Temple Area Builders Association
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On The Level - March 2008 Contents:
March is Crawfish Season!
 For the past two years, March has been the month that TABA has had its crawfish boil and this year the tradition will continue. There will be a twist to the event this year as we have added a Mardi Gras theme. This free to member event is scheduled for Tuesday, March 4th (Voting Day) at Lamar Advertising located at 5110 N. General Bruce Dr. So after you have cast your vote for the primary election, come join in the fun, food and fellowship at the TABA Crawfish Boil. For those members that don't eat crawfish, don't worry because there will be plenty of BBQ. Jean Pierre and the Zydeco Angels will again perform their cajun music for us, there will be lots of Mardi Gras beads available and the crawfish games will commence at 7pm. The Memberhsip Meetings and Sponsors Committee, chaired this year by Mat Naegele of Lamar Advertising has been working very hard to schedule a year's worth of TABA Membership Meetings. The boil is the first event of the year that is not tied to either the Home & Garden Show or the Parade of Homes. We ask all of our members to come out and participate as the event is geared toward creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere that will provide a maximum amount of networking opportunity. We hope to see everyone at our March Crawfish Boil & BBQ. Please note that weather is not a deterent. The location is covered and the boil will go on, rain or shine. Don't wear your good clothes though, crawfish tends to be messy. On The Level - Table Of Contents 
 It is hard to believe it’s already March! The Home and Garden Show is behind us I am pleased to say that the preliminary results look terrific. Many vendors reported that it was their best show ever. This year’s show was timed perfectly to take advantage of the most beautiful weekend of the year. Normally, attendance suffers in nice weather because people are anxious to get outside and take care of the jobs that have been piling up all winter, but the crowds looked representative of past years. At this time, final numbers are still pending, but it is not too early to thank everyone who worked so hard to make the show a success. I know it is an overused cliché, but as with most of our projects, this one could not take place without you, our members, our staff, our sponsors and our vendors. It is you guys that make it happen year in and year out and I want to express my sincere thanks for your continued support. I would also like to send a special thanks to Executive Officer, Cheryl Copeland and Home and Garden Show Chairman, Tony Gallagher. These two started early and didn’t quit when everyone else went home. Thanks to Tony and Heart of Texas Landscaping and Irrigation, I think we had the best looking center booth to date. We even managed to raise a nice donation for Children’s Miracle Network thanks to Pat Patterson and Patco Construction. Pat and his company built the playhouse we raffled off in the center booth. Many thanks to Pat and his company for making this happen and enabling us to make a contribution to a great charity. As we move into spring many of you are hard at work on the Parade of Homes. April will be upon us before we know it, and April is Parade of Homes time. I am pleased to report that Chairman Justin Scott and his committee have secured 19 entries in the parade. This promises to be an outstanding event with homes in a variety of price ranges and locations throughout the area. If you run into Justin, tell him thanks for a job well done. I couldn’t let this month go by without encouraging everyone to come out to the Crawfish Boil hosted by Lamar Advertising. The Mardi Gras theme is guaranteed to produce some fun and I’m sure the Membership Meetings and Sponsors Committee is planning something “special”. I hope to see you there! On The Level - Table Of Contents 
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The 2008 Home and Garden Show was a phenomenal success and it was made possible through the volunteers, generous sponsors, exhibitors and attendees and we thank them all. A big THANK YOU to our generous sponsors without whom we would not be able to afford to put on the caliber of show that we do. Thank you Temple Daily Telegram for your continued title sponsorship year after year. Thank you Amos Electric, Atmos Energy, Great House Plans Design & Drafting, Cody Pools, Double T Construction and Patco Construction. A very special thank you to the hundreds of exhibitors and thousands of show attendees. We'll see you next year!!! Take a peek at all the fun that was had during the Friday night Preview Party and during the show Saturday: 
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This is a paid advertisement On The Level - Table Of Contents 
TABA Conference Room, Ready for Rent
We have completed some cost comparisons, the rates have been established and a contract has been drawn up. We have one of the best facilities in this area for a small group event and our prices reflect what is typical for a comparable facility in our area. Best of all we provide a member discount! Check out our rates: The room is available Monday thru Friday from 8am till 5pm only. Member Non Member 1-3 Hours $225 $450 3-5 Hours $275 $550 Full Day $425 $850 Use of the kitchen facilities, common areas, podium, projector, sound system and screen are at no additional charge. Booking may be done by calling the TABA office and we reserve the right to book around already scheduled TABA events. We are very excited to bring this benefit to our TABA members and hope that our members will take advantage of this opportunity. You can call the TABA office for more information. On The Level - Table Of Contents 
The entries for the 2008 Parade of Homes have all come in and it's going to be a fantastic parade this with 6 homes over the $450,000 price point!. 19 beautiful homes will be on tour this year and it will be a parade with something for everyone to see from the first time home buyer to the dream home. You won't want to miss it! Check out this year's entries:
On The Level - Table Of Contents  Home & Garden Show Behind Us, Parade Ahead As I say every year, the first 6 months of the year are the busiest for me. Fortunately, we have one event behind us now and everyone enjoyed it. The Home & Garden Show was a great success and I believe was the best looking show that we have ever had! I can't say thanks enough to Tony Gallagher and all of the Heart of Texas Landscape crew and staff. It was their hard work and creativity that made the center booth of the domed room floor look phenomenal. It was a real eye catcher and I think all of our exhibitors and attendees truly enjoyed it. The show just generally looked improved over the past several years and that was largely due to the great vendors we had. With the Show behind us, it's on to Parade of Homes. We've actually been working on this event for months but it's getting down to the point that builders are scrambling to finish their homes and we are scrambling to put together the Parade of Homes magazine. It is going to be another first class event with 19 beautiful homes scattered around Central Texas. Sponsorship information was mailed and there are a limited number of opportunities so don't delay in responding if you are interested. The benefits are exceptional since sponsors appear on the TV spots and print media and are advertised on the radio. The cost is minimal when you consider the exposure. Call me if you are interested. Website Advertising Are you interested in advertising on the TABA website? If so call the TABA office for more information. A plan has finally been put together to begin member advertisinig on the TABA website. Statistics are about to be finalized, prices have been set and we are ready to implement this program. A more detailed article will be published in the April newsletter, but suffice it to say advertising on the TABA website is a premium location for your business to be and the price is right! Keep looking in the On the Level newsletter for more information or call the TABA office. On The Level - Table Of Contents Beyond Codes - Building Science Technology Workshops The Texas Association of Builders training initiative, “Beyond Codes - Building Science Technology Workshops,” will be offered by TABA at our office at 12 North 5th, Temple on Wednesday, March 19th. The class will take place from 11 am to 1 pm and lunch will ber served. Why should a builder attend? Homebuyers today are demanding more energy efficient and greener homes. This workshop takes a practical approach to building high performance homes and focuses on techniques for designing and building homes that are energy efficient, durable and comfortable. Steve Easley draws from his 25 years experience in home building and has analyzed the most cost effective methods and products for building homes that not only comply with the minimum requirements of the energy code, but that produce a product that exceeds these standards. A home’s energy performance often looks good on paper but does not always meet the customer’s expectations with regard to comfort and energy costs. This workshop will focus on practical technologies and installation methods to meet the Energy Star Thermal BY-Pass Check List Requirements. Attendees will learn solutions from real world examples. Discussion will include: ▪ Insulation and cost effective levels ▪ Common energy mistakes ▪ Identifying thermal bypasses ▪ Wall and roof insulation systems ▪ Proper installation techniques for insulation ▪ Envelope tightening ▪ Slab, crawl spaces insulation ▪ Vapor and air barriers and how they relate to moisture problems and IAQ ▪ Heating and air-conditioning equipment, sizing mistakes and solutions ▪ Ductwork installation mistakes and duct tightening ▪ Diagnostics and testing, blower door and duct basting ▪ Duct leakage impacts on moisture movement backdrafting ▪ Understanding and selecting high performance windows ▪ Lighting techniques that save energy and electricity costs ▪ Cost effective energy efficient appliances
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In just over 10 years, Home-PAC has contributed more than $170,000 in backing candidates and causes that our trustees believe are supportive to our industry. PAC dollars are essential to assuring that TABA maintains a strong voice in the local and statewide political arenas. It is important to note that the vast majority of PAC contributions are made to local candidates and causes. Home-PAC has consistently supported local school bond elections; the Temple College Foundation; the Temple Bioscience District; the Temple Veterans Hospital; and quality of life efforts such as public safety, recreation, leisure, and beautification. In supporting these local initiatives, Home-PAC believes that we are leveraging dollars to help create a more attractive community, thereby making our communities more desirable to people and businesses looking for a new home. "The more folks we can attract, the more viable the home building industry remains in and around Temple," says Mike Pilkington, of Pilkington Development Corporation, who serves as a trustee for Home-PAC. Of course, Home-PAC funds also go toward the support of candidates that TABA Home-PAC believes are firmly in support of the continued growth of our community and our industry. John Kiella, of Kiella Homebuilders, also serves on Home PAC. He stated that "with ever growing regulatory burdens and a rise in anti-building forces across the state and country, it is imperative that TABA has the ear of the decision makers when we have an interest in a particular issue." To that end, Jason Carothers, of Carothers Executive Homes and immediate past-Chairman of Home-PAC has asked that you consider giving to Home-PAC. "If you are a member of TABA and don't give to Home-PAC you are not fully supporting your industry. The money you give to TABA goes to support the administration of the association and the many opportunities that creates for your business. The money you give to Home-PAC goes directly to support the viability of your industry for years to come." This month the trustees will be contacting as many of our members as they can on the afternoon during the last week of February. With more than 360 TABA members, they will not be able to reach you all, so please consider giving to Home-PAC. Your contributions will be put to great use for your community and your industry. You can give as little as $50 a year and help a great deal. Current giving levels include:
Home PAC Chairman Dean Winkler notes that, "there are plans in the works to increase the "Presidential" category in order to attach certain benefits to that giving level." More on that soon. To learn more about joining Home-PAC, please contact the TABA office at 254-773-0445. 
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