What is a Registered Builder?
Why You Should Use a Registered Builder?
The purchase of a new home opens doors of opportunity. It is exciting to be able to get what you want in a home. The question is, what do you look for? You will probably want to include the most modern conveniences in electronics and security. You will want to make sure that your home is constructed with quality building techniques and that the materials used are the best value for your budget. Your new home should also incorporate the latest in energy efficiency.
These are just a few of the many items to consider when looking for a new home. But if you miss one other detail, all of the rest may not matter. You need to be certain to choose a professional builder.
Most of us know what to look for when choosing a physician or an attorney. There are established industry credentials that we rely on to provide us with guidance in choosing the person who is best qualified for our situation. In the home building industry, that is not always the case. When looking for a professional builder you want someone who:
• Is informed on new products
• Is linked to a network of industry professionals on the local, state and national level
• Has a commitment to continuing education
• Has the ability to address special building issues/techniques
• Has access to a conciliation process should problems arise that cannot be easily resolved
If these are the qualities you are looking for in the builder of your new home, we have the builder for you. Actually, we have the builders for you – Registered Builders of the Home Builders Association of Louisville. As a member of the Home Builders Association of Louisville, Registered Builders are automatically members of the Home Builders Association of Kentucky and the National Association of Home Builders. These three organizations combine to provide Registered Builders with an unmatched network of information on the latest in home construction techniques, products, codes, environmental issues, etc.
What is a Registered Builder?
A Registered Builder is not simply a title that can be purchased and displayed on company vehicles and advertising. A Registered Builder is a professional designation granted to a builder who meets specific requirements. In order to become a Registered Builder, an applicant must:
• Have experience in the home or commercial construction profession for a specified period of time
• Have demonstrated financial and on-site responsibilities
• Be a full-time professional who derives his or her principal income from construction and/or related real estate activities
• Submit the names of previous customers as references
• Have Registered Builder sponsors with personal knowledge of the applicants construction activity and business integrity
• Must have acceptable credit history
• Appear before a committee of Registered Builders for a personal interview
• Must agree to take part in continuing education
• Must agree to abide by the Code of Ethics of the Home Builders Association of Louisville
• Must agree to a conciliation process and/or binding arbitration in the event of an unresolved complaint from a customer All of these factors combine to provide you with an assurance that you are dealing with a professional who is dedicated to providing you with a quality home.
What is the advantage of choosing a Registered Builder?
Two of the most important factors that provide consumers with an advantage when choosing a Registered Builder are education and access to an established conciliation process.
The Home Builders Association of Louisville provides an education program that is unparalleled. It is designed for both builders who are just getting started in the industry as well as Registered Builders who want to enhance their knowledge of various aspects of the home building industry. The program is divided into four major categories:
1. Building Basics
2. Business
3. Total Quality Management
4. Sales and Marketing
The 80-hour curriculum available gives Registered Builders an advantage when it comes to building a business that provides customers with the best possible product. The classes are taught by builders and industry professionals who have a commitment to equipping builders with the tools they need to build better homes for their customers and as a result a better business.
A second advantage of choosing a Registered Builder is access to an established conciliation process. Should you have a complaint that you cannot resolve with your builder, the Home Builders Association of Louisville will provide two of its Registered Builder Committee members to act as conciliators. They will meet with you and the builder at your home and attempt to help the two of you to reach a mutually agreeable resolution of the problem. If the conciliators are unsuccessful, either the homeowner or the builder may elect at their expense, to arbitrate their dispute with an independent arbitration service mutually acceptable to them. This two-tiered process provides consumers with the opportunity to resolve the problem without the added expense of attorneys and legal fees where the issue often becomes clouded by legal jargon.
When you’re planning a new home, you’re planning the investment of a lifetime. As with any major investment, it makes sense to deal with a professional -- a Registered Builder member of the Home Builders Association of Louisville. For a list of Registered Builders, contact the Home Builders Association of Louisville at (502)429-6000 or e-mail Margie Brangers at margie@hbal.com.