- Homebuilder Darren Tanner has been helping neighbors build homes for 30 years, focusing on safety, energy efficiency, and affordability.
- New 2021 housing codes in Michigan could raise homebuilding costs by $15,000 due to added insulation and structural changes.
- The 2024 codes, considered more flexible, were not adopted in time, so the 2021 codes will take effect later this year.
- Home Builders Association CEO Bob Filka warns the changes could price out 75,000 families from affording new homes.
- Filka plans to challenge the new codes in Michigan’s Court of Claims this week.
Darren Tanner has been providing neighbors with new homes for 30 years.
I asked him how does an owner bring those ideas to him, and he turn them into reality?
"That's a great question. It comes in many different forms. Some homeowners bring in pictures, some know right off the bat what they want and how they want it," Tanner said.
Using his expertise in homebuilding to create a dream.
"We want safe homes, we want energy-efficient homes, and we want affordable homes," Tanner said.
But affordability might be getting harder for homebuilders and buyers in Michigan due to new housing codes coming soon.
"The 2021 code update is concerning for a lot of builders," Tanner said.
The 2021 codes would require additional insulation in the home and thicker beams in the structure — things Tanner says will limit house design and add $15,000 to homebuilding costs.
HEAR WHAT HOME BUILDER DARREN TANNER HAS SEEN
OVER THE YEARS, WITH THE RISING COST OF HOUSING
A group of state lawmakers had an opportunity to implement 2024 codes but was unable to agree by the deadline, meaning the 2021 codes will take effect later this year.
"For every $1,000 increase in the cost of a newly constructed home, you lose more than 3,000 families when you price them out of being able to afford that home," Home Builders Association of Michigan CEO Bob Filka said.
Alongside tariffs, Home Builders Association of Michigan CEO Bob Filka said these codes could lead to an additional 75,000 families being unable to afford a new home.
"It doesn't make sense to add this type of code change at this point in time, particularly when there is a more flexible 2024 code," Filka said.
Tanner tells me homes like these are something he wants to provide to more neighbors in the future.
"To do that, we're looking for common sense in the codes. Common sense. We don't want to exclude more and more buyers," Tanner said.
The Home Builders Association of Michigan CEO tells me he will be informing the state that he intends to contest the codes in the Court of Claims sometime this week.
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