What the Midterms Mean for Your Drafting Table [Monday Minute]


November 9, 2026, Edition

#CreatingWherePeopleLive

This weekly newsletter

is created by and for those designing homes in North America.

Its editorial staff is the American Institute of Building Design, Inc., the premier association of residential design professionals.

Here's what you get:

  • Field Notes
  • Nuts & Bolts
  • Highlights
  • Workshops & Gatherings
  • What We're Up To
  • Amazing sponsors who help keep this newsletter free for the industry.

Let's dive in.

Email servers may truncate this newsletter because it is too long. Read the complete Monday Minute at AIBD.org/mondayminute.

If you received this as a forward, become one of our many delighted subscribers. Get insider access by signing up!​


Please support our sponsor:

Why it's great to partner with Provia:

Their philosophy, often referred to as The Professional Way, emphasizes accountability and integrity, ensuring that the products you specify are delivered with the same care you put into your drawings.


Field Notes

Employment Situation Summary

Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 165,000 in October while the unemployment rate held steady at 4.1 percent.

Steady job growth in professional services and strong consumer spending mean high-end residential clients are still financially secure. Now is a good time to pitch custom builds or major architectural overhauls before year-end budgets shift.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics

An 1892 Victorian saved from the wrecking ball

`

Check out a case study in historic adaptation. For a small design firm, it’s a reminder of how preserving unique architectural assets—like rare figured maple millwork—can elevate custom remodeling work and set your portfolio apart.

Even with its arresting exterior and handsome woodwork, it was “the house that no one wanted” until this family decided it should be theirs.

Source: Fine Homebuilding

Home Remodeling Expert Explains New Home Build Timelines

Get ahead of client scheduling friction with this breakdown from Tucson expert Robin Hartman (a paid press release)

Nail your planning deliverables and finalize selections early. The article shows how upfront clarity prevents permitting and inspection delays that clients often blame on the design phase.

A 9-to-12-month build cycle and soil quirks may feel far from your drafting table, but timeline expectations shape how clients view your speed. When homeowners read pieces like this HelloNation article, they lock in unrealistic milestones before you've even finished design development.

Source: Yahoo!Finance

What the Midterms Mean for Your Drafting Table

We asked our AI assistant to break down 10 statewide housing-related measures on the ballots; here's what it had to say.

“If you’re in business, you’re in politics” is a familiar saying among trade associations, chambers of commerce, and corporate advocacy groups. It reflects a simple truth: government policy, regulation, and legislation directly shape how businesses operate.

Voters have just approved more than **$36 billion** in housing bonds and mortgage programs nationwide, making capital for new residential projects available. But while the funding passed easily, the regulatory roadblocks remain.

Source: Perplexity.ai

Nuts & Bolts

Scarfing New Timbers to Old Columns

A solution for replacing rotten basement supports

Replacing rotten basement supports doesn't just keep old structures standing—it's a masterclass in preserving historical integrity without gutting an entire frame.

Instead of specifying a full-column teardown when rot hits the base, you can detail a hybrid shiplap and steel-bracket repair that preserves the historic superstructure above while upgrading the foundation load path.

Source: JLC│The Journal of Light Construction

Become a MondayMINUTE sponsor:

Highlights

Welcome New Members

And those returning

Octavio Flores, FLORES B.D.D, LLC. (NC), Professional Member

And a warm welcome to our new Associate Members, the Architectural Consultants at Sierra Pacific Windows:

  • Megan Anderson (UT)
  • Erin Belnap (UT)
  • Dennis Cukon (OH)
  • Michael Marmo (SC)
  • Natalie Oeser (AL)
  • Roy Williams (FL)
  • Channing Wilson (TX)
  • Dennis Young (AZ)

Thanks for Referring AIBD

This week's movers and shakers:

Congratulations to AIBD President Brandon Clokey (OH) on leveling up to Bronze by recruiting a new Professional Member! 🎉🥳

Member Anniversaries

Congratulations to those celebrating their membership anniversary this month.

Help us celebrate the following milestones. 🎉🎊

35 years

Mike Frimming, CPBD | KY | Professional | 11/15/1991
​John C. Dame Sr., TX | Professional | 11/15/1991

25 years

Ron R. Ressler, CPBD, CAPS | MI | Professional | 11/13/2001

15-years

Johan Hendrik Niemand, CPBD | SC | Professional | 11/4/2011

10-years

Vincent E. Livingston | TX | Professional | 11/1/2016
​Mauricio Hernandez | LA | Associate | 11/14/2016

5-years

Nima Mahmoud, CPBD | NV | Professional | 11/2/2021

Joy Bannister | TX | Professional | 11/10/2021

Beatriz Castro | TX | Professional | 11/11/2021

Joy Angelo Sciortino | SC | Professional | 11/16/2021

🎉🎊

Congrats! New CPBDs

Muhammad Nabeel Shakeel, CPBD, #52-114, Cornerstone Construction and Design, Lincoln, RI (10/19)

Certification demonstrates a professional's mastery of industry-specific experience and knowledge.

CPBD Anniversaries

Congratulations to those celebrating the anniversary of their certification this month.

Special congratulations to...
​20 years!

Axel Adalsteinsson CPBD | 48-693 | WA | 11/13/2006

15 years!

Traci DiGiorgio | CPBD | 44-523 | TX | 11/29/2011

10 years!

Lindsey H. Smith CPBD | 19-140 | LA | 11/16/2016 Kevin Kociuba CPBD | 44-731 | TX | 11/17/2016

5 years!

Michael Ertzinger CPBD | 44-805 | TX | 11/12/2021

Robert Nedd CPBD | 44-806 | TX | 11/23/2021

Eric Richmond CPBD | 48-726 | WA | 11/25/2021

🎊🎉

Thank you for your expertise, commitment, and passion for enriching our field and setting a high standard for those who follow in your footsteps.

Workshops & Gatherings

AIBD Chapters, Boards, and Councils

Click the links to view the topics and add them to your calendar.

November 17 - National Council of Building Designer Certification (NCBDC) quarterly meeting (Virtual) - 11:00 am ET

November 18 - Western North Carolina Chapter (Virtual) - 10:30 am ET - Get Your Designs Published on a Budget by Modern Rustic Homes

November 18 - Eastern Shore Chapter (Virtual) - 3:30 pm ET -Discussing “Ledge House”, a one-of-a-kind structure

December 2 - Board of Directors - everyone welcome!

December 4 - AIBD Office Hour (Virtual) - 11:00 am ET - 60 minutes (or so) of open discussion and collaboration (Members Only)

February 2, 2027 - AIBD's Viva Las Pizza Party (In Person) - Las Vegas, NV - 5:30 to 8:00(ish) pm - RSVP is Open!

AIBD Webinars

November 12 - 3:00 pm ET - Hiring Your First Employee: What You Need to Know (1.0 P1 CE) - Sponsored by Griffin Resources, LLC​

November 13 - Coffee with Bernie - 10:00 a.m. ET - Creating Where People Live (1.0 Elective CE)

November 17 - ​High-Performance Homes Team​ - 2:00 p.m. ET - Selecting the Right Glass

November 24 - CE Watch Party - 2:00 p.m. ET (45 min) - The Four Conversations: A New Model for Selling Expertise

December 8 - Members Helping Members - 2:00 pm ET - Design-Build: Chief Architect & Project Management Mode for Remodelers

Please support our sponsor:

Training Events

Hosted By AIBD CE Providers

AEC Daily - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

​AIBD 2027 Annual Conference - July 28-31, 2027 - Williamsburg, VA

Green Home Institute - ​Look for in-person and virtual events.

International Builders Show - February 2-4, 2027 - Registration is open.

NADRA Summit - March 3-5 at The Westin Cape Coral Resort at Marina Village. Cape Coral, FL

SelectSIPs Expo and Annual Meeting 2027 - March 8-9, 2027 - Phoenix, AZ - Registration is Open!​

SoftPlan - Virtual & On-Demand Training​

Traditional Building Conference - March 23 & 24, 2027 – Alfond Inn, Winter Park, FL 32789

What We're Up to

AIBD Board of Directors November Meeting

The AIBD Board of Directors convened for their monthly online session last Wednesday, diving straight into critical operational milestones, upcoming legislative updates, and preparations for the 2027 calendar. If you want to know where the institute is focusing its energy next, you can review the full November 4, 2026 Board Meeting Agenda to see how leadership is steering our profession forward.

Have a triumphant week.

Thank you to our AIBD Corporate Partners. Their generous support champions our profession, and we encourage you to support them in return.

​

Want to get fewer emails from us? Update your profile to choose your preferences.

If you don't want to receive ANY emails from us, please Unsubscribe.

Contact us at info@aibd.org, 800.366.2423, or 110 Front Street, Suite #300, Jupiter, FL 33477.

One more thing—in the spirit of transparency, we want to let you know that AI was used to help edit this email.

American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

The American Institute of Building Design (AIBD) is a professional association that promotes the highest standards of excellence in residential building design. AIBD offers a variety of resources to its members, including continuing education, networking opportunities, and marketing assistance. AIBD is a valuable resource for anyone interested in a career in residential building design. If you want to improve your skills, network with other professionals, and stay up-to-date on the latest trends, AIBD is the perfect organization for you.

Read more from American Institute of Building Design (AIBD)

This week, members are asking about handing off CAD files, sharing ways to keep the workday on track, and comparing notes on selling house plans online. There’s also a new tech tip and a heads-up about a suspicious project inquiry. Have experience with any of these? A quick reply could help another designer make their next decision. Find a conversation and jump in Would you hand over your CAD files? Lori Lowery’s client has asked her to release drawings for what he describes as a no-cost...

Pull up a chair tomorrow Have a project challenge you could use another perspective on? A business question you’ve been meaning to ask? Bring it to AIBD Office Hour tomorrow, Friday, November 6, at 11:00 am ET. There are no slides and no script—just members helping members work through questions, share practical solutions, and learn from each other. Come with something to discuss, or listen in and offer your perspective. Office Hour is free for AIBD members, and elective CEs are awarded. We...

Hello Reader, Congrats on surviving Monday and crushing Tuesday. Now, Wednesday beckons you to take a break and step into a pattern of discovery. Welcome to the Midweek Meander. Did someone forward this to you? Please consider subscribing. I couldn’t ask for a better fall day. Warm enough to not need a coat, with bright sun and blue skies making the mountains look even more colorful. And my friend and AIBD Eastern Shore Chapter Chair, Tracy Moller, has finally made it to my neck of the woods!...