Largest independent building materials supplier in New England, plus in-house design and engineering services!
Mike McDole, Senior Vice President of Sales at National Lumber, speaking to a guest at the EM NARI Networking Event
On April 16, 2014, Kitchen Views at National Lumber and Allstate Glass hosted an EM NARI Networking Event at the Kitchen Views showroom in Mansfield, MA. Please check out Brandy Souza’s Kitchen Views blog posting for more information. There are lots of event photos available on our Facebook and Google+ sites.
Closed cell spray foam insulation being applied
Pro Insulators delivers the difference between insulation products and outstanding results. Our insulation installers specialize in fiberglass batts, blown-in fiberglass, and spray foam insulation. Having the right specialists on your team can keep a project running smoothly as they apply their specialized experience to your building project. Just as you have traditionally subcontracted work to a trusted plumber as part of your team, you can hire the insulation installers of Pro Insulators (HIC #161268), a division of National Lumber.
“I am an Energy Star builder and I use Pro Insulators exclusively because of their knowledge on what is needed to meet or exceed Energy Star levels. They are always on-time, the staff is courteous and professional, and they leave the jobsite very clean. They are one of the best subs that I have!” – Roger Lucier, RS Lucier Contracting
Building code compliance and OSHA safety compliance are met when you hire Pro Insulators. We have all the proper safety and work equipment. Most importantly, we are up-to-date on meeting codes for energy efficiency and current building standards. Whether your project is residential or commercial, new building or a retro-fit project, we have the products and installation expertise you need. Whichever type of insulation you choose, our professional team of experts will leave your jobsite clean and ready for your next phase of construction.
We’ll provide a free evaluation of your project and an estimate. Call 978-423-6051 today to discuss your project insulation needs. Then you can decide if it’s cost-effective to subcontract this work and leave yourself free to work on other items.
If you work with a specific National Lumber representative, please ask about these products and services. If you don’t have a specific contact, you can email insidesales@national-lumber.com and we will have someone contact you.
Thank you for your business. We are honored to be your supplier for building materials and more!
The National Lumber Family of Companies
Important News from the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central MA:
It has come to our attention that the Department of Public Safety is experiencing severe delays in processing Construction Supervisors License renewals. These delays can be 8 weeks or even longer which can temporarily leave you with an expired license.
We advise you to renew your license well in advance of the expiration date. However, should you find yourself with an expired CSL, here’s what you need to do in order to pull building permits:
Building officials are aware of this. If you should need to pull a permit bring your expired license and a copy of your cancelled check to the building department. Assure the building official that you will present your valid license when it is received. It may also be helpful if you have a copy of your CSL Renewal Form as well.
If you do not receive your renewed CSL beyond 8 weeks after the state has cashed your check, please contact Cindy Merchant via email at cindy.merchant@state.ma.us.
The DPS is working to resolve this issue so hopefully it won’t continue much longer. Please feel free to contact Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Massachusetts if you’ve had this problem or if you have any questions.
Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Central Massachusetts
Guy Webb, Executive Director | Pat Chalifoux, Executive Assistant
“Who is looking out for you and are you looking out for your customers?”
by Shawn McCadden
The world of remodeling and building is evolving, changing and getting more complicated by the minute these days. Contractors, just to name a few areas, need to stay on top of the latest building code requirements, government regulations, products and building science. Contractors need this information to protect their businesses from liabilities that could arise out of deficiencies or a lack of knowledge in any of these areas. Here is another thing to think about. Even if you are up to speed in these areas, what else do you need to know to attract and keep the right customers for your business? Just as business owners and managers need the right information to make good decisions and do their jobs with confidence, consumers also need the right information so they can make good decisions and build or remodel with confidence.
It has been my experience that a certain few material suppliers, National Lumber being one, have recognized these needs for both the contractor and the consumer. These suppliers have seen the mutually beneficial advantage of providing education as a way to help both contractors and consumers. By educating their contractor customers with the right information in the right ways, not only does the supplier increase their potential to grow their own business, but that same education can help the contractor better educate their prospects in ways that help turn them into customers.
Smart building product suppliers are starting to see the advantage of “out-teaching their completion”. By offering valuable education to their customers they stand out as a helpful, trustworthy and different than other suppliers. As a natural consequence of doing so they are also building relationships. This same tactic can also work for contractors. Recent research indicates that consumers spend about two thirds of the total time they invest in researching a purchase before they are ready to speak with a sales person and make a decision. Understanding this new reality, smart contractors are providing consumer education as a way to attract and impress prospects during these first two thirds of their process. Then, when the consumer is ready to meet with a salesperson to finalize their decision making process and choose a contractor, these contractors stand out as a knowledgeable and reliable source to do business with. Again, as a natural consequence, they are also building relationships.
There are many ways you can take what you learn at educational events and share the information with your clients and prospects. National Lumber already has several such events listed on their web site. The upcoming “Navigating the Road to Green Building” seminar being offered by National Lumber could be one of those events if you are or want to get involved in the green building market. The list of speakers is impressive and I know my fellow NARI Members Dan Glickman and Andrea Goldman are both very knowledgeable and experienced. If you attend, you could take what you learn and share it through your marketing pieces, on your web site, in blogs, at consumer seminars and or at sales calls. Remember, try to make the information available in places prospects will find it during that first two thirds of their buying and decision making process. If you do it right several things will happen. You will peak their curiosity about your business. You will have already started building their trust and confidence in you. And, most importantly, you will increase the odds they will call you to discuss their project.
Bio:
Shawn McCadden is one of the most prominent figures in the remodeling industry. He speaks frequently at industry conferences and trade events, consults with remodeling companies and the supply chain, blogs, and writes an award winning monthly column for Remodeling magazine. Shawn is one of the Remodeling industry’s leading authorities on the new EPA RRP rule. Visit him at www.shawnmccadden.com. Visit his RRPedia Blog to find and share “contractor friendly” and timely information about the RRP rule.
The NARI website has an important article about a new kind of identity theft that has already affected a number of contractors: license number identity theft. With the public display of contractor’s license numbers required in many states, some unscrupulous folks are taking advantage of this and causing fraud trouble for good contractors.
You can read more of this article here: Contractors be aware of license number identity theft
Shawn McCadden has urgent updates about the EPA RRP lead rule in the latest EM-NARI newsletter. The opt-out provision that allowed homeowners to choose whether or not to abide by the RRP lead rule standards has been taken away. After July 6th, 2010, contractors and homeowners will no longer be allowed to opt out of the law. This means that all work that is not complete before that date will have to conform to the new rules, no matter what.
Also, there is a proposed amendment for mandatory dust wipe testing. Shawn writes:
“If dust wipe testing is added to the rule, it will dramatically change the remodeling process, as the wipes would be sent out to a lab for testing and the work area would need to remain off limits to the homeowners until the testing proves negative for lead dust. The renovator would also be responsible to keep re-cleaning the work area until the testing passes muster.”
Shawn is, however, pleased with the Massachusetts version of the EPA rule. It requires more, but is more clearly defined, and many of the new requirements were already OSHA regulations.
You can read more about this important development and more on page 9 of the EM-NARI newsletter here: May 2010 (PDF)
A little more about Shawn:
Shawn McCadden founded, operated, and sold a successful design/build company. A co-founder of the Residential Design/Build Institute and former director of education for a national K&B remodeling franchise, Shawn speaks at industry events and consults with remodeling companies. He is one of the industry’s leading experts on the EPA RRP Rule and how it affects remodelers and the supply chain.
You can visit his site at www.shawnmccadden.com, or email him at shawnm@charter.net
Everyone still has a lot of questions about implementing the new EPA RRP (Renovate, Repair, and Painting) lead rules. We’re trying to help you find the answers.
Mark Paskell of the Contractor Coaching Partnership provided us with a PDF of the EPA’s most recent answers to contractor questions, as of March 18, 2010. Here is a link to the PDF file.
Shawn McCadden just posted a blog last night about his predictions for how the new EPA RRP rules will impact homeowners, contractors, and building suppliers. It’s a great read.
RRP Predictions: Dazed and Confused at Home and in the Lumberyard
Mark Paskell of The Contractor Coaching Partnership, a company specializing in EPA RRP training for contractors, has learned that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is stepping into the process begun under the federal government, and proposing to regulate this issue on the local level. It remains to be seen how this bureaucratic change would impact contractors in Massachusetts who have just completed their training and registration with the EPA.
We recommend that you follow Mark Paskell’s blog on The Contractor Coaching Partnership website to stay up-to-date on this important issue.
Read more here: Massachusetts Seeking to Administer and Enforce the EPA RRP Rule
Our annual Contractor Appreciation Night at the Holiday Inn in Taunton, Massachusetts was our best yet! Over 500 contractors and guests joined nearly 100 employees from National Lumber and its divisions (Kitchen Views, Reliable Truss, National Millwork, and Pro Insulators) for a fun and informative night.
We should have pictures from the event up very soon on Facebook, and a link should be ready in the next few days. In the meantime, check out our Facebook page and become a fan.
Kitchen Views | Kitchen Design Blog
Shawn McCadden's RRPedia
National Lumber's Blog 