As we move into spring and summer after a long hard winter, we are all in sales and production mode. At the same time, it is crucial that we keep an eye on the inventory of vehicles and machinery that is used on a day-to-day basis.

Just last month, our company experienced two major thefts. We purchased a cargo trailer for hauling cabinets and tools. After picking up the new trailer on a Tuesday, installing the new plates on Thursday, and putting it under complete lockdown (with locks that were recommended by the trailer manufacturer), it was stolen that following Sunday night. It took the thieves all of about five minutes to break the lock, hook it up, and drive away. That Monday we had cameras installed on the building so that we would catch anyone trying to take anything from our premises in the future. On the following Sunday, they came back and took our dump trailer. The cameras caught the vehicle coming and going with our trailer but did not get the license plate.  After looking into all this, I learned that trailer theft is high. The reason is that all trailers come with a

title that is meaningless. In Ohio it is mandatory that a trailer has to be titled in order to receive plates. But in Kentucky and other states all you have to have to do is take a trailer without title and have it weighed and they will produce a new title. This is absolutely absurd. After going through this ordeal, I believe we should all reach out to the state representatives and have the laws re-configured so that it is mandatory to have a title and proof of purchase in these states, just as you would for a car. This would bring this kind of theft down to a minimum.

By the way, we have a good picture of the truck that took our trailer(s), and the sheriff ’s department is in hot pursuit of catching these thieves.

Have a good month!

Sincerely,John A. PuslatWindow & Door Designs and Total RemodelingPresident, Miami Valley NARI

MAY 2014

PRESIDENT’S COLUMN

May 2014 | www.naridayton.org – 1

Be Mindful of Theft in the Industry

Miami Valley NARI exhibited and showed off a module of our new display at the recently concluded Dayton Home & Garden Show.   The show is owned by SH Show Productions and was retooled in 2014 to showcase a fresh and unique feel.  Thousands visited the Dayton Convention Center March 21-23, 2014 and the show’s nearly 170 vendors.  The show was interesting and most vendors commented they did well and were able to reinforce the message to remodel that they had repeated over and over again at HomeWorld in mid-February.  We are looking

forward to a very successful spring season (when it arrives) for all remodeling professionals across the Miami Valley, thanks to a series of excellent home shows in our market.  A special thank you to the following members for helping work the Miami Valley NARI booth and spread the word about hiring a professional:  Bill Montgomery, Insurance Works; Brian McAndrew, Norandex Building Materials; Mike Mergler, Dayton Home Remodeling; Michelle Bilbrey, UDCP,  W E Bilbrey General Contractor, LLC; John Puslat, Window & Door Designs.

The Dayton Home and Garden Show

Greater Dayton Building and Remodeling Wins National CotY Awards!

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Miami Valley NARI member Greater Dayton Building and Remodeling, of Beavercreek, was recently announced as winners of two national CotY awards at the annual Evening of Excellence, held in New Orleans on March 28th.  

One of the categories in which it was recognized was for commercial interior. For that project, the goal was to create an upscale, yet casual environment for the head chef and owner of the business to create world fusion cuisine. The challenge Greater Dayton Building & Remodeling faced was to upgrade the facility to code while staying within the budget and scheduling constraints. This project was value-engineered to maintain the owner’s desired level of finishes without exceeding the budget. Many of the built-in features were removed and adaptively reused to help the restaurant obtain a “certified green” business certificate. A “bubble” panel and water wall features create a distinctive dining experience.

Greater Dayton Building & Remodeling also won in the commercial exterior category. Here, the company collaborated not only with the clients, but with the city of Dayton and the Historical Landmarks Commission in order to design and execute this exterior renovation plan. The goal of the project was to blend in to the style of the neighborhood, but also make it stand out as an inviting space for a new tenant.

Architectural details were replicated using one-inch insulation board to complete the exterior insulated finishing system. Though this caused challenges during the project, moving forward it will be low maintenance and provide lasting quality to the structure.

This is not the first time that Greater Dayton Building & Remodeling has won a regional and national CotY award. Usually in July they sit down to get a snapshot of what has been accomplished during the year, reach out to customers for their approval and then put together the narrative.

“We are proud of all of our projects, and usually find we have more that are worthy of the award then we have time to put together,” said Caroline Morgan. “This past year we submitted six projects and won five locally. Winning a CotY is good for our clients and for our marketing efforts. It is also an affirmation that our peers enjoy our work. We appreciate the recognition and the fact that no project is too small to be considered.”

Greater Dayton Building and Remodeling also just learned it is a 2014 finalist for the Eclipse Integrity Award from the Better Business Bureau. Congratulations!

Visit them online at http://www.greaterdaytonbr.com.

May 2014 | www.naridayton.org – 3

If you have not felt the brunt of an OSHA inspection recently, chances are you will do so soon. Inspection efforts are escalating. When OSHA appears, the employer’s initial response will determine its success in avoiding and defending citations. OSHA’s first visit after an accident is the most important event in the life

of the investigation. Don’t think that you have “nothing to hide.” Procedures should be in place for dealing with an inspection.

Remember that you are entitled to representation in an OSHA inspection and that OSHA must give your company a reasonable opportunity to have your safety consultant or OSHA attorney travel to your facility before the inspection commences. Don’t be in a hurry to let OSHA into your facility. Some larger clients of the firm have made Compliance Officers (“C.O.”) wait as long as two hours for us to arrive—but this is at the limits of a reasonable time frame.

When OSHA appears, you have two options—permit the inspection or refuse it. If the inspection is permitted, strict parameters need to be set in order to keep the compliance officer from having the opportunity to engage in a fishing expedition for additional violations. Whether to grant access frequently depends upon the facts and circumstances surrounding the citation and the working environment at the time of inspection. Generally, however, if the C.O. appears with a proper complaint, he should be permitted to inspect, but only for the item identified in the complaint. The employer’s limitations on the inspection should be stated to the C.O. and those limitations should be strictly followed. Remember, OSHA is empowered to expand the inspection scope and issue citations for other violations which may be in plain sight as the C.O. moves between the entrance to the work place and the area of inspection. Anything seen is fair game! It is so important to limit the C.O.’s exposure that it is not unusual for an employer to cause the C.O. to walk outside and around the facility and therefore enter by a back or side door immediately adjacent to the area of inspection.

An employer has the right to deny access until a search warrant is obtained. Some benefits exist in requiring a warrant—it identifies the scope of the inspection, the time limitations for performing the inspection and gives the employer time to get its house in order before the compliance officer returns with the Court order. Requesting the warrant is most advised if there are numerous items listed on the complaint or a “wall-to-wall” inspection is intended. Historically, C.O.s are not more zealous about the inspection when required to obtain a warrant—contrary to what you may think.

Stay tuned next month for the continuation of this article, with a list of hints on how to deal with the inspection.

Surviving an OSHA InspectionSmall Businesses Face Legal Challenges Alone

Contributed by Bob Dunlevey – Dunlevey, Mahan & Furry, www.dmfdayton.com

The Miami Valley Remodeler is published monthly by Miami Valley NARI.

Miami Valley NARI136 South Keowee StreetDayton, Ohio 45402(937) 222-NARI (6274)Fax (937) 222-5794

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVEKimberly A. Fantaci Ric Kirchner

THE REMODELER EDITORMichelle Crawley

2014 MIAMI VALLEY BOARD OF DIRECTORS

PRESIDENT John PuslatWindow and Door Designs

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARDPeter Price, MCR, CKBR Stillwater Builders Company

VICE PRESIDENTMichelle Bilbrey, UDCP W E Bilbrey General Contractor, LLC

SECRETARYBilly BrinckFerguson Enterprises, Inc.

TREASURERScott BrunsRebuilding Together Dayton

DIRECTORSMatt JonesGreater Dayton Building & Remodeling

Lori Ring Hamilton Parker Company

John Harkleroad CR, UDCPBrentwood Builders Inc.

Gary LytleSibco Building Products

Jason MoweryMowery Construction Inc.

Jay Hurst, CRHurst Total Home, Inc.

Randy Light CRPossert Construction Company

The RemodelerMiami Valley

4 – May 2014 | www.naridayton.org

Featured SupplierNorandex

Norandex Building Materials distributes exterior building products such as roofing, vinyl and fiber cement siding, windows and doors and many other accessory items to professional builders and contractors/remodelers. The company has a beautiful showroom and warehouse with offices at 2619 Needmore Road in Dayton, conveniently located just off I-75. The company serves the Greater Dayton area, and goes as far south as Cincinnati and as far north as Sidney. The corporate office is located in Hudson, Ohio, and the company currently operates 105 Norandex locations across the United States. The company has been in business since 1946 and has served Dayton for 47 years.

The company offers a unique blend of products that are exclusive to Norandex, such as their maintenance-free and high-performance Extreme X and XX Vinyl Windows and Mexima Entry Door system, as well as their exclusive Norandex Vinyl Siding and proprietary NailRight Installation system to make siding jobs go up easier. The company offers an array of colors that no other supplier has. It has partnered with the top names in the roofing industry this year and now stocks IKE, Certainteed, Owens Corning and GAF shingles. Norandex is a building materials distribution business focused on delivering remarkable customer service to builders and contractors.

“We partner with the best nationally-recognized and locally favored suppliers to provide leading brands of siding, windows, roofing and accessory products,” said Brian McAndrew, branch manager. “We promise that each customer order will be on-time and complete, and we commit to fulfill our promises with 100 percent accuracy. Our goal is to make each Norandex customer as successful as they can possibly be. Our team of highly-trained, dedicated professionals is passionate about achieving that goal.”

The company joined NARI in 2009 and is proud to be associated with the organization. McAndrew came on board as branch manager in December 2013. He sits on our Miami Valley NARI education committee, and was recently selected as chairman of the local CotY awards.

Visit them online at www.norandex.com.

Proceeds fund ongoing educational programs for local youth who want to pursue a career in the trades.

Friday, May 30th, 2014 | 7pm til MidnightWalnut Grove Country Club

“in the Grove”5050 Linden Avenue Dayton Ohio

Admission – $20 per person (Adults 21 and up) for this “All Inclusive” event

Limited to 200 guests on a first-come basis

Sponsored by

In March, our membership meeting was hosted by Requarth Lumber at their showroom and mill. They provided attendees with Bill’s Donuts, coffee from Tim Horton’s, and plenty of sodas. The fine folks at Requarth Lumber arranged to have several of their suppliers give hands-on demonstrations of their products. The Requarth team built a free-standing wall in the mill for the demonstrations.

The morning began with a presentation from John Richardson with Tyvek. He demonstrated how to properly install Tyvek house wrap as well as the flashing around windows. Doing this correctly is imperative in order to ensure that no water gets in. Throughout his presentation, he asked questions of the attendees and whoever answered, whether right or wrong, received a windbreaker.

Shawn Miller with Requarth then took the floor to demonstrate the Anderson Windows trim kit. They presented a short video on the product before showing attendees how easy it is to install. The trim kits can be used on either windows or doors, and can be ordered preassembled or used in parts for custom fit.

Next up was Jason Olding with Boral TruExterior. This product is made from fly ash and provides the ease and look of wood without the moisture and rotting issues. With other products, the two biggest call back issues are moisture and movement. Neither are problems with this product. It is low maintenance, easy to install, and was awarded six points on the LEED scale.

The morning was wrapped up by Adam McCool with Royal Building Products, who demonstrated for the attendees the best way to install Celect Siding and the matching window surround system that can also be purchased. Attendees were invited to join Adam at the front of the room to see for themselves the ease of working with the product, from cutting it down with a saw to nailing it up on the wall.

A drawing was held at the conclusion of the meeting for a package of four polo shirts. These were donated by Requarth and will have the company logo of the winning recipient put on them. George Conaway of Hamilton Parker was the winner. Congratulations, George! – Watch to see his team outfitted in style!

Overall, everyone had a great time and learned quite a bit. Requarth wants to do more of these three-hour workshops for our members, so keep an eye out for more to come.

March Meeting Recap:

Requarth Lumber

May 2014 | www.naridayton.org – 5

Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish, online or from a mobile device. From decorating a room to building a custom home, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community powered by social tools, Houzz is the easiest way for people to get the design inspiration, project advice, product information and professional reviews they need to help turn ideas into reality.

This workshop will first show you how to get your feet wet and start using Houzz to promote your company and build your brand! In this workshop, we’ll cover 4-easy steps you can take to get the most out of Houzz.

After you understand Houzz and the amazing ways you can build your company’s brand and online presence, they’ll introduce attendees to their favorite tips and tricks! Houzz has many built-in features that they’ll introduce to better understand the platform’s functionality and the way that they can help you establish your brand even further.

A Little About the Presenter Michael Stein is a member of the Community Team at Houzz, an innovative residential remodeling and design platform and community.  He joined Houzz after working as a residential remodeling carpenter for a general contractor in San Francisco.  A zealous Houzz user for years, he set up his contractor’s Houzz profile and realized he has a passion for helping professionals reach their full potential on the site.  Mr. Stein studied Architecture and Communications at the Academy of Art University.  In his spare time, Mr. Stein manages his family’s urban farm and does all his own home repairs. Don’t miss this meeting and a chance to learn how you can:

Increase your exposureMillions of homeowners are looking for professionals who can help them turn ideas into reality. Houzz’s visual platform puts your company’s work in front of them every day.

Build your brandDisplay projects among the best in the country and the world, and showcase your crew’s expertise to homeowners.

Work smarterCommunicate more efficiently with clients using visual idea books. Choose privacy and collaboration options. Houzz is the most efficient way to find the latest building and decorating products, and learn about what homeowners are looking for.

Membership Meeting - May 13, 2014

Topic: Houzz WorkshopPresented by: Michael Stein, Community Team Member, Houzz

Tuesday, May 13, 2014Registration: 7:30 a.m.Program: 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Location: Walnut Grove Country Club5050 Linden AvenueDayton, OH 45432 Cost:$10.00 NARI Certified Members$20.00 NARI Members$30.00 Non-Members

Refunds will not be provided after Thursday, May 8th. Unpaid no-shows with reservations will be invoiced. To Register:Online at www.naridayton.org By email to info@naridayton.org Questions? Call our office at (937) 222-6274

6 – May 2014 | www.naridayton.org