BUILDER OF THE YEAR

Local wins statewide award

Local builder Michael Johnston Penn was presented with the 2011 Louisiana Home Builders Association Builder of the Year award Jan. 19 at the Louisiana Home Builders Association’s winter board meeting in Lafayette.  One builder is given the award statewide each year.  While nominations are made in secret, the state association has 6,000 member companies, and each association locally makes one nomination; there are 13 locals in Louisiana. “This is a competition against every builder across the state residentially,” said Dixey Robertson, executive officer of the Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana. “This is a great accomplishment for Penn.”  “Recognition of this award means more than just building houses, but also working for the good of the housing industry across our state,” Penn said. “It really says a lot about not just me but the employees and subcontractors of Penn Homes. You don’t receive an award like this without wonderful people backing you up, year after year. To be considered ‘best of the best’ is humbling.”  According to www.lhba.org, the Home Builders Association of Northwest Louisiana represents the home-building industry before state and regulatory bodies, serves as the chief advocate of private property rights, educates the general public as to the advantages of utilizing licensed builders, promotes professionalism in the home-building industry and promotes economic development and quality of life in Louisiana.  Penn, president of MJ Penn Companies Inc. in Shreveport for the past 19 years, holds a Bachelor of Science in construction engineering from Northeast Louisiana University, (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe) as well as three professional designations from the National Association of Home Builders – graduate master builder, certified graduate builder and certified green professional. He was also appointed by Gov. Bobby Jindal to the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors and has been involved in residential and commercial construction for more than 32 years.  Penn’s wife, Jodi, was present when he received the award – and surprised Penn by arranging for all three of his children to show up, unannounced.  “One thing I have watched over the years is Mike’s willingness to build into the lives of others in the industry,” Jodi said. “He has an insatiable appetite for education. It makes him a better person, and when he transfers knowledge to others, it increases the quality of everyone in the home building industry.  I’m overwhelmed with gratitude and  honored to be his wife.”  His success isn’t surprising,  considering how Penn grew up. Even as a child, he always had a passion for architecture and building.  During high school, Penn won an  architectural model-building contest at ULM, which propelled him to pursue a degree in construction. During the summers and between semesters,  Penn worked on a framing crew and gained knowledge about the residential construction industry and its processes.  “Winning this award means that our company is not just about building homes, but that it has a vision for making the entire construction industry and homebuilding process more enjoyable and less stressful for the consumer,” Penn said. But sometimes the best rewards don’t come in tangible form.  “The best day at my job is delivering a home to a first-time homebuyer,” Penn said. “Seeing the joy and anticipation on their face is priceless. Knowing you have really made a special moment in someone’s life and helped make someone’s dream of owning a home a reality is a great feeling.”Penn’s faith is also a strong factor in everything he does, on and off the job. “I seek God’s will for my life, my family and Penn Homes,” Penn said. “Any achievements I have made are because I depend on God for guidance.”  Penn hopes that over the next several years, Penn Homes will become known as the builder that provides superior value and service.” Penn said, “We want to continue to develop and become the best that we can by providing professionalism and dependability in the product that we sell.”

– Betsy St. Amant

The Forum News

What is TQM you might ask?  TQM is short for Total Quality Management.  I would like to start this 3 part series where the rubber meets the road…the job site.  This is where all of the effort, both the back end and field work, comes to fruition.  The finished product is what drives the builder; it’s what you are proud to put your name on.

Penn Homes would like to introduce Isaac Barnes, Project Superintendent.  Isaac has been with Penn Homes for 3 years and comes with over 15 years experience working his way through the home building and carpentry trade.  A proud second generation builder, Isaac has learned the trade from his dad, work ethic and by taking every opportunity to learn in the field.  With Isaac, you know what you are getting.  He just tells it like it is – good, bad or indifferent.

Isaac’s responsibilities are challenging to say the least.  His project starts with the final review of the plans and contracts prior to construction. Daily observation and direction is the object of each day.  Isaac says “without dealing with people it’s pretty easy.”  Of course with over 30 subcontractors, 45 suppliers and employees, it’s more than a job and not one for the faint at heart.  Isaac supports a rigorous lifestyle, working out to “burn off the stress” from a hard days work.  He is married and has two beautiful children which makes all this worthwhile.

Balancing the rigid construction schedule and budget is the trick, a talent that not many superintendent’s possess.  Weekly project meetings reviewing construction schedules, changes, budgets and warranty work wrap up a week with planning for the next.  It sets the expectation, one of high quality, speed and cost efficiency.

The superintendents attention to detail and communication is what puts the “quality” in Total Quality Management.  We’re proud to have Isaac on our team and his dedication to the industry exceeds our expectations.

Part II will focus on Project Management,  the key to proper communication and TQM.

Have you ever tried to save a dime and wound up spending a dollar?  At times it is embarrassing, but when it happens to the largest investment you will possibly ever make, it often turns tragic.  Over the last 30 years, I cannot tell you how many times I have heard from a disgruntled homeowner…after the damage is done.  It is what some call a “Horror Story.”  I’ve heard it and I know you have, or possibly even experienced it.

Story after story, job after job, stories keep surfacing.   About one out of three calls received are from troubled buyers, dissatisfied with the results obtained by not properly vetting  the most important player in their new home or remodeling project:  The Builder.  So what can we do about this and how can we keep these unwanted results from occurring?

Recently, I was appointed by Governor Jindal to serve on the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors.  This commitment, to making our industry a safer and more reputable environment in which to do business, is the goal of the board.  Actually, being able to make a difference for the industry is an honor and a way for me to give  forward to those future homeowners and builders.  Getting the “bad guys” off of the street and out of commerce is just treating the symptom and not curing the problem.  As long as there is a demand, there will be a supply.  The construction process starts with a need from a consumer and properly educating the buyer is one way of tackling the challenge.

The solution is a cooperative effort from both the building professionals and the consumers.  What are the warning signs a consumer should be wary of?  What are questions that should be asked?  Learn how to identify the building professional and the following is a quick summary:

• Proper Permitting.  The first indicator is if your project is permitted.  If you are asked to take out the permit, you become the contractor of record.  Becoming the contractor of record brings along with it the responsibilities of liability and workers compensation insurance, code compliance and OSHA regulations.  Unlicensed builders cannot pull a permit within the state of Louisiana as licensed builders are required to properly permit the project.
• Proper licensing.  The Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors maintains a database of contractors who are licensed.  Louisiana Licensed Builder.  Select the “Is a contractor licensed or registered?” button.  If your contractor is not on the list, ask for a license number and verify.  Contractors doing remodeling projects $7,500 or more are required to have a license.
• Proper Insurance.  Ask for general liability and worker’s compensation insurance certificates with you as the certificate holder.  This should be sent directly to you from the contractor’s insurance agent to prevent the document from being altered.  Insurance is required for proper licensing.
• Check References.  Your contractor should have many references from previously completed projects.  Ask for a list and make the calls.  Past clients will be honest and you will gain valuable information from this source.
• Continuing Education.  Proper licensing requires continuing education.  The National Association of Home Builders promotes continuing education and has created the University of Housing to administer their education curriculum.  To gain a list of builders in your area that have attained theses credentials, go to Builder Education Link  By completing 64 hours of training, a builder can receive his first designation.  Not only does continuing education demonstrate the discipline of gaining industry related knowledge, it symbolizes his commitment to the industry – a trait not found with the fly by night contractor.
• Ask for a firm contract price.  Never do “cost plus” work as it promotes two things, both not in your best interest.  First, it signifies the person or firm you are hiring is not capable of providing the most essential element of the contract, the price.  It may also show the only skill you are hiring is their ability to call and schedule subcontractors and material suppliers.  Secondly, the aim to reduce costs also reduces the contractors profit, and the motivation to save on costs is not part of this model.  New home projects should never use the cost plus method and only very complicated remodeling projects should even consider using this contracting method.
• Ask for a written contract.  If you don’t get it up front, you certainly will not get it when there is a dispute.  Make certain the contract includes a detailed scope of work and most importantly the price as defined above.  It should define the payment method and terms along with the completion requirements for final payment.
• Have the contractor sign a Lien Waiver.  This should be executed at each payment and also before the final payment.  You certainly do not want to pay for the work on your home two times!
• Ask for the warranty.  In Louisiana, the New Home Warranty Act is the base warranty for any new home constructed within the state.  Go to:  New Home Warranty Act   for a copy.  The law requires the contractor of record to produce a signed copy at closing.  Note that the warranty begins on the date of sale of the residence.  An owner building their own home is bound by this law and the warranty does not begin until they sell the home some 5 to 20 years later.

Home building should be a very exciting and pleasant experience when you use a building professional.  I hope that by using the aforementioned techniques, your venture will progress smoothly without blemish.  Should you need further building information please contact one of our home professionals at the number above.