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Florida Swimming Pool Construction Report – August 2016

Posted on September 21, 2016 by Erika Carruth

With a month-over-month increase of 37% in swimming pool construction, Florida had more than 2,100 swimming pool starts in August.

FL Pool Report

From a monthly perspective, things are looking up in Florida on the swimming pool front. Last month, there were 2,124 new swimming pool construction permits and approximately $87.5M in construction value added to the HBW database. Out of the five major regions of the state (SW, SE, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville), every area experienced a boost in activity, and the Southwest led the Sunshine State for total new swimming pool permits having experienced a 20% increase in new construction activity since July; there were 623 swimming pool starts and more than $26M in construction value in the area last month.

The Southeast region was also on the upswing with 484 new swimming pool permits and more than $20.1M in total value – a 51% increase in swimming pool construction in comparison to July. Coming in close and third highest for total new permits, Orlando saw a 49% month-over-month increase with 467 new permits and close to $18.2M in construction value.

The Tampa area had a 29% spike in new swimming pool construction last month. In Tampa more than 100 builders were active and had a combined total of nearly 350 swimming pool starts and more than $15.3M in construction value. Although Jacksonville had the fewest new pool permits on file for the month (202 permits, $7.8M+ total value), the area had the greatest month-over-month increase of 55%.

FL Pool Permits by Area – August 2016

The average value of swimming pool construction was fairly consistent and parallel across the state in August. Although all areas were within a $6,000 range of one another, Tampa jumped up three spots since July and was #1 with the highest average value of $44,058. The southwest region was up one spot since July and second highest in August with an average value of $41,769. The southeast area dropped from the top spot in one month to #3 in August with an average construction value of $41,584. Orlando and Jacksonville were comparable and both had an average value close to $39k.

FL Average Value of New Pool Construction – August 2016

When looking at the contractors leading new swimming pool construction, the results are varied and specific to each given area. In Orlando, All Seasons set the bar with 70 new permits and more than $2.3M in construction value. In the southwest area, Aragon Pools and Spas came out on top with 56 starts and nearly $1.9M in total value. In Tampa, Tampa Bay Pools led with 39 new swimming pool construction permits and close to $2.2M in construction value. To the north in Jacksonville, Pools by John Clarkson had 13 swimming pool starts and approximately $533k in total value. In Southeast Florida, Sunsational Pools and Spas had 20 new permits totaling nearly $405K last month. Here’s a closer look at the top five in each region:

FL Top Pool Builders Total Permits - August 2016

FL Top Swimming Pool Builders Total Permits – August 2016

Breaking down the latest reports by county, the county of Palm Beach in South Florida was a standout last month. Being one of the largest counties in the state, Palm Beach had 223 swimming pool starts and close to $9M in total construction value. The southwest region also had counties with greater concentrations of new swimming pool construction with the counties of Lee (173 permits), Collier (146 permits) and Manatee (124 permits) all making the top five last month. Orange County in Orlando also made the top five coming in at #3 with 158 swimming pool starts and nearly $6.6M in total value.

FL Top Counties for New Swimming Pool Permits – August 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Florida swimming pool construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Florida Housing Starts on a High in August

Posted on September 16, 2016 by Erika Carruth

New residential construction has been steady through the summer months with the exception of August, as there was a month-over-month uptick of 27%.

FL HBW Home report

In August, new residential construction was on a high in the Sunshine State, the highest since the start of summer. With just about 5,600 new permits and close to $1.6B in construction value added to the HBW database, every major region from the top to the bottom of the state experienced a month-over-month increase ranging from 21% to 40%.

The Orlando area continues to draw many major businesses creating a demand for new residential construction. The Central Florida region was up a whopping 36% since July with 1,459 housing starts and more than $449M in total value. The bulk (nearly half) of new construction in the Orlando area took place in the central county of Orange. Orange County was also #1 in the state for the most housing starts on file for the given period.

Running a close second, the Tampa area was also up since July with a 21% increase in activity, 1,405 housing starts and more than $366M in construction value.

Moving further to the south, the southwest region of the state was also up having a month-over-month increase of 23%. In the southwest area there wasn’t a standout county for total new activity as new residential construction was widespread and dispersed somewhat evenly across all counties. Charlotte County was on the lower end of total housing starts (89 permits) while Lee County was on the higher end of the spectrum with 317 housing starts for the month.

There was a 21% spike in housing starts in Jacksonville in comparison to July. The northeast metro area had 924 housing starts for the month and close to $240M in total construction value. The county of St. Johns experienced the most housing starts (377 permits), while Putnam County saw very little new residential construction activity as there were only three permits on file for the area last month.

The southeast region of Florida continues to lead in average value of new construction, but the total number of housing starts is on the lower end for Florida. Although the area is lowest of the five major regions for total new permits, August was booming as the southeast experienced approximately a 40% month-over-month increase in housing starts. Out of the 633 new residential construction permits and $215M in total value on file with HBW, Palm Beach County maintained its lead for total housing starts in the area each month.

FL Total Residential Construction Permits – August 2016

When looking at the average value of housing starts, the five major regions of Florida have maintained the same rank/position through July and August. Although the average value of housing starts in the southeast dropped since July, the area is still #1 with an average value of $338,963 for August. Orlando, Jacksonville and the southwest region all experienced slight month-over-month increases in average value of housing starts with less than a $10k increase since July. The Tampa area has continued to be steady throughout the summer and ranked fourth highest for average value of new residential construction ($260,914).

FL Average Value of New Residential Construction – August 2016

When narrowing our focus to counties with the highest concentration of new residential construction, Orange County in Orlando has demonstrated strength with approximately a 45% month-over-month increase in housing starts and more than $250M in construction value last month. Hillsborough County in Tampa was second highest; with a 34% increase in activity in comparison to July, Hillsborough County had 545 housing starts and nearly $182M in construction on file with HBW for August. Up two spots since July and with more than a 37% month-over-month increase in starts, St. Johns County of Jacksonville ranked third highest with 377 new residential construction permits and more than $106M in total construction value.

FL Top Counties for Total New Permits – August 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Florida residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

HBW Report: Texas Residential Construction – August 2016

Posted on September 14, 2016 by Erika Carruth

HBW has more than 6,100 new residential construction permits on file for Texas in August, and Houston held its lead for the most housing starts for the month.

tx-map-metro

Last month, the Texas metro areas of Houston, Dallas, Austin and San Antonio had a combined total of 6,118 housing starts and nearly $1.5B in total construction value; this is a 19% increase in new residential construction in comparison to July, and Houston remained on top with nearly 2,500 new permits and more than $484M in construction value last month. Although Houston experienced a month-over-month increase of more than 17%, it was not alone in monthly growth for housing starts; two other metro areas experienced a high for the summer as well. Dallas was up nearly 22% in comparison to July with 2,205 permits and was highest for total construction value of any one metro area ($663M+). Austin experienced the greatest month-over-month increase of 29% with 1,004 housing starts and a total value close to $222M. Although San Antonio did not see a spike in new residential construction last month, the area has remained consistent and steady over the last few months with 443 housing starts and more than $92M in construction value for August.

Texas New Residential Construction Permit by Area - August 2016

Texas New Residential Construction Permits by Area – August 2016

When looking at the average value of new residential construction, half of the metro areas were slightly up for the month, while the other half dropped in comparison to July. Dallas has been consistent as a leader when it comes to higher value construction. Holding steady and having experienced a minimal increase, Dallas had an average residential construction value of $300,724 last month. Austin’s average value for housing starts dropped in comparison to July and was $220,922 for August. The average value of new residential construction in San Antonio also dropped month-over-month to $207,784. On the other hand, Houston has remained a powerhouse in new residential construction in the Lone Star State. As previously mentioned, Houston has been leading for total new residential construction permits this summer, and although it has the lowest average value of new residential construction ($196,452), the average value of housing starts was up by 7% in comparison to July.

Texas Average Value of Residential Construction – August 2016

When narrowing our focus to a county perspective, five counties have continued to lead in housing starts this summer. In August, the lineup for the top five counties remained the same as July, but there were some shifts in positioning. Harris County in Houston has been a standout leader for new residential construction so far this year. With a month-over-month increase of 12% for total permits, Harris maintained its spot at #1 with 1,256 housing starts and nearly $245M in construction value. In Dallas, Collin County jumped up one spot as it saw a major month-over-month increase of more than 70% in housing starts; Collin has 857 new residential construction permits and more than $268M in value on file with HBW for the month. Also experiencing a spike since July, Travis County in Austin jumped two spots with a 23% increase in activity (535 permits) and nearly $109M in construction value. Just as in July, Houston’s county of Fort Bend held steady in fourth for housing starts with 470 new permits and more than $75M in total value. Following close behind, Tarrant County (Dallas) dropped three spots since July to #5 with 439 housing starts and a total construction value in excess of $106M.

Texas Top 5 Counties for New Resid. Permits – August 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Texas residential construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

What to Know About the Overtime Rule

Posted on September 9, 2016 by Erika Carruth

New rules for overtime will be in place as of December 2016, and there are some important changes to know about in order to be prepared.

YouTube video by US Dept. of Labor

Overtime – Not a favorite topic, but it is rampant in the construction industry. From large projects, tight deadlines and shrinking labor pools, overtime has become commonplace. But don’t get too comfortable… You may deal with overtime every pay period, but how you handle it will change due to new overtime regulations that will go into effect on December 1, 2016.

Significant changes are ahead for the way exempt employees will be paid. To put it simply, overtime pay (time-and-a-half) will apply to salaried employees who are paid less than $47,476 per year. Essentially, the overtime salary threshold will be raised making all workers below this threshold eligible for overtime pay. With this change, the employer has options pertaining to the handling of overtime and may choose to exercise one or a combination of the following:

Raise the employee’s salary above $47,476/year.
Maintain the current salary (below $47,476/year), and pay overtime when applicable (above 40 hours) at an hourly rate of time-and-a-half.
Limit workers’ time to 40 hours per week.

The Final Rule focuses primarily on updating the salary and compensation levels needed for Executive, Administrative and Professional workers to be exempt. (source: DOL.gov)

In addition to increasing the salary threshold for overtime, employers will be able to use nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments (including commissions) to fulfill up to 10% of the standard salary level. Such bonuses and incentives may include nondiscretionary incentive bonuses based on productivity and performance; however, unannounced bonuses such as Christmas/holiday bonuses would not apply in this manner as they are distributed at the discretion of the employer. In order to credit nondiscretionary bonuses and incentive payments toward a portion of the standard salary level test, payments must be made on a quarterly basis (or more frequently); “catch-up” payments will also be permitted. In the case of larger bonuses, the amount that may be credited toward the standard salary level is capped at 10% of the required salary amount.

The initial increases to the standard salary level (from $455 to $913 per week) and highly compensated employees total annual compensation requirement (from $100,000 to $134,004 per year) will be effective on December 1, 2016. Future automatic updates to those thresholds will occur every three years, beginning on January 1, 2020.

For details on the new requirements and to learn more about the overtime final rule, visit the Department of Labor’s website and its list of Frequently Asked Questions. For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

5 Tips for Instagram Video Success

Posted on September 7, 2016 by Erika Carruth

The power of video in marketing is undeniable, and when using Instagram, there are a few ways to increase the likelihood of getting noticed.

If you are already using Instagram, you have probably experienced the ease of use when sharing your latest designs and construction projects. In just one click, you can post popular trends, designs in high-demand and seasonal discounts in the form of an image or video. If you are new to the app/social platform, check out the previous post on “Instagram for Construction Professionals” to gain a basic understanding for how to get started and make the most of your profile.

When videos were first introduced on Instagram in 2013, more than 5 million videos were shared in the first 24 hours. Since the launch of videos, they have gained popularity on Instagram. With more than 500M active users on Instagram (source: Instagram), it is definitely worth the effort to add dynamic content such as videos to your profile.

Earlier this year, Instagram beefed up the time frame available for video posts, more than tripling the length of time for video content. With duration ranging from three to 60 seconds in length, you have ample time to engage your audience and make the most out of your recording.

As construction professionals, we are simply not in the business of video production. The good news: You don’t have to be a professional videographer to maximize your time on Instagram. Don’t be fooled by the mega companies with equally massive production budgets – It doesn’t require video teams and unlimited budgets to create an effective video. Here are a few quick tips for creating eye-catching videos on Instagram:

Have a purpose – By having a purpose, you are simply setting a goal. What is the purpose of the video? Are you wanting to showcase your latest product, design or build? Do you want to give a sneak peek into your company culture? Maybe your clients are in need of a how-to on use or maintenance of your products or projects. Whatever the goal may be, the tone of your video should follow suit. Company culture may be a casual “day-in-the-life” of a key point of contact, while your instructional videos may have a more controlled and technical tone. You will also want to set realistic and measurable goals on engagement. If you are just getting started on Instagram, don’t expect thousands of views on your first video. Building your audience will take some cultivating and time.
Tighten it up – You will need to be selective with content as you have a maximum of one minute to create and share your story. Think of the video as an ideal summary, capturing the most important elements of your message. Plan ahead around projects or company events that you deem as video-worthy, and be clear on the angle you will take for each scenario.
Change it up – As with any video, you will want to mix things up a bit. From angles to a series of short clips, variety is key. Viewers can become bored when viewing from the same angle, especially if it is just one person talking to the camera. Don’t be afraid to use the filters on Instagram if they enhance the look of the video or add to the aesthetic. Additionally, options such as time-lapse can be used to compress labor intensive and time-consuming installs into speedy and impressive 30-second start to finish pieces. You may also consider slowing things down and using slow motion to best capture an otherwise quick step in your how-to instructional video or for a reveal and tour of your latest remodel.
Edit it – Although we sometime like our videos just as they were recorded, don’t skip the editing process. There is always room for improvement, and with the multitude of video editing apps and software available, it really doesn’t take much time to make some quick enhancements, trim and merge clips, add text or background music. The newer iPhones are already preloaded with iMovie, and Splice (made by GoPro) and Magisto are free apps that are easy to download and use.
Communicate – Once your video is up, make sure to share it. You can direct your audience through your website, email blasts and other social platforms. When a viewer makes a comment, be sure to recognize them and show your appreciation. After all it is social media, so you will want to get social. Your videos should spark conversations, and your company should be ready and able to respond and keep the conversation going. In the unfortunate case of receiving negative feedback, don’t ignore it. Be sure to publicly communicate your willingness to offer solutions and direct support offline.

Video content enables you to move the viewer from one frame of a photo to a dynamic journey through your company and work. Although it is easy to lean on Instagram as a second portfolio of sorts, taking advantage of the video capabilities can offer a unique perspective and viewing experience for your audience. The right video at the right time can provide viewers with more information and examples of how your company can benefit them and meet their current home building needs.

For more information on construction business and marketing tips, stay connected with the HBW Blog. To get ahead of construction activity and gain access to the latest permitting data in Florida, Texas, Georgia, Alabama and Oklahoma, contact HBW for more information on construction data reports and industry leads.

Cashing In on Home Builder Rebates

Posted on September 2, 2016 by Erika Carruth

If you are not using manufacturers’ rebate programs, you may be leaving hard-earned money on the table.

builder rebates HBW

Working with manufacturers is a given when you are in the construction industry. We often create long-lasting relationships with the companies that produce the materials we use and products we install, and over time, it is easy to get comfortable and overlook rebates and incentives that may be available. As most of us are already aware, the manufacturers of products that builders use in homes and offices often offer incentives to encourage builders to recommend and use their products. Such incentives are usually available in the form of rebates to the home builder once the specific product(s) have been installed. Since you will be using the products, it only makes sense to be paid for your company and subcontractors to use specific products – Right?

Although this process may seem like a no-brainer, the truth is that many builders are not taking full advantage of manufacturers’ rebate programs. The process may seem intimidating or the builder may simply be unaware of the manufacturers’ current rebate programs. In many cases, the process can seem confusing, and builders may wonder why they aren’t simply offered a direct discount in the price. The truth is that such rebates and incentive programs are commonly used in the industry as it is the easiest method for the manufacturer to reward a builder since products are mostly sold through distributors.

Before you begin exploring the multitude of rebates offered to home builders, review any and all rebate programs in which your company already participates. Assess the value you’re receiving per home and in total. If you don’t already make it a regular practice, this is also a good time to reconcile and make sure that your company is receiving the rebates that are due. In other words, make sure payments haven’t “fallen through the cracks”. It’s easy enough to make the decision to sign up and commit to a program, but you should hold yourself responsible for seeing that it is followed through on all ends.

Once you have your list and confirm that there are no outstanding payments due, compare your list to other available rebates with manufacturers of comparable products. You may find a number of programs that appear to offer more, but don’t overlook working with your current manufacturers to see if they can offer other incentives.

Once you have performed a cross-comparison on current rebates you have with other comparable programs out there, take inventory of the products you are using where you are not collecting rebates. Perhaps the manufacturer has an established rebate program of which you are unaware. Check with the manufacturer, and if there aren’t incentives available, it may be worth reviewing products and programs offered through other providers.

Locating, evaluating, and managing these programs can be time consuming, but in many cases, the effort is well worth the reward and shouldn’t deter you from looking into rebate options. A builder’s participation in rebate programs should not result in sacrificing quality or incurring increased charges on the front-end. Ultimately, the right programs will lead to an increase in the bottom line and savings for both the builder and his/her clients.

Texas Top Home Builders – July 2016

Posted on August 31, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Although D.R. Horton continued its lead for total housing starts throughout Texas, hundreds of builders were active in July and responsible for the more than 5,000 housing starts during the one-month period.

TX-top-bldr-report-july

When reading news about construction in Texas, you are likely to come across articles reporting of labor shortages and hits in sales and starts due to the oil slump. Although there are a number of factors challenging new construction in the Lone Star State, hundreds of builders and thousands of new permits were added to the HBW database in July. From Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio, there were more than 5,100 housing starts and greater than $1.2B in new construction value. The builders with the greatest number of new residential construction permits on file across the four major metropolitan areas last month are as follows:

D.R. Horton – As mentioned in Home Building by the Numbers earlier this month, D.R. Horton was at the top of housing starts in Texas in July; the company has been leading the state since the start of the year, and with approximately 500 housing starts and close to $97M in total value on file for the month, D.R. Horton continues to lead new residential construction.
Lennar Homes – Lennar Homes pushed up one spot since our review in May. The home builder had nearly 300 housing starts on file from the four major metro areas and more than $69M in total construction value. Lennar Homes also ranked in the top three last month in the areas of Dallas, Houston and San Antonio.
KB Homes – Joining the top three for the first time this year, KB Homes had a strong presence in new residential construction last month. With nearly 250 housing starts and close to $38M in construction value, the home builder ranked #1 in Austin and in the top three in both San Antonio and Houston for total new permits.

When taking a closer look and isolating new residential construction activity to each of the major metropolitan areas of Texas, it is evident that there are a few other sizable home builders that were leading new residential construction last month.

DALLAS

In Dallas, there were 240 companies with housing starts, and D.R. Horton continued to be a front-runner. The home builder experienced an 11% increase in total starts in comparison to May of this year, having 265 new permits and a total value in excess of $64M. Lennar Homes jumped up in the ranks since the previous top five report in May, as it had close to 100 starts in Dallas and more than $36M in construction value last month.

Dallas Top Builder Total Permits – July 2016

HOUSTON

Out of the approximately 230 active builders in the Houston area last month, the familiar face of D.R. Horton could be seen on top. D.R. Horton had nearly 175 housing starts in the area with a total construction value in excess of $22.3M. Not far behind, Lennar Homes was ranked second highest for total new residential construction permits in July with 137 housing starts and $21.7M in construction value. As previously mentioned, KB Homes was a key player in new residential construction last month, and in Houston the home builder ranked third highest with 119 new permits and more than $13M in total value.

Houston Top Builder Total Permits – July 2016

AUSTIN

Just over 115 companies had housing starts on file in Austin last month, and KB Homes was in the lead with 80 new residential construction permits and more than $15.1M in construction value. Pulte Homes ranked second highest with 67 housing starts and approximately $15.6M in value, while D.R. Horton held close in third with 55 new residential construction permits and a total value of nearly $9.3M.

Austin Top Builder Total Permits – July 2016

SAN ANTONIO

Just about 120 home builders had residential starts in San Antonio in July, and Continental Homes of Texas ranked #1 with 47 housing starts and nearly $10.3M in construction value. KB Homes held close in second with 42 new permits and approximately $9M in total value. Lennar Homes was ranked third highest in the area with 25 starts and close to $6M in new construction.

San Antonio Top Builder Total Permits – July 2016

Big Marketing Tips for Small Budgets

Posted on August 26, 2016 by Erika Carruth

Although developing a marketing strategy for your business can take time and resources, there are a few things you can do now to improve your current marketing efforts and expand your reach.

HBW Market tips

Are you a home builder with caviar marketing dreams on a fast food budget? If so, you probably welcome low-cost and effective methods for reaching your target audience. Thanks to social media, modern technology and the many marketing opportunities available to businesses, there are some budget-friendly means for building awareness of your business and sharing your message and brand.

Truth be told, there are no quick fixes or easy one-step approaches to a properly developed marketing strategy. A comprehensive marketing strategy will have multiple layers and utilize a range of channels and materials to target, reach and engage your audience. Full strategies aside, there is always room for improvement, and sometimes our marketing efforts could use a little check-up or revision to ensure that we are maximizing our efforts. For this reason, here’s a quick list of easy and affordable marketing tips that can get you started or give a boost to what you may already have in place:

Get a List – This step is simple but takes time to get it right. Having an ongoing list of leads and prospects is essential to any marketing plan. Who is your target audience and how do you plan on reaching them? Defining your audience is one step, and getting verified contacts is another. For HBW subscribers, this step is a breeze; from new homeowners just breaking ground to residential and commercial building owners in need of renovations, HBW provides a constantly updated source for leads.
Go Local – It is great to think about your business’s reach in broad terms, but your local community is an important place to begin networking. From Chamber of Commerce meetings and local publications to sponsoring a charity or small business networking event, it is important to get out there, in-person, and beyond the digital realm of social media and websites. To get started, check events listed with your local chambers and related industry associations in your area.
Be a Resource – Whether you comment on blog posts or articles for industry magazines or develop your own trainings or blogs, it is important that you share your expertise and home building knowledge. Leaving valuable comments on blogs or posting an article on a high-traffic construction website can be an effective way to get noticed by popular industry outlets and their readers.
Be an Educator – Not long ago, hosting an online tutorial or training seemed to be just for the most tech-savvy of businesses. This is not the case anymore. Hosting full-scale webinars can be expensive, but there are also applications that are less costly and may serve your purposes. If you want to host an interactive “how-to” on construction, landscaping or whatever your specialty may be, you will need to move a step up from videos on YouTube. Some easy and user-friendly solutions may be in something as simple as Livestream on Facebook. If you want to create a webinar, there are a myriad of options from GotoWebinar, Webinars OnAir and many more.
Get Listed – Your business may be receiving attention online through your SEO (Search Engine Optimization) efforts or Google Ads, but don’t overlook the many free opportunities for being listed and recognized in searches. If you would like your business to be visible in a local search, then consider establishing a Google My Business account which will also bring up your business on Maps and Google+. Additionally, if you are not yet listed on Yelp, it may be worth the small effort; it’s free to add your business and can increase the likelihood of coming up in search engines.

Just as in home building, marketing success does not happen overnight and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Building awareness of your brand is multifaceted and reliant on a variety of factors. By keeping your content relevant, your contacts and leads fresh and your name and expertise visible, you will build and maintain a solid structure for reaching your target market.

Texas Swimming Pool Construction Update – July 2016

Posted on August 24, 2016 by Erika Carruth

pool report

For those of you in Texas last month, you probably felt the record high heat throughout the state. According to the latest reports from Weather.com, Midland, Texas had the hottest month on record (average temperature of 88.2), and Houston broke the record books with last month being the warmest July on record. In the desert region, El Paso also experienced its warmest July recorded. So why all of the discussion about the hot summer heat? Well, we figured a good way to cool off would be to take a look at the latest on swimming pool construction. Although July was not a record setting period for new swimming pool construction in the Lone Star State, there are hundreds of new permits and close to $27M in total construction on file for the month with HBW.

When reviewing the four major metropolitan areas of Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Austin, Dallas took the lead with nearly 300 swimming pool starts last month and close to $13.4M in construction value. Although Sandler Pools was on top in Dallas for total permits, construction was widespread across a variety of pool builders as there were approximately 125 active builders in the area last month. The bulk of new pool construction in Dallas took place in Dallas and Collin counties. Houston came in at second highest with 151 new swimming pool permits and nearly $8.2M in total construction value. Just about 90 pool builders were active in the Houston area last month, and most new permits originated from the counties of Harris and Montgomery. San Antonio and Austin were less active for new pools in July with both areas having just over 50 new pool starts. In San Antonio, Bexar County held more than half of the new pool construction, and in Austin 75% of new pools were started in Travis County.

Texas Swimming Pool Permits by Area – July 2016

Taking a closer look at counties across the state, the Dallas counties of Dallas and Collin took the lead with approximately 90 pool starts and more than $4M in new construction in each county. Harris County of Houston was third highest with 68 permits and more than $4.5M in construction value. Tarrant County (Dallas) and Montgomery County (Houston) ranked fourth and fifth highest for total new swimming pool permits last month.

Texas Top Five Counties for Pool Permits – July 2016

Although the average value of pools across the state stayed within the range of $44k-$54k, there are a few pool builders who led higher-value construction. As may be expected, the companies with the larger value projects had no more than a couple of starts on file for the month; there were several builders with construction valued over $125k and reaching as high as $426k. Most notably, Outdoor Elements of Houston held an average value of construction of $426k for the month, and in Dallas several builders had average pool construction values in excess of $150k. Here is the breakdown of pool builders with average swimming pool construction values exceeding $125k:

Texas Pool Builders with Average Value >$125k – July 2016

As previously mentioned, all areas fell within a $10k range of each other for average value. Houston was on top with the highest average value of $54,287, and Dallas was at the other end of the spectrum with an average value of $44,786.

Texas Average Pool Construction Value – July 2016

Information utilized for the graphs and above listed figures for Texas swimming pool construction was directly derived from HBW construction data reports. To gain access to the HBW database and receive custom and detailed reports on the latest residential and commercial building activity in Florida, Georgia, Texas, Alabama, and Oklahoma, please contact HBW for details.

Resources for Developing a Disaster Preparedness Plan

Posted on August 19, 2016 by Erika Carruth

With National Preparedness Month being right around the corner, here are some valuable resources to prepare your business for severe weather and related emergencies.

dprep

National Preparedness Month (NPM) is just less than two weeks away (September), and there is no time like the present to establish a disaster plan for your business. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) has recently revised its predictions for the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season, stating that this year could be the most active since 2012. According to the most recent report, forecasters are now predicting a 70% chance of 12–17 named storms this season, of which 5–8 are expected to become hurricanes, including 2–4 major hurricanes.

source: noaa.gov

Around this same time last year, we reviewed the general points to cover when developing a disaster preparedness plan including general information on preparing your office, crews and clients for storms. Every year, National Preparedness Month provides us with an opportunity to not only develop a disaster plan for the first time, but to take time out to review our current plan. If you have a plan in place, it should be reviewed each year; update it as necessary and ensure that all employees are aware of the plan, procedures and steps that would need to be taken in the case of serious weather and/or a natural disaster. Whether you are developing a new disaster plan or revising your current one, there are a variety of resources and information available from several reliable organizations. Here are some links to get you started:

OSHA – We all know that the Occupational Safety & Health Administration offers information and safety regulations for the workplace, but did you know that they have dedicated an entire webpage to Emergency Preparedness and Response? The section offers guidance for businesses on how to prepare and respond to such emergencies, as well as detailed tools and guides for variations in severe weather from tornadoes to floods.
Ready.gov – This site is a great place to start when putting an emergency communication plan in place. It provides steps for making a plan as well as tools and templates designed specifically for businesses. This site provides more than just weather-related disaster preparation guidelines, and there is a menu to help you easily navigate through the information that pertains to your needs and business.
CDC – The Center for Disease Control has also pulled together its many manuals and guides and will be an active participant in National Preparedness Month. Each week in September, it will be focusing its messages and products on emergency preparation for families, communities and workplaces. The website provides an extensive list of links and emergency response resources including management planning guides, facility protection and other resources for business emergency preparation.
American Red Cross – The American Red Cross has developed a “Ready Rating” program to assist businesses and other groups prepare for disasters and various emergencies. Ready Rating is a bit of a one-stop-shop providing videos, evaluations and tools for improving disaster plans. Although it is membership-based, the program is free of charge and walks the user through steps to find the resources that are most useful to them.
Small Business Administration – In addition to information on disaster loans, which can be obtained by businesses and homeowners in places that have been declared federal disaster areas, the SBA offers a range of emergency preparedness resources for businesses. From steps for creating a preparedness plan for your business to testing business systems and building disaster kits, the SBA offers easy-to-follow guides and links. That being stated, there will be some overlapping in resources already listed above including Ready.gov and the American Red Cross Ready Rating program.
NOAA – Chances are that as a contractor, you are already staying ahead of the weather. No matter how reliable of a plan you have in place, it won’t be effective without being ready. Using tools like NOAA storm prediction center for tracking weather and staying current on the forecast will allow you and your clients to be ready for any serious or severe weather ahead.

Now that you have the resources to put a solid and comprehensive emergency plan in place, make sure to share the new information with your staff, crews and clients. By being prepared now, your crews and business will be secure and ready for any severe weather or natural disasters that may impact them in the future.

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