Need help with housing Issues?

Disaster Resource Area

The HBAA's Disaster Resource Center was established after the most damaging hurricane season in U.S. history. We recognize that rebuilding areas affected by hurricanes and other natural disasters will take many months and perhaps years.

There is a vast wealth of information for both consumers as well as builders about how to prepare for disasters, steps to recovery, and other resources. This section of our website is devoted to providing that information in order to make the rebuilding and recovery process less cumbersome.

Consumer Information
How to Choose a Builder
How to Prevent Home Repair Fraud
Hurricane Prepardness
How to Safeguard Your Family and Your Home During a Storm
Disaster Articles

Builder Information
If you are a builder or contractor who is hired to rebuild a home damaged by natural disaster, it is more important than ever to make sure that you have a detailed contract spelling out what you're going to do and what the homeowners expect of you. A contract protects both you and the homeowner, and can help eliminate frustration for both parties.

HBAA members can access the sample contract and warranty language in the members-only section of this website. Please note that this is just sample language; you should personalize the contracts or warranties to fit your needs. As always, consult with your attorney before signing any contract. This is especially important if you are using this sample contract language for a job outside of Alabama .

Several states have a reciprocity agreement with Alabama, which allows tradespeople from other states to work in Alabama without having to re-test for that particular trade, although they must still apply for the license and pay the regular fee. Although this does not relieve the responsibility of paying fees, it does allow them to speed up the process by bypassing the testing requirements for the specific trade. (The testing requirement is waived because the boards have determined that the testing requirement of their home state is comparable to that of Alabama .)

The list of regulatory boards with reciprocal agreements is below. NOTE: Currently there is limited reciprocity with the state of Florida . For that reason, Florida does not appear on the matrix. Specific questions from individuals should be directed to the appropriate trade board.

Contact Details
Home Builders Licensure Board - 334-242-2230 - www.hblb.state.al.us/
General Contractors Board - 334-272-5030 - www.genconbd.state.al.us/Default.htm
Electrical Contractors Board - 334-269-9990 - www.aecb.state.al.us/board_staff.htm
HVAC Board - 866-855-1912 - www.hvacboard.state.al.us/
Plumbers & Gas Fitters Board - 205-945-4857 - www.pgfb.state.al.us/index.aspx
Onsite Wastewater Board - 334-269-6800 - www.aowb.state.al.us/

Giving to Relief Efforts
In response to Hurricane Katrina, the Alabama Home Builders Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Home Builders Association of Alabama, established an account specifically for hurricane relief donations. Relief efforts from the Foundation are currently being devoted to the Bayou La Batre area on Alabama 's Gulf Coast . Already one of the poorest areas of Alabama before the hurricane, Bayou La Batre sustained much physical and economic damage in the wake of Katrina, particularly to its shrimping industry.

The Alabama Home Builders Foundation is a 501(c )3 charitable organization. If you wish to make a tax-deductible donation to the Foundation's hurricane relief efforts, please send checks payable to the Alabama Home Builders Foundation and earmarked for hurricane relief. Send checks to:

Alabama Home Builders Foundation
P.O. Box 241305
Montgomery , AL 36124-1305

For more information about how relief donations are being utilized, contact the HBAA at 1-800-745-4222.

Links
The following are links to websites with further information about disaster preparation and recovery:

National Association of Home Builders — www.nahb.org
Disaster Contractors Network — www.dcnonline.org
PATH (Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing) — www.pathnet.org
Department of Energy's Disaster Recovery and Building Reconstruction — www.eere.energy.gov
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) — www.fema.gov