Building Industry Association
of San Diego

Interior Specialists, Inc. was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, CA. Today we consist of a family of companies throughout the 8 Western States.

Interior Specialists specializes in providing a complete turn-key solution for interior finish materials and services that include design and installation of flooring, countertops, and window treatments.

At ISI, each installation includes our industry leading pledge of excellence. We are recognized by the NAHB for certification as the top ranking flooring contractor year after year. “Timeliness – Completion – Cleanliness – Safety”.

Our company of dedicated professionals, ongoing training programs, and well managed systems continuously set us apart from our competition.

Interior Specialists have been members of BIA San Diego and NAHB since our inception. We participate and support the BIA and appreciate the legislative support, as well as the high standards that are encouraged by the BIA.  With members working with members, our industry grows stronger.

 “New home builders are constantly faced with two tremendous challenges:  delighting their home buyer and completing construction on schedule. We help builders deliver on both! With our passion for “getting it right the first time”, experienced builders and discriminating home buyers prefer Interior Specialists for our customer-focused design centers, operational excellence and outstanding client services.”

Press release from the City of Encinitas:

“To promote energy efficiency, environmental stewardship, and sustainability, the City of Encinitas and EsGil Corporation, the City’s contract building permit and inspection services provider, have partnered in a one-year program to waive or reduce permitting fees for the installation of energy efficiency systems, to include:

•           Solar Photovoltaic (PV) systems

•           Solar water heating systems

•           Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE)

•           Clean Natural Gas (CNG) home refueling systems

Beginning August 1, 2012 through July 31, 2013, all permitting fees for basic installations of these systems will be waived. For installations that require permitting and inspection beyond that needed for basic installations, such as for larger, more complex installations or those in fire hazard areas, a fee reduction equivalent to the basic permitting fee amount will be provided.  For more information, please contact the City of Encinitas Planning and Building Department at (760) 633-2710.”

Kerry Kusiak, Senior Planner II

City of Encinitas

Planning and Building Department

505 South Vulcan Avenue

Encinitas CA 92024-3633

phone: (760) 633-2719

fax: (760) 943-2226

email: kkusiak@encinitasca.gov

Oceanside’s City Council decides Wednesday to extend deferred collection of developer fees for two years.  The action addresses construction job growth as a stimulus measure which shows some promise.  State law supports fee deferral as practiced by nearly all cities in the San Diego Region.  We applaud the City for enacting ways to jumpstart our jobs.  It is not a “Gift of Public Monies” to developers as opponents would have us all believe.  City Hall is not fronting funding for development plans as critics also opined because no transfer or forgiveness of any City funding occurs.  The full fees and increases thereto remain owed no matter what happens and the City is fully protected against default. 

No developer risks their entire project over unpaid fees.  If the fees are not paid, the developer or their successors cannot get the Certificate of Occupancy for their completed project.  Deferral action on fee collection is, therefore, germane to the laws which cover this issue.  Developer Fees are collected to fund new infrastructure needed to offset the impact of new residents and new businesses.   Impacts happen once these homes and business are occupied and not before.  It’s called economic growth and we favor it.

The BIA Public Policy Council and the Board of Directors have given the green light to advance major policy objectives that are important to the resurrection of the San Diego construction industry.  BIA policy teams have been crafting language that if adopted will allow more flexibility in meeting the city’s park requirements and improve the time it takes to submit and approve plan checks.

If successful, both would improve the efficiency of the city’s regulatory review process and could lead to more park improvements  through the use of Park Equivalencies. The city allows the use of equivalencies as part of its City of Villages concept spelled out in its General Plan that calls for more urban infill and redevelopment to meet San Diego’s future growth but provides limited areas for new park space in already developed areas.  Park Equivalencies would allow projects to meet their park requirements through a variety of means including improvements to existing neighborhood parks that have long neglected due to budget constraints.

Self-certification is a process by which the licensed professional designer self-certifies that their plans meet all of the required standards applicable to their work. In many cases the licensed professional is required to sign an affidavit on the plans stating that their works meet all the requirements and they acknowledge their liability for their design. This could shave months off the plan check process and could be a significant incentive to make projects economically feasible.

Both concepts are part of the BIA’s 10-point long range plan to provide specific policy recommendations for City Council consideration.  The industry plans to present its recommendations at the fall hearing of the Land Use and Housing Committee.

Anticipation that the market is soon to rebound has reached fever pitch.  Every day someone points to a new indicator of revival – housing prices, permits issued, job numbers, you name it, someone has linked it to industry recovery.

Here at the BIA we try to keep our thumb on the pulse of the industry, too, and today we would like to submit our own proof of vital signs.  So far in 2012, about one thousand (1,000) individuals have attended at least one BIA event.  That is the same amount of people as attended BIA events in the entire 2011 calendar year! 

What does that mean?  It indicates a few things.  First, professionals in our industry have found it worth their time to grab their business cards and network with other professionals.  Business is being done.  When people shake hands and rub shoulders, it’s usually a good sign.  We are seeing almost twice as much networking this year over last be it at an educational seminar, a General Membership Event or at a Project Green Light public hearing in support of a project seeking approval.

Second, these numbers suggest that BIA events are valuable investments of your time!  If you haven’t attended an event, there’s a good possibility your competitor has!  The next general membership event is August 9^th – click here for details and to register.

Third, we have more Subcontractor, Associate, and Builder members volunteering on Councils and Committees compared to last year.  This is a fantastic way to sit side-by-side with other building industry professionals to collectively help the industry move forward.  With just one meeting a month and maybe a few phone calls or emails, the minimal time commitment for a Council or Committee will help position you and your company for better things as the market continues its upward trend.

Finally, your Association is doing well!  Where other associations have closed their doors during the recession, your San Diego BIA charted a safe course and continues to push for reform in local government.  The BIA is the single most effective tool for pushing back against over regulation, excessive fees, and development road blocks in San Diego.

Check back here for insight on your industry.  We are fighting to make San Diego a better place to work.

It’s been an exciting summer at the BIA, and part of the excitement has been celebrating the long years of service by two of our beloved team members: Matt Adams and Kellie Koon!

As of last week, Matt, our VP and Director of Government Affairs has been with the San Diego BIA for 15 years!  We are constantly impressed with his enthusiasm for slashing red tape and are grateful he is playing on our team!

Kellie is a veteran of 10 years!  She’s the most capable Comptroller anyone could ask for and has been instrumental in navigating for the BIA for the last decade.

Our heartfelt congratulations to them both!  We hope to have them for many years to come!  Be sure to pass on your congratulations next time you see them!

In an effort to work collaboratively with the regulated community, the RWQCB  has scheduled a series of 5 Stakeholder meetings.  The BIA staff and some BIA members have attended all previous meetings and have represented the Industry by placing members in the 3 seats afforded to our industry as Stakeholders.

The 3^rd meeting is scheduled for this Wednesday at 9:30am at the Carlsbad Faraday Operations Center at 1635 Faraday Avenue in the Faraday Center room 173.  The meeting is open to the public for observation.  For more information contact Mike McSweeney at 858-514-7004 ext. 104.

One of Mayor Sam Abed’s goals after becoming Mayor of Escondido was to make his City more business friendly.  After reaching out to the BIA for suggestions and putting his economic development consultant in touch with BIA staff, a new master plan was developed and will be released at Wednesday’s City Council meeting.  Most BIA recommendations, including the City’s recently adopted fee deferral program, are included in the report.

“Escondido mean business” said Mike McSweeney, BIA policy advisor.  “After meeting with the mayor, council members and staff, they took our suggestions to heart and started moving forward to implement them.  We appreciate the tone of cooperation and collaboration with Escondido’s staff and elected leaders.  They now have a better understanding of what BIA and our members can do to make Escondido a great community to live, work and play.”

The final draft of the Escondido Economic Development Master Plan and CEDS (Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy) will be presented to City Council for approval next Wednesday, July 25. To review the plan, click here.

Builders, interior designers and material suppliers, BIA Cares needs your help with donation of items for Furniture Fantasy, Cares largest fund raiser.  H.G. Fenton will graciously be allowing us to use one of their commercial buildings to hold the event (date TBD but probably in mid-October) which is a one-day sale of model home furniture, artwork, accessories, appliances, windows, doors, tile…just about anything you can think of that goes into a home.  If you are a materials supplier or interior designer and have items that have been hanging around for a while, please donate them to BIA Cares.  If you are a builder and are selling out a model complex, or simply have things in storage, please consider donating them to the Furniture Fantasy event.  It is a great way to clean out unwanted items while benefiting BIA Cares.  We have a storage facility downtown and can arrange to pick up anything you would like to donate.  Your donation is tax deductible and we will provide you with a letter for tax purposes.  

Please contact Lora Heramb, 619-495-6035 with any donation items or questions. 

Thank you for any help you can give.

Tile has a devoted following in Southern California.  Heavily used in Hispanic culture and seen in the form of mosaic art all around the County, most San Diegans appreciate good tile work.   But if you want the best tile work, you’ll have to look to its origins: Italy.  Mosaic sculptures date back thousands of years in Italy and to this day it continues to be known for its ceramics.  Marazzi Tile & Stone, which has been in business in the United States for over 30 years, is the first Italian owned producer of ceramics in the U.S.  With factories in Spain, France, Italy, and the U.S., Marazzi is exposed to cutting edge tricks of the trade from around the globe.

Massimo Ballucchi, spokesman for Marazzi, took the time to answer a few of my questions this week.

What would you say differentiates Marazzi from other ceramic producers?  “We possess the latest technology and thanks to our know-how we are able to offer the newest, finest products in the industry. We are backed by a strong holding group in Italy where we are constantly exposed to the first tier in products and technology.”

Why is Marazzi a BIA member?  “Marazzi knows that it is very important to be active and involved with a community of companies and people who keep important issues involving the development of residential and commercial projects as their focus and work hard to help minimize barriers for building smart projects in the region. The BIA provides a unified voice for our interests with leaders and policy makers and has directly contributed to the growth of our business in San Diego.”

Can you comment on where you think the building industry is now and where you think it’s headed in San Diego?  “There are many positive things happening today in the San Diego market, a nice change from the last few years. This market features such a diverse mix of industries, military operations, international border proximity and of course an outstanding environment in which to live and work.  We feel very confident that there will be ongoing development of single and multi-family housing, mixed-use, and commercial projects in the region for years to come, creating a dynamic community within the 8th largest city of the U.S.”

For more information please visit http://www.marazzitile.com/

On behalf of the BIA, it is a pleasure working with this fine company and we hope to continue to see them thrive in San Diego for many more years.

Russell York

Communications Advisor

russell@biasandiego.org