Newsletter

May 2009

Making A Difference

An old man man walked up a shore littered with thousands of starfish,
beached and dying after the storm.
A young man was picking them up and flinging them back into the ocean.
"Why do you bother?" The old man scoffed.
"You're not saving enough to make a difference."
The young man picked up another starfish and sent it spinning back to the water.
"Made a difference to that one," he said.
We all can make a difference as long as we do something.
Can you imagine what a difference we could make if we all worked together?

Our Office Address is:
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Lutz, FL. 33548

Register now for the May 2009 classes at www.camtechschool.com
or
1-800-875-PASS (7277)

Thank you for your interest in CAM TECH School of Construction. We provide the latest contractor information right to your computer. You can learn all you need to know from our website at www.camtechschool.com and by visiting one of our Free Licensing Information Seminars. Need books? We have a full Construction Bookstore online! We will keep you updated on what you need to know as a Florida Contractor or Future Florida Contractor!

In this issue, we are including information about:

State Application Information

June and August 2009 Exams

Construction News

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"Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; ......professionals
built the titanic."

State Application Information!

You can obtain the Florida State Certified Contractor Licensing Exam Application form here or apply on-line at Professional Testing, Inc.. The fee for taking the State exam is about $295 and is payable partly to Professional Testing, Inc., the Department of Business & Professional Regulation and Pearson VUE
The Business & Finance portion of the exam is now computerized and is available at several convenient sites.
NOW is the time to acquire your State Certified Contractor's license!
Session II 2009 begins on May 1st in Tampa, Orlando and Ft. Myers.

To put the world right in order, we must first put the nation in order; to put the nation in order,
we must first put the family in order;
to put the family in order, we must first cultivate our personal life; we must first set our hearts right.
Author: Confucious

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June and August 2009 Exams

Classes. Session II classes begin on May 1st, 2009. You can print out a class schedule in our Schedule section, you can register for classes in the Register section, and you can purchase books in our online Bookstore!

You say, 'If I had a little more, I should be very satisfied.' You make a mistake.
If you are not content with what you have, you would not be satisfied if it were doubled.
Author--Charles Haddon Spurgeon

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Sports In The News...
Florida Gators News Tampa Bay Rays News

Buccaneers.com   University of South Florida Bulls

I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.

Author: Martha Washington (1732 - 1802)

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Construction News

Cam Tech does not endorse any of these companies or websites. This is a list of construction-related news, companies and websites provided for your convenience. Cam Tech is not responsible for the content of the following websites.

"The sense of humor is the oil of life's engine. Without it, the machinery creaks and groans.
No lot is so hard, no aspect of things is so grim, but it relaxes before a hearty laugh."
Author: George S. Merriam

GREEN BUILDING CONSTRUCTION
What is Green Building? Green Building is a design and construction practice that promotes the economic health and well-being of your family, the community, and the environment. A smart step toward personal economic rewards, Green Building also has positive social and environmental ramifications that assert your commitment to the future and the way we live. This issue of our Newsletter will present a number of articles specifically geared towards "Green Building Construction." Solar Energy is an integral part of Green Construction. We hope to educate our viewers on the importance of energy saving efforts in order to insure a better environment for all.

Fast Facts About Your Home

Water:

• Older toilets use 3.7-7 gallons per flush
• Dishwashers use 8-14 gallons per cycleTop-loading washers use 45 gallons/loadA dripping faucet waste 15-21 gallons per dayUS water users withdraw enough water to fill a line of Olympic-size swimming pools reaching around the world EVERY DAY (300 billion gallons)Although our planet is 71 percent water, humans depend on a mere .65 percent of the water for survival – much of which is polluted.About a quarter of the nation's largest industrial plants and water treatment facilities are in serious violation of pollution standards at any one time.
• An estimated 7 million Americans are made sick annually by contaminated tap water; in some rare cases this results in death

Indoor Air Quality:

• US EPA ranks indoor air pollution among top five environmental risks. Unhealthy air is found in up to 30% of new and renovated buildings
• W.H.O. reports that indoor air pollution causes 14 times more deaths than outdoor air pollution (2.8 million lives)
• Of hundreds of EPA-regulated chemicals, only ozone and sulfur dioxide are more prevalent outdoor than indoors
• 20 percent of all housing in the US has too much lead dust or chippings (causes kidney and red blood cell damage, impairs mental and physical development, may increase high blood pressure)

Wood:

• Although the US is home to only 4.5 percent of the global population, it is responsible for over 15 percent of the world's consumption of wood.

Pesticides:

• In the US, pesticides poison 110,000 people each year. More than one-third of calls to animal poison control centers result from pets exposed to pesticides.
• The volatile organic compounds (including pesticides) found indoors are believe to cause 3,000 cases of cancer a year in the US.
• According to the New York State Attorney General's office, 95 percent of the pesticides used on residential lawns are considered probable carcinogens by the EPA
• 2,4-D - a component of Agent Orange—is used in about 1,500 lawn care products.

Experts: Houses become efficient without becoming more expensive

Energy saving technologies integrated with building technologies could result in efficient and affordable housing, experts say. Building Technologies Center Director Jeff Christian has developed "zero energy" houses that cost very little to power, and he noted that over the years, houses have become more efficient without becoming more expensive. Efficient features include solar panels, air-tight SIPS and a design that has the main bathroom, laundry room and kitchen laid out back-to-back.
The Hook (Charlottesville, Va.)

Straw-bale homes provide insulation and eye-catching design
Straw bales provide natural insulation for homes, and the thicker walls create eye-catching window and door recesses. They can also sport green -- or living -- roofs. Although homeowners may worry that straw is flammable, the tightly packed straw covered with plaster does not pose a real danger of going up in flames because there is so little oxygen available.
Akron Beacon Journal (Ohio)

"When employees come to you with suggestions or ideas about how they might approach something
differently, do you move immediately to no?
Do you kill an idea before it is even off the tongue? (Tell the truth.)
We hear that employees feel put down and turned down far more than their managers are aware. And that
makes leaving easier.
Instead try listening to the entire idea, try playing with it as a "what if." Ask for more information.
Sleep on it, mull it over. Think, "Isn't that interesting" before you think, "It will never work."
Author: Beverly Kay and Sharon Jordan-Evans

Garden roofs see surge in popularity as energy costs climb
Garden roof systems are becoming more popular in the U.S. as energy costs climb. Many large property owners and cities are considering these systems, and area covered by garden roofs climbed 80% between 2005 and 2006. "Few people in the roofing industry doubt that we are in the beginning stages of enormous change," says roofing contractor Mark Gaulin, founder of MACGO Inc. and a former president of the National Roofing Contractors Association. "This is being brought about by the green roofing movement and the realization that buildings play a vital role in conserving energy and protecting the environment."
Associated Construction Publications

"It is literally true, as the thankless say, that they have nothing to be thankful for. He who sits by the fire,
thankless for the fire, is just as if he had no fire. Nothing is possessed save in appreciation, of which
thankfulness is the indispensable ingredient.
But a thankful heart hath a continual feast."
Author: W.J. Cameron

Under-the-table work hurts legitimate companies
Some contractors say they have a hard time competing with businesses that do not comply with insurance and permitting regulations. They say that companies that use off-the-books workers can low-ball bids because they don't pay income or unemployment tax expenses. This underground economy could get worse. "The economy is tanking, and there's going to be more incentive to cheat," said Stephen Joyce, director of government relations for the New England Carpenters Labor Management Program.
MetroWest Daily News (Framingham, Mass.).

23 tips for surviving
When George Naddaff wanted to breathe some life into his six UFood Grill locations in Boston, he sent employees onto the sidewalk dressed as french fries and yogurt. Silly? Definitely. But timely, too. "You create something where people are laughing. People don't laugh today. They're walking around worrying about their 401(k)s," Naddaff says. A little laughter boosted sales by about 8%, and it's just one of Inc. magazine's 23 ideas for getting your business through the tough times. Inc.

Green projects continue to create jobs, groups say
Efforts to improve energy efficiency and curb emissions will continue to create thousands of jobs in California, according to a new University of California at Berkeley study. Other groups also predict that green programs will stimulate job creation throughout the country. An economy generating 40% of its electricity from wind, solar, biomass, and other fuels will create 4.2 million green jobs by 2038, according to the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Boston Globe

None is more impoverished than the one who has no gratitude.
Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves,
and spend without fear of bankruptcy.
Author: Fred De Witt Van Amburgh

Cheap Construction? You decide?

How an Abandoned Airport Becomes an Urban Village
A former airport site three miles outside of Austin, Texas is being transformed into a massive mixed-use community. One of their many goals for the project is to make every structure either LEED-certified or Austin Energy Green Building Program compliant. Find out what else they're planning

If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.
Author: Robert Quillen

Wild and Wonderful Basement Remodel
The remodeler gutted the lower level to have a fresh start for the new basement. Existing mechanicals and support structures were either incorporated into the new design elements or moved. The new circular bar features a split bamboo finish and a granite countertop.
Basement Remodel

Observers say stimulus package could help revive construction industry
A stimulus package proposed by President-elect Barack Obama could help the construction industry rebound. A stimulus plan could "absolutely change the scenario for companies that have been talking about laying people off," according to an industry spokesperson. The industry hit an unemployment rate of 10.8% in October. The Wall Street Journal

Stimulus to Spark Construction Hiring
President Obama's economic stimulus will fund 650,000 construction jobs and another 300,000 jobs in materials and equipment supply, The Associated General Contractors of America (AGC of America) estimates.
But with 1.8 million construction workers currently out of work and an industrywide unemployment rate of 19.2 percent in January 2009, the spending plan is more likely to stop job hemorrhaging than it is to create new jobs, at least initially.
Read More

Construction spending will continue to decline through April
Steep declines in construction spending will continue in April, predicts Reed Construction Data Chief Economist Jim Haughey. He says the economic stimulus package will start affecting construction spending in May, with spending improving gradually through the rest of the year. However, monthly gains in construction spending will not resume until the end of the year, Haughey says. Reed/ACP Construction Data

Treelike sculpture finds a temporary home on museum's roof garden
Starting Tuesday, visitors to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Cantor Roof Garden will see a sprawling metal treelike sculpture created by artist Roxy Paine. The sculpture, titled "Maelstrom," is designed to evoke the relationship between man and nature. The sculpture is 29 feet tall and weighs more than seven tons. The New York Times

Important Recent Pennsylvania Case Interprets
2006 Amendments To Mechanics' Lien Law of 1963
The Mechanics’ Lien Law of 1963 was amended in 2006 and became effective January 1, 2007. While the Amendments did not change much of the Mechanics’ Lien Law, they did modify an owner’s ability to secure a waiver of lien rights, available under the 1963 law. Under the Amendments, a filed waiver can still result in the waiver of a subcontractor’s lien rights but only if the contractor posts a bond for the benefit of a class of claimants including subcontractors. The 1963 Act had permitted the waiver of all subcontractor lien rights if the waiver was properly filed, without regard to the posting of a bond. Read More

Housing starts, price data signal possible rebound
Slight increases in housing permits, starts and sales suggest that the worst of the recession may be over, writes Jim Haughey in Reed Construction Data. In addition, recent declines in price indexes show prices are falling. "Price drops always play a significant role is slowing a recession and eventually ending it," Haughey writes. He also notes that wage rate gains have slowed. In the construction industry, wage gains have slowed to 1.6% annualized over the last three months from 4.1% over the last 12 months. Reed/ACP Construction Data

New LEED-certified Seattle Hyatt abounds with green-design principles
The design of the new Hyatt at Olive 8 in Seattle reflects the hotel's green approach, which earned the property a LEED certification. The new hotel features an all-glass facade, a living roof that covers the first three stories of the building, and less-obvious sustainable features such as water-reducing shower heads and dual-flush toilets in the rooms. Hotelsmag.com

Unusual hotel offers cozy lodging inside a crane
Anyone who has ever dreamed of operating a crane can now take their fantasy one step further and spend the night in one. The innovative Harbour Crane is one of the world's most unusual hotels, offering a room built in a crane hovering over a harbor in the Netherlands, where it once was used to unload timber from Russia and Scandinavia. Bloomberg

South Carolina begins roofing project with stimulus funds
The first stimulus-funded roofing project has begun in Charleston, S.C. The city's housing authority awarded a contract for replacing 34 roofs at Wraggborough Homes. The housing authority signed four contracts the day after receiving $3 million in stimulus funds on March 23.
Charleston Regional Business Journal (S.C.)

NYC green-roof specialist focuses on native species
Marni Horwitz plans on turning the Big Apple green one roof at a time. The New York green-roof specialist founded Alive Structures two years ago and partners with many businesses and schools. Alive Structures uses native species of the Northeast to minimize watering and maintenance of the green roofs. Earth911.com

Project labor agreements could add minorities, women to construction
Supporters of project labor agreements say PLAs have the potential to provide opportunities for minorities and women who hope to enter the construction industry. In Washington D.C., for example, a baseball stadium PLA allowed some residents to earn apprentice hours on the site. Meanwhile, advocacy group Transportation Equity Network believes PLAs should set aside funding to place minorities and women in pre-apprentice programs. The Miami Herald/McClatchy Newspapers

Stimulus funds will pay for roof repairs in Tampa
Florida's Tampa Housing Authority will spend the $10.5 million that it will receive from the economic-stimulus package on roof and window repairs, new heating systems and painting. "The construction industry has been particularly hard hit in this downturn, so it's great that roofers, electricians, painters and carpenters will be needed and hired for this work," said Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Fla. American City Business Journals/Tampa, Fla.

How to Combat the Green Premium
Here’s a look at how home builders and developers can achieve green without breaking the bank. Various means and methods that can be used to offset premium costs often associated with sustainable building products and practices are examined. HousingZone.com Exclusive

Prices for roofing materials could face fast decline
Prices for roofing materials are expected to decline sharply. However, at this point, industry observers do not know when they will fall or by how much. In the interim, contractors should closely track pricing and be ready to change their buying practices when prices fall. Roofing Contractor

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BUILDING A BETTER CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS:
Below are some highly informative articles to help you be the best Contractor you can be.

ICC Offers Code Overview Webinars
The International Code Council (ICC) is launching a series of free overview webinars on the 2009 I-Codes. The webinars cover the most significant changes between the 2009 and 2006 editions of the codes, and provides viewers with a technical overview. Find out more about it.
HousingZone.com more » » »

Rid fear from equation to start recovery
When either fear or irrational enthusiasm takes over, rational decision-making disappears.
Read Moree

Growing your remodeling business in the current economy
Contrary to the financial woes making national headlines, there still is a market for remodeling. Understanding the decision-making criteria for target clients today is the first step in strategically mapping how to sustain and even grow your business in the current economy.
Remodeling

How to assuage irate clients
We all get irate customers, whether it is in person or on the phone, and sometimes we are those angry people because the service in today's business climate is so wonderful! The question is how many people actually have been trained in how to deal with someone who is irate, so the training can kick in instead of our emotions. Dealing with irate customers

Reduce Worker's Compensation Costs
How do we keep score in workers' compensation? Typically insurance carriers provide "top of the line measurements" such as total number of claim dollars spent in a given year, average claims costs for medical-only claims and average claims costs for lost-time claims to employers. They may even break down some injury costs by department. Not surprisingly, these metrics drive decisions. They become goals and measures of success. In fact, metrics on claims costs have become so predominant that companies often reward their employees based on them. Workers' Compensation

SWEETS e-BUYLINE
Sweets e-BuyLine connects you with a regional product representative. You can get more product information or find out where and how to purchase your building products.

ASSOCIATED GENERAL CONTRACTORS - Smartbrief
AGC connects you with a number of interesting topics. Visit http://www.smartbrief.com for more information.

CONSTRUCTION GEAR - Work Clothes, Boots and Accessories
Buy online the toughest workwear available, all in one convenient spot. Discover top brands like Carhartt, Filson, Helly, Hansen and Carolina Work Boots.
http://www.constructiongear.com

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