This month, the Home Builders Association of Greenville will implement new standards of membership for home builders and remodelers that are designed to differentiate HBA members from others in the marketplace and help consumers select qualified home building and home improvement professionals and assure consumers that doing business with a member of the HBA of Greenville is a good investment.
Under our new guidelines, a builder or remodeler applying for membership in the HBA of Greenville must:
• Be licensed by the State of South Carolina as a Residential Builder or General Contractor.
• Keep the company’s HBA account current, including dues.
• Be in business for one or more years.
• Be free of unresolved judgments for one year.
• Maintain General Liability insurance of at least $1 million.
• Maintain Workers Compensation insurance consistent with state law.
• Offer a minimum of a one-year warranty on each home built, on additions to homes, and on remodeled homes when mechanical systems are replaced.
• Use a written contract in all business with consumers.
Companies that meet these standards for membership will be designated as an Approved Professional Builder or Approved Professional Remodeler, with criteria verified by HBA staff on an annual basis.
HBA of Greenville also will recognize members as an Approved Professional Green Builder or an Approved Professional Green Remodeler. In addition to maintaining the standards outlined above, Green professionals must hold and maintain one of the following credentials: Certified Green Professional; Master Certified Green Professional; LEED-H or LEED-AP; ENERGY-STAR approved; or EarthCraft approved. Additionally, HBA of Greenville will recognize members that meet the qualifications as an Approved Professional Lead-Safe Remodeler. In addition to the membership standards, a company with the lead-safe designation must be Lead-Safe Certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In the future Approved Professional members of the HBA of Greenville also will participate in mandatory continuing education.
The Home Builders Association of Greenville has represented members of the local residential construction community since 1960. Today, more than ever, we are focusing on both the needs of our members and the needs of area consumers. Our goal is for our association to be your trusted source for finding the finest builders, remodelers, and home improvement specialists in the Upstate region of South Carolina. We want consumers to feel confident that when they choose to do business with an HBA of Greenville member, they have chosen wisely.
We believe that these new qualifications and standards of HBA membership will be embraced by the local homebuilding community, with local builders and remodelers desiring access to a brand that stands for builder ethics and integrity.
We will publicly recognize our Approved Professional Builders and Approved Professional Remodelers for the first time during the Fall Southern Home & Garden Show September 28-30 at TD Convention Center. We encourage you to look for these brands at the show and feel good about your decision to do business with an HBA of Greenville member.
