Current Contractor Guide 2023

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Q&A with Estridge Homes CEO

By Ann Marie Shambaugh annmarie@youarecurrent.com

How much has inflation impacted the industry locally in the past 6 to 12 months?

Inflation has hit new home construction as much as any industry. There have been material shortages for most things that go into building a home, and that has led to significant cost increases. Costs have increased 18 percent in the past year alone. Add to that, almost everything has to be trucked or shipped to the site, and those transportation costs have added to build costs. Finally, labor has been in short supply for many businesses. Skilled construction labor is no different, and that has led to further inflation. Housing experienced massive inflation early in the pandemic, and it has moderated the past few months.

How has your business changed as a result of the pandemic?

Home builders have seen conditions

the past two years that industry veterans have never experienced. The pandemic created extremes that were both positive and negative. On the positive side, people have put even more importance on their home and the lifestyle it can provide. As a result, the demand for new homes has been incredible for two years, until some recent normalizing. The Indianapolis market has also benefited from being a desirable destination for relocation buyers. The biggest challenges have been with supply chain and labor shortages. It has made the cost to build a home increase significantly, and it added 3 to 4 months to construction timelines. What are you most excited about for Estridge Homes in 2023?

At Estridge Homes, we focus on developing the top neighborhoods and paying attention to the details that go into the lifestyle of those neighborhoods. In April, we are launching our newest neighborhood in Westfield. It is called Midland and will feature over 500 homes, an amphitheater and event facility located on the Midland Trace Trail. For the full interview, visit youarecurrent.com.

Mitchell

Hays + Sons continues commitment to community service

By Chris Bavender editorial@youarecurrent.com

Since its start in June of 1982, Hays + Sons has not only had a commitment to customers but to the communities it serves. An officially designated Veteran Owned Small Business, it has eight locations in three states with 140 employees.

“Our mission is to provide exceptional service to our customers during their time of need,” said Jacob Houk, president of Hays + Sons. “Our team has really rallied around the idea of serving others. Our involvement in the community is one way we live out our mission.”

repairs homes and commercial properties that have suffered damage from water, fire and weather-related issues, does that through a variety of ways, including encouraging employees to volunteer -- and by providing financial support to several nonprofits, such as the Red Cross and Make-A-Wish.

Wish through the Smiley Morning Show’s (WZPL FM) annual effort to grant wishes to sick children. The goal had been $40,000 to celebrate Hays + Sons 40th year in business.

Hosting blood drives is another way the company gives back.

“We started being more intentional about our relationship with Red Cross in early 2020. The mission of the Red Cross lines up really well with ours,” Houk said. “We learned there is a shortage of blood, (so) we stepped up and hosted a couple different blood drives. It was great to see the number of our team members and people from the community coming into our office to donate blood.”

This past year, Houk was one of 10 people to receive a Community Service award from Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett for his volunteer work.

“This was an awesome and unexpected award. It’s a direct reflection of how we are as a team and our focus

That service to others is reflected in Hays + Sons being

“This means the world to us. Our vision is to be a team that is a bright spot in the lives of our team members and

Houk

“This award is so special because it’s based on confidential feedback from our team members about their experience here at Hays.  If we can do a great job serving our team members, then we can provide a higher level of service to our clients.”

– JACOB HOUK, PRESIDENT OF HAYS + SONS

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The Smart Pergola has customers covered

By Mark Ambrogi mark@youarecurrent.com

The pergola at Muldoon’s has been a hit with customers.

The Smart Pergola installed the structure around the restaurant’s patio on Main Street in Carmel. The Smart Pergola is co-owned by Carmel couple Claudio and Anna Bertolini.

“Claudio and his team were amazing and really guided us on the installation and options,” Muldoon’s co-owner Beth Hohlier said. “Our customers love it. They can watch sports or just enjoy the people-watching 12 months of the year with the heaters and fans.”

Hohlier plans to keep the sides and top open during the warmer months.

“We also have had so many people reach out to book large parties in it as well,” Hohlier said. “We don’t get through a day at Muldoon’s without a minimum of 50 comments on how much they love it. We couldn’t be more happy with it.”

Claudio Bertolini said the look is more ornate than the standard system.

“The city asked us to put some additional aesthetic trim around the system to make it a bit more classical looking rather

than our normal system,” he said. “We did add some trim around the structure, and they look really nice. If you look at the system more, you will not recognize our standard beam. This is more aesthetically pleasing.”

Bertolini said his company has installed structures at Woody’s Library Restaurant, Peace Water Winery, Monterey Coastal Cuisine, Bub’s Burgers, Bar Louie and The Old Spaghetti Factory, among others.

When the louvers open, The Smart Pergola can transform into a completely outdoor area, Bertolini said.

Of the approximately 600 pergolas his company has installed, approximately 60 have been commercial, mostly restaurants, and the rest are residential.

“The system is very flexible. People can sit there under the structure even when it rains,” Bertolini said. “You can open the louvers and have a completely outdoor area you can enjoy when the weather is warmer.”

Bertolini’s business was founded in 2014.

“It has gone beyond our most optimistic expectations,” Bertolini said.

For more, visit thesmartpergola.com.

The Smart Pegola installed a pergola around the Muldoon’s patio. (Photo courtesy of The Smart Pergola)

Academy prepares students for commercial construction trades

By Matthew Kent matthew@youarecurrent.com

A hands-on academy in Fishers is helping prepare local high school students for careers in the commercial construction trades with a focus on carpentry, electrical and plumbing.

The two-year program at the ABC Commercial Construction Prep Academy works to place students with local companies and allows them to earn industry-recognized certifications, said Robert Kneberg, director of the academy.

“Currently, there is a 650,000 commercial construction worker shortage nationwide, and the ABC Prep Academy has a year-over-year, 100 percent student placement rate, with a start date in writing before the school year ends for any student who wants and is available for a paid summer internship or full-time employment with a local contractor,” Kneberg said.

The prep academy, at 11837 Technology Lane in Fishers, was formerly at the Ivy Tech Community College Hamilton County campus, but moved to its current location in 2019 because of significant growth in student enrollment. Since that time, the academy has continued, and Kneberg said he projects to reach maximum student enrollment based on the capacity of its current facility.

There are five ABC Prep Academies in Indiana, with locations in Carroll County, Fishers, Ft. Wayne, Marion and New Albany. An additional location is planned to start in Lebanon this year.

Second-year students are dual enrolled in the first year of an adult

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The ABC Prep Academy is a two-year, hands-on program for high school juniors and seniors with a focus on the carpentry, electrical, and plumbing/pipefitting trades with aligned postsecondary apprenticeship opportunities. Our academy is open to public, charter, private, and homeschool students. We are currently accepting enrollment applications at our Fishers and new Lebanon location. Paid summer internships and full-time employment opportunities with an ABC Member Business are available for all students at the end of each school year.

For more information, please see the article on our Fishers ABC Prep Academy on page 12 and reach out to Robert Kneberg at: 317-914-0171

robert@abcindianakentucky.org

Xavier Redstone, a senior at Noblesville High School, participates in a training program at the ABC Commercial Construction Prep Academy in Fishers. The academy helps prepare local high school students for careers in the commercial construction trades with a focus on carpentry, electrical and plumbing. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

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apprenticeship in either the carpentry, electrical, or plumbing trades with aligned internship opportunities. Kneberg said they can earn additional certificates, such as an NCCER Level 1, meaning that students can complete the first year of their typically four-year department of labor registered adult apprenticeship while still in high school.

“The commercial construction trades provide people the opportunity to earn a good living with benefits and job security in an industry that cannot be outsourced and is resistant to economic downturns,” Kneberg said. “Our program serves as a starting point with aligned employment and postsecondary training opportunities.”

Kneberg said the program is hands-on and allows students to determine whether construction is right for them, and which trade or trades might be good for them to pursue.

“Our goal is solely focused on putting students into a career,” Kneberg said. “During the summer, they have the opportunity to go to a paid internship.”

Kneberg also noted that students who enter the commercial construction trades as a career can have a very strong quality of life with a high-earning wage anywhere in the U.S. Students who participate in the program can expect to be at the prep academy three hours a day for five days

a week.

“It’s college without debt,” he said. Kneberg said every skill that students learn builds on another skill with a particular focus on teaching skills that are relevant, cutting-edge and used in the field.

“We treat our program like a job site, and that’s where your employability comes in,” he said. “So, that’s showing up on time, teamwork, willingness to learn, attention to detail, safety, etc., and we treat it like a job site and we explain that to the parents and students, and our objective is a career.”

Sarah Snell, a senior at Noblesville High School, is among the students participating in the program and got involved because she wasn’t sure what she wanted to do for a career. She said her involvement in the program has been overwhelmingly positive and is leaning toward a potential career in commercial carpentry.

“I don’t want to be stuck in a job that I don’t enjoy, and this definitely seems like something I’m going to enjoy for a while,” Snell said.

For more, visit bit.ly/3Jy0YR8.

ON THE COVER: Hudson Cabe, a senior at Noblesville High School, uses a power drill at the ABC Commercial Construction Prep Academy March 7 in Fishers. The academy helps prepare local high school students for careers in the commercial construction trades with a focus on carpentry, electrical and plumbing. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

Noblesville High School students Finn Barbee and Jacob Baker discuss a project at the ABC Commercial Construction Prep Academy in Fishers. (Photo by Matthew Kent)

Cedar Street builds high-performance homes

By Natalie Gargiulo natalie@youarecurrent.com

Cedar Street Builders, owned by Zionsville resident Dan Porzel, is building a generation of high-performance green homes designed to be environmentally and energy efficient.

“You are now seeing the rapid increase of electric cars on the road, and we are seeing the same in homes,” Porzel said.

Porzel became devoted to green building after spending 14 years in the Chicago area working on large-scale LEED-Certified Commercial Projects. LEED, or leadership in energy and environmental design, is the world’s most widely used green building rating system, according to the U.S. Green Building Council.

“We are seeing more and more benefits of all-electric homes (such as) improved indoor air quality and reducing monthly utility charges,” Porzel said. “Improved solar energy production per investment cost also gives the homeowner a chance to generate their power.”

In 2015, Cedar Street built Indiana’s first passive house-certified home, named project 580, a home that has a performance-based building certification that focuses on the dramatic reduction of energy use for space heating and cooling. The home is in Zionsville. Cedar Street is building another passive-certified building in Indianapolis.

“We receive a lot of interest in passive

Continued on Page 15

The exterior of a Cedar Street home built in Indianapolis in 2022. (Photo courtesy of Cedar Street Builders)

Continued from Page 14 buildings that mitigate climate change and improve quality of life through greater affordability, resilience and energy efficiency. Several local businesses have offered services and materials at discounted rates for the competition.

house construction,” Porzel said. “Passive house is the most rigorous energy standard out there, and it gives the home design a chance to reduce heating and cooling needs to the point of eliminating the traditional ducted furnace most homes have.”

Cedar Street has partnered with Ball State University to complete a 2023 Solar Decathlon Design Build Project. The Solar Decathlon challenges students to design and build high-performance, low-carbon

“We are in a special point in time in which we are starting to see a large-scale shift in how homes are built,” Porzel said. “The focus on durability and potential for zero-energy buildings has become an achievable goal, and it’s at the forefront of our daily work. We are excited to see this continue to grow.”

Interior of a Cedar Street home built in Zionsville in 2022. (Photo courtesy of The Home Aesthetic)

Homes Built for What’s Ahead

Drumroll please! On April 1, 2023, Beazer launches its Energy Series READY homes in Indianapolis.

These homes are the most energy-efficient homes built by Beazer today! Certified by the U.S. Department of Energy as a DOE Zero Energy Ready HomeTM, READY homes are also ENERGY STAR® certified, Indoor airPLUS qualified, and built so that the addition of solar could offset most, if not all, of the annual energy consumption of the home.

Where the art of design meets the science of construction

Submitted content from Old Town Design Group

Thirty years ago, the process of building a new home was cumbersome, tiring and often filled with frustration. The traditional approach to building was to work with each contractor separately: an architect to develop the plans, a builder to construct the home, then an interior designer to furnish it. All separate people working at different times toward the same goal, which could ultimately lead to a less cohesive home.

With so many product innovations and emerging transitional home styles in the last few decades, homeowners are seeing design-build firms, like Old Town Design Group, taking center stage.

WHAT’S A DESIGN-BUILD FIRM AND HOW CAN IT BENEFIT A HOMEOWNER?

A design-build firm is when each stage of the build, from design to construction to furnishings, are all working together from the very beginning. At Old Town,

we’ve spent years building our dedicated team of experts to become one of the leading custom home builders in central Indiana utilizing this design-build approach.

With the increase in artistic expression through unique construction designs, this integration at the start of concept has never been more important. It ensures that everyone’s expertise can be incorporated from the very beginning to bring the client’s vision to life.

Continued on Page 19

SCAN TO LEARN MORE

New Indianapolis Area Homes from the Mid $300s-$500s Visit

Beazer.com

ENERGY STAR® and the ENERGY STAR mark are registered trademarks owned by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Indoor airPLUS is the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency program for new homes that builds on the ENERGY STAR program to recognize indoor air quality features in a new home. DOE Zero Energy Ready Home™ and the DOE Zero Energy Ready Home mark are registered trademarks owned by the U.S. Department of Energy. The energy series homes descriptions and information are expressly not made part of any purchase and sale agreement (“PSA”), nor do they give rise to any contractual relationship between you and Beazer. They are intended only to provide a general overview. The PSA will define what is included in your home. Beazer reserves the right to make changes without notice or obligation to features, plans, and specifications. All plans, specifications, features, materials and appliances are subject to availability, change or substitution deemed advisable by Beazer or as required by local building code or law. This information is believed correct at time of publication, and is not intended to create any warranty or contract rights. Availability will vary depending on the community, stage of construction, plan, elevation, and options chosen. Actual energy utility costs and impact of solar offsets will depend on numerous factors, including but not limited to personal utility usage, rates, fees and charges of local energy providers, individual home features, household size, and local climate conditions. Because numerous factors and inputs may affect monthly energy bill costs, buyers should not rely solely or substantially on the utility savings claim in making a decision to purchase any Beazer home. The actual as-built utility cost on any individual Beazer home will be calculated by a RESNET-certified independent energy evaluator based on an on-site inspection and may vary from the as-designed rating shown on the advertisement depending on factors such as changes made to the applicable home plan, different appliances or features, and variation in the location and/or manner in which the home is built. Beazer does not warrant or guarantee any particular level of energy use costs or savings will be achieved. Beazer has no affiliation with RESNET or any other provider mentioned above, all of whom are third parties. Please consult your new home counselor for details. ©2023 Beazer Homes. 173047 BH INDY MAR_1

ROOFING, EXTERIOR, AND INTERIOR RESTORATION

MAKE THE SMART CHOICE WITH PREMIER

“

I wouldn’t use anyone else. Premier Contracting saved my house after a horrendous roof leak. They handled everything from the roofing work needed to the interior repairs including mold evaluation, drywall replacement, painting, and hardwood floor replacement, and the work was impeccable. Mike Daprile was very professional and responsive. There were several other contractors I couldn’t get to even touch the job, so I am forever grateful to Premier Contracting for making our house watertight and habitable again.”

(Photo by Tom Graham)

Continued from Page 18

THE SKY’S THE LIMIT

Homeowners are spending more time dreaming up unique custom features in their homes than ever before, thanks to design sites like Houzz or Pinterest. This can sometimes create challenges for builders trying to meet their design requirements. A cloud ceiling is a perfect

example of this. Cloud ceilings have been growing in popularity for the last few years but are a technical challenge to design and build. But by engaging architects, electricians, interior designers and construction managers early in the process, truly innovative designs are able to take shape.

For more about Old Town’s design-build process, visit oldtowndesigngroup.com.

Cloud ceilings as seen over the staircase have been growing in popularity for the last few years but are a technical challenge to design and build. (Photo by Tom Graham)