The Home Builder - August 2025
No. 8
VOLUME LXXII
August 2025
Tommy Ford to be Housing Hall of Honor inductee
Industry Investors
You’re Invited
town hall meeting
The Texas Association of Builders has announced that Honored Life Director Tommy Ford of Tommy Ford Construction, who passed away May 10, will be inducted into the prestigious Texas Housing Hall of Honor. The induction ceremony will be part of TAB’s Excellence in Leadership Dinner Nov. 4 at the Hyatt Regency in Austin. Tommy had been a mem- ber of the Dallas BA since 1989. He was the recipient of both the Association’s highest award, the Hugh Prather Tro- phy, and the Texas Association
of Builders’ Ted Schlossman Lifetime Achievement Award. Known to be private about his successes, Tommy was honored with numerous awards for his excellence and generosity. He was a founding member and director of the Texas Builders Foundation, which provides scholarships to students who are pursuing careers as residential con- struction trades profession- als. The Foundation honored him with its Ron Connally Award of Excellence. He also
Join us in giving another American hero a homecoming in Irving, Texas! Operation Finally Home is dedicated to providing mortgage-free homes and home modifications for wounded, ill and injured veterans, first responders and their surviving spouses. Join us to learn more and help us provide this 10 th home in partnership with the Dallas Builders
Association, Axiom Builders and the City of Irving ! We need to determine who can help—and we need you!
Building Suppliers - we need building suppliers to donate materials to build the home. Subcontractors - we need contractors and subcontractors to donate time and/or people within their expertise to complete the home.
Tuesday, August 12th 2:30 –4:00 Pm Dallas Builders Association 5816 W. Plano Pkwy Plano, TX 75093
Please RSVP to the Dallas Builders Association (972) 931-4840 dallasbuilders.org/events/ opfhproject10townhall
BRIEFLY
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The Dallas Division’s Aug. 7 luncheon will feature an update on the DallasNow permit- ting/platting/inspection/ engineering system. RSVP. n n n The Multifamily Build- ers Council will hold its next lunch meeting Aug. 12 at Dallas BA offices. Kimberly Byrum with Zonda will give a multifamily market update and economic forecast. Register. n n n Help the Association reach the sky during TAB’s Statewide Mem- bership Drive Sept. 1-15. An open call-a- thon will be held at Dal - las BA offices. To join or form a team, contact Alyssa.Morales@Dal- lasBuilders.com.
operationfinallyhome.org
Metro East’s 20th donation to Lone Star CASA brings total past $1M
Metro East Board members and Cars for CASA orga- nizers present a check for $109,618 to Lone Star Casa representatives at the divi- sion’s July 17 meeting. From left are Dave Hambley, Larry Baty, Lone Star Casa volun- teers Natalie Read and Lau- ren Rowe, Lone Star Casa President Sandra Ownby, Greg Paschall, Doug Bower- man, Jerry Carter, Scott Roberts, Justin Webb, Phil Smith, Mike Mishler, Chester Castillo, former CASA Executive Director Lucille Bell and Metro East Division President Meredith Joyce. Read complete story.
THE HOME BUILDER
August 2025
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The HomeFront Government Affairs News and Info
David Lehde Director of Government Affairs
True Cost of Impact Fees Displays the Need for New State Law
In September, priority legisla- tion will become effective law adding stronger transparency and disclosure requirements to the process of imple- menting or updating impact fees, the one-time up-front fee assessed for the claimed purpose of funding infrastruc- ture related to new development. Senate Bill 1883, by Senator Paul Bettencourt, was signed into law by the Governor in June. Supported by the Texas Association of Builder, the Dallas BA, and other local HBAs, SB 1883 amends Chapter 395 of the Local Government Code. Beginning Sept. 1, municipalities will be required to meet the bill’s standards. Approval of the imposition of a new or updated impact fee by a political subdivision will require an affirmative vote of two-thirds of the members of its governing body. The legislation also puts a limi- tation on when an impact fee can be approved or updated, setting that three years must have passed from the date an impact fee was adopted or most recently increased before the existing fee can be increased. Cities will also be required to make use of an advisory committee, as opposed to a city plan commission, and the committee must be composed of not less than 50 percent of member- ship being representatives from the real estate, development, or building industries. Just as important as the bench- marks for the approval process are two key measures of disclosure. An ability for stakeholders to review the engineering study that im- pact fee rates are based on is provided via the requirement that the capital
And it is important to remember that it is the homebuyer who ultimately pays for these increases. It is also that homebuyer who will also be paying the monthly utility fees. Dallas BA’s Director of Govern- ment Affairs and Dallas BA members joined TAB and members of other lo- cal HBAs in offering expert testimony on SB 1883. Registration is Open for Association’s Aug. 27 Clay Shoot Registration is open for the HOMEPAC Shootout, presented by BGE, Inc. Registrations benefit HOMEPAC of Greater Dallas and include break- fast, lunch, beverages, 100 sporting clays and the range fee. The HOMEPAC Shootout will be
improvements plan and land use as- sumptions, including any proposed amended impact fee per service unit, must be made available to the public at least 60 days before the date of the first notice of a public hearing. SB 1883 also includes the re- quirement for an independent finan - cial audit to be conducted before any increase of an existing impact fee. The audit covers the amount of funds that have been collected per service area, the amount of interest accumulated on the fees, a list of projects that were part of the previous plan that were not constructed, and several other telling factors. When considering the conse- quences that impact fees have on housing affordability and attainability, the provisions set by SB 1883 are more than fair. In parts of the Dallas BA service area, it is not uncommon for a munici- pality to assess impact fees totaling in excess of $20,000 per home. But the actual cost of the impact fees to the homebuyer is actually much higher, Due to the cost to finance the differ - ence in the fee, as well as that new total being assessed interest over the life of the home mortgage. Proposed water and wastewater impact fees in a local municipality include a service area rate equaling more than $25,000 per home. When calculating the current roadway impact fee, and the cost of financing that additional cost over the life of the mortgage, the additional price of the monthly payment can be more than $230. In current interest rate talk, those impact fees can cost the homebuyer more than $80,000.
held at the famed Elm Fork Shooting Range in Dallas. Partnerships are also available at multiple levels. Registration and Partnership information can be found at the link below: HOMEPAC Shootout The Shootout is a fun opportunity to support Dallas BAAdvocacy, enjoy the outdoors and fellowship with fel- low members. Members who have questions re- garding Dallas BAAdvocacy efforts or the HOMEPAC Shootout can contact the Association’s Director of Govern- ment Affairs. “Coming together is the
beginning. Keeping together is progress.Working together is success.” – Henry Ford
The Home Builder is published monthly by the Dallas Builders Association at 5816 W. Plano Pkwy., Plano, Texas 75093. Telephone 972-931-4840. BARCIE VILCHES, Editor
THE HOME BUILDER Ford to be inducted into Hall of Honor August 2025
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tion, and contributed to the Press Club of Dallas Foundation as an underwriter of the Boone Pickens Roast, a charity fundraiser. Tommy had collaborated with Pickens on the Mesa Vista Ranch in the Eastern Texas Panhandle, show- casing innovation in sustainable ranch architecture. Tommy’s charitable accom- plishments also included support of faith-based outreach ministries across Amarillo and Dallas and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. He also worked with Dallas Fire-Rescue to donate sprinklers for low income homes, a contribution that was then matched by the Dallas BA’s Custom Builders/ Remodelers Council. Tommy was active in the home building industry at all levels. He was elected an Honored Life Director of the Dallas BA in 2000, and was
also a state and national life direc- tor. He was instrumental in crafting a program for compliance with state legislated energy standards. serves on several regional and national code committees. He served for more than a decade on the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Regional Codes Coordinating Committee. This group of DFW area building officials and industry professionals compose regional amendments to ICC codes that result in codes that reflect local building practices and foster regional continuity. Tommy’s advocacy efforts on the RCCC alone saved builders thousand of dollars over the years. Tommy got his start in the in- dustry at age 7, cleaning up job sites for his father, a home builder in West Texas. Tommy Ford Construction was founded in 1965 in Vernon, TX. Tommy spent many years working in the oil field, but wanted to get back to what he loved, which was build- ing homes. He began working out of his truck and took on whatever jobs he could to support his family. After several years working in Vernon and the surrounding area, he and his family
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received the Texas Association of Builders’ Philanthropist of the Year award and D Magazine’s Best Builders Legacy Award. Long before the Texas Builders Foundation was organized in 2010, Tommy Ford recognized that the building industry was facing a critical shortage of construction trades profes- sionals. He played a pivotal role in educating Texans on the benefits of becoming construction trades profes- sionals and provided scholarships to students working toward construc- tion trades certifications, licenses or degrees. He contributed $10,000 to the National Housing Endowment for establishment of an educational schol- arship to support green building educa-
Tommy Ford
moved to Amarillo in 1969. He served as president of the Texas Panhandle Builders Association in 1988. Former Dallas BA Executive Officer Phil Crone noted that Tommy Ford embodied everything the Hall of Honor stands for: integrity, foresight, generosity and a deep commitment to building better homes and better com- munities across Texas. “Tommy never sought the spotlight. He never needed to. His legacy lives on in the codes he helped write, those he mentored and the high standards of care he quietly modeled every day.”
THE HOME BUILDER
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August 2025
THE HOME BUILDER August 2025 Upcoming Classes Presented by
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Certified Aging-in-Place Special- ist (CAPS) - NAHB Designation Courses - Sept. 2, 11 & 17 Expand your portfolio in just three classes by becoming a nationally recognized Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist. Get the technical, business man- agement and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest- growing segment of the residential remodeling industry: home modifica - tions for the aging-in-place market. Instructor for all three classes is Tim Lansford, CGB, GMB, CGR,
CGP, CAPS, CGA, CSP, CMP, MAS- TER CSP, MASTER CGP, MIRM with Luxury Homes of Texas. Dallas BA members will receive a discount by registering for all three courses at once. Register for 3 CAPS Classes. Marketing & Communicating with the Aging-in-Place Client (CAPS I) - NAHB Designation Course - Sept 2. This course equips participants with the knowledge and tools to ef- fectively market and sell services to the
aging-in-place (AIP) market. Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $159 member /$259 non-mem- ber Format: Hybrid Register for CAPS I Class. Design Concepts & Methods for Livable Homes and Aging-in-Place (CAPS II) - NAHB Designation Course - Sept. 11 This class prepares you to take on the AIP market by focusing your busi-
ness to address the unique challenges of providing successful solutions and outcomes. Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $159 member /$259 non-mem- ber Format: Hybrid Register for CAPS II Class. Details & Solutions for Livable Homes and Aging-in-Place (CAPS III) - NAHB Designation Course - Sept. 17 CAPS III discusses the applica- tion and integration of design solutions in a home. Time: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Cost: $159 member /$259 non-mem- ber Format: Hybrid Register for CAPS III Class. TAB Contracts Class - Sept. 3 TAB will release its new con- tracts package for the 2025-2027 cycle effective Sept. 1. Learn how the latest regulations will affect your business and risk management. Instructor will be James Rudnicki with Bush Rudnicki Shelton, PC. Time: 10 a.m. - 1 p.m. Cost: $35 member /$45 non-member Format: In-person only BUILDERS ONLY
Register for the TAB Contracts Class
High Performance Building Science – Real World Best Practices - Sept. 9 Held jointly with the Greater Fort Worth BA, this seminar will be taught by Mark LaLiberte, a veteran in build- ing science education. Time: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Cost: $100 through Aug. 26 /$125 Aug. 27 - Sept. 2 Format: In-person only at The Park Room Conference Center in Coppell. Event Partners: DuPont Weatheriza- tion Partners, Ltd and Fox Energy Specialists. Register for the TAB High Perfor- mance Building Science Class
THE HOME BUILDER
August 2025
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THE HOME BUILDER
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August 2025
Two members earn Spike awards Congratulations to Erika Herman -1-800 Water Damage of NE Dallas & SE
Collin, who has reached the Green Spike level with 50 members recruited or retained. Membership Committee Chair Chris Clay of 2-10 Homebuyers Warranty presented her lapel pin.
The Association’s newest Life Spike with 25 members recruited is Charlie James of Crossland Construction Company, shown here with Membership Committee Chair Chris Clay and Executive Officer Gena Godinez.
August 2025
THE HOME BUILDER
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TAB establishes flood relief fund
The National Association of Home Builders has launched the Ford Pro program for all members with businesses. NAHB Members (which auto- matically includes all member of the Dallas BA) can now enjoy discounts ranging from $500 to $5,000 on Ford Pro’s world-class cars, trucks, vans and SUV’s. This discount is stackable with local offers. The vehicle must be pur - chased under a business name n Go to www.nahb.org/ford n Click on the blue “Get Dis- count Code Documents” box on the top right of the page. n Fill out the form. n Print out all documents and bring them to your local dealer. Please give the dealership the How to use NAHB paperwork and discount in- formation BEFORE purchasing or leasing your vehicle. In the aftermath of recent floods that devastated the Hill Country, the Texas Association of Builders (TAB) is collecting donations through its Texas Builders Foundation. Earlier this summer heavy rainfall brought massive flash flooding to the central part of the state. Water levels from the Guadalupe, Llano, Colorado, Concho and San Gabriel Rivers rose rapidly, some reaching over 30 feet above flood stage and many creeks and lakes have overflowed as well. Approximately 135 fatalities re- NAHB launches Ford Pro program
sulted, and Kerr County was declared a federal disaster area. The Texas Builders Foundation gave an immediate $25,000 donation to the Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country, where the Hill Country Builders Association has asked for all monetary donations to be directed. TAB contacted home builders as- sociations in the affected counties (Hill Country BA, Greater New Braunfels BA, Greater San Antonio BA, HBA of Greater Austin and the HBA of San Angelo) to learn what the situation is like in each area, and how help can be offered to each community. The Dallas BA made a $1,000 contribution to the fund. Members are encouraged to con- tribute to TAB’s Hill Country/Central Texas flood relief fund through the Texas Builders Foundation website. If you wish to contribute by check, please indicate you are supporting this effort. “The Texas Association of Build- ers and the Texas Builders Foundation appreciate your support and contribu- tions during this difficult time,” said TAB Chief Executive Officer Scott Norman. “Our hearts and prayers go out to all those affected by this tragedy.”
THE HOME BUILDER Page Nine FACETS hosts July 24 After Hours August 2025
Lindsay Leggett of FACETS presents a Polished Pour gift set to Ashley Haas of The Design House - Flooring, Counter- tops & Remodeling.
Matt Mitchell of James Andrews Custom Homes, LLC receives a Sizzle & Swing gift set from host Lindsay Leggett of FACETS Appliances, Kitchens & Baths.
Vickie Wattanapongwat of Preserve Custom Homes wins a Sun & Fun gift set, presented by host Lindsay Leggett of FACETS Appliances, Kitchens & Baths.
Lindsay Leggett of FAC- ETS Appliances, Kitchens & Baths presents an In- dulgence Infusion gift set to door prize winner Tony Bishop of Nebraska Fur- niture Mart of Texas .
Brian Davis of Briggs Freeman- wins a Bubbles and Bottles gift set.
Ashley Parkinson of Legrand is the cash door prize winner.
Lindsay Leggett of FACETS Appliances, Kitchens & Bath congratu- lates guest Frank Villarruel of Enchant Design, who won a Wrapped in Warmth gift set. With them is Caleb Ursell of Ico Bath.
Yearlong Membership Partner:
THE HOME BUILDER
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August 2025
NEW MEMBERS Kitchen & Bath Pros Inc. Simon Arenas Jr. 682-888-2692 KITCHEN Moss Utilities Ammara Abbasi 214-265-6569 UTILITIES Virtuo Kohler Pamela Milogradov 727-460-8704 PLUMBING Spike: Tiffany Acree, StrucSure Home Warranty Meritage Homes Drew Windus 817-733-6581 BUILDERS - RESIDENTIAL
Milestone Anniversaries Congratulations to these companies and individuals being recognized for continuous membership in the Dallas Builders Association.
BUILDERS BellRay Homes, LLC
Cliff Gardner 945-226-1006
BUILDERS - RESIDENTIAL Spike: Tag Gilkeson, Tag & Associates ELITE Construction Corey Pruitt 469-669-3902 BUILDERS - MULTIFAMILY KI-Star Real Estate America, Inc. Yoshihisa Onuma 214-436-0025 BUILDERS - RESIDENTIAL Moore Luxury Homes James Moore 972-571-6806 BUILDERS - RESIDENTIAL
Huffines Communities, Inc. - 25 Years Kellie Outland and Phillip Huffines
Casey Kachur 855-569-2582 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
RTI/Community Management Associates Inc., CMA Rob Koop 972-943-2800 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
ASSOCIATES
Sola Outdoor Michael Ma 214-452-5220 OUTDOOR LIVING
Southwest Sales Inc. Kathleen Storey
469-635-1718 PLUMBING
RTI/Community Manage- ment Associates Inc., CMA Bethany Laube 972-943-2848 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AFFILIATES/ADDITIONALS ELITE Construction Chase Wood 903-360-1706 BUILDERS - MULTIFAMILY Spike: Adam Sumrow, Republic Elite Multifamily Interiors, LLC
Nowak & Stauch, PLLC. - 20 Years Thomas Stauch
Do business with a fellow Dallas Builders Association member. See complete contact information for all Association members at DallasBuilders.org .
Spike: Chris Clay, 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty
Rispoli Design & Build, LLC Giuseppe Rispoli 469-668-7648 BUILDERS - RESIDENTIAL
SUSTAINING ASSOCIATES All_Pro Drywall LLC
10 Years Ashton Woods Homes 5 Years Blue Sky Tie Down Systems Hillwood Communities - Fred Balda Joe Mazza M/I Homes of DFW, LLC Preston Trail Homes TechArt Signature Homes Yearlong Membership Partner:
50 Years Park Place Homes Inc. 30 Years Blue Star Land L.P. 25 Years Reece Bath+Kitchen WBH Group 20 Years JLD Custom Homes 15 Years Anderson Hanson Blanton - Kelly Hanson Davis-Hawn Lumber & Architectural Millworks
Arlen LeBaron 469-408-9096 DRYWALL (SHEETROCK) Acrisure Title of Texas Josiah McDaniel 214-937-5360 INSURANCE/WARRANTY
AStar Heat & Air, Inc. Edgar Esoarza 214-707-8751 HVAC Spike: Ken Zapatka, Aprilaire
Baldr Energy & Utility Partners, LLC Kristy Damron 469-991-3361 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, LLP Cody Lewis 940-387-3518 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
METROPLEX DESIGN SOURCE FOR EXCITING, INNOVATIVE RESIDENTIAL PLANS 972-783-4660
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