Wayne Baruch Artisans Group, LLCWayne Baruch Artisans Group, LLC

  The Wright 

    Our e-newsletter for our friends, building partners, and colleagues

    June, 2010

(908) 256-5953

www.ArtisansGroup.biz

wbaruch@ArtisansGroup.biz

N.J. Reg.: 13VH03065300

HUD/EPA/NJ DCA Certified Renovator Lead-Safe Certified Firm NAT-20233-1

In this issue:

  • The Artisans Group's Expert Witness Practice

  • Professionalism and NJ's Contractor Registration Act

  • Famous Quote

  • Green Tip of the Month

  • U.S. Dept. of Energy Call for Nominations and Energy Codes program

Artisans Group Expert Witness Service

AREAS OF PRACTICE

  • General construction, techniques, applications of products & materials, and standards of practice 

  • Building inspections 

  • Damages evaluation 

  • Materials handling & storage  

  • Project management, estimating, planning, scheduling, quality, and process management 

  • Risk management, safe demolition, accidents, ladders, & scaffolds 

  • Rules and regulations for construction in NJ 

We all hear anecdotes about unscrupulous tradespeople who prey on the public. Some are, in fact, scofflaws who perform a terrible disservice and contribute to some reasonable cynicism about our profession. Regretfully, there are also some clients who take unfair advantage of honest craftsmen. 

 

For these reasons, we now offer Expert Witness and Consulting service to attorneys.   In cases that benefit from a professional remodeler, with additional, unique education & expertise, we can effectively document standards of good practice that will independently show, for example, that the “contractor” did actually perform professionally, or that he failed to comply with the architect's specifications. CALL OR WRITE TODAY! Perhaps we can help.  http://artisansgroup.biz/Expert_Witness.html

 

GREEN TIP OF THE MONTH

LED technology - it's here and it's the ONLY 'Green' answer!

CFL's are all the rage. They're sold by Boy & Girl Scouts. They're prominent at the big box stores. A lot of companies even use them (ignorantly) in their new 'GREEN' logos. They must be good, right?

We'll admit, they are better than incandescents. But now that LED's are here, CFL's are just another polluting, inefficient choice.

Why? CFL's contain LEAD and MERCURY, albeit in small quantities in each bulb, but the BILLIONS of units sold and disposed of each year, dumps TONS of lead and mercury into the environment. Estimates say that 60% or more are NOT recycled. Now that we have a much better solution, this needs to stop ASAP!

LED's come in tubes that replace fluorescent lights in offices, basements, etc. LED's come in spotlights, from MR11's and MR16's up to PAR38's. They are also available for parking lots, street canopies, wall and ceiling packs, warehouse high-bays, and more. These lamps offer 60-90% energy savings vs. fluorescent lights, often under 1-year payback, rarely longer than a 3-year payback, and minimal brightness depreciation over an incredibly long life. LED's provide a very significant ROI over their lives.

Unfortunately, there's a wide disparity in the quality of these products. That's why A Greener New Jersey, LLC has researched LED's for us, and brought together a group of technologies for just about every application. They also understand how to evaluate LED product specifications. For example, their 91 watt Parking Lot Lights replace 470 watt Metal Halide or Sodium Vapor lights at a better and more even light level. They last 20 years or more, with2 minimal lumen loss, while traditional HID lights lose half of their lumen output within 18 months or their 3-4 year lifespan. The maintenance savings are also significant, and they don't attract bugs because they emit zero UV light.

By David Ward, A Greener New Jersey, LLC, www.agreenernj.com

Famous Quote

"There is real magic in enthusiasm.  It spells the difference between mediocrity and accomplishment.”

-- Norman Vincent Peale

U.S. DOE Call for Nominations

The U.S. Department of Energy, Building Energy Codes Program is holding a CALL FOR NOMINATIONS for the Jeffrey A. Johnson Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Building Energy Codes and Performance. 

The Jeffrey A. Johnson award will honor a recipient who is recognized as a leader for sustained service in the pursuit of energy efficiency.  An individual or a team can be nominated.

For more information or to make a nomination, please visit: www.energycodes.gov/events/energycodes/jajohnson

"Energy Codes 2010: The Future is Now!"  

  • Comprehensive technical training program on building energy codes and standards 
  • New technologies, processes, and tools
  • State strategies and networking 
  • Local building tours
  • Free pre- and post-training 

For more information, visit www.energycodes.gov/events/energycodes

SBWA celebrates the 3rd annual Treasures of the South Branch

The South Branch Watershed Association is holding its 3rd annual Treasures of the South Branch on Saturday, June 12, 2010, from 10 am - 4 pm at the Red Mill, in Clinton.  More information is available at www.sbwa.org.  Please visit our booth to say, "Hi!"

Professional "Contractors" - Doing Right for the Public

We sent the following letter to Governor Christie and encourage all of our readers who demand excellence for our clients and our respective craft or profession to write to Mr. Christie as well at www.state.nj.us/governor/.  Let's all collaborate to raise the bar to make "the straight and narrow" the only viable path, & help professional, ethical companies like ours to survive. 

Office of the Governor
PO Box 001
Trenton, NJ 08625

May 18, 2010

Good afternoon, Mr. Christie,

Ethical, professional builders, remodelers, and others in NJ who are required to register under Chapter 45A, Subchapter 16 need your help.

On one hand, I applaud your laissez-faire philosophy.  NJ is generally over regulated, and inundated with "nanny laws."  On the other, those of us who follow the "straight and narrow" path deserve protection from those who don't.  This, it seems to me, encourages anarchy!   

I asked one of Assemblywoman, Denise Coyle's staff associates to enter "Hillsborough Remodeler" into the Google search window and we simultaneously ran the search.  The result included a number of contractors without a registration number.  They are getting inquiries from prospective clients and competing illegally.  In what other ways are they cutting corners?  The staff associate hasn't produced any results, and other legislators with whom I have spoken haven't been any more effective.

On May 12, [one of your staffers], in LPS, and I discussed a pickup truck that I had seen at Lowes with magnetic signs that said, "A&A Contracting", but had no registration number.  We also talked about a van labeled, "Italian Craftsman", without a registration number that I had seen at a neighbor’s home.  [Your staffer] suggested that I document unregistered contractors for the State.  I pushed back, saying that Consumer Affairs is the regulator, that I am not an agent for the State, and that don't have time to collect photos or other documentation! 

If registration is actually not just a revenue generator, and is intended to help the public, I challenge the State to help reputable companies like The Artisans Group to communicate issues like the need to hire registered builders and remodelers, the validity of lead-safe practices, and that the homeowner should not simply sign plans drawn by a contractor, for example. 

During the Fall 2010 semester, I am teaching a class at Raritan Valley Community College, entitled, "What to know before starting a home remodeling project.”  It will obviously include references to the Consumer Fraud Act, calling NJ One-Call, and other responsible practices.  Those of us who want to conduct business professionally, ethically, and profitably need protection from those who don't if we are to survive.

Thank you for being the most professional, independent governor to hold office in years!

Sincerely,

Wayne Baruch