Building Business News June 2023

COVER STORY

12 Floor Plan

Design with the User in Mind

Overlooked floor plan design issues can occur in a number of ways for a number of reasons. Increased emphasis on complying with construction standards or lingering problems that haven’t been caught and corrected over the years will lower the homeowners’ quality of life and the efficiency of what you build.

10 Government Affairs Update: Overland Park Considering Asphalt Ban

By Will Ruder

The city of Overland Park, Kan. has announced a proposal to eliminate the use of asphalt in new development. This proposed change in policy would administratively increase the cost of building and development.

14 KCMO Candidate Profiles

As the city of Kansas City’s general election on June 20 nears, KCHBA would like to highlight individuals whom we believe to be the most housing-friendly candidates and will make it their mission to support business and growth in our great city.

Member

News

Homes by Chris Raises $115K for Rebuilding Together Kansas City

Rebuilding Together Kansas City is a 501(c)3 nonprofit focused on transforming the homes and lives of low-income families, seniors, people living with disabilities and veterans. Rebuilding Together provides safety modifications for homeowners who want to improve accessibility, reduce falls and increase independence in the home.

Roy and Chris Ragland, owners of Homes by Chris, have a passion for building quality homes that led them to begin supporting Rebuilding Together more than 12 years ago. Both Roy and Chris have combined to serve nine years on the board as well as dedicating many hours of labor and planning to the local nonprofit. With the help of their suppliers and contractors, Homes By Chris recently contributed a donation of $115,000 to Rebuilding Together

Kansas City. These funds will go to projects to construct grab bars, tub cut-outs, ramps, handrails, decking and much more.

“[Rebuilding Together’s] work keeping community members housed and healthy is what attracted Homes by Chris to partner with this incredible organization… and why 97 percent of our suppliers andcontractors contributed to this collaborative, community endeavor,” stated Chris.

Thank you to Homes by Chris and all KCHBA members who donated.

The Northland Chamber hosted its annual Excellence in Education Banquet on April 25, the largest education celebration in the state of Missouri. This event brings together 1,000 attendees from eight school districts and two counties in Kansas City’s Northland to acknowledge the important role that schools play in the economic development and quality of life in the region. This banquet honors outstanding students, teachers, staff, volunteers and business supporters of Northland education. Luke Owen, owner and founder of Owen Homes, received the award for Volunteer in Partnership. Congrats, Luke!

WHAT THE HEX?

Northland Chamber Recognizes Luke Owen

Custom Builder Magazine Features Walker Custom Homes

Referred to as “The Retreat,” Walker Custom Homes’ 7,500-square-foot lakefront home, featured on the 2022 KCHBA Artisan Home Tour, represents a crossroads of contemporary charm and dramatic architectural styling. There are many features that stand out in the home, but the lighting is what really helps define the unique elements throughout.

“We used artistic lighting creatively throughout the home to accent many of our unique architectural features in order to both amaze and welcome guests,” said Jason Walker, owner and founder of Walker Custom Homes. “I am excited that we were able to do so many unique things just with lighting.” Check out the full article and lighting details at custombuilderonline.com.

The shift to more people working from home will have a powerful economic effect, according to research by Jordan Rappaport, senior economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Rappaport asserts that reduced commute times for work will equate to more people willing to live farther from metropolitan areas’ centers. Those who make a living building and selling homes in outer suburbs are beginning to see indicators of that trend. In Kansas City, dedicated office space is now a basic and expected component of new-home plans, according to Jeff Julian, vice president of Don Julian Builders.

“We have seen a huge shift in the last two years,” Julian said. “Every house has to have some kind of office. I don’t have any plans without a home office in it… the biggest shift now is two home offices, and they don’t necessarily have to be on the main floor,” Julian said. “Quite a few of our buyers work from home all the time. They say, ‘I don’t mind being a bit further out’ because they don’t need to drive to the office every day.”

Read the full article at kansascityfed.org/ten.

The New Home Experts In HVAC

Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling knows how important the comfort and security of your home is to you and your family. So when you choose us for any heating and cooling services, we will do whatever it takes to make sure you are receiving the highest quality workmanship and the most professional customer service possible.

KC Fed Talks Home Building with Jeff Julian

PWB Members Donate Clothes to Dress for Success

Members of the KCPWB gathered last month at SCI Surfaces in Shawnee to support Dress for Success, a nonprofit organization focused on empowering women to achieve economic independence by providing a network of support, professional attire and the development tools to help women thrive in work and in life.

The purpose of Dress for Success is to offer long-lasting solutions that enable women to break the cycle of poverty. Dress for Success is part of a global movement for change, empowering women to obtain safer and better futures.

Many Dress for Success clients go directly to job interviews, so donated items were to be clean (freshly dry-cleaned or laundered, ironed as needed), in the current season, not more than five years old and suitable for wearing to job interviews. Thank you to all who donated!

If you’re a residential construction professional between the ages of 21-35, an NAHB member and you’re ready to take your career to the next level, apply for a 2024 International Builders’ Show (IBS) scholarship! The deadline to apply is July 7. For more information and to apply, go to tinyurl.com/IBSschol.

1. Professional Development - IBS is three full days devoted to working on career advancement and growth. IBS provides time to attend education sessions, learn from peers and leaders, and work on professional development. No matter the industry niche, there’s an education session for everyone.

2. Networking - Meet and make connections with peers, leaders, experts, suppliers and more.

3. Innovative Products - The show explores what’s new and upcoming, including products making their market debut at IBS.

4. New Trends - Another area where the show explores what’s new and emerging in home building is technology and market trends.

5. No Cost to Attend - IBS has so much to offer professionals in the residential construction industry. The IBS Scholarship allows chosen candidates to attend the show with complimentary economy roundtrip airfare, hotel accommodations, show events and an Expo+Education Pass to the show.

5 Reasons to Apply for an IBS Scholarship Before July 7 Access IBS Education On-Demand Until June 30

Your 2023 International Builders’ Show (IBS) registration gives you access to the virtual IBS Education On-Demand Library. With more than 100 education sessions there is something for everyone! The library will only be online through June 30.

Step 1: Visit buildersshow.com/Search/EducationEvents.aspx.

Step 2: Use the search and filter features to find the session you want to see or simply scroll down to see available videos. To view a video, click on the session title.

Step 3: On the session details page, click “get video” in the upper right, enter your confirmation ID and last name. The video will appear above the description. Forget your IBS registration information? Go to tinyurl.com/buildshowpw to reset your IBS password or call customer service at 747-226-7761.

Overland Park Considering Asphalt Ban

The summer of 2022 was consumed by Kansas City, Mo.’s consideration of the 2021 International Energy Conservation Code (IECC). This summer, while continuing to press the KCMO City Council for legislative relief to delay the 2021 IECC implementation date, the KCHBA again finds itself trying to convince a city to reconsider a proposed change in policy that will administratively increase the cost of building and development.

The city of Overland Park, Kan., has announced a proposal to eliminate the use of asphalt in new development within that community. This policy, as proposed, would require that all new residential and collector streets utilize concrete and concrete alone.

Currently, both asphalt and concrete are approved for use in Overland Park, but asphalt has overwhelmingly been the material of choice for new street installations not only in Overland Park but across the metro. Asphalt’s ease of installation, repair and maintenance, along with comparatively lower upfront costs and greater availability, are some of the reasons why our region’s residential streets are largely paved in asphalt.

So why would the city of Overland Park, contrary to every other regional community, choose to outlaw asphalt moving forward? The champions of such a ban say it is necessary to reduce the amount of chip seal being used to maintain asphalt roads. What is typically omitted from that rationale is that Overland Park is one of the few cities that continues to utilize chip seal to maintain asphalt residential streets. There are nearly a dozen alternative asphalt street maintenance techniques and technologies available to Overland Park. The use of chip seal is a choice made by the city, not by the building and development industry. This is evidenced by the lack of chip seal in other Johnson County jurisdictions.

If the City Council feels that eliminating the use of chip seal is a priority for their residents, there are a host of options that will help them achieve that goal without banning a widely used, widely available construction material like asphalt.

From the outset of this process, the KCHBA has positioned itself to partner with the city in helping them address their desire to reduce the use of chip seal. Our outreach has not been met with an equally collaborative approach, to date. This proposed ban on asphalt will result in higher development costs. As we all know, higher development costs lead to higher lot costs which, of course, means higher home prices. This proposal flies in the face of housing costs at a time when Overland Park is lamenting its lack of more modestly priced housing options.

The proposal is not yet final. The city will host a public listening session at City Hall on June 27 at 8:15 a.m. Written comments will be accepted until 5 p.m. on July 31 and the Public Works Committee is tentatively scheduled to take this proposal up on August 23. It is important that our entire industry speak up about how a ban on asphalt will impact new homes in Overland Park.

Will Ruder KCHBA Executive Vice President

Floor Plan Design with the User in Mind

Overlooked floor plan design issues can occur in a number of ways for a number of reasons. Increased emphasis on complying with construction standards or lingering problems that haven’t been caught and corrected over the years will lower the homeowners’ quality of life and the efficiency of what you build.

Stefani Thatcher is based out of Utah and has been designing floor plans for custom homes since 1999. She currently runs her own residential design business and offers an online course teaching her proprietary method for designing floor plans. Stefanie Olson is the founder and CEO of SheBuilds, a remodeler and custom builder in northern California. At the International Builders’ Show in February, Thatcher and Olson shared their expertise and experiences on the sometimes subtle things that make a good (and bad) floor plan.

Proportions

A good starting point in analyzing your floor plan is proportions. Most people don’t know the science behind why certain designs appear more aesthetically pleasing. A client might not be able to immediately voice why a house looks odd to them, but if proportions are “off” the home will appear to lack cohesion. Otherwise beautiful features will look out of place if not properly sized and spaced. This is both true for interior and exterior; it’s important to not overlook windows, porch sizes and roof design, according to Thatcher.

Regional Factors

Designing a floorplan absolutely needs to account for the region in which the house will actually be built, Olson stresses. This starts in the foundation and dictates building materials and exterior features. If building in a snowy area, designing the driveway to be west or south facing is a benefit and the roof will need to be sloped enough to prevent snow from piling up. Midwest dwellers covet screened in porches, walk out basements and garages, which is something you would be hard pressed to see on the west coast.

Traffic

Flow within the home is critical to consider during the floorplan design process. Olson recommends framing the expected flow of traffic within the home in three tiers: there are the freeways (entry way, living rooms and kitchen), highways (mudrooms, laundry rooms and hallways) and country roads (bathrooms and bedrooms). The more communal and frequently traveled, the more “lanes” needed. Doorways and actual hallways aren’t the only areas to keep in mind, as “hidden hallways” can appear in a home by furniture design within the floor plan.

Olson emphasized how important sightlines are as a key element to traffic and floor plan design. Guests don’t expect to stumble upon the private areas of the house on their way to the bathroom. From the entryway, no one wants to be greeted with the sight of a bathroom or messy bedroom. Programs are available to virtually immerse yourself and do a sightline study of your own floorplans.

Identity

As a builder, have you identified the core intended purpose of each space within the home? Most spaces can be categorized under Thatcher’s “six core zones” of sleeping, eating, working, playing, health and hygiene. Does the current floor plan allow each area to perform their intended purpose in an efficient and logical manner? A more custom floorplan will also take the homeowner’s personal interests and hobbies into account as additional zones. Thinking through the functionality of these spaces before construction begins will result in fewer change orders and delays on site and pre-solving these potential issues for the homeowner will result in an overall better product.

Knowing your target market and demographic is also key, especially if you are not building custom to one client. A homeowner with multiple young children will not have the same needs and concerns as a recently retired empty nester. Roomier and more functional spaces allow for a flexible room layout and overall less frustrations as a homeowner.

Maximize Materials

Talk to the people building your floorplans and ask questions. To avoid unnecessary product waste, be conscious of standard dimensions of products like drywall and exterior sheathing when designing floor plans.

Internal factors within the home, such as sound transfer, natural light, noise from appliances and even how long it takes to get hot water, should be considered when designing a floor plan. Closets can be used as sound buffers and staggered wall framing can be denoted to help with

noise transfer. While we have less control over external factors, such as a neighbor’s dog barking and the nearby train, there are steps that can be taken to be considerate of those elements. Identifying what each room or area will be used for will help guide what steps need to be taken and materials used.

90/10 Rule

The 90/10 rule in design refers to the overall layout of the house being built to accommodate for daily life (90 percent of what we do) and not formatted for the one-off events and weekend activities (how we spend 10 percent of our time). Perhaps the most common example is having a formal dining room when the only time the homeowner uses it would be Thanksgiving dinner. One solution is combining smaller dedicated spaces to create a larger multipurpose area. Knowing who the intended end user for the home is will help dictate the look of these spaces. Ensuring all parties involved in the process are on the same page regarding the home’s priorities is also critical.

Also, talking with your clients on how spaces can transition to accommodate every stage of life is a useful practice. Repurposing a nursery to become a guest room or ensuring there is space to make the home more accessible as needed in the future can put their mind at ease.

Market Your Success

Floorplans are like business cards- they demonstrate your skill as a builder in real time and build your referral pipeline.

CheckoutThatcherandOlson’sfullpresentationandmore Building Knowledge Sessions at buildersshow.com.

KCMO Candidate Profiles

As the city of Kansas City’s general election on June 20 nears, KCHBA would like to highlight individuals whom we believe to be the most housing-friendly candidates and will make it their mission to support business and growth in our great city. Each one of these candidates has received a contribution this cycle approved by the KCHBA PAC Committee.

Nathan Willett for Kansas City District 1 (In-District)

Nathan Willett is running for KC City Council District 1. He was heavily involved in the community meetings during the city’s adoption of the 2021 IECC. He is endorsed by current District 1 Councilwoman Heather Hall. Nathan was born and raised in the Northland and is currently a teacher at the Park Hill School District. For more information on Nathan or his campaign, visit his website, www.nathanforthenorthland.com.

Kevin O’Neill for Kansas City District 1 (At-Large)

Kevin O’Neill is running for his second term for KC City Council District 1 At-Large. During the 2021 IECC Adoption, Kevin was the council member who assisted in introducing a substitute to the codes ordinance that would have had the city of KCMO adopt an amended 2018 IECC, which is regionally consistent with surrounding communities and well understood by all stakeholders. Kevin is a lifelong resident of KCMO and has been the publisher and editor of the Labor Beacon Newspaper for more than 30 years. For more information about his campaign, visit Kevin’s website: www.kevinoforkc.com.

Lindsay French for Kansas City District 2 (At-Large)

Lindsay French has over 15 years of experience working in city planning, landscape architecture, and urban design and will bring a fresh perspective to City Council. Lindsay is an active member of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce and serves on several committees. A few other organizations she has heavy involvement in are the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC), Northland Neighborhoods Inc. and KCMO Downtown Council & Infrastructure Committee. For more information about Lindsay visit her website: www.lindsayfrenchforkc.com.

Melissa Patterson-Hazley for Kansas City District 3 (At-Large)

Melissa Patterson-Hazley is a lifelong resident of the 3rd district. Her top priority is to facilitate the creation of a streamlined development process so that builders can construct diverse housing more quickly in areas that need it most, including improving processes related to the Land Bank. She currently serves as the Director of Community Research, Training and Evaluation at UMKC and sits on several community and development boards across the city. For more information about her campaign, visit Melissa’s website: www.mph4kcmo.com.

Henry Rizzo for Kansas City District 4 (In-District)

Since the announcement of his candidacy, Henry Rizzo has been very vocal in his intent to support the development and growth of the city of Kansas City. His top priorities include streamlining processes and removing barriers for the development community in order to create more attainable, diverse housing. Another top priority is neighborhood safety and putting an emphasis on community policing and working in partnership with law enforcement. Henry is a lifelong Kansas Citian, a former Missouri State Representative and former Chairman of the Jackson County Legislature. For more information on Henry or his campaign, visit his website: www.rizzoforthecity.com.

Justin Short for Kansas City District 4 (At-Large)

Justin Short is a native Northlander turned Downtown KC resident. Public service runs in his family as a son of a former Platte County Commissioner. He continues to stress that development means economic growth, and economic growth means a prosperous city that can support its residents. Learn more about Justin’s campaign at www.justinshortforkc.com.

Darrell Curls for Kansas City District 5 (At-Large)

Darrell Curls has a long history of political leadership and civic engagement within the city. He currently serves as a board member of Freedom, Inc. and is an active member of the South Kansas City Alliance and the Northland Chamber of Commerce. He previously served as president of the Hickman Mills School Board and is a member of the KCMO Public Improvements Advisory Committee (PIAC). One of his top priorities is supporting development and creating pathways to attainable housing for all. He is also committed to making improvements in our current infrastructure to attract more new development that will create high-quality employment opportunities for city citizens. Learn more about Darrell’s campaign at www.votecurlsforcouncil.com/about-5.

Dan Tarwater for Kansas City District 6 (In-District)

Dan Tarwater was elected to the Jackson County Legislature in 1994 and served up until 2022. He currently works with Twin Lakes Insurance Company. For 28 years he has served as the chairman of the KCMO Anti-Drug Committee. He also is a board member at the Kansas City Zoo. Dan’s top priorities include crime prevention, supporting development and diverse housing options in south Kansas City, and continuing the charge to improve basic city services and existing infrastructure. For more information on Dan’s campaign, please visit his website www.votetarwater.com.

KCHBA’s Foundation Supports 4 Schools, 5 Nonprofits

The Foundation Committee, which is responsible for the work of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation, reviewed grant requests in May and chose to support nine organizations with monetary donations for various projects. Each group will receive $2,000. Read on to learn how those organizations plan to use the funds.

Bonner Springs High School

Students are building a tiny house. The grant will go toward the oak veneer plywood for the kitchen cabinets, as well as any other hardware such as hinges, knobs and countertops.

Community Housing of Wyandotte County

In 2023, CHWC plans to begin construction on 14 new single-family homes, initiate renovation or repair of 15 homes and see completion of 70-74 homes in multifamily developments in which they serve as the the nonprofit partner.

Determination Inc.

This organization is launching a social enterprise business called Strong Start Make Readies (www.strongstart.biz) to hire people recently released from prison as a first step into full time employment in the residential construction industry.

Friends of Johnson County Development Services

Friends of JCDS will remodel a home where five individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities currently live, including replacing the HVAC systems in the home, replace flooring that was initially improperly installed and renovate the kitchen.

Liberty High School

Funds will support its Construction Science Club, which is lacking a dedicated space for building. To assist with this, the students are fundraising for their own trailer, in addition to adding more tools and safety equipment.

Olathe Advanced Technical Center (OATC)

Funds will support the continuation of the Home Builders Institute (HBI) curriculum and materials to supplement the program. Specifically, it will be used to purchase the rights to access the curriculum for students to earn an industry certification.

Paola High School

The industrial arts department is in need of hand tools, power tools, equipment, machines, building materials and supplies for construction projects which will be presented in next year’s curriculum.

Rebuilding Together Kansas City

Rebuilding’s Safe at Home program provides safety modifications for homeowners who cannot afford them, serving an average of 100 households each year. The program addresses the critical need for minor home repair programming in Kansas City, especially among families and individuals with low income.

reStart

reStart’s headquarters and primary shelter at 918 E. 9th Street is in critical need of bathroom renovations on the third and fourth floors. All fixtures in each bathroom require improvement and roughly 50 percent of the toilets, sinks and showers in these restrooms are not operational. This requires residents to use the facilities on an alternative floor, which could lead to crowding and overuse of the functioning restrooms.

For more information about the Home Builders Charitable Foundation and to make a donation, visit kchba.org>About Us>Foundation.

Durable and energy efficient, fiberglass doors are a low maintenance option that offer the appearance of beautiful, real wood.

KC Custom Hardwoods

Nick Bianco 7500 160th St. Stilwell, KS 66085

913-735-0123

www.kccustomhardwoods.com

Referrals

O’Connor and Associates

Taron Young 828 SW 36th St.

Lee’s Summit, MO 64082

816-214-2362

www.OCA-ltd.com

New Members KCHBA Member

Thank you to the following KCHBA members for referring new members to the association in April! Graham Power CSW

KBIG Dawn Allen KCHBA

Van Booven Lawn, Landscape & Tree Care Greg Van Booven 10021 Woodend Rd. Kansas City, KS 66111 913-722-3275

AFFILIATE | Homoly Signature Homes

Mason Homoly 924 Oak St. Kansas City, MO 64106 816-721-1018

www.homoly.com

FIBERGLASS

furnace.

Photo by: CC Photography for James Engle Custom Homes

KCHBA Staff

Will Ruder Executive Vice President will@kchba.org | 816-733-2216

Dawn Allen Director of Membership, Partnerships & Events dawn@kchba.org | 816-733-2241

Kelcee Allen

Parade of Homes / Artisan Home Tour Director & Digital Content Strategist kelcee@kchba.org | 816-733-2246

Sheryl Drane

Assistant to the Executive Vice President sheryl@kchba.org | 816-733-2221

Kari English

Senior Director of Communications & Strategy kari@kchba.org | 816-733-2213

Marcia Jurgens Vice President of Administration marcia@kchba.org | 816-733-2215

Paige Livingston Manager of Communications & Education paige@kchba.org | 816-733-2217

Courtney Reyes Director of Government Affairs & Workforce Development courtney@kchba.org | 816-733-2214

Jordynn Webster Government Affairs & Workforce Development Manager kari@kchba.org | 816-733-2213

The Official Publication of the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City

June 2023 | Volume 29 | Issue 6

Copyright 2023

Published by the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City 600 E. 103 Street, Kansas City, MO 64131 | (816) 942-8800

Editor Kari English

Contributing Writer Paige Livingston

Graphics Kelcee Allen

2023 Executive Committee

President Brian Tebbenkamp

Vice President Dennis Shriver

Executive Vice President Will Ruder

Secretary / Treasurer Justin Pfeifer

Immediate Past President Tommy Bickimer

Associate Representative Misty Hanson

Past President Representative Bruce Rieke

To subscribe to Building Business News call (816) 733-2217

To advertise in Building Business News call (816) 733-2213

For change of address requests please email Kari@kchba.org or call (816) 942-8800

For more information, visit KCHBA.org

Member Anniversaries

1952 Pacific Mutual Door & Window Ferguson Enterprises, Inc.

1978

Tom French Construction, Inc.

Don Julian Builders, Inc.

1985

MarKirk Construction, Inc. 1992

2016

CKF, LLC

Legendary Stone

Cambridge Homebuilders, LLC

Cornerstone Bank

Jim Macek Construction Company

Sun Solar

Riffe Custom Builders, LLC

2020

Fazes of Light LLC

Edward Franklin Building Company

Inspired Closets Bank 21

2021

Pinnacle Homes of KC

SES Landscape LLC

WCI, Inc.

Trumark Homes LLC

2022

Lawnmaster

Hello Garage

JLG Services LLC

Myah Enterprises, Inc.

Pascoe Home Specialties, LLC

The Shade Store

DIAMOND

Mike Bryant Heating & Cooling

Ferguson

PLATINUM

First Federal Bank of KC

Kansas Gas Service

McCray Lumber

Nebraska Furniture Mart

SVB Wood Floors

GOLD

Bovard Insurance Group

Builders FirstSource

Capitol Federal

CrossFirst Bank

Fasone & Partners

Fidelity Bank

High Definition Drywall

K&E Flatwork

Kitchens & Baths by Briggs

Morgan-Wightman Supply Company

NBKC

Northcraft Flooring & Design

Owen Lumber

Phelps Engineering

Rew Materials

Rocktops Granite & Stone Fabrication

Star Companies

Sun Lumber Company

Sunflower Bank / Guardian Mortgage

United Heating, Cooling & Plumbing, Inc.

SILVER

Denizen

Henges Insulation

Kenny’s Tile

North American Savings Bank

Pacific Mutual Door & Window

PPG Paints

Schlagel

Shamrock Cabinet

Spire

Teague Lumber

Wilson Lighting

BRONZE

Commerce Bank

Complete Home Concepts

Hermes Landscaping

Locks & Pulls

Pella Products of Kansas City

ProSource

Raynor Garage Door

Real Estate Book & New Home Guide / DesignKC

ReeceNichols

SAPPHIRE Bank of Blue Valley

Behr Paint Company

Canaan Stone Works (CSW)

First American Title

Offerpad

Royals Roofscapes

Schlage Locks / Allegion

Surface Center Interiors (SCI)

Wells Fargo Home Mortgage

Kansas City Metro Building Permits Continue to Rise

April 2023 residential permit statistics indicate an increase over March 2023 when 359 permits were issued, according to the Home Builders Association of Greater Kansas City’s (KCHBA) monthly Residential Building Permit Statistics report. The 387 single-family permits issued in April brings the year’s total to 1,083 single-family units.

A lack of existing inventory and stabilizing mortgage rates have helped push single-family production up even as builders continue to deal with high construction costs, persistent labor shortages and tightening credit conditions for construction loans.

“Historically, the new home construction has accounted for about 10 percent of home purchase transactions, but today new homes account for more than 40 percent of active listings in the Kansas City market,” said Will Ruder, executive vice president of the KCHBA. “Current homeowners with a sub-three percent fixed rate mortgage are understandably more reluctant to sell, so it’s difficult to imagine an increase in the number of existing homes hitting the market any time soon. New home construction is going to be an increasingly important component of the regional housing mix. The industry stands ready to partner with communities across the metro as we seek to meet these significant housing needs.”

Once again, Kansas City, Mo., issued the most permits with 142 in April. Rounding out the top five were Olathe with 35 single-family permits, Overland Park with 27 permits, Spring Hill with 26 permits and Grain Valley with 23 single-family permits issued in April.

Residential Building Permit Statistics

Residential Building Permit Statistics April 2023

APRIL 2023

Comparison of Single Family (Cass, Clay, Jackson, Platte, Johnson, Leavenworth, Miami, Wyandotte Counties)

Building Units for Greater Kansas City

Comparison of Permits By Units Issued Year to Date

2016 - 2023

^The Single Family number is units and includes both attached and detached units. %Multi-Family units are in buildings with 5 or more units.

# Not available at time of report

Permit information reflects the most recent data at time of publication. In order to ensure accurate recording of residential building permit statistics, the HBA may revise monthly and year-to-date figures when updated data is made available. Copyright 2023 Home Builders Assoc of Greater Kansas City. All rights reserved.

Upcoming Events

June 15

KCHBA Golf Tournament Scramble hosted by Associates Council

June 20

KCMO General Election

June 20

Education Event: How to Stop Selling and Close More Business with Dan Stalp hosted by KCHBA Young Professionals and Professional Women in Building

June 21

Builders Committee Meeting

July 7

Professional Women in Building New Member Cocktails & Conversation

How to Stop Selling and Close More Business with Dan

Stalp

Join us for this interactive session on a three-step process to not waste time and money on opportunities going “no-where”.

• Discover how to get past the cheapest bid objection

• Learn to have a better budget conversation including money, time, and resources

• Uncover six ways to qualify the prospects decision process

• Use a 10 second commercial to draw people to you, rather than away You won’t want to miss this session!

TUESDAY, JUNE 20 5:00 - 7:00 P.M.

SVB Wood Floors

14101 Norby Road

Grandview, MO 64030

YP & KCPWB Members: No Cost

YPs please register with Jordynn@kchba.org

KCHBA Members: $15

Guests: $30

REGISTER BY JUNE 16 AT MEMBERS.KCHBA.ORG/CALENDAR

Hosted by

Sponsored by