Master Builder Certification
NEW! from the Wisconsin Builders Association®
The Wisconsin Builders Association® Master Builder Certification™ is a voluntary certification program for Association members. The purpose of this program is to create a means by which WBA members can differentiate themselves from other industry practitioners in the state. It will further serve to increase the positive image of the industry.
Certification will require proof of professionalism on several levels, including construction experience, customer service, consistent use of warranties and trade contract agreements, willingness to use binding arbitration and mediation, a commitment to follow a higher-performance building standard, and a commitment to continuing education.
Be the builder of first choice by people who want to build or remodel their homes.
What are the benefits for holding the Master Builder Certification™?
The Master Builder Certification™ will be aggressively promoted to consumers through a strategic public relations effort. That effort includes but is not limited to the following:
- WBA will issue a news release announcing your certification achievement. This release will describe the rigorous requirements you met and will emphasize why holding this certification sets you apart from other contractors.
- WBA will also provide marketing language and the Master Builder Certification™ logo which you can use to promote your business.
- WBA will create brochures to help prospective home owners choose a builder for their project; this brochure will encourage them to choose a contractor with the Master Builder Certification™.
- Periodically, WBA will submit feature stories about Master Builders to trade magazines and newspapers to further promote builders who hold the Master Builder Certification™.
To earn your MBC, you must:
- Achieve 24 hours of continuing education within two years of applying for the Master Builder Certification™. Phase I, II, and III courses are required. A minimum number of Elective hours in each Elective category also will be required.
- Agree to provide your customer with a limited warranty (recommend a written, minimum 12-month limited warranty)
- Require written trade contractor agreements
- Include binding arbitration and mediation in all customer and subcontractor contracts
- Demonstrate that you follow a higher-performance building standard (e.g., Green Built, NAHB’s Green Building Program, Energy Star)
One of the biggest benefits is that you will gain cutting-edge knowledge as you pursue the continuing education requirements for the Master Builder Certification™.
To be eligible for the MBC, you must:
- Derive primary income from the residential construction and remodeling industry (including land development)
- Have a minimum of three years experience in construction, which includes business aspects
- Be a member in good standing of a WBA-affiliated local builders association
- Hold a current State of Wisconsin Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Credential
- Demonstrate a commitment to excellent customer service (e.g., no unresolved complaints filed with DATCP and the Better Business Bureau)
- Provide favorable written references from two customers, one subcontractor, and the contractor’s primary financial institution
Application for Course Consideration
What courses can be used toward the education requirements?
Candidates must achieve 24 hours of continuing education within two years of applying for the Master Builder Certification™. Current WBA affiliate certification programs will be reciprocal with the new WBA certification program, including but not limited to Brown County’s program, MBA’s Certified Construction Professional (CCP), and other similar programs offered by WBA affiliates. In addition, credits for NAHB certification programs will also qualify (CGB, CGR, and CGA).
Core Courses
The Core course offerings are intended to provide members a foundation to their education. There are two sets of Core courses: (1) Building/Remodeling and (2) Development. Each Core course will be approximately 3 hours in length. The WBA will establish the standard Core courses and these will be presented throughout the state on an annual basis; local HBAs may opt to offer these courses in their respective regions, but the courses must be approved by the Board of Advisors.* Core courses may not be offered by a non-Association entity. All core courses will conclude with an exam, which will require a passing score of 70%.
The first three classes (Building/Remodeling Phase I, II, III), which equal or exceed 9 credits, must be taken as part of the first 24 hours of continuing education in order to receive the Certified designation.
Core Courses – Building/Remodeling
Phase I – Contracts, Specs, and Plans
- Contracts
- Specifications
- Building Plans
Phase II – Codes and Practices
- Building Codes
- Remodeling Codes
- Construction Practices
- ATCP 110
Phase III – Customer Satisfaction
- Customer Service
- Closing
- Warranties
- Theft by Contract
- Ethics
Core Courses – Development
Phase I – Financing, Contracts, and Regulations
- Financing
- Developer’s Agreement
- Contracts & Contingencies
- Regulatory Bodies – What role do they play in your project?
Phase II – Development Process
- Development Process
- Rules & Regulations
- Stormwater NR 151/216
- Permitting
- Chapter 30
- Erosion Control
Phase III – Customer Satisfaction
- Customer Service
- Disclosures
- After the Sale
- Ethics
The WBA will track course offerings and individual participation. Furthermore, the WBA will ensure that all approved certified courses are also processed by the Department of Commerce for continuing education credit needed to achieve or maintain the State’s Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Credential.
Elective Courses
Elective courses will provide members additional opportunities to gain valuable knowledge on the latest information on building science, business practices, safety, and sales and marketing offerings.
Elective course offerings will likely be the main focus for WBA affiliate HBAs. Local associations may put on area-specific Elective courses subject to approval by the Board of Advisors.* Elective courses also may be offered by a non-Association entity. (Non-Association entities will be charged a processing fee to qualify Elective course offerings. WBA affiliates will not be charged a processing fee.) Official NAHB programs will automatically qualify and will be assigned a category (C/D, BP, SAF, and SM).
To maintain certification, a member must attend a minimum number of courses in each category. The following Elective course areas will be weighted toward Construction/Development, Business Practices, and Safety––at least one in each category every two years. Sales and Marketing courses will have a minimal requirement––at least one course every four years. All Elective courses will conclude with a quiz, which will require a passing score of 70%.
Elective Classes (approved credit hours will be determined by the Board of Advisors*)
Construction/Development (C/D)
- Codes
- Energy Efficiency
- Green Building
- What’s New? (new-product driven)
- Approved Courses & Conferences
- Indoor Air Quality
- Environmental
- Home Design
Business Practices (BP)
- Building Inspection Process
- Developer’s Agreements
- Development Process
- Permitting Process
- Estimating and Accounting
- Contracts and Law (Warranties, Right to Cure, etc.)
- Scheduling and Project Management
- Real Estate Courses
- NAHB Designated Courses
- Leadership Training
- Approved Courses & Conferences
Safety (SAF)
- OSHA Compliance
- Hazardous Materials Communication
- Scaffolding/Fall Protection
- Insurance
- NAHB Designated Courses
- Approved Courses & Conferences
Sales & Marketing (SM)
- Selling or Marketing Related Courses
- NAHB Designated Courses
- Approved Courses & Conferences
It is up to the individual to fulfill his or her own education requirements and submit documentation to prove s/he has earned those continuing education requirements. WBA will maintain a database that members can access to determine the appropriate number of hours needed to earn and then maintain their Master Builder Certification™.
How do you maintain your MBC?
You must maintain aspects of eligibility described earlier (“To earn your MBC” and “To be eligible for the MBC”), including earning 24 hours of continuing education every two years after certification.
Five reasons to apply today:
- Set yourself apart from other builders
- Build your knowledge of best building practices
- Stay ahead of the competition with cutting-edge information
- Get access to powerful new marketing tools
- “Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.”~~Will Rogers
Download an application here, or call 1-888-285-9066.
*All courses for credit must be approved by the WBA Education Committee’s Board of Advisors (within the same year the course is offered). This Board comprises eight people, including WBA builders and remodelers, a WBA associate member, a recent customer of a WBA builder or remodeler, a representative from the state Department of Commerce, a representative from the state Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, and a local HBA Executive Officer.
I am an education provider. How can I get my course approved for continuing education credits for WBA’s MBC?
First, understand that we are looking for high-quality, non-product-specific content, taught by high-quality instructors. If you teach how to install a specific brand of trusses or sheathing or insulation or other building material, we will not consider your course for the MBC. On the other hand, if (for example) you teach how to install trusses and you refer to more than four brands of trusses and their fastening and installation requirements, we will consider your course for the MBC.
Commerce Approval Required. Your first step is to get approval from the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, Safety and Buildings Division, to offer continuing education credits for your course for the Dwelling Contractor Qualifier Credential. The application form [http://commerce.wi.gov/SBdocs/SB-FormEdCourseApp9156.pdf] is on the Department of Commerce’s web site.
Once you have Department of Commerce approval for your course, we will consider the course for the Master Builder Certification™ program. However, Commerce approval does not guarantee acceptance into WBA’s MBC program.
Test Required. All courses must include an examination, and students must pass the exam with a score of 70% or better in order to earn credits for attending your course. You must administer the exam at your seminar or workshop, correct the exam, and send an affidavit showing the exam results to the participant. The participant will send that affidavit to WBA in order to get the continuing education credits for your course.
Documentation Required. Fill out and send in the “Master Builder Certification™ Application for Course Approval.” Send it to the Wisconsin Builders Association® along with the following:
- Your current resume
- Department of Commerce course approval form
- A course syllabus
- Student workbook and/or printout of PowerPoint slides
- Course examination
WBA’s address is on the “Master Builder Certification™ Application for Course Approval.”
