Framing the Issue

Tariffs, Shipping and Materials with Charles Bowden

The vast majority of materials that you use to build a house are manufactured overseas and shipped to the US from around the world. That reliance on global shipping and distribution means materials can be subject to price fluctuations brought on by a wide variety of external factors. To discuss how the cost of your house is affected by the cost of transporting materials, our guest today is Charles Bowden of MSI, one of the world’s largest movers of building materials. Charles takes the time to break down trading routes from Asia, and how the closure of certain routes has forced shippers to raise the costs of getting their products to their destination, and how that affects the price the end user pays. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to the Episode and Guest 01:00 Guest Background: Charles Bowden and MSI 02:12 Overview of Shipping Logistics in Construction 03:17 What Are Shipping Logistics and How Do They Work? 05:03 Understanding Freight Class and Shipping Costs 06:29 Tariffs and Their Impact on Import Costs 07:17 What Are Tariffs and How Do They Affect Shipping? 09:09 Container Costs and COVID-19 Impact 10:53 Section 232 and 301 Tariffs Explained 12:47 Most Affected Construction Materials by Tariffs 15:33 Shipping Delays and Global Disruptions 19:25 Nearshoring and Its Growing Role in Supply Chains 21:04 What Is Landed Cost and Why Is It Important? 23:05 Budgeting and Price Escalation in Construction 26:49 Advice for Managing Material Costs and Tariffs 30:37 Future Outlook on Tariffs and Shipping Challenges 31:56 Closing Remarks and Key Takeaways

Land Development with Mike Kissel and Morgan Rushnell

Before you’ve put on piece of lumber in the ground or poured any part of a foundation, the job of transforming the land into something ready for building must begin. That process is also likely to yield situations that could lead to higher building costs, such as moving land, removing obstacles, and creating drainage, just to name a few.  To discuss these potential pitfalls and other costs of doing business are Mike Kissel of Mattamy Homes and Morgan Rushnell of LINE + PLACE. Mike and Morgan talk with hosts Aaron Kersey and Morgan Smith about what developers need to do to turn a piece of untouched land into land ready to support a thriving community. Listen to this episode now for discussion about grading, utilities, stormwater management, and the impact of technology on efficiency. 00:00 Introduction to Land Development Experts 02:48 First Steps After Land Acquisition 03:50 Understanding the Grading Plan 06:07 Cost of Moving Dirt and Cut-Fill Challenges 09:29 Stormwater Management and Phasing 11:29 Planning for Multiple Development Phases 12:17 Wet vs Dry Utilities and Installation Priorities 14:12 Dealing with Distant Utility Lines and Private Systems 16:02 Coordination with Municipalities and Utility Providers 17:20 What Is a Lift Station and Its Impact 21:09 Overhead vs Underground Utilities and Costs 24:31 Community Infrastructure: Roads, Amenities, and Bonds 27:25 Road Dedications and Public Maintenance 29:45 Navigating Municipal and NCDOT Requirements 31:26 Multiple Contractors and Managing Disruptions 36:25 Challenges of Rock and Unknown Site Conditions 38:29 Technology and Innovation in Land Development 42:43 Cost of Land Development Before Building Homes 44:12 Land Cost as a Percentage of Home Price 45:53 Mathematical Approach to Land and Home Costs

The Hidden Costs of Site Planning with Ward Marotti and Rob Reddick

Once you’ve found the land you want to build on and gotten the proper zoning, it’s on to figuring out how to build a structure and make it sustainable. Naturally, because communities and multi-family spaces use significant resources, you need to get your environmental impact done and done right. On the fourth episode of Framing the Issue, we talk to Ward Marotti of EnviroTrac and Rob Reddick of McAdams Engineering. Ward and Rob take hosts Aaron Kersey and Morgan Smith through the environmental considerations needed in site planning. They talk about the role of retaining walls and stormwater management, as well as how hidden costs can drive the price of projects up by hundreds of thousands of dollars. Resources McAdams Engineering - https://www.mcadamsco.com/ EnviroTrac - https://envirotrac.com/ National Environmental Issues Committee - https://www.nahb.org/ Stormwater Management Permits - https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-permits [https://www.epa.gov/npdes/stormwater-permits] Guest Links LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rob-reddick/ LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/ward-marotti-29245420/ Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Site Planning and Guests 02:54 Understanding Site Planning: Definition and Importance 06:09 The Role of Due Diligence in Development 09:05 Impact of Site Planning on Project Profitability 11:57 Environmental Considerations in Site Planning 15:08 Cost Implications of Environmental Assessments 17:55 Navigating Protected Species and Their Impact 20:54 Stream Crossings and Infrastructure Costs 22:39 Understanding Site Planning Challenges 23:43 The Importance of Walkability and Connectivity 26:15 Navigating Development Costs and Regulations 28:20 Hidden Costs in Home Development 30:08 The Role of Retaining Walls and Stormwater Management 33:24 The Permitting Process Explained 37:13 Community Opposition and NIMBYism 43:02 The Timeline of Home Development

Land Use and Entitlements with Bridget Grant and Rob Nanfelt

As we continue our examination of the home building process in Charlotte-Mecklenburg, we turn to two of the area’s leading experts on what you can and cannot do with a piece of land once you’ve acquired it. Bridget Grant is a land use and development consultant with Moore Van Allen and Rob Nanfelt is the executive director of REBIC (Real Estate Building and Industry Coalition), both located in Charlotte. Bridget and Rob join hosts Aaron Kersey and Morgan Smith for a discussion about how to get approval from the city and county to build your home.  Rob and Bridget explore the complex process of land entitlements, zoning, and community engagement in the greater Charlotte-Mecklenburg area. The team discusses how these factors influence housing costs, community opposition, and infrastructure planning, offering valuable insights for prospective homebuyers and developers. Connect with the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte at hbacharlotte.com [http://hbacharlotte.com]. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Land Development and Entitlements 01:08 Guest Introduction: Bridgette Grant's Background 02:12 Rob Nanfelt and the Role of REBIC 03:35 Recap of Land Buying and Entitlement Process 04:49 Difference Between Permits and Entitlements 05:38 Key Players in the Entitlement Stage 06:26 Factors Stretching the Entitlement Process 07:04 Community Engagement and Opposition 08:27 Community Meetings and Resident Concerns 09:21 Impact of Development on Traffic and Infrastructure 10:08 Transportation Referendum and Infrastructure Funding 11:04 Common Community Frustrations with Development 12:37 Benefits of Entitlements for Property Owners 14:43 Residential vs Commercial Entitlements 16:25 Due Diligence in Property Evaluation 17:27 Project Failures Post-Entitlement 18:17 Land Scarcity and Growth Challenges 19:10 What is a UDO and Its Purpose 20:25 Challenges in Implementing the UDO 22:01 Coordination Between City and County 23:10 Impact of Delays on Development Costs 24:33 Importance of Relationships in Entitlement Process 25:22 Differences Between Zoning Ordinance and UDO 26:07 Cost Implications of Development Delays 27:23 Cost of Apartments and Housing Affordability 28:19 Who Benefits from Entitlements? 29:01 Zoning and Land Use Regulations 30:21 Engagement and Civic Duty in Development 32:38 Final Thoughts and Next Episode Preview Resources Charlotte Regional Business Alliance - https://charlotteregionalbusiness.com/ Unified Development Ordinance (UDO) - https://charlottenc.gov/Planning/Pages/UDO.aspx Rebic - Real Estate and Building Industry Coalition - https://www.rebiclobby.com/ Charlotte City Planning Department - https://charlottenc.gov/Planning/Pages/default.aspx Guest Links LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgettegrant/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/bridgettegrant/] LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/robnanfelt/ [https://www.linkedin.com/in/robnanfelt/] DFW3UNW2MWZWFTKV

Land Acquisition with Cody King of Queen City Land and Chad Lloyd of DRB Group

In the first episode of the Framing the Issue podcast, hosts Aaron Kersey and Morgan Smith talk about land acquisition. Any prospective home builder’s first step is to find a piece of land to build on, but in Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, that’s not so easy, or cheap. Joining Aaron and Morgan for a discussion on land acquisition is Chad Lloyd of DRB Group, Division VP of DRB Group and Cody King, Director of Land and Queen City Land. Chad and Cody offer insights into the land acquisition process from site selection to permitting and beyond. Connect with the Home Builders Association of Greater Charlotte at hbacharlotte.com [http://hbacharlotte.com].