What's
with the Alphabet Soup?
Do you know what
CGR or CGB stands for? How about CAPS or AIA? Do letters after the
name of an architect, builder or contractor confuse you or do they
provide you with useful information?
In
fact, these acronyms demonstrate something important: a commitment
to professional business practices and project management skills
that help ensure quality and a hassle-free experience for homeowners
considering a remodeling project. Some acronyms can help you
identify a builder's specialty. Others indicate a level of
third-party support and certification regarding a remodeling
contractor's ability to complete a construction project on time and
on budget to a client's satisfaction.
Here's a primer
on what some common designations mean and why they are a component
in the process of selecting the right remodeler for a
project.
Certified
Graduate Remodeler (CGR). Offered by the National Association
of Home Builders Remodeler's Council, this designation is the result
of extensive classroom, correspondence, and job site curriculum
regarding all aspects of running a successful residential remodeling
business.
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS). This
program is designed to help remodelers with the specific knowledge,
skills, and services that are essential in remodeling homes to
accommodate changing lifestyle and physical needs as the occupants
age.
Residential Construction Superintendent (RCS) and
National Housing Quality (NHQ) certification. These programs
qualify remodeling and specialty trade contractors, such a framers
and insulation workers, to manage both their businesses and their
work on the construction site. Once certified, contractors must
submit annual reports to be re-qualified and maintain their
status.
Certified
Remodeler (CR) Certified Remodeler Specialist (CRS), Certified
Kitchen and Bath Remodeler (CKBR), and Certified Lead Carpenter
(CLC). Offered through the national Association of the
Remodeling Industry (NARI), these certifications indicate completion
of an extensive application, exam, and review process covering all
aspects of the remodeling business.
AIA. This designation marks members of the American
Institute of Architects, the nation's leading organization for
licensed architects. Achieving AIA status requires a degree in
architecture as well as practical experience. Licensing includes an
extensive test similar to the bar exam for attorneys. Members must
adhere to the AIA Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct and earn a
minimum number of continuing education credits sanctioned by the
association in order to maintain membership.
American
Institute of Building Design (AIBD). Like AIA, the AIBD is a
national organization supporting design professionals, specifically
those focused on residential work. AIBD memberships affords
designers access to the latest business, client relations, and
building code information to ensure that their design work meets
regulatory standards.
This list is
just a smattering of the certifications available to professional
remodelers and contractors who want to enhance their technical and
management skills. It should be remembered, however, that such
distinctions are neither a shield nor a guarantee. Smart homeowners
recognize these acronyms and what they represent, but use them as
part of a thorough process of winnowing and selecting the
right builder or contractor for their project. In essence, these and
other distinctions provide a baseline of professionalism that
consumers can rely upon to help ensure a successful construction
project. Warm regards,
 
Dwight Sailer
& Bryan Soth
HighCraft Builders
429 S.
Howes Street
Fort Collins, CO 80521
970.472.8100 -
phone
info@highcraft.net
www.highcraft.net
c. 2007 All
rights reserved.
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