You are invited to attend the 2009 Annual Christmas Installation Banquet on Tuesday, Dec. 1st. Meet the new 2010 Southern Utah Builders Association Board of Directors who will be installed at this social. To attend, you must RSVP by today, November 24th. Click here to register or for more information.

Thank you to our sponsors:
Beehive Credit Union and KH Traveller featuring Lots at Stone Cliff   

Please remember to bring your gingerbread homes to the Christmas Installation Banquet on Dec. 1st. The gingerbread homes will be sold in a silent auction to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Call Randy Hardy for more information at America First Credit Union at 435-688-3836. Click here for the rules.

Sponsored by:

We hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving filled with fun and enjoyment. Please note the SUHBA office will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 26 and Friday, Nov. 27 for the holiday.

Our Member of the Year Awards Committee will be meeting soon to select the 2009 Member of the Year award recipients. Nominations for these will be taken from the SUHBA membership with award presentations scheduled at our January Luncheon, January 5, 2010.  

The annual presentation of the awards has helped enhance the prestige of the construction industry in Southern Utah. The award pays tribute to members who have brought credit to the industry. We urge you to nominate an associate and/or builder member for 2009 who, through his or her many activities and accomplishments has benefited our industry and best exemplifies a person worthy of the designation “Member of the Year” in categories of Supplier Associate, Service Associate, Trade Contractor, or General Contractor. 

All nominations must be received no later than Monday, December 14, 2009. Anyone who submits a nomination form by the deadline will be entered in a drawing to receive a special holiday gift. The criteria and nomination form set forth the basic qualifications required for each award. Please submit as much detail as possible concerning your nominee’s qualifications. Also, please note that activities upon which the nominee is to be judged may have taken place over many years rather than only the past year. 

Click here for nomination form. Contact Kathy at 674-1400 for additional information.

Listen to the all Christmas Station at 103.1 FM and you will hear a SUHBA Christmas greeting and Parade of Homes message.

Plans are well underway for the 20th Annual St. George Area Parade of Homes, February 12-21, 2010. We look forward to a great event that will feature spectacular homes including varied sizes, styles, and the latest in home design, technology, and unique decorating ideas. It is our goal to promote SUHBA members through the Parade of Homes and to show visitors the beauty of living in southern Utah.

Congratulation to the following 2010 Parade Builders

A J Construction	Bangerter Homes	Brian Geer Development
Castle Ridge Homes	Diamond D Homes	Doug Hunt Construction
Ence Homes	Freedom Construction	Hoopes Construction
Ivory Homes	J2 Construction	Jenson Construction
KH Traveller Development	Keystone Construction & Development	Pride Homes
Richardson Homes	S & S Homes	Salisbury Homes
Senston Homes	Signature Homes of Utah	Split Rock Development
Sun Hill Homes	SunRiver	Sunwest Development

We need the Parade of Homes now more than ever as we join together in showcasing the best in southern Utah building!! For more information on the 2010 St. George Area Parade please visit www.ParadeHomes.com.

Grow your business by placing an ad in the 20th Anniversary Edition of the 2010 St. George Area Parade of Homes. Reach a specific target market that is interested in housing related products and services - 25,000 copies will be printed. Parade visitors keep the magazine as a complete reference guide for their building and remodeling needs. Your ad will be viewed on-line all year long! SUHBA members receive a special discounted ad rate.

Set your company apart from the competition and inform the public you are open and ready for their business by placing an ad in the special 2010 Parade of Homes Magazine- Celebrating 20 years!

Click here for more information and call (435)674-6245 to place your ad today.

Have you ever wanted to have a display and talk about your business in front of 26,000 people? Well this is your chance. By exhibiting, you can talk with homeowners, home builders, business professionals, trade contractors, realtors, remodelers, and anyone else who is interested in home improvement, in construction, and design ideas. Exhibit in the 2010 Parade of Homes and get the results you expect! 
Booth Sales Schedule:

November 18 - 30, 2009	Sales open to Parade Builders, Parade Sponsors, and SUHBA members pre-authorized by Parade Builders
December 1 - 28, 2009	Sales open to SUHBA members only
December 28 - February 11, 2010	Sales open to SUHBA members and non-members

Click here for an exhibition space application or for more information.

Now that the law extending and expanding the $8,000 home buyer tax credit has been signed, sealed and delivered, we are churning out member resources to help you inform your customers about the appealing opportunity that has just been opened to them.  After all, it isn't just a first-time buyer tax credit anymore; as of now, move-up buyers, move-down buyers, and others who have previously owned a home can also qualify for a significant $6,500 tax credit – in fact, nearly 70% of all potential buyers should now qualify for some form of the credit. ...More

Congress is gearing up to consider restructuring the housing-related government sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and the Federal Home Loan Banks. With the nation's two largest providers of funds for home mortgages now in conservatorship and the housing finance market in turmoil, Congress is expected to soon begin deliberating the best course of action to take on Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and possibly the Federal Home Loan Banks. ...More

NAHB members are urged to comment on a recent proposal by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that would add more requirements and costs — and subject the remodeling and renovation of an estimated 40 million additional homes — to the lead paint regulations that will go into effect in April 2010. ...More

The International Builders’ Show is THE premier industry event. As the largest building industry tradeshow in the country, this is the place to recharge your business! Get inspired with the more than 175 education sessions and network with the best in the industry! Las Vegas is the place YOU need to be in January! Visit www.buildershow.com for more information.

Whether reducing water utility bills or saving our natural resources is the goal, you can steer new-home buyers and existing homeowners toward technology and behavior that will get results.

You might think that millions of people taking long, hot showers would be the biggest water waster for homeowners. Nope. The most overlooked culprit is the American lawn. People dump more than half of all that clean, drinkable fresh water on making the grass grow. And it's not just the weekend warrior with a garden hose that's spraying away. Many homes have hidden, in-ground irrigation systems which can develop leaks. So if the goal is saving water, start with the biggest sucking sound, and work your way down. ...More

Balancing your company’s books is not like balancing your company’s checkbook. 

You balance your checkbook using the cash-basis accounting method, which is simply totaling all the deposits, subtracting the payments, and — voilà! — that’s how much money you have in the checking account. ...More

Habitat for Humanity is searching for donations of time and/or materials (and possibly bids) from all trades for our next single-family home. If you are interested in helping a local low-income family, receive publicity for your company and possible tax deductions; please contact Michelle Hill at Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Utah at 435-674-7669 or habitat@ifox.com.

On an initiative by Agriculture Secretary Vilsack, Washington County has an opportunity to build a “People’s Garden”. This garden is to provide a sampling of USDA’s efforts to teach others how to nurture, maintain and protect a healthy landscape.  If practiced, the People’s Garden” is a concept that can contribute to providing healthy food for people and communities. When completed, visitors can learn more about healthy eating and healthy living. ...More

If you are looking to purchase appliances please stop by the Habitat for Humanity ReStore at 267 E. 1400 S., St. George. They received a semi-trailer full of brand new appliances and have some great savings to offer. Click here to view the items, visit their website at www.stgeorgerestore.com, or call (435)628-4041.

Are you dedicated to building energy-efficient homes? Are you committed to promoting natural gas energy efficiency to homebuyers? If so, you may be a 2009 ThermWise Builder of the Year!

The Questar Gas® ThermWise Builder of the Year Awards Program recognizes builders who are committed to building high-quality, energy-efficient homes. The awards offer you the opportunity to be recognized among your peers and by the public for the energy-saving work you do all year. There are three awards categories based on the number of homes you build annually. ...More

“It is amazing what you can get done when everyone works together”, is the new mantra from Trish Souther, a resident of SunRiver and now proud participant with her dogs at Dog Patch, the newly developed dog park for use by SunRiver residents. The November 5th ribbon cutting was the culmination of more than a year of fundraising and hard work to make this resident/developer partnership happen. ...More

Builder Helper is offering a free online bidding account. This free account offers:
For more information please call 801-227-7811 or visit www.builderhelper.com. 

Conveniently located off I-15 in Washington, the Coral Canyon Town Center has office space available for lease by SUHBA.  Three spaces are available and range in size from 1,086 to 1,227 square feet.  Price is $1.15 to $1.20 per square foot per month - Triple Net.  For more information, please contact Mari Smith at 674-1400.

SUHBA members are encouraged to submit company event announcements, open house announcements, job announcements, education announcements and press releases for inclusion in the next News You Can Use by Monday, December 7, 2009. Please email the information to news@suhba.com.