Builder articles from August 2000

Builder archives from August 2000

PLAN ON.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Now, a New-Age solution to old land planning issues. DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION finding, understanding, and complying with zoning and planning ordinances? Ordinance.com may be the answer. It features keyword-searchable databases, definitions,...

What Business Are You In?(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... THE CORRECT ANSWER IS "CREATING AND SUPPORTING PEOPLE'S LIFESTYLES." WHY ASK THE QUESTION? BECAUSE THE FUture will value intellectual capital over physical output, says futurist Edward D. Barlow Jr., (www.creatingthefuture.com.). If the...

SEARCH WITHOUT END.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... In growing cyberspace, the "best" engine is elusive. DOT.COMS AND DOT. nets abound, but trying to evaluate the best and worst of them is difficult. Should you trust the research of consumer applications such as AOL, MSN, and Yahoo when they...

Beyond Paperwork.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... FEW ISSUES HAVE AS DIRECT AN IMPACT AS THE BUREAUCRACY OF LAND PLANNING AND PERMITTING. THESE NEW, PAPERLESS TOOLS STREAMLINE THE DEVELOPMENT AND PERMITTING PROCESS. * Netclerk www.netclerk.com: The mother of all permitting databases,...

Fast Traffic.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... To get the most from your Web site, cross-promote your Web name in other media. * Put your dot.com name everywhere--on all print ads, for-sale signs, and sold signs, even bus benches, hats, school sports fields. Ask vendors and subs to put...

Point and Cluck.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Business 2.0 reports the Internet is bringing order to even the most chaotic and fragmented industries. Click and point at the auction/portal site www.poultryfirst.com. Billing itself as "the premier resource and selling aid to the global...

Silicon Valley Fever.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Builders are riding the rising tide of a very hot market. HERE'S ONE FOR THE SALES AND MARKETING BOOKS: Ponderosa Homes' modest models at University Square, an enclave of 121 new homes wedged up against Highway 101 in East Palo Alto,...

BMAIL.
August 1, 2000... Wired Times IT'S AN EXCITING TIME IN OUR INDUSTRY. When I signed up for [BUILDER'S] IHOUSING conference, I didn't know we would have the quality of speakers we had. It was fascinating. It is the first time we've all come together and...

Callback.
August 1, 2000... ON PAGE 148 OF THE JUNE 2000 ISSUE, the top two builders in the Cincinnati chart were reversed. Fisher Homes is the top-ranked builder with 724 sales; The Drees Co. is the second-ranked builder with 720 sales. We apologize for the error.

Multifamily Mania.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... In an era of urban resurgence, multifamily housing is making a big comeback. While some markets have boomed, others have untapped demand. MULTIFAMILY HOUSING IS NO LONGER defined by the spartan rental properties or low-profile condos of the...

Home Terms Not Top Click.(Buyers Guide)
August 1, 2000... More than 40 percent of home buyers may be tapping into the Internet to search for new homes, but real estate terms have yet to make the list of top 10 most searched words, according to Dr. Richard Schroth, president of Executive Insights and...

Wasted Space.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2000... The U.S. Conference of Mayors has helped quantify the value of unused brownfield sites throughout the country. The Conference's annual report for 2000 includes the responses of 231 cities of all sizes. Collectively, 201 of those cities...

Heimbinder Joins Start-Up.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Former Lennar and U.S. Home executive Isaac Heimbinder has joined the dot.com revolution. Heimbinder announced he has become chairman and CEO of HomeWrite.com, a new Internet start-up that will provide warranty data, guarantees, information on...

Fast Facts.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2000... Multiple Impact Multifamily is a money-maker. The construction of 1,000 multifamily homes generates these boons to the local economy: * 1,030 full-time jobs in construction-related industries * $32 million in wages and new income...

Growing Lifestyle Gap.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... A survey of home market values reveals striking price disparities among different geographic areas. APOCRYPHAL OR NOT, TALES CONTINUE TO circulate about gainfully employed people living out of their cars in Silicon Valley because of the...

COST COMPARISONS.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The home market values are based on a 2,200-square-foot, eight-room, four-bedroom, two-and-a-half-bath home in a middle-income suburban community. Runzheimer International's survey of about 300 metropolitan areas found the average location's...

Tube Alert.
August 1, 2000... Subdivide and Conquer: A Modern Western is a documentary by independent filmmakers Jeff Gersh and Chelsea Congdon that explores the history and consequences of sprawl in cities, suburbs, and towns, and alternatives for creating more livable...

A WAYS TO GO?(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... A report by the National Association of Realtors throws cold water on the idea of builders directly selling homes on the Internet. Nearly 9 out of 10 (87 percent) of Internet-using home buyers bought through a real estate agent or broker in...

REINCARNATION.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... New research published in the Forest Products Journal (June 2000) suggests that CCA-treated wood may finally have found a path away from landfills and toward more recycling. When mixed with cement, treated wood becomes a stable particleboard.

WHITEWASHING?
August 1, 2000... At a recent NAHB board of directors meeting, members noted 12 key issues facing the industry, including (No. 9) "industry image." Their objective: "Present the most positive impression of the industry and what it stands for." Will the industry...

RESPONSIBLE WOOD USE.
August 1, 2000... Pulte, Centex, and Kaufman and Broad have moved to reduce or eliminate their use of wood from endangered forests. K&B and Pulte are also working with the Natural Resources Defense Council to implement wood-efficient building techniques.

Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae Investigation?
August 1, 2000... Due to the explosive growth, self-imposed earnings pressure, and expansion into new markets of second mortgage market makers Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, federal regulators tested how stable each would be if they had to weather a deep,...

USBuild Completes Financing.
August 1, 2000... Company raises $12.4 million to fund Denver pilot program USBUILD.COM, THE DOT.COM COMPANY THAT seeks to turn the home building supply chain on its head by replacing distributors, has completed a $12.4 million round of financing. Led by...

Runaway Runoff.
August 1, 2000... A growing body of evidence has convinced California state lawmakers they need to further tighten runoff regulations. FOUR YEARS AGO, A REPORT BY the American Oceans Campaign (AOC) titled "Estuaries on the Edge" described the waters of...

Franchising at the Starting Gate.
August 1, 2000... Michael Holigan parlays his TV success into a nationwide system of licensed home builders in an attempt to become the first successful home builder franchise. JUST BECAUSE NO ONE ELSE HAS successfully created a nationwide home building...

Dot.Com Draftee.
August 1, 2000... Heimbinder takes his home building experience to a start-up. FORMER LENNAR AND U.S. Home executive Isaac Heimbinder has joined the dot.com revolution. Only a few months after Lennar Homes announced it was purchasing Houston-based U.S....

Industry Downturn?(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2000... Sales slow as interest rates rise. A RECENT OFF-THE-record meeting of some of the nation's largest home builders at a major university resulted in some interesting off-the-cuff comments about the direction of the nation's new-housing...

On a Wing.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... THESE FASTENERS Allow builders to attach towel bars, grab bars, and other bathroom accessories to the wall without using studs or blocking. The fasteners, which install in about 15 minutes, pop open into a conical shape, dispersing force to the...

Safety First.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... THE FRAMEPRO 600E NAILER features a microprocessor chip that protects users and bystanders from accidental discharges without interrupting workflow. The tool's Think Trac Technology will "time out" the firing mechanism if the nail isn't driven...

High Glass.
August 1, 2000... COLORFUL GLASS SINKS ARE GIVING WHITE PORCELAIN A RUN FOR ITS MONEY. THE BASINS IN THE Watercolors line are made of super-annealed glass, with a mottled color pattern coated exterior. They measure 15 3/4 inches in diameter by inches deep, and...

The Good China.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... MODERN INNOVATION AND old-fashioned looks combine to create this bold design. The Bol ceramic faucet, inspired by an apothecary mortar and pestle, is made of vitreous china. Water fills the body of the faucet, then flows from the spout. It is...

Smart Saw.
August 1, 2000... THE REVOLUTION SPIRAL SAW GIVES USERS greater control, thanks to a computer chip that adjusts speed according to user control and bit friction. Its "soft start" feature and multiple speed settings keep it from jerking or bogging down. The tool...

The Jet Set.
August 1, 2000... THE CIELO LINE OF JETTED TUBS INCLUDES RECTANGLE, oval, and corner models in more than 50 colors. The tubs, made of Lucite cast acrylic, feature suction guards and rigid PVC water pipes. Builder-friendly features include a plastic liner to...

Tried and True.
August 1, 2000... By limiting selections and watching trades closely, this builder boosts profits and controls quality. A FEW MILES WEST OF NEW ORLEANS, the landscape turns primordial. Miles of electric green bayou stretch out beneath a ribbon of concrete...

Starting Over.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... This Montgomery Ala., builder turned a property considered "a sure loser" into a successful move-up development of $500,000 homes. THEY TOLD ALAN TAYLOR IT couldn't be done. "Them's fighting words," Taylor says. As vice president of...

Single Minded.(Townhouse design)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Q: How can I alter the designs of ordinary townhouse units to make them look, feel, and live more like single-family homes? A: CREATING A SENSE OF PRIVACY AND INDIVIDUALISM CAN COUNT FOR A LOT IN ATTRACTing buyers to a multifamily project....

Pace Slows.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Mid-year stats. Regions reflect slower traffic and sales. LIKE THE LOVE AFFAIR IN THE OLD Sinatra song, most markets have simply been too hot not to cool down. It was inevitable. And so by mid-year, after a series of rate hikes, the...

Open Sesame.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Manufacturers and regulators work to make garage doors safer. THE U.S. CONSUMER PRODUCT SAFEty Commission (CPSC) reports that in 1998 an estimated 3,370 automatic garage door-related injuries were treated in emergency rooms. And while this...

In the Swing of Things.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... As windows get larger and more option loaded, patio doors follow suit. WITH HOME BUYERS SPENDING more on larger openings and better features, patio door manufacturers are responding with wider and taller units, expanded options, and...

Boom Busted?(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... On June 19, the NAHB announced its Housing Market Index (HMI) had fallen four points to 58, the lowest monthly reading since November 1997. Just this year the index has dropped 13 points, and it's down 20 points from its peak in December of...

Urban Frontiers.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Partnership calls for new homes in America's cities. IN THE HALF CENTURY AFTER WORLD War II, several generations of American families sought to make their lives in the suburbs of the nation's great cities. For the housing industry the land...

What's in a House Price?(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Sticker price is just part of the story. THE GOVERNMENT'S OFFICIAL DATA on new-home prices is based on prices contained in sales contracts, and these contracts typically are signed by buyers prior to completion (or even start) of the homes....

Seniors Studied.(The National Center for Seniors Housing Research)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The National Center for Seniors Housing Research has just opened as a cooperative effort between the NAHB Research Center and the Administration on Aging. The overarching goal of the Center is to help the majority of older Americans who dream...

Backlog Brews.(Building permits)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The recently released Army Corps of Engineers workload study has reinforced what the NAHB expected: Changes in permit law translate to more work and longer backlogs in the permitting process. The study reveals that the number of backlogged...

Affordable Fix-Up.(THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF Alabama)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... RAP means affordable rehab in Alabama. THE HOME BUILDERS ASSOCIATION OF Alabama (HBAA) and the Alabama Housing Finance Authority (AHFA) work to provide low-income homeowners with a 10-year, zero-payment, forgivable mortgage for carpentry,...

Bayou Boom.(Southern Homes)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Greater New Orleans' diversifying economy and nearby gaming and tourism industries have brought a boost to its Northshore. Southern Homes lured first-time buyers and empty-nesters to the area by offering ample space, large lots, and a quiet...

Charlotte's "Deb".(Squire Homes did its research)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The debut of new housing in an untested market can prove suecessful--if you do your research. That was the lesson for Beazer Homes in Charlotte, NC., where a well-planned product line attracted first-time buyers, minorities, and young families....

Grand Expectations.(Toll Brothers Inc.taps a mixed market)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... In a tech-boom corridor near Newark, N.F, Toll Brothers tapped a mixed market by offering low-maintenance attached villas with space for casual living. NOT FAR FROM NEWARK AND DOWNTOWN MANHATTAN, TOLL BROTHERS has carved a niche for...

CYBER SECRETS.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... For the second year running, BUILDER'S editors have distilled the expanding universe of the Internet into a digestible compendium of tools and tips. YOU'RE READING A DISPOSABLE STORY. IN A YEAR, PERhaps less, much of the information you're...

Scrapbook Time Saver.(Homeportfolio.com)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Homeportfolio.com, the self-proclaimed "leading Internet destination for premium home design products," allows you to organize your own Personal Portfolio--a kind of online scrapbook--for spouse, builder, architect, and designer. Strategic...

Small House, Big Ideas.(Sarah Susanka)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... According to architect/author Sarah Susanka, less is more, Susanka's Web site, notsobighouse.com, is based on her bestselling book, The Not So Big House, and has photos and a floor plan of her home, along with a list of recommended architects...

BUILDER'S Top 10 Industry Web Sites.
August 1, 2000... OUR EDITORS SEARCHED HIGH AND LOW AND LINK TO LINK FOR THE BEST IN BUILDER DOT.COM INFORMATION. IF YOU WERE STRANDED ON A deserted cyber island with links to only 10 builder sites, which would you choose? Here's our take: ...

Anatomy of a Killer Site.(Homebuilder.com)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2000... WHAT TURNS WEB SURFERS INTO REPEAT SHOPPERS? TAKE YOUR CUES FROM THIS CYBERSPACE WINNER. SPLASH PAGES ARE FUN, AND IMAGES SELL houses--but content is the real king of the Web. The best sites focus on the customer rather than the site...

File Free.(Driveway.com and idrive.com - information on services)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2000... Driveway.com offers up to 100 megabytes of free online file storage; idrive.com provides unlimited free storage for Internet and MP3 files and 50 megabytes for desktop files.

Web Ways.(Internet users in US)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
August 1, 2000... The United States has 130 million Internet users. In May 2000, the average American Web surfer logged on for 18 sessions perweek, spending a total of 9 hours, 5 minutes, and 24 seconds on the Web. That breaks down to almost 30 minutes per...

Does FedEx Ship Caterpillars?(www.ironmax.com)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... An online marketplace "big, yellow machines," www.ironmax.com connects suppliers and purchasers of construction equipment. The site is free to equipment buyers, who get a greater choice of suppliers and a wider range of product information.

Surplus Source.(DigitalEPC.com)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Newcomer DigitalEPC.com has launched an e-commerce exchange for surplus construction materials and equipment that lets builders resell "underused assets," extras, and ordering accidents. Cyber-child of civil engineer Beverly Anderson of Tulsa,...

3-D Tours.(www.3dland.com)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The Web site at www.3dland.com creates and hosts Internet-based 3-D models for home builders, architects, designers, Realtors, and homeowners. Explore the interior and exterior of a home by virtually walking through it in three dimensions.

Cash, Anyone?(PayPal.com)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Paypal.com's service at www.paypal.com allows you to use a credit card to send cash to anyone, anywhere in the world, who has an e-mail address. For example, you can use it to bid on materials at an auction, and pay if you win.

And They're Off.(Beazer Homes; K. Hovnanian Investment Properties Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... BUILDERS ARE OUT OF THE STARTING GATE AND ON THE INTERNET. ALL THIS TALK ABOUT THE Internet has us excited too, so we decided to have a little race. We polled eight builders to see how extensively they had incorporated the Internet into...

HIT OR MISS?(Web site tracking)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Many builders keep track of the hits to their Web sites, but few may know the best ways to turn those hits into solid leads. Some hot tips: 1. Track visitor sessions: Nine or more minutes on your site may be a solid hit. 2. Do...

No Reply.(Morrison Homes replies)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... MORRISON HOMES USES THE PERSONAL TOUCH TO IMPROVE ITS RESPONSE TO CUSTOMERS' E-MAILS. JOHN RYMER, VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES and marketing for Alpharetta, Ga.--based Morrison Homes, tested the members of his own sales force to find out how...

Dot.Com Facts.
August 1, 2000... * One year in the life of e-commerce is equivalent to seven years of evolution in the "real" world. * 94% of businesses online today are losing money. * The 40 wealthiest Americans under age 40 are all involved in Internet- or...

European Flair.(building industry in UK)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... What's the building industry like in Great Britain? Check it out at fmb.org.uk/publications/masterbuilder, the Web site for Federal of Master Builders magazine. You can locate articles on topics ranging from the state of British housing to...

NEW PARADIGMS.
August 1, 2000... Looking for new business models and motivations? These five sites offer unique case studies and assistance for the 21st-Century company. * Best Practices Database * epicRealm E-commerce Assistance www.bestpractices.org: This...

Windows, Doors, and Skylights, Oh My!(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... The National Fenestration Rating Council has launched a site, nfrc.org, that features a bounty of information on how it rates products, and an area where you can download portions of its detailed certified products directory in Adobe Acrobat...

Builder Credit Cards.(from Information Tools)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... A new start-up company called Information Tools (www.ihouse.com) plans to develop credit cards specifically for contractors. The cards will allow builders to track information on all materials and supplies so they can fine-tune their bids and...

World View.(CyberAlert's services)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... MONITORING IS A TWO-WAY STREET: SHOW & TELL AND I SPY. INTERNET MONITORING CONSISTS OF TWO MAIN functions: keeping track of what competitors are doing and posting real-time data about your own company's current projects, including a...

NET ADS: WHAT REALLY WORKS.(Medallion Homes Inc.)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... In the world of dot.com mania, how do you standout in the crowd? YOU'VE SEEN THEM. PERhaps you loathe them. Banner ads are everywhere on the Web because they pay for the cyber-world you and your potential home buyers surf daily. But there's...

E-Sourcing the Back Office.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... OUTSOURCING STREAMLINES OPERATIONS FOR BIG BUILDERS AND LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD FOR SMALL BUILDERS. SHOULD YOU e-source your accounting, payroll, or employee benefits to some online outfit you've never met? If you've dealt with subs, you...

Paint the Town.
August 1, 2000... The Paint Quality Institute's site www.paintquality.com provides professional painters and do-it-yourselfers with new technology, trends, an encyclopedia of terms, and a problem-solver section. Log on to vote in the America's Prettiest...

Book Learnin'.
August 1, 2000... Net newbie? Check out these resources for quick tips: * Dinosaur Time The Internet for the Typewriter Generation by Dan Fingerman. Published by Ten Speed Press, $14.95. * Streetwise Surfing The Unauthorized Guide to the...

It's a Web World.
August 1, 2000... The number of visitors tracked by Web measurement companies and site owners can vary by millions. These were Media Matrix's top 10 visited sites as of May 2000.

Online Loan Delivery.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Town.com's eDelivery program (www.iown.com) allows customers to down-load and print their own loan documents. The service provides all necessary forms for acquiring a home mortgage.

To Your Health.(online resources for building contractors)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... LOOK TO THE WEB FOR THE LATEST ON IMPROVING NEW-HOME ENVIRONMENTS. * Healthy House Institute www.hhinst.com: What constitutes a "healthy" home anyway? Click through this site from the Healthy House Institute, an independent resource...

No Secrets.(online resources for building contractors)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... For as little as $3.95, contractors can now obtain public records about prospective clients. Knowx.com's service (www.knowx.com searches databases to find out about past lawsuits and bankruptcies, along with Uniform Commercial Code financing...

ENERGY PAYOFF.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... These five sites offer practical information along with construction tips and financial tools to help you build--and sell-more energy-efficient homes. * ENERGY STAR HOMES yosemite.epa.gov/appd/eshomes/eshomes.nsf: This site tells how...

New Homes in a Tangled Web.(home buying online services)(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... ONLINE HOUSE-HUNTING MARKETPLACES TRY TO BALANCE THE INTERESTS OF CONSUMERS AND HOME BUILDERS. AS THE INTERNET BRINGS PEOPLE INTO the home buying experience through new paths, it changes or eliminates traditional relationships between...

ALTERNATIVE HOW-TO.
August 1, 2000... Looking for advice and specifications for installing solar panels, booking up rainwater storage systems, or building with rammed earth? These sites cover a wide range of ecological alternatives. * Flasolar.com www.flasolar.com: Check...

Moving Models.
August 1, 2000... Many builders are getting savvy and providing online shoppers with virtual tours of their model homes. These three companies have it right: * Kaufman and Broad--www.Kbhomes.com * Morrison Homes--www.morrisonhomes.com * The Singh...

Web Quotables:.
August 1, 2000... "My favorite thing about the Internet is that you get to go into the private world of real creeps without having to smell them."--Penn Jillette, magician "The Internet is so big, so powerful and pointless that for some people it is a...

Wood Floors In Depth.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... Not only can you purchase various types of wood flooring from WoodfloorsOnline.com, but you also get links to numerous other pages full of illustrations and handy tips about how to install and finish various types of wood floors over different...

Click Transactions.(Brief Article)
August 1, 2000... IOwn.com's "eDelivery" site invites visitors to download and print loan documents. And CloseYourDeal.com is perhaps the dawning of the long-awaited paperless real estate deal: Its site serves as the platform hosting documents and e-mail that...

Great Dot Neighbors.
August 1, 2000... A neighborhood Intranet site doesn't have to be pricey. More and more online builder services that secure funds from local ads rather than builders are sprouting up. Shanah.com and Ivicinity.com, for example, provide online newsletters,...