This time of year, just as in the spring, we experience several calls about outside faucets leaking. That usually means someone has forgotten to disconnect the hose on the nights we have a light freeze. Why does this happen? First of all, most faucets are not designed to allow a hose to remain connected during a freeze. Even a “frost proof” faucet is not designed to have a hose connected during freezing weather. A “frost proof” faucet is designed to allow the water to drain out of the faucet when turned off. The stem is usually 6″ to 8″ back in the wall, allowing the water to drain out. When a hose is left hooked up, it allows the water to siphon back into the pipe. The water freezes and the pipe expands, usually causing a split in the pipe. Many people don’t realize the hose was hooked up for just one evening, and always tell us there was no hose hooked up. We know otherwise, as the faucet would not have frozen and split. SO DISCONNECT THAT HOSE EVERY TIME YOU USE IT.

• Meyer Plumbing

It’s a good time to have your furnace system serviced and your fireplaces serviced. Nothing worse than realizing a small amount of preventative maintenance could have saved an uncomfortable evening and an expensive service call for a replacement part.

• Chapman Heating and Cooling
• Prudential HVAC
• Energy Control

All fireplaces should be checked to make sure they are in good working order and are safe to use. Even the engineered gas fireplaces should be checked and serviced.

• Fireplace Distributors

We also recommend the electric panel be looked at yearly. Why? Where the main wire feeds enter the electric box and are inserted into a lug, these can work loose over time, as the wire can expand slightly and contract slightly, allowing the lug to loosen somewhat. This can lead to an unsafe situation, and can allow for the main breaker to get hot and burn out. It sometimes leads to the entire panel box needing to be replaced.

• Crider Electric

Sump pumps occasionally get a breather in the winter months. However, if the water table rises, and we have a wet fall and winter, it still has to do its job. We recommend you test the sump pump(s) every 30 days, allowing you to know it is in working condition.

• Meyer Plumbing

This is also a great time to check your septic tank if you are on a septic system. The growth over or around the septic tank is more easily accessed this time of year than it is in the spring. It also gives you the opportunity to make any repairs if required, and get any areas ready for seeding in the spring.

Find a HBAL member who can help. www.hbal.com

Having just changed our clocks to EST, change those batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

If you have any questions concerning the above, give us a call at (502) 244-0114, email me at perry@pllyons.com or fill out our handy Ask a Question Form. I might even write a blog post to answer it!

For updated information concerning industry related issues and comments, follow us on Twitter.

Rocky Pusateri of Elite Homes talks about many of the benefits of building a Homearama home in 2012 at Shakes Run.

We figure Rocky hit on all the high points, so we’ll list the bullets here and you can watch the quick video for the rest. He summarizes it well as he usually does.

• Shakes Run gives you the feel of the country (think Spencer or Shelby county but without the bedroom community feel) but has the city life within three miles at the Gene Snyder in Middletown (think churches, Target, Kroger, schools, and restaurants like Wild Eggs).
• A home in Shakes Run (or any Homearama site) would give you an instant value. As Rocky states, many of the contractors and subcontractors want to put their best foot forward. Often times they are willing to discount new products or services in order to get the massive free publicity that a Homearama home gives.
• Shakes Run has lots of green space, lakes, and many walk out wooded lots. Balance this with a clubhouse and pool, and you have the suburbs meet the country.

Perry Lyons of P.L. Lyons just finished up a home in Shakes Run. He knows the ground, the restrictions, and the process. He’s also a respected builder in the community, and serves alongside Rocky on the board at the HBAL. Needless to say, we’d love to build a contract home or Homearama home for you at Shakes Run.

If you’d like to visit Shakes Run, we’d he happy to give you the nickel tour, simply fill out this convenient form or call us at 244-0114 to set it up.

Here’s a quick, fun video of us at the scramble. This is an annual event. We always announce upcoming scrambles and events on our blog, so be sure to follow along if you’re interested in participating next year.

The Home Builders Association of Louisville (HBAL) will be having its annual golf outing at Quail Chase on Monday, September 12 from 11 AM to 5 PM.

This is a very popular event that draws nearly 210 golfers each year. The outing consists of a golf scramble, hole-in-one, closest-to-the-hole contests, and a nail driving contest. Golfers are treated to complimentary beverages and snacks throughout the day and each golfer receives a special gift. Immediately following golf, a free buffet is served.

I’ll be at the event so if you’d like to get a team together, please let me know. Or, you can read more about the golf outing here.

Here’s something you might not know about the HBAL. You don’t have to be a registered builder in order to be a member. They also have affiliate and associate membership opportunities available. You can read more about membership benefits and opportunities on the website, or contact me if you have any questions.

I hope to see you on the golf course!

The building industry—much like any other industry—is constantly changing and improving. If you’re one to keep up with the latest trends in design, decor, and building products, then you probably should be aware of Professional Builder Magazine’s list of the best new products for 2011.

Each year, the editors of Professional Builder and Professional Remodeler check out the newest products, finishes, and systems for residential construction and come up with a list of 101 best new products, then lump them into categories such as outdoor living, kitchen and bath, structural, and more. Read more about how the editors choose the winners here.

Here are some of the products that caught our eye this year:

• Kohler’s ultra-lux Numi toilet
• Blanco Solon Compost System
• Sterling Lawson Air Massage bath
• Azek’s In-Deck Storage Kit
• Kolbe Folding Door Systems

View the entire list of winners by category and read more about each product. Want more information about building or remodeling? Then check out our website.

If you live in Louisville, you probably know about Homearama. This event happens every year and this year it’s sure to be as exciting as ever. It’s being held at Norton Commons, a new, traditional community in Prospect.

This community is very unique, and the architecture of the homes here are unlike what you might see in many new subdivisions today. The styles are more traditional, with some even having a farmhouse feel. It’s definitely a unique neighborhood and if you can make it out, you won’t be disappointed. It’s expected to be one of the biggest and most exciting Homearama events Louisville has seen.

Here are some details to keep in mind:

• Twenty-one homes all on one street will be displayed, providing easy walking from home to home
• You’ll have access to the amenities that Norton Commons has to offer such as shops and restaurants
• It begins on Saturday, July 16 and runs through the end of the month
• The Home builders Association of Louisville is a sponsor and offers a link for a coupon on its website
• Ticket prices: $10 for adults, $15 for a two-day pass
• Hours: weekdays 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.,Saturdays 10 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Sundays 1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
• Directions: Exit Highway 22 (Brownsboro Road). Proceed approximately 1 mile to Highway 1694 (Old Brownsboro Road) and turn left. Norton Commons is approximately 0.6 miles on the left. Look for yellow Homearama signs.

Even if you aren’t looking to buy or build a custom home, you can still get great design ideas for your next remodeling project and have a chance to experience this one-of-a-kind community.

Keep us in mind if you plan on building or remodeling in the future.

Here’s how the Home and Garden Show fared in our eyes.

On Friday and Saturday there were a steady flow of people just out looking for education and information. Of course, just like at any trade show, there were the usual “stuff grabbers.” You know the ones, equipped with two bags and looking for any widgets they can score. Most seemed to stop at our booth and take a DVD or a brochure. Some asked questions. Most of the interest we saw on Friday and Saturday was around remodeling or home improvements.

The show was not quite as large as years past which makes sense given the state of the economy. There were plenty of TVs to watch the NCAA games, and the same good fairgrounds food. The show is always a great opportunity to connect with friends in our industry, see our subcontractors in a more informal way, and get a pulse on the market.

Sunday after about 3:00 the traffic at our booth really picked up. Sunday from 3:00-5:00 was the best time (after the ball games but before the selection show). During that window alone we had four quality leads.

First were a couple of good remodel leads, then a custom home lead, plus four appointments.

We also had a handful of people sign up to receive our monthly email newsletter.

Overall, I would consider it a successful show! By the way, check out the Home and Garden Show’s website to search for information you may have missed.

If you read my newsletter this weekend, you may have noticed that I’ll be attending the Home Garden & Remodeling Show again this year.

The show runs from March 11-13 at the Kentucky Expo Center and is produced by the Home Builders Association of Louisville. Exhibitors at the show will be offering information on any home-related topic you can think of.

I’ll be exhibiting a full booth this year and will be talking to people about custom home building and remodeling. I’d love for you to stop by my booth and say hi. If you have any questions about home remodeling, improvements, or custom home building, please make sure to ask.

Also, I’ll be collecting business cards at the booth. Be sure to drop yours in for a chance to win a prize.

We look forward to seeing you at the show!

P.S. It’s worth the trip out for a famous Ky fairgrounds pork chop sandwich. Also, if you have the time, the Kentucky State Fair flea market is in town.

Although we’re doing many creative things with our inbound marketing, we still realize you can’t pass on the chance to get your name out in an event of this scale.

We’d like to thank the Homebuilders Association for organizing the event and Trend Appliances for their main sponsorship.

Three reasons we gleaned for getting an annual booth in this event:

1) You get your name out there and you can get a few leads. One lead that turns into a paying customer probably pays for most of the cost. Then the rest of the exposure is just gravy.

2) You get to say hi to all the old faces you’ve done business with over the years. They keep getting older but they also get a little wiser too.

3) You get the pulse on the industry. You can walk around and see who is still in the game, who’s new, and what innovative products catch your eye.

We gave away some Lowe’s gift cards to individuals who signed up for our monthly newsletter. They will be contacted directly via the email address they used to register. We have some more cards for a future contest or promotion.

My answer, “It’s hard”. Those of us that have been here for a while, know that we will face ups and downs in the market. We knew that in tough times like the late 1970’s to early 1980’s, we had to diversify to survive those economic changes. Those times had different challenges, as lending was available, but at peak rates. We paid 18-21% for construction loans, and 30 year mortgage rates were at 14-16%. We ventured into other types of businesses. We got involved in light commercial work, remodeling, and even into other types of retail sales. We did what we had to do to survive.

As for my friend, he has never seen this part of the business, and this downturn is especially difficult. Although 30 year mortgage rates are at an all time low and construction rates remain low, it is extremely difficult to secure constructions loans for speculative building. Even with the all time low 30 year rates buyers are wary, waiting for the economy to strengthen before they buy.

How does the smaller volume builder continue in the next few months, or through the next couple of years? With the new tax credits coming to an end, will our market shrink even more? Did the tax credits help us anyway? As I see it, yes to both. We may not have sold a house to the first time home buyer, but we did sell the customer who sold their house to the first time buyer. Their sale occurred as result of the $8,000.00 new home buyer credit. So yes the credits spurred sales.

With the tax credits drying up, how do we now attract buyers in this lean market? It seems the larger volume builders have a greater advantage, as they can cut their margins, allowing them to out sell the smaller volume builder. They offer “buy down” rates offering 30 year mortgages at below market. They attract the buyer and secure more sales. How do we compete with that?

The smaller volume builder can do the same. Many banking institutions are willing to help with programs like the ones I’ve mentioned, if the end result is them closing an open construction loan and possibly allowing you to start a new project. This helps with cash flow, and relieves your equity in the house. Margins become a bit smaller, but in the long run, it’s a win win win. The builder sells, the buyer gets the “deal of a lifetime”, and the bank continues loaning; therefore continuing to profit.

I told my friend to “work hard and keep the faith”.  As I’ve said before, “these times too shall pass”.