Garrett could make sprinkler system decision later this month

Just two contractors working in county authorized to install
Megan Miller
Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — The Garrett County Commission could decide as early as July 27 whether new homes built in the county should be required to contain automatic sprinkler systems.

The sprinkler requirement is included in the 2009 International Residential Code, adopted by the state of Maryland, which applies to one- and two-family homes. Counties can choose to adhere to the code as-is or to adopt it with local amendments.

That means it’s up to the commission to decide whether to adopt or opt out of the sprinkler requirement, which would go into effect Jan. 1, 2011.

The commission heard public comment on the proposed change during its meeting Tuesday, but only a few individuals spoke on the issue, including contractor Roger Sines of Roger Sines Construction Inc.

“I think it’s going to hurt the construction industry,” Sines said. “People are going to say, ‘I’m not going to do that.’ ”

Sines and other opponents of the change have argued that the added cost of a sprinkler system will deter people from building new homes in the county.

But proponents of the measure say it will make homes safer for occupants and firefighters, and could lower the cost of homeowners’ fire insurance.

Dennis Mallery, president of the Allegany-Garrett Counties Volunteer Fire & Rescue Association, wrote to association members in June that the sprinkler issue comes down to a question of safety.

“There should be no debate over this issue,” Mallery said in his letter to firefighters. “The WMHBA (Western Maryland Home Builders Association) continues to voice their concern that it is not the right time economically to require residential sprinklers in new 1-2 family homes. When is there a ‘right’ time? After a family member or firefighter is injured or killed?”

The cost of such a system could add anywhere from $8,000 to $20,000 to the cost of a new home, Sines estimated.

Previous estimates have figured sprinklers at a cost of between $1.60 and $2 per square foot of space, meaning that a system for an average 2,000-square-foot home would cost between $3,200 and $4,000.

But many factors can drive up that cost. For example, homes relying on a private well could also be required to install a reservoir and fire pump to drive the sprinkler system. Even homes on public water could need a pump if the water pressure is not adequate to meet the required sprinkler output.

The revised code requires a minimum of two sprinkler heads to spray 26 to 30 gallons of water per minute for a 10-minute period, for a total of 260 to 300 gallons of water.

To complicate matters more, only contractors licensed by the State Fire Marshal’s Office can install the sprinkler systems — and only two such contractors have been operating in the county, according to Jim Torrington of the Garrett County Department of Planning and Land Development.

Torrington said his office had received only one written comment on the issue as of Tuesday, a letter from the Home Builders Association of Western Maryland requesting implementation of the sprinkler requirement be postponed to 2012. That would allow more time for homes now under construction to be completed as planned.

The commission will consider the sprinkler issue along with other building code changes adopted at the state level, including one that reduces the maximum steepness allowed for stairs in new homes.

The public comment period for the county ordinances will remain open until July 27. Comments can be submitted to the Department of Planning and Land Development.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350 Deep Creek Lake Info, Business Directories, Classified Ads, Events & more! Advertise on www.DeepCreekAlive.com!

Consumer Protection Division Orders Garrett County Home Builder to Pay Over $500,000 in Restitution, Damages and Penalties

April 27, 2010
by Maryland RealEstateRama

Category: News || Housing & Development | BALTIMORE, MD - April 27, 2010 -(RealEstateRama) —

Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler announced today that his Consumer Protection Division has issued a final order requiring Deise Custom Homes, LLC and its principal to pay more than $480,000 to consumers and penalties of $34,000. The Division found that Richard E. Deise, Jr., and his company, Deise Custom Homes, violated Maryland’s Custom Home Protection Act and New Home Deposit Act by failing to place or maintain money paid by consumers into an escrow account or having a surety bond to cover the deposits and payments. The Division also found that Deise and his company violated the Home Builder Registration Act and the Consumer Protection Act by failing to build homes as promised.
The Division found that Deise and his company collected substantial deposits and payments from at least four families toward the construction of new homes in Garrett County, then failed to protect those payments as required by Maryland law, failed to complete construction of the homes, and failed to pay refunds to any of the consumers. The order bars Deise and Deise Custom Homes from acting as a home builder in the State of Maryland unless they meet requirements set by the Division, and requires payment of $384,835 in restitution, $99,903 in damages, $34,000 in civil penalties, and $7,926 in costs.

“Before paying any money towards the construction of a new home, consumers need to protect the biggest investment of their lifetime by ensuring that their home is being built by a registered home builder and that any deposits they make are protected by an escrow account, bond, or letter of credit,” said Attorney General Gansler.

Home builders are required to give consumers a pamphlet prepared by the Office of Attorney General that discusses consumers’ rights under the law and steps consumers can take to protect themselves. New home buyers are encouraged to check whether their builder is registered by contacting the Division’s Home Builder Registration Unit at (410) 576-6573 or toll-free at (877) 259-4525, or by visiting the Attorney General’s website at www.oag.state.md.us/homebuilder.

Read more here.

If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Garrett County or Deep Creek Lake, Maryland, call Jay Ferguson of Railey Realty for all of your real estate needs! 877-563-5350

Lowes Construction Well Underway

If you have been on Garrett Highway in Oakland in recent weeks, you have no doubt noticed that Beitzel Co. is laying the ground work for the new Lowes home improvement store. It's really amazing to me to see how quickly the earth was moved and storm water management ponds were built. I, for one, am excited about the prospects of having a home improvement store with this amount of on-site selections available locally. I know it will have an impact on local businesses, and that is part of competition. Theorhetically, it will drive prices down for consumers here, and that is good news in these tough economic times. The gas we save from driving to Morgantown, WV; Uniontown, PA; or Cumberland, MD (which are the closest stores in the chain) will add up very quickly.

One downside of this is the amount of home improvements I have put off over the years. Now it looks like I will be forced to spend that extra gas money on fixing leaky faucets and replacing older fixtures...

Third Street Bridge Under Construction

AFTER YEARS OF WAITING, anticipation, and yes, occasional irritation, particularly for Oakland residents who live along Third Street and other parts south of the railroad tracks, construction is now well under way on the new bridge that will span the tracks. Because the project involved the “coming together” of a number of property owners, the railroad, several utility companies, and a variety of government agencies, progress was, not surprisingly, exceedingly slow for several years. While things are moving along well now, the new bridge will likely not be completed and open for traffic until next spring. Photo by John McEwen.

Decline in building permits puts Garrett in line with national trend

Decline in building permits puts Garrett in line with national trend
Sarah Moses
Cumberland Times-News
OAKLAND - Building permits in Garrett County are down for the year to date by almost 10 percent when compared to this time last year, a trend that has continued since the peak of building in 2004."I think it's following the national trend," Jim Torrington, chief of the county's permits and inspections division, told the county commissioners at their Tuesday meeting. "Though I've talked to some contractors who think they will be up."Commissioner Fred Holliday commented that each year there has been a decrease, with contractors saying there would be an increase.Torrington said the contractors have been keeping busy despite the downturn.The biggest decline in building permits for the first five months was in residential permits, with a drop of 16.3 percent in single-family homes, 33.3 percent in double-wides and 50 percent in mobile homes.Increases in duplex permits have occurred, with four permits issued as opposed to one by this time last year.Commercial and industrial properties are also on the rise, with 36 permits issued from January to May. This is 14 more than last year, and 17 more than in 2004, when overall building permits were at their highest.Despite the increases in commercial and industrial properties, like other permit areas, the average declared value is considerably less than previous years, with the average at $98,789, where it was $351,522 last year.The largest amount of the total value of the properties to be built remains at Deep Creek Lake, with 67 percent of the total $29,854,301 to be constructed. About half of the homes to be constructed in the county and a like amount of the total square footage will be at the lake. This puts both the percentage of value and permits higher at the lake than it has been in five years."Things have gone down considerably from where we were," John Nelson, director of planning and land development, said. "Hopefully, things will turn around."

Contact Sarah Moses at smoses@times-news.com.