Check out building/warranty/industry news, RWC announcements, upcoming events, etc.

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After decades of dedicated service and unwavering commitment, VP of Sales, Suzanne Palkovic, bid farewell to RWC & Affiliates this summer as she embarks on a well-deserved retirement.

Sue began her career at RWC in October 1987 as our Pennsylvania sales representative after a short stint selling life insurance for another company. Her devotion to her job, her coworkers and the company led then Vice President of Sales Lynn Nelson-Probst to promote Sue to Assistant Sales Manager in 1994.

By virtue of her imagination and ability to see projects through to the end, Sue was promoted to Director of Research and Development in 2001, and in 2003 she was named Vice President of Marketing, Research and Development. After Lynn Nelson Probst retired, Sue became our Vice President of Sales in June of 2015, the position she held until her retirement. During her last eight years with the company, she managed our entire sales force and was a constant proponent of superior customer service for our builder members. Sue was a tireless worker for our company. Her strong leadership and keen understanding of the warranty marketplace contributed greatly to our companies’ success. We will miss her wit, her wisdom, her tenacity, and her dedication.

Sue is succeeded by our new National Sales Manager, Rich McPhee. Rich is new to the position, but not to the company, having served as a highly successful sales representative in the mid-Atlantic states for the last ten years. Sue had an opportunity to mentor Rich, and we are happy to report that he has hit the ground running.

Sue plans to travel, spend time with her family, and become more active supporting causes that are near and dear to her heart. She leaves RWC with our good wishes for a long, happy and healthy retirement and with heartfelt gratitude for many years of loyal service.

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You’re a general contractor, a GC. Like it or not, you are responsible for everyone’s safety at your jobsites. That means anyone who may be there for any reason. Even trespassers who trip and fall over some debris left by your demo guy. That’s right. Even if you post “NO TRESPASSING” signs, you have some degree of care for any member of the public who is at your job site for any reason and gets hurt. What can I say? Life isn’t fair, then you get sued.

Any human activity involves risk. To really prevent having accidents at your jobsite you’d have to go back in time to that day when you decided to become a GC and decide to do something else. Until a time machine is invented, you’ll need General Liability (GL) insurance and you’ll want all your subcontractors to be adequately insured.

Why is GL insurance so important?

Let’s go back to the sloppy demo contractor who left the debris lying around for the trespasser to trip over.

If that demo guy doesn’t have insurance, your GL company will not only have to pay this claim; they will add the demo classification to your policy and charge you the extra premium. It’s hard enough to be sure your subs have enough insurance even when you require certificates each year.

For example, if one of your subs has a claim working for someone else and it reduces his/her limit of liability, that certificate you got a few months ago is suddenly out of date.

It says your subcontractor has $1,000,000 for each accident. Only now, the claim has reduced this amount to $500,000. Suppose one of your subcontractors had their GL coverage canceled or nonrenewed? If you’re listed as an additional insured on their policy you should receive a courtesy notice of cancellation… provided you asked for one and insisted it be shown on the certificate.

Either one of these possible scenarios can lead to a claim being made against your GL.

But what about that trespasser? Why should he be compensated for getting hurt while being illegally present on your jobsite? The answer has to do with the degree of responsibility you have to the public. Think of your own home as a jobsite. Let’s say you invite friends over to a Memorial Day picnic. You want them to be there. The last thing you want is for one of them to trip and fall over your garden hose laying in the yard because you failed to put it away.

The same is true for the delivery person and the guy who reads your gas meter. Then there’s the door-to-door salesperson or survey taker. You’re not as happy to see them, but you wouldn’t call 911 when they show up either. The one thing all these people have in common is a right to expect that you keep your yard, sidewalk and steps free of objects like your garden hose, stray toys and other debris when they come calling.

Even a burglar or a vandal is owed some degree of care. You can’t use excessive force to restrain a burglar and you can’t take the position that a trespasser should just watch their step if there is an unprotected hazard on your jobsite.

Failing to understand these things and take steps to minimize the hazards at your jobsite creates liability. Your subcontractors are your first line of defense against lawsuits.

Here are four things you can do to make sure your subcontractors are helping to reduce your chance of being sued:

• TRIP AND FALL HAZARDS that can’t be eliminated must be marked with signs, cones, reflective tape, etc., in such a way that they are obvious to the public.

• Require your subs to provide CERTIFICATES OF INSURANCE each year. These should show your subcontractors have their own GL coverage with limits of liability equal to yours.

• Insist that they name you as ADDITIONAL INSURED on their policies.

• Make sure they HOLD YOU HARMLESS in your contracts with them.

Never let up on your efforts to hold your subs to this high standard and to practice good jobsite preventive maintenance.

by Doug Davis, Eastern Atlantic Insurance Company

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Key Estates Warranty is a new affiliate of Residential Warranty Company, LLC,  HOME of Texas and MHWC is now offering extended warranties for homes involved in real estate transactions across the country. Offered exclusively through a network of approved Real Estate Professionals, the Key Estates Warranty program provides extended warranty protection on a variety of appliances, systems and even structural components in existing homes.

Homeowners understand that eventually, most things break down. Extended warranties are a cost-effective way to deal with expensive and unexpected repair bills after moving into a newly purchased home. The package approach of Key Estates provides the homebuyer with the security of more comprehensive coverage but at a substantially lower rate than if they were to buy individual extended warranties on each item of equipment. Through Key Estates, homeowners are protected against potential financial burdens for one or two-year terms on covered items. Without an extended warranty, homeowners may have to pay hundreds – or even thousands - of dollars for repairs. With Key Estates, homeowners are responsible for only a small service fee.

Key Estates personnel will conduct a remote visual inspection of the appliances and mechanical systems that are eligible for coverage. We will visually inspect photos /videos of the appliances for “trouble spots” that could indicate an imminent failure and search for recall notices. When the appliances pass the inspection, Key Estates certifies the home as warrantable and an insurance backed warranty is issued. This certification should add an additional layer of peace of mind for everyone involved in the transaction.

Major Structural Defect Coverage

With the average cost of major structural defect repairs in this country exceeding $35,000, Key Estates offers valuable protection from financial disaster should a structural defect develop in their existing home. Under Key Estates, a homebuyer may opt for major structural defect coverage – similar to the coverage provided to new home builders under our 10-year warranty plans – to be added to their plan for 1 or 2 years. No other resale warranty plan in the country offers this type of tried and true structural protection on existing homes! In addition, a structural home inspection conducted by a professional, licensed engineer, is part of the requirement to verify the structural ‘health’ of the home. This optional structural coverage is available everywhere except for Colorado and certain areas in Texas that have been designated as active soils areas.

 Flexibility & Control

In addition to the never before offered structural coverage on existing homes, setting this program apart from others is the level of flexibility built into our system. Homeowners have the freedom to choose their own repair provider when a covered appliance or system breaks down. Additionally, they can select optional coverage for many of the ‘extras’ such as swimming pools, spas, freezers, etc. to further customize their plan.

Benefits

Real Estate Professionals benefit from Key Estates in a variety of ways. Exposure to customer service issues is dramatically reduced since the Key Estates’ administrator takes over complaint handling for problems with covered appliances, systems, and structural components. An administrative fee may be paid to the real estate professional for every warranty sold, generating extra revenue to make the program profitable and benefit that important bottom line. Ultimately, Key Estates provides a unique marketing tool that will set the Real Estate Professional apart from the competition.

Contact Us

For availability and more information about Key Estates or any of the other plans RWC and Affiliates have to offer, go to www.KeyEstatesWarranty.com, call 866-394-5135 ext. 2149 or email us at Sales@KeyEstatesWarranty.com.

It takes many components to build a home, and as a builder, you have to make many decisions to make. The homes you build need to be of quality construction, attractive and offer inviting features to pull in buyers. Though not a physical characteristic such as a large kitchen island or crown molding, a new home warranty is an equally impressive detail that proves to be advantageous over and over again.

If you haven’t ever thought about offering a warranty on your homes or are wondering “What’s in it for me?”, Residential Warranty Company, LLC (RWC) has the answers.

1. Opens the Door:
Homeowners looking for assurance that they have picked a quality builder are more confident in their choice when the RWC warranty comes with their home. And RWC’s approval by FHA and VA can assist you with your sales and help eliminate inspections and facilitate settlements.

2. Levels the Playing Field
Customer service can be a tricky issue. Homebuyers today can be demanding and unfortunately, too often unreasonable. Yet your reputation and future referrals often hang in the balance. You can provide an implied warranty (increase your exposure) and take a chance. Or you can provide the RWC written warranty (limit exposure) and enjoy its benefits. Specific warranty standards help you manage customer service problems and reduce costs. The RWC warranty puts “reason” back into the equation and lets you provide fair customer service. And when disputes arise - as they certainly will - RWC offers effective mediation and binding arbitration.

3. Marketing Tool
Hammers...saws...nails...it takes lots of tools to build a house. It also takes lots of tools to build a business and RWC provides you with some great marketing tools. Buyers today want choices and RWC offers more choices in warranty plans than any other warranty company. Convincing a buyer that you have what he wants or needs is the surest way to a sale. We want to help you convince that buyer. Not only does RWC offer a 10 year new home warranty, but a variety of other warranties are available as well. Other options include remodeling warranties, detached garage, building systems, HUD-code warranties, and customized state warranties... just to name a few. See our entire menu of choices here.

Don’t hesitate ~ RWC is a great addition to your toolbox! Talk to an RWC Account Executive today about the benefits of being an RWC Member or click here to get a warranty quote.

MORE PROSPECTS = MORE POTENTIAL BUYERS = MORE HOMES SOLD

Typically home buyers have the choice of two types of homes on the market: resale or new. According to NAHB, home buyers planning to buy (or build) a brand-new house or condo often cite energy efficiency, an open floor plan, a warranty, and being able to select specific items such as appliances, types of flooring, and colors schemes as factors driving their choice.

Let’s talk about that one intangible product homeowners want that isn’t used or seen on a daily basis - a warranty. Friends and family may admire the great room’s high ceilings or ooh and ahh over the gourmet stove, but that doesn’t make a warranty any less attractive. In the event that a home would develop a Defect, a homeowner will be grateful that their Builder was savvy enough to protect their home with a warranty. The average cost to repair a major structural failure exceeds $30,000. Having a written and insured warranty in place on the home means that warranted structural components will be repaired without causing the homeowner serious financial hardship. Now that kind of peace-of-mind is truly priceless.

The numerous advantages of having a warranty on a newly built home simply go beyond words on paper. It's a state of mind -- a feeling of security and comfort. In fact, a new home warranty from Residential Warranty Company, LLC (RWC) is one of the least expensive, longest lasting products a builder can purchase for the homes they build. It brings incredible value to the table not only for the builder and the initial sale but subsequent resale value as well.

With over 3 million homes warranted and 35+ years’ experience under our belt, RWC and affiliates have established itself as a rock solid leader in home protection and risk management. So we ask, besides your standard 10-year warranty, how else can RWC help you and your buyers?

Remodeling? There's a warranty for that. Building a modular or log home or working on a commercial project? We have that covered, too. Or maybe you’re looking for something a little more customized for the state you build in? We’ve got an exclusive for you! RWC’s Customized State Warranty (CSW) Program is the most unique and specialized warranty program in the industry. Each individual state warranty is crafted to meet that state’s statutes regarding new home warranties. Also available are free training session for your staff, free marketing materials, and various commercial lines of insurance including general liability, builder’s risk and contractor’s equipment exclusively for members through the RWC Insurance Advantage.

Whether you are brand new to RWC or a longtime member, know that we are here to help you provide the peace of mind that homeowners crave. Be sure to take full advantage of the numerous warranty options and services.  Don’t miss this opportunity to give your buyers the best house warming gift yet!