Last updated: October 29, 2026
If you are building, remodeling, or buying a new home around Rochester, New York, one name keeps coming up: the Rochester Home Builders Association. Known as the RHBA, it is the trade association for the residential construction industry in the Rochester area, operating since 1934. That is more than 90 years of builders, remodelers, and suppliers working under one local banner, and for homeowners it is a practical starting point when you need a vetted local professional.
Key Takeaways
- The Rochester Home Builders Association (RHBA) is the Rochester, New York trade association for residential construction, founded in 1934.
- For builders and remodelers, it provides education and training, code and legislation updates, advocacy, and networking.
- For homeowners, its searchable member directory at findthehomepros.com helps you find local home professionals.
- Its public events include the Home & Garden Show, the Home & Design Expo, and Homearama, a showcase of new homes.
- The RHBA is based at 20 Wildbriar Rd, Suite D, Rochester, NY 14623, tel +1 585-272-8222.
What Is the Rochester Home Builders Association?
The Rochester Home Builders Association is a membership organization for the people and companies that build and remodel homes in the Rochester, New York region. Its members include home builders, remodelers, and the suppliers, subcontractors, and service providers that support residential construction. It exists to strengthen the local industry: raising standards, keeping members informed, and giving the industry a voice on housing issues.
The association was founded in 1934, one of the longer-running local builders associations in the United States. Operating continuously for more than nine decades, it has deep roots in its local market and knowledge of how Rochester’s housing market and building practices have changed.
The RHBA’s office is at 20 Wildbriar Rd, Suite D, Rochester, NY 14623, and its phone number is +1 585-272-8222. Its main website is rochesterhomebuilders.com, and its member directory lives at findthehomepros.com. For readers of Activemyhouse planning a build or remodel, those two sites are the practical front doors to the organization.
A Quick Clarification: Three Different “Rochester” Names
Searching for builders associations in a city called Rochester can get confusing, because more than one organization uses similar words in its name. They are three separate organizations.
The organization this article is about is the Rochester Home Builders Association of Rochester, New York, founded in 1934. A second, separate group is Rochester Area Builders, based in Rochester, Minnesota, which dates to 1953. A third is the Rochester Hispanic Business Association, a Hispanic business group founded in 1989, which is not a builders association at all.
What the RHBA Does for Builders
For builders, remodelers, and others in the residential construction trades, the RHBA functions as a professional home base, working in four broad areas: education, information, advocacy, and networking.
Education and training are a core part of the offering. The association runs seminars and workshops and supports professional certifications, including the Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS) designation, which trains remodelers to adapt homes so older adults can live in them safely. It also offers CPR and First Aid training and Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting refreshers, the safety training required for work in homes where lead-based paint may be present.
Information is the second pillar. The RHBA keeps members current on building technology, financing, and changes to state and local building codes and ordinances. A rule change can alter what is allowed on a lot or what inspections a project must pass, and a builder who learns about a change late can face delays or a failed inspection.
Advocacy is the third pillar. The association speaks up on legislation affecting affordable housing and the broader conditions that shape residential construction in the region. Individual builders rarely have the time to follow every bill or local ordinance that touches housing supply, permitting, or construction costs, so a trade association pools that effort and represents the industry’s perspective to policymakers. Finally, membership puts builders in regular contact with other builders, remodelers, suppliers, and subcontractors in the same market, and those relationships lead to referrals and practical knowledge sharing.
What the RHBA Does for Homeowners
Homeowners are the other half of the RHBA’s audience, and the association’s most useful homeowner tool is its member directory. The searchable directory at findthehomepros.com lets you look for local home professionals by trade or service, so you can find builders, remodelers, and related professionals who are members of the association. Membership does not replace your own due diligence, and you should still check references, licenses, and past work before hiring anyone. But starting with a directory of established local professionals narrows the field to firms engaged in the local industry.
Beyond the directory, the RHBA’s public events give homeowners a low-pressure way to meet builders and suppliers, see products and ideas, and get a feel for who you might want to work with before committing to a project.
Events: Home Shows and Homearama
The RHBA’s public events are recurring fixtures on Rochester’s home calendar. The Home & Garden Show and the Home & Design Expo are exhibition-style events where homeowners can browse products, talk to builders and suppliers, and gather ideas for building, remodeling, and decorating. For someone at the early stage of a project, a home show is an efficient way to compare options face to face.
Homearama is the association’s new-home showcase. In a Homearama event, builders open built homes for the public to tour, giving visitors a chance to walk through finished homes, see design trends, and talk with the builders themselves. Touring a showcase home is one of the best ways to understand what a builder’s finished product looks and feels like. Event details such as dates, venues, and participating builders change from year to year, so check the association’s current announcements before making plans.
RHBA at a Glance
| Offering | Who It Serves | What It Involves | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education and training | Builders and remodelers | Seminars, workshops, CAPS certification, CPR and First Aid, lead refreshers | Rochester Home Builders Association |
| Code and industry updates | Builders and remodelers | Building technology, financing, state and local code changes | Rochester Home Builders Association |
| Advocacy | Builders and the industry | Legislation affecting affordable housing and residential construction | Rochester Home Builders Association |
| Networking and business development | Builders and remodelers | Member connections, referrals, and knowledge sharing | Rochester Home Builders Association |
| Member directory | Homeowners | Searchable directory of local home professionals at findthehomepros.com | Find the Home Pros |
| Public events | Homeowners and the public | Home & Garden Show, Home & Design Expo, Homearama showcase | Rochester Home Builders Association |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Rochester Home Builders Association do?
It is the trade association for Rochester, New York’s residential construction industry. It supports builders and remodelers with education, training, code updates, advocacy, and networking, and serves homeowners through its member directory and public home events.
How old is the RHBA?
The association was founded in 1934, more than 90 years of continuous operation.
How can I find a builder through the RHBA?
Use the searchable member directory at findthehomepros.com to look for local home professionals by trade or service. As with any hire, check references, licenses, and past work before signing a contract.
Is the Rochester Home Builders Association the same as Rochester Area Builders?
No. The Rochester Home Builders Association serves Rochester, New York, and was founded in 1934. Rochester Area Builders is a separate association in Rochester, Minnesota, dating to 1953. The Rochester Hispanic Business Association is a different organization again, a Hispanic business group founded in 1989, not a builders association.
What is Homearama?
Homearama is the RHBA’s new-home showcase, where builders open newly built homes for the public to tour. It is a practical way to see builders’ finished work, compare styles and quality, and meet builders in person.
How do I contact the RHBA?
The association is based at 20 Wildbriar Rd, Suite D, Rochester, NY 14623, and can be reached at +1 585-272-8222. Its main website is rochesterhomebuilders.com.
Conclusion
For anyone building, remodeling, or buying a new home in the Rochester, New York area, the rochester home builders association is a practical resource on both sides of the project. Builders get training, current information on codes and technology, a voice on housing policy, and a local professional network. Homeowners get a searchable directory of local professionals and public events where they can see real homes and meet real builders before making one of the biggest financial decisions of their lives. An organization that has served the same community since 1934 has earned that role the slow way.