By Craig A. Shutt
Remodelers today seem to have spilled some alphabet soup after their names: CGR, CAPS, GMB, CR, CLC, CKBR, and other acronyms. (For a list of the full meaning of these designations, see the sidebar.) The designations certify a remodeler's capability in a wide range of specialties.
Both the Remodelors Council of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) offer certification programs for their members. The programs are extensive and require far more than writing a check to receive a seal. Achieving these recognitions can involve hours of class attendance (often out of town, which adds the cost of transportation and hotel), a lot of at-home studying, participation in a study group led by someone who already has achieved certification, and some serious academic-type thinking.
It doesn't stop with graduation, either. Remodelers who achieve the designations must keep their skills up to date by attending continuing-education classes and actively participating in industry activities at the local or national level.
But are the time, money and effort required to achieve these designations really worth it? Just what is the return?
"What you put into it is directly related to what you get out of it," says Vince Butler, president of Butler Bros. Corp. in Clifton, Va. A self-proclaimed "total convert" to certification, he holds CGR, CAPS and GMB designations from NAHB.
Mark Stephenson, president of HUB Design-Build in Villanova, Pa., feels the same about his NARI designations. "Designations are absolutely key to our success," he says. He and his wife, Lynne, are both CRs and CKBRs. Mark also is a CLC, as are all his lead carpenters.
Education is the primary value, Mark notes. He already had a college degree in business finance, so he was skeptical about how much the designation programs would aid his management.
"But I learned a lot," he says. "The classes are directed at remodelers and are specific to what they face each day."
Nor are the exams perfunctory, he warns: NARI's CR test is an eight-hour written exam. "It knocked me on my butt!"
The inevitable hobnobbing with fellow remodeler-students and finding moral support among them are equally significant values of the programs, Vince and Mark agree. "You feel like you have a support network and that you aren't out there alone with your problems," says Vince.
The Payoff
Ultimately, the key bottom-line benefit of the designations comes from marketing them thoroughly. Mark promotes his team's designations in all his literature and on his website. "We explain what it takes to get them, and we don't have to say anything else," he says.
"At that point, to the customer, you're either certified or you're Brand X," Mark explains. "When homeowners talk with other remodelers, they'll always be thinking, 'Why don't they have the designation?'" Plumbers, electricians, doctors and lawyers all must be licensed, he stresses. The customer's remodeler should be, too.
Mark and Vince concur that certification provides a competitive edge that will help close deals and make the remodeler stand out from the competition. "Once you explain the significance, everyone else comes up short," Mark says.
It also alleviates pricing concerns. "We're certified, so we can charge more. Certification goes right to the bottom line."
Vince agrees. In fact, he knows of two specific, six-figure projects that came his way because the owners were looking for a remodeler with his type of certification.
"It would be nice if homeowners were aware of the designations and knew their value, but they don't," Vince adds. "It's up to us to market them and educate the clientele and create a challenge to others to make a commitment to continuing education."
For more information on NAHB's Certified Graduate Remodeler program, click here www.nahb.org.
To learn about a variety of certification programs available from NARI, click here www.nari.org.
Alphabet Soup
From the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB):
- CAPS (Certified Aging-In-Place Specialist. This designation is also available to others who work closely with older clients, such as interior designers and new-home builders)
- CGA (Certified Graduate Associate, earned by non-remodelers who work closely in the industry. Examples include suppliers and representatives of manufacturers of building materials)
From the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI):
- CR (Certified Remodeler)
- CRS (Certified Remodeler Specialist)
- CRA (Certified Remodeler Associate)
- CKBR (Certified Kitchen & Bath Remodeler)
- CLC (Certified Lead Carpenter)
| 
