From the Publisher

Using U.S.-Made

Goods in Building

Creates Jobs

As a group, the building industry is as patriotic as they come. Many builders are entrepreneurs and all are unabashed boosters of the free-enterprise system. Their very profession — making the American Dream come true for families — is red and white and blue all over.

Now, despite the battering they’ve taken in the economic downturn, some builders are talking about how they can put more people back to work by buying American. 

ICI Homes Division President Don Wilford told me about an economist-turned-builder named Anders Lewendal, who’s building a home in Montana that will use 100 percent American products. It sounded intriguing, so I looked into it further.

Lewendal estimates that increasing the domestic content of new homes by just 5 percent would create 220,000 American manufacturing jobs. The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) is only slightly less bullish, estimating that a 5 percent increase in domestic content would create 175,000 manufacturing jobs.

And Lewendal is debunking the conventional wisdom that domestic building supplies can’t compete on cost. The Montana home’s price tag is barely 1 percent higher than it would have been using imported products.

And it’s about quality as much as price. For example, Lewendal found that a box of U.S.-made nails cost $5 more than those made in China. But the domestic nails were also less prone to jamming nail guns. 

Lewendal’s “Build America” campaign caught the attention of ABC News, which reported that his project is using 120 products produced in 33 states, including Florida.

Building a home using 100 percent American-made goods isn’t easy. Long, straight lumber used for vertical construction is more plentiful in Canada and buyers love their Italian marble.

But remember — just a 5 percent increase in American-made goods would have a huge impact. 

Don was inspired by Lewendal’s effort, and his enthusiasm is contagious. “This is good stuff,” he told me. “I will make it a personal goal to bring this to the forefront in 2012. It’s time.”

Knowing Jacksonville builders like I do, I’ll bet Don won’t be the only one.

Penelope Geismar

Publisher

penelopeg@florida-homebuyer.com