NBN Online for the week of May 25, 2009

(Plain Text Version) for full graphical version, click here.

In This Issue:

Front Page
Sales Agents, Appraisers Underestimate Value of Green
NAHB Guide Finds More Cities Rolling Back Impact Fees
Membership Day Brings in 5,055 New Members in Tough Times
Nation's Building News Will Not Be Published on June 1
Coast to Coast
First-Time Home Buyers Can Turn Tax Credit Into Cash
housing forum
Letter to the Editor: Housing Deflation Takes Economic Toll
Politics & Government
House Energy Bill Would Create National Building Code
NAHB Supports Government Efforts on Chinese Drywall
Obama Signs Bill to Help Families Refinance Mortgages
California Seeing Impact Fee Cuts and Deferrals
Economics & Finance
April Single-Family Starts Rise for Second Straight Month
Confidence of Builders Continues to Grow in May
Housing Reaches Most Affordable Level in 18 Years
Florida Builder Encouraged by Recent Uptick in Sales
HUD Withdraws Proposed RESPA Rule
Eye on the Economy: Surveys Signal Revival of Buyer Demand
Useful Links to Monitor Economic and Housing Trends
Tips
Builders’ Tip: Quick, Easy Sanding-Disk Alignment
Green Building
Green Building Growth Bright Spot in a Down Market
10 Practical Strategies Suggested for Green Marketing
Dual Certification Process Set for NAHBGreen and Builders Challenge
Advanced Green Building Courses to Be Available in 2010
Downturn
How to Create a 'Thoughtless' Web Site — and Why
Multifamily
Multifamily Builder Confidence Rallies From Record Lows
Remodelers
First Remodeled Home Certified to Green Standard
Remodelers See Early Signs of Recovery in First Quarter
Building Systems
Webinar Details Modular Construction Basics, Benefits
Commercial
HVAC Tips That Can Save You From Making Costly Mistakes
Design
Enter 2009 Best in American Living Design Competition
Education
Education Calendar
construction safety
Safety Month Focuses on Falls, Overexertion and Driving
Building Products
FlowGuard Manifold System Offers Maximum Versatility
TV
NAHB-Produced Programs on DIY, Fine Living and HGTV
Endowment
Students Jumpstart Building Careers With NAHB Internship
Association News
Save More With Hertz Off-Airport Locations
Williams Scotsman Offers $1.99 First-Month Storage Container
Drive Away With a Shiny New $500 GM Offer
Calendar of Events
NAHB Career Center

Builders’ Tip: Quick, Easy Sanding-Disk Alignment

 

 

 

Click for larger image.

Random-orbit sanders that suck up the sawdust they create are a wonderful invention and time-saver.

But if they are to work properly, the holes in the disks have to be aligned accurately with the sander’s pad.

  • As shown in the accompanying drawing, I made quick work of aligning the sander’s pad and sandpaper with a pair of dowels set into a wooden block.

  • I make the jig using 5/16-inch dowel pins that are 1 inch long.

  • I simply slip the pins through the hook-and-loop disk and then into the sander for a perfect alignment every time.


— Wilbur R. Sanger, Lebanon, Pa.

Tips & Techniques provided by Fine Homebuilding.
©2008 The Taunton Press

To contact Fine Homebuilding, e-mail Christina Glennon.



Tax Credit Web Site Looks at Opportunity of a Lifetime

Builders and other industry professionals can help spur home sales by referring prospective first-time home buyers to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. The NAHB Web site provides detailed information on the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers included in the economic stimulus legislation signed into law by President Obama.

Consumers can use the Web site to find information on the tax credit — including a detailed question and answer section. It also includes information about other housing-related and small business measures in the legislation and a number of home-buying resources for consumers.

Spanish Version Also Available Online

A Spanish version of this increasingly popular Web site is also available to provide detailed information on the tax credit to Spanish-speaking first-time home buyers.

Industry professionals are encouraged to highlight either tax credit Web site when marketing to their potential first-time home buyer market.



Set Yourself Apart With CGB Designation

Join the ranks of the nation’s top building industry professionals with the Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) designation. The “Builder Assessment Review” (BAR) is your first step towards obtaining the CGB.

This comprehensive assessment measures your expertise in the four key areas of the building industry: building technology, business and finance, project management and sales and marketing.

Your results will show the areas where your knowledge is strongest and weakest and will help determine the courses required for you to obtain your CGB.

To learn where the next BAR will be held, visit NAHB’s education listings, or call the Professional Designation Help Line at 800-368-5242 x8154.



BuilderBooks.com Offers More Than 250 Books That Help You Build Your Business

BuilderBooks.com is your source for training and education products for the building industry. The official bookstore for NAHB, BuilderBooks.com offers award-winning publications, software, brochures and more available in both English and Spanish.

To view these publications online, click here, or call 800-223-2665.


 

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