency, comfort and

convenience of natural gas into their homes.

Builders who know the value of Natural GasBeazer • Bill Beazley Homes • Blue Ribbon Builders • Carolina Signature Homes

C&C Builders • Citizens Homes • Classic Builders • Crescent Homes

Crown Communities, Inc. • Dan Ryan • David Weekley • DR Horton

Eastwood Homes • Edge City Homes • Essex • Executive Construction

Fortress Builders • Galloway Family • Harbor Homes • HH Hunt

Holiday Builders • Hurricane • Jeff Hudson Builders • John Wieland Homes

Keystone Homes • Lennar • Landmark 24 • McGuinn

Mungo Homes • Peachtree Communities

Pulte Group • R.T. Bailey Construction • R.S. Parker Homes

Ryan Homes • Ryland • Sabal

Home built by Dunbar Builders, Inc.

President’s LetterP

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by David Gully, HBASC president

O n behalf of the members of the Home Builders Association of South Carolina (HBASC) I would like to welcome you to the S.C. Builder Journal magazine, featuring award winning homes and reinforcing why so many people call South

Carolina home. From Daufuskie Island near Hilton Head to Lake Keowee near the Blue Ridge Mountains, the magazine offers consumers with a view of the craftsmanship of some of the best home builders and remodelers in the state.

The HBASC is a professional, non-profit association committed to promoting housing for people of all income levels and the production of quality homes. The HBASC membership is comprised of home builders, trade contractors, suppliers and industry professionals who work to provide the homeowner the safest and most energy efficient home available.

My hope is that you will use this magazine as a resource if you are thinking about putting roots down in our state and a guide to the craftsmen who can build you your new home to help those roots grow strong. SCBJ


David GullyPresident HBA of South Carolina

We think our work is outstanding and so did the rest of South Carolina.

Winner of the Pinnacle Award, given to the best builders in the state, for four consecutive years of outstanding craftsmanship in the construction of quality homes.

52 Parkway Commons Way, Greer, SC 29650 864-879-3035

www.gabrielbuilders.com

Handcrafted Homes, LifeLong reLationsHips

M102A

2008 ✦ 2009 ✦ 2010 ✦ 2011

2011

Winner

GABRIELGABRIELB U I L D E R S , I N C

Workers Compensation Certificate Verification Program

T he HBA of South Carolina, The SC Workers Compensation Commission, and Frank B Norris & Co. are pleased to announce, that after years of working on the issue, the WC Certificate Verification Program is finally up and running. It is currently being tested by Frank B Norris & Co who helped to fund the program along with the

HBA of South Carolina. Designed with builders and insurance companies in mind, its purpose is to notify a Home Builder if a subcontractor’s workers compensation policy has cancelled prematurely. Certificates are a good source of information, but the problem is that the data is only 100% accurate on the day it was issued. The idea of this program is to help builders know immediately when coverage has cancelled. There have been cases where new certificates were never sent out showing that the coverage had cancelled. The following is an example of what frequently happens:• ABC Builder pays 123 Masonry $100,000 for work, over the course of a year.• Two months after ABC Builder receives a certificate for 123 Masonry, the policy cancels for Non-Payment.• ABC Builder is unaware of the cancellation and 123 Masonry doesn’t tell them it cancelled.• The remaining 10 months of the year ABC Builder and their workers compensation carrier have the exposure of

an uninsured subcontractor. This could cost the builder thousands of dollars in premium costs and could cost the insurance company hundreds of thousands of dollars in claim costs. In addition, if there is a claim it will go on ABC Builder’s experience modification for three years.We expect this program to benefit all builders and general contractors. We fully anticipate that insurance companies

will give discounts to builders using the program.Please contact the state HBA office or Frank B Norris & Co, for additional information. SCBJ


C olumbia, SC – Home building industry professionals were awarded the Home Builders Association of South Carolina’s

most prestigious awards this past fall. The Tenth Annual Celebration of Excellence awards ceremony was held to honor the recipients of the Pinnacle Awards. The Pinnacle Awards recognizes the craftsmanship of the best home builders and remodelers in the Palmetto State. Approximately 9 Pinnacle Awards were given in six categories – new homes, remodel projects, green building, energy efficiency, subdivision/community and sales & marketing.

About the Pinnacle AwardsThe Pinnacle Awards were created to honor those in the home building industry who have achieved the highest standard of quality craftsmanship, innovative problem solving and customer satisfaction. This competition is a privilege of membership, as well as a means of challenging our members to greater levels of achievement. SCBJ

Home Builders, Remodelers Achieve High Honors at State Awards

NEw HOmE CONSTRUCTiON

Best Achievement in Energy EfficiencyChapman Design Group, Inc.Donald Chapman (HBA of Anderson)

Best Overall Green ConstructionAllen Patterson Residential, LLCAllen Patterson (HBA of the Lowcountry)

www.hbaofsc.com • South Carolina Builder Journal • 2013 9

NEw HOmE CONSTRUCTiON

$199,999 or lessAvery Construction, LLCTim Snow (HBA of Spartanburg)

$750,000 to $999,999American Eagle Builders, IncBruce Pasquarella (HBA of Greenville)

$200,000 to $499,999Avery Construction, LLCTim Snow (HBA of Spartanburg)

Continued on page 10


Pinnacle Awards 2011Continued from page 9

$1,500,000 to $1,999,999Gabriel Builders, Inc.Belinda Rubio (HBA of Greenville)

$1,000,000 to $1,499,999The Berry Group, LLCKen Berry (HBA of Oconee)

$2,000,000 to $4,999,999Cook Bonner Construction, Inc.George Cook and Rick Bonner (Charleston Trident HBA)


BEST OVErAll SAlES & MArkETingSaluda River ClubAndy White (HBA of Greater Columbia)

rEMOdEling PrOjECTJ. DuBonn BuildersJohn and Tiffany DuBonn (HBA of Greenville)

BEST SuBdiViSiOn/COmmUNiTySaluda River ClubAndy White (HBA of Greater Columbia)

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South Carolina is Just Right for Family Vacations

S haped roughly like a diamond by geography, polished by more than 300 years of American history and made gracious by a tradition of hospitality as diverse as its

people, South Carolina offers visitors a broad array of attractions and accommodations limited only by the imagination.

Anchored by nearly 200 miles of beaches and coastal attractions – including world-famous Charleston (with Fort Sumter and scores of colonial homes and cobblestone carriage rides), leafy golf haven Hilton Head Island and family friendly Myrtle Beach (with more than a hundred golf courses of its own) – millions of folks make their annual beach trip to South Carolina. Attractions range from the affordable flashiness of Myrtle Beach – with its thousands of hotels and restaurants to fit all price ranges - to the quiet elegance of Kiawah Island, home to one of the nation’s consistently top-ranked golf and beach resorts.

Perhaps the most affordable of all beach destinations are the four state parks that offer combinations of camping and cabins, surf and sun. But there’s more to the coast than sand and surf for those who want to understand the complexity of South Carolina’s past. And it doesn’t take much digging.

For instance, those sweetgrass baskets, iconic symbols of the Gullah tradition still made by local residents at roadside stands and Charleston markets — they’re just a part of the living,

breathing Gullah culture that grew from the long abandoned rice plantations that now form the heart of thousands of acres of nature preserves such as the ACE Basin. The Gullah Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor is now being organized to help preserve and tell that story, including at such sites as the Penn Center on St. Helena Island, home to the first school for freed slaves and still a center of African American culture to this day. The state also operates historic plantation homes that interpret the slavery- and post-slavery experience of planter and African American alike.

And as the South Carolina story spreads inland, through the pristine swamps and pine-filled Midlands to the Blue Ridge Mountains themselves, it’s all available in one day’s journey. Little known fact: More Revolutionary War battles were fought here than in any other colony, stories told at preserved national and state battlefield sites such as Kings Mountain and Musgrove Mill. Modern military buffs won’t want to miss historic waterfront Beaufort and Parris Island.

Cotton fields themselves, something most northerners haven’t seen in real life until they drive by, spread by the thousands of acres through much of the Midlands. Tobacco fields can be seen in the Pee Dee and roadside farm stands selling produce of all kinds dot the highways across the state. And then there are peaches. South Carolina grows more than any other state than California and the orchards and stands are hard to miss.

South Carolina also is dotted with unique small towns and big cities, each with its own cultural and culinary offerings. (Barbecue, of course, is a mainstay.) Greenville’s robust downtown and unusual cantilevered bridge over the Reedy River falls is a good example not to be missed. Columbia, the state capital, offers Statehouse tours, its own dynamic museums, a major university and the nation’s largest Army basic training base. Aiken and Camden, too, bear mention as unique equestrian towns of unusual quiet wealth and charm. And then there are hidden gems such as Newberry, Cheraw and Abbeville, filled with history and antebellum homes.

Then there’s the great outdoors. From whitewater rafting on the roiling Chattooga in the Blue Ridge to paddling through quiet tidal creeks, and huge inland reservoirs in between, along with hundreds of miles of unspoiled hiking trails, South Carolina offers something for everyone, and all within an easy day’s drive.

Find itineraries and more information at the state’s official tourism website at www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com.

Live, Workand Play

South Carolinais a Great Place to

Continued on page 14

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Scenic Vistas

S outh Carolina’s 47 state parks span a boundless diversity of landscape, from the grandeur of

the Blue Ridge Escarpment to the rich salt marshes along the coast. The biggest dilemma state parks visitors face is whether to spend the day taking in the scenery from atop Table Rock Mountain or from a seat on the pier at Myrtle Beach.

A must-do trip is the mountain drive along Cherokee Foothills Scenic Highway 11, especially during the fall months when the brilliant colors of the changing leaves adorn the surrounding landscape. From the highway you can easily access the overlook at Caesars Head where—at 3,200 feet above sea level—the sweeping, panoramic views of the foothills below are unparalleled in their majesty.

Highway 11 also offers access to several of the state’s cascading waterfalls, including 420-foot Raven Cliff Falls, which plunges over the rocky outcroppings at Caesars Head.

History BuffsPlantation homes, original European

settlements and Revolutionary and Civil War battlefields encompass what the state parks have preserved of South Carolina’s abundant history.

The best place to start your tour of the past is at the beginning, at Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site, where the very first permanent European settlement was established in South Carolina.

Monthly cannon firings re-create the fear and uncertainty instilled in the early settlers, and living-history demonstrations bring other aspects of the 17th century back to life.

Civil War buffs can enjoy self-guided tours at Rivers Bridge State Historic Site, where still-intact earthen fortifications retell the clash between Union and Confederate troops at the Battle of Rivers Bridge.

Learn about the family and slaves who inhabited Redcliffe Plantation, home of Antebellum-era, South Carolina Governor James Henry Hammond. The home features many of its original 19th-century furnishings and its importance still resonates with African-Americans who can trace their roots to Redcliffe’s former inhabitants.

Family FunFour coastal parks offer families more

than crashing waves and spacious beaches. A climb to the top of South Carolina’s only publicly accessible lighthouse at Hunting Island may be a workout on the legs, but the bird’s-eye view from the top is worth every step. Family memories are made daily on Myrtle Beach State Park’s pier, the perfect spot to snag your first catch.

Nearly every major reservoir lake touches a state park, which is great news for a family full of water bugs. In the summertime, children can put their bravery to the test on the high dive at

Table Rock’s Pinnacle Lake or rent a canoe and explore the park from the water.

A family-friendly favorite in Charleston is the walk through the Animal Forest at Charles Towne Landing. Children can get an up-close look at animals once indigenous to the area including bison, pumas, otters and more.

Cabins and CampsExperiencing the state park system in a

single day is impossible. One of the best ways to fully appreciate the natural splendor is to stay overnight.

If solitude is what you seek, ride or paddle out to a boat-in campsite along Lake Jocassee at Devils Fork. The lake is one of South Carolina’s best-kept secrets and its pristine, stream-fed waters are almost completely untouched by development. RV campers favor Calhoun Falls State Park, which boasts some of the most coveted campsites, many of which offer unobstructed views of Lake Russell.

Numerous indoor accommodations are also available. Rustic, CCC-era cabins at Oconee are perfect for a quaint, mountain getaway and anglers looking for a weekend fishing trip on Lake Murray will find themselves right at home in the spacious villas at Dreher Island.

Download the mobile app at m.southcarolinaparks.com for a list of all 47 parks and amenities. Check out southcarolinaparks.com for even more trip-planning information.

State Parks: South Carolina has a Park for all Personalities


Food Festivals Fill the Calendar in South Carolina

Oysters and catfish and peaches and melons. Peanuts well boiled and grits by the gallon. If these

are a few of your favorite things, head to South Carolina.

Food festivals are a mainstay in the Palmetto State and they go on year-round, often beginning with oyster festivals, since those tasty mollusks are often considered best consumed during the “r” months.

Judging by the ancient shell rings and mounds still found in the marsh and maritime forest along the coast, oyster feasts have been going on for quite a while.

One of the biggest now is the Lowcountry Oyster Festival the last Sunday of January at historic Boone Hall Plantation near Charleston. Typically, about 65,000 pounds of oysters feed a group of humans of similar number.

Then spring hits and it’s time for another traditional southern favorite – the World Grits Festival in St. George. A highlight there is the grits-rolling contest (literally people rolling in grits) and, of course, grits served in far more savory fashion.

Come summer, it’s melon season in South Carolina and the oldest food festival of them all is the annual Hampton County Watermelon Festival in the picturesque Lowcountry town of Hampton.

South Carolina also is a major peach producer and there are several peach festivals on the menu, including the Lexington County Peach Festival that attracts tens of thousands of folks every Fourth of July to little Gilbert, not far from Columbia.

There’s also a peanut party and catfish feasts and the Bog Off, to see who can cook the best chicken bog, a traditional concoction of rice, chicken and vegetables from the state’s Pee Dee region. There’s even the Chitlin Strut, for those whose Thanksgiving holiday would not be complete without fried pig intestines.

And last but not least, there’s barbecue. In South Carolina that means chopped smoked pig and there’s a whole series of festivals and cooking competitions focused just on that savory subject.

Of course, vendors serving up the festival specialty are a highlight at every food festival, and there are the other

attractions that make these gathering such small-town classics – pageants, arts and crafts booths, parades and street dances are often on the schedule.

The state’s official tourism site at www.DiscoverSouthCarolina.com and its

culinary site at www.SavorSouth Carolina.com contain more complete lists of food festivals. For barbecue festivals, there’s also the South Carolina Barbeque Association Web site at www.scbarbeque.com. SCBJ

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Businesses Find Growth in South Carolina S outh Carolina is a state of business offering a world of

opportunity. We continue to prove that there is more to this state than beautiful places and smiling faces. The

Palmetto State’s appeal extends to its business-friendly policies, solid infrastructure, available building sites, skilled workforce and strong worker training programs. South Carolina is building a reputation as global economic leader; we are doing the right thing, the right way, and the world is taking notice.

The Palmetto State has become a leader in the manufacturing renaissance, with nearly 29,000 jobs and $7.8 billion in investments recruited since January 2011, a majority of which are new plant announcements or expansions of existing industry. In addition, the state’s total exports increased by 21 percent in 2011, ranking South Carolina’s export growth 14th in the nation.

From planes to trains to automobiles, the Palmetto State offers seamless connectivity for businesses wanting to put down roots and grow here. SCBJ

New Home vs. Resale Warranties

W hether you’re a homeowner wanting to protect a valuable investment, a real estate agent or builder wanting to protect your reputation, a home warranty

takes the stress out of home ownership by adding a sense of security. Separate from homeowner’s insurance, a warranty covers major systems and appliances that malfunction or break due to normal wear and tear, as well as the foundation on which a home is built. When considering protection options for your home, it is important to look for one that offers structural defects, systems and appliances coverage.

With 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty® (2-10 HBW®), when a covered system breaks down, a claim can be placed online or via phone, and 2-10 HBW will promptly dispatch a contractor to make the repair. Warranties limit the repair cost, remove the hassle of finding a trusted contractor and, in the event that a system or appliance cannot be fixed, replace the item in question to comparable or better quality.

Warranties can also extend to other areas of the home, including structure and workmanship. What a warranty covers will vary based on a few factors; first, it will depend on whether the home is newly built.

Structural WarrantiesWith newly built homes, builders frequently offer home buyers

a structural warranty, or home buyers may request them. The most important factor to consider is that there are many options.

For a builder or homeowner, a warranty from a solid, insurance-backed provider gives you a contract that’s clearly defined and 24/7 customer service for questions or claims. For builders, a warranty offers a strong position in the market that differentiates your business.

2-10 HBW offers a 10-year structural warranty for new homes that includes insurance-backed structural defect coverage on

qualified load-bearing components, starting from the day of closing. This is the most-used and best-recognized warranty in the business. 2-10 HBW also offers one-year and two-year surety coverage on new homes. These cover workmanship for one year and systems (mechanical, electrical, plumbing) for two years respectively, should the builder be unable or unwilling to fulfill their warranty obligation. 2-10 HBW offers comprehensive coverage for the majority of newly constructed home types.

Resale WarrantiesProvided at the closing of sale via seller or real estate agent

resale, systems and appliances warranties typically cover the repair or replacement of the most frequent and likely home system and appliance breakdowns, including major systems (furnace, hot water heater, air conditioner, plumbing and electrical systems) and major appliances (refrigerator, oven, dishwasher, built-in microwave, disposal, trash compactor).

Resale warranties can help real estate agents differentiate listings and give buyers confidence in their purchase. Free listing coverage* from 2-10 HBW gives a home protection while it’s on the market. Ultimately, a resale warranty transfers the risk and adds security to a home to ensure a smooth transaction and happy homeowner.

More than 30 years. More than 5.5. million homes.2-10 HBW offers three decades of solid claims history, an

unmatched reputation and the most specialized experience in the business, not to mention the best coverage. 2-10 HBW also offers the most comprehensive and competitively priced warranties available, nationwide.

For more information on warranty offerings and interactive demos, visit www.2-10.com.

*During the listing period with a commitment to purchase buyer’s coverage at the time of closing. Not available in FL or CA . SCBJ

A Sense of Security, a Happy Homeby Anne Svetlik, Risk Management specialist for 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty

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T he major difference between new construction and a typical remodeling job is the “wildlife.” Yes, there are

people living in and on your construction site: your customers. You might say, “But, I don’t ignore my customers. I focus on their desire for finely-crafted, functional, and well-designed spaces.”

Yet if you remodel occupied homes, your safety program often ignores the risks your work poses to the customer. Don’t forget to package your proposals with a proactive consumer-conscious safety strategy.

Sit down with your customerBefore you begin work, share your commitment to a safe

work environment with every customer. You, your subcontractors, and your customers all play a role in safety. Set your expectations for what customers should do to steer clear of the hazards. Talk the family through the inherent hazards (electrical, fall, and vehicle, for example) that renovations pose to them and how you plan to mitigate them.

When you communicate respect and a concern for your customers’ safety, you build more than a powerful risk management plan. You prime the pump for future referrals. Many risk management methods accomplish both.

What better example than good housekeeping? With an onsite dumpster and mandated daily clean-up, customers and their visitors won’t be subjected to the hazards of tools, cords, exposed nails, and scrap—or how unsightly it can be. You show respect for the customers’ living spaces and protect them from jobsite hazards simultaneously, with the same risk management technique.

The average customer has no idea of the hazards that fall protection mitigates. Talk through the layers of protection your safety program provides for them. First, always use OSHA-compliant ramps or stairs instead of walkboards or planks for entrance and egress. Inclines greater than 30 inches require handrails as well. While you don’t want to encourage unwanted visitors in a construction zone, you want to provide safe entry and exit for customers who occupy their homes during a renovation. Second, install temporary rails on any unprotected openings such as window openings, open-sided stairs, or landings. During the drywall stage, remodelers often overlook this formidable fall exposure. Third, protect any open trenches with orange safety fencing, guardrails, or other barricades. Finally, be vigilant in protecting both workers and customers from falling objects (especially if your project involves scaffolding).

Explain that you will provide signage and fencing or barricades to create a construction perimeter, which keeps unwanted visitors out and construction materials, machinery, and equipment in.

Your hiring practices will also win big points in your customers’ eyes. Describe how you and your

subs run criminal background checks as part of your pre-employment screening processes so customers feel safe and sound with these employees working in their homes.

Remember to reinforce these messages with your subs, even detailing your expectations in your subcontractor agreements. Again, you,

your subs, and your customers share the responsibility for safety on the jobsite.

Get it in writingAfter your chat, document your commitment to your safety

program in your formal proposal to your customer. Also include a sample change order, and explain how any requested changes will impact the original quote and timeline. CYA: cover your…“affairs,” right? Require signed change orders for any project deviations after the original contract has been signed.

Only surprise your customer with small added touches, such as employees reporting for work in company shirts and keeping their personal business away from the jobsite (i.e. smoking or making calls). This added layer of respect and professionalism will impress customers and encourage them to be forgiving of any unexpected issues that arise.

Dot each “i” in “Builders Risk Policy”You need more than a written safety policy. You need a

Builders Risk policy; each of your jobs should have this insurance coverage. If you predominantly remodel buildings (constructed in the last 40-50 years) and specialize in cosmetic upgrades as opposed to structural overhauls, you’re a prime candidate for a Builders Mutual Builders Risk policy. On the other hand, if you chiefly provide more extensive renovation work, further underwriting will be necessary.

Are you remodeling something you plan to flip or is your renovation at the homeowner’s request? Do you want to require your customers to include coverage for the structure in their homeowners’ policies and only include the value of improvements in your Builders Risk policy to save the difference in premium? As a trade contractor doing specialized remodeling work, will you opt for an Installation policy instead? Its coverage, targeting your specialty, offers a lower rate than a true Builders Risk policy (based on installation receipts). Regardless of your business plan, your agent can help you find the right coverage.

Remodeling work means a host of differentiating hazards to consider in your risk management strategy. Go ahead, remodel yours. Let it leave a lasting impression on your customers that will surely translate into future referrals.

For more free risk management resources, visit www.builders-mutual.com/RM. SCBJ

Knowledge BuilderTips from your industry experts at Builders Mutual

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