Builder - December 2008 - (Page 18) BMAIL Commission’s Case of Builders T he Texas Association contacted for (TAB) regrets it was not the Builder magazine article “Out of Commission?” [October, page 30] so that our organization and its nearly 13,000 members could express our strong support for the mission of Texas Residential Construction Commission (TRCC) as it undergoes our state’s Sunset review process. TAB is urging the Texas Legislature to improve—but not eliminate—the TRCC. In its short five years of existence, the TRCC has implemented procedures to protect homeowners and punish bad actors in the home building industry. Without the agency, our industry in Texas would be unregulated. Is the TRCC perfect? No. Even the agency agrees further fi ne tuning is needed. In addition, reforms passed by lawmakers in 2007 have not been fully implemented or given the time to produce results. But, on the whole, TAB believes the TRCC is doing its job, as is evidenced by the fact that 99.6 percent of all homes registered with the commission have not had construction defects that required homeowners to initiate the dispute resolution process. Among the TRCC’s successes and consumer benefits: ▪ Almost 500 builders have been removed from the marketplace because they were denied registration or shut down by the agency. Without the TRCC, these builders once again could do business. ▪ Builders and remodelers must register with the state, undergo background checks, and maintain a Texas business address. ▪ An online registry allows consumers to learn more about builders and remodelers before signing a contract. ▪ Building and performance standards now clearly spell out minimum criteria that every home built or remodeled must meet. ▪ For the fi rst time in Texas history, home builders are required to provide minimum statutory warranties, which reassure home buyers that Want to build green? We’ve got 199 points to help you get there.
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