The North Carolina Home Builders Association held several Regional Training Forums across the state recently. As the Region 9 Vice President it was my privilege to host the event in our region and encourage local associations to attend.
The meeting was held at Silver Creek Plantation in Morganton, NC on a beautiful February morning. The NCHBA president, treasurer and two lobbyists attended, as well as almost all the local associations from our region! The purpose of this meeting was to help educate and train the newly installed local association officers.
We made a presentation on all the accomplishments of the North Carolina Home Builders Association over the past year. These included many legislative actions such as the “Exempt Builders’ Inventory from Property Taxation- HB168” and “Prohibited Aesthetic Controls of One- and Two -Family Dwellings- SB25”. Both these new laws will help our industry return to better economic standings and help keep housing safe and affordable for you. Most people do not know that the NCHBA does a lot of lobbying for homeowner rights as well. The aesthetic control bill will prohibit local government from determining what color you may paint your home, what types of exterior cladding you may use, or the slope of your roof. We want to protect your rights!
Questions to ask regarding your contractor’s insurance policies
A presentation by Builders Mutual Insurance described safety training, typical places that people get hurt, and also a mutual refund for policyholders. It is especially important as a homeowner to know that the contractor you choose has all the appropriate insurance policies. Are their company trucks and non-company trucks covered in a claim? If an accident occurs, will your home be covered? Remember to ask for an insurance certificate that shows worker’s compensation, general liability, and a business auto policy. If they’re a legitimate business, they will not hesitate to have their agent send you a signed certificate.
My favorite portion of the training forum was determining the personality type of each person present. We all took tests to determine if we were lions, beavers, otters, or golden retrievers. Most of the builders/remodelers in attendance turned out to be lions. This indicates their leadership qualities and their ability to make prompt decisions. Take the quiz here and see which your personality favors.
The meeting was a great time for networking with industry leaders. I enjoyed facilitating the meeting and encouraging others through my experiences. I think we all left with a great outlook on the horizon.
