!"#$!%&#'()#*

makes its debut

!"#$!%&'()*+!,*-*.)/$!%&!")0$1*2$3!45)+0$36!766%()*2)%/!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!8*3(#97:3)+!;<=<

10

Charity House gets a splash of color

Take the scenic route to Founders

Pointe

Take the scenic route to Founders

Pointe

Send radiant heat back where it came fromAs temperatures and cooling costs soar, the new frontier in house construction is increasing energy efficiency. Solarbord uses heat-reflecting foil laminated to OSB to stop 97% of the sun’s radiant energy. That can mean attics are up to 30˚F cooler, which translates into cooler houses, lower energy costs and happier homeowners.

Make it the crowning achievement of every buildSolarbord, SFI CoC certified, installs like any roof sheathing and gives builders an extra edge in these energy-conscious times. And because it’s made in the USA and backed by a 25-year warranty, you’ll have total confidence in its quality and durability.

Build energy efficiency into every house – watch the video at SolarbordOSB.com to find out how.

RADIANT BARRIER SHEATHING

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MARCH/APRIL 2010 1

Departments$2 President’s Pen

4 Headliners

18 Counsel’s Insights

25 Builder Services

27 Remodelers Corner

!

Features 7-15 A historic Homearama

TBA’s !rst spring Homearama is less than one month away. We have all of the details you need to make the most of this showcase event.

16 First in their class Southern Living names custom builder Eric Sasser and his team at Sasser Construction LC Custom Builder Member of the Year.

17 Multifamily company builds scholarship funds "e Breeden Company honors a local educator by donating his rent toward the TMHC endowed scholarship with this year’s Scholarship Apartment.

The mission of Tidewater Builders Association is to improve the climate for affordable housing; promote the growth and development of the shelter industry; promote excellence and professionalism among mem-bers through education and networking opportunities; and support and enhance the community through charitable projects.

2010 OFFICERS: William H. Halprin, president; Charles J. Miller II, vice president; James E. Jackson, associate vice president; S.L. “Sam” Cohen, treasurer; Jack Schoch, secretary, Steven E. Lawson, appointee; Dennis M. Graf, appointee; Pete A. Kotarides, immedi-ate past president

2010 BUILDER DIRECTORS: Richard L. “Tuck” Bowie, Scott G. Brooker, Christopher J. Ettel, Dennis M. Graf, Pete O. Kotarides, Steven E. Lawson, Lucky C. Peterson, Stephen B. Quick IV

2010 ASSOCIATE DIRECTORS: G. Robert Aston Jr., Robert M. Boyd, J. Gregory Dodd, Thomas W. Dye, Scott M. Gandy, Gary T. McCollum, Brenda K. Reid, Edward O. Yoder

DIRECTORS EMERITI: Edward P. Brogan, William J. Fanney, Richard D. Guy, Doyle E. Hull, Frederick J. Na-politano, Richard E. Olivieri, John H. Peterson Jr., The Honorable Owen B. Pickett, Julian Rashkind, Stanley Waranch, Howard M. Weisberg, Wendell A. White

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER: Channing A. Pfeiffer

Managing editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mary Prier, APR

Editor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sara Steil

Advertising sales . . . . .Kim Powers, Sharon Freeman

Production coordinator . . . . . . . . . . . . Stella Council

Adviser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sandra Amidon

Graphic Artist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Diane Trumbull

Copyright: 2010; all rights reserved. No permission to reprint unless ex-pressly given by Tidewater Builders Association. The Tidewater Builder is published for all TBA member firms through the $15 subscription price, which is included in the annual membership fee. Opinions expressed by contributing columnist are not necessarily those of this publication.

The Tidewater Builder is published bi-monthly, January through December, by Tidewater Builders Association, lo-cated at 2117 Smith Ave., Chesapeake, VA 23320. Editorial deadline is 5 p.m. on the 1st of the month preceding publica-tion. Advertising deadline for copy and insertion order is p.m. on the 10th and for camera-ready ads, 5 p.m. on the 15th of the month preceding publication. All advertising is subject to current rates, copies of which can be obtained from the Special Events/Membership/Marketing Division, 420-2434. The magazine reserves the right to determine the suitability of any advertising or editorial copy, and all real estate ad-vertising is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handi-cap, familial status or national origin, or an intention to make any such preference, limitation or discrimination.

About the cover: East West Communities’ Founders Pointe provides residents and visitors with breathtaking views from its 844-foot observation pier complete with two decks, one halfway down the pier, and the other at the pier’s end.

!"#$!%&#'()#*

29 Big Pic

32 Shop Talk

35 Membership Update

20 Advertisers’ Index

36 Events Calendar

Vol. 57, Number 2

TBA President Bill Halprin made his television debut promoting the Mid-Atlan-tic Home & Flower Show on the noon news with anchor Kerri Furey on WAVY-TV 10. For a complete roundup of the show, see pages 22-24.

2 MARCH/APRIL 2010

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I recently had the opportunity to join area colleagues from the residential, commercial, industrial and retail real es-tate community to present the annual Hampton Roads Real Estate Market Review & Forecast at Old Dominion

University, for the E.V. Williams Center for Real Estate and Economic Development.

Although the word “forecast” was in the title, the crystal balls were not there this year. Burned by last year’s economy, this year’s speakers were cautious about making any predic-tions about the year ahead.

It would be easy to be discouraged a#er watching the pan-elists present charts and graphs showing again and again how far the economic indicators had fallen in 2009. But, as Tuck Bowie of Terry Peterson Cos. noted a#erward, “you can see the glass half full or you can see it half empty.”

The Residential MarketThere was some good news for builders — but only if you’re

building an a$ordable product. Van Rose, president of Rose & Womble Enterprises, presented the Residential Market for 2009. His graphs showed that new homes below $400,000 made up almost 75 percent of the market share for detached single family homes, while new homes below $300,000 made up over 75 percent of the market share for attached products.

Thanks to lower prices and the !rst-time buyer tax credit, the existing home market saw an improvement in the number of closings reported for the !rst time in four years, up 6.5 per-cent over 2008. Unfortunately, foreclosures and short sales accounted for nearly 20 percent of all residential closings, up signi!cantly from past years.

More goods news, if your glass is half full, is that new home inventory is incredibly low, with only 1,289 new homes on the market — a 7.1 month supply at the current absorp-tion rate, according to Van. In the price range that’s selling (less than $400,000), he reports there is only a !ve-month supply, which is approaching a seller’s market.

The Retail MarketThe retail market review by David Machupa from "al-

himer/Cushman & Wake!eld weighed in with some positive to balance the negative. Access to capital continues to chal-lenge retailers and commercial landlords, he said, but he also noted that retail spending picked up in January and February and the tourism market is also expected to improve over last year. With consumer spending making up the largest compo-nent of the U.S. economy, those are good signs.

David also noted that local retail space vacated in prime lo-

Half empty or half full? It depends on your outlook

cations were quickly occupied by other retailers. For example, Circuit City le# but East Coast Appliance took its space, and HH Gregg entered the market with electronic products and appliances.

The Industrial MarketIn the industrial market review from William "rone of

"alhimer, we learned the vacancy rate is at 12.95 percent, more than double what it was in 2007, when it was around 6 percent and close to a record high.

If your glass is half full, you can focus on deals that we know are in the works, even if they take longer than usual. One deal that could make a huge di$erence is the potential purchase of the Ford plant and its conversion to a solar-panel factory. If that deal goes through, it will reduce the vacancy rate signi!cantly, bring good jobs to the area, and bring that property back into the tax base.

The Multifamily MarketIn my presentation on the multifamily market, I reported

the local vacancy rate at 6.9 percent, unchanged from last year despite new units on the market. If you consider the national vacancy rate is at 8 percent, this market is weathering the economy relatively well, thanks in large part to our mili-tary personnel. Increasing employment, when it comes, will help to bring that rate down.

A#er looking back on a bad year in 2009, it’s understand-able to be wary and cautious about what’s ahead. We’re hopeful that conditions can only get better, but not quite con!dent yet that they won’t get worse a#er last year’s disap-pointments.

One thing we’ve learned is we can no longer do business as usual. "ose companies that can take advantage of oppor-tunities in this new environment and adapt to new market conditions will !nd success. In a time of reduced revenues, reducing costs is a must. So is paying attention to details and providing superior service.

Remember, there will be a time in the future when employ-ment opportunities will return and consumers will start to buy. We need to make sure we’re still around when the charts at the Real Estate Market Review start pointing up.

Here’s to a better 2010,

William H. Halprin

MARCH/APRIL 2010 3

Thank you to the following companies for their support of the shelter industry:

Diamond $10,000

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I&/H&(&")!"':/"%)J"-A$+&(&$()I&/H&(&")>$D,/F:%'$()8"(0=F:%'$()G$/'H"H,9$D(,8"(0

Platinum $5,000

Gold $2,50092,)7&(-%&,)J/$:#8"(0)$C)7+,/&5"9&?,D"',/)*$+,)F:(?&(H8,"52)F$/?)4(56!"#$%&'(&)&*)+,&-./K<0,-L)8$:/?$(L)72,/()M);,B<)>6.6*"+#'$()@$"?-)8"(0-2"/,-1&%%&"+-)G:%%,(1&%%&"+)36)1$$?)M)7--$56N$'"/&?,-)8:&%?,/-

1,%%-)F"/H$)G$("/52)8"(0=G$("/52)G$/'H"H,K:#,/&$/)3O:&#+,(')K"%,-)4(56.$P).$++:(&5"'&$(-.$%:+E&")J"-)$C)I&/H&(&"

4 MARCH/APRIL 2010

“Go Green” opportunities at 2010 Builders Ball Plans are under way for Tidewater Builders Association’s 2010 Builders Ball & Installation of O%cers Friday, Dec. 3, at the Marriott Norfolk Waterside.

With a theme that’s dear to incoming president Chuck Miller, winner of Green Builder magazine’s 2009 Green

Home of the Year award, the event o$ers all levels of “green” sponsorships to companies interested in the exposure their participation will bring.

To !nd out how you can “go green” at this year’s Builders Ball, contact Stacey Turner at 305-9042 or sturner@tbaonline.org.

Call Miss Utility at before you dig.

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Excavate carefully.

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Whether your project is big or small, one free and easy call gets the underground utility lines marked and helps avoid costly damages, fines and even personal injury. So, please call 811 and dig with C.A.R.E.

This message brought to you by theVirginia State Corporation Commission

/#(&0%-#*,

Brush up on your law with Chip DicksJohn G. “Chip” Dicks III of FutureLaw LLC

will present the Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act/Fair Housing review from 8:30 a.m.- 4 p.m., !ursday, April 22, at the Chesapeake Conference Center.

The seminar costs $80 for TMHC members and sponsors, and $100 for nonmembers and includes a continental breakfast and lunch.

Register by contacting Maggie Rickard at 305-9053 or mrickard@tbaonline.org by April 16.

Chase away Tax Day blues TBA will hold its !rst free Membership Mingle from 5-7

p.m., !ursday, April 15, behind TBA, 2117 Smith Ave., Chesapeake.

Mix and mingle with fellow members with drinks, ham-burgers and hot dogs, courtesy of the TBA Membership Committee. Members are encouraged to bring their own beverages, snacks to share, games and lawn chairs.

Please register with Stacey Turner at 305-9042 or sturn-er@tbaonline.org by April 5.

Membership Mingle is designed to give members an op-portunity to gather in a no-cost setting. If interested in host-ing one, please let us know.

Become a green certi"ed professional# Become a National Association of Home Builders Certi-

!ed Green Professional in two courses. "e courses will teach builders how to incorporate green building principles into homes using cost-e$ective and a$ordable options.

Green Building for Building Professionals, will be held on !ursday, April 29 and 30, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m.&in the TBA boardroom.&&

Business Management for Building Professionals, will be held on Saturday, May 1, from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. in the TBA boardroom.&Both classes must be completed to qualify for the CGP certi!cation.

Register by April 15 by contacting Patrice Kyle at 305-9015 or pkyle@tbaonline.org.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 5

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6 MARCH/APRIL 2010

REGISTRATION ALL PAYMENTS MUST BE RECEIVED PRIOR TO TOURNAMENT (No rain date.)

Company:______________________________Contact person:______________________________________

Phone:__________________Fax:___________________ Email:_____________________________________

PLAYERS  $150/PLAYER           1. _______________________________________                  

2. _______________________________________                 

                      

*Individual players welcomed! We will gladly pair you with other participants. NO BLUE JEANS.

VALUE PACKAGE (VP)  $25/PLAYER!"#$%&'()*+#,#-(''$./%0#,#1/)$*+#2$)0#,#345670#8#9#:/;<*#3$&=*>+?#$25 (ONLY 1 VP per player). Pay now and @6(5#A/&=/.*#7$''#B*#5*/)@#;65#A$&=?(A#/>#>6(5%/C*%>#5*.$+>5/>$6%D#!"#&/%#6%'@#B*#(+*)#;65#+&65$%.#A(5A6+*+D

I#76(')#'$=*#EEEEEEEE#!/'(*#"/&=/.*F+G#;65#/#>6>/'#6;#HEEEEEEEEEEEEED

SPONSORSHIPCompany Name:____________________________________________________________________________

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Type of Sponsorship:________________________________________________________________________

Payment

HEEEEEEEEEEE#T#HEEEEEEEEEEE#T#HEEEEEEEEEEEEE#U#HEEEEEEEEEE ####"#1#2#L#K#:#N# # ######!#"## # N#"#R#J#N#R#:#N#M#I#"#########3#R#3#2#1

C4*&=#6%*V#! VISA    ! MC      !#W4*&=#XV#EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Exp. Date: _____________________ CRV:__________________

C/5)#J(CB*5VEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE

Signature: ____________________________________________

Wednesday, May 5thSewells Point Golf CourseA''#A56&**)+#7$''#B*#(+*)#>6#.$Y*#/#4/%)#(A0#%6>#/#4/%)6(>0#to economically disadvantaged participants at TBA’s Building Trades Academy. 

Style of play is Florida Best Ball.

Registration starts at 11 a.m. and tee time is noon.   

:*;5*+4C*%>+#/%)#)$%%*5#7$''#B*#A56Y$)*)D#Awards given for 1st and 2nd place teams.

Mail or fax this form with your

W4/5.*#I%;6#65#W4*&=#A/@/B'*#>6V

Building Trades Academy2117 Smith Ave.

W4*+/A*/=*0#!2#9ZZ9[ATTN: Shannon Pfeiffer

\/]V#F^_^G#`a_?a_ba

Questions? Contact Shannon at

c9[?9_aa#65#*C/$'#+A;*$;;*5d>B/6%'$%*D65.

"

Golf Cart – $1,500 Beverage – $750 Dinner – $500 Scoreboard – $500 Exclusive Hole – $500 Hole – $350  Prize – Cash donation     

Z. _______________________________________                     

4. _______________________________________

2010 Charity Golf Tournament

SPONSORSHIPS:

MARCH/APRIL 2010 7

Celebrate life from the scenic routeSpring Homearama makes its debut

Celebrate life from the scenic routeSpring Homearama makes its debut

Don’t miss dates: May 10: Military Appreciation Day, military guests

can take advantage of buy one, get one free admission with a valid military identi!cation card.

May 12: Realtors Day allows area realtors free admit-tance with an o%cial name tag and ID card. Early birds enjoy a hearty breakfast from 9:30-11 a.m.

May 15: Boys and Girls Fest, hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia, will feature children’s ac-tivities from 1-3 p.m.

May 17: A Taste of Isle of Wight, sponsored by Co-lumbia Natural Gas and HR Magazine, invites guests to sample cuisine from Isle of Wight restaurants from 6–8 p.m.

May 21 and 22: Housing Trends seminar, Brent War-ren manager of the Southern Living Custom Builder Program, will present seminars on consumer prefer-ences for new home designs at 2 p.m. Friday and at 2 and 5 p.m. Saturday.

May 24: Homearama Furniture Sale from noon-6 p.m., allows visitors to purchase furnishings and décor from the homes.

#

Homearama details:

May 8-23Noon-9 p.m. Sunday -!ursday,

noon-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday&Ticket Information: $10 general admission

Each TBA member !rm will receive two free tickets in the mail, along with 20 tickets for purchase at the reduced rate of $6 each. Bulk rates are available to TBA members who purchase additional tickets. Discount coupons and more information at www.homearama.tv

What’s happening in housing?As a TBA member bene!t, TBA is host-

ing a presentation by Brent Warren, man-ager of builder programs and services for Southern Living Magazine.

A seminar has been set for 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 21, at the Founders Pointe Clubhouse featuring Warren, who is re-sponsible for recruiting custom builder members for the Southern Living Custom

Builder Program. He’ll take us through what’s happening in the economy

and how that’s a$ecting buyers, as well as what home buyers are looking for in today’s homes.

The cost is $10 each and includes brunch, plus one paid admission to Homearama. Seating is limited to the !rst 50 registrants and payment must be made in advance. Please RSVP by Friday, May 14, by contacting Stacey Turner at 305-9042 or sturner@tbaonline.org.

Tidewater Builders Association’s !rst Spring Homearama will be held in Isle of Wight County’s Founders Pointe. "e event will feature eight custom homes nestled among quiet lanes and cul-de-sacs with views of the surround-ing Batten Bay and its marshes.

TBA’s annual “buy now” campaign, designed to stimulate interest in hous-ing in all price ranges, should help boost the traditional selling season this year. It’s also the !rst time in Homearama’s 29-year history that the showcase is be-ing held in Isle of Wight County.

$',,.-

Join us for the industry preview Tickets are on sale now for TBA’s !rst Spring Homear-

ama Preview Party, which is business casual at Founders Pointe.

The historic party will be held Friday, May 7, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Gates open at 5 p.m. and the awards ceremony will begin at 5:30 p.m. with food and spirits to follow.

Proceeds go to Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Vir-ginia. Tickets cost $40 in advance and can be purchased at TBA, Boys and Girls Clubs, at www.tbaonline.org or by calling TBA at (757) 420-2434. A#er April 30, tickets will cost $50.

                    

8 MARCH/APRIL 2010

A short drive down Sugar Hill Road may seem like any other in Isle of Wight County. But one mile in sits a community of custom homes nes-tled into quiet lanes and private cul-de-sacs tucked among an inviting marsh, creek and wooded land-scape.

And that’s just the beginning of life at East West Communities’ Founders Pointe, the site of Tide-water Builders Association’s !rst Spring 2010 Ho-mearama from May 8-23.

True to form, the development company that is known for building environmentally sensitive communities and resorts in two states is doing just that in Isle of Wight County.

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Spring back

to life

Founders Pointe is centrally located between the Peninsula and Norfolk near historic Smithfield in Isle of Wight County, yet is nicely removed so residents can still enjoy the sur-rounding wildlife and Batten Bay.

About Founders Pointe“Founders Pointe was such a unique property,” said Branch

Lawson, president of the Hampton Roads Division of East West Communities, which is developing Founders Pointe. “It is such a beautiful setting. We felt that it really called for a community with great architectural integrity, character and complementary lifestyle.”

With quality custom homes from the mid-$400s to about $1 million, Founders Pointe overlooks the Batten Bay with creeks and tributaries 'owing to the James River, boasting breathtaking views that invite outdoor activities. It is central-ly located between the Peninsula and Norfolk near historic Smith!eld in Isle of Wight County.

“We had an opportunity early on with a large builder to sell the entire property but we just didn’t feel that it would be the appropriate thing for that property,” said Lawson. “As you tour around the site, it has a very beautiful view with a tranquil and unspoiled feel. We’ve hoped to build a community in that set-ting that would appreciate its natural assets.”

About the developerIn 1973, East West Communities

purchased land near Richmond to build communities that combined a va-cation lifestyle with everyday living. Its !rst two communities, Brandermill and Woodlake, received several awards, in-cluding “Best Planned Community in America” by Better Homes & Gardens magazine and the National Association of Home Builders, and “Best Planned Community in America” by the Urban Land Institute.

Since then, East West has developed 35 communities in Richmond, Hamp-ton Roads and in Orlando and Jackson-ville, Florida.

A move to Hampton RoadsWith the success of the Richmond

communities, East West began develop-ing in Hampton Roads in the mid-1980s with Smith!eld’s Gatling Pointe, named “Community of the Year” three times by the Peninsula Housing and Builders As-sociation.

From there, East West developed "e Riverfront, which hosted one of Tidewater Builders Association’s (TBA) most successful Homearamas in

2001 and received numerous accolades and awards, including the TBA Stanley Award for “Community of the Year” in 2003 and 2005. In 2008, "e Riverfront was named as the !rst and only community in TBA’s Community Hall of Fame.

Soon a#er, East West opened Eagle Harbor and then Founders Pointe in 2004, both in Isle of Wight County. Both also have received multiple “Community of the Year” awards from the Peninsula Housing and Builders Association.

Location, location, location Nestled in a pastoral countryside, Founders Pointe o$ers a

quiet retreat from everyday living, yet o$ers conveniences to neighboring cities.

“It’s not just a great place to live and play,” said Lawson, “but the area is a great place to work. "ere are numerous employers within 15 minutes of Founders Pointe. For many people in the Hampton Roads market, it’s an excellent location given their employment circumstances. We’re one minute from Route 17. When you turn one way, you’re minutes from the Peninsula. If

you turn the other way, you’re minutes from Northern Su$olk, Portsmouth, downtown Norfolk and points east of there.”

Despite an economic downturn, Founders Pointe has managed to con-sistently sell homes, which Lawson also attributes to its a$ordability and area amenities.

“"e schools are excellent in Isle of Wight County,” said Lawson. “And the real estate tax rates are among the lowest in Hampton Roads.”

According to Lawson, Founders Pointe attracts homeowners who are “looking for the custom-home experi-ence and environment in a more rea-sonably priced section of the custom-home market.”

The amenities With the nicely removed location,

residents can enjoy breathtaking views from the nature trails or from the 844-foot observation pier that has two decks, one halfway down the pier, and the other at the pier’s end.

“"ere are also a signi!cant amount of walking paths for a community of this size,” said Lawson.

(continued on page 15)

Despite the economic downtown, Found-ers Pointe has managed to consistently sell homes, which senior vice president and bro-ker Mark Edwards (left) and president of the Hampton Roads division of East West Com-munities Branch Lawson pride themselves on.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 9

10 MARCH/APRIL 2010

!"#/','#/0.%&

Inspiration comes in many forms, but it takes a little dedica-tion and hard work to make a vision into a masterpiece. And that’s exactly what !ve children from Portsmouth’s Douglass Park Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia did on a chilly March a#ernoon.

Under the leadership of Neisha Bethly, a senior program director with the BGCSEVA, and with encouragement from Isle of Wight County o%cials, Tidewater Builders Associa-tion, East West Partners,&Boys & Girls Clubs board members and Sasser Construction team, the children o%cially dedi-cated the Spring Homearama Charity House with a custom mural in the garage.

The mural, which will be on display in the showcase home in Founders Pointe in Isle of Wight County from May 8-23, was designed by Bethly following an a#ernoon walk through the community.

Ready. Set. Paint!Youngsters dedicate Homearama Charity House

with a splash of color

“I wanted something that represented the area,” said Bethly about her inspiration for the painting. “As I was walking down the pier, I saw the plaques that described the local wild-life and its habitat,” she said of the 844-foot observation pier near the Charity House.

The !nished product was a scene depicting the neighbor-ing Batten Bay and its marshes, with a heron resting in the grasses. “I superimposed the dogwood and tulip with the marsh” to add a touch of spring to the mural, said Bethly.

Putting their artistic touch on the mural were Boys & Girls Club members: Armond Townsell, Gary "omas, Markel Hard-ing, Dimetry Brown, all 11 years old, and Barbara Toussant, 9.

A labor of lovePortsmouth-based builder Eric Sasser and his team at Sim-

ply Custom by Sasser Construction, the semi-custom division of Sasser Construction, are building the Charity House.

Youngsters dedicate Homearama Charity House with a splash of color

Markel Harding, 11, Gary Thomas, 11, Barbara Toussant, 9, Armond Townsell, 11, and Dimetry Brown, 11, work on the Charity House mural inside of the garage on March 4.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 11

“Community involvement has been a hallmark of Sasser Construction since our beginnings and in these di%cult economic times, it’s even more critical that we all do what we can, no matter how insigni!cant it may seem, to help those in need,” Sasser said.

When the home is sold, proceeds will go to the Boys and Girls Clubs to help fund programs aimed at helping at-risk young people succeed in school and realize their life’s potential.

“"e charity of choice this year, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia, does such !ne works and helps so many in our community, Sasser Construction is honored to build this year’s Charity House,” Sasser continued.

A place of hopeNow in its 91st year, the BGCSEVA has grown from

the single club begun in 1919 in Norfolk to 10 club units throughout the region from Franklin to Exmore on Virginia’s Eastern Shore.

BGCSEVA serves boys and girls of low- to moderate-income families, many of which are headed by single parents, and in some cases, by grandparents. In communities where

A big thank you to the contributors whose dona-tions of products and services help o$set the construc-tion costs of the Charity House:

Andrews RoofingBatchelder & CollinsBay CabinetsBay SandBennett’s Creek NurseryBill Hallman MasonryBoykin RoofingBurton LumberColeman-Novak Inc.Dal TileEast Coast Appliance Inc.Eastern Window and Door84 LumberFerguson Enterprises Inc.Fireside Hearth & HomeFlorida TileForrest ExterminatingInside Design

Installed Building Products LC dbaTidewater InsulatorsKempsville Building MaterialsLandworks UnlimitedLansing Building ProductsLumber LiquidatorsMiller’s Overhead DoorMosaic TilePrier CommunicationsR&R Painting LLCRoss EllisSaunders SupplyShepard ElectricTaylormadeTidewater InsulatorsTwilight ConstructionWinn StoneYork Lighting

* current as of press time

school dropout rates are high, BGCSEVA stands as a beacon of hope for young people in need of nurturing, understanding and guidance in meeting the demands of homework, social-ization and building self-esteem. Trained professional sta$ also provide positive adult mentors and role models for the children.

Five children, ages 9-11, from Portsmouth’s Douglass Park Unit of Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia painted this mural in the spring Homear-ama’s Charity House.

Some of the contributors were present for the dedication.

John Mack, Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia

Eric Sasser, Charity House builder

Branch Lawson, East West Communities

Honorable Stan D. Clark, IOW County Board of Supervisors

Bill Halprin, TBA President

12 MARCH/APRIL 2010

2 4

1 3

The Berkshire PointeThe Smithfield House

Built by Mike Newhall of Newhall Construction

3,724 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths

House highlights: All brick cathedral ceilings; gourmet kitchen; media room with

projection TV, surround sound and wet bar; three-piece crown molding and custom wainscoting in the dining room; coffered ceiling in the master suite; front porch and rear-covered porch and a first-floor sitting room.

The ArmisteadA Garden Home

Built by Ed Sadler of Sadler Building Corp.

2,960 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths

House highlights: Energy Star-certified home; screened porch off breakfast nook; three-car attached garage with man cave;

outdoor living area with stone fireplace; custom kitchen with granite top and stone backsplash; hidden walk-in kitchen pantry; media room; double staircases; bedroom and/or flex room downstairs.

Affordable EleganceThe Artist House

Built by Billy Birdsong of Birdsong Builders Inc. 3,400 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 4 baths

House highlights: Sliding bookcase that exposes a hidden workout room; butler’s

pantry; special beam ceiling with structural columns; vaulted family room with see-through stone fireplace; theater room; warming floor in master suite; multiple design ceilings; four-seasons porch.

The Meadow GlenThe Country Tudor at Batten Bay

Built by Norman Miller of Norman Miller Builder Inc.

3,500 square feet, 4 bedrooms and 3.5 baths

House highlights: Circle top mahogany entry door; double rear porches; pet

washing center; antique reproduction vanity and linen cabinet; Brazilian cherry floors; extensive interior trim package; recessed dome in master bath ceiling; home automation and sound system.

12 MARCH/APRIL 2010 Renderings courtesy of Frank Betz

MARCH/APRIL 2010 13

6 8

5 7

The Charity HouseTo benefit Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeast Virginia

Built by Eric Sasser of Simply Custom by Sasser Construction 3,300 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3.5 baths

House highlights: Energy Star and National Association of Home Builders Green-certified; extensive ceiling details; pet and recycling center; silverstone countertops; closed-loop geothermal HVAC system; and views of Ragged Island Creek.

The River RetreatBuilt by Bill Brice and Les Ore of Bill Ore Inc.3,200 square feet, 5 bedrooms and 3 baths

House highlights: Hardiplank and stone exterior; wraparound front porch; covered patio; tray ceiling; stone fireplace; whole-house surround sound; rear patio entertainment area with built-in grill, TV and sound system; custom hot/cold exterior water faucet; two-zone HVAC system; and a first-floor master suite.

Nature Watchat Olde Heritage Manor

Built by Russ Hohmann of Hohmann Custom Builder LLC3,834 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 half bathsHouse highlights: Energy Star-certified, natural stone accents on front elevation; six

8-foot Tudor glass windows in foyer landing; third-floor finished game room; solar tubes in third-floor powder room; two-sided stone surround gas fireplace; Tudor-style glass cabinetry in kitchen; fabulous river views.

The Music HouseA Tribute to Ryan Farish

Built by Chip Iuliano of ABT Custom Homes 3,327 square feet, 4 or 5 bedrooms, 4 baths

House highlights: Two-story covered front porch with beautiful views of the observation pier and the James River;

Kid Cave over the garage with gaming areas; equipped with indoor and outdoor speakers, and ceiling and wall speakers; master closet; European-style shower with drying area.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 13 Renderings courtesy of Frank Betz

14 MARCH/APRIL 2010

The Music House: A Tribute to Ryan Farish

The sounds in this Homearama home will be the music Ryan Farish, a local artist now on the national stage for his jazz, gospel and new age music. "ough nominated for an Emmy and awarded a 2008 GMA Dove Award, Farish may best be known for his mu-sic on "e Weather Channel’s “local

on the 8’s.” His music gained popularity through the world of digital downloads and has been featured on more than 31 million views of YouTube. So it’s !tting the home also features the latest in electronics, with digital connections for a variety of music sources, a “kid cave” for electronic games, the new Apple i-Pad and an interactive co$ee table to power up the components.

Meet the Artist: Ryan Farish will meet guests Saturday, May 15, and Sunday, May 22 and 23, !om 2-4 p.m.

The Armistead: !e Garden House

The Armistead has some-thing for both the lady and man of the house. Sadler Building Corp.’s Armistead will feature "e Man Cave in the three-bay garage. "e “man area” will provide refuge to the man of the house with a space designed solely to allow him to enjoy his TV time. Don’t forget to look for an abundance of 'owers to dress up the patio and landscape.

Ask the Expert: "e Hampton Roads Nursery and Land-scape Association can answer any landscape questions at the house Saturday, May 15, !om 2-4 and 5-7 p.m.

New Home Trends: Brent Warren, of Southern Living, will speak on new home trends Friday, May 21, at 2 p.m. and Satur-day, May 22, at 2 and 5 p.m.

Theme homes highlight nature, music, art and history

A$ordable Elegance: !e Artist’s House

Highlighting the thriving artist population in Smith!eld and Isle of Wight County, Birdsong Builders will feature a working artist’s studio and an exhibit of work by artists from "e Smith!eld Art Guild. Visitors will be able to see the masters work on their cra# while touring the home, as well as ask them questions about their artwork.

The Berkshire Pointe: !e Smith"eld House

The Smith!eld House will incorporate the four features of Smith!eld tourism: Hospitality; histo-ry; hams and He-Art. Take a step back in time and journey through the town of Smith!eld with his-torical images, newspapers and more. "en jour-ney back to the present as "e Smith!eld house “hams” it up with hospitality. In the Smith!eld

House, visitors will learn how to incorporate antique and sen-timental pieces into modern and contemporary homes.

Nature Watch at Old Heritage Manor

Nature Watch at Old Heritage Man-or is a refuge for the habitat enthusiast and Founders Pointe’s wildlife alike. Surrounded by wetlands and located in an area abundant with native wildlife, Hohmann Builders de-cided to join the Founders Pointe Nature Watch Programs in getting the community certi!ed as a wildlife habitat. As a re-sult, the Nature Watch is incorporating environmental stew-ardship by turning the yard into wildlife refuge certi!ed as a wildlife habitat with the National Wildlife Federation and Department of Game and Inland Fisheries. "e nature theme will also carry over to the interior of Old Heritage Manor.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 15

“It is such a beautiful setting. We felt that it really called for a community with great architectural in-tegrity, character and complimentary lifestyle.”

(continued !om page 9)

Founders Pointe also boasts a $2 million Residents’ Club that features a coastal cottage-style clubhouse and a 4,000-square-foot resort-style pool with a 112-foot waterslide. In addition to providing spaces for social gatherings, family activities and meetings, the clubhouse can be used for teen events, yoga classes, birthday parties and more.

“"e clubhouse and the pool, again for a community of 300 homes, is extraordinary and people love it,” said Law-son. “It’s a great feature of the community.”

Adjacent to the clubhouse sits a sand volleyball court, pic-nic area with an outdoor grill, playground and walking and jogging trails.

“We like to add amenities up front as opposed to the back end,” said Lawson. “We want people making that important decision to live in our communities to see what it is that we are building and what we are providing for the community. It’s not a watercolor picture on a glossy brochure. It’s something that you can take real pictures of.”

Additionally, each neighborhood has or will have cul-de-sacs islands, which according to Lawson, “are very attractive and unexpected little exclamation points throughout the com-munity.”

Plans are for 319 homes in Founders Pointe, and 150 fami-lies have already chosen to live there.

“We’ve got residents from all across the spectrum living here — from young families to empty nesters to retirees. "e com-munity lends itself to programs and attractions and has facilities that are attractive to all of the di$erent age groups.”

Going, going greenCurrently, Founders Pointe hosts 10 custom home builders

who provide an array of innovative home designs featuring a

variety of distinctive architectural styles. “Fortunately, our builders are very much at the cutting

edge of the green building industry,” said Lawson. “"e green features are part of what they do and what they have been doing for years. Not only do we expect it of them, but it is expected of them by their consumers and they expect it of themselves.”

In fact, builder Russ Hohmann brought the !rst EarthCra#-certi!ed home in Isle of Wight County to the community with a two-story Frank Betz design.

The home will not only be 30 percent more e%cient than an identical home built to code, but it will also provide better

indoor air quality and reduce the home’s carbon footprint.

In touch with natureFounders Pointe is also encouraging its residents to create a

more nature-friendly community by working toward establish-ing the community as a certi!ed National Wildlife Federation Community Wildlife Habitat.

The !rst step was taken in 2008, when the residents kicked o$ the Founders Pointe Nature Watch Program with a Blue-bird Trail Workshop. As a result, 17 bluebird homes were built and installed along the community’s walking paths. A volun-teer group maintains the homes and monitors and collects data, which is reported to the National Bluebird Society.

“"e bluebird house e$ort and the designation that the community is pushing for” is a great example, said Lawson, of the residents’ e$orts.

“We also have done things such as building the observa-tion pier and posting along the way pictures of the animals, birds and plants that people will see as they walk on the pier to give them a greater understanding and appreciation for them.”

For more information on Founders Pointe, contact East West Partners Senior Vice President/Broker Mark Edwards at med-wards@eastwestr.com or visit www.founderspointe.com.

Spring back

Founders Pointe boasts a $2 million resort-style community clubhouse with a 4,000-square-foot pool with a 112-foot water-slide, playground, and outdoor grilling area.

16 MARCH/APRIL 2010

Do you want to meet members, make friends and really get involved in your association?

If the answer is yes, you’ll want to sign up now for one of the membership recruitment teams that are being formed in preparation for the “Big Drive” May 19-20.

A busload of members traveled to Richmond April 7 for a national recruitment and marketing seminar and these folks — your potential team members — are well-trained and ready to help increase the association’s membership base. Working side-by-side with your team members, you’ll contact a variety of prospective members and share with them the ways that they, too, can bene!t from belonging to TBA.

TBA will kick o$ its drive Tuesday, May 18, with a short “brie!ng” in the late a#ernoon. Teams will be as-signed times to return for two-hour sessions Wednesday or "ursday. By 5 p.m., "ursday, it will be time to relax and celebrate as the drive results are reported during a festive

Members gear up for recruitmentwrap-up party.

Recruiters will be provided with all the tools they need, from an easy-to-explain bene!ts tip sheet to “join now” in-centives to close the membership deal.

To sign up for a membership team, contact Stacey Turn-er&at 305-9042 or sturner@tbaonline.org. For both new members —and old — involvement in the drive is a great way to make new business contacts in a fun and informal setting.

Looking for some exposure?Everyone likes a discount and when it comes to recruit-

ment, it’s a great incentive for both prospective members and recruiters.& If you’d like to be part of our Big Drive incentive program — and get your company’s name in front of hun-dreds of people — please let us know. We’re looking for one-time-only discounts on products and services — anything from termite inspections to !tness training sessions. Call or e-mail Stacey Turner, 305-9042 or sturner@tbaonline.org.

#

&&

Since the early 1990s, Eric Sasser and his team at Sasser Construction have been putting their mark on Hampton Roads’ homes. "eir hard work has paid o$, as the Southern Living Custom Builder

Program named Sasser Construction, under the direction of president Eric Sasser, Custom Builder Member of the Year. "e team will be featured in an upcoming issue of Southern Living magazine, the premier lifestyle and entertaining maga-zine of the South.

Sasser Construction was invited to become a Southern Liv-ing Custom Home Builder in the early 1990s.

About the programNearly 100 builders comprise the Southern Liv-

ing Custom Builder Program, an invitation-only network of members that are hand selected for their outstanding reputation, quality of design and construction, integrity and stability in the loca-tions they represent.

“We look for builders who can build a home using our quality partner products; a home that re'ects a story you might see in the pages of Southern Living,” said Brent Warren, the Southern Living Builder programs and services manager. “Sasser’s Falkirk Ridge home is an excellent ex-ample of what we are looking for in this program; the epitome of Southern style and grace.”

Tour Sasser’s Southern Living homeIn 2009, Sasser’s team built the Falkirk Ridge Southern

Living Showcase Home in "e Riverfront in Su$olk.

A picture-perfect honorSasser Construction named Custom Builder Member of the Year

The Falkirk Ridge, which debuted in the May issue of Southern Living, has more than 5,000 square feet and features an abundance of outdoor and indoor entertaining space.

(Standing from left) Ray Street, Kenn Sedlacko, Eric Sass-er, Tina White, Sandra Figeac, Matt Hovey, Dave Tynch, Brennan O’Connor and (seated from left) Byron Black, Kelly Melton

The Southern Living showcase home in The Riverfront is open for touring at 3002 N. James Drive in The Riverfront, Friday through Monday, noon-4 p.m.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 17

At Ferguson, it’s true that our inventory is huge. Our distribution expertise is unrivaled. And our one-stop shopping is the height of convenience. But there’s one thing that building professionals have relied on for over

50 years – our people. Our associates make certain you can depend on Ferguson – where a willingness to gothe extra mile is never in short supply.

Nobody expects more from us than we do SM

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PLUMBING. FIXTURES. APPLIANCES. LIGHTING.

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©2010 Ferguson Enterprises, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

REFRIGERATION COOKTOPS VENTILATION WALL OVENS UNDERCOUNTERPRODUCTS

12"30(*,"%4$536-&()%3-

!"#/','#/0.%&For James “Jay” T. Allsbrook, being able to help a college-

bound student make his or her dream come true is music to his ears. "anks to "e Breeden Company, several area students will be able to obtain a college education with less of a !nancial burden.

The Breeden Company is donating the gross proceeds from one year of Allsbrook’s rent to the Tidewater Multifamily Housing Council Scholarship Apartment, which goes to the TBA Scholarship Foundation. "e $12,000 from the apartment will go toward the endowment of an annual TMHC schol-arship.

TMHC’s e$orts to sponsor an endowed scholarship began in 2004 and have gener-ated $67,492 toward that goal.

“We recognize that a quality education can result in a lifetime of opportunities,” said Ramon W. Breeden Jr., TBA past president and founder and chairman of the board of "e Breeden Company. “"is program allowed us to honor an

educator and o$er a scholarship to a bright young student. We are proud to o$er this educational oppor-tunity to a deserving student in honor of Mr. Allsbrook for his contribution to education.”

For Allsbrook, band director and chairman of the Fine Arts Department for Bayside High School, “being associated with such an award is a privilege unto itself,” he said.&

Allsbrook, who comes from a musical family, was selected a#er "e Breeden Company called on the educators in their rental communities to enter a competition.

“We (educators) all work very hard to make the students the best they can become and we are always looking for ways to help them into the next phase of their lives’” Allsbrook said.

“It’s a wonderful o$er for "e Breeden Com-pany to take one apartment’s rent and donate it to the higher education of a student,” Allsbrook continued.&"e Breeden family and "e Breeden Company should be proud of the choice they have made to make college education a priority.”

Giving the gift of education

!,..1.-

18 MARCH/APRIL 2010

Jesse JamesB U S I N E S S AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E

for Tidewater Builders Association757.572.5813

jesse. james@spr int .com

Contact me on how you can save 22% off your monthly bill.

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Swimming lesson or how to lose CGL coverage

Mistakes big and small can create catastrophic problems and make a business vulnerable,

sometimes resulting in protracted and expensive litigation. Under a commer-cial general liability (CGL) insurance policy, an insurer must pay the legal expenses of the insured in connection with a covered claim or lawsuit. Ex-amples of such claims include bodily injury, property damage, personal in-jury or advertising injury (such as from slander).

A recent case in the U.S. District Court in Richmond underscores the

importance of familiarity with the terms, conditions and, perhaps most importantly, the nuances of CGL coverage. Heed the circumstances de-scribed here to help avoid a fall into the same hot “water.”

In the water With growing concern for the im-

pact of an adjacent development on a three-acre recreational pond on their property, a Chester!eld couple re-quested that the neighboring developer install a turbidity curtain to protect the pond. "e developer complied, but the e$ects of water runo$ continued as the turbidity curtain had been improperly

installed and required repair. In a November 2007 letter, counsel

for the couple memorialized a meeting with the developer to discuss speci!c remedial e$orts demanded by the prop-erty owners.

A second letter sent in December 2008 was a !nal e$ort to “attempt reso-lution short of litigation,” suggesting mediation but threatening suit. Unlike the previous correspondence, this letter sought compensation not reparation. "e attorney also attached a dra# complaint.

The parties mediated their dispute over the next few months but failed to reach a resolution and a suit was !led against the developer for trespass, nui-sance and negligence seeking more than $2 million in damages.

At this point, the developer contact-ed Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. to !le a claim under its CGL policy requesting the insurer to provide the builder’s defense. Nationwide denied coverage on several grounds, including that the policyholder neglected to re-port a potential claim “as soon as prac-ticable” as required by the policy.

Nationwide brought suit against the developer and landowners seeking a declaratory judgment directing that Nationwide had no obligation on the claim.

Swim at your own risk The federal court ruled that Nation-

wide had no duty under the CGL poli-cy to defend or indemnify its insured.

Applying Virginia law, the court ex-plained that the duty to notify an in-surer arises when an incident occurred that was serious enough to cause a per-son of ordinary intelligence to believe it might be covered by the insurance policy. In cases such as automobile ac-

MARCH/APRIL 2010 19

cidents and !res, it’s simple to identify the exact date of an occurrence and thus when the duty to notify arises.

Here, however, the events leading to the claim occurred over nearly six years. Notwithstanding the parties’ years of back and forth, the December letter and attached complaint clearly put the developer on notice of a potential claim and triggered the developer’s duty to notify Nationwide.

Moreover, the court agreed that Nationwide was prejudiced by the three-month delay that followed re-ceipt of the letter. "e developer’s delay deprived Nationwide of an opportunity to participate in the mediation sessions before the !ling in Chester!eld and pursue a possible settlement or at least make e$orts to curb its potential liabil-ity, especially considering the amount of money at stake.

In fact, the court asked why the devel-oper would undertake mediation at all if not already aware of a possible claim.

Lifeguard on duty Regardless of its disposition on ap-

peal, the lesson from this case is plain. CGL insurance is a major factor in

managing the risk faced by builders, so it’s imperative to know to what extent coverage is provided and what steps must be taken to maintain it. As here, most insurance companies require their policyholders to report as soon as pos-sible any matter that could lead to a liability claim.

The safest course is to contact the insurer the moment a possible claim is identi!ed rather than simply assume that coverage will be available if reso-lution is not reached through other measures.

C. Grigsby Sci!es, a partner in the Virginia Beach o#ce of the law $rm of Williams Mullen, is Tidewater Builders Association’s general counsel. Sci!es spe-cializes in $nance, real estate and credi-tor’s rights matter. He can be reached at (757) 473-5370 or at gsci!es@williamsmullen.com.

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Proudly celebrating a decade of service 

to the Hampton Roads community.  

20 MARCH/APRIL 2010

The occupancy rate in Hamp-ton Roads’ multifamily community remains one of the highest in the Southeast,

even though it could not escape the negative e$ects of the recession.

The overall vacancy rate for the Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News market as of October 2009 was 6.9 percent, unchanged from a year prior and better than the national rate of 8 percent. Vacancy rates are expected to remain in the 7-8 percent range in 2010.

Su$olk, Portsmouth and Hampton each experienced improvement in their vacancy rates while Norfolk, with a steady supply of new units coming on-line, experienced the largest increase in vacancy rates.

Meanwhile, development activity remains moderate. As of October 2009,

there were about 1,700 units under construction and only 1,500 additional units proposed.

As of October, the average rental rate was $882, ranging from a low of $795 in Portsmouth to high of $945 in Virginia Beach.

Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment was $785; for a two bed-room, $887; and for a three bedroom, $1,053.

Average rental rates from existing in-ventory increased by only $2.75 in the last 12 months. "ough slight, it was signi!cantly better than most markets throughout the southeast, which have seen sharp decreases in rents.

There were 450 conventional apart-ment communities with more than 50 units surveyed in the Hampton Roads region. Of the 90,000 apartment units

surveyed, the top 5 !rms manage nearly one-third of these units:

Top 10 Management Companies:

S.L. Nusbaum: 9.7%Great Atlantic: 8.5%Drucker and Falk: 5 .9%Lawson Companies: 5%Breeden Management: 3.2%WMCI: 2.6%Perrel Management: 2.3%Ripley-Heatwole: 2.3%AIMCO: 2.2%PRG Real Estate: 2.1%

Source: "e Norfolk-Virginia-Beach-Newport News Apartment Report, published by Real Data and reported in the 2010 Hampton /roads Real Estate Market Review for the Old Dominion University E.V. Williams Center for Real Estate and Economic Development

Local multifamily market fares better than most

Belfor ....................................................... 5

BIIA ...................................................... IBC

Bonded Builders .................................... 21

Boxx Systems ........................................ 30

Dominion Virginia Power ....................... 25

Ferguson Enterprises ............................ 17

Hall Automotive ...................................... 34

L. R. Hill Custom Builders ...................... 32

International Jet Charter  ....................... 20

John Hall Electric ................................... 31

Land Planning Solutions ........................ 26

Norbord ................................................ IFC

Miss Utility ............................................... 4

ProSouce ............................................... 19

RSVP ..................................................... 34

Solar Lighting ......................................... 29

Spivey Rental ........................................ 24

Sprint ..................................................... 18

Superior Equipment .............................. BC

Tidewater Home Funding ...................... 19

TowneBank ............................................ 33

William E. Wood .................................... 27

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MARCH/APRIL 2010 21

CIA

TIO

N

The secret to homebuyer happiness?

ABT Custom Homes LLCAffordable Homes, Inc.Affordable Homes, LLC-1Allen Loree Homes, LLCArea Builders of Tidewater, Inc.Associated Contracting Services Inc.Associated Development Management Corp.Beachtowne Realty Corp.Belmeade Associates, LLCBillore, LLCBribar Dam NeckBrighton Park Development, Inc.Brock Construction Inc.Carole-Anne Construction Co.Clark Whitehill EnterprisesClark Whitehill Homes LLCCohen Homes, LLCCorinth Homes, LLCCrestline Homes, LLCDeBord Custom Homes, Inc.Definitive HomesDeFord Companies, Inc.Executive Homes Corp. of VAGallagher Construction Corp.GBK Builders, Inc.George Newsome Luxury Homes LLCGreat Bridge Builders Inc.Grifland Builders Corp.Hearndon Construction Corp.Jesse Franklin Jackson IIIKotarides Builders, LLCL & B Quarterpath LLCL and M Contractors, Inc.L.R. Hill Custom Builders, Inc.Lawson HomesLogan American Builders, LLCLogan American Homes, LLCMCQ Builders LLC-1Michael Lee Company

Miller Custom HomesMurray Homes Inc.Nags Head Construction & DevelopmentOcean Bay Homes, Inc.P & A Construction Inc.Platinum Homes, Inc.Preserve Development LLCPrincess Anne Builders, Inc.Property Endeavors LLCReal DevelopmentsResidential Concepts, Ltd.Richardson Homes, Inc.RML III CorpRosewell Homes, Inc.Royal Court, Inc.Sadler Building CorporationSasser Construction L.C.Southmoor Development, Inc.Summit Construction Corp.TBA - Building Trades AcademyTerry Peterson ResidentialThe Ainslie GroupThe Breeden Co. Inc.The Old Beach Village Co., LLCThe Runnymede CorporationThe ST Paul’s Place Company LLCVirginia Vintage Builders, Inc.W H Builders, LLCWarner ConstructionWatab Construction Corp.Wendell Homes, LLCWilliam T. Wingfield, Inc.WPL Ventures, Inc.

Join these fine builders who support TBA by enrolling in Bonded Builders Warranty Group:

Start using the TBA-endorsed warranty today.

Contact Joe Pushak(800) 749-0381 ext. 3825(703) 582-7727 celljpushak@bondedbuilders.com

ENDORSED BY

TIDE

WATER BUILDERS ASSO

CIA

TIO

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Survey by J.D. Power states: “New home warranty is #1 in driving

satisfaction with builders”

The prestigious J.D. Power and Associates recently reported that a new-home warranty is #1 in driving customer satisfaction with builders. In a buyer’s market like this one, customer service and satisfaction are key.

10-year coverage on major structural defects creates happy customers.

Protecting the American Dream

www.BondedBuilders.com

22 DECEMBER 2009

!

espite rain, winds, snow and ice, more than 13,000 visitors braved the weather to take in Tidewater Build-ers Association’s annual Mid-Atlantic Home & Flower Show from Feb 5-7 at the Virginia Beach Convention

Center.Sponsored by Belgard Hardscapes, the show featured lav-

ish display gardens, a Canstruction competition; a green zone, a competition for Tidewater’s Top Pet hosted by the Virginia Beach SPCA, as well as HGTV expert Pat Simpson, antiques expert Dr. Lori, topiary expert Pearl Fryar, gardening guru Don Engebretson and a plethora of horticultural and gardening au-thorities.

All of the shows brought a good crowd, including the Sunday !nale — Virginia Beach SPCA’s top pet contest showcasing the hard luck stories of local pets and the compassionate owners car-ing for them.

1. Crowds worked their way through the exhibits for ideas on everything from increas-ing their curb appeal with landscaping to increasing their home’s energy efficiency. While ShamWow and the Vita Mixer had their place at the event, it was the Smart Living Steam Mop that appeared to be the hot item at this year’s event. 2. HGTV expert Pat Simpson gave a presentation to TBA members before the show opened to the general public. Simpson stressed the need to diversify in order to keep your business strong in tough times with TBA member Kerin Winbrough of Bay Disposal and potential member Hor-ace Wood. 3. Renegade Gardener Don Engebretson had audiences laughing as he broke down the steps to creative container gardening. First rule of thumb, even num-bers are bad and odd numbers are good when grouping pots for container gardens.

1 2

3

DECEMBER 2009 23

4. K&D Rounds Landscape Services took home the People’s Choice award for their “Wine-d Down” exhibit, which featured a pool,

outdoor fireplace, firepit, outdoor kitchen, water feature and lavish landscaping. 5. Pearl Fryar took time away from his 3-acre

garden in South Carolina to inspire some Hampton Roads residents on the art of topiary. 6. Jerry Whitehurst of Kitchen & Bath

Ideas made sure that any woman visiting the show knew that her “Husband called. He said to buy anything you want.” 7. Even the

furry showgoers needed a little down time during the show. Virginia Beach SPCA volunteers spent the weekend speaking to visitors

about pet adoption of several dogs, cats and rabbits that made an appearance throughout the show.

4

5 6 7

Thank you to our show sponsors:

(continued on page 24)

24 MARCH/APRIL 2010

1. Antique expert Dr. Lori packed the house, and as usual, broke some hearts and made dreams come true for audience members. One such be-ing Judy McQuitty, whose painting appraised for $75,000. It was an original winter landscape by Pennsylvania impressionist Walter E. Baum. 2. Jen-nifer Leone, right and a teacher at Western Branch High School, accepted $500 for her school’s drafting program courtesy of TBA’s Scholarship Foun-dation’s Young Designers Scholarship competition. Along with Leone are Jeff Brooks, center, and Maria Bowman, right, of Food Lion. Her students took home first place in the Canstruction competition for their “John Deere” tractor entry. 3. Virginia Beach SPCA’s Top Pet contest People’s Choice Award went to Jake the Dog, whose owner Andi Zarge of Virginia Beach adopted him from the SPCA where he now moonlights as a therapy dog.

1 2

3

(continued !om page 23)

MARCH/APRIL 2010 25

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The adage that knowledge is power holds true for Green Building Council member Jason Hawks of SENCON.

Despite the tough economic climate, members like Hawks are rea%rming the value of their membership in TBA.

“Anytime we have anything to say, I know that I can tell it to Patrice (in Builder Servic-es) and she can get the word spread among the membership,” said Hawks.

Value of TBA membership for Hawks:

Professional developmentTBA provided a letter of support to the National Associa-

tion of Home Builders, backing SENCON’s nomination as NAHB Green Advocate of the Year. “TBA was nice enough to support us in that nomination and write that letter for us.”

Legislative issues:TBA helped Hawks spread the word through membership

of various political matters, such as SB1637, which extended

Membership worth more than duesthe $2,000 tax credit to make homes more energy e%cient. “"is bill, which expired on Dec. 31, 2009, was well sup-ported by TBA and was recently extended to Dec. 31, 2010. It was even made retroactive to Jan. 1, 2010.”

Educational opportunitiesAs training manager for SENCON, Hawks uses his mem-

bership in TBA as a way to promote educational opportuni-ties to home builders and subcontractors. “We organize and participate in a number of free educational events. For exam-ple, this week at the Green Building Council meeting Patrice helped us spread the word about an upcoming event in which we will be discussing the IECC 2009 Energy Code that is supposed to take e$ect in September. As a training provider, we believe education is crucial to encouraging change in the marketplace so that sustainable or green practices become the standard for our industry.”

If you or your company has a building or development issue you would like help resol%ing or a question you need answered, please contact TBA’s Builder Services Specialist Patrice Kyle at 305-9015 or pkyle@tbaonline.org.

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26 MARCH/APRIL 2010

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Mixed-use projects are picking up steam

Current demand is keeping land-planning service busy

Land Planning Solutions, LPS, is a multifaceted planning !rm based in Su$olk that specializes in conceptual design, rezoning, preliminary and !nal engineering, project management, landscape and ar-chitectural design.

Melissa Venable, the principal of LPS, graduated from Univer-sity of Maryland with a degree in landscape architecture and plan-ning and gained a formidable amount of experience working in the Washington, D.C., met-ropolitan area before coming to Hampton Roads to begin LPS. Venable’s experience, combined with Jon Bengtson’s extensive experi-ence in graphics, Je$ Huentelman and Randy Randolph’s experience in civil engineering and Eric Galvin’s landscape architecture background, form a team with more than 50 years of planning experience.

LPS’ versatility and experience have come from working with national !rms such as Centex, Pulte and Ryan Homes, as well as with local, private developers and builders. Much of LPS’ work is within Virginia and North Car-olina, although projects have taken the !rm up and down the East Coast. LPS aims to create attractive livable and functional communities that are desir-able not only to potential residents, but to current neighbors and the surround-ing community.

As a result of today’s market, LPS has found itself working on a wide vari-ety of projects, o#en recon!guring pre-vious iterations of land plans, as well as adjusting the product size and elevation to better !t the current demand. Over

the past few months, LPS has observed a noticeable increase in sales, which seems to have a direct correlation to a

project’s pricing and location. Unique projects with a mix of housing styles and commercial uses have continued to sell due to their variable products and pricing.

Currently, LPS is working with Harrison and Lear on the 2010 Parade of Homes. We are also working with Robin-son Development Group on the next phases for Culpepper Landing. We continue our

work with several clients in Eastern North Carolina and Hampton Roads !nalizing site plans for multifamily sites, mixed-use sites and more tradi-tional neighborhoods.

The design process for LPS is an exercise that considers many variables, not just a simple “make-it-!t” philoso-phy. "e thoughtful consideration of the current buyer’s needs, as well as the projected needs of future generations, leads LPS to create spaces that are not only attractive and impressionable but long lasting, too.

When considering a home purchase, the buyer takes a moment to ask him-self, “Could I live here? Will my chil-dren be happy here? What about my grandchildren?”

The team at LPS asks themselves these questions everyday and has heard some of their most successful clients do so as well. When response to cur-rent !nancial needs is combined with research and study for future demand, LPS has found creating places can be highly sought a#er.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 27

At William E. Wood & Associates New Homes Division, we understand the value of providing superior “old-fashioned” customer service while recognizing the importance of offering our customers the latest “hi-tech” marketing products.

In 2009, we sold $370 million more in sales than our closest competition. We did it the “old-fashioned-hi-tech way”...

Contact Brenda Reid, Director of New Homes, if we can assist you in your New Home Community.

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A recent Leading Indictor of Remodeling Activ-ity report from the Joint Center for Housing Studies of Harvard University projected that remodeling activity will increase in the second

quarter of 2010. While the uptick won’t be as great as the heydays of 2005-07, it will climb steadily throughout 2010.

This may mean more homeowners will be looking to make more home improvements and cash in on the energy-e%cien-cy tax credits before they expire.

With homeowners being able to claim up to $1,500 in expanded energy-e%ciency tax credits for remodeling their principal residence to reduce energy consumption, now is the time to make sure you know how to market your business. Available until the end of 2010, the revamped 25C Existing Home Retro!t Tax Credit will help consumers save on their renovation costs and utility bills.

Now is a great time to educate not only yourselves, but also the consumer about what is available and how much they can save.

One way in which remodelers can capitalize on the credits is by o$ering homeowners energy-saving solutions, such as a home energy audit. "ese audits, which can cost as little as $500, are o#en an expense worth the investment, especially when homeowners opt for the e%ciency upgrades based on the audit.

Simple upgrades, such as reducing air leakage by adding insulation, and installing or upgrading to a more e%cient HVAC system can not only save on energy costs this year, but also in the coming years.

With the expanded federal tax credit refunding 30 percent of the product replacement cost, up to $1,500, more hom-eowners may be looking to upgrade. A tax-payer without liability can even carry the credit forward to the next tax year.

The credit can be used not only for HVAC systems, insulation and water heat-ers, but also for windows, doors and insula-tion as long as the new products meet IRS quali!cations. In some cases, installation costs may also be applied to claim the tax credit.

With more e%cient systems, homeown-ers will also be saving money with less fre-quent equipment replacement as well.

A homeowner’s best source of energy

Learn the best-kept secret for selling remodeling jobs

e%ciency savings is you — the local professional. Being educated starts with knowing how to best apply the credit for homeowners. For example, directing them to National Association of Home Builders’ energy-savings simulation at http://energysim.toolbase.org can help determine the costs of upgrades and savings.

Additionally, homeowners may be able to combine federal tax credits with local and regional incentives to maximize sav-ings, such as being exempt from sales tax for certain energy-e%cient appliances. Information on rebates from utility com-panies and other government incentives is available at www.dsireusa.org.

For customers looking to install renewable energy prod-ucts, the 25D Wind, Solar, Geothermal and Fuel Cell Tax Credit provides greater incentives for installing geothermal heat pumps, solar panels, solar hot water heaters, small wind energy systems and fuel cells. "ough these products may cost more upfront, the credit is for 30 percent and doesn’t have a cap through 2016.

New home builders can even cash in on the tax incentive by providing an itemized cost to the buyer for tax claims upon purchase of the home.

For more information about the tax credit, visit www.nahb.org/e%ciencytaxcredit.

Don Landle is vice president of production at Case Handy-man and Remodeling and is serving as chairman of TBA’s Re-modelers Council. "e Remodelers Council meets on the second Wednesday of every month at 4:30 p.m. in the TBA boardroom. For more information, please call Maggie Rickard at 305-9053 or mrickard@tbaonline.org.

28 MARCH/APRIL 2010

Ticket Order Form

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Friday, June 11, 

4‐8 p.m.

Chesapeake City Park

Greenbrier Parkway

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TBA Annual Picnic

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MARCH/APRIL 2010 29

=%9$+%2U.S. Congressman Randy Forbes, right, takes a moment from the Board of Directors meeting to talk with TBA President Bill Halprin. Forbes vowed to fight to keep the U.S. Navy carrier that leaders are considering moving to Florida from Hampton Roads.

Sen. Frank Wagner, 7th district, (center) is one of many delegates and senators visited by TBA Politi-cal Action Committee members during a day on the “Hill” to support the industry’s legislative package for the 2010 General Assembly session. Pictured with Wagner are (from left) John Ainslie, TBA Builder Services Staff Vice President Claudia Cotton, TBA President Bill Halprin and John Napolitano. (Both Ainslie and Napolitano are TBA past presidents.)

Tidewater Multifamily Housing Council mem-bers packed TBA’s boardroom for a seminar from Mally Dryden-Mason, a fair housing train-er with the Fair Housing Board of Virginia.

30 MARCH/APRIL 2010

Many people have heard that the Environmental Protection Agency issued a !nal regulation (40 CFR 450) for e(uent limitation guide-

lines (ELGs) e$ective Feb. 1, 2010. However, it’s little known that this regulation will

not directly a$ect Virginia until a#er July 2014. In the meantime, the EPA will consider this

rule as it develops the total maximum daily load for the Chesapeake Bay and the new national stormwater standards, both of which will a$ect Virginia. "ese ELGs will be incorporated into the next Vir-ginia Stormwater Management Program (VSMP) General Permit for Discharges of Stormwater from Construction Activities (construction general permit). Virginia just issued a new VSMP construction general permit in July 2009 that will be e$ective until June 31, 2014. "erefore, these new EPA guidelines will not be e$ective until the current permit expires in 2014.

Why the new guidelines?These e(uent guidelines are primarily a series of new man-

agement practices that are focused on reducing sediment and other pollutants in construction site stormwater discharges. For example, management practices will now be required for concrete washouts and dewatering activities, among others.

However, the most notable requirement is that a turbid-ity e(uent standard will be enforced on construction sites that disturb more than 10 acres at once. One of the goals of this regulation is to provide an incentive to limit the total disturbed area of a site to less than 10 acres at a time. "is is generally thought to reduce sediment in stormwater.

Developers will be required to sample stormwater at out-falls during construction and measure for turbidity. "e aver-age turbidity of any discharge for any day must not exceed 280 nephelometric turbidity units (NTUs).

EPA effluent limitation guidelines are the first in a wave of new regulations

Turbidity, a measure of water clarity, is some-times used as a surrogate to determine the extent of soil and sediment contained in runo$ water.

In this case, the EPA intends to use turbidity as an indicator of how well erosion and sediment control measures are working. "e EPA doesn’t specify when and how samples must be taken and leaves the development of methods up to the states. However, guidance on implementing these e(uent guidelines is anticipated to be issued by the EPA in 2011.

A shi% in controlThis ELG is a signi!cant shi# in policy from managing

controls to managing the result of the controls. Currently, a developer is in compliance with the VSMP

construction general permit if all of the controls are in place and have been properly maintained. "is new policy will mea-sure compliance by the clarity of the stormwater e(uent.

However, the following question remains. How will the 280 NTU standard be achieved?

Some believe that it will not be achievable without substan-tial additional costs in new technology, such as 'occulants in stormwater ponds and signi!cant additional erosion and sedi-ment structural controls.

Since Virginia will be one of the last states to implement these regulations, we can hope that we will be able to learn from other states and bene!t from lessons learned and new technology developed to meet the 280 NTU standard.

This regulation is !nal, but there is still an opportunity to in'uence the details of how this regulation will be imple-mented in Virginia. Unresolved issues include: monitoring methods, monitoring frequency, analytical methods, reporting and enforcement procedures.

It will be important to stay involved in the resolution of these issues as Virginia dra#s the next VSMP construction

general permit in 2013. With all of these pending stormwater initiatives the land-disturbance community has a great deal of homework to do to in'uence this up-coming wave of stormwater regulation.

Curtis Hickman is a senior en%iron-mental scientist with Kerr En%ironmental Services. He specializes in managing Kerr’s VSMP/SWPPP program, as well as stream and wetland assessment, perenniality deter-mination, wetland delineation, ecological restoration and en%ironmental permitting. He can be reached at (757) 963-2008 or hickman@kerren%.com.

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MARCH/APRIL 2010 31

strong. Complete electrical system designs, using the highest quality equipment

Reliable design-build projects for a wide variety of industrial, commercial and residential clients

Professional project management and advanced technology solutions

We are your strongest link. At John E. Hall Electrical Contractor, Inc.,

one of the largest electrical contractors in Southeast Virginia, we have the manpower and inventory to safely deliver the highest

quality work, on time, every time. It’s simple. Our highly trained staff offers you electrical

solutions upon which you can rely.

Service. Craftsmanship. Commitment.That’s our promise.

Contact us today for your next project.

ph 757.465.1658 | fx 757.465.2328 | www.JohnHallElectric.com

johnhall@johnhallelectric.com | 3303 Airline Blvd., Suite 1A | Portsmouth, VA 23701

32 MARCH/APRIL 2010

Helen Dragas named First Citizen of Virginia Beach

The Virginia Beach Jaycees will honor Helen Dragas, president and CEO of "e Dragas Cos., as First Citizen of Virginia Beach for 2009 at a banquet on May 14 at the historic Cavalier Hotel at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront.

The award is presented to a Virginia Beach citizen who exempli!es success, leadership, voluntary service, philan-thropic spirit, or service to humanity. For more information or to check availablity of tickets, contact Jaycees’ Manage-ment Director Doug Harmon at sdhjaycee@gmail.com.

1"34$!(0A

Local interior merchandising "rm wins national awardInterior design and merchandising !rm House Details was named Interior

Designer for the 2010 Best in American Living Award (BALA) for Sajo Farm at the International Builders’ Show in Las Vegas.

The BALA Awards are sponsored by Professional Builder magazine and NAHB Design Committee.

Congratulations to Kim Curtis Kim S. Curtis, president and CEO of Tidewater Home Funding LLC, was

named one of Inside Business’ 2009 Women in Business Achievement Award recipients.

Curtis was one of 20 women selected by the public for their business acu-men.

Rose & Womble Realty Co. agent takes the gold Carol Daniels of Rose & Womble Realty Co.’s

New Homes Division was named gold award win-ner for Marketing Director of the Year at the Na-tional Sales and Marketing Awards gala.

The awards pay tribute to superior new-home sales and marketing achievements by individual sales and marketing professionals, home builders and associates, and sales and marketing councils.

Daniels has been with Rose & Womble Marketing Services for 19 years.

TMHC contributes#to relief e$orts###The TMHC Executive Committee re-

cently contributed $1,000 to the Home of the Daughters of God Orphanage in Haiti, which provides for 70 girls.&"e orphanage is now uninhabitable.&HBAV President Mike Newsome and Bob Flynn urge all&HBAV members to make a contribution as well.

If you would like to contribute, please make your check&payable to Resurrection Catholic Church, and mail it to HBAV, 707 E. Franklin St., Richmond, VA, 23219. All contributions are#tax deductible.

When times are good, most of us don’t bother with product rebate forms.

In times like these, why leave money on the table? Especially when claiming it’s so easy and the return is so substantial.

As a TBA builder or remodeler mem-ber, you’re eligible to join the Home Builders Association of Virginia’s Mem-ber Rebate Program. A number of local companies are using it and have received from $400 to $3,000 back — per quar-ter!

What makes the rebate program so easy to use?

You register as a participant by visit-ing www.hbav.com and clicking on the HBAV Member Rebate Program logo.

Once you’re registered, you’ll receive e-mail reminders about when each quarter’s form is due and the dates the rebate checks are mailed.

"e rebate claim forms are also on

Money in your pocketRebate program is easy to use

the HBAV Web site. "e form is sim-ple to use and is set up with a section for each participating manufacturer. You !ll out a form for each home you complete OR !ll out one form and attach a list of your completed homes.

No purchase receipts are necessary.

What manufacturers are participating in the program?

Currently, 31 national manufacturers participate in the program. If you buy products from two of those, you are eligible to participate. And if your sub-contractor is buying the product but you specify it, you can still claim it.So don’t leave money on the table.

If you’re building a few homes this year and you use at least two of the partici-pating manufacturers, it’s worth register-ing for the program. Rebate claim forms for homes completed the !rst quarter of 2010 are due May 21.

MARCH/APRIL 2010 33

1"34$!(0A

Get in your applications

Do you know a high school senior in need of

!nancial assistance?If so, high school seniors

have until April 16 to apply for scholar-ship funds from Tidewater Builders As-sociation’s Scholarship Foundation.

Scholarship awards will be based on academic performance, community service and !nancial need. "e four-year scholar-ships can be applied to any !eld of study.

Applications are available from high school guidance counselors in Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Su$olk, Franklin and Southampton County schools, as well as the Eastern Shore of Virginia. "ey can also be down-loaded from www.tbaonline.org or by calling Mary Hearring at 305-9018.

!"#=',"#H,%.,A#IHBWith !nal plans for Spring Homeara-

ma well under way, another Homearama is shaping up for Oct. 2-17 in Norfolk’s East Beach community.

In 2004, Tidewater Builders Associa-tion’s Homearama featured the neighbor-hood’s original 16 homes highlighting porches, bay-front greens, park-like open spaces, sidewalks and other elements of a traditional neighborhood development. Today, more than 250 families make it their home.

With an on-site town architect, the community is distinctly known for its at-tention to architectural detail. To date, 11 veteran Homearama builders have signed on to construct 12 homes ranging from $450,000 to $700,000.

"e Crumley Group, Virginia Beach, will build the Charity House to bene!t St. Mary’s Home for Disabled Children.

Other builders planning to participate include Bill Ore LLC, Chesapeake; Charles A. Schmitt Contractors, Vir-ginia Beach; De!nitive Homes, Virginia Beach; J.F. Schoch Building Corp., Vir-

Fall Homearama heads back to East Beach

ginia Beach; L.R. Hill Custom Homes, Virginia Beach; Real Development, Norfolk; Richardson Homes, Norfolk; Seaside Homes, Norfolk; Simpson Builders, Norfolk.

Mike Brunick of De!nitive Homes

will serve as chairman for the show.East Beach is situated on 100 acres

along the Chesapeake Bay in Norfolk. Surrounded by water, the neighbor-hood is fashioned a#er classic south-eastern seaboard coastal villages.

34 MARCH/APRIL 2010

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Listed below are the top 2009 Hampton Roads builders by number of closings recorded, according to Residential Da-

taBank Inc.’s 2009 New Home Market Report.

According to the report, 2009 was a year of rebuilding for the area’s market. While new home construction permits and closings declined, the percent of decline was slowing, according to the report.

The average cost of new home con-struction was down 10.5 percent in Hampton Roads from 2008, but by the fourth quarter, it was seeing an upswing with the average cost of new home con-struction being down 8.4 percent from the fourth quarter 2008.

On a positive note, the existing home market saw an improvement in closings due to the lower prices and !rst-time home buyer tax credit. Builders selling standing inventory also made progress in 2009, the report found.

Overall, a$ordably priced housing is selling and the builders within that category are still thriving, according to the report.

Top of their class

Builder  Closings recorded

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        Source: Residential DataBank Inc. 

MARCH/APRIL 2010 35

Top of their class

Welcome new members

Here to stay

ASSOCIATES Becker EnterprisesConcrete; excavating/clearing/grading; hardscapes/pavers; irrigation; landscap-ing/sodding; lighting; paving; pools; sand/gravel/crushed stoneWilliam Becker ................ (757) 560-6300

Creative Touch InteriorsAppliances; cabinets; carpeting; counter tops; flooring; marble (cultured and import-ed), stone, granite; tile; window treatmentsCarol Stevens ................. (757) 229-1056www.ctihome.com

Energy Efficient Solutions Inc.Air quality; energy conservation systems/products; HVAC/mechanical subcontrac-tors; Insulation; moisture/mold/mildew controlChuck Worley ................. (757) 595-4433www.callenergyefficient.com

Handyman Plus Inc.Remodeling/restoration/building repair; Loren Linker ................... (757) 631-2722

HomeTeam Pest DefenseExterminating; other services; pest controlNate Baker ..................... (804) 276-9797www.pestdefense.com

Norfolk Air Heating & Cooling Inc.HVAC/mechanical subcontractorsRobert Rhodes ............... (757) 963-8365www.norfolkair-hvac.com

Shenandoah Shutters LLCWindow treatmentsDonna Sepko ................. (804) 355-9300www.shenandoahshutters.com

Virginia Home PerformanceAir quality; energy conservation systems/products; engineering/planning; environ-mental services/consultants/soil test-ing; HVAC/mechanical suppliers; home inspectors; Insulation; moisture/mold/mildew control; other servicesRaymond Walsh ............. (757) 309-4786www.virginiahomeperformance.com

BUILDERSBoyd & Associates L.L.C., L.A.Builders/developersTony Boyd ...................... (757) 817-3823

Design Four Inc.Architect/building designers; architect/commercial; architect/residential; build-ers/developers; designer/building; de-signer/interiorGregory M. Frech ........... (757) 498-9800www.coastalarchitect.com

ASSOCIATES 84 Lumber Co.A&B FloorsAdvantage Heating & CoolingAES Consulting EngineersAffordable Closest Systmes Inc.Affordable Custom DecksAFLACAllied Door & GlassAlways Clean ServicesAmurcon RealtyAssurance Ltd.Atlantic Railing Inc.Atlantic ShoresAutomatic Leasing Services Inc.Barnes, Brock, Cornwell & HeilmanBatchelder & Collins Inc.Beach WindowsBeskin & Associates Inc.Branche IndustriesBrooks ElectricBudget Blinds of ChesapeakeBurton Lumber Corp.Capital Concrete Inc.Casa DecksCloset Factory, TheCoastal Door Installations Co.College Square ApartmentsColumbia Gas of VirginiaCommunity BankContinental Realty ServicesDernis InternationalDominion Virginia PowerDr. Dan’s Landscaping & Architectural Design

Dreamscape DesignersEast Coast Appliance Inc.Elecronic SystemsFamily Housing Program Naval Support ActivityFirst Atlantic Restoration Inc.Fulton Bank N.A. - Southern DivisionGemaire DistributorsGeneral Electric Co.Gifford Management Group Inc.GildersleeveGriggs LumberH&P Electric Co.Hampton Roads BanksharesHampton Roads MagazineHarris JudahHarvey Lindsay Commercial Real EstateiLevel by WeyerhaeuserInterior Trim TechnologyIrby’s Home SpecialistsJack’s TowingJayhawk ExteriorsJES Construction Inc.Kaufman & CanolesLand Planning SolutionsMassey Design and AssociatesMetLife Home LoansMid-Atlantic Leasing Corp.Miller’s Overhead Door Inc.MSA P.C.NDI, LLC: Basgier & Associates DivisionNew American MortgageNoland Plumbing ShowroomNusbaum Insurance AgencyODU Off-Campus Housing

Pella Windows& DoorsProduction PaintingProSource Wholesale FloorcoveringsQuality Plumbing & MechanicalRoto-Rooter Services CompanyRoyal Mace ApartmentsSaunders & Matthews PLLCSentorian Investigations & Executive ProtectionSherwin Williams/DuronSmith & Keene Inc.Solar Lighting of VirginiaStarling Guttering & Associates of Southside Inc.Sykes, Bourdon, Ahern & Levy, P.C.Tallen ConcreteTCS Materials (division of Florida Rock Industries)Tidewater Community College/ Workforce DevelopmentTidewater FloorsTidewater Home FundingTile EssentialsTitan AmericaTroutman Sanders LLPUnited Property AssociatesUnited TurfUSI Insurance Services Inc.Virginia Natural GasWBR InsuranceWeather Makers Inc.Wells Fargo Home MortgageWells Fargo Real Estate GroupWindow World of TidewaterYoung’s Flooring (continued on page 36)

36 MARCH/APRIL 2010

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It’s hard not to notice the 90-foot-tall black oak with a 120-foot crown that has made its home at the entrance to "e Neighborhoods of Sajo Farms in

Virginia Beach. It commands a presence that can only come with age. Rightfully so — it’s estimated to be between 80 and 100 years old.

It has also been identi!ed as Vir-ginia’s sixth largest black oak on record in 2009 on Virginia Tech’s “Champion Tree” listing and it has been nominated for the Remarkable Trees of Virginia Program, which documents Virginia’s largest, oldest and most historic trees.

Sajo Farm land development manag-ers noticed the tree when the site was being surveyed in 2007.

“At the time, we didn’t know it was one of the largest black oaks in Virginia, we just knew it was one gorgeous tree,” said Tuck Bowie, president of "e Terry Peterson Cos., which joined forces with Napolitano Homes for the development.

Landscape architect and certi!ed arborist Kim Edwards was called in to preserve the tree. Along with the oak, Edwards identi!ed and tagged several additional trees for preservation at the development.

“I think the attitude of developers is shi#ing. Preservation was once considered a cost item,” said Edwards. “Now, we’re becoming more conscious of the bene!ts.”

Now the oak has become a landmark of the community.

TBA CalendarHere to stay(continued !om page 35)

April14  Remodelers Council meeting 

15 Developers Council meeting

  Membership Mingle

22 VRLTA/Fair Housing, Chesapeake 

Conference Center

29­5/1  CGP class, TBA

May  

5   TBA Charity Golf Tournament 

6  Green Building Council meeting

7   Spring Homearama Gala Charity  

Preview, Founders Pointe 

8­23  Spring Homearama, Founders Pointe 

10 TBA Board of Directors/Cornerstone 

Foundation Reception, Steinhilber’s

12 Remodelers Council meeting

19­20  DIRECTDrive Membership Campaign 

20 Developers Council meeting

27  Quarterly Builder Breakfast

June2   Scholarship Awards, Town Point Club 

3  Green Building Council meeting

9  Remodelers Council meeting

11  TBA Annual Picnic 

Historic oak becomes community landmark

Developers strive to save black oak at Sajo Farms

Civil engineers redesigned the road layout, utilities and sewer and water lines to pre-serve the tree. A lightening rod was also in-stalled atop the oak and its roots were sepa-rated from those of nearby trees.

BUILDERSAssociated Contracting Services Inc.Beachtowne Realty Corp.Bishard Development Corp.Breeden Co.Bush ConstructionCaruana ConstuctionClark Whitehill Enterprises Inc.Classic Design Builders (Bay Beach Builders)Crace-Johnson Construction Corp.Crumley Group Inc.Designs of Distinction Ltd.Dominion Building GroupDrucker & Falk LLCEagle Construction of VA, LLCEast Beach Co. LLCFred Napolitano II Co.Frye Properties Inc.Gee’s GroupHabitat for Humanity of South Hampton Roads Inc.HAV Inc.Hearndon Construction Corp.Johns Contractor Inc., Leo F.Larrymore OrganizationLincoln Military HousingMarsha Lynn Building Corp./ Royal Court Inc.McLeskey & Associates LLCMER Contracting Inc.Mid-Atlantic Custom Builders Inc.

Miller Custom HomesMullins & Co. General ContractorsParagon Construction Corp.Quality BuildingReese Smith Construction LLCRussell Realty AssociatesS.B. Ballard Construction Co.S.L. Nusbaum Realty Co.Shore VenturesStephen Alexander HomesTowne Development Corp.Turner & Son Inc, RandyTyler & Associates Ltd, R.W.Vico Construction Corp.Vintage Homes LLCW.H. Leitner & Son Inc.Welden-Field of VirginiaWel-Vant Construction Co.William T. Wingfield Inc.

We’re socially conscious!"#"$%&'()*+"*,-)./%$)%0)++)1%2#%)*

Expanded coverages to meet your changing needs.

! Building Industry Insurance Association, Inc. (BIIA) offers members General Liability and Workers Compensation for competitive rates.

! Coming soon – commercial auto and property insurance.

! BIIA offers flexible payment options, allowing you to track payments with your work flow on a monthly basis.

! Price, coverage, and service… what more can you ask for? Call your agent for a quote.

BIIA provides great coverage at a great price.

Building Industry Insurance Association, Inc. www.biiaonline.com 757-420-3022

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