Your Input is Needed! Complete a Survey About a Building Rehab Contractor Certification Program

Here’s a message from our colleagues at the Department of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (DAHP):

Over the past several months, a small working group of preservation trades contractors, educators, and local government representatives, as well as staff from the Washington Trust for Historic Preservation and DAHP have been meeting to explore the idea of establishing a certification program for historic building rehabilitation contractors.

Using the popular Master Gardener program as a model, the group’s goal is to establish a program whereby contractors can achieve certification to demonstrate that they are knowledgeable and skilled in proper historic building rehab techniques and principles. The program is seen as benefiting certified contractors who can market themselves as having attained skills for appropriate rehab work as well as historic building owners who want/need to employ qualified personnel to work on their rehab projects.With the Master Gardener program in mind, the working group approached external programming staff at WSU to scope out what a building rehab contractor certification program might look like.

At this point, the effort has reached a critical juncture: they need to assess the demand or market for this program before moving forward. This is where you help is needed. To gauge the demand for the program, a brief questionnaire has been developed. You are encouraged to take up to 10 minutes of your time to read the background information and answer eight multiple choice questions. Simply click on this link to complete the questionnaire. Space is provided to write comments or suggestions. Also, if you support this effort, the group is also looking for ideas about what to call it. If you have an idea, please write it in the comment box.

Of course, responses are completely confidential and electronically submitted to DAHP. However, if you would like to stay informed about this effort, please input your contact info before pressing the “Submit” button.

Finally, if you know of others who might be interested in this program and completing the survey, please let them know.