3.1 - Member Feedback
The following are individual responses to various communications received by the A-Team throughout the month.
Feedback regarding the recent annual conference has been compiled and placed at the front.
Received by email:
Hope all is well and you got at least a small rest period after a great convention. I’d like to congratulate you on the program. [We] really enjoyed the venue. See friends we hadn’t seen, meeting and making new friends along the way.
Email received by info@aibd.org on 8/2/2026 regarding the conference:
I hope everyone is doing well. Addison and I are recovering from our quick two-day trip to Cleveland for the gala. We had a wonderful time, and I enjoyed making new friends and catching up with old ones.
I have an idea that I think would be a great addition to help promote both the ARDA award winners and AIBD. If you look at my email signature, you will see my signature image along with a badge recognizing a design contest I won last month. Chief Architect recently began providing winners with a ZIP file containing promotional graphics for use on websites, social media, and email signatures.
Would AIBD consider creating something similar for ARDA award winners? A professionally designed digital badge—perhaps identifying the award category and year—could be provided for winners to display in their email signatures, on their websites, and across social media.
I think this would give award recipients another way to proudly showcase their accomplishments while also creating greater visibility for the ARDA Awards and AIBD.
I would love to hear your thoughts.
Have a Blessed Day!
Staff Note: Such an image (or badge) exists. This person was a first-time ARDA winner and was just a little ahead of our typical ARDA entrant follow-up email.
Garrett released a recording of the last conference session led by Brandon
2026 Membership Survey Responses - Board of Directors
Email received by info@aibd.org on 8/5/2026 regarding the conference:
Team!
Great event as always!
Feedback on Meander Emails:
Email received by info@aibd.org on 8/12/2026 regarding Meander Email sent today:
Wow, loved this article about the Hawaiian palace.
Email in response to the 8/12 Meander.
Thank you for sending this out. I was born and raised in Hawaii, we all revere the palace and the sad history of Hawaii. We appreciate this additional information and you bringing it all to light.
Email reply to 8/26/26 Mid Week Meander:
Very interesting story, thank you!
Feedback on an email about advocacy and codes.
Email received by info@aibd.org on 8/14/2026 regarding AIBD's year in advocacy: codes changed, a policy repealed, wins across states email:
Congratulations on this remarkable achievement. Your dedication, discipline, and commitment to excellence are clearly reflected in this milestone.
In response to the Friday, 8/14, email about Jack's annual meeting report.
Thank you once again for all the hard work that you do on our behalf! You are very much appreciated.
In response to Friday's email regarding AIBD's year in advocacy: codes changed, a policy repealed, wins across states:
Thank you for the good work!
Monday Minute Feedback.
Email reply to the Monday Minute on 8/31/26:
here in mobile county alabama the IRC sec 300 states that if the wind speed exceeds 90mph the house has to be engineered.
22 pages of notes and details for $3000-$5000.
being a member of the AIBD does not matter to the local Building INspection Department. used to just put some details added to the plans, then got a permit. If a engineer is involved I only draw the floor plans and exterior elevations. these are $300-759k homes.
attached are a example.
Email reply to the Monday Minute on 8/31/26:
You can take my name off your list. The article claiming that building codes drop housing prices is pure balderdash. We organized 27 builders in opposition to onerous code enforcement in Dripping Springs, Texas. We collectively determined that more than $24,000 was needlessly added to each house. That not only came from needless spec requirements lobbied by the manufacturers of the code-required items, but the time lost to multiple and needless inspections.
How many houses has the University of Alabama built? ZERO!
General Membership Feedback
An email received from a member:
Membership...the expression "I've seen to much" comes to mind.
Membership is actually a VALUE equation. You get out of it what you put in. You are either invested looking for a return or you have enrolled to feel good that you belong. Belonging is important, but it is just a pat on the back if you are not invested. Actually membership can provide both value and belonging. That is having your cake and eating it too.
Back to value. I have seen good return on my membership value recently when I needed a recommendation for an out of state structural engineer. This happened again when I needed a builder recoomendation. The AIDB members I contacted did not know me, BUT we were part of the same tribe. They WANTED to help and they did. It felt like family.
Another observation... it's like having a new sports car... it looks great, but if you don't drive it, where is the enjoyment...in the case of membership the exchange of ideas, the group problem solving and the camaradiere developed in those dialogs is like taking that new sports car on a road trip.
The recent Conference was was a great example of the reward on membership investment. I met new people that I enjoyed speaking with. I was inspired by the ARDA awards with new ideas, and gained new insight into the value add of the AIBD organization for advocacy and education. I think I will stick around for a good while...
An email received from a member:
I hope you’re doing well. I don’t know if you are aware or not, but there are several websites at this that that have added plans to their site that are “changed” original plans and they are selling them for pennies on the dollar, through their website and sites like Etsy. This is a rampant problem that has to be addressed and the courts have to reconsider prior rulings to prevent putting our industry out of business.
This site claims to own every design on it. And there is a multitude of AIBD designers that have their plans, plan images, and CAD files represented on the site.
https://myhomefloorplans.com/ This is just one, for starters.