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Building Connections is a monthly digital magazine produced and published by the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Fairfield County. Inside you will find the latest association news, legislative updates, upcoming events, and featured articles about the industry.

House in Kent, CT

BPC Green Builders

Photo By: Motif Media

AUTHENTIC TO YOUR DREAM

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Learn more at andersenwindows.com

Andersen is proud to support the Home Builders and Remodelers Assn. of Fairfield County and its members.

EXECUTIVE OFFICER WELCOME LETTER

Dear Members,

Welcome to the January 2026 edition of Building Connections. As we begin a new year, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the strength of our industry, the value of our community, and the opportunities ahead for the Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Fairfield County.

The start of a new year always brings fresh energy—and 2026 is no exception. Our association continues to grow because of you: our dedicated builders, remodelers, associates, and partners who show up, collaborate, and invest in the future of our industry. Whether through education, advocacy, workforce development, or community service, your engagement makes a meaningful impact across Fairfield County.

As we move into 2026, our focus remains clear: strengthening member connections, supporting business growth, and continuing to elevate the building industry as a whole. We encourage you to take advantage of the programs and resources offered this year and to stay engaged with your fellow members—because together, we are stronger.

Thank you for being an essential part of our association. We look forward to an exciting and productive year ahead.

Kind Regards,

Kerry Brunn Executive Officer

Home Builders & Remodelers Association of Fairfield County

MISSION

“ The mission of the HBRA is to help promote, protect & improve the building industry in Fairfield County. Our association is dedicated to promoting, strengthening, and informing our local home building market and those who work within it to ensure that we areindependently and collectively - a viable economic engine of growth now and in the future. ”

2026 OFFICERS

Immediate Past President John Hertz Hertz Construction Inc.

President: Rob Michaud Michaud Development Group

Senior VP: Brian Kurtz Interstate + Lakeland Lumber

VP & Treasurer: Chris Shea Domus Constructors, LLC

Secretary: Karen Bradbury Closet & Storage Concepts

2026 DIRECTORS

Lisa Heldwhite Breakwater Renovation & Design, LLC

Geoff Knapp Tooher-Ferraris Insurance Group

Robin Carroll Karp Associates

Tori McBrien McBrien Interiors

Bepin Mgushi Fixitup Building and Remodeling

Kevin Polcer Polcer Home, LLC

George Pusser Cornerstone Contracting

Stephanie Rapp Stephanie Rapp Interiors, LLC.

LIFE DIRECTORS

Joanne Carroll JMC Resources

Anthony DeRosa DeRosa Builders

Kim DiMatteo Cross Insurance

Jerry Effren

The Greyrock Companies

Gary Fanali City Carting

Peter Fusaro Preferred Builders

Michael Palumbo ERI Building & Design

Peter Gaboriault

Bear Paw Builders

Chris Steiner Steiner, Inc.

NORWALK PUBLIC SCHOOLS INTERNSHIPS 2025-2026

Help us introduce high school students to trade careers and build your workforce of tomorrow!

The Norwalk Public Schools Workforce Development Program connects driven students with employers looking to offer real-world, hands-on job experience.

NPSWDP will connect students with employers from their career of interest, and interns will be paid directly from NPSWDP - all you as an employer need to do is offer the interns real-world job experience in your field.

To join the program and hire a student intern, please contact Carol WiltshireToth at wiltshiretothc@norwalkps.org with your name, company, and field (building, electrical, interior design, banking, etc.).

STUDENT INTERNS IN THE PROGRAM ARE: 16+ YEARS OLD

2.0+ CUMALITIVE GPA GRADES 10 - 12

SEEKING REAL-WORLD, HANDS-ON EXPERIENCE IN THEIR FUTURE CAREER OF INTEREST

Have you gotten an email offering a list of IBS attendees, local builders/tradespeople, or similar?

Outside marketing companies have been emailing members offering lists with the contact info of IBS attendees, local builders or tradespeople, and even HBRA members for a fee.

These emails are a SCAM.

The HBRA will NEVER give out our member list to an outside company, and would certainly not allow them to charge for it.

While the marketing company may give out their own list of local builders claiming the information is from us, it is not our member list and we have no control over the information included or who they reach out to.

If you receive one of these emails, mark it as spam and delete.

Innovative Options and Designs to Complement Your Home

Pella’s Impervia® windows and doors provide unmatched strength, energy efficiency and lasting durability with proven performance. There’s never a need for painting or refinishing because with our powder-coat finish, our windows and doors resist chipping, chalking and fading.

Rot and corrosion-free to naturally resist water and bugs.

Complement your home with Pella’s proprietary, low maintenance fiberglass that offers a sleek and timeless style. Our windows and patio doors have been tested to withstand some of the harshest conditions, including extreme heat and sub-zero cold, damaging UV rays and seacoast environments.

Pella. Perfectly Beautiful.

For more information, please contact Sabina Mortillaro 631-219-9258 or smortillaro@pellactny.com

NEW MEMBERS

3D Claim Solutions, A Dillman Company| Chris Bierezowiec

Find out more HERE

3D Claim Solutions, A Dillman Company | Justin DeHart

Find out more HERE

Bilotta Kitchen & Home | Regina Bilotta

Find out more HERE

Fairbridge Asset Management | Biagio Maffettone

Find out more HERE

Lighthouse Design Build | Kristin Raymond

Find out more HERE

Precision Audio Visual | Adam Schechter

Find out more HERE

Slate & Copper Services l Patrick Dreier

Find out more HERE

Total Mortgage | Janice Figueroa

Find out more HERE

NEW MEMBERS

Zarra Development, LLC | Gary Zarra

Find out more HERE

NEW PWB MEMBERS

Bilotta Kitchen & Home | Regina Bilotta Find out more HERE

Lighthouse Design Build | Kristin Raymond Find out more HERE

Membership Discounts & Deals

Through agreements with more than 20 national companies, NAHB offers exclusive discounts on a variety of products and services that can benefit your business, employees and family. Members save big when they take advantage of these offers.

Steps to Access NAHB Discounts:

Please Note: Your nahb.org login is separate from your buildfairfieldcounty.com login.

If you do not have an NAHB account, select “Register” on the right side of the screen.

You will need the PIN you received when you first joined the HBRA – find yours by logging in to your account at buildfairfieldcounty.com, or contact the HBRA office and we would be happy to let you know!

After you log in, go to www.nahb.org/NAHB-Community/Member-Benefits/Savings Click on “Learn More” under the discount you want to use and follow the instructions.

See the NAHB "Member Savings Program at a Glance" handout for a full list of available discounts!

Steps to Access NPP Discounts:

Through the HBRA of Fairfield County’s partnership with NPP you can save on products for your business and employees. Membership is free. Visit www.mynpp.com/association/hbra-of-fairfieldcounty/

If you already have an account, select “Log In” at the top right to log in. If you do not currently have an NPP account, enter your information on the form on the right and follow the website prompts to create an account. Click on the discount you would like to sign up for and follow the instructions.

See the NPP handout for a full list of available discounts!

Upcoming EventsRegister Now!

Wednesday February 4 : General Membership Meeting th Closet and Storage Concepts, Norwalk | 5:30pm-8:30pm

Join us for the first GMM of the year, presented by the Professional Women in Building Council! Meet and network with your fellow members, guests and other industry professionals, learn more about the Professional Women in Building Council, and enjoy beer, wine, and assorted appetizers! At this meeting we will also swear in the PWB Council Board Members for this year.

Tues. Feb. 17 - Thurs. Feb. 19 , 2026: International Builders’ Show th th

Orlando, Florida

Presented by the National Association for Home Builders, IBS is the biggest event in building! Registration open now!

Wednesday February 18 : HBRA CT IBS Annual Party th

Rodizio Grill - Pointe Orlando | 5:00pm

Going to the International Builder's Show? Join the HBRA of Connecticut for for our annual IBS Party at Rodizio Grill in Orlando! RSVP Required - Space is Limited - register today!

Wednesday March 4 : General Membership Meeting th

Clarke Showrooms, Norwalk | 5:30pm-8:30pm

Save the date for our March meeting at Clarke in Norwalk - more info and registration coming soon!

Walk Your Plans

Blueprints & Business Connections at Walk Your Plans New York

On Wednesday, January 14th, members of the HBRA of Fairfield County, the Building & Realty Institute of Westchester, and Westchester Home came together in Port Chester for an engaging evening of Blueprints & Business Connections at Walk Your Plans New York. The event brought building and design professionals from across Connecticut and New York together for a behindthe-scenes look at one of the region’s most innovative design tools.

Attendees enjoyed an exclusive tour of the Walk Your Plans New York studio, experiencing firsthand how blueprints are transformed into full-scale, walkable spaces. The immersive technology sparked great conversations around smarter planning, reduced change orders, and more efficient project timelines—while giving guests fresh ideas to bring back to their own projects.

Beyond the technology, the evening was all about connection. The collaborative atmosphere made it easy to network, exchange insights, and build meaningful relationships with fellow architects, builders, designers, and industry partners.

Thank you to Walk Your Plans New York for hosting and to our partner organizations for helping make this event a success. It was a night of innovation, inspiration, and valuable connections we look forward to building on in the months ahead.

Which Local Markets Are Seeing Declines in House Pricing?

Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, house prices have surged nationwide. Between the first quarter of 2020 and the third quarter of 2025, national house prices climbed 54.9%. Local markets saw broad gains as well, with cumulative appreciation ranging from 18.3% to 88.4%, and 159 metro areas reached their highest recorded house prices in the third quarter of 2025.

However, this national trend masks significant variation across local markets. More than half of metro areas have now experienced at least some decline from their recent price peak. These declines range from a slight 0.1% dip to a more substantial 12.7% decline, with most of the downward trends beginning in late 2024 or early 2025.

Single-Family Home Size Continues to Decline

New single-family home size has been generally falling since 2015 as a response to declining affordability conditions. An exception occurred when new home size increased in 2021 as interest rates reached historic lows. However, as interest rates increased in 2022 and 2023, and housing affordability worsened, the demand for home size has trended lower.

Building Material Price Growth Remains Elevated Despite a Sluggish Market

Residential building material price growth continued to climb toward the end of 2025, even as the new home construction market showed signs of slowing.

According to the latest Producer Price Index (PPI) data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), price growth for residential construction inputs has remained above 3% since June, signaling persistent cost pressures for builders and developers.

While some materials — such as softwood lumber and ready-mix concrete — have seen modest price relief, others, particularly metal products, continue to post sharp year-over-year increases. The result is a mixed but still inflationary landscape for residential construction costs.

PWB Council Kicks Off 2026 with Vision, Connection & Community

We rang in the new year at our first PWB Council meeting of 2026 at Visual Comfort's beautiful, newly renovated showroom during our Design Your Year Vision Board Workshop. Members gathered to reflect, dream big, and map out personal and professional goals for the year ahead— leaving with vision boards (and mindsets!) they can carry with them into 2026. The room was filled with creativity, thoughtful conversation, and the kind of energy that sets the tone for a strong start to the year.

Also at the workshop, attendees had the opportunity to sign up for our new mentorship groups, designed to foster deeper connections and continued growth throughout the year. Members chose from three group—Work Hard / Play Hard, Market Yourself & Your Business, and Manage Your Money—which will meet quarterly to offer a space to share experiences, learn from one another, and build meaningful community. There is still time to sign up for a mentorship group!

CLICK HERE to see group descriptions.

CLICK HERE to sign up for a group.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make this kickoff meeting such a success. We’re excited for the year ahead and can’t wait to see how these visions and mentorship connections unfold in 2026!

CT Foodshare Volunteer Day

HBRA Volunteer Day at the CT Foodshare

On January 20th, HBRA members rolled up their sleeves to give back by volunteering at the CT Foodshare. In three hours we packages 15,600 pounds of food in 520 boxes, providing 13,000 meals to our neighbors in need!

This year the HBRA will be offering different volunteer opportunities quarterly to our members – stayed tuned for the next one!

Level Up Your Career with NAHB Connect

NAHB Connect is the go-to-online community for young professionals in home building. It’s a digital hub for professional growth, industry insight and member-to-member networking.

WHY JOIN

Enhance Your Career

Ask other members how to navigate your career path. Improve as a leader and grow your business.

Network with Industry Leaders

Tap into the knowledge of experienced industry professionals.

Grow Your Knowledge

Ask questions about real world scenarios and get helpful responses from people who relate to you.

1. Do you have an account on nahb.org? If not, go to nahb.org/register to create an account or scan the QR code below.

I have found NAHB Connect to be a very valuable resource for connecting with other members to exchange knowledge, expertise, and network.

~Nicolas Ream Montana Heritage Home Builders, Inc.

2. Go to connect.nahb.org/home, and log in with your nahb.org username and password.

3. Set up your profile, upload an image and start connecting!

SALES SHEET

GO BEYOND.

A subflooring panel with a built-in barrier for jobsite durability.

AdvanTech X-Factor panels are the latest innovation from the subflooring brand builders have trusted for more than 20 years for the FLAT OUT BEST™ start to a quiet, stiff floor. AdvanTech X-Factor is a new class of premium subflooring with a fade-resistant, watershedding surface on a high-performance engineered wood panel. With a built-in protective top layer, it takes the moisture resistance teams expect from an AdvanTech panel to the next level and pairs well with AdvanTech™ subfloor adhesive for a Squeak-Free Guarantee™1

The built-in, water-shedding top layer provides a distinctively smooth, even, premium subfloor surface that is marker friendly and easy to clean.

AdvanTech X-Factor Panels

CONNECTICUT LIGHTING CENTERS

X Design Consultation including on-site walk-throughs and Recessed lighting layouts

X Large offering and inventory of integrated LED Recessed Lighting

X Indoor and Outdoor Lighting for all applications

X Door, Cabinet & Bath Hardware

X Motorized & Manual Window Shades

X Lutron Lighting Controls Standard Wallbox to HomeWorks

X Bath Ventilation Fans

X Builder programs

Builder Sentiment Loses Ground at Start of 2026

Builder confidence moved lower to start the year as affordability concerns continue to weigh heavily with buyers, and builders continue to contend with rising construction costs.

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes fell two points to 37 in January, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB)/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI) released today. Read More

Mortgage Rates End 2025 at the Lowest Level of the Year

Long-term mortgage rates have been declining since mid-2025 and ended the year at their lowest level since September 2024.

According to Freddie Mac, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage averaged 6.19% in December — 5 basis points (bps) lower than November — and the 15-year rate declined 3 bps to 5.48%.

How Can Density and Varying Housing Types Influence Local Tax Bases?

Local land use decisions shape far more than the look of our neighborhoods. They directly affect housing affordability, infrastructure costs, and the long-term fiscal health of communities.

Fed Hits Pause on Easing as Inflation and Labor Risks Balance

The Federal Reserve paused its easing cycle at the January meeting of the Federal Open Market Committee. It held the short-term federal funds rate at a top rate of 3.75%, which is the level set in December. This is the first policy pause since the Fed resumed its easing in September.

NAHB Scored Major Victories for Members in 2025

n a year when affordability – most notably housing affordability – was the top issue for most Americans, NAHB laid the groundwork to make housing a top priority at all levels of government. We achieved several important legislative, regulatory and business wins in 2025 that resulted in an immediate and positive impact for our industry and our members.

Major milestones include:

One Big Beautiful Bill Act a Big Win for Housing. NAHB helped secure several key housing and business provisions in this sweeping tax and domestic policy legislation that will benefit small businesses, real estate and our members. Signed into law by President Trump on July 4, the legislation:

“Gatehouse Partners has been advertising with New England Home Connecticut since 2017, which has been instrumental in helping to get our brand in front of our target audience: homeowners, architects, and interior designers. Working with the New England Home Connecticut team feels closer to a supportive friendship than a business agreement. We highly recommend them (and their networking events) to everyone in the home industry!”

KRISTEN SULLIVAN, GATEHOUSE PARTNERS

Spend

Be Unstoppable with Help from UPS®

The world moves fast – and your NAHB UPS® Savings Program has the tools you need to help your small business move even faster. We’re here to help you push envelopes and ride the edge of what’s possible. We’ll be right by your side with everything you need to keep blazing forward. Let UPS® help make your business unstoppable. Members enjoy the following savings every time you ship:

• 50% off Domestic Next Day / Deferred

• 30% off Ground Commercial / Residential

• 50% off International Exports & 40% off Imports

• Up to 50% off on additional services.

• Plus, UPS Smart Pickup® service is free.

Don’t Let Shipping Mishaps Slow You Down

A lot can go wrong in shipping – package loss, breakage, porch piracy theft. The good news is that you can mitigate the financial impact of some shipping mishaps with InsureShield® shipping coverage. Through your NAHB UPS® Savings Program, you have access to insurance that can help keep your business moving despite the everyday risks of shipping. All you have to do is enter the value of the goods in the declared value* field of your UPS® approved shipping system and you are on your way to better shipping experiences.

Start covering your shipments today: savewithups.com/nahb

Can Offsite Housing Solve the Housing Affordability Crisis?

As the country’s housing market continues to face uncertainty and unaffordability with home prices and interest rates pushing sales to some of their lowest levels, the industry is looking for solutions. Offsite construction – a method in which components are planned, designed, fabricated in a factory setting and then transported and assembled onsite – is something more community-based organizations (CBOs) are turning to as a solution to the housing affordability crisis.

Lumber Capacity Has Peaked for 2025

Sawmill production has remained essentially flat over the past two years, according to the Federal Reserve G.17 Industrial Production report. The most recent data release contained an annual revision, which resulted in higher estimates for both production and capacity in U.S. sawmills. This revision shows current production levels above 2017 by 7.5% and an increased production capacity estimate peaking in the fourth quarter of 2024.

Ring’s End Window Installation

The Smart Choice for Contractors

When you trust Ring’s End to install your window package, you’re choosing efficiency, precision, and peace of mind Our factorytrained installation team ensures every window is measured, delivered, and installed to exact specifications so you can keep your project moving smoothly.

Installers are trained in the manufacturer’s recommended installation methods in compliance with the manufacturer’s warranty

We offer a ten-year limited warranty on the installation labor and workmanship we provide

STREAMLINED PROJECT MANAGEMENT

With one reliable partner handling both the product and installation, you eliminate coordination headaches, reduce callbacks, and protect manufacturer warranties Ring’s End provides single-source accountability, expert craftsmanship, and full compliance with building codes Ring’s End installers are registered Home Improvement Contractors in Connecticut, New York, and Rhode Island, and are EPA Lead-Safe Certified Renovators Save valuable time, deliver top-quality results, and give your customers the confidence that comes from a professional, seamless installation backed by the name contractors have trusted for generations.

“Ring’s End made window installation one less thing to worry about. Their crew was professional, efficient, and kept pace with our production schedule. Every opening fit perfectly. ” Jim Carpenter, Principal, Carpenter Construction