221 South Main Street

Liberty, IN

765.458.5111

800.762.7347

On April 27^th the Indiana Chamber of Commerce presented Miles-Richmond, Inc. with the Century Award at the Indiana State House.  The award was presented by the Lieutenant Governor the Honorable Katherine L. Davis.  This award is presented to companies that have been in business for at least 100 years.  Miles-Richmond, Inc., originally W.H.H. Clark Sons, was founded in 1890, 114 years ago. The photo was taken at the State House.  From left to right: Blanch Stelle (Union County Chamber Director), Malcolm Miles, Don De La Croix, Maurice Miles and Gary Finch

It’s Springtime Again!

            That means it’s a busy time for all of us here at Miles-Richmond.  As in past years, this year isn’t any different.  After thawing out from under all that ice we had this winter, we’re working hard to complete the jobs we have in progress, starting new jobs and bidding even more potential projects for the future. It looks like another busy year for all of us.

            As springtime marks a new beginning for many things, this year it marks a new beginning for a newsletter from Miles-Richmond.  Having never done a newsletter means we will be learning as we go.  We hope this will be an avenue for us to keep you informed of what’s going on here, what’s new and industry news.  If you have any ideas for what you would like to see in future newsletters please e-mail me at don@miles-richmond.com.

Jobs:

            We currently have jobs in progress from Riley, OH to Williamsburg, IN.  we have three new homes in progress, four to get in the ground, numerous remodels including roofing, siding, decks, kitchen & bath remodels, room additions and house renovation projects.  We’re currently running three crews on new homes and six crews on remodeling projects. 

Products:

            We are constantly updating our displays and adding new product selections.  We have just added a Tarket vinyl floor line and will soon have four product lines offered by Mannington.  We have also recently added granite vanity tops with under-mount bowls priced comparably to cultured marble tops.  These are available in seven colors and most standard sizes.  We have one on display for you to view.

Having just recently completed our showroom area, we already have plans to expand.  Taking over what is now our hardware area, we will be adding displays featuring more bathroom and kitchen products.  All this is in an effort to provide our customers with a wide selection of products to choose from to make their project everything they expect. 

Industry News:

            It’s no secret it’s a different world we live in since September 11^th.  It’s also a different economic environment.  It seems to be changing daily.  We all see the prices at the pumps going up and no one seems to know at what point they will stop.  Rising fuel costs and material shortages, along with other things, seem to be driving up prices across the board and building materials are no exception.  In the last six months to a year we have seen steel prices increase 100%.  7/16 OSB has gone from $6.00 a sheet to $18.00 a sheet.  Plumbing pipe and wiring have gone up 20-40%.  Lumber has increased 20-30% along with roofing, siding and insulation.  These increases are above and beyond the normal 3-10% increases we see each year.

As you can see, it’s costing even more to build than ever before.  So, should you wait to start your next project?  Well, you might want to consider a couple things before making your decision.  First, interest rates are still at a 40-year low.  Money is cheap to borrow, and who knows when we will see rates this low again.  Even when the rates start to go back up--and they will--anything below 10% is nothing to sneeze at.  Remember, not that long ago I might add, those 15-18% interest rates.  That 8-10% rate doesn’t look so bad after all.

            The second thing to consider is that materials, cost as a rule, are always on the increase.  Even though some things are abnormally high now, and hopefully will come down some, over all the cost of construction, like everything else, will continue to increase.  So waiting for something that no one can predict may just make you miss the opportune time to do your next project.

             On a whole, the economy seems to be improving and consumer confidence is building.  All the predictions seem to indicate another good year to build or remodel.

From the staff at Miles-Richmond, may God continue to bless you and your family!

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