News Articles

Here’s one place where you shouldn’t be lazy about home maintenance: your heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system. HVAC maintenance is similar to the maintenance on your car: if you don’t change your engine oil, replace the filters or replace the belts, your engine will ultimately shut down and not operate. If you spend $40 on an oil change and air filter exchange for your car, it will ultimately save you thousands of dollars in potential car repairs. A few hundred dollars in HVAC maintenance will keep your system humming longer, lengthening the amount of time you will have between HVAC system replacements.

With all the recent rains, storms and serious flooding that have occurred all across the Miami Valley, con artists often show up at a homeowner's door, offering an array of services and demanding a hefty down payment up front. They might offer a "great deal," based on using materials left over from a neighbor’s job, but homeowners should remember that a "great deal" isn't always what it seems.  Frequently, these fly-by-night operators drive vehicles with out-of-state license plates, or set up temporary offices from which they can move quickly once authorities start looking for them.  Before writing that check, and especially before allowing any unknown individual into your home, the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) suggests that a homeowner:

The Certified Remodeling Project Manager (CRPM) program addresses project cost management, communication, project planning, quality assurance, record-keeping and risk management.

Key Points Covered:

WHAT? The CRPM will develop competencies and professionalize the project manager’s role in the remodeling industry. The CRPM course is a structured class of remodeling project management fundamentals and a prep course to take the CRPM Certification exam.

Use this program to prepare for the CRPM exam on in August and earn your status as a Certified Remodeling Project Manager.

On May 26th at Noon (CT)  Rebekah Taylor will present "Monitoring Customer Satisfaction" Monitoring Customer Satisfaction

You work day in and day out to delight each and every one of your customers, but do you truly know if they’re satisfied with the work you’ve done? Monitoring Customer Satisfaction, presented by GuildQuality, will discuss ways to track each and every experience with your customers - from the positive ones to the negative ones. We’ll uncover how customer satisfaction impacts your online reputation, ways to listen to and understand what your customers are saying, and how to use their feedback to build a better business.    Visit NARI.org for more information on this upcoming event

May is National Home Improvement Month and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry recommends this quick tip to get you started on your remodeling project. Look over your property carefully. What repairs are needed? What improvements would you like to make? Think ahead and determine your future needs. Professional remodeling contractors can help you in your planning by outlining options and discussing the improvements you can make within your budget. Let the professionals of Miami Valley NARI be your guide.

Des Plaines, Ill., April 21, 2024 — The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) released its first-quarter 2015 Remodeling Business Pulse (RBP) data of current and future remodeling business conditions. NARI remodelers are finding a good environment for their services. The combination of homeowner desire for improvements in their homes and a more stable economy is turning into solid business conditions. 

Surveyed in March, NARI contractors found their current business conditions better than they were last year at this time. On a 1–9 scale, the average rating was 6.11 (above 5 indicates growth). While still positive, this was a drop from the reading gathered in December. (The change was not a statically significant difference.)

The recent damage caused by storms last night brings out the best in people, as strangers reach out to help others in need. Unfortunately, the aftermath also brings out the potential of contractors who take advantage of victims trying to recover from the damage caused by the storm.  Learn more from the BBB.

April 09, 2024

Better Business Bureau® is warning local residents affected to beware of storm chasers and out-of-town or even some local, contractors soliciting business.

BBB offers these tips for storm victims:

The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI)

Names 36 National CotY ^TM Winners

Dayton, OH,  April 21, 2015 - The National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) announced the National CotY (Contractor of the Year)^TM Winners in the 2015 competition, of which one is a member of the Miami Valley chapter based in the Dayton area.

Contractors from seven regions around the country vie for CotY Awards on an annual basis. Earlier this year, NARI named 160 Regional CotY ^TM winners with 33 team members who advanced as finalists to the national level. NARI announced a National winner in each of the 36 categories at its Evening of Excellence^SM reception, held recently in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.  The competition received 390 entries, which totaled more than $85.5 million worth of remodeling projects.

Yesterday, April 9,  EPA’s Administrator signed a final rule to extend certifications for certain individual renovators (those who received initial certification prior to March 31, 2024) under the RRP Program. Please be aware that the extensions only apply to individual renovators who must get recertification training within the timeframes explained below. They do not apply to firm certifications or individual renovators that need their initial certification. 

In January 2015, the Agency had proposed a rule that would, among other things, change the requirements for the refresher training course that individual renovators must take to become recertified. EPA is extending the certifications of thousands of individual renovators (read below for which renovators) that would otherwise expire before that rule can be finalized. EPA is taking this action so that, if and when the changes in the proposed rule are finalized, those renovators can take advantage of the changes. Certifications were extended only for individual renovators whose certifications expire before changes to the refresher training can be finalized. The extension rule has not yet been published in the Federal Register, but you can find links to a prepublication copy of the notice on our website at http://www2.epa.gov/lead/prepublication-copy-notice-final-rule-lead-based-paint-programs-extension-renovator or at www.epa.gov/lead.

There have been three major changes with respect to fully insured group health plans in

Ohio. The first two modifications are legislative changes that bring Ohio in line with the

Federal rules and the final one is a change in the Ohio Department of Insurance's

position on spousal coverage. The Federal government also issued some transitional

relief for small employers.

1. Change in Definition of Eligible Employee for Small Groups

Ohio requires small employers sponsoring fully insured health plans to offer coverage to

“eligible employees.” Eligible employee is defined as an employee that works, on