Industry News Archives - Residential Contractor

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Mosaic is a rapidly growing provider of consumer financing for the modern home. We empower contractors with the option to offer their customers financing for home improvement projects. The net gain is a win-win for both the contractor and the customer. Mosaic makes financing home improvement easy and affordable for homeowners with the simplest borrower experience available. As the market leader in solar lending, Mosaic has originated more than $2 billion in loans to date and works directly with leading home energy companies and contractors to make solar, high-efficient windows,…

California Growth and the Construction Paradox

As the Golden State leads the way in job opportunity, a lack of housing keeps positions unfilled By CHRISTOPHER THORNBERG, PHD It is often said that generals always fight the last war—and this applies to that still highly overused and abused political catchphrase, “jobs, jobs, jobs.” Such rhetoric about creating new jobs continues to be attached to the rollout of almost any new government policy, regardless of the veracity or relevance of the claim. Times change, as do economic realities, and creating jobs is not our challenge or problem today….

Solutions to the Construction Labor Crisis

According to a new report from the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC), half of surveyed companies are finding it difficult to fill positions in the field as well as in the office BY PATRICK DUFFY In general, it’s a great time to be working in the building industry. Annualized single-family new home sales in November 2017 rose nearly 27 percent year-over-year to 733,000 units, while construction spending for the year rose to a record high of $1.26 trillion. Annualized housing starts reached nearly 1.3 million by the end of…

Building a Defense Against AB 1701

By Katherine Sandberg, Fisher Phillips A contentious new law in California is reshaping the potential liability of builders for unpaid wage claims, and contractors must be prepared. AB 1701 applies to private construction contracts that are entered into on or after January 1, 2018. The law makes general contractors liable for unpaid wages or fringe benefits that a subcontractor may owe to any worker. Under the new law, the California Labor Commissioner, unions and joint labor management cooperation committees may all bring private actions up to one year after the…

DreamMaker of Ann Arbor Gives Girl Scouts Complete Kitchen Makeover

From bleak and tired to refreshed and fun When the Ann Arbor chapter of the Girl Scouts asked a local remodeling franchise for an estimate on sprucing up their kitchen they got a surprise: DreamMaker Bath & Kitchen of Ann Arbor donated a complete kitchen makeover. “We are already a proud sponsor of the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan, so we knew what we needed to do,” says Bob Ender “Anything to keep those cookies coming.” Sherwin Williams of Ann Arbor, ProSource of Romulus, Snider Electric and Big George’s, also…

Way Ahead of Schedule – Whirlpool Corporation Meets Two Sustainability Goals Early

The journey to sustainability is a long and winding road with many hurdles along the way. When four sustainability goals were reaffirmed in 2014, Whirlpool Corporation set out on a path to improve its environmental impact and set attainable goals for long-term success. Now, through a combination of accelerated projects and acquisition synergies, the company has managed to reach two of those targets three years early. In its recently released 2016 Sustainability Report, Whirlpool Corporation shared that it exceeded its objectives to reduce both energy and water intensity from manufacturing…

Builder Confidence Drops Three Points As Hurricanes Add Uncertainty

Builder confidence in the market for newly-built single-family homes fell three points to a level of 64 in September from a downwardly revised August reading of 67 on the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI)

RoyOMartin Rebrands, Expands its Eclipse™ Product Line

Updated nomenclature better defines the products, their uses and benefits RoyOMartin has unveiled updated branding for its popular Eclipse™ line of radiant barrier oriented strand board (OSB) sheathing products and expanded the line. Alexandria, La.-based RoyOMartin manufactures OSB and plywood at plants in Louisiana and soon in Texas. “Eclipse ™ Air & Moisture Barrier is a panel and tape method that integrates the energy efficiency of a radiant barrier and the benefits associated with diffusing vapor and air in a single housewrap product,” said Leigh Ann Purvis, RoyOMartin’s marketing…

Joint Employer Bill Would Provide Clarity and Certainty to Small Businesses

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) today urged Congress to pass the bipartisan Save Local Business Act, legislation that would boost housing affordability and provide small businesses certainty and predictability by clarifying under law what constitutes a joint employer. Testifying before two subcommittees of the House Education and Workforce Committee, NAHB Chairman Granger MacDonald, a home builder and developer from Kerrville, Texas, said, “The line that once clearly separated two employers is so blurry that neither I nor others in our industry can see where it lies. As…

Essential Home Soundproofing Tips for Contractors

In residential homes, condos and multi-family apartments, protecting occupants from recurring, excessive noise has become a growing and increasingly important part of the renovation business. By doing so, contractors can not only generate more revenue but also literally improve the quality of life of appreciative homeowners or tenants. Noise can come from both exterior and interior sources. Locations near busy streets must suffer vehicle traffic, sirens, alarms, squealing tires and brakes, not to mention passing trains and airplanes. Neighbors that share a common wall often must endure loud, thumping loud…