Quality & Professionalism Are Paramount.
That’s Why We Continue To Lead And Learn, Driving Excellence In Both Our Craft And Our Business. As Active Participants In Local, State And National Organizations, We Have Set Ourselves Apart Through Council Leadership, Professional Certifications And Industry Awards. Both John Gillette (2012) and Jackson Gillette (2022) are proud to have served as Remodel Council President of the Greater Houston Builders Association.
The annual Greater Houston Builders Association Remodeler of the Year award honors an individual for superior business management, exemplary Remodelers Council involvement at all levels, and outstanding contributions to the remodeling industry. Both John Gillette (2012) and Jackson Gillette (2022) have earned this coveted industry award.
Graduate Master Remodeler
Graduate Master Remodeler (GMR) is for experienced veterans only, and is the ultimate symbol of the remodeling professional. Before beginning the certification process and attending the advanced GMR courses you must have 15 years of remodeling experience and have earned a Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation. To maintain this certification requires continuing education.
Graduate Master Builder
Graduate Master Builder (GMB) is for experienced veterans only, and is the ultimate symbol of the building professional. Before beginning the certification process and attending the advanced GMB courses, you must have ten years of building experience and have earned a Certified Graduate Builder (CGB) or Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) designation. To maintain this certification requires continuing education.
Certified Graduate Remodeler
Certified Graduate Remodeler (CGR) is an exclusive professional designation designed to emphasize business management skills as the key to a professional remodeling operation.
Certified Aging In Place Specialist
Certified Aging-in-Place Specialist (CAPS) is a designation program that teaches the technical, business management, and customer service skills essential to competing in the fastest growing segment of the residential remodeling industry–homes modification for the aging-in-place. The NAHB Remodelers Council, in collaboration with AARP, NAHB Research Center and NAHB Seniors Housing Council developed this program to provide comprehensive, practical, market-specific information about working with older and maturing adults to remodel their homes for aging-in-place. To maintain this certification requires continuing education.
On August 28, two dozen GHBA Remodelers Council (RMC) crew members came out in full force to finalize paint and touch-ups to two office spaces they constructed for SEARCH’s House of Tiny Treasures, and then held the official ribbon cutting to dedicate the project. This is an RMC Charity Project that is in collaboration with HomeAid Houston, a 501 c 3 charity of the Greater Houston Builders Association. Over 20 companies donated materials, labor and talent to help complete this much needed addition.
SEARCH’s House of Tiny Treasures (HTT) is a nationally accredited preschool program that provides developmentally focused early childhood education to children, aged 2 – 5 years, who have experienced homelessness. Nutritious meals, education, and intensive art, play, and speech therapy address students’ needs and prepare them to be successful in kindergarten and beyond. This investment in early education for at-risk children strives to break the cycle of poverty and homelessness.
RMC Charity Project Chairs led the efforts to complete the two administrative offices. They were Will Cole with Divine Renovation; Jackson Gillette with Craftsmanship by John, Moe Toofan with Texas Building and Remodeling and Melanie Heinrich with TriFection Remodeling and Construction.
Additional crew was also present to complete the project. They included Kevin and Cheryl Vick, Dan Bawden, Jeff Ware, Rob Hellyer, Nakisha Roberts, Tori Loucks, Ashlee Williams, Alessandra Adrogue, Kristal Casey, Derek Smith Lila Smith, Leah Ford and Donna Buenik.
“We at the Remodelers Council are humbled to be associated with the giving hearts of HomeAid Houston,” said Will Cole, 2021 GHBA Remodelers Council president. “Search’s House of Tiny Treasures was a special project. HTT pre-school program provides homeless children with the tools they need to become successful in kindergarten. Talk about a true first start program! I would like to thank all of the volunteers and donors, too many to list in one breath! It is true, it takes a village to raise a child.”
HomeAid Houston partners with local non-profits that provide services to the homeless of Houston to help them when their facilities need construction improvements or need a new building constructed. The smaller remodel projects are called HomeAid CARES. HomeAid partners with the GHBA RMC Charity Projects each year.
“HomeAid is honored to work with the RMC and other GHBA councils and committees,” said James Miller, president of HomeAid. “They are all professionals within the construction industry, and they all share the same goals, to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate. We can’t thank their team enough for all that they do.”
The AIA Sandcastle Competition is a fundraising event for AIA Houston and ArCH Foundation as well as one of the top five revenue generating events for the City of Galveston. Competing teams have their eyes and shovels set on winning the prestigious Gold Bucket Award. Firms begin months in advance generating ideas, developing designs, and assigning duties. On the day of the event, the teams – stretched along the beach front – meticulously sculpt their piles of sand and work non-stop for five hours.
The judging of the sculptures is rated on originality of concept, artistic execution, technical difficulty, carving technique, and utilization of the site. In addition to the Gold Bucket, SIlver Shovel and Bronze Shovel, awards are given for Sustainability, College Challenge, Structural Ingenuity, Team T-shirt and Team Sign. The themed categories are Traditional Castle and Architectural Icon, and – NEW FOR 2022 – Pop Culture (Food, Selfies & Social Media…What’s your Hashtag?), Kidtastic – Board Games, Space Race (NASA JSC 60th Anniversary) and Americana (Route 66 + MIdcentury America). At the end of the day, everyone goes home with memories of a great day at the beach filled with fun, sand, and sun.