Joe Dumstorf honored at IBS for work on national associates

Kentucky
Builders
Journal
March/April 2014
Geothermal
adventure:
part one
By Nikole Christensen
KBJ Editor
My parents were the first ones to
teach me about saving energy.
“Turn out those lights when you’re
not in the room,” they would say. “What
do you think? We’re made of money?”
My parents were likewise enamored
with energy-saving home design, most
notably the concept of the underground
house. The visitors center at the 1880s
Homestead in Land Between the Lakes
recreational area was an underground
building with a roof covered in native
grasses, and we often visited the site.
My parents thought it was the most
ingenious concept to harness the steady
temperatures of the underground
world, and coming from a family of
underground coal miners, who were
Vol. 22 No. 02
Joe Dumstorf honored at IBS
for work on national
associates committee
Three scholarships will be
awarded this spring to students
who are pursuing a college degree.
Download the application at
www.hbak.com.
If you are an HBAK member, your
children or your grandchildren are
eligible for these scholarships.
Applicants must be enrolled in
college for the fall 2014 semester and
can apply each year. A student can
apply for one or all three.
Scholarships include the $1,000
Tommy Thompson, the $1,000
Tommy Bright, and the $500 Betty
Bell.
Betty Bell Scholarship
This scholarship was established
to honor Betty Bell by the Women’s
Council of the HBAK in recognition for her exemplary service to
our association. It is meant to assist
students in obtaining a higher education in a building related field.
Tommy Thompson Scholarship
This scholarship was established
to honor Tommy Thompson who
served as the NAHB President. It is
awarded to a student who is pursuing a degree in a building-related
field.
See Onsite, page 12
Below a Honeywell technician tests for gas
leaks in the current system.
HBAK
Scholarship
applications due
April 15
Joe Dumstorf, president of the Trend Companies in Louisville and former HBAK Associate
Members Committee chair, was chosen to receive the National Association of Home Builders
Associate Members Committee Chairman’s Award for his commitment to complete the
Associate Outreach Network in all 50 states. Dumstorf recognizes the importance of effective communications to reach even the least participating associates in order to accelerate
them to the level of our most engaged associates. Pictured above from the left are Chairman
Elect Kevin Kelly, Joe Dumstorf, Chairman of the Board Rick Judson, and John Sizemore,
2013 NAHB Associate Members Committee chair.
International Builders Show
Several HBAK members attended the IBS in February. Look for
their comments throughout this issue.
Stan Logan Jr., Logan Lavelle Hunt Insurance, Louisville:
“I have attended many national IBS shows, back when they
attracted great numbers and rooms were filled with an abundance
of enthusiasm. Then we experienced years of decline in membership
as well as construction. People wouldn’t go to the show because
it would remind them of how bad it was. Now IBS, the economy
and the industry are coming back. Numbers are back. Optimism
has returned. We are back to focusing on regulatory issues, not
just economy.”
Tommy Bright Scholarship
This memorial scholarship was
established for Tommy Bright, an
advocate for involvement in government affairs who was elated when
youth recognized their leadership
potential. It is awarded to a student
who is pursuing a degree in either
a building-related or government
affairs degree.
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Home Builders Association of Kentucky
1040 Burlington Lane, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Phone: (502) 875-5478 • (800) 489-4225 • Fax: (502) 875-5480
www.hbak.com
Robert M. Weiss
Executive Vice President
Donna Breeden
Operations Director
JoEllen Thompson, Florence
Secretary
Glen Stuckel, Louisville
State Representative
Sherry L. Grim
Assistant Director
Jon Wilson, Madisonville
President
Jim Cutter, Cold Spring
Immediate Past President
Van Cook, Danville
National Director (Builder)
Laurent Rawlings
V.P. Governmental Affairs
John Miranda, Louisville
President Elect
Joe Dumstorf, Louisville
Associate Vice President
Stan Logan, Louisville
National Director (Associate)
Lora Werner
Member Services Director
Marshall Todd, Nancy
Treasurer
Mike Kegley, Union
Area 6 National Chair
Mark Your Calendars
HBAK Winter Board Meeting
March 18-19
Marriott Griffin Gate – Lexington
hbak.com or 800-489-4225
Midwest Energy Conference
March 25-26
Hyatt Regency – Lexington
midwestenergyconference.com or 859-273-5117
HBAK Summer Board Meeting
June 26-27
“new” Owensboro Convention Center
Inside KBJ
President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Thoughts & Ideas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
Design Trends from IBS. . . . . . . . . 7
Billy Doelker profile. . . . . . . . . . . 10
Local associations. . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Safety Corner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Ad Index
2-10 Homebuyers Warranty. . . . . . 6
AGC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
Anthem . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Kentucky Construction Career Days
September 23-24
Lora at 800-489-4225
LG&E/KU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Kentucky Housing Corp. . . . . . . . 10
HBAK
Editorial Board
Watson Jones, Florence, Chairman
Ellery Esposito, Louisville
Robert Riggs, Lexington
Lora Werner, HBAK
Kentucky Builders Journal
A Pioneer Publication
301 E. High Street
Lexington, KY 40507
Phone: (859) 225-1452
Toll-free: (866) 356-5128
Fax: (859) 253-0499
Advertising Inquiries:
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Editorial Inquiries:
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Kentucky Builders Journal is
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Builders Association of Kentucky.
Send all editorial or advertising
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homebuilding and remodeling
industries.
HBAK member address changes
should be directed to members’ local
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All rights reserved. Reproduction
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Kentucky Propane Education and
HBAK Fall Board Meeting
October 23-24
Lexington Downtown Hilton
Interested in joining our editorial board?
We meet six times a year at the HBAK office in Frankfort. You can even join
us via Google Hangouts if you can’t make it to Frankfort. Call Lora Werner
to find out the meeting schedule for 2014.
5
Research Council. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Mac T. Lacy
Publisher/Partner
Logan Lavelle Hunt. . . . Back Cover
Herbert L. Sparrow
Executive Editor/Partner
Norbord. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Nikole Christensen
Editor
Transitions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
Lora Werner
Advertising Manager
Speedway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Christine Clough
Copy Editor
Tell these advertisers you saw their ads in the
Kentucky Builders Journal.
Rena Baer
Proofreader
Official Newspaper of the
Home Builders
Association of Kentucky
March/April
2014
We offer the highest level of service
and the most comprehensive coverage
in the industry, allowing you to focus
on the business of building homes.
Call your local representative today,
John Sizemore C.G.A.
We’re proud to announce our strategic alliance with Keller Williams. With more than 30 years of experience, we understand the importance
of creating a happy home for you and your customers.
859.361.7257 | [email protected] | www.2-10.com
Visit with a 2-10 HBW representative today. Your homeowners will thank you for it.
Association News & Views
Super charged by a positive IBS experience
President’s Message
L
adies and gentleman, the
International Builders’
Show (IBS) is back. After
several years of struggling like the
rest of us, the show seems to have
re-established itself as one of the
biggest and best trade shows in the
United States.
This was the first time that the IBS
and the Kitchen and Bath Industry
Show (KBIS) have combined, with
more than 1,700 exhibitors covering
more than 650,000 square feet of the
Las Vegas Convention Center. With
more than 75,000 in attendance from
across the globe, this year’s show felt
like pre-2008. It was virtually impossible to see it all in three days, especially if you missed the first day of the
show due to flight delays. My dad and
I were stranded in Detroit and missed
the whole first day of the show.
There are so many things to see and
By Jon Wilson
Madisonville
learn at the IBS. If you haven’t
taken advantage of this opportunity, you’re missing out, and
your business would benefit.
First, the educational
opportunities are unlike
anything you can find anywhere else.
From NAHB designation courses like
Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) to
business accounting for builders, there’s
something for everyone at the IBS.
There are also so many networking
opportunities. I’ve made friendships
that will last a lifetime at IBS. There’s
nothing quite like sharing successes
and mistakes with folks who’ve “been
there and done that.” Why go at it alone
when you can bounce your ideas off
those contacts and find out what does
and doesn’t work?
Staying up to date on new products
is another big benefit of going to the
IBS. Every year, there are exciting new
Support local home
and garden shows
Associates Chair
Hi, everyone. We have a busy
few months ahead of us, and I’m
looking forward to it. We have
our upcoming winter board
meeting this month. As part of
the meeting, we plant to meet
at the Capitol, followed by our
installation of officers at the Marriott
resort in Lexington. On the second day
of our meeting, we have several meetings throughout the day.
I hope you can join me and the associates for our meeting from 11 a.m. to
noon on March 19. It is open to all associates. We will have an opportunity to
share ideas and learn how marketing
and networking is helping our businesses grow.
Spring is just around the corner, and
7
By Caroline Reynolds
Richmond
I know we’re all ready for that.
There are several home and
garden shows across the state.
Why not stop by and visit the
ones that are closest to you?
You will be supporting a local
HBA, and it is always fun to
learn from others. The Madison County
HBA Home and Garden Show will be
April 12-13 at the Richmond Mall. We
would love to see you there.
If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me. I
hope to see you at the winter board
meeting; invite a friend or business
associate to join us. If you haven’t given
to our BuildPac fund, please do so. You
make a difference.
companies with something innovative
to showcase. Using those products can
often set you apart from your competition. Your customers will notice the
difference.
Dealership and franchise opportunities are available. If you’re looking to
expand your business and branch out
into something new, it can be found
at IBS.
My dad and I thought about getting
into the spray foam insulation business
when we first saw it at the IBS. Today,
everyone in the spray foam business
is doing extremely well. It’s handsdown the best product available on the
market. For us, it has become one of
those “wish we had done that when we
thought about it” business ventures.
However, when I needed a new cabi-
net brand to fill a void in my product
line, I found Wellborn Cabinetry at
IBS 2008. It has been a great fit for our
business. At each year’s IBS, we look
for companies that would enhance our
business, making it more appealing to
our customers and, of course, more
profitable.
I would bet that if you attended the
IBS this year, you were excited about
the show. If you could not go, why not
put it on your must-do list for 2015. You
will see that it is worth the time and
expense for your business.
In closing, I hope by the time this
article reaches you that spring has
started to push this ugly winter aside.
Haven’t we all had just about enough
of cold, ice and snow?
Happy spring!
Trends from IBA
The NAHB awarded its Best in
American Living Awards at the
International Builders Show and
these are some of the design trends
spotted in the winning projects.
White on White: Cabinets, flooring, backsplashes, counters, fixtures
and appliances are beginning to
lighten up. Layering white on top
of white is a new approach in many
kitchens and bathrooms that is giving way to a fresh and light feeling. To
achieve clean lines and a modern feel,
designers and builders are selecting
European cabinetry, adding shiny
surfaces via appliance, backsplash
and countertop choices, and incorporating glass walls.
Bold Exterior Colors: Bold colors
are making their way to the exterior of homes. Whether it’s through
paint, a mix of cladding materials,
doors, windows, porches, shutters or
trim, an extra layer of drama is being
adding to the design of elevations,
further enhancing curb appeal.
Interior Courtyards: Interior
courtyards are popular in all housing types right now, including single-family homes, multifamily complexes and within communities. The
March/April 2014
primary difference is scale. Gardens
are popular with home owners and
often occupy community courtyards, while multifamily projects use
interior courtyards to showcase private amenities such as pools and fire
pits. Within single-family homes,
courtyards provide private and safe
outdoor living areas and are being
shifted to side yards.
Out-of-the-Box Amenities: Both
single-family and multifamily communities and multifamily projects
are being designed fully loaded, with
over-the-top amenities that appeal to
home buyers. Residents want to feel
as though they are living in a 4-star
hotel, so builders and developers are
offering features such as communal
kitchens for cooking classes, pools
with added wow factors such as a
lazy river, a pool for dogs, electric car
charging stations, spas, dog parks,
concierge services, green walls and
great outdoor spaces.
Dual Master Baths: Dual master
baths are all the rage. They are glamorous, yet functional. Dual baths
often have a shared shower and continue to feature fixtures, colors and
finishes with a spa-like feel.
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12/27/13 5:32 PM
Association News & Views
Give us $10 this year
Thoughts and Ideas
M
y wife and I met another couple this past weekend to have
lunch and watch the Kentucky–Florida
basketball game. We met at a local pub
in Lexington that had a bunch of televisions scattered around in the bar.
Except for the fact that Kentucky lost,
we had a very nice time.
After ordering a pizza, salads and a
few beers, the tab came to just under
$50. We were at the pub for about three
hours.
I consider that $50 I spent to be part
of our entertainment budget so I didn’t
think twice about spending it.
One of the main reasons for establishing the Home Builders Association
of Kentucky in 1957 was to provide a
voice and to be a proponent of housing
and small-business issues. To accomplish this goal we have traditionally
have been very active in both legislative
and regulatory matters that deal with
our industry.
During the first few months of each
year you can find me and Laurent, our
vice president of government affairs,
at the capitol during each legislative
session. We review every bill that is
introduced (this year 824 bills were
introduced) and monitor all of those
that pertain to your business.
The remaining nine months of
the year we spend working with the
agents of government that regulate
the housing industry and small business in general. We meet with the staff
By Bob Weiss
Executive V.P.
of the Department
of Housing, the
Division of Water,
Kentucky OSHA,
and the cabinets of
Environmental Protection, Labor, and
Public Protection. We monitor every
regulation going through the system.
During the past few years we have
passed a tax credit for the sale of new
housing when the economy was at its
worst. We were able to exempt small
business from the state’s gross receipts
tax. And about 15 years ago we worked
on workers compensation reform,
which resulted in a 40 percent reduction in workers compensation rates.
We had to ask our friends in the legislature to support all of these items
through their vote.
Then, every two or four years they
will ask for our support in their bid for
re-election. We support candidates
who believe in housing through contributions from our Political Action
Committee. This year there are 12
Senate seats contested out of 19 up for
re-election. And, there are 52 of the 100
House seats up for re-election. All of
the funds we collect go straight toward
legislative races.
We support their efforts through
approval of contributions from our
Political Action Committee (PAC).
Now, before the election cycle gets
started, is the best time to add to our
PAC. That is why we would like to
ask all of our members to contribute
at least $10 to the Housing Industry
Political Action Committee (HIPACK)
this year.
Why should you contribute at least
$10 to our PAC in 2014?
 First and foremost because
if you are a member of our Workers
Compensation Fund you will split the
$8,835,872 reimbursement that we just
returned to our members in March.
The average check for member should
be about $2,000.
 Secondly the dues you paid to the
state HBA of $50 has been the same
for 33 years, since 1981. In 1981 a first
class stamp cost 20 cents and a gallon
of gas was $1.38.
Yes, I would like to help the housing industry through a contribution to the Housing Industry
Political Action Committee. Send to HBAK, 1040 Burlington Lane, Frankfort, KY 40601.
_____ $10 ______ $25 ______$50 ______ $100 ______ Other
Name____________________________________________________
Company__________________________________________________
Address___________________________________________________
City, State and Zip ____________________________________________
Occupation_________________________________________________
Card Type Visa or Master Card_________ Number _____________________
9
March/April 2014
 And finally, if all of our 5,600
members contributed at least $10 to
our PAC, we would add $56,000 to our
bottom line.
When an average evening out can
cost upward of $50, and your association, through its efforts in the legislative and regulatory arena save you
thousands of dollars, there should be no
reason that every member should not
contribute something to the Political
Action Committee.
So we are asking you to fill out the
form below and send it back in with a
minimum contribution of $10. We can
take personal or non-corporate checks
made out to the HIPACK or credit cards,
or even cash up to $50.
Members Under 40
BUILDER
Quick Points
Wife: Lisa
Children: Hallee, age 4, and a baby due later this year
Education: Eastern High School, University of Louisville business degree, NAHB
Registered Builder
Pastimes: Golf and U of L sporting events
Billy Doelker
Key Homes, Owner, Louisville
Louisville-native Billy Doelker
is still young enough to be included
in our 40 and Under section. But his
years of experience in homebuilding
and his level of participation in the
Home Builders Association belie his
age. Doelker started his career as a
freshman in high school when he and a
friend approached a local builder, L&T
Builders, about mowing the grass for a
model home. That led to cleaning up job
sites on weekends and summer jobs all
through high school.
“They gave me an opportunity to
learn some of the trade, particularly
carpentry,” said Doelker. “So by the
time I was thinking about college, I
knew I wanted to study something
related to the building industry.”
After his first year at the University
of Louisville, he changed his field of
study to business and went to work full
time for L&T while pursuing his education at night. By the time he graduated
in 1999, Doelker was the company’s
construction supervisor and expected
to continue working for the company
for a long time.
“I proposed to my wife in the spring
and found out later that year that the
owners of the company wanted to dissolve the company and do other things,”
said Doelker.
Faced with the option of finding
work with another builder, Doelker
said he was encouraged by his former
employers and Richard Bean, who was
working for a local bank at the time, to
consider starting his own company.
“I never really thought about starting my own business. I knew I had the
skill set on the field side, but wasn’t
sure about the business aspect. I really
thought I would build a handful of
houses a year and be OK with it.”
Doelker’s company, Key Homes, is
now a custom builder of 25 to 30 homes
a year that range in price from starter
homes to half-million-dollar projects.
He has tried to keep his clientele diverse
from the start and enjoys the clientoriented, relationship-building aspect
of the business.
“I think we are building a lifetime
relationship with these people, no matter if they are building a starter home
or their dream home,” he said.
Doelker has expanded his business
ventures over the years to include some
rental property management, land
development and light commercial
work. But he thinks it’s his staff’s ability to do much of their own work that
has saved them losses through the lean
years of late.
“We all have a hands-on approach,
and when work gets slower, we can
perform much of the work ourselves
instead of having to hire subcontractors,” he said, noting that his crew often
does the carpentry trim, finish grading
and excavation on projects.
Hiring smart
Doelker admits that he can’t be the
best at everything and tries to hire
people who can excel in areas where
he falls short. He says he has been
lucky to hire from a pool of his own
friends and acquaintances most often.
Key Homes employs eight people, and
Doelker appreciates that his employees
take ownership in their work.
“I believe that as the owner of the
business, I have to take a humble
approach. I don’t set out each morning to make a task list for everyone
each day. Most of them were my friends
before they became employees, and I
want to allow them to bring in their
skill strengths and feel good about what
they’re doing,” said Doelker.
Doelker said that his faith and his
involvement in church is a critical part
of his life and that some of the people
who work with him are also fellow
church members.
“I feel like it’s God’s provision for my
family and theirs that we have been successful and have work to do,” he said.
continued to serve in various positions locally, including as Louisville
president in 2011 and, currently, on
the state board of directors and the
national codes committee.
Concerned about the future of the
association, he has given thought to
how best to reach out to younger members. And he says efforts have been
made to be more accommodating to a
younger crowd, including moving from
set monthly dinner meetings to events
that combine business with other purposes, such as an educational seminar,
a philanthropic event or even just a
chance to go to an unusual venue.
“A good example is a roundtable
that’s coming up in Louisville at the
Melwood Arts Center, and it gets people
excited to be in such a cool venue.”
He also thinks the use of social
media helps reach out to younger
members.
Still evolving
Doelker said when he first started
in the business, everything was written
on paper, and the most innovative technology for his business practice so far
has been the iPad and the iPhone. The
opportunity to communicate immediately without having to go back to the
office or even just post a photo on social
media, he said, has made a huge difference in the way he does business.
“We’re also excited about implementing a new management system that we learned about at the
International Builders’ Show that will
allow our customers more interactive
choices for their homes online,” said
Doelker.
“Sometimes, for me, it’s hard to
embrace technology, but it’s certainly
the way the business is going.”
HBA involvement
Doelker’s former employers made
it a point to encourage him to join the
local home builders association when
he first started his own company. He
went through the classes to become a
registered builder and, in the process,
came to the conclusion that being a
member was more than just good
marketing.
“I gained an appreciation for all the
association does for the industry that
supports us all,” he said.
He attended a few social outings
when he could and the occasional
committee meetings. After serving
on one committee, he was encouraged
to put his name
in for the board
of directors
and initially
resisted.
“I was 26
years old at the
time, and most
of the members
of the board
were 50-plus,
and I questioned what I
could offer at
the time,” said
Doelker.
He
d id
become a part From left, Doelker, Chuck Kavanaugh and Richard Bean represent the
of the board, Building Industry Association of Greater Louisville at an HBAK board
however, and meeting.
www.hbak.com
10
New app from Norbord helps
reduce callbacks and cost
Norbord is proud to introduce
Onsite, the new application that
enables builders and framers to work
effectively with all its oriented strand
board (OSB) products by preventing
mistakes and reducing construction
time. Norbord’s Onsite app debuted at
the International Builders’ Show in Las
Vegas in February.
Onsite provides education and information for new and experienced builders and framers. It’s convenient for use
on smart phones or tablet computers
at the jobsite or whenever you need it.
Onsite offers essential information and
tips on proper installation, care and
storage of Norbord’s OSB products and
a detailed troubleshooting function.
Builders and framers, especially
those who are new to the industry,
will find Onsite helpful. Illustrations,
text and how-to videos guide builders
through floor, wall and roof applications along with instructions on proper
moisture management before and during construction.
Onsite’s troubleshooting function
helps users determine causes of installation-related issues that can affect
panel performance and includes an
option to upload pictures and notify
Norbord.
Mike Dawson, vice president of sales,
marketing and logistics at Norbord,
said, “We talked to builders, trades, pro
dealers and industry associations about
the most common and frequent installation mistakes. Those conversations
led to the development of our new app
that can remind experienced crews and
train new framers on the correct way
to install structural panels, reducing
callbacks and construction times.”
Download Onsite for iPhone, iPad or
Android at www.norbord.com/onsiteapp. Soon, Onsite will also be available
in Spanish.
HomeStory Doors receives
Best Of Houzz 2014 Award
Lexington — HomeStory in
Lexington has been awarded “Best Of
Houzz” by Houzz, a home remodeling
and design source website. Specializing
in door replacement, HomeStory was
chosen by the more than 16 million
monthly users that comprise the Houzz
community.
The Best Of Houzz award is given in
two categories: Customer Satisfaction
and Design. Customer Satisfaction
honors are determined by a variety
of factors, including the number and
quality of client reviews a professional
received in 2013. Design award winners’
work was the most popular among the
more than 16 million monthly users
on Houzz, known as “Houzzers,” who
saved more than 230 million professional images of home interiors and
exteriors to their personal ideabooks
via the Houzz site, iPad/iPhone app and
Android app. Winners receive a “Best
Of Houzz 2014” badge on their profiles, showing the Houzz community
their commitment to excellence. These
badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals
in every metro area on Houzz.
“We are pleased and honored to
be chosen as the Best of Houzz in the
Lexington and Louisville communities,” said Phil Resmondo, owner of
HomeStory in Kentucky. “We are
excited to have been selected and for
providing our customers with excellent
service. Much of this comes from our
ability to update the look of an entire
home with new, designer doors in just
a few, short hours.”
HomeStory specializes in fast,
easy and affordable door installation.
Thanks to innovative measuring technology that allows doors to be custom
fit, all the interior doors in a home can
be replaced in about two hours, with no
construction and no mess. HomeStory of
Kentucky serves Lexington, Louisville
and the surrounding community. The
company has an online product gallery displaying many of its products at
www.HomeStoryLexington.com.
Kentucky Housing Corporation’s
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March/April 2014
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with No Mortgage Insurance
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For more information,
contact KHC Single-Family Programs
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or (502) 564-7630, extension 291; TTY 711;
or visit www.kyhousing.org.
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featuring comprehensive, start-to-finish planning, installation, & service
Onsite energy analysis is
first step in updating HVAC
Continued from page 1
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Louisville (502) 423-7199 · Lexington (859) 299-0068
721 National Avenue · Lexington 40502
used to being underground already, it
seemed so obvious.
I even recall my extreme mortification at my stepfather’s boldness when
we stopped at the underground homes
of strangers and knocked on the door
to ask them about their houses. Most
of them were extremely proud of their
homes and gave us tours. I cannot
imagine someone knocking on my
door in my every-house-looks-the-same
neighborhood in Lexington and asking
to tour the house.
Although my parents never did get
that underground house they always
wanted, we did have some forwardthinking systems in our houses. In one
of our houses, in an unfinished basement addition, we had a wood-burning
stove that was built from a kit and two
50-gallon drums. The stove and basement were directly under my brother’s
and my rooms, so we went to sleep at
night in a sweat with the stove burning
full blast and woke up shivering in our
sheets when the fire had gone out.
Our next house had a better wholehouse design that featured a woodburning stove that sat outside and
heated water that was pumped into
the house for heating. The fire didn’t
go out during the night, and we had
electric heat to back it up if we couldn’t
keep the fire burning.
But then my aunt and uncle upped
the ante when they told everyone about
the new geothermal heating, ventilating and air-conditioning (HVAC) system they were installing in their house.
Just like those underground houses, the
geothermal concept made a lot of sense
to us. It used the constant underground
temperature to heat or cool water, and
then that water was pumped into the
house for radiant heating and cooling.
And best of all, at least in my opinion, I wouldn’t have to stack firewood
anymore.
Fast-forward 30 years, and my family
is once again in need of a smart solution
to an aging HVAC problem. I’ve written
so many stories already about geothermal and know that it makes sense for
the topography of central Kentucky
and that it will pay for itself over the
long haul. So my husband and I are taking a deep breath and embarking on a
geothermal conversion experience that
already feels epic.
I hope you’ll follow along with our
journey this year as I chronicle the
progress in KBJ. Maybe you’re thinking of making the switch yourself, or
maybe you’ll be better able to advise
your clients after hearing about our
case study.
A phone call
It all started with a simple phone call
to Arronco, which has 28 years of experience with geothermal HVAC systems
in northern and central Kentucky.
“When energy prices began rising
around 2001, we began to see the return
on investment for geothermal to be
more and more attractive,” said Andrew
Wolfe, vice president of Arronco. “At
this time several of us began traveling
the country learning everything we
could about geothermal and educating our customers. We probably did
20 geothermal systems in 2002, and
it seemed to double every year for the
next five or six years.
“To gain more control of the process and better serve our customers, we
began doing our own loops in 2006 and
purchased our own drilling equipment
in 2009. We currently install about 300
systems a year in the markets we serve,”
said Wolfe.
Mark Toy, senior manager at
Arronco, was quick to respond to my
request for information, even though
it was during the busy holiday season,
and our first meeting was much more
thorough than we had anticipated. Toy
did not come in with brochures or a
sales pitch; instead, he asked us about
where we felt cold in our house, how we
used the house and the overall comfort
of our house. And he used a heat-sensitive camera to show us the spots in our
house that were leaking heat.
He also showed us why our finished basement was 60 degrees when
the main floor thermostat was set to
88 degrees. There was no insulation.
It was crushing news for us, but Toy
assured us that there are ways to seal
up a home like ours, even after it’s been
finished. Better still, he could bring in a
subcontractor to do all the grunt work
on sealing up the house before we even
considered investing in a new HVAC
system.
See Geothermal, page 14
12
HBA of Lexington
HBA of Northern Kentucky
From the left, Todd Johnson, executive vice president of the Home Builders Association
of Lexington, was named the Public Policy Advocate of the Year during the Commerce
Lexington Inc. annual dinner in February. Presenting the award were attorney Bill Lear of
Stoll Keenon Ogden and Commerce Lexington Inc. president and CEO Bob Quick. (Photo
by Bill Straus Photography)
Adam Chaney, HBA-NKY immediate past president, presents the HBAK Design and Remodeling
Award to Cheryl Stegman from Legacy Kitchens in Newport.
HBA of Western Kentucky
Fueling Program
Now Accepted At
OVER 6,500
Locations!
Now save up to 5¢ per gallon!
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Stone Haven Nursery’s outdoor dining area exhibit,
above, and Symsonia Kitchen
and Bath’s cabinet display,
right, were among the many
businesses showcased at the
HBA of Western Kentucky’s
Home and Garden Show held
in February.
• AcceptedNationwideatOver
6,500Locations
• NoCostProgram
• MultipleSecurityOptions
•OnlineBillPayment
Contact: STAN ROSE
888-337-7227 ex4354
Fax: 502-223-4360
E-Mail: [email protected]
Rose7.5x9.75.indd 1
13
March/April 2014
Formoredetailsoracompletelistoflocations
nowacceptingSuperFleet,visitusat
www.superfleet.net
2/9/10 12:57 PM
SAFETY CORNER
HBA Lexington
859-273-5117
Midwest Energy Conference
Hyatt Regency
Mar. 24-26
Building Industry Assoc. of
Greater Louisville
502-429-6000
Accident Prevention and
the Cost of Minor Injuries
Mar. 25
Fall Protection/Scaffolding
Apr. 22
CPR/First Aid/Bloodbourne
Pathogens
Apr. 28 and May 19
Builders Assoc. of South
Central
270-781-3375
American Red Cross CPR/
First Aid/Bloodbourne
Pathogens
Mar. 25 and Mar. 27
AGC Workers Comp & Job
Safety
Apr. 22
International Builders Show follow up
Benny Clark, Homes by Benny Clark, Owensboro
“I thought it was a big plus for the kitchen and bath show to be integrated into the show
because we don’t typically get a chance to go to their show. It was good to see all those products
and get educated about them as you went from booth to booth.
“It was interesting to see that some big names like GE and Sears contract sales were not
there; they are typically more affordable, and I’m not sure why they weren’t there.
“I felt that the classes were pretty redundant. It seems like if you want to learn about anything
in particular, you’re going to have to pay for it over and above the cost of the show; otherwise
you’re going to go to a generic class.”
Richard Bean, HBAK Investment Committee chair, Louisville
“I thought the show was greatly benefited from having the kitchen and bath show included.
It gave us many more products on the floor to look at and be interested in.”
Mike Kegley, Bold Company, Union
“Best show in years. Bigger crowds, more exhibitors and greater builder optimism. I came
home all fired up.”
Make
the
Switch
The EPA says that is every household replaced just one
incandescent bulb with an Energy Star-rated CFL or LED,
we’d save close to $700 million a year in energy costs.
Geothermal adventure
starts with a test
Continued from page 12
“With our strong emphasis on comfort and energy savings for our customers, we need to address the whole
house to get the desired outcome,” said
Wolfe. “You need to make sure both are
addressed for maximum results and
happier customers.”
Before he left, Toy explained some
of our options, recommending that
we get the house sealed and insulated
first and giving us some rough estimates for total system cost and insulation upgrade costs. My husband never
blinked at the numbers. I wondered if
it was because he is such a good poker
player or because his face was frozen
from working in an office in that uninsulated basement for two years.
Homework
Fortunately, after giving us a little
sticker shock, Toy had some news to
soften the blow. Mainly, he told us
about rebates and tax incentives. Our
first homework assignment was to get
our local electric company, Kentucky
Utilities, to conduct an on-site home
energy analysis. This piece of homework
turned out to be easier than changing
a traditional lightbulb for a compact
fluorescent bulb.
We logged on to LG&E/KU’s website
where we already had an online account
set up. From there, we requested the onsite analysis, and two days later, we got
a call to schedule it. Two weeks later,
a technician from Honeywell showed
up to conduct our home analysis. He
took measurements outside and asked
us a few questions about our systems,
ages of appliances and square footage.
Then he measured the air coming out
of our water heater, checking for gas
leaks, and checked the insulation in
our attic.
Finally, and most dramatically, he
set up a fan in one of our doorways
to pressurize the house and measure
overall tightness of the house and how
much air is coming in from the outside.
He also left a goody bag of energy saving
tools that included tips on ways to seal
drafts out around the doors and fireplace, compact fluorescent lightbulbs,
water-saving showerheads and two
power strips that turn off peripheral
appliances when the primary appliance,
such as a television or a computer, is
turned off. All that cost us $25 charged
www.hbak.com
A part of the onsite energy analysis is a door
blower test to measure the air tightness of
your home.
to our regular monthly bill.
A few weeks later, a thick report
arrived in the mail detailing the places
in our house that could be beefed up
with insulation or sealing. Now, if we
make changes to our house to improve
the energy use by 20 percent, we will
qualify for a $500 rebate. If we improve
our energy use by 30 percent, we will
qualify for a $1,000 rebate.
I spoke to Liz Pratt, a spokesperson
for LG&E/KU, and she told me that
the company has been offering this
service to its customers since 1999
and that more than 19,000 customers
have taken advantage of it to find ways
to use less energy in their homes. In
2011, the company began offering the
incentives to follow up on the analysis with improvements, and they have
had more than 2,800 customers participate between 2011 and 2013. More
than 400 of those customers have had
their follow-up analysis and claimed
an incentive reward.
“We are continually monitoring
industry trends and looking at ways
to help our customers manage their
energy usage,” said Pratt. “Every year,
our customer demand grows about 1
percent, and the savings in energy use
we can achieve through this program
helps offset that.”
Pratt noted that LG&E/KU is planning to add more incentives soon that
will include multifamily properties.
14
For More Than 31 Years,
The Home Builders Association’s
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Program
(*Kentucky AGC/SIF*)
Has Provided its members with
AFFORDABLE RATES
and the ongoing commitment to
EXCELLENCE IN SERVICE
AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
What Distinguishes our Workers’ Compensation
Insurance Program from other Programs?
In March of 2014, $8.8 million will be returned to Qualifying Fund members
in the form of a Dividend (subject to prior approval from the DOI).
A Dividend in the amount of $8.6 million was declared for the 2013 year.
In 1998, the Kentucky AGC/SIF was the FIRST self-insured group in the nation to apply for,
and the first in Kentucky to earn, an A.M. Best rating. The Fund’s rating is: A-,
“Excellent,” VII ($50-$100 million in surplus).
Since 1994, the Fund has returned more than
$130 million in Dividends to Qualifying Fund members.
.......... just to name a few.
The Kentucky AGC/SIF......
A Workers’ Compensation Insurance Fund
that is here for you today,
and will be here for you tomorrow.
For more information, please contact your local Association to locate an Insurance Agent nearest you.
Questions about
Health Insurance
(or any insurance for
that matter)?
We have the answers.
Lower health insurance rates are a
available to qualified HBAK members.
Insurance can be confusing. We are here to help.
As the sponsored insurance agency for the Home
Builders Association, we understand the
options available.
Let us help you find the best
programs to meet your needs.
Proudly Representing
(502) 499-6880 [email protected] www.LLHins.com

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