Industry news
Recalls, utility changes, housing, and the home-service industry. What happened, why it matters, and where to check the details.
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Industry news · Sep 13, 2026
A September 8 Labor Department notice replaces earlier pre-apprenticeship guidance and emphasizes connections to Registered Apprenticeship programs. For home-service businesses, it provides a current starting point for workforce partnerships while leaving project staffing and supervision questions to the contractor.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
The September 10 producer-price release shows higher August goods prices, including a sharp diesel increase. It is a reason to ask how delivery and quote-expiration terms are handled, not a formula for increasing every homeowner’s estimate.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
The University of Michigan’s preliminary September reading fell to 47.8 from 51.7 in August. The new survey describes household sentiment, not signed remodeling contracts. Homeowners and contractors should separate necessary repairs from optional scope and assumptions about demand.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
Pennsylvania regulators voted September 10 to examine utility-ratemaking methods, including returns on equity and infrastructure-charge calculations. The review creates a process for potential changes; it does not lower a household’s current utility rate.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
A September 10 commission vote sets up proposed emergency load-control rules and a technical conference on large data-center demand. Pennsylvania homeowners should watch the resulting proposals, while recognizing that no new household curtailment rule was announced.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
Reynolds Water and Reynolds Disposal proposed substantial increases for customers in parts of Mercer County, Pennsylvania. The commission voted September 10 to investigate and suspend the proposals. The illustrated bill changes are requests, not currently approved charges.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
Washington regulators announced September 29 and October 7 opportunities to comment on Puget Sound Energy’s proposed electric and gas increases. The filing covers several years; proposed revenue percentages should not be mistaken for every customer’s bill change.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
NAHB’s September 11 release reports a $3.7 million median annual revenue for builder members in its 2025 census. The small median payroll underscores the value of asking who coordinates subcontractors and communicates changes on a home project.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
A September 9 supplemental proposal revisits elements of the federal “waters of the United States” definition, with comments due October 9. Owners considering site work should distinguish a proposed definition from the requirements that currently govern a property.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
Duke Energy Florida reported grid-hardening progress September 10 and urged customers to prepare for hurricane-season outages. Its systemwide figures describe company-reported infrastructure changes, not a guarantee of continuous service at an individual home.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
Hawaii officials reported September 11 that commercial power had returned to Lihue Airport. Road and port restrictions remained part of Kauai’s recovery, making current route checks and clear travel arrangements important for homeowners coordinating off-island project help.
3 min readIndustry news · Sep 13, 2026
The September 12 National Weather Service outlook describes shifting rain and thunderstorm concerns through early next week. Homeowners and contractors can use current local alerts to coordinate exterior work, deliveries and written plans for weather-related delays.
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