Builders

utlook

www.elpasobuilders.com

2014: issue 7

Builder Confidence Surpasses Key Benchmark

Builder confidence in the market for

newly-built single-family homes
reached an important milestone in
July, rising four points to a reading of

Bipartisan
Energy
Codes Bill a
Boon for
Consumers

53 on the National Association of

Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing
Market Index (HMI) released July15.
Any reading over 50 indicates that
more builders view sales conditions as
good than poor.
This is the first time that builder
confidence has been above 50 since
January and an important sign that it
is strengthening as pent-up demand
brings more buyers into the
marketplace, said NAHB Chairman
Kevin Kelly, a home builder and
developer from Wilmington, Del.
An improving job market goes
hand-in-hand with a rise in builder
confidence, said NAHB Chief
Economist David Crowe. As
employment increases and those with
jobs feel more secure about their own
economic situation, they are more

likely to feel comfortable about buying

a home.
Derived from a monthly survey that
NAHB has been conducting for 30
years, the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing
Market Index gauges builder
perceptions of current single-family
home sales and sales expectations for
the next six months as good, fair or
poor. The survey also asks builders
to rate traffic of prospective buyers as
high to very high, average or low
to very low. Scores from each
component are then used to calculate
a seasonally adjusted index where
any number over 50 indicates that
more builders view conditions as good
than poor.
All three HMI components posted
gains in July. The index gauging
current sales conditions increased four

points to 57, while the index

measuring expectations for future
sales rose six points to 64 and the
index gauging traffic of prospective
buyers increased three points to 39.
The HMI three-month moving
average was up in all four regions,
with the Northeast and Midwest
posting a one-point and two-point gain
to 35 and 48, respectively. The West
registered a five-point gain to 52 while
the South rose two points to 51.
Editors Note: The NAHB/Wells
Fargo Housing Market Index is strictly
the product of NAHB Economics, and
is not seen or influenced by any
outside party prior to being released to
the public. HMI tables can be found at
nahb.org/hmi. More information on
housing statistics is also available at
housingeconomics.com.

Bipartisan legislation introduced by

Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
and KurtSchrader (D-Ore.) would help
promote savings in commercial
buildings and residential homes
through the use of more cost-effective
energy codes, which set energy
efficiency baselines for buildings,
according to the National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB).
By requiring that any code or
proposal supported by the Department
of Energy has a payback of 10 years
or less, the bill would allow home
owners to invest in energy-efficient
windows, lighting and other features
that will significantly reduce their utility
bills, said NAHB Chairman Kevin
Kelly, a home builder and developer
from Wilmington, Del.

In addition to accelerating costsavings for home owners, the Energy

Savings and Building Efficiency Act
(H.R. 5027) stipulates that the
Department of Energy would serve as
a technical advisor in the development
of energy codes and prohibit the
agency from advocating for certain
technologies, building materials or
construction practices.
The agencys strong suit is
technical analysis and its calculations
on payback and efficiency can help
code officials make more informed
decisions and result in cost-effective
code change proposals, said Kelly.
That transparency leads to better
building.
Specifically, the bill would ensure
that all Department of Energy code

change proposals are:

Made available to the public,
including calculations on costs and
savings;
Subject to the official rulemaking
process, allowing for public
comment; and
Taking into account small business
concerns.
This bill will help ensure that new
homes become increasingly energy
efficient, but not at a pace that the
market cannot bear, said John Floyd,
principal of Ole South Properties in
Nashville. Our buyers want to be
assured that the additional cost comes
with a reasonable payback so they
can recoup the money they spent.

Theres no place like the 2014

Parade of Homes for the Holidays!
ASSo

uilD
n of B
c i AT i o

The El Paso Association of Builders proudly present the 2014 Holiday Parade of Homes

ERS

E
D
A
PARof

o
E l PA S

S
E
M
HO
open d

- decemb
5
r
e
b
m
ece

er

ving
e luxury li !
c
n
ie
r
e
p
x
E
g
it of givin
& the spir

December 5-21, 2014 at Rio Valley Subdivision by Winton.

This year, the Parade of Homes will feature a holiday theme and embrace the spirit of
giving by sharing proceeds with local not-for profit organizations.
There are many creative and fun sponsorship opportunities. The 2014
Parade of Homes is a perfect place to showcase your business!

21

Exclusive sponsorship opportunities available

Dont be naughty - be nice. Market your business at the 2014 Parade of Homes!
Call Ray at 778-5387 today.

Builders Outlook

WERE PROUD TO SERVE THOSE

WHOVE SERVED US ALL.

2014 issue 7

2014 issue 7

Builders Outlook

Presidents Message |
Frank
Torres
President,
El Paso Association
of Builders

As your president Im surprised how

fast this year is going. While the
building business isnt as good as it
can be there are signs that we could
see improvement in the second half.
First of all as Ray has reported to us
the inventory of new homes has been
a problem for us. As builders we want
to build, not hold inventory. For our
suppliers inventory is not a good thing
either.
Every new home has
thousands of parts and those parts
come from vendors and suppliers.
When we have inventory on the
ground we dont need parts for them,
they already have them. So when we
see this much inventory our suppliers
dont get orders.
For them its
interesting because they sometimes
report to their home offices located
where building is going on like crazy. I
mean when you see how Dallas or
Houston is going it is hard for the
bosses to see El Paso in a hold or not
building as much. Also the resale
market is not helping us either. You
see that there are some 2900 plus
resales on the market and that means
our competition is huge. We consider
resale housing as our competition
because of the sales price and ability
for people to buy a resale under

ElPasoDisposal
July is a time of
reflection and
action
$100,000. Our costs for land and
lumber, taxes and fees wont allow us
to do that anymore, at least not for a
three bedroom new home. I hope
things move along better in the second
half of the year. Our political leaders
need to see that were still struggling to
come out of a bad four years and
hopefully we can start that in the
second half.
We are also excited to get to work on
the Holiday Parade of Homes
coming to the upper valley this
December. I know we have seven
committed builders but number eight is
just around the corner. Ray has some
really good sponsorship opportunities
for you to consider.
We are also looking for our Home
and Garden to be a huge success.
The T.V. stars from Animal Planets
Tanked will be the special guests. I
have seen their show and its
entertainment for sure but those guys
are really good at making large fish
tanks. We are looking for our Home
show builder, a great marketing
opportunity for one of our builders. Let
me know if you are interested. Again,
have a great July and see you in
August.

772-7495

Showroom:
2131 Missouri
915 533 6045

fax 533 6096

Thomas R. Brown, Owner

its time to get

serious about
your retirement.
The El Paso Association of Builders is proud to now offer an
individualized retirement plan created for you.

ThE EPAB MEMBEr rETirEMEnT PlAn

As an EPAB member, you have the unique opportunity to take control of
your retirement investing.
We understand the challenges of retirement planning. Thats why we have
partnered with Employee Benefits of El Paso to offer you the opportunity
to create an individualized retirement plan under the umbrella of the El
Paso Association of Builders.
investments
irAs
401K
now is the time to start planning for the next phase of your life. let your
membership with EPAB help you get there.

Call (915) 542-0900

for more information today.
Prior to selecting investment options for your plan you should consider the investment objectives, risks, fees and expenses carefully. For this and other important information, you obtain
prospectuses for mutual funds, any applicable annuity contract and the annuity's underlying funds, and/or additional disclosure documents from the appropriate retirement plan representative. Read
them carefully.There is no guarantee that participation in any retirement plan will result in a profit or that your account will outperform a self-managed portfolio. Please consult with your financial
planner, attorney and/or tax adviser as needed.

Builders Outlook

2014 issue 7

Perspective

Ray Adauto,
Executive
Vice President
EPAB

I had the pleasure of having a family

reunion over the July 4th holiday. Its an
every three year event that brings
about 250 members of our extended
family together. I kid that we need this
reunion to make sure were not dating a
cousin and if we are to make sure we
keep it on the downlow. In all
seriousness this party brings some of
the elders in contact with some of the
younger set and frankly thats important
to us. I did have a opportunity to show
my brother from McKinney some of the
good things going on in El Paso and
some of the haunts from his childhood.
The new stuff really impressed him as
he looked at the new stadium, the
rebuild of downtown, and the
expansion of El Paso out east and
northeast.
He was particularly
impressed with all the action on the
growth but was very concerned about
putting the citys treasure so squarely
on downtown. As a fiscal and political
conservative he has a good
understanding of what hes talking
about. He has lived in Spain, Caracas
Venezuela, Panama, Dallas, Salt Lake
City, Chicago and traveled extensively

Housing moving upwards, good opportunities continue

in Central and South America plus

Europe.
He retired from Sears
Roebuck and Discover, and was a
principal in a Discover Card processing
center that was highly robotic and
secure. Discover cards were printed
there as were payment processing. In a
huge company like Sears, a giant when
he started with them, the economy of
the world was very much a part of the
business. He told me in no uncertain
terms that communities like to make
downtowns a project where public
money is the largest contributor, and
where nine out of ten attempts end up
costly mistakes. With the view from the
private sector he thinks that the effort is
valiant but probably will end up costing
other parts of the city more in the end.
His rationalization for this involves
the mix needed to create a downtown
that can support itself he told me.
Housing, commercial, retail, banking,
infrastructure all need a balance.
Without one of the pieces the whole
never really makes it. He gave
examples like Providence, Rhode
Island where public money spent there
has not made significant progress.

Downtown is run down, and few new

businesses are at the core. He also
belives that public money can be used
for good if the ratio of private
investment is higher than that of the
public treasury. In Atlanta for instance,
the Falcons are getting a new football
stadium with 80% private funds and
20% public funds. Oklahoma City
raised the money first before
embarking on a downtown remake.
OKC went further in making sure each
of the districts were supported first with
improvements to schools, hospitals,
infrastructure, then money was used
for the downtown redevelopment. He is
also sure that the state will one day
make all the lanes on Loop 375 toll
lanes as the pressure to keep the roads
maintained will get harder and harder
to do.
So my visitor from Central Texas is
forecasting some interesting things,
isnt he. Perhaps the view from outside
is important as we move forward. I had
an interesting survey come my way
compliments of the Border Alliance, an
organization of business people
looking for ways to make the El Paso

metroplex more business competative.

The survey was on the El Paso
International Airport and what thoughts
I may have on it. I was honest with that
survey, letting them know that I firmly
believe were going backwards there.
Losing flights is not what a city wants or
needs. Doing what appears to be little
to ensure the loss isnt huge bothers
me as it should you. Housing is tied to
many things, one of them business and
commercial growth and getting people
in and out of El Paso is paramount to
securing them to the area. When we
lose flights to Albuquerque, Denver,
Lubbock, Amarillo, Austin and Los
Angeles its the beginning of a bad
sign. Not long ago we lost Frontier
Airlines and the easy connections to
Albuquerque and Denver and beyond.
No one has seen a commercial flight
directly into Mexico for how long? And
having to travel to Houston to connect
to Lubbock? Really? I hope someone
starts the conversation on the airport,
because I really think that we cannot
afford to lose more flights and hope for
a new El Paso.

2014 issue 7

Builders Outlook

Industry News
Kevin Kelly: FHFA Proposal
for Private Mortgage
Insurance Companies
Kevin Kelly, chairman of the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and
a home builder and developer from
Wilmington, Del., issued the following
statement on the Federal Housing Finance
Agencys (FHFA) draft eligibility
requirements that private mortgage
insurance companies would have to meet
in order to insure loans sold to or
guaranteed by Fannie Mae and Freddie
Mac:
NAHB is concerned that this proposal
could increase the cost and impede the
availability of private mortgage insurance
at a time when the housing recovery
remains fragile. FHFA has provided 60
days to comment on this proposal and
NAHB intends to respond. Credit
conditions are already extremely tight for
qualified home borrowers, particularly
those who do not have pristine credit
scores. FHFA needs to take great care
that these changes are implemented in a

careful manner to avoid any unintended

consequences that would shut
creditworthy buyers out of the housing
market.

NAHB Applauds Senate

Confirmation of Julin
Castro as HUD Secretary
Kevin Kelly, chairman of the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and
a home builder and developer from
Wilmington, Del., today issued the
following statement following the Senate
confirmation of Julin Castro as the next
secretary of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development:
NAHB applauds the Senate
confirmation of Julin Castro as secretary
of the Department of Housing and Urban
Development. NAHB looks forward to
working with Secretary Castro to promote
policies that will strengthen the nations
housing recovery and ensure a reliable
and adequate flow of affordable credit for
single-family and multifamily housing.

Statement from NAHB

Chairman Kevin Kelly on
Immigration Reform
Kevin Kelly, chairman of the National
Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and
a home builder and developer from
Wilmington, Del., today issued the
following statement following Rep. Mario
Diaz-Balarts (R-Fla.) announcement on
immigration reform:
NAHB commends Rep. Diaz-Balart for
his tireless leadership and commitment to
fix our nations broken immigration system.
Clearly, the issue is ripe for action and we
strongly encourage the House leadership
to reconsider its decision to place
immigration reform on the backburner. The
time to move forward is now.

A W A R D E D

TEXAS BUILDER OF THE YEAR

2013

We build so you can GROW

NAHB will continue to remain engaged

with lawmakers in both chambers and on
each side of the political aisle to urge
Congress and the Administration to work
together on comprehensive reform. A
modernized immigration system will bring
greater economic certainty and ensure we
have the workers we need, along with a
secure border and a plan to address the
status of the current undocumented
population.

NAHBs BuilderBooks
Launches Redesigned
Website
BuilderBooks, the book publishing arm
of the National Association of Home
Builders (NAHB), today revealed its newly
redesigned website, BuilderBooks.com.
The site recently underwent a makeover
to improve its look, feel and functionality.
The revamped site offers easy-to-navigate
access to all of the BuilderBooks titles, as
well as an improved search function. Other
new features include mobile capability, the
ability to compare products, social media
tools like Share with a Friend, and wish
lists.
In addition to the site improvements,
BuilderBooks continues to offer a variety of
attractive services and discounts:
Bulk Purchasing DiscountsCustomers
can purchase in bulk and receive even
larger discounts. Plus they can customize
the resources with their company logo by
calling 800-368-5242 x8205.
eDocsBuilderBooks offers access to a
variety of forms and checklists available
for download.
eBooksSeveral popular BuilderBooks
publications are available and can be
saved to a PC, iPad, Android device or
viewed and read online. eBooks are
available at ebooks.builderbooks.com.
NAHB Members Save 10%Members
save 10% on every item, everyday
(member price).
BuilderBooks continues to produce the
products and publications, which have
been specifically created to help housing
professionals streamline their daily
operations, better serve their new and
existing customers, develop new strategies
to safeguard their jobsites and, ultimately,
build and sell more homes.
Some of the industrys best resources
are published by BuilderBooks:
Social Media 3.0: Its Easier Than You
Think
Cost of Doing Business Study, 2014
Edition
Jobsite Safety Handbook, EnglishSpanish
Residential Construction Performance
Guidelines, Contractor Reference, 4th
Edition
2012 ICC-700 National Green Building
Standard
What Home Buyers Really Want
BuilderBooks is accessible online 24/7
365 days of the year, or by phone 800223-2665, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. - 6 p.m.
(ET).

Builders Outlook

2014 issue 7

5 Best Practices to Determine Financial Feasibility of Projects

By Emily Study as reported on
Seniorhousingnews.com
A slew of new construction is in the
works for the senior housing industry, but
before committing to the projects,
operators must determine if theyre
financially feasible.
Conducting a financial feasibility study
is the first step providers should take to
assess the risks and opportunities
associated with new projects, according
Lancaster Pollard, a firm that provides
financial advice to senior housing and
health care organizations.
A financial feasibility study is not only
crucial to the decision-making process,
but will help organizations maximize the
success of their projects, the firm writes
in a recent article.
Doing so early in the planning process
will help operators avoid higher project
costs and missed market opportunities.
Consider five best practices to pursue:
1. Look at Debt to Establish a
Framework
Prior to investing in a financial
feasibility study which can be costly
depending on the level of analysis
required for the project the provider
should conduct a debt capacity study.
This analysis is more limited in scope
than a financial feasibility study and helps
identify capital necessary for an
organizations success.
A debt capacity study will help establish
a framework for more detailed analysis by
answering the question, Will an
organizations or companys balance
sheet provide sufficient liquidity cash
and investment reserves?

2. Focus on Key Services

New projects come with new
opportunities, but they may mean cutting
back on existing services. Lacaster
Pollard suggests identifying service lines
that an organization may need to add or
discontinue with new construction.
Service line goals are critical because
whether adding or subtracting, the result
will be organizational change, the article
states. The question for providers is if
patients/residents, staff and the
community are prepared for the
necessary adjustments.
For example, is a community prepared
to make a necessary trade-off, such as
letting go of a costly nursing home to
provide the cash flow necessary for
expanded memory care services?
While new projects are exciting,
managing change is an essential part of
the expansion planning process. And
providers must recognize this early in
the financial feasibility process to
accommodate change management.
3. Outline the Project Timeline
Together with financial advisers,
project managers and lenders, providers
should establish time frames and
deadlines for each step in the project.
This includes identifying how long it
will take to secure the land; the length of
the architectural and construction
contract process, as well as design
iterations and value engineering; and
above all else, securing funding, which
will be determined by the desired
financing structure.
To avoid delays and additional
expense, a financial feasibility study
should be pursued in conjunction with
the overall project timeline, the article
states.

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4. Be Realistic in Revenue Projections

Successful projects require careful
examination of the demographics and
utilization information that will support a
feasibility studys revenue projections.
Providers should focus on projects that
have the greatest revenue potential.
The key to assessing senior housing
demand, Lancaster Pollard says, is being
honest about the number of incomequalified senior households, utilization
and penetration rates.
5. Include Staff as Key Expenses
Though organizations often plan to
maintain their existing full-time employee
level post-construction, they fail to
consider that the number of these
employees tends to increase because

existing service lines do not immediately

change.
Successful organizations understand
staffing benchmarks and have adjusted
them appropriately for project and
operational impacts, the article states.
So with an imminent increase in senior
housing demand, providers must consider
these factors in order to accommodate
residents and expand successfully.
Lancaster Pollard is a senior housing
Investment Advisory group.

2014 issue 7

Builders Outlook

Energy Efficiency
ry edition
h anniversa
Special 65t

Reserve your advertising space in the 2014 edition of

DREAM HOME

Is non-QM
lending the future
of housing?
NAHB

Bipartisan legislation introduced by

Reps. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.)
and KurtSchrader (D-Ore.) would
help promote savings in commercial
buildings and residential homes
through the use of more cost-effective
energy codes, which set energy
efficiency baselines for buildings,
according to the National Association
of Home Builders (NAHB).
By requiring that any code or
proposal
supported
by
the
Department of Energy has a payback
of 10 years or less, the bill would
allow home owners to invest in
energy-efficient windows, lighting and
other features that will significantly
reduce their utility bills, said NAHB
Chairman Kevin Kelly, a home builder
and developer from Wilmington, Del.
In addition to accelerating costsavings for home owners, the Energy
Savings and Building Efficiency Act
(H.R. 5027) stipulates that the
Department of Energy would serve as
a
technical
advisor
in
the
development of energy codes and
prohibit the agency from advocating
for certain technologies, building
materials or construction practices.
The agencys strong suit is
technical analysis and its calculations
on payback and efficiency can help
code officials make more informed
decisions and result in cost-effective
code change proposals, said Kelly.
That transparency leads to better
building.
Specifically, the bill would ensure
that all Department of Energy code
change proposals are:
Made available to the public,
including calculations on costs
and savings;
Subject to the official rulemaking
process, allowing for public
comment; and
Taking into account small
business concerns.
This bill will help ensure that new
homes become increasingly energy
efficient, but not at a pace that the
market cannot bear, said John Floyd,
principal of Ole South Properties in
Nashville. Our buyers want to be
assured that the additional cost
comes with a reasonable payback so
they can recoup the money they
spent.

The El Paso Association of Builders exclusive magazine featuring the

absolute very best in custom home building and luxury living.

Call Margaret today at 778-5387

E L PO CAISA OT I O N
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uilders.com
www.elpasob

46
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Call Margaret today at 778-5387

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Builders Outlook

2014 issue 7

Products

Tool Test: 5-inch

Random-Orbit
Sanders
Spin Control: Nine random-orbit
sanders go pad to pad in our test
ByMichael Springer
Photos by dotfordot.com

The workhorse sander for most tradesmen

is the 5-inch-diameter random-orbit sander.
Thanks to its ability to hog off stock with a
coarse grit disk and leave a smooth, finished
surface with a fine grit, this single tool has
replaced the old progression of belt sander to
half-sheet finish sander for many. It doesn't
replace all sanders for all applications but
truth be told, it has replaced a lot of them over
the past few decades.
The random-orbit sander gets its wide
range of capabilities from its action. The
sanding pad is connected to a free spinning
bearing, which is mounted off-center to a
flywheel driven at full motor speed. This
design gives the pad a full-diameter spinning
motion along with a small wiggling action
known as the orbit. The amount of orbital
action is determined by how far off-center the
pad is mounted and is called the orbit size.
Under no-load conditions, the combined
motion is relatively uniform, and a dot marked
on the sanding pad often traces what looks
like a spirograph pattern. But once the pad
touches the work the equilibrium is broken
and the tool moves more randomly, changing
rotation speed and orbit shape in response to
varying pressure from the user. Random-orbit
sanders can remove material quickly because
a lot of area is covered by the sanding disk
every second; and they can leave a nearly
swirl-free finish with the finest grits because
their eccentric rotation doesn't follow the same

path, so the scratch pattern is truly random.

A mechanical pad brake built into each tool
adds enough friction to keep the pad from
free-spinning up to full motor rpm; the brake is
a wear part that eventually needs to be
replaced. Earlier electric random-orbit sanders
were made without pad brakes, similar to
pneumatic models, but they were tricky to
handle when lifted off the work surface. At rpm
of 10,000 or more, a sanding disk could land
on the work as aggressively as a grinder, and
a free spinning disk was apt to fly off the pad
violently and could nearly jerk the tool out of
your hand.
Of the many random-orbit sanders on the
market, we narrowed our test selections down
to the newest 5-inch electric models with
variable-speed settings, hook-and-loop
sanding pads, and on-board dust-collection
containers. The variable-speed setting lets
you fine-tune the sander's performance for
different materials and abrasives.
Slower speeds, our testers noted, reduce
heat when sanding plastics, decrease pitch
buildup on disks when sanding knotty pine,
and help the grit dig in better on oily woods
like teak. For most sanding, though, our
testers use the top of the speed range,
occasionally making slight adjustments down
from the maximum to improve troublesome
vibration harmonics. All of our comparative
testing was done at the highest speed setting
for consistency, and as a result should be
pretty accurate for the single-speed versions
of these sanders too.
Hook-and-loop sanding disk attachment is
the most common system for electric randomorbit sanders. The disks are reusable and
easy to change, and are said to run cool
because of the slight air space between the
disk and the pad. Some of these sanders can
be fitted with a smooth pad for use with
pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) disks,
which are typically thinner and less expensive.
When testing these tools side by side, we
evaluated ergonomic concerns like switch

access, grip comfort, and vibration, as well as

control and performance factors like how
gently a sander "landed" on the work, how
smoothly it tracked on the work while sanding,
and the relative effectiveness of its dustcollection features.
But the most important test result was
sanding quality how evenly and completely
each pass of the tool actually sanded the
wood. Evenness can be described as the
density of the scratch pattern created by the
sander, and completeness as how effectively
that pattern was spread by the entire disk
surface. When these two elements
evenness and completeness are well
coordinated, the sanding grit contacts every
last bit of the work surface uniformly and
blends its scratch pattern in fewer passes,
making the work ready for the next-finer grit
sooner and helping that finer grit cover and
remove the previous coarser scratches
completely. Yes, random disk movement is
essential for a fine finish, but a more
consistent scratch pattern is easier to blend
and cover in fewer passes than one with wild

looping arcs. Viewed this way, sanding quality

equals sanding efficiency.
Winners
Porter-Cable turned in the best sanding
results consistently, with the fastest and most
uniform finishing. A strong new motor design
gives the tool a body shape that took some
getting used to, but the results cannot be
denied.
Festool took second with very refined but
slower performance in a comfortable
lightweight tool. Bosch earned third place with
all-around high-quality sanding, comfort, and
features. Competent sanders by Makita,
Milwaukee, and Hitachi occupy the middle tier,
followed by the less preferred DeWalt and
Ridgid models. And trailing them all is the
Craftsman sander.
Karsten of Karsten Balsley Woodworking
and Kerry Stoen of Westwoods of Boulder
contributed to this test; both are career
custom woodworkers in Boulder, Colo.

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2014 Issue 7

Builders Outlook

www.elpasobuilders.com
www.epbuilders.org

Membership News
UPCOMING EVENTS |
JULY 23-25
SUNBELT SHOW
San Antonio Hill Country
Resort & Spa

AUGUST 5-8
NAHB LEADERSHIP
TRAINING
ST. LOUIS, MO

AUGUST 13
BOARD MEETING
11:00
GENERAL MEETING
12:00
MARRIOTT HOTEL

SEPTEMBER 3-5
NAHB FALL EOC MEETING
PHOENIX, AZ

SEPTEMBER 10
BOARD MEETING
EPAB OFFICE

RENEWALS |
WINSOR DOOR LLC, INC.

ALBRITE ELECTRIC CO., INC.

AC REFRIDGERATION

ALL PRECISION SHEETMETAL WORKS

CONSOLIDATED SOLAR TECHNOLOGIES

RASSETTE HOMES

FIRTH, JOHNSTON, MARTINEZ, PC

CASA FORD & CASA NISSAN

BIC HOMES

WRIGHT & DALBIN

UNITED BANK OF PASO DEL NORTE

DISPLAY SERVICES

CHAPARRAL MATERIALS

HARDWARE SPECIALTIES

ADAMS MOULDING

NOVA BUILT LLC.

DUNN-EDWARDS WELBORN PAINT

CULLERS & CALDWELL

POLAR HEATING & COOLING

ICON CUSTOM HOME BUILDERS

NEW MEMBERS |
MARK WINTON INC.
CONTACT: MARK WINTON
8001 N. MESA, E-118
EL PASO, TEXAS 79932
915-867-7461

SODA SPONSOR |
October 17-19

Thanks to our JULY

SODA SPONSOR:
PALOVERDEHOMES

Reserve your booth today!

Jaimes
Courier
Service,Inc.
For the latest updates &
event information, visit:
elpasobuilders.com

915-549-4533
or
915-478-2404
Bonded, insured for
your peace of mind.

We are excited to announce our

Celebrity lineup for the Fall El Paso
Home & GardenShow will be Brett
and Wayde from Animal Planetshit
TV show, Tanked.
Dont miss the BEST HOME AND
GARDEN EVENT OF THE SEASON or your chance to greet
THOUSANDS of qualified customers FACE TO FACE.
Please call EPAB with your size
requirements so we can get you
the very best availalable WE can
send you the floor plan with pricing
and an application for your review.

WHERE:
EL PASO CONVENTION CENTER
EL PASO, TEXAS
WHEN:
October 17-19, 2014
Call EPAB today! See you at the
Show!
915-778-5387

10

Builders Outlook

2014 issue 7

Associates Council

Sam Shallenberger
Western Wholesale Supply

I hope youre having a good

summer. I only know its hot and
muggy. As the Associates Council
Chair we are gearing up for August
through December, my final six
months as your chairman. I am
retiring from the post Ive had for
four years, turning it over to the next
Associate. We have had a couple of
good suggestions for whom that will

be and will announce that choice in

November for consideration.
Were getting our stuff ready for the
surplus sale sometime around late
August or early September. Hopefully
well have some cool stuff to sell and
help you get rid of the junk you just
need to get rid of. Id also like to ask
you to get a booth at the Home and
Garden show coming our way

October 17-19 at the convention

center. I cant wait to see those goof
balls from Tanked the TV. show. I am
looking forward to seeing lots of
people come and buy from us or at
least see some of our great product
and services our associates offer.
Get ready for these two events. Ill be
calling on you to participate.

Trends

David De Rego
Hardware Specialities &
Glass Co., Inc.

If youve ever designed or remodeled a

kitchen, you know there are an
overwhelming number of decisions to make
with regard to cabinets. Keep the old, or
buy new? Reface or repaint? Adjustable or
fixed shelves? One question seems to lead
to another! Even once youve made what
may have seemed like a million decisions,
theres still one more consideration: the
hardware!
Cabinet hardware is the ultimate
accessory that can impact your room style.
Its the hat, shoes, and handbag of the
kitchen (or any other room for that matter).
Theknobs and pullsyou choose can send
the design of your space in one direction or
another, or they can bring styles together to
make them work.
For instance, the simplicity of Shaker
cabinets allows them to work well within
many different design styles. Oversized,
tubular hardware in a brushed nickel finish
makes a white Shaker-style cabinet feel

distinctively modern, while glass knobs

would give very similar cabinets a vintage
flair. Pair white Shakercabinet doorswith
oiled bronze pull cups and knobs, and you
might as well be in a Tuscan villa.
Your hardware selection or selections
can help bring mixed styles together, a very
popular move in contemporary kitchen
design. In fact, its not uncommon to see
different hardware types and finishes side
by side. Brushed nickel bin pulls
complement gold-patterned and mercury
glass knobs for a fantastic modern-vintage
mix in a painted gray-and-white kitchen
makeover. While youre making your
decision, make sure to attend to practical

matters as well as aesthetics. Traditionally,

knobs are used for doors, pulls for drawers.
But a beautiful knob is useless if it doesnt
fit in your hand so that the door opens
easily. Make sure the hardware feels good.
And if knobs just wont work for you, dont
be afraid to use pulls on everything. Also,
keep in mind the type of maintenance your
hardware will require. Textured pieces are
more difficult to clean, and some finishes
(e.g., brass) require more upkeep.
So pull out the catalogs, visit your local
specialty hardware store or surf the
internet; choices abound, and theres
nothing to hold you back. Whether youre
buying new cabinetsor sprucing up old
ones, your hardware can do a lot of design
work for a considerably small amount of
your project budget. If in two years your
tastes change, you can always switch your
hardware out for something that gives you
a different looka new hat and handbag
for your kitchen!

The options builders asked

for are right here.
Developed with the backing of the strongest insurance carriers
serving the Texas building industry, the exclusive TAB endorsed
insurance program offers new flexible options and rates that are
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Program Highlights
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El Paso, Permian Basin and Surrounding Area
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Builders

utlook

www.elpasobuilders.com
www.epbuilders.org
6046 Surety Dr. El Paso, TX 79905
915-778-5387 Fax: 915-772-3038
execuTive oFFicerS
FrankTorres President
GMF Custom Homes
edgar montiel vice President
Palo Verde Homes
carlos villalobos Secretary Treasurer
Palo Verde Homes
Sam Shallenberger Associates chair
Western Wholesale
edmundo Dena - immediate Past President
Accent Homes
ray Adauto executive vice President
El Paso Association of Builders
Jay Kerr -Attorney of record

couNciL/commiTTeecHAirS
Associates council
Sam Shallenberger
Build PAc
Randy Bowling
Desert Green Building council
Javier Ruiz
Land use council
Sal Masoud
Young Designer Award
John Chaney
remodelers council
Rudy Guel
membership retention
Mike Santamaria, Greg Bowling
Finance committee
Carlos Villalobos
Womens council
Lorraine Huit
ADviSorYToTHeBoArD
J. Crawford Kerr, Attorney, Firth, Johnston
& Martinez
BoArDoFDirecTorS
Beverly Clevenger, Automated Division 6 Builders, Inc.
Leti Navarette, Custom Dream Homes
Kathy Parry, Hunt Communities
Edgar Garcia, Bella Vista Custom Homes, Inc..
Bud Foster, Southwest Land Development Services
Juanita Garcia, ICON Custom Home Builder, LLC
Walter Lujan, DAWCO Home Builders
Joey Najera, Joseph Custom Homes
Rigo Mendez, Mission Homes
Nick Bombach, Casas de Leon, LLC
Lydia Mhouli, Crown Heritage Homes
JJ Vasquez, Pacifica Homes
Dan Ruth, Millenium Homes
Ken Wade, El Paso Building Materials
Ruben Orquiz, MTI Ready Mix
Kathy Carrillo, Pioneer Bank El Paso
Henry Tinajero, WestStar Bank
Chuck Gabriel, Carpets West
Ted Escobedo, Snappy Publishing
John Chaney, Passage Supply
Joe Bernal, Employee Benefits of El Paso
Linda Troncoso, TRE & Associates
Orlando Rodriguez, Mass Media Advertising, Inc.
Bret Thompson, Foxworth Galbraith Lumber
Chris Worm, City Bank Texas
Sal Masoud, Del Rio Engineering

TABSTATe DirecTorS
Randy Bowling
Greg Bowling

NATioNAL DirecTorS
Bobby Bowling IV.
Demetrio Jimenez
NATioNAL ASSociATioN oF
Home BuiLDerS
(800) 368-5242

TexAS ASSociATioN oF
BuiLDerS
(800)252-3625

2013 Builder member of The Year

Edmundo Dena
Accent Homes
2013 Pat cox Award
Sam Shallenberger
Western Wholesale Supply
2013 Associate of The Year
WestStar Bank
Larry Patton, Burt Blacksher
and Henry Tinajero

Honorary Life members

Wayne Grinnell
Don Henderson
Chester Lovelady
Cliff C. Anthes
Anna Gill
Brad Roe
Rudy Guel
E H Baeza
Past Presidents
committed to Serve
Greg Bowling
Kelly Sorenson
Mark Dyer
Mike Santamaria
John Cullers
Randy Bowling
Doug Schwartz
Robert Baeza

Bobby Bowling, IV
Rudy Guel
Anna Gil
Bradley Roe
Bob Bowling, III
E. H. Baeza
Hershel Stringfield
Pat Woods

ePAB mission Statement:

The El Paso Association of Builders is a
federated professional organization representing
the home building industry, committed to
enhancing the quality of life in our community by
providing affordable homes of excellence and
value.
The El Paso Association of Builders is a
501C(6) trade organization.
2014 Builders Outlook
is published and distributed for the
El Paso Association of Builders
by Ted Escobedo, Snappy Publishing
ted@snappypublishing.com
El Paso Texas 79912 915-820-2800